Holy See

The big story: Amazon synod prompts debate – and prayer

what happened? catholics have taken part in prayer vigils ahead of the controversial amazon synod, asking for the church to be protected fro...

We desperately need a Month of Mission

why has pope francis declared october an extraordinary month of mission? one reason is that he wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of an ap...

The Catholic Herald

Mass readings

ordinary form divine office week ii sunday, september 29 : 26th sunday in ordinary time am 6:1a, 4-7; ps 146; 1 tm 6:11-16; lk 16:19-31 mond...

The Catholic Herald

The Galileo legend is of a spiteful, outdated Church. The reality is more complex

on trial for reason by maurice a finocchiaro oup, 289pp, £25/$32.95 june 22, 1633, was not the happiest of days for galileo galilei, though ...

Jonathan Wright

Inside the Vatican: a fascinating programme for anyone interested in cleaning

the bbc’s inside the vatican relies, we are told in its somewhat breathless publicity, on unprecedented access to the inner workings of the ...

Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith

Letters: Why is the Church unable to resist radical sex education?

young catholics are turning the tide sir – i am writing in response to your cover story, “class struggle” (september 20). i believe that the...

The Catholic Herald

That sober Baptist Thomas Cook couldn't have imagined today's travellers

it took the collapse of the travel company thomas cook – with the many reports of british tourists stranded abroad, sometimes in dire s...

Why ever more priests are declining to become bishops

this friday, september 27, william joensen will be ordained the new bishop of des moines, iowa. fr bill and i have taught together for more ...

Fr Raymond de Souza

Countdown to barbarism: time is running out to save a pro-life oasis

in her dystopian novel the children of men, pd james foresaw a united kingdom of mass infertility; where democracy decays as parliament is d...

Amid Israel's election turmoil, the Church is keeping a low profile

the recent general election in israel, the second this year, has confirmed the country’s political gridlock. veteran prime minister benjamin...