UK Catholic agency supports reinstate of aid to UN Palestinian agency
(Charles Collins. Crux).
Britain’s leading Catholic international aid agency says the new government’s decision to renew funding for UNRWA, the leading United Nations aid agency for Palestine, is a “critical step towards supporting the education, health, and well-being of Palestinian refugees.”
(Thomas Edwards. Catholic Herald).
Over the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of sharing dinner with several transatlantic friends who all seem to share the same concern: how the Islamic takeover of Britain is destroying our Christian culture.
Archbishop Peña Parra misled about London contracts
(Salvatore Cernuzio. Vatican News).
During the second hearing at London’s High Court of Justice concerning the Sloane Avenue property affair, the focus is again on dealings with the broker Gianluigi Torzi. Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra reiterates that he would never have ratified the agreements with financier Raffaele Mincione and Torzi had he been properly informed.
Cardinal congratulates new Prime Minister Keir Starmer
(The Catholic Church).
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops’ Conference, has offered his congratulations to new Prime Minister Keir Starmer after Labour’s election victory.
Cardinal Nichols wrote to the PM to assure him of his prayers as the Labour leader forms a new government.
“On behalf of the Catholic community in England and Wales I should like to congratulate you on your victory in yesterday’s general election,” wrote Cardinal Nichols. “I assure you of my good wishes as you take up your new responsibilities in forming and leading a government.”
(NICOLE WINFIELD. AP).
Pope Francis’ chief of staff became one of the highest-ranking Holy See officials to testify in a foreign court Thursday, telling a British tribunal about the negotiations at the heart of the Vatican’s so-called “trial of the century,” admitting he filed a false invoice and pointing a finger at his one-time deputy who escaped the scandal unscathed.
Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra was called to testify in a British civil proceeding brought against the Vatican by an Italian-British financier who was involved in the Holy See’s investment in a London property.
(Gavin Ashenden. Catholic Herald).
For the first time, this 4 July a British General Election will be fought in part over Islamic ideology.
There are currently four constituencies where Muslims constitute over 50 per cent of the electorate in 2024. Tim Dieppe, Head of Public Policy at Christian Concern, has published figures showing the slow steady growth of Islamic influence in the British Electorate.
A recent report revealed that Islam is the largest minority religion in 129 of the 220 most marginal seats in this UK General Election.
(Crux. Charles Collins).
Britain’s leading Catholic refugee agency says both major parties seem to have negative views towards asylum seekers, showing “how low our politics has sunk.” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, leader of the ruling Conservative Party, debated Labour Party leader Keir Starmer last week in a televised debate. Starmer is leading in the polls, and expected to win in a landslide during the July 4 Parliamentary election.
(Crisis Magazine. Msgr. Richard C. Antall).
The pope is a pastor more than a thinker. We cannot expect the intellectual rigor of either of his two most recent predecessors. But am I the only one who feels like this “two steps forward, two steps back” is a little confusing? “Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.” —Walt Whitman.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his famous essay “Self-Reliance” that a “foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” I suspect that the Holy Father would not like the full implications of the remark, but I wonder that he doesn’t realize that some people might see in his many different interventions in the broad stream of social commentary similar disregard for said hobgoblin. In his 60 Minutes interview with Norah O’Donnell, he seemed to rule out the morality of surrogate motherhood. When O’Donnell said that sometimes this was the only hope a couple might have, the pope said:
(Corazym. Ivo Pincara).
Il 21 giugno 2024 il quotidiano londinese The Times ha riferito [1], che «Il “processo del secolo” vaticano sarà esaminato in un tribunale britannico». La notizia fa riferimento a quanto abbiamo riferito il 3 aprile 2023: «Il Vaticano andrà sotto processo nel Regno Unito. Il caso penale vaticano 60SA va visto ad ampio spettro, più che nei dettagli. Da soap opera a film horror» [QUI]. Nell’articolo del 3 aprile 2023 abbiamo riportato la nostra traduzione italiana dell’articolo a firma di Charles Hymas, pubblicato il giorno precedente dal quotidiano londinese The Telegraph, con la notizia che «il Vaticano andrà sotto processo nel Regno Unito» per la prima volta nella storia, a seguito di una causa legale intentata dal finanziere Raffaele Mincione per riabilitare il suo nome dopo le accuse a suo carico nel “processo del secolo” al Tribunale vaticano. Nello stesso articolo abbiamo riportato stralci da un articolo di Silere non possum, che evidenzia che «l’incompetenza del Tribunale vaticano calpesta i diritti delle persone coinvolte».
(Crisis Magazine. Richard C. Antall).
One of the catch phrases you hear about and from people in recovery from addiction is the danger of “people pleasing.” It is the old concept from spiritual theology which used to be called “human respect.” The Stations of the Cross by St. Alphonsus Liguori refer to that in one of the meditations, and I try to give a gloss on it during Lent when we pray the Way of the Cross. “Human respect” treated as a negative value is the seeking of man’s approval instead of God’s. This can be because of fear of conflict, or intimidation, or because dissidence means we will not “fit in.” People-pleasing gets us into trouble because we are more worried about others’ opinions than the judgment of God. It is the old situation St. Peter described in the Acts of the Apostles when the authorities of his society forbade him to preach Christ. His response was clear: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Eventually, this led him to martyrdom. Constantly seeking the high opinion of others makes cowards and hypocrites of us all. It is also behind the attraction of associating with celebrities, which makes some people ignore the demands of conscience. Celebrity is the fool’s gold of our society, and often fame is strangely misconstrued as an adjunct to authority. C.S. Lewis talks about the desire to be in the “inner ring.” Look at the “influencers” that abound on the Internet. Seriousness is sacrificed to glitter.
(Religión en Libertad. Pablo J. Ginés).
¿Les interesa escribir sobre -contra- Jesús porque es un personaje importante, que sigue impactando en millones de vidas? ¿O sólo por sacarse un dinerito, por vender algunos libros? Pero, si venden sus libros sobre Jesús, ¿no es porque Jesús sigue interesando? O bien, hay una tercera posibilidad: hay un trauma personal de fondo. Y lo vemos en al menos dos figuras que “vuelven al ruedo”. Ahí tenemos al francés Michel Onfray, de profesión ensayista de pluma ágil y filósofo, que en 2005 alcanzó cierta fama con su Tratado de Ateología, en la época en que el nuevo ateísmo directo y grosero estaba de moda. Ahora, en noviembre de 2023, ha publicado Teoría de Jesús, biografía de una idea, libro supuestamente de historia antigua, materia en la que no tiene ninguna formación. En el libro, viene a decir que Jesús nunca existió, que es un personaje literario fantasioso, mezcla de varias cosas míticas inventadas. Así, Onfray se apunta a la corriente miticista (decir que Jesús nunca existió y es un mero mito), una corriente que apoyaban algunos eruditos soviéticos, que nadie en el mundo académico apoyaba tras la caída de la URSS y que ahora ha tomado cierto relanzamiento gracias a Internet entre la gente sin formación, igual que la tierra plana y otras conspiraciones para los que necesitan creerse especialmente listillos. ¿Cuál es el trauma? El trauma es que Onfray fue abandonado a los 10 años en un orfanato salesiano francés, por su madre, señora de la limpieza hija de español. Parece que saca su historia familiar en sus libros de vez en cuando. Entrevistado en un debate en noviembre de 2023, Onfray negó tener “una obsesión” porque, dijo, “he escrito 150 libros, le he dedicado un libro a esta pregunta [sobre Jesús], tal vez dos con el Tratado de Ateología“. Pero también admite que escribiendo un libro gordo sobre historia del pensamiento, vio “un punto de inflexión en la Historia que está allí, proviene de Jesús. Y me dije: es algo que está ahí y apenas estoy tratando”.
(Rita Vásquez. La Prensa).
Justin Welby, el arzobispo de Canterbury, líder jerárquico de la Iglesia de Inglaterra y figura prominente en la Comunión Anglicana, estuvo recientemente en Panamá y mantuvo una conversación exclusiva con La Prensa.
El prelado, cuyo nombre es de notable importancia tanto en el contexto eclesiástico como en el mundial, ocupa una posición de autoridad y liderazgo en la Iglesia de Inglaterra, siendo el principal obispo de la misma y ejerciendo una influencia significativa en la dirección espiritual y social de la comunidad anglicana en todo el mundo.
Su presencia en Panamá destaca la relevancia que la Iglesia anglicana otorga a la región y subraya su compromiso con el diálogo interreligioso y la búsqueda de soluciones a los desafíos contemporáneos, como la migración, el cambio climático y los conflictos en Ucrania y Gaza.
Durante su estadía en Panamá, aprovechó la oportunidad para compartir con invitados en una recepción ofrecida en su honor por el embajador de Inglaterra en Panamá, James Dauries. En dicho evento, recalcó el valor de la participación de la sociedad civil, especialmente de la prensa libre e independiente, en la sostenibilidad de las democracias.
Welby no solo es un líder religioso destacado, sino que también sirve como asesor espiritual de la monarquía británica y desempeña un papel importante en eventos ceremoniales relacionados con la corona. Coronó al rey Carlos III el 6 de mayo de 2023.
¿Qué le trae a Panamá?
Como arzobispo de la Comunión Anglicana, cada año seleccionamos una región para una visita especial. Esta vez correspondió América Central. Hemos estado aquí durante diez días y parece ser la primera vez que un alto representante de nuestra Iglesia ha venido, así que era una deuda pendiente.
¿Cómo percibe la Iglesia de Inglaterra su papel histórico y su influencia actual en América Latina, especialmente considerando el legado colonial británico y las actividades misioneras en la región?
(Crux. Charles Collins).
LEICESTER, United Kingdom – Religious minorities in Muslim-majority Pakistan are disproportionately made into modern day slaves, according to a new report issued by a group of UK parliamentarians. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Pakistani Minorities issued “Exploitation of Bonded Brick Kiln Laborers in Pakistan: The Unseen Modern-Day Slavery” on Wednesday. The study showed religious minorities in particular are victims of bonded laborer system. “According to the most recent national census, religious minorities constitute 5 percent of Pakistan’s population. The percentage of religious minorities in brick kilns is often as high as 50 percent, especially in Punjab and Sindh, the two provinces predominantly occupied by religious minorities,” the report says.
(Simon Caldwell. Catholic Herald).
The celebration of so-called homosexual “Pride month” is to be banned in every Catholic school in the Diocese of Nottingham under new guidance which also cracks down on the promotion of gender ideology.
Teachers are advised not to celebrate homosexuality in June, the month in which the Church traditionally honours the Sacred Heart of Jesus, because “we cannot celebrate lifestyles which are incompatible with Church teaching”.
“In summary, it is not appropriate for our schools to celebrate Pride because we cannot endorse the entire agenda,” says a new 40-page document called Precious in My Sight.
(Dailymail. Gemma Collins).
A record 252,122 abortions were recorded in England and Wales in 2022, with Britain’s cost of living crisis to blame, according to charities. This figure is about 17 per cent higher than the previous year, itself another record breaker since the Abortion Act was introduced in the 60s. It’s equivalent to one in every 50 women in England and Wales between the age of 15 to 44 having a termination. Women aged 22 were the most likely to have an abortion in 2022, at almost 38 terminations, per 1,000 women nearly double the national average. Charities said the ‘unprecedented’ spike in pregnancies in ending termination was the cost of living making it unaffordable for many women to have a child. Heidi Stewart, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), which provides abortion said: ‘No woman should have to end a pregnancy she would otherwise have continued purely for financial reasons.
The BBC headline read “‘Eunuch-maker’ mutilator jailed for 22 years” – it was enough to grab anyone’s attention. The article spoke of a degenerate group, led by Marius Gustavson, impersonating surgeons and performing “extreme body modifications” on paying customers, then streaming the procedures online for subscribers.
I will not recount the story in detail, but the BBC article does highlight one significant phrase used by the defence to explain Gustavson’s actions: “Body Integrity Dysphoria” (BID).
BID is defined as “a rare…condition in which there is a mismatch between the mental body image and the physical body”. Surgery for it is illegal in the UK, and its sufferers are recommended intense psychotherapy.
Seeing themselves as “transabled” (identifying as having a physical disability or impairment, despite being physically able-bodied), those claiming they experience BID wish to “transition” their able body into one of disability. This may include undergoing surgical intervention to disable them, allowing them to live as their “true” selves. Gustavson claims to be one of these BID individuals. Having had his own genitalia and part of his nipple removed along with freezing his leg, he displays BID traits.
(BBC News. Christian Fuller).
Brighton and Hove has elected its first ever South Asian Muslim mayor. Councillors unanimously voted for Mohammed Asaduzzaman, who was elected to Brighton & Hove City Council in the Hollingdean and Fiveways ward last May. Council leader Bella Sankey said Mr Asaduzzaman was “warm, kind, funny and ambitious for our city”. “Brighton and Hove can look forward to a mayor whose compassion has already left a mark on the city’s social, cultural, economic and political landscape,” she said. Mr Asaduzzaman, who has lived in the city for 30 years, previously worked with the state minister for irrigation and water development in Bangladesh, and has a degree in political science. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he provided 500 free meals to essential service providers. He also pushed for vaccinations for those with uncertain immigration status, acted as an interpreter for those in legal need and gave support to victims of crime. Ms Sankey added: “With three decades of residency in Brighton, he has woven himself into the very fabric of the community. “His journey from Bangladesh to Brighton exemplifies a life dedicated to public service and community betterment.”
(InfoCatolica).
El gobierno británico ha actualizado la guía de Educación en Relaciones, Salud y Sexualidad (RSHE), estableciendo límites de edad para enseñar temas sensibles y asegurando que los niños no reciban contenidos inapropiados antes de estar preparados. La teoría de la identidad de género no será enseñada ni cualquier debate explícito sobre la actividad sexual antes de 9º curso.
En 2020, la Educación sobre Relaciones y Sexo pasó a ser obligatoria para todos los alumnos de secundaria en Inglaterra y la Educación para la Salud obligatoria para todos los alumnos de los centros financiados por el Estado. El año pasado, el Primer Ministro y el Secretario de Educación adelantaron la primera revisión del plan de estudios a raíz de los informes sobre alumnos a los que se impartían contenidos inapropiados en RSHE en algunas escuelas. La revisión contó con el asesoramiento de un grupo independiente de expertos. Ya se han publicado los resultados de la revisión y las orientaciones actualizadas para la consulta. Los siguientes cambios buscan aumentar la transparencia y asegurar que los contenidos sean adecuados para cada edad.
(The Catholic Herald).
A practicing Catholic and former Catholic Union chairman, the new Lord Mayor is 63, and his wife Emiko will be the first ever Japanese Lady Mayoress. Cllr Rigby, who studied at Ampleforth College, has lived in St John’s Wood for more than 35 years and spent his working life in sales and marketing within the travel industry, including 20 years with Japan Airlines (during which time he met his wife Emiko).
The Lord Mayor’s chaplain will be Father Christopher Colven, past Rector of St James’s Church, Spanish Place, in Marylebone. Fr Colven is currently the Catholic Chaplain to the Houses of Parliament.
The Lord Mayor chose to speak to the Catholic Herald about his appointment and what he plans to do in the role.
For the uninitiated, what does a Lord Mayor of Westminster actually do?
In a typical year the Lord Mayor of Westminster attends around 500 engagements across the eight square miles of the City aiming to reach the whole of the community, and hosts up to 40 events. The role is about honouring the people of Westminster and acknowledging and applauding their hard work. It is about celebrating local success and recognising achievements. The Lord Mayor has the opportunity to thank people and organisations, on behalf of the city.
Along with openings, unveilings, tree plantings, receptions and award ceremonies, the Lord Mayor engages with schools, care homes, businesses, faith groups, youth organisations, sports and community groups across the City.
Ceremonial and big ticket events include: banquets and receptions at Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree and the annual visit to Oslo to fell the tree, services at Westminster Abbey and Remembrance events across Westminster.
(Humkanists UK).
A project led by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark which has the express aim to convert non-Catholic staff working in state-funded Catholic schools has been condemned by Humanists UK, who have raised concerns about the appropriateness of state institutions putting pressure on their staff to belong to one particular religion.
The ‘Come and See’ project, initiated by the Archdiocese of Southwark, invites non-Catholic staff in Catholic schools to join the ‘Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults’ (RCIA) programme with the aim of converting them to Catholicism. The Archdiocese recently celebrated the conversion of four members of staff to the Catholic faith and is open about its aims. Speaking at the event, Canon Victor Darlington, who led the Mass said: ‘It is not enough to say we do not have enough Catholics, we do not have enough Catholic teachers or enough Catholic headteachers. We have to evangelise, invite people in and encourage them to say yes to the Lord.’
Faith schools are allowed to discriminate in their recruitment and employment policies. Staff or prospective employees can be rejected or barred from promotion if they are not of the ‘right’ religion, or of no religion. Humanists UK campaigns against the continuing religious discrimination in our state school system including in employment and admissions systems. Most recently it has been leading the campaign to keep the 50% admissions cap on new faith schools in England, following the announcement of plans by the Education Secretary to allow 100% religious selection in all state-funded faith schools. Southwark is also at the centre of a controversial proposal to merge two primary schools, Charlotte Sharman Primary School and St Jude’s Church of England Primary School. If the plans go ahead it would see the only school with no religious character in St George’s Ward, Charlotte Sharman, close its doors.