Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
Archbishop Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham and Chair of our Department for Dialogue and Unity, has issued a statement condemning the antisemitic terror attack in Golders Green on Wednesday, 30 April.
In his statement, Archbishop Longley prays for the victims and condemns rising and “abhorrent” antisemitism, calling for “all members of society to consider seriously how we may counter the alarming rise in antisemitism which is tearing at the fabric of our society.”
On 29 April, Archbishop Richard Moth, Archbishop of Westminster, led his first press conference as the new President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
The press conference took place to share information and news from the recent plenary meeting of the bishops of England and Wales.
Archbishop Moth highlighted the role of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference General Secretariat in supporting the ministry of our bishops. Explaining that the foundation of the work and life of the Church is prayer and liturgy, Archbishop Moth said: “We pray and then we take that relationship with the person of Christ out into the world. That key area of work that really is what the Church is all about, which is bringing the Gospel to the world.”
Bishop Peter Brignall, Bishop of Wrexham, talks about his desire for the National Shrine of St Winefride in north Wales to be a key place on the journey of towards healing and new life for all who are the victims of abuse, including their families, friends and the communities affected by the perpetrators of abuse.
On Thursday 30 April, Bishop Jim Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and lead bishop for the Holy Land, led an ecumenical service of evening prayer for peace in the Middle East.
The service took place at Our Lady of Victories Church in Kensington, and was also attended by Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England, and HG Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Great Britain and Ireland and Churches Together in England’s President for the Orthodox Churches.
During the service, prayers were offered for the people of the Middle East, North Africa, and Gulf states as well as the leaders who carry the responsibility of finding a path towards peace and reconciliation
Pope Leo XIV held an audience on Monday, 27 April, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally, and prayed with her in the Urban VIII Chapel in the Apostolic Palace.
In his greetings, the Pope shared his joy to receive the Archbishop during the Easter season, recalling the historic encounter between Pope St. Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey, which took place 60 years ago.
As he prayed the Regina Caeli in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV called for the responsible use of nuclear energy. His appeal came on the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which he said “marked the conscience of humanity.”
“We entrust to God’s mercy the victims and all those who still suffer its consequences,” he said.
On the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, we remember in prayer all those who suffered as a result, especially those who endured the long-term effects of radiation, ill-health and displacement. We also recognise and give thanks for the courage and sacrifice of those who worked selflessly to contain the impact of the disaster and to protect others.
A press release published on the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has raised concerns over recent Israeli settler encroachments on Church-owned land in the Tayasir and Hamam Il-Maleh areas of the Tubas Governorate, in the northern Jordan Valley of the occupied West Bank.
On Wednesday, 23 April, representatives from the Patriarchate’s Endowment Department held a field meeting with Israeli military authorities and officials from the Civil Administration, the body responsible for governing civilian matters in the West Bank, to address reported damage to the land and its impact on local residents.
This episode sees us discuss the Bishops’ plenary assembly and ongoing formation week in Rome that saw Archbishop Richard Moth, twelfth Archbishop of Westminster, elected President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
Abbot Hugh Allan O.Praem, Director of Mission and our regular studio guest, talks to us about Pope Leo and his Augustinian charism as we approach the first anniversary of the Holy Father’s pontificate. The conversation then turns to Easter and this special time as we approach Pentecost.
5 May 2026
The National Day of Prayer for Survivors of Abuse takes place every year on the fifth Tuesday of Easter. In 2026, the day is marked on Tuesday, 5 May.
The theme for this year’s Day of Prayer for Survivors of Abuse looks at the scourge of domestic abuse which causes pain and fear that prevent its victims from living the life Jesus came to bring.
Immediately before the much-loved part of this verse from the Gospel of John, we hear Jesus’s words: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” This is how abuse feels to those who experience it – their dignity and value as a unique child of God is stripped away and destroyed.
7 May 2026
The Senedd Election will take place on Thursday, 7 May 2026. Ahead of the election, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has issued a document outlining the work of the Catholic Church in Wales as well as the Catholic community’s main policy requests.
The Senedd is the Welsh Parliament where decisions are made about many aspects of life in Wales, like health, education, housing, transport, and the environment. Members of the Senedd (MSs) play a crucial role in checking Welsh Government plans and spending, and suggest improvements to make things better for everyone in Wales. More official information, including how to register, here.
15 May 2026
Cartias Social Action Network (CSAN) has opened bookings for a one-day symposium reflecting on the enduring relevance of Rerum Novarum (1891) and its vision for the dignity of work in the 21st century.
Now, 135 years after Pope Leo XIII’s landmark social encyclical, we gather to examine how its principles speak into contemporary economic realities: automation, the gig economy, low pay, migration, social care, and the future of work.
17 May 2026
The theme for this year's World Day of Social Communications, chosen by Pope Leo, is 'Preserving Human Voices and Faces'.
"In today’s communication ecosystems, technology influences interactions more than ever before – from algorithms curating news feeds to AI authoring entire texts and conversations."
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St George's Roman Catholic Church