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Year 9 students studying Spanish at St John Plessington Catholic College, Bebington, secured first place in a language competition in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO). Students from St John Plessington travelled to Rossall School, an independent boarding school in Fleetwood, Lancashire, to take part in its inaugural 'A spoonful of languages helps the medicine go down' day, des... Read More

The first black former Secretary-General to the Commonwealth of Nations has said that conflicts would heal if people of all faiths and none were "willing to come together in one voice and say, 'not in my name'". Baroness Patricia Scotland was guest of honour at a panel discussion 'Dare to Believe - Is Religious Freedom under growing threat around the world' a hybrid event, which took place yester... Read More

President Trump's recent attacks on Pope Leo have produced widespread popular support for the first American pope. But they have also given right-wing Catholics a serious case of ambivalence. And with good reason. For the last several decades, the US bishops have instructed the laity to focus on abortion as the 'pre-eminent priority' of Catholic morality, often to the neglect of other pressing soc... Read More

Gospel of 20 April 2026 John 6:22-29 After Jesus had fed the five thousand, the disciples saw him walking on the lake. On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had e... Read More

The bishops of Cuba have expressed their "deepest communion and filial affection" for Pope Leo XIV in a letter in which they express their closeness to the Pontiff in the face of recent attacks and thank him for his witness in favour of peace and the most vulnerable. In the letter, dated 13 April 2026, signed by the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba, Bishop Arturo González... Read More

A special Mass for the Care of Creation will take place on the first anniversary of Pope Francis' death at 6pm on Tuesday, 21st April at Farm St Church, Mayfair. A beautiful exhibition of works by artists Helen Elwes and Martin Jarvis, in response to the climate and nature crisis, is currently on at the London Jesuit Centre, next door to the church. After the Mass there will be a talk by the artis... Read More

On Sunday afternoon, tens of thousands of faithful gathered in Muxima, the most important pilgrimage site in Angola, to pray the Rosary with the Holy Father. Nearly 130 kilometres from Luanda, it houses the shrine of Mamã Muxima, meaning Mother of the Heart, the Kimbundu name the people of Angola give Our Lady. Fr Daniel Malamba, a Divine Word Missionary, explained that "for the faithful in Angol... Read More

Pope Leo's first public event in Angola was Holy Mass in Kilamba, an urban development about 30 kilometres from the Angolan capital. Some 100,000 people gathered for the liturgy on Sunday, 19 April. It was a very warm day - nearly 30c - with high humidity - the atmosphere was very joyful, animated by musicians and a huge choir, made up of choirs from across the dioceses and archdioceses. In ... Read More

Pope Leo arrived in Angola, landing in Luanda International Airport just before 3pm local time yesterday, after having spent four days in Cameroon. At Luanda International Airport, the Pope was welcomed by the President, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, along with two children who offered him flowers. Lively crowds lined the streets to welcome the Holy Father as he made his way to the Preside... Read More

Dr Anna Rowlands, St Hilda Professor of Catholic Social Thought and Practice at the Department of Theology and Religion & Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University, writes: An edition of The Economist Bagehot column from a few months ago makes for an interesting read. Its author argues that, on the Left of British politics, a debate is opening up again about the moral basis of taxation a... Read More

Gospel of 19 April 2026 Luke 24:13-35 On the first day of the week, two of the disciples of Jesus were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognising him. And he sai... Read More

On the flight to Luanda, Angola, the third leg of his Apostolic Journey to Africa today, Pope Leo XIV greeted the journalists who have accompanied him and thanked Cameroon for its extraordinary welcome. He also clarified that his speeches were prepared weeks in advance. They should not be interpreted "as if I was trying to debate again with the president, which is not in my interest at all," he sa... Read More

Around 200,000 people gathered for Mass with Pope Leo at Yaoundé-Ville Airport, today. Many had camped out the night before, and hundreds of thousands of others followed it in areas surrounding the venue. The festive celebration marked the culmination of the Pope's four day visit to Cameroon before heading to Angola, the next destination in his pastoral journey to Africa. The Holy Father expresse... Read More

CAFOD is hosting this online conversation on Thursday, April 23, 2026 · 7pm. (London GMT +1:00) marking the anniversary of the conflict that began on 15 April 2023 in Sudan. Since the outbreak of violence, millions of people have been displaced and are facing severe humanitarian needs, while local communities and aid organisations continue working tirelessly to support those most affected. In thi... Read More