Good communication is vital for solving the problems of our time, says media bishop

Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford and Lead Bishop for Communications for the Bishops’ Conference, has spoken ahead of the 60th World Day of Social Communication about the opportunities and pitfalls of AI, agreeing with Pope Leo that the value of artificial intelligence must never outweigh the importance of human personality and our capacity for decision-making.

“We must value artificial intelligence, AI, in as far as it can be of benefit and it is a wonderful invention. But with all inventions we’ve got to be quite sure that it doesn’t intrude on personality, conscience or on people’s freedom to be who we are – made in the image of God.”

Bishop John Arnold elected President of
Caritas Europa

Bishop John Arnold has been elected President of Caritas Europa and will serve a four-year term, starting from May 2027, whilst continuing in his role as Bishop of Salford.

Elections for key positions in the organisation took place at its Regional Conference which was held in Zagreb, Croatia, from 4-7 May.

Caritas Europa is a network of 49 organisations from 46 countries, and the Regional Secretariat is its main statutory decision-making body. It is one of seven regional bodies in the Caritas Internationalis confederation.

Day for Life 2026: Applications Open

Applications for Day for Life grants have opened today, Friday 15 May 2026.

The Day for Life fund provides financial assistance each year to organisations working to support the Church’s mission to protect human life from conception to natural death.

Each year, the money donated by the faithful on the Day for Life is dispersed to these organisations to assist them in undertaking specific projects relating to life issues. These can range from educational workshops to advocacy campaigns, practical support services to commissioning research.

Cause for Beatification of Pedro Ballester

The Diocese of Salford are pleased to announce the opening of the Cause for the Beatification and Canonisation of Pedro Ballester, a young Manchester man whose life of faith and witness continues to inspire many.

Pedro died on 13 January 2018 at the age of 21. Born in Manchester in 1996, he grew up in a Catholic family and was widely known for his warmth, generosity and dedication. In his late teens, he committed his life fully to God as a member of Opus Dei, dedicating himself to its apostolic work.

Catholic charities come together to pray a
rosary ‘for peace’

On Wednesday 20 May 2026 at 7pm, CAFOD, Missio, Aid to the Church in Need UK and Stella Maris – Apostleship of the Sea are joining together to host a unique online opportunity for the Catholic community of England and Wales to pray the Rosary ‘for peace in our world’.

Inspired by the words of Pope Leo at his first address from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica in 2025: ‘Our blessed mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love’. He invited us to pray together, ‘for all of the Church, and for peace in the world.’

Bishop Arnold discusses Pope Leo’s message for World Communications Day 2026

The World Day for Social Communications is marked on Sunday, 17 May. This year, Pope Leo’s message examines how we need to preserve our God-given human dignity and show wisdom and good judgment in our use of fast-evolving communications technologies – particularly AI.

This is a theme we discuss on this Catholic News podcast with the ‘media bishop’ for the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Bishop John Arnold.

World Communications Day

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."

Rosary for Life with Archbishop John Wilson

May 2026

The Month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church. This May, Archbishop John Wilson is calling on you to join him in praying the Rosary for Life – offering our prayers for those facing the gravest threats to life in our society today.

The Rosary for Life is prayed through the Joyful, Sorrowful, Luminous and Glorious Mysteries, each one offered for the most vulnerable in our society: unborn children at risk of abortion, victims of war and persecution, people with disabilities, and the elderly and vulnerable.

This prayer campaign comes at a critical moment, as proposals in Parliament to permit abortion up to birth and the consistent attempts to legalise assisted suicide pose a grave threat to human life. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to be a voice for the voiceless and a beacon of his love and peace.

Being Human in a Digital Age

16 June 2026

A study and networking day from the Centre for Catholic Social Thought and Practice.

As we eagerly await Pope Leo XIV’s first social encyclical, we have decided to dedicate our study day this year to a related theme. The day will explore the themes of the new text, which we hope will be available by then, and the timely subject of remaining fully human in an era marked by digital, AI and other technological realities.

Come and study with the Maryvale Institute

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.