Austen Ivereigh

Following this morning s publication by the bishops of England and Wales of a detailed Q amp A about the forthcoming Ordinariate – see previous post — I sat down with the bishops conference secretary-general Fr Marcus Stock pictured here with Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster for a disc

Before or on Saturday when three former Anglican bishops including John Broadhurst pictured are ordained Catholic priests the Vatican will publish a Decree formally establishing a Personal Ordinariate for England and Wales — the world s first By Pentecost there are expected to be at least 50

The Vatican today has announced who will sit on the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the new Evangelization the agency headed by Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella and tasked by Pope Benedict XVI with finding new ways of engaging with the secularized post-Christian world especially of western

Further to the previous post about the hush-hush reception of three former Anglican bishops and their relatives at Westminster Cathedral on New Year s Day the Catholic bishops of England and Wales have today put out a statement confirming that it happened and explaining why nobody was told Out of

The 1230 Mass today at London s Westminster Cathedral looked like any other But for the hint in the booklet for the feast of Mary Mother of God that after the homily would be a Rite of reception and confirmation there was nothing at all to indicate the significance of what was to happen The c

Pope Benedict s message for today s World Day of Peace text here is a powerful and succint argument for religious freedom as the foundation of all other human rights and freedoms It s not an academic matter Mounting violence against Christians in the Middle East — the Pope begins with the massa

The Vatican Observatory astronomer and columnist Br Guy Consolmagno SJ has a fascinating piece at the UK Jesuit e-journal Thinking Faith about the star which the Magi followed Is there an astronomical explanation Consolmagno s science makes him sceptical of Matthew s account but his theology make

nbsp Here in the UK we have been treated to a wonderful four-part dramatization of the Nativity broadcast on BBC TV in prime time each evening this week The Nativity is writtten by Tony Jordan who is something like royalty in the world of soap scriptwriting It is co-produced by the BBC an

Pope Benedict XVI s historic three-minute BBC broadcast this morning nbsp — see yesterday s post — can be heard and read here nbsp It began with words of fond recollection of his UK visit in September and ended with warm assurances of his prayers for the English-speaking people of the world wi

Tomorrow morning London time 0745 Christmas Eve a little bit of history will be made It s not clear for whom it is more momentous the BBC or the papacy It may be just a one-off but it s still a milestone in church communications When Pope Benedict XVI tomorrow gives a three-minute 2 40 mi