Cardinal ‘shocked to the core’ by Synagogue attack in Manchester

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has released a statement expressing his shock and assuring the Jewish community of his prayers after the terror attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on Thursday, 2 October.

“The killing of two Jewish worshippers, the injuries inflicted on others, and the attempt to drive a car into a crowd in Manchester are expressions of utter hatred that must not be tolerated in this land. That such an attack is directed at the Jewish community, and on Yom Kippur, this most solemn of days, shocks me to the core."

Bishop McKinney deeply shocked and saddened by Synagogue attack

The Right Reverend Patrick McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham and Lead Bishop for Interreligious Dialogue for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has issued a statement on the attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue that killed two people on the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar, Yom Kippur.

“I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the vicious attack, on this most holiest of days in the Jewish calendar, outside the Manchester Synagogue which resulted in deaths, injuries and such deep distress upon those gathering there for prayer."

Bishop Arnold’s statement on the Manchester Synagogue attack

Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, has shared a statement following the devastating stabbing attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue:

“The local Catholic community stand united in our prayers for the Jewish community following the tragic attack on a synagogue in Manchester, especially on this sacred day of Yom Kippur."

“We condemn such acts and pray for those who have died, the injured, emergency responders, and all affected."

Cardinal welcomes new Archbishop of Canterbury

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has welcomed the announcement that the Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally will be the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

“On behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, I welcome the news of the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury."

Bishop McAleenan’s message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2025

Every year the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) is celebrated on the last Sunday of September but this year, to coincide with the Jubilee of Migrants, the day will be celebrated over the weekend of 4 and 5 October. The theme is Migrants, missionaries of hope, emphasising the resilience and faith of migrants and refugees in the face of hardship.

Our Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, Bishop Paul McAleenan, offers this message for the day.

"It is our obligation to try and understand why migrants appear among us; our duty is to care for those who seek refuge in our country."

Bishop of Nottingham reflects on the anniversary of the restoration of the hierarchy

At a special Mass of Thanksgiving in St Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham, Bishop Patrick McKinney preached a homily exploring the Church’s contribution to society since the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy in 1850.

Bishop McKinney spoke to the congregation about the Church’s missionary work and engagement that was spearheaded by the great 19th century churchmen Cardinal Henry Edward Manning and Cardinal John Henry Newman – the latter will be declared a Doctor of the Church on 1 November.

£1/4M National Lottery Heritage Fund grant awarded to St Walburge’s in Preston

The community of St Walburge’s Church, Preston, has announced it is to receive a grant of £245,380 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help secure the future of the Grade I listed church.

Architecturally one of the most important 19th-century Catholic churches in Britain, St Walburge’s is the largest non-cathedral Catholic church in England. Thanks to this generous funding, the community will now be able to repair and restore the south roofs to protect its stunning historic interior as well as preserving and making more accessible the extensive parish archives – around 5,000 items dating back to the 1850s – in partnership with Lancashire Archives.

Contact a Peer to oppose Assisted Suicide

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.

St John Henry Newman
Doctor of the Church

Pope Leo XIV will officially proclaim Saint John Henry Newman, the most recently canonised saint from England and Wales, the 38th Doctor of the Church during Mass on Saturday, 1 November.

We have a series of useful articles explaining what a ‘Doctor of the Church’ is and why Saint John Henry Newman’s teaching and wisdom not only resonated with his contemporaries, but still illuminates, instructs and inspires us today.

Survivor engagement: Call for information

The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA), the independent auditor of the Church's safeguarding work, has issued a public call for information to learn from survivors engagement experiences.

CSSA is currently doing a thematic audit of survivor engagement across all dioceses and religious life groups in England and Wales. To do this as effectively as possible, it would welcome information from anybody who feels they have something to share with regard to survivor engagement.

Bishop of Nottingham on the ‘Pilgrimage of Hope’ blessed by Pope Leo

The Right Reverend Patrick McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham, joined the National Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope on its last day as pilgrims descended on his diocesan Cathedral Church of St Barnabas.

Geographically, Nottingham worked well as the intersection point where the four pilgrimage ‘Ways’ – north, south, east and west – came together to complete a huge Cross that was traced by the footsteps of the pilgrims across England and Wales.

Bishop Patrick linked up with the pilgrims walking the final miles of St John’s Way on Saturday, 13 September, braving torrential rain on the way to Nottingham Cathedral.

Healing, recovery and faith in Tigray

Earlier this year Bishop Paul Swarbrick travelled to Tigray at the invitation of CAFOD, the Church’s Aid and Development agency here in England and Wales, and the charities SCIAF, the equivalent in Scotland, and Trócaire, the Irish Bishops’ agency.

Bishop Paul has a love for Africa and her people having served as a missionary priest in Zambia for almost 15 years, but how did he feel travelling to Tigray – a region where some areas are still occupied and thousands have been internally displaced after one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century?

World Day of Migrants and Refugees

4 October - 5 October

This year, rather than being celebrated in September as usual, the World Day will coincide with the Jubilee of Migrants and of Missions, which takes place on 4-5 October. The Holy Father has chosen the theme 'Migrants, missionaries of hope'.

Neurodiversity and the Catholic Faith

We're conducting research into Neurodiversity and our Faith. If you're an adult neurodivergent Catholic or a Caregiver of a neurodivergent Catholic, we want to hear from you. Your experiences will help us to become more inclusive and responsive to your needs. Please complete our short surveys.

Following successful workshops at the Catholic Chaplaincies of the Universities of Cambridge and East Anglia, participation is now open through a short online form.

Survey: Human Dignity and Moral Decision Making in the Life Sciences

The Diocese of East Anglia invites doctors, nurses, pharmacists, researchers, and other professionals to contribute to a new initiative exploring the Church’s recent teaching on human dignity and the challenges of living the Catholic faith in healthcare and life sciences.

Following successful workshops at the Catholic Chaplaincies of the Universities of Cambridge and East Anglia, participation is now open through a short online form.

Synodality and the principle of subsidiarity

8 October

The Lyndwood Lecture is a biennial event, established in 1996, and organised alternately by the Ecclesiastical Law Society and the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland, who are organizing the event this year. The lecture takes its name from William Lyndwood (1375-1446), sometime bishop of St David’s, a distinguished diplomat and canonist, most noted for the publication of the Provinciale, an early authoritative commentary on canon law.

A Decade of Laudato Si’: Lessons, Impact and the Road Ahead for the Christian Community

14 October

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for our common home.

Drawing on the experiences and leadership of Catholic, Anglican and Methodist churches, as well as insights from political and local contexts, this event will reflect on the progress and achievements of the past decade. It will celebrate the power of faith in action and consider how collaboration can sustain and amplify that impact while addressing the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Webinar: Women in the Criminal Justice System: Keeping Women out of Prison

15 October

The National Board of Catholic Women is hosting a webinar on Women in the Criminal Justice System: Keeping women out of prison, on Wednesday 15 October 2025 from 7-8:30 pm, to coincide with Prison Sunday on 12 October. With two excellent speakers, Emily Evison of the Prison Reform Trust and Julia Corcoran of PACT, representing charities involved in helping prisoners and advocating prison reforms.

Value, Neurodiversity and Education With Edith Stein

Rome, 27 October - 1 November

The Kairos Forum is organising a pilgrimage and conference in Rome that will reflect on the writings and life of Edith Stein and explore her relevance for life and education today.

You can book a place to explore how we might celebrate the value of the human experience of disability, within the World of education. Enjoy the many events planned by the Dicastery for Culture and Education, as well as the catechesis of Pope Leo on the language of mind, heart, and body in education.