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On Monday morning, July 20, Pope Leo XIV paid a private visit to the Abbey of Monte Cassino and its monastic community. He paused to pray at the tomb of St Benedict, "entrusting to him his plea for peace in those regions of the world marked by bloodshed and conflict," the Vatican said later in a statement. Pope Leo then had lunch with the religious community and, afterwards, returned to Castel Ga... Read More

The first night of the Proms, 'the World's greatest classical music festival', at the Royal Albert Hall, had a heavenly send-off last Friday with Finzi's 'ceremonial ode' for St Cecilia, the (albeit legendary) patron saint of music, closing the scheduled works of the evening. Cecilia is figured as the divine source of musical inspiration and the ode celebrates English composers as diverse as the C... Read More

Edward Stourton, the prominent Catholic broadcaster, journalist and author, died on 18 July at the age of 68. He had been suffering from prostate cancer. His career included a decade on BBC Radio 4's Today programme and the station's weekly religion and ethics programme Sunday. He was a founding member of Channel 4 News and wrote several books. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, retired Archbishop of Westm... Read More

The Director and CEO of Catholic aid agency CAFOD congratulated Andy Burnham as he was appointed UK Prime Minister on Monday, and noted that his Catholic background and Catholic social teaching will be a valuable guide in the challenges he will face in his new job. Christine Allen said: "Andy Burnham's Catholic upbringing will undoubtedly continue to play an important part in informing his leader... Read More

Archbishop Richard Moth, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has offered his congratulations to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham: "As President of the Bishops' Conference, and on behalf of the Catholic community in our countries, I offer my warm congratulations to Andy Burnham on becoming leader of the Labour Party and now Prime Minister. "We are living in challengin... Read More

Bishop Nicholas Hudson has called on parishioners in the Diocese of Plymouth to ask young men in their parishes if they have ever considered the priesthood. "If you know of a young man in whom you see a potential priest," he writes, "ask him; sow the seed." A simple question could be the first step toward a vocation. In a Pastoral Letter marking his own 40th Priestly Jubilee and the Jubilee of thr... Read More

Dr David Ryall, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service UK (JRS UK) has issued the following statement today; appealing to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to build a humane asylum system: 'Guided by our experience of serving people seeking sanctuary, and the Catholic social teaching that underpins our work, the Jesuit Refugee Service UK urges the new Prime Minister to restore the right to asylum, end ... Read More

Gospel of 20 July 2026 Matthew 12:38-42 At that time: Some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Jesus, saying, 'Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.' But he answered them, 'An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great sea creature, so will th... Read More

During his Sunday Angelus address, Pope Leo says God's Kingdom grows quietly through humility, patience and love rather than power, urging Christians to trust in His hidden work and become "small seeds of the Gospel" in the world. Pope Leo urged Christians to reject the temptation to seek spectacular displays of God's power, reminding the faithful that the Kingdom of God grows quietly and patientl... Read More

Around 100,000 campaigners marched in London on Saturday in the 36th National Demonstration for Palestine, to demand that Andy Burnham, the incoming prime minister, take immediate action against Israel's genocidal war in Palestine which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians since October 2023. All faiths were represented on the march. There was a large Jewish bloc. Our Christian group gathered ... Read More

Craig RA Hesketh's poems, and is perhaps timely given the publication of Magnifica Humanitas and the Holy Father's observations as follows: 150. Today, the convergence of automation, robotics and AI is rapidly transforming the very structure of work. It is said that this will bring great improvements for everyone. In reality, however, the "new ways" of working are not necessarily better, for "whil... Read More

The Fairtrade Foundation welcomes Andy Burnham as the new Leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister, and urges his government in their first 100 days to ensure UK businesses behave responsibly by setting out a clear path to a mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) law. Marie Rumsby, Advocacy Director at the Fairtrade Foundation, said: "The people working hard every day ... Read More

Nine different Christian networks and churches have written to Andy Burnham on the day he takes office as Prime Minister. Their letter calls on the new Prime Minister to prioritise peace, sustainable economics and tackling root causes of social unrest. It highlights challenges of war and climate change that will frame Mr Burnham's term, and encourages him to strike out on a different path to one s... Read More

They've done it again. Student reporters at St John Bosco College in Battersea, south London, have just produced another fascinating edition of Faith Matters - this time leading with an exclusive interview by Alexandre Marques with Filippo Sorcinelli, the artist and fashionista responsible for designing the Popes' liturgical vestments. Steeped in fashion and theology, he describes how 'every detai... Read More