Leaders Back to basics for a better education system Defender of the Faith The Queen’s Christian Example Pentecost in the Catacombs Diary – Rt Rev Mgr Canon Philip Moger, Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham Columns An empty chair at Easter – Olenka Hamilton on coping with grief on Palm Sunday

"It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh." The statement from the Royal Family went on to say: "His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning [Friday, April 9, 2021] at Windsor Castle."

I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in Hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead.

Columns Chaplain for our times – Serenhedd James on the importance of university religion Pole Position – Olenka Hamilton on Polish anti-vaxxers Family values – Hungarian family minister Katalin Novák talks to the Catholic Herald Blessed Raymond – Bringing out your inner monk by William Cash The Joys of Silence – The monastic travels of

Pope Francis’s recent visit to Iraq has been called “courageous” as well as “reckless”  — but little in between. He described himself on the journey as “a pilgrim of peace” bearing a message of fraternity. Whatever else it was, the visit was certainly historic. Here, in one place, from start to finish, is all the

Leaders Healing the American divide Poetic Justice for Geoffrey Chaucer Main Diary by Antonia Fraser Tutti Frutti – Piers Paul Read on the paradoxes of Fratelli Tutti Miraculous ignorance – Niall Gooch on why there is no clash between religion and science Spiritual exercise – Ken Craycraft on the legal right to worship Vatican Fair

Our writers and others share their Lenten disciplines, experiences, or just their feelings about the whole thing. Some will surprise you. One watches comedy, because laughter is a sacrifice. Another is learning not to make rude jokes.

Chapter House columnists and contributors to this page share their favorite Christmas story, book, movie, or music.

In a recent survey conducted by the Catholic Herald, 86% of respondents said they have attended Mass at least once since the pandemic began, with 44% attending weekly, 15% attending daily, and 26% going to Mass more than once, but not regularly.

Teresa Pinfold’s contributions to the letters page – parts of which hint at the pseudonymous correspondent's own concerns, others of which seem more to be an elaborate joke for the correspondent's own entertainment.

'I do not understand how anyone can do this'

Where would you go? As it’s not an easy time to go abroad at the moment, I’d like to go somewhere in Wales. I’ve never been there but I want to after recently watching Coast, the TV show. It looks so beautiful, you can’t believe it. I flew over Wales once on the way to