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The Holy See has reaffirmed its financial support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), describing the agency as an "essential lifeline" for millions of Palestinian refugees and urging the international community to ensure its work can continue unhindered. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly's Ad Hoc Committee for the Announcemen... Read More

Catholic leaders desperate to help in the wake of Venezuela's earthquakes have mobilised an urgent programme for wounded people in an area of Caracas known as 'Latin America's largest slum'. Bishop Juan Carlos Bravo Salazar of Petare told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that his diocese - where four of the largest hospitals are receiving most of the wounded - has mobilised more than 250 volunteers... Read More

This morning, Wednesday, July 1, in Ecône, Switzerland, at the headquarters of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), the Lefebvrists, followers of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, consecrated four new bishops without a papal mandate. The new bishops answered affirmatively to the liturgical question: "Habetis mandatum apostolicum?" ("Do you have the Apostolic Mandate?"). They justified the conse... Read More

Jesuit Missions has launched an urgent appeal in response to the destructive earthquakes which hit Venezuela last week. On the evening of 24 June, two powerful earthquakes struck within minutes of each other, devastating communities already facing hardship and uncertainty. Homes have collapsed, schools and hospitals have been damaged, and families have been forced to flee, with many now sleeping o... Read More

Bishop Paul Mason, Lead Bishop for Healthcare, writes: I welcome the final report of the National Maternity and Neonatal Care Investigation led by Baroness Valerie Amos. I am grateful for the work of all those involved in this important project. The findings of the investigation are alarming and underline the need to ingrain a culture of care in maternity and neonatal services. The Church believes... Read More

A community is in mourning following the murder of a priest in Central African Republic. Father Crépin Martial Monga, vicar of the Catholic parish of St John the Baptist in Zémio, in eastern Central African Republic, was killed on Monday night 29th June 2026. Gunmen allegedly shot the priest during the evening, but further details have not yet emerged. In a statement from the Symposium of Episc... Read More

Gospel of 1 July 2026 Luke 19:1-10 At that time: Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way... Read More

Pope Leo has appointed new leaders for the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, naming Sister Alessandra Smerilli as Prefect, Cardinal Fabio Baggio as Pro-Prefect with special responsibility for the Laudato si' Higher Education Centre, and Mgr Jozef Barlaš as Secretary. All three appointments were announced by the Holy See on Tuesday and will take effect on 1 September 2026. Sister... Read More

As World Cup fever grips the globe, Missio was delighted to cheer on another squad of champion players at the Fr Barry French Girls Football Tournament, organised and hosted by Cardinal Wiseman Catholic High School, Ealing. Named after an inspiring and much-loved local priest, the late Fr Barry French, the tournament brought together Year 5 pupils from eight primary schools within the Saint Carlo... Read More

Francisco de Zurbaran, 1598-1664, born in Fuente de Cantos, was one of the greatest artists of 17th century Spain, alongside Murillo and Velazquez. Exhibiting artistic talent from an early age his father, an affluent cloth merchant, sent Francisco aged fifteen to Seville as an apprentice to artist Pedro Diaz de Villnueva for three years. Seville, one of the wealthiest cities in Europe was a haven ... Read More

As he had announced recently during his meeting with journalists at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo has made a final appeal to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X, (SSPX) urging it not to proceed with the consecration of four new bishops without a pontifical mandate, scheduled to take place in Écône, Switzerland, on the morning of 1 July. In a letter dated 29 June 2026, the Solemnity of the Holy A... Read More

The Requiem Mass for Danuta Reutt, 3 January 1937 - 6 June 2026 will take place at the London Oratory on Thursday, 2 July 2026 at 11am. For almost half a century, Danuta Reutt Karol devoted herself to preserving and promoting Polish song within the Polish émigré and British communities. With a repertoire of more than 500 songs across many genres, she was especially passionate about patriotic mu... Read More

Caritas Westminster warmly invites parishioners, volunteers and community groups from across the Diocese to their Volunteer Fair on Saturday 4 July 2026 at Westminster Cathedral Hall, from 3-5. The event will showcase a wide range of opportunities with inspiring charities, social action projects and parish initiatives from across the diocese. The organisers say: "We hope you can join us for an exc... Read More

In his message for Sea Sunday 2026, Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ, highlights the complex challenges maritime workers face today as the sea today is "increasingly marked by tension, insecurity, war, and fear." Each year on the second Sunday of July, Christian Churches around the world mark Sea Sunday-a day dedicated to praying for maritime workers and their families. In 2026, the day falls on July 1... Read More