Premier League football clubs host workshops to tackle antisemitism
Jewish News reports that every Premier League football club has participated in workshops on antisemitism, recognising what it is, reviewing real life situations that have occurred within football, examining the rise of hatred and understanding the impact of antisemitism on British Jews. The “Tackling Antisemitism in Sport” project is a partnership between the government’s adviser on antisemitism Lord Mann, and Maccabi GB, a Jewish society promoting health and wellbeing. Lord Mann told the Jewish News: “Giving club staff, players and stewards the knowledge and tools to combat antisemitism not only means they are better equipped to deal with issues should they arise, but it also creates a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment for their Jewish fans”. Article is here
Data on British Muslims shows action needed for poverty, health and housing
The Muslim Council of Britain has produced the “British Muslims in Numbers Census Report Summary”, analysing UK census data to highlight details of the Muslim population, their demography and challenges. There are four million British Muslims, six per cent of the UK population. Among the key findings are that 50 per cent are UK born, but this is higher in Bradford, Walsall and Oldham. 40 per cent in England live in the most deprived neighbourhoods. Just two per cent cannot speak English, mainly older women. One in four Muslim households in England and Wales live in overcrowded residences, four times higher than the national average. The median age of Muslims in the UK is 29 years. 29.9 per cent of Muslim women aged 65+ years are in bad health. The report says the data should led to the development of policy to tackle disadvantage and improve its socio-economic and health profile. Concrete actions are needed to address crises in child poverty, housing and health inequalities.
Young people’s experience of Covid may be behind current surge in church attendance
The loneliness, isolation and insecurity of the Covid experience for young people may be the reason for the sudden rise in church attendance over six years between 2018 and 2024, which has been discovered in a Bible Society / YouGov survey. Based on 13,000 responses, the survey “The Quiet Revival” found a 50 per cent increase in attendance, from 8 to 12 per cent, including four times as many Gen Z young people aged 18-24 and five times as many young men. In a Religion Media Centre online briefing, church statistician Dr Peter Brierley said the cause of this unusual statistic was not clear, but the obvious change that occurred in that time period was Covid. Other factors were new churches, many of which were Pentecostal, started up by diaspora communities. Dr Tim Hutchings, from the University of Nottingham, said the spike was not showing up in any other data sets from mainstream denominational churches, especially the Church of England, where attendance was still down from pre Covid levels. Report authors said there were different methodologies in the various surveys, but theirs was robust, representative of the population, and they were confident in the results. View the briefing or listen to the podcast via links on our website here
Pope is stable and continuing to improve
The Vatican says that Pope Francis “continues to show clinical improvement” as he recovers at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta, following his hospitalization for bilateral pneumonia. The statement came two days after the Pope made a surprise appearance at the end of the Mass for the Jubilee of the Sick and Healthcare Workers, when he greeted the crowd saying: “Have a good Sunday and thank you very much.” Vatican News reports his condition remains stable. He requires less oxygen during the day, and he continues showing further slight respiratory, mobility, and voice-related improvements. At night he has high-flow oxygenation with nasal cannulas as needed. He is said to be in good spirits and continues working, receiving documents and phone calls. The Vatican says it is too early to know the Pope’s participation in Holy Week liturgies. The General Audience originally planned for 9 April will not take place, but the text of his speech will be released to journalists.
US ambassador to the Vatican nominee defends foreign aid cuts
Brian Burch, president and co-founder of Catholic Vote and nominated as the next US ambassador to the Vatican, has defended Trump’s cut to foreign aid and said Catholic charitable groups are well-equipped to deliver aid efficiently. Mr. Burch was testifying before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in preparation for a Senate confirmation vote. He has previously echoed criticism of Pope Francis, but before the committee he spoke of the importance of the Vatican: “The moral witness of the Holy See, together with its global influence, make it a key partner for an array of U.S. interests”. Associated Press report here
New CofE bishops’ theology adviser specialises in ethics and friendship
Dr Guido de Graaff has been appointed as the new Deputy Theology Adviser to the House of Bishops. He completed his theological studies in the Netherlands before moving to Oxford to pursue a doctorate in Christian Ethics, publishing his research under the title Politics in Friendship: A Theological Account. He is currently the Director of Studies and Tutor for Christian Doctrine and Ethics at St Augustine’s College of Theology, a non-residential college based in Southwark and West Malling, Kent. He will join the Theology Team within the Church of England’s Faith and Public Life department, led by the Rev Dr Casey Strine, whose specialisms include migration and the history and culture of the Middle East. The bishops are divided over same sex marriage, each side using theological arguments to argue their case.
Pugin’s Nottingham Cathedral to be restored to former glory
Nottingham Cathedral, a Grade II listed building designed by the famous architect Augustus Pugin in 1841, has been awarded a £1.69 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards a restoration project. The £2.3 million “Restoring Pugin Project” aims to focus on three chapels and ambulatories at the east end of the Cathedral back to Pugin’s original vision and design. In a statement, the church says expert conservators have found evidence of Pugin’s original decorative scheme hidden beneath layers of ageing grey paint. This includes starry ceilings, floral motifs, emblems, texts and foliage, and the project will use original stencils and authentic pigments to restore the colour and gold leaf. The scheme will also include developing facilities for visitors and offering heritage training for children and older volunteers. 2025 marks 175 years since the large Catholic church Pugin designed in Nottingham was elevated to Cathedral status and the Cathedral has thanked the Lottery fund for the funding to restore the Cathedral to its former glory.
