News in Activities

Americas trips show heart of pope's faith

Americas trips show heart of pope's faith

by: Cindy Wooden for Catholic News Service in Activities,

The poor and disadvantaged remain focal point of pope's pastoral mission. With almost every step Pope Francis takes on his foreign trips and with his every embrace, he pleads for dialogue and inclusion. His denunciations of a "throwaway culture" — cultures in which certain people and most material goods are deemed disposable — are passionate and well-explained in his speeches and writings.

Proclaim 15 - Spread the word

Proclaim 15 - Spread the word

by: Nicholas Hudson-The Tablet in Activities,
Last Saturday 11th July saw the launch in Birmingham of Proclaim ’15, the response of the bishops of England and Wales to Evangelii Gaudium, in which Pope Francis urged the faithful to open ‘a new chapter of evangelisation’
Be bold and creative in the way you evangelise!
Firm faith: The company bosses who pray

Firm faith: The company bosses who pray

by: Katie Hope- BBC News in Activities,

Religion or spirituality is often seen as a taboo topic at work, with many believing mixing the two simply doesn't work. Yet at Chinese real estate giant Tentimes Group, that is exactly what they do in the boardroom before making important decisions.Saying prayers with colleagues and turning to the Bible when the company has to make difficult decisions.

Giant cross raises Christian spirits in Karachi

Giant cross raises Christian spirits in Karachi

by: ucanews.com reporter, Karachi in Activities,

Pakistan’s tiny and downtrodden Christian community are taking heart from the construction of Asia’s tallest cross in the country’s most populous yet violent city of Karachi. A 42.6-meter-tall concrete and steel cross is being erected at the entrance of Karachi’s largest cemetery — Gora Qabristan — containing thousands of tombstones and graves. 

Cardinal Burke warns Oxford audience of dictatorship of relativism

Cardinal Burke warns Oxford audience of dictatorship of relativism

by: Katherine Backler-The Tablet in Activities,

Cardinal Raymond Burke preached yesterday against a “dictatorship of relativism” which brands Christians“fundamentalists and extremists”. Cardinal Burke is on a short visit to Oxford. He will also address the Newman Society (the Catholic Society of the University of Oxford) on the intellectual legacy of Pope Benedict XVI.

Raised to the altars: one who fell for the poor

Raised to the altars: one who fell for the poor

by: Robert Ellsberg-The Tablet in Activities,

Romero, the late Archbishop of San Salvador, was a fearless defender of the poor. He was assassinated by a right-wing death squad while celebrating Mass in 1980 as his country began to descend into civil war. At a press conference in San Salvador on Monday, church spokesman Mgr Rafael Urrutia said that among the 300,000 people expected to attend.

Who are the women entering religious life and what draws them?

Who are the women entering religious life and what draws them?

by: Sr Cathy Jones - The Tablet in Activities,

 In England and Wales we have gone from an all-time low of seven in 2004 to 45 in 2014, the highest number in 25 years. A wide variety of types of religious congregations is attracting postulants: enclosed nuns and apostolic sisters, habited and non-habited sisters, those with common ministries and those where sisters tend to exercise individual ministries.

Church agencies rush to respond as second earthquake hits devastated Nepal

Church agencies rush to respond as second earthquake hits devastated Nepal

by: Liz Dodd- The Tablet in Activities,

 Church agencies have warned that the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal on Tuesday could have a devastating impact on the crippled country. Catherine Cowley, Protection Coordinator for the Catholic aid agency Cafod, said that the second disaster could have immense impact. To donate to Cafod click here http://www.cafod.org.uk/

Reception of the Remains of King Richard III

Reception of the Remains of King Richard III

by: Card. Vincent Nichols - Westminster Archdiocese in Activities,

On Sunday 22 March, Cardinal Vincent preached at a service of Compline for the reception of the remains of King Richard III at Leicester Cathedral. Cardinal Vincent joined the Bishop of Leicester, Rt Rev Tim Stevens, as well as representatives of other Churches and religions from across Great Britain at the reception of the king's remains.

Filipino running priest urges Canada to take back toxic waste

Filipino running priest urges Canada to take back toxic waste

by: ucanews.com reporter, Manila in Activities,

A Filipino Catholic priest led a protest run on Monday to urge Canada to take back 50 shipping containers loaded with toxic waste that are sitting at the Port of Manila. The shipments — which were labeled as recyclable plastics — were discovered to contain hazardous waste materials. "These toxic wastes are the worst form of expressing friendship between our two countries," said Fr Robert Reyes.

China church demolitions may be slowing down

China church demolitions may be slowing down

by: ucanews.com reporters, Beijing and Hong Kong in Activities,

In the most comprehensive summary to date on what has been among Asia’s most destructive anti-Christian campaigns of recent times, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) recorded at least 400 crosses removed, and a further 35 churches wholly or partially destroyed in Zhejiang. 

Unlocking the secret to evangelisation

Unlocking the secret to evangelisation

by: Fr Christopher Jamison - Catholic Herald in Activities,

Impressive liturgy, solid teaching and social engagement are essential elements of any Catholic community, and these already draw in some people who go on to be received into the Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). But most people cannot find a door into the church that attracts them.

MESSAGE  OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR LENT 2015

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR LENT 2015

by: Pope Francis in Activities,

Lent is a time of renewal for the whole Church, for each communities and every believer. Above all it is a “time of grace” (2 Cor6:2). God does not ask of us anything that he himself has not first given us. “We love because he first has loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). He is not aloof from us. Each one of us has a place in his heart.

Card. Tagle urges Filipinos to fast during Lent to feed poor children

Card. Tagle urges Filipinos to fast during Lent to feed poor children

by: ucanews.com reporters in Activities,
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, is urging the faithful to fast during the Lenten season in order to feed poor and malnourished children. "If we fast and let the poor, hungry, and undernourished children benefit from it, we relive what Jesus said, 'I was hungry and you gave me something to eat," said Cardinal Tagle in a pastoral letter set to be issued on February 18, Ash Wednesday.
Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell is all wrong, but does it matter?

Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell is all wrong, but does it matter?

by: Andrew M Brown - The Telegraph in Activities,

Wolf Hall is filmed and acted in such a naturalistic style, you might be fooled into thinking it was true. There were abuses, but we know that monasteries were much valued as centres of pilgrimage and sources of spiritual help as well as education and health care. But Cromwell cared nothing for the truth. He was a fanatic. He and his agents made up revolting lies about monks which they spread in lip-smacking pornographic pamphlets, notably The Black Book.

Thomas Cromwell was the Islamic State of his day

Thomas Cromwell was the Islamic State of his day

by: Dominic Selwood - The Telegraph in Activities,

Thanks to Wolf Hall, more people have now heard of Thomas Cromwell whose life it chronicles, he comes across as a plucky, self-made Englishman, whose quiet reserve suggests inner strength and personal nobility. Back in the real world, Cromwell was a “ruffian” (in his own words) turned sectarian extremist, whose religious vandalism bears striking comparison with the iconoclasm of Islamic State or the Afghani Taliban.