The obligation for Catholics to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days is to be re-introduced in Scotland from the beginning of Lent. The announcement from the Catholic bishops came just a week after the government of Nicola Sturgeon relaxed a wave of new restrictions brought in to slow down the spread of the Omicron
Restrictions brought in halt the spread of Covid-19 have been scrapped in churches throughout England and Wales after nearly two years. The wearing of masks inside churches is optional rather than compulsory and there will be no social distancing. The use of shared hymn books has resumed, the sign of peace reintroduced and holy water
The English bishops have cancelled scores of Old Rite confirmations following the latest wave of restrictions from Rome against traditional Latin liturgies. Preparations for about 20 confirmations in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite were scheduled to take place at the Birmingham Oratory in February and more than 40 were expected to be conferred
Benedictine monks are to move out of historic Downside Abbey as they search for a new home for the community. The last eight monks will lodge at Buckfast Abbey in Devon (pictured) while they attempt to reach a permanent decision about their future. Downside School, an independent Catholic school adjacent to the abbey in Somerset,
Parents of gravely ill children could be given a new right to seek treatment in foreign countries under a “Charlie’s Law” amendment to the Health and Social Care Bill. Proposals tabled in the House of Lords seek to make it easier for parents to be part of the life-or-death decisions taken by doctors treating their
A parish in Nottingham has asked Catholics not to attend Mass if they are “not vaccinated and/or won’t wear a mask.” The Parish of the Holy Family in the east of the city issued the request most recently in a newsletter on Boxing Day. Under the heading “Keeping safe,” the parish asked Massgoers to use
An Employment Tribunal has ruled that an NHS Trust harassed a Catholic nurse and directly discriminated against her for wearing a cross necklace at work. The tribunal found that Nigeria-born Mary Onuoha, 61, a theatre practitioner, was victimised by Croydon Health Services NHS Trust after she formally complained of discrimination she suffered for wearing the
A cardinal has spoken of his gratitude at being honoured by Queen Elizabeth II in the British monarch’s annual New Year’s list. Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, a former president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, was made an OBE — or Officer of the Order of the British Empire — by the Queen on
Cardinal Vincent Nichols has urged Boris Johnson not to impose further anti-Covid restrictions on churches in England and Wales. The Archbishop of Westminster insisted that churches were already stringent in taking precautions against the spread of the virus, saying they were “not places where we spread the virus”. The plea from Cardinal Nichols, president of
Elderly, lonely and vulnerable people would be placed at huge risk if the Scottish Parliament backed a proposed assisted suicide Bill, the country’s bishops have said. In a submission to the consultation on assisted suicide proposed by Liam McArthur, a Lib Dem MSP, the Scottish Catholic bishops have opposed the concept as an attack on
Attacks on Christians and church property in Europe has soared by 70 per cent in just one year, a new report has said. Physical violence, arson, vandalism and harassment, along with increasing discrimination by public authorities rocketed in 2019-2020. The worst five countries effected were the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden, according to
A campaign is to be launched to canonise a monk who dedicated his life to taking disabled people to Lourdes. A Mass celebrated at Our Lady of Victories Church in Kensington, London, will mark the formal establishment of a committee to promote the cause for sainthood of Brother Michael Strode, the founder the Hosanna House
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