Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
In a Lenten statement, the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend John Sherrington, clarified the Church’s principled objection to the Terminally Ill (Adults) End of Life Bill, and urged Catholics to pray for parliamentarians debating the Private Members’ Bill in the House of Lords.
Archbishop Sherrington, the Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Bishops’ Conference, asked for a special prayerful focus on those who are suffering near the end of their lives and those who care for them.
Lent is a time when we are invited to deepen our relationship with Scripture, particularly through listening to and engaging with the Word of God. On this month’s At the Foot of the Cross podcast, Fleur Dorrell, our Biblical Apostolate Manager, explores how we can make our engagement with the Bible a habit for life, not just for Lent.
We have reposted Fleur's Scriptural reflection as a standalone Catholic News podcast. Not so much a 'Bible for Dummies' piece, more a very useful 17-minute explainer.
Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament, voted on Tuesday, 24 February to give its consent to Westminster's Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, paving the way for assisted suicide to be offered through NHS Wales should the legislation become law. The Most Reverend Mark O’Toole, Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia, responded following the vote.
"The vote in the Senedd in which a majority have indicated support for assisted suicide being available through the NHS is deeply disappointing," said Archbishop O'Toole. "The situation in other countries shows that the safeguards do not hold up. This is a very sad day for the most vulnerable in Wales."
The Right Reverend Kenneth Nowakowski, the Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London, led a special interfaith prayer service in his cathedral on Tuesday, 24 February to mark the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces. Religious leaders from different faith communities offered prayers from their own traditions.
Bishop Patrick McKinney, the Lead Bishop for Interreligious Dialogue for the Bishops’ Conference, has welcomed a Vatican message to Muslims on the occasion of the month of Ramadan and for the feast of Id al-Fitr.
Followers of both religions find themselves fasting and praying at this time: “I am so pleased that, due to a convergence of the calendars for Lent and Ramadan, we find that Catholics and Muslims are both engaged in fasting at this time,” said Bishop McKinney. “We each, in our own way, look upon fasting as a way of fostering self-discipline, a deeper reliance on God, and a practical concern for the poor and those most in need. May our fasting bear much fruit in the living out our lives of faith.”
For the second year in a row, Merseyside Police’s branch of The Catholic Police Guild of England and Wales organised two Ash Wednesday services in police buildings, enabling officers and staff to mark the start of Lent with the distribution of ashes.
One service was held at the Forces’ Training Centre at Mather Avenue whilst the other was held at one of the large response and patrol stations situated near to Liverpool city centre.
For February’s At the Foot of the Cross podcast, we welcome back Abbot Hugh Allan, our Director of Mission. Abbot Hugh discusses Lent and the three pillars that prop up our 40-day journey to get closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ – prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
We also reflect on the Installation of Archbishop Richard Moth as the twelfth Archbishop of Westminster. You can listen to the full homily from the Mass of Installation in today’s episode.
We’re encouraging our listeners to deepen their relationship with Christ through Scripture during Lent. As well as talking about the books of the Bible, Our Biblical Apostolate Manager, Fleur Dorrell, offers some achievable top tips to help us go deeper into Scripture as we journey towards Holy Week.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has passed through the House of Commons and is now with the House of Lords. Our clear principled objection to the Bill remains. The House of Lords has a responsibility to scrutinise the Bill in depth and reject it if necessary.
Unlike MPs, Members of the House of Lords do not have constituents, meaning there is not a Peer whose job it is to represent you based on the area of the country in which you live. For this reason you should take some time to think about which Peer you will write to and why, such as whether you have a personal or professional connection with them, or you have professional expertise in medicine or healthcare.
Please visit this link for full guidance to help you write to a Peer.
Lenten Resource
Our 2026 Lenten resource seeks to encourage an appreciation of what is given in Christian Baptism. God desires what is best for each of us while respecting our freedom to choose. To express our acceptance of the wonderful gift that God offers us, with open hearts and a willingness to change for the better, all we need to do is ask.
Lent resource
CSAN's Lent 2026 page offers a curated collection of spiritual resources to support parishes, clergy, and lay leaders throughout the season. Here you will find homily notes for each Sunday of Lent, alongside recommended books and other reflective resources, all designed to help deepen prayer, encourage conversion, and accompany communities on their Lenten journey.
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.
St George's Roman Catholic Church