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Gospel of 29 August 2026 Mark 6:17-29 At that time: Herod had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.' And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing t... Read More

Usama Nicola writes in Updates from Bethlehem: The Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother was for many years among the holiest and most beloved of traditions for us as Christians in Bethlehem. It was no ordinary day. It was a walk of faith, a walk a journey of our land, our community and also our Heavenly Mother Mary. A devout group of faithful would march at 3am on August 28 each year, o... Read More

Pope Leo XIV met on Friday with a delegation from the St Vincent de Paul Society of the United States of America. Founded in 1833, the global organisation seeks the sanctification of its members by personal service to the poor, and forms part of the Vincentian Family of Catholic organisations dedicated to St Vincent de Paul. In his address, Pope Leo thanked the group's members for their devoted se... Read More

Radio Maria UK broadcast its Worldwide Rosary live on Wednesday 26th August from the National Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden in north-west London, uniting listeners across the globe in prayer for the five Glorious Mysteries. Five contemporary Catholic composers premiered original music for the Glorious Mysteries at the historic London shrine The event was presided over by Fr Stephen Willis, Rect... Read More

Fr Javier Giraldo Moreno SJ died in Bogotá on 25 August after a fall in his home. Born in Colombia in 1944, is mother was an artist and his father was a hydro project administrator. He had three brothers and a sister. He decided to join the clergy when he was 15. After his ordination, his pastoral and research work led him to work with communities most affected by poverty, exclusion and violence.... Read More

A reception took place recently to mark the retirement of Brentwood Cathedral organist Stephen King. He had been in the post for 33 years and eight months, coincidentally the age he was when he first arrived at the newly built cathedral. His partnership with Musical Director Andrew Wright over that time has proved to be extremely fruitful and he will be much missed. The reception was attended by ... Read More

With temperatures topping 32°C, only three hours' sleep and a headwind pushing against him, Andrew Foote could be forgiven for seeing his 2,246-mile cycle ride to Jerusalem as an endurance challenge. Instead, the 32-year-old gardener insists it is something very different - a pilgrimage inspired by Christians who travel much further, and face far greater risks, simply to worship. Andrew set off f... Read More

Gospel of 28 August 2026 Matthew 23:8-12 At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'You are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himse... Read More

Mongolia is hosting the UN Convention to Combat Desertification for the first time, with nearly 77 percent of its land already degraded. Its theme is 'Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.' A World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation is in Ulaanbaatar for the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17). "We have still too much land degradation all over the world, from Africa to, yes, North Am... Read More

Anyone fortunate enough to be at the Greenbelt festival this weekend will be able to see the British premiere of Francesco, a most moving play with music based on the 'Little Flowers of St Francis, in this the beloved saint's 800th anniversary year. I was fortunate to see a special preview of the piece, written and composed by Daniel Zappi, performed for Palestine in London in June. Superbly direc... Read More

Heritage Open Days, England's largest festival of history and culture, runs from 11 to 20 September this year. Thousands of volunteers across the country will welcome visitors to historic buildings and offer free events and experiences, including several at Catholic churches in East Anglia. At St Edmund's Catholic Church in Bungay, visitors can discover a Grade II* listed building with a Catholic ... Read More

The West Bank has become "a lawless land" and tensions between settlers and the Palestinian population are continually rising. The situation is ongoing "without any effective security or legal restraints," Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said yesterday, on the final day of the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples in Rimini. "The fact that there is a situation of con... Read More

Pope Leo XIV has expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of life and widespread devastation caused by flash floods in Nepal. In a telegram sent on Thursday and signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Pope commended the souls of those who died "to the clemency of the Almighty" and offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved. He also assured all those affected by the disaster... Read More

"They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks" (Is 2:4) is the theme of Pope Leo XIV's Message for the 11th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, published by the Vatican today. The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation will be on 1 September - beginning the Ecumenical Season of Creation, which will conclude on 4 October, the liturgical feast of ... Read More