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Nigeria: ACN rebuilds village wrecked by bandits

Completed shelter for families left homeless after Adama Dutse village attack (© ACN)

An archbishop whose community in north-west Nigeria was devastated by bandits has said he can't thank a Catholic charity enough for the aid given to his people in need. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has helped rebuild Adama Dutse in Kajuru, Kaduna State, which was attacked in the early hours of Sunday, 18th February 2024. The attack left 11 dead - four men, two women and five children - and 12 i... Read More


Holy Land: Another young Christian woman abducted at gunpoint by Israeli forces

Natalie Abuddayeh

Another young Christian woman in the West Bank was snatched from her home at gunpoint by Israeli forces this morning with three other women. Bishop Dr Imad Haddad from the Evangelical Lutheran-Church in Jordan and the Holy Land said in a statement: 'This morning a beloved youth from our church community, Natalie Abuddayeh, was taken at gunpoint by Israeli forces from her student apartment in Birze... Read More


Pope Leo XIV appoints lay woman to oversee Vatican Media

Ms Alvarado with Pope Leo

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, currently President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, effective from 1 November 2026. Born in Mexico City, Alvarado earned academic degrees from Florida International University and George Washington University. From 2009 to 2023, she held leadership positions at the Becket Fund for Religi... Read More


Fr Paul Hackett SJ

Fr Paul Hackett SJ

Jesuits in Britain report: It is with sadness that we report Fr Paul Hackett SJ died in the early hours of Tuesday 26th May. He was 96 years old and in the 80th year of religious life. May he rest in peace. Paul was born in Boscombe on 20th February 1930 to his father, Arthur, and mother, Anne Mary, and was baptised at Corpus Christi, Boscombe. After school in Southbourne, Paul entered the Soci... Read More

Gospel in Art: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's

First Portrait Denarius of Julius Caesar,  Jan 44 BC © Image courtesy Classical Numismatic Group

Gospel of 2 June 2026 Mark 12:13-17 At that time: They sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, 'Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we n... Read More


CAFOD launches Ebola appeal as the disease spreads

Ebola illustration: safe burial. Image: CDC Global

CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) has launched a fundraising appeal in response to the threat of Ebola. The spread of the disease has been described as 'deeply alarming' by health officials. Managing a deadly and highly contagious disease is always challenging. But in a country gripped by a long-running conflict, with a barely functional healthcare system, amid international aid cut... Read More


Viewpoint: Serious flaws in Christian campaign 'Europe be faithful to our common home'

Battery chickens - Photo by mahmut  on Unsplash

Virginia Bell from the Laudato 'si Movement writes: The Campaign which calls on Europe to be faithful to its founding values for Our Common Home, reported in ICN 22 May 2026: (140+ faith organisations urge EU to tax massive fossil fuel profits and lead global transition) sounds admirable. But reading through it, I think the Statement is seriously flawed, as it talks only of fossil fuels to be tack... Read More


Radio Maria England relaunches as Radio Maria United Kingdom

Radio Maria England has announced that it has become Radio Maria United Kingdom (Radio Maria UK), reflecting the station's growing presence and its commitment to serving Catholics and people of faith across all four nations of the United Kingdom. Since launching in Cambridge in November 2019, Radio Maria has grown from a single studio into a multi-location broadcaster, opening a second studio in L... Read More


Audiobook of Pope Leo XIV's Encyclical 'Magnifica humanitas' released

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

The English editorial team of Vatican Radio - Vatican News has produced an audiobook of Pope Leo XIV's first Encyclical letter: Magnifica humanitas on Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.' The publication of Magnifica Humanitas took place on May 25, 2026. Pope Leo XIV signed the document on May 15, exactly on the 135th anniversary of the promulgation of 'Rerum Nova... Read More


WCC, UN Refugee Agency sign historic agreement

WCC gen sec Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, UNHCR Dr Barham Salih.  Photo: Gregoire de Fombelle/WCC

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have signed a historic memorandum of understanding that reaffirms their shared commitment to raising global, regional, and national awareness of forced displacement and statelessness. The memorandum outlines the joint commitment to supporting "interfaith and ecumenical dialogue initiatives that promote b... Read More


National 2026 Pilgrimage to Holywell

The Annual National Pilgrimage to the Shrine and and Well of St Winefride, Holywell, in northeast Wales, lead by the Bishop of Wrexham, Bishop Peter Malcolm Brignall, will take place on Sunday, 28 June 2026. The day will begin with a Procession at 2.30pm from St Winefride's Church, to the Well. At 3pm there will be Holy Mass at the Well followed by the Veneration of the relic of St Winefride and B... Read More


USA: Bishops to consecrate America to Sacred Heart of Jesus for 250th anniversary + Novena

Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome, Altar of the Sacred Heart, mosaic. The painting for the mosaic was by Carlo Muccioli in 1919-20.Wiki Image

On June 11, 2026, as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the US bishops (USCCB) will consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Catholics around the country are encouraged to join the bishops in celebrating the consecration of their nation to the Sacred Heart. The act of consecration initiative will be celeb... Read More


Pope Leo bestows special honour on long-serving volunteers

Volunteers from across the nation have been awarded a special honour from Pope Leo. The accolade - a papal blessing - is in recognition of their unwavering commitment to their communities for over 25 years. Hailing from various parts of England and Wales, the recipients have been honoured for their diverse contributions across a range of activities such as organising Lent and Harvest appeals, hos... Read More


Gospel in Art: Saint Justin Martyr

A bearded Justin Martyr presenting an open book to a Roman emperor,  etching by Jacques Callot, publisher Israël Henriet, 1632-1635 © Alamy

Gospel of 1 June 2026 Matthew 5:13-19 At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 'You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, ... Read More

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