Obituaries & Tributes

David Palmer 13 August 1933- 23rd August 2026. Two days before the death of Dolly Parton, another less well known, musical legend passed away. Composer David Palmer, who died on 23 August just ten days after his 93rd birthday, was legendary among the Catholics in the Croydon area and had a huge impact on the children he taught in Purley for thirty years. His oratorio Holy Boy received its premier ... Read More

There are people whose story does not end when they leave this life, because their lives themselves become a testimony. The places where they served carry something of their prayers, their struggles, and their love. Among these people is Father Archimandrite Justinus, whose name was closely connected for many years with Jacob's Well and its monastery and church in Nablus, a sacred place that holds... Read More

Tributes have been pouring in for Paddy - Patrick Joseph Naughton (of Spennymoor formerly Consett) who died on the 16th August, 2026. His funeral took place at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Tudhoe, Co Durham, on Friday 11 September, followed by a private interment at Tudhoe Cemetery and a reception at The Black Horse, Tudhoe to celebrate Patrick's life. Patrick's brother Ged sends this b... 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

Janusz Sikora-Sikorski, KC*SG, who leads two Ango Polish charities and is producer of the annual Chopin Festival and Polish Carols at Westminster Cathedral, has fond memories of Dolly Parton. The company he worked for - the Agency Group Ltd (founded by another Catholic Neil Warnock), were agents for all her live performances in Europe - including her historic performance on June 29, 2014, on the P... Read More

Dolly Parton died yesterday at the age of 80, leaving behind millions of grieving fans whose lives were touched by her extraordinary music and the legendary ways she shared her faith and God's love with others. Her nephew Bryan Seaver, shared in the family's official announcement: "Dolly has lived in the light, and is in the arms of Jesus… May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you. She ... Read More

I mourn my dear friend and former colleague, the anti-racism and peace activist Maz (Masarrat) Saleem, who passed away on 19th July 2026 after a long illness. She was born on 4th May 1974. Hatred struck when her 82-year-old father, Mohammed Saleem, was murdered by a neo-Nazi in 2013 in Birmingham, while walking home from evening prayers. His attacker subsequently bombed three mosques in the West M... Read More

The Polish Catholic Mission said in a statement today: "We received with deep sorrow the news that on August 17, 2026, at the age of 50 and after 25 years of priesthood, Fr Dariusz Mazur, parish priest of the Parish of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Zawad, passed away. Fr Dariusz served the Polish community in Great Britain for many years, working for many years in the Polish Catholic Mission... Read More

The sudden death of Fr Joseph Kendall on 8th August 2026, at the age of just 45 years, was a great shock to many in the Archdiocese of Liverpool and beyond. Though he had been feeling unwell in the preceding days, no one had cause to think that death was imminent. In Norwich, at the end of June, he had delivered a report on the past academic year at the English College in Valladolid, on behalf of... Read More

The United Reformed Church has issued the following statement today: The United Reformed Church is deeply saddened by the death of Professor Jason Arday, who was found unresponsive at an address in London on Friday (14 August). Professor Arday, 41, became the University of Cambridge's youngest Black professor in 2023 before resigning from his position as Professor of Sociology of Education last we... Read More

A private Requiem Mass was held at Buckfast Abbey, yesterday, Wednesday 12 August, for Ann Widdecombe. Around 100 family members, friends and colleagues, including former Tory ministers and broadcasters gathered to pay their last respects. Miss Widdecombe was a regular member of the congregation there. The homily was given by the Abbot of Buckfast, David Charlesworth OSB. He said: "In the midst ... Read More

The Benedictine community at Buckfast have announced that arrangements are being made with Ann Widdecombe's family to hold her funeral at Buckfast Abbey. In a statement Fr Abbot and the Monastic Community of Buckfast said: "We are working closely with the family regarding funeral arrangements and will provide further information in due course, when appropriate. We respectfully ask that the family'... Read More

The Requiem Mass for Benet Walter Bano "Ben" - took place at St Thomas of Canterbury's Catholic Church in Deal, Kent on Monday 20 July 2026 - attended by family, friends, local councillors and MPs. The celebrant was Fr Brian Coyle. A reception was held in Deal Town Hall after the funeral. Ben's daughter Sophie Skardon gave the following Eulogy. Dad was born on the 3rd February 1950 to Emmerich and... 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