Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
Archbishop Richard Moth, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has welcomed the news that Pope Leo XIV has been named a Papal Confrater of St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The appointment, which was made with the approval of King Charles III, was announced by the Dean and Canons of Windsor announced on Friday, 23 October, on the first anniversay of the historic State Visit to the Holy See, during which the King was welcomed as Royal Confrater of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, in Rome.
Following surgery which removed the lower lobe of his right lung, Pope Leo XIV’s doctors reported on October 21 that the tumor removed on October 13 was a lung adenocarcinoma and that the disease was localized.
Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora issued a statement on Wednesday evening noting that a subsequent oncological assessment has confirmed that “no further treatment is necessary.”
Archbishop John Sherrington, the Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Bishops’ Conference, has issued a pastoral message to Catholics on the Isle of Man expressing his sadness that Royal Assent has been granted to its ‘Assisted Dying’ Bill.
Catholics across Sussex and Surrey welcomed a new bishop on Monday 19 October, when Bishop Stephen Wang was ordained as the sixth Bishop of Arundel & Brighton.
Pope Leo XIV announced Bishop Stephen’s appointment in July. Monday’s Mass of Ordination at the Cathedral of our Lady and St Philip Howard was attended by His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, clergy, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful, with representatives of other Christian traditions and the Muslim, Jewish and Hindu communities, united in marking this important moment in the life of the Diocese.
Bishop Paul Swarbrick, Bishop of Lancaster and Lead Bishop for Africa, has issued a statement marking ten years since the beginning of the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon.
“Ten years of division and suffering is a deeply painful milestone: a decade marked by loss, trauma, insecurity, and limited access to healthcare. Schools have been targeted in the conflict,so children have missed significant periods of their education. The consequences, sadly, will be felt for generations to come."
Bishop James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Lead Bishop for Freedom of Religion and Belief, has issued a statement to mark International Freedom and Belief Day, which falls on 27 October 2026.
“Jesus told his apostles: ‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.’ As Christians, we have a duty to proclaim the Gospel and make the faith known to others. Just as Christians were persecuted in the early Church, today nearly 400 million Christians live in tangible fear of persecution for living the faith. Nor can we be indifferent to the plight of other people of faith and beliefs who are also persecuted for their sincerely held convictions.
The Cross of Wales, the processional cross that led the Coronation procession of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey and contains a relic of the True Cross gifted by Pope Francis, has passed into the care of the Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia.
The patriarchs and heads of Churches in Jerusalem have issued a statement firmly condemning the “heinous attack” carried out on Saturday, October 17, by “masked settlers” in the Christian village of Taybeh. The attack targeted residents harvesting olives, as well as diplomats and officials from European countries who were visiting the area on a solidarity mission.
On Wednesday 21 October, Archbishop Mark O’Toole, Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia, joined His Majesty King Charles III, Queen Camilla, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, other religious leaders and dignitaries, as well as survivors and bereaved families at the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre for a commemoration event to mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster.
Bishop Paul Swarbrick, Lead Bishop for Africa for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has expressed great concern at the renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and growing tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
“I visited the region of Tigray in 2025 and had the opportunity to meet people who had been displaced by the war and had suffered grave atrocities. I was struck by how many were still carrying deep wounds of trauma. Even back then, the situation was fragile and it is therefore deeply disheartening to hear that the conflict has resumed. Sadly, it is ordinary people who will once again bear the greatest burden of conflict.”
From 16-22 October 2026, His Eminence Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue made his first official Church visit to the UK to meet with representatives of other religions with a particular focus on the Dharmic religions.
The final dialogue of his first official Church visit to the UK saw Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad spend the day at the Nishkam Centre in Birmingham, headquarters of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ), an international Sikh organisation involved in peacebuilding, heritage and conservation projects which operates a number of gurdwaras in the UK, India and Kenya.
The day was titled Sikhs and Christians together to promote solidarity and service for peace in the world, marked the fifth bilateral Sikh-Catholic dialogue meeting since 2001.
This was the penultimate day of Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad’s visit to the UK. The Cardinal, who is Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, was taking part in his first official Church visit to the UK to meet with the Dharmic faiths.
Tuesday’s events centred on Jain-Christian dialogue, with the theme, ‘Together to promote ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence) for peace in the world’.
On 19 October, the visit of Cardinal Koovakad continued with meetings with representatives from the Hindu faith.
The Cardinal was met by representatives of the BAPS – Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, a major Hindu denomination within the Swaminarayan tradition – and taken through to the entrance of the temple where there was a ceremonial welcome.
The delegation was given a tour of the sacred spaces, housed in Europe’s first traditional Hindu stone temple, followed by a gathering in the main hall where members of the Neasden Temple community shared information and testimonies of their experiences of interreligious dialogue.
Cardinal Koovakad’s visit continued on Sunday 18 October with the celebration of Mass in Westminster Cathedral, at which Cardinal Koovakad gave the homily, followed by an ecumenical gathering with Jewish representation at Westminster Cathedral Hall, titled In Prayer for Peace.
In his homily, Cardinal Koovakad observed: “In a world that is increasingly becoming multi-religious, the promotion of cordial interreligious relations is more necessary than ever.” He reminded the congregation that genuine interreligious dialogue requires faith, love and hope from all sides.
Representatives from the major world religions gathered in Westminster Cathedral Hall in London on Saturday, 17 October, to meet with the head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue to sign a pledge to work together for peace, underpinned by a shared recognition of the dignity of every human person.
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To mark its 40th anniversary in 2026, The Cardinal Hume Centre is raising awareness of the homelessness you can’t always see.
The You passed me campaign highlights three experiences you may not realise are examples of homelessness: a child growing up in temporary accommodation, a young person sofa surfing and a care leaver without a secure place to call home.
The people you see in the campaign are actors, not clients. We created their stories by bringing together real experiences of young people, children and families we have supported. We have changed and combined details to protect people’s privacy, but the experiences behind the stories are real.
Caritas Social Action Network are delighted to be launching a brand new training with FLEX (Focus on Labour Exploitation) for those passionate about taking action on extreme labour exploitation and modern slavery, and organising for dignified work.
26 October 2026
Everyone is welcome to this conference, Hosted by St Mary's College Twickenham, on the rapid development of AI and the recent publication by Pope Leo XIV of the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.
22 November 2026
A day of faith, prayer, and renewal under Our Lady's mantle. Keynote speakers; Sr Angela De Fatima Coelho and Fr Lawrence Lew OP.
The Maryvale Institute offers a full range of programmes for every ability, from easy short courses to a five-year PhD programme. Want to deepen your faith? Thinking about getting more involved with your parish, Catholic organisation or Diocese? Would you like to teach in Catholic institutions? One of these courses may be for you.
Today, people seeking asylum in the UK are facing laws and policies that deny their dignity. Families are kept apart. People are forced into poverty and isolation. Many live in fear, unable to rebuild their lives even after being recognised as refugees.
As Christians, we cannot accept a system that treats people as problems to be managed rather than neighbours to be welcomed. Together, we can build a society that welcomes, protects, and stands alongside people seeking safety.
St George's Roman Catholic Church