Wolverhampton ‘Creating Connectons’ in football, media and religion
The Football Association’s head of diversity and inclusion, Dal Darroch, has said religion is all important to the beautiful game. He told a Creating Connections event at Wolverhampton Wanderers, that religion and football are “inextricably linked”, creating “a real extraordinary synergy that unites, inspires, uplifts and brings people together in a way that feels truly magical.” This was the twelfth Creating Connections event and the first to be hosted by a football club. Wolves’ emphasis on diversity and inclusion among players, staff and fans, mirrors the aims of the RMC project, believing stronger links between different groups strengthens community. Inter communal relations in Wolverhampton, where 36 per cent of the population come from black and minority ethnic groups, are said to be strong. David Pattison from the City of Wolverhampton Council, told the audience that this was one reason the city did not experience riots last summer. The events are designed for faith groups to meet local journalists, creating links to better represent religion in the media. Journalists, including editors from the BBC and Wolverhampton Express and Star took part. There were some criticisms of the media in their response to local stories, but also positive commitment from the local editors to reflect their area well, despite a decline in the number of local journalists and the hours of local radio broadcasting. Read Lianne Kolirin’s report of the event here
Catholic Bishop: ‘Britain is no longer a Christian country’
The Catholic Bishop of Portsmouth Philip Egan says that “Britain is no longer a Christian country”, following the vote by MPs to legalise assisted suicide. In a pastoral letter to his diocese to mark the first Sunday of Advent, the Catholic Herald reports that Bishop Philip Egan stressed that a line has been crossed in Britain from which there is no return. The Terminally Ill (End of Life) Bill passed Second Reading by with a majority of 55, making it likely that assisting in suicides will be lawful for the first time in British history. The proposed law would give adults with less than six months to live the right to end their life with the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge. Bishop Egan, who has served as Bishop of Portsmouth since 2012, stressed the need to continue to lobby MPs. He wrote, “This legislation….makes one thing crystal clear. Britain is no longer a Christian country. To be a Christian in future will not be easy, if ever it was. More and more, as in ages past, we will stand out from the crowd and from others in our society who see human life, its dignity and value, in a radically different way.”
CofE Bishop: Assisted Dying decision ‘bleak for all who feared this’
Senior clergy in the Church of England continue to express concern over the Assisted Dying Bill. The Church Times quotes the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell saying: “I regret this decision. It changes the relationship between the state and its citizens, between doctors and their patients, and within families between children and their terminally ill relatives. Once begun it will be hard to undo and control.” On social media, the Bishop of Norwich Graham Usher, wrote that the result of the vote was “bleak for all who feared this, including the vulnerable, disability groups and those working in palliative care. The state should not be sanctioning death. Instead, better palliative and hospice care, so we can die with care and dignity.”
Israel to prevent mosques broadcasting call to prayer
The Jewish Chronicle reports that the Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gvir has instructed the police to prevent mosques from broadcasting the Islamic call to prayer over loudspeakers. Referring to a statement posted on social media, he is quoted as saying, “As they do in Europe, as they do in every civilised country in the world, as they do in Arab countries, we also need to address the issue of noise from mosques.” Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the new policy would allow police officers to enter mosques and confiscate loudspeaker equipment. The mosques could also be fined. According to the JC, the TV report cited leaders of Israel’s Arab community as threatening “unrest and even riots” in response to the minister’s move. A proposal to limit the volume of the call to prayer has been making its way through the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset. The legislation currently under consideration would limit the time of day and volume that Israeli mosques can use for their calls to prayer.
Jewish community leaders urge PM to take action to keep them safe
Representatives of key Jewish community organisations met the Prime Minister yesterday to discuss measures which the Government can take to tangibly improve life for the Jewish community in the UK, including specific recommendations for fighting antisemitism and extremism, backing efforts for peace and security in the Middle East, and supporting Jewish charities and schools. The representatives asked Sir Keir Starmer for a review of hate crime legislation and policing and prosecution to keep the community safe. The delegation spoke about the need to keep demonstrations away from synagogues and all Jewish community spaces. The President of the Union of Jewish Students Sami Berkoff also called for anonymised reporting for students facing abuse on campus. The group raised additional concerns from some Jewish charities and schools about the implications of VAT, business rates and national insurance changes announced in the budget.
Priest condemns Gaza protesters parading placards during Mass
A group of 30 pro-Palestinian protestors say they interrupted a service at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh on Sunday to “highlight the silence from the Catholic Church on genocide in Palestine”. In a livestream of the service shared on the parish’s social media, about 30 protesters can be seen entering the cathedral holding placards. Speaking in a video posted online, one protester Deirdre Murphy Linder, said they are “a group of cross-community Christians” who held a silent, dignified procession at the end of communion. She accused the church of being vocal when Russia invaded Ukraine but silent on Gaza, despite horrific images and tens of thousands of deaths. Following the protest, Fr Barry Mathews accused the demonstrators of using the Mass for a photo opportunity. He said: “We don’t use Mass as an opportunity for a quick snapshot. Let us not use the church for a place of political statement”.
Christians ‘banned’ from the Indian state of Chhattisgarh
The Christian Post reports that eight village councils in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh have passed a resolution that bans Christians from staying in their villages, requiring them to either renounce their faith or leave. The order affects about 100 Christians whose property and fields were threatened with confiscation if they did not comply. A local leader from one of the affected villages, upheld the decree, reportedly asserting that the authority of the village councils supersedes India’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion under Article 25. Fr. Thomas Vadakumkara,, froom the Jagadalpur diocese, said fundamental rights are systematically denied to Christians including the right to cultivate their fields, bury their dead and live on their own land.
Scottish Parliament sent an Advent wreath for reflection at Christmas
The Moderator of the Church of Scotland has presented a special Advent wreath to the Scottish Parliament for the first time to encourage members and staff to reflect on the true meaning of the season. Made from pine twigs and cones, the wreath has four LED candles which symbolise hope, peace, joy and love. Tradition has it that one candle is lit on each of the four Sundays during Advent. The wreath is on display on a table, underneath a portrait of Scotland’s founding First Minister Donald Dewar outside the Holyrood Room. The area is a busy thoroughfare and the Moderator, Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, hopes that it will give people pause for thought and reflection as they go about their business during a very busy time of year. He said that if the wreath encourages people to pause and reflect for a moment, then it will have served its purpose.
Webcam installed for virtual pilgrimages in Catholic 2025 year of Jubilee
The Guardian reports that St Peter’s tomb in the Vatican is now being livestreamed in preparation for the Holy Year of 2025, which is themed “Pilgrims of Hope”. Yesterday Pope Francis inaugurated the webcam, which has been installed at the tomb of the apostle beneath the main altar of St Peter’s Basilica. The Holy Year is expected to attract as many as 33 million pilgrims to Rome but for those unable to attend in person, the webcams grant ”symbolic” access, the Vatican says. A webcam will also be placed on the basilica’s huge bronze holy door, which Francis will open on 24 December to officially mark the beginning of the Jubilee 2025, a year of celebrations for Catholics around the world to reconnect with their faith. The opening of the door, which is bricked up between jubilee years, is especially poignant for pilgrims as those who walk through it will be granted a “plenary indulgence”, a gift which Catholics believe cleanses the soul from sin. Much of Rome is effectively an open-air construction site now as monuments are restored, roads are fixed and pedestrian areas restyled. The works have been a source of frustration for local people and tourists alike, but the mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, has promised that once they are completed “Rome will be more beautiful and efficient than before”.
