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Rev Richard Sewell, Dean of St George's College, Jerusalem writes: 'The first heavy rain of winter has hit the Holy Land and Gaza is under water. For the third year millions of people in the Gaza Strip are living in tents or in dangerous housing. Just a few short miles away, people live in absolute comfort and safety with all their needs met. There are natural disasters and there's planned destit... Read More

Pope Leo XIV has expressed his profound sadness for the lives lost and those injured in a shooting that took place in the main square of Krakow, Poland, yesterday. The Pope sent a telegram of condolences signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin on the Pope's behalf to the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Grzegorz Rys. On November 7, a gunman opened fire on people in Krakow's historic mai... Read More

Pope Leo's first full day in Uruguay began with Mass in a rainy Parque París Londres in Paysandú, a river city facing Argentina. Around 40,000 people attended. Many had crossed the border to get there. In his homily Pope Leo pointed to the General Artigas International Bridge over the Uruguay River and told the crowd: "That is why it is so important to be builders of bridges!" Then he reflected... Read More

Fr Luis Montes, of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, arrived on Wednesday, November 4th, 2026, at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, to serve as a vicar priest, joining the parish's clergy in their pastoral mission. His arrival brings the number of priests serving the Parish to three. Fr Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest, expressed his joy at welcoming the new priest, announcing that the official r... Read More

The Martyrs of the New Millenium: the global persecution of Christians in the Twenty First Century. Robert Royal, Sophia Institute Press. If you thought Christian martyrdom belongs only to history, think again. In the 20th century we saw vicious persecution of Christians in Nazi Germany, in the Soviet Union, and in Mao's China. What about the 21st? In Nigeria Christian farms and villages have bee... Read More

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) has given its prestigious John Betjeman award to an historic Catholic Church in the Diocese of Plymouth. The award, that celebrates excellence in the repair of places of worship of all denominations in England and Wales, was conferred on Our Lady and St Mary Magdalene in Tavistock, a Grade II listed parish church in Tavistock, Devon. Th... Read More

Gospel of 8 November 2026 Matthew 25:1-13 At that time: Jesus told his disciples this parable, 'The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all... Read More

After his arrival Montevideo and the official welcomes yesterday, Pope Leo led Vespers in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Saints Philip and James, with Bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and seminarians. "Faithfulness to our vocation calls us to return again and again to Jesus Christ; to let Him be our treasure, the one whom we wish to resemble, " he told them. Po... Read More

In traditional greetings for the Hindu feast of Deepavali, the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue reflects on how Hindus and Christians can forge "pathways of peace together in 'the spirit of Assisi'." "May God, the fount of all that is good, bless you, your families, loved ones, and communities with abundant joy, peace, and prosperity," reads a message from the Dicastery for Interreligious Dia... Read More

Tomorrow, 8 November, we will celebrate Diwali, which comes from the Sanskrit 'Deepavali,' meaning 'row of lights'. This festival is celebrated across Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and among some Buddhist communities. Diwali symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. As a Catholic, I grew up respecting other religions. My father, Balgobin Ramdeen, wa... Read More

Acting Wing Commander Robin John McNair DFC and Bar (1918-1996) was posthumously awarded the Order of Aeronautical Merit by the Government and Air Force of the Republic of Brazil at a ceremony in London on 23 October. Wing Commander McNair was of Brazilian origin but flew with the RAF on almost 500 missions during the Second World War, including the Battle of Britain. He was a renowned pilot, le... Read More

Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Remembrance Sunday in the UK) In one sense the parable of the ten virgins is easy to understand, if we remind ourselves that the status of the attendants is not the subject matter of the story, rather it is what they do or do not do that concerns us. They are part of the ceremonial activity that surrounded the third distinct part of the cultural setting of a ... Read More

Gospel of 7 November 2026 Luke 16:9-15 At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. 'One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful with t... Read More

During his flight from Rome to Montevideo, Pope Leo XIV offered prayers for peace, unity, and prosperity in messages to the leaders and peoples of Italy, France, Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, and Brazil as the papal plane flew over their territories. After about an hour and half after takeoff, Pope Leo greeted the 82 reporters, correspondents, and camera operators accompanying him, in three lan... Read More