Increased fear among faith groups after religious hate crime rises
Sky News has reported increased fear among faith based groups in England and Wales, with Sikh men escorting home vulnerable women from a gurdwara and mounting street patrols, Muslim parents telling their children not to go out after certain hours and increasing security at mosques, and a rabbi warning of fragmentation between groups at a local level as synagogues step up security after the attack in Manchester. The report, by Lisa Holland, follows the publication of Home Office figures showing that religious hate crime in England and Wales rose by three per cent in the year to March 2025, with the highest ever total recorded at 7,164. The figures also show that hate crime against Muslims increased by 19 per cent, with a “clear spike” in August 2024, coinciding with the Southport murders and subsequent riots. There was a drop of 18 per cent in the number of religious hate crimes targeted at Jewish people, but these figures exclude the Met.
Commons speaker pays tribute to Heaton Park synagogue members
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Linsday Hoyle, invited Marc Levy, chief executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region, to his office this week, to express his condolences with the Heaton Park synagogue community after the attack a fortnight ago when two people were killed. This was the first opportunity after parliament returned from recess, when he could arrange a meeting. Sir Lindsay is MP for Chorley in Lancashire, north of Manchester. Jewish News reports that Sir Lindsay paid tribute to the bravery of the synagogue members, including Marc Levy’s father Alan, who barricaded the doors to keep out the attacker. The report says that they discussed the importance of MPs using responsible language and the public criticism of MPs who “invoke Holocaust inversion and incite hatred against our community”.
Pope orders medicines shipment for children in Gaza
Pope Leo has ordered that medicines be shipped out for the youngest victims of the Israel / Gaza war. 5,000 doses of antibiotics have been sent to Gaza through re-opened crossings, and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem says they’ve already been distributed with a message saying “the gospel is credible only when expressed through concrete gestures of closeness and welcome”.
Bishop says imprisonment of Palestinian Christian woman is unjust
The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, is appealing for prayers for the release of Layan Nasir, a 25 year old Christian Palestinian woman, who has been sentenced to eight months in prison without charge by an Israeli court. In a statement, the bishop says: “This is devastating news for Layan and her family. I invite everyone in Chelmsford Diocese to join me in praying for her release and for an end to this injustice”. Layan Nasir was a member of St Peter’s church, Birzeit, and a recent graduate of Birzeit University with a degree in nutrition. She was first imprisoned in 2021, then again for eight months in 2024. Last month, she was convicted on charges believed to relate to her involvement in a student group declared unlawful by Israeli authorities. Ahead of the trial the bishops of Chelmsford, Southwark, Norwich and Gloucester wrote a letter of support for Layan in which they said “It would be a travesty if your rehabilitation and reintegration back into society is interrupted by a further custodial sentence on a spurious charge from over four years ago. We earnestly pray that a plea deal can be negotiated with the court that avoids such an outcome.”
Archbishop of Wales addresses ‘deep-seated and long-standing trauma’ in Bangor church
The Archbishop of Wales, Cherry Vann, addressed the Bangor diocesan conference in north Wales last weekend, acknowledging the trauma the church has gone through in the last year as Andy John, who had two roles, retired as Bishop and resigned as Archbishop. This followed two reports into Bangor Cathedral which described weak governance of finances, a culture where “sexual boundaries seemed blurred” and excessive drinking. The Dean went on gardening leave then resigned and most recently the choir walked out during a service. The archbishop said it was clear that the challenges in Bangor were “complex, deep-seated and long-standing and they will take a long time to unravel and deal with”. She urged the church to focus on spiritual roots while it is “pruned like a vine, to encourage growth”. The new Dean of Bangor, Dr Manon Ceridwen James, who grew up in Nefyn, on the Llyn Peninsula, was installed last Sunday and vowed to lead the cathedral through a period of healing and reconciliation. The new Bishop of Bangor will be chosen by the Electoral College on 25-27 November.
Communities Secretary ‘appalled’ at mosque’s ban on women in fun run
The Communities Secretary Steve Reed, says he is “horrified and appalled” that East London mosque banned women from taking part in a fundraising run in the nearby Victoria Park. The mosque organises this annual event to raise thousands of pounds for charity including youth projects, food banks and refugee support. Though advertised as “inclusive”, it was only open to men, boys, and girls under 12. Steve Reed told LBC: “We do not want a situation in this country where men are allowed to do things that women are then barred from. We cannot tolerate that.” He said it was “absolutely unacceptable” and that the Equality and Human Rights Commission would investigate. Baroness Gohir, chief executive of the Muslim Women’s Network UK, said the organisers were “likely” in breach of the Equality Act. BBC report here
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints appoints new leader aged 93
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has appointed a 93 year old man, Dallin Harris Oaks, as its new president, replacing his predecessor who died in September aged 101. The president is the leader, presiding over twelve “apostles”, men who govern the church, which has 17 million members across the globe. President Dallin H. Oaks has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since May 1984. He was president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, and a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1980 until his resignation in 1984 to accept his calling to the apostleship. He has appointed two “counsellors” to assist him in his new role, men aged 92 and 80.
Guardian reports 60 new cases of abuse against Jesus Army
The Guardian reports that 60 new claims of abuse by leaders in the Jesus Army, have been brought before a lawyer handling the cases, and she is now preparing 24 civil claims against the Jesus Fellowship Community Trust, which is winding up the group’s assets after its closure in 2019. The lawyer, Kathleen Hallisey, a solicitor with Scott-Moncrieff & Associates, told The Guardian that the number of new cases was way beyond what she had expected. The allegations include sexual or domestic abuse and unpaid work, described as modern slavery. The new cases follow a report in The Guardian and a BBC documentary this summer, outlining the abuse,
Purification of St Peter’s Basilica altar after man urinated on it
Purification rites have been carried out on the high altar at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, after a man urinated on the Altar of Confession, where the Pope typically performs Mass, above the tomb of St Peter. The man, whose identity remains unknown, was arrested by Vatican gendarmes and is believed to be in custody. The basilica was closed to the public on Monday, and in the purification ceremony, prayers were said and holy water sprinkled on the altar. The Pope is said to be appalled and anxious “to restore the holiness of the place and ask forgiveness from God”.
