The ecumenical celebration of the 2021 Season of Creation—themed “A home for all? Renewing the Oikos of God”—runs from 1 September, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, through 4 October, the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. Christians across the globe will come together for
Do you have questions about the Catholic faith? The reality of living under the restrictions imposed by the pandemic may have stirred within you a growing desire to connect or – indeed – to reconnect with God. The lockdown may have caused you to look again at life’s purpose and meaning. Do any of these
Education Sunday is marked this year on 12 September – just after the new academic year starts. The theme for 2021 is ‘A word in season’, taken from Isaiah 50:4. Churches Together in England (CTE) rightly describes teaching and studying as “demanding and privileged callings” and Education Sunday gives us the opportunity to give thanks
Feast Day: 3 September Gregory was the prefect of Rome before he was 30. After five years in office he resigned, founded six monasteries on his Sicilian estate, and became a Benedictine monk in his own home at Rome. Ordained a priest, Gregory became one of the pope’s seven deacons, and also served six years
Feast Day: 31 August St Aidan, also known as Aidan of Lindisfarne and the Apostle of Northumbria, lived from about 590 until 31 August 651. He was an Irish monk and missionary who is said to have restored Christianity to Northumbria. In 635 he founded a monastic settlement on the tidal of Lindisfarne and served
Feast Day: 30 August St Margaret Clitherow was born in York, the youngest of four children of Thomas Middleton (d.1567), wax chandler and freeman of York, and his wife, Jane (c.1515-85), daughter of Richard Turner, innkeeper. She was almost certainly baptised at the church of St Martin, Coney Street where her father was churchwarden between
Today’s memorial was formerly a memorial only in honour of Saint Martha. However, on 2 February 2021, Pope Francis expanded this memorial to include Martha’s sister and brother, Mary and Lazarus. Thus, today we celebrate these three siblings together. Why do we have this memorial honoring all three of these siblings together? When this memorial
The Holy Father has designated 25 July as the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. You can access the message of Pope Francis (both in text and video format) on the Vatican website and also some pastoral guidelines and ideas for the day below. The Vatican suggests that it “would be especially meaningful if,
By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates each month of the year to certain devotions. July is devoted to the Precious Blood of Jesus. The early Fathers say that the Church was born from the pierced side of Christ, and that the sacraments were brought forth through His Blood. The Precious Blood which we worship is
Feast Day: 22 June St Thomas More is known as one of the more famous martyrs of Henry VIII’s reign. The popular image is of a man – principled, steadfast, courageous – who placed his own conscience above his king’s demands. Thomas More was an English statesman and writer of the early 16th century. Thomas
