Headlines in the UK have been dominated this week by the murder of Ann Widdecombe, as counter-terrorism police announced they were taking over the investigation. The announcement of Widdecombe’s death sparked a plethora of tributes; the announcement of her murder later that day was a wave of shock.
In recent announcements, police have made it clear that they believe the “brutal” attack to have been targeted, and have arrested a 28-year-old man in South Yorkshire.
Masses were said for the repose of the soul of Ann Widdecombe, who was a devout Catholic, at Westminster Cathedral and Buckfast Abbey on Saturday, July 11. We ask you to join the Church in praying for the repose of her soul.
The Church is still grappling with the implications of the excommunication of the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) following its illicit consecrations. The Society has issued a formal response to the Holy See’s Decree of excommunication, thus initiating a process that results in the temporary suspension of the penalties of the Decree. The news may come as a relief to the laity and priests of the SSPX, but the 30 days the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has to respond will be a period of great uncertainty.
For those who attend Ecclesia Dei churches, a number of bishops have come out in favour of lifting the restrictions placed upon the Traditional Latin Mass by Traditionis Custodes. The Bishop of Oslo has stated he is open to increasing the availability of the old rite. It is not yet clear what the broad direction the Church is taking on the Traditional Latin Mass, but early signs point to a re-evaluation of the value it brings, especially to younger Catholics.
In more joyous news, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, Archbishop Miguel Maury, has said that a visit by Pope Leo XIV to England and Scotland is “likely”. He stated that the bishops of England and Scotland hoped that a papal visit would reinvigorate the proclamation of the Faith in one of Europe’s most secularised societies. However, he also noted the religious revival among young people, meaning that the time may be right for a papal visit.
The last papal visit to Britain took place under Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate in 2010. Before that, there had been an almost three-decade wait since Pope St John Paul II’s visit in 1982.
While in America, Fr. Michael Pfleger of Chicago was suspended from public ministry amid a new allegation of historical sexual abuse. Pfleger, who has been cleared of four other accusations since 2021, strongly denied the claim and called the accusations politically motivated.
A tech CEO wrote about artificial intelligence and Pope Leo XIV’s encylical, encouraging fellow tech industry professionals to heed the pope’s wisdom and work to ensure their products do not bring harm to consumers.
About 70 parishes in the Archdiocese of Dubuque celebrated their final Sunday Masses as the archdiocese entered the next phase of its restructuring. Archbishop Thomas Zinkula acknowledged the pain some may feel with their longtime parishes closing, but encouraged people to continue attending Mass.
Multiple bishops in the United States issued statements to those living in their dioceses who had previously attended Masses hosted by the SSPX. The bishops encouraged these people to seek out diocesan Masses and reassured them that they are likely not excommunicated.
Author Grady Connolly spoke to the Catholic Herald about his forthcoming book, Basilicas: A Pilgrim’s Guide to America’s Most Remarkable Catholic Churches, which details his visits to each of the 94 basilicas located in the United States. Connolly highlighted the importance of pilgrimage, and why he embarked on a four-year adventure to visit each of the basilicas.
VP JD Vance appeared on both the Joe Rogan Experience and Bishop Barron Presents: Conversations at the Crossroads podcasts to promote his new book, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith. He and his wife, Usha Vance, are expecting their fourth child in the coming days.
And in Idaho, voters will consider whether to legalise abortion and roll back a number of the state’s pro-life laws this November. Abortion is currently banned in Idaho, with extremely limited exceptions to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest. If the initiative passes, abortion would be legal through the second trimester.
