St Mary’s University, Twickenham has established a Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society aiming to bring together research on religion and the social sciences. The university said that the name of the centre had been approved by the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. The Pope Emeritus visited the university in 2010, leading a “Big Assembly” with 3,500 schoolchildren and meeting the leaders of different religions. St Mary’s also has a Benedict XVI House, where a lay community made up of staff and full-time students pursue a life focused on prayer.
The new Benedict XVI Centre, according to its website, was “founded upon the conviction that interdisciplinary research, in which the sciences are brought into direct engagement with theology and ethics, is central to the life of a Catholic university (cf Pope St John Paul II, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, 46)”.
One of its first projects is to mark the 50th anniversary of Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae with a book that draws together different scholars. The centre’s director, Dr Stephen Bullivant, who is also a contributing editor of the Catholic Herald, said the centre expressed a “dual conviction”. He said: “First, the importance of religious and theological concerns being brought to bear on social, cultural, economic and political questions. But secondly, the need for theological answers – to be constantly informed by rigorous research in the social sciences. I hope and pray that we live up to the name.”
Founded in 1850, St Mary’s was granted the title of university in 2014.
Save Bede’s World from closure, urge campaigners
A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to help rescue a museum devoted to the life and times of the Venerable Bede. Bede’s World in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, announced last month that it had closed and was seeking new funding sources. Now locals have launched a “Save Bede’s World museum” campaign to help fund its re-opening and support the 27 staff whose jobs may be lost. The page on the Crowdfunder website says: “This museum was at the heart of our community and provided a sanctuary not only for the early history of Jarrow but for creatives and anyone who wanted to be a part of the community.” The campaign has raised £4,000 so far but is aiming for £10,000 by April.
A South Tyneside Council spokesman said that the council were looking into ways to keep the museum open long-term. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, the broadcaster Melvyn Bragg called Bede’s World a “glorious” museum and said its closure was another example of “the North-South financial-cultural divide”. Bede’s World included a permanent exhibition on Bede and Anglo-Saxon culture.
Ampleforth abbot dies aged 98
Ampleforth abbey’s oldest monk has died two months after celebrating his 98th birthday. Abbot Patrick Barry OSB, who entered monastic life 80 years ago, died in the monastery infirmary. He had served as abbot twice and as Ampleforth’s headmaster.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.