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Articles by John Duddington
Is JD Vance right that free speech for Christians is under attack?
The label (not to mention idea) of “free speech” is really a bit of a misnomer, despite free speech being in the limelight after JD Vance, speaking to the Munich Security Conference on 14 February, said: “Free speech, I fear, is in retreat…” Speech, of course, is never entirely free as we can never say absolutely anything we like. Traditionally, the line was drawn where speech incited or provoked violence.
Pope Francis: Pray for China's Christians
Pope Francis greets the faithful on Pentecost Sunday, 23 May 2021. Image ©Vatican Media — Rome — Pope Francis appealed for prayers for Christians in China on Sunday, the Solemnity of Pentecost and the eve of the feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians. The pope’s appeal came after a week that saw reports of renewed harassment of Catholics in China, including a report of the arrest of the bishop of Xinxiang, Joseph Zhang Weizhu, along with seven of his priests and several seminarians.
Pope Francis Postopones Synod on Synodality, Expands 'Preparatory' Programme
— Rome — Pope Francis has postponed the synod on synodality and added several levels of complication to the preparations, which will now stretch over a period of two years and involve local Churches, whole continents, and persons in every state of life. The XVI Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will now take place in Rome in October 2023, a full year later than originally planned.
The "new" synodal "process" is under-thought and oversold
By now, you’ve probably heard that Pope Francis postponed the upcoming synod on synodality for a full year, from October 2022 to October 2023, and ordered every ecclesiastical jurisdiction and single member of the faithful to participate in an expanded “preparatory” process. If the incongruity of making the Church more synodalitous by papal diktat ever occurred to him, neither he nor his lieutenants and mouthpieces have given any evidence of it.
Pope Francis asks Catholics to join prayer for peace in the Holy Land
Pope Francis thanked God for the cease-fire agreed to in the Holy Land, adding a prayer “for the pursuit of paths of dialogue and peace.” He asked all Catholics – “pastors and faithful” – to “unite themselves spiritually” to a prayer initiative promoted by the Bishops of the Holy Land, who will celebrate the Vigil of Pentecost in Saint Stephen’s Church in Jerusalem, praying especially for “the gift of peace.” “May every community pray to the Holy Spirit ‘that Israelis and Palestinians may...
The Seven False Pillars of the Case for Euthanasia
Campaigners for euthanasia will not go away.
Pope Francis to Open Italian Bishops’ General Assembly
Pope Francis will make the short journey on Monday to the Ergife Palace Hotel in Rome, where he will open the 74th General Assembly of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI). The Pope’s message to the Italian bishops will be broadcast live by Vatican Media.
Pope Francis: Prayers for "martyred" Syria on 10th anniversary of civil war
Pope Francis marked the 10th anniversary of the start of Syria’s gruesome civil war, urging the world in his Sunday Angelus address on March 14th not to forget the suffering of the country’s “martyred” people. March 15th is widely used as a date to mark the beginning of the war, which erupted in 2011 when demonstrations against the rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began in cities across the country. April saw Assad deploy the army to suppress the protests. Soldiers fired on protestors.
CDF Rejects Blessings for Same-sex Unions
Cover image by Jim McIntosh /Flickr via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0 The Vatican’s doctrinal office issued a statement on Monday saying the Catholic Church has no power to bless homosexual unions.
Hundreds protest policing of Sarah Everard vigil
Hundreds gathered in Parliament Square in London on Sunday for a further vigil in honour of Sarah Everard – the marketing executive murdered on 3rd March, allegedly by serving police officer Wayne Couzens – after clashes broke out between protesters and police at a vigil in Clapham on Saturday. Feminist protest group Sisters Uncut organised the event, following heavy-handed policing of a vigil honouring Sarah Everard in Clapham on Saturday, which resulted in four arrests.
The tribute to Sarah Everard was more protest than vigil
Thousands of people gathered in south London on Saturday evening for a vigil in honour of Sarah Everard, the 33-year-old marketing executive whose kidnapping and murder has ignited national debate about violence against women. Tensions ran high at the vigil. The man accused of Everard’s murder, Wayne Couzens, was a Metropolitan police officer.
Good Samaritans or Angels of Death?
A Review of UK end-of-life policy and practiceBy Anthony Cole and John Duddington Blanket DNACPR (Do Not Attempt Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) notices are reportedly being issued in UK hospitals and nursing and care homes. The practice has become more widespread during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wake up to the war on Catholic doctors
From midwifery to geriatrics, Catholics are being driven out of vast areas of the medical profession. We need to fight back now Imagine you are a Catholic who has just finished general medical training and is now seeking experience in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology. At the interview for a training post you are not asked “Are you a Catholic?” That would be discrimination on grounds of religion.
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