Pope Francis reflects on his ‘period of trial’
Pope Francis has reflected on his “period of trial”, as he enters the fifth week in the Gemelli hospital in Rome, where he is being treated for double pneumonia. In his Angelus reflection, he remembered all who are sick: “Our bodies are weak, but even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being shining signs of hope for one another in faith.” A photo of him was released last night, the first since he was hospitalised, picturing him in a wheelchair looking at the crucifix on the altar of the chapel at the hospital, where he has gone to pray every day since his medical condition has shown slight improvements.
2028 Catholic post synod assembly
A special assembly of the Catholic church will be held in October 2028 to evaluate the implementation of changes from the global Synod which met last year. Cardinal Mario Grech, the Secretary General of the Synod’s General Secretariat, said in a letter to bishops, that the implementation phase is not a directive from above but a reception process by the church appropriate to local cultures and community needs.
St Patrick’s descendants, witnessing in song
Today is St Patrick’s Day, the patron saint of Ireland, who was taken there as a slave and evangelised people into the Christian faith. The tradition lives on and last night, BBC1 broadcast the story of three parish priests from Northern Ireland, Fathers Martin and Eugene O’Hagan, who are brothers, and Father David Delargy, who found their gifts of song brought them to new audiences in world wide fame. After 50 years, three million albums and 250 live performances, they ended their musical careers in January with a concert in Belfast, continually amazed at the impact of their story, told in this documentary. Factsheet on St Patrick is here
Jewish record producer kidnapped in west Wales because of his religion
Three men have been jailed for kidnapping a record producer and chaining him to a radiator in a remote cottage in Wales, because he was Jewish. The extraordinary story of Israeli born Itay Kashti, was told at Swansea Crown Court, where the judge jailed Mohammad Comrie, 23, from Leeds, Faiz Shah, 23, from Bradford, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20, from Wallington, London, for eight years and one month each. She said they had targeted Itay Kashti because of his religion: “He was an entirely innocent, hard-working music producer that you had identified as a victim based on your understanding of his wealth and his Jewish heritage”. The defendants posed as representatives of Polydor Records, lured Kashti to a fake recording session, picked him up by taxi, took him to a cottage in Brynteg, west Wales, and captured him. He escaped by sliding his handcuffs along a loose radiator pipe and ran for his life, with his acoustic guitar, before police were alerted and picked him up to unravel the story. He’s quoted in the Jewish Chronicle saying: “It’s not the kind of fraud that takes place [in the music industry].” Story is here
Violence in Purim story in dispute
The Jewish festival of Purim, celebrated last week, is a joyous, colourful affair, but an opinion piece in the Guardian drawing comparisons with the story of Esther to the current situation in Israel, has caused a stir. Jewish American author Peter Beinart, points to the violence in the Esther story, with thousands killed, and says it could be seen as an example of “the evil that Jews commit.” Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, condemned Beinart’s characterisation of the Purim story, calling it a “misappropriation” of the festival’s true meaning. He said: “Purim is not a celebration of retribution or slaughter, but of survival against attempted genocide.”
Bishop warns risk assisted dying attracts people who feel a burden
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullaly, has warned of the risk that people may opt for assisted dying because they feel they are a burden. In a submission to the Terminally Ill Adults Bill Committee, she says there are no measures in the proposed legislation. nor safeguards, that could prevent people opting for assisted suicide because they felt a burden and points to evidence from Oregon and Washington state which shows that around half of those who opt to die, feel this way. “The Church of England’s opposition to the Terminally Ill Adults Bill is rooted in the impact the Bill would have on the most vulnerable members of society,” she says. Story here
Baptist minister charged for preaching near abortion clinic
Clive Johnston, aged 76, a retired Baptist minister, has been charged with violating the controversial buffer zone law near an abortion clinic in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, after delivering an open-air sermon on a patch of grass nearby. He faces two charges under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, including allegedly seeking to “influence” individuals accessing abortion services and failing to leave the area when instructed by police, according to The Christian Institute, which is defending him. He will appear in court this Friday. Story here.
UN Secretary General calls on all government to curb anti Muslim bigotry
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on all governments to foster social cohesion and protect religious freedom. He was speaking on Saturday to mark the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. He said that since 7 October, human rights groups around the world and the UN have noted a rise in “anti Muslim bigotry”, from racial profiling and discriminatory policies that violate human rights and dignity, to outright violence against individuals and places of worship. He called for the protection of religious freedom and for online platforms to curb hate speech.
CofE clergy revolt on pension settlement
More than 700 clergy have signed a letter to the Church Times, and 1,800 have joined an action group on Facebook, saying the current pension arrangements are set at an “indefensible, ungodly, and unChristian” level. The Rev Marcus Gibbs, area Dean of Tooting, said there was a moral imperative to take action. There have been calls to reverse a decision to reduce the pension from two thirds to half final salary. A measure presented to synod to increase the pension to catch up inflation since 2011 and uplift the starting pension rate is described as “merely a drop in the ocean” and restoration to pre-2011 levels is a “minimum” requirement. Story is here
CofE vicars to re-affirm their vows in alternative service
Conservative evangelicals in the Church of England (CEEC) are organising two separate, alternative ‘Affirmation of Ordination Vows’ service on Thursday, in place of the ‘Chrism Mass’, where priests renew their vows of ordination. Comments on social media regard this as schism, and it was threatened by the CEEC in a letter from a year ago, in protest at moves to allow same sex blessings. One alternative service will be held on zoom, led by Bishops Julian Henderson (Blackburn retired) and Keith Sinclair (Birkenhead retired); and another in person at St James the Less, Pimlico, led by Bishop Pete Broadbent (Willesden retired). This church is led by the Rev Lis Goddard, a member of the Crown Nominations Commission, whose members select the next Arcbishop of Canterbury.
Bear Grylls tells 10,000 young Catholics they are ‘unstoppable’
More than 10,000 young Catholics took part in “Flame 2025”, an event held at Wembley Arena, with speakers, song and worship to inspire young people. One of the speakers was the explorer Bear Grylls, whose book “The Greatest Story Ever Told” was given to each attendee. He said: “ “Faith is part of the adventure, faith is the adventure. It’s a journey… It’s a backbone, a streak of steel, the presence of Jesus besides us in the highs and the lows. It’s fire and life and water, all in one. It’s a journey. I hope you have an amazing rest of Flame. You guys are unstoppable!”
