New briefing from Britain and Ireland

Westminster Cathedral features on the Christmas stamps unveiled this week by Royal Mail, along with cathedrals in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Armagh and Bangor. The stamps were illustrated by the Cornwall-based artist Judy Joel, whose paintings have sold worldwide for 50 years. Royal Mail worked with Canon Janet Gough, an expert on cathedrals and church buildings, who said: “These special stamps are a reminder that for centuries past cathedrals have provided sanctuary, community, joy and wonder at the birth of Christ.”

Cardinal marks 50 years of NCW

Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols has celebrated Mass at Westminster Cathedral to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Neocatechumenal Way in Great Britain. 

Westminster-based homeless charity The Passage has featured in an ITV documentary charting a project by the Prince of Wales that aims to end homelessness. 

Church groups have welcomed Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget announcements for their focus on health and education but were disappointed that a “golden chance” was missed to end child poverty and take more action on international aid. 

Jackie Cobham, head of drama at Douay Martyrs school in Hillingdon, west London, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2025 annual UK Music and Drama Awards to be announced in January.

The Kairos Forum is organising a pilgrimage to Rome next year for people with disabilities to mark the 2025 Jubilee. Bishop Paul Hendricks, auxiliary bishop for Southwark Archdiocese, will celebrate daily Mass during the pilgrimage from 26 April to 1 May. 

The pastoral council of LGBT+ Catholics Westminster has welcomed the final report of the 2024 Synod on Synodality. It said that the report recognised that people “continued to experience the pain of feeling excluded or judged because of their marital situation, identity or sexuality”.

Sr Theresa Tighe DC is the new provincial of the Vincentian Daughters of Charity’s new province of Rosalie Rendu, which covers Great Britain and Australia. 

The Rosminian order has sold the ruins of an 800-year-old priory for just £10 to the Grace Dieu Priory Trust, which now owns the site near Thringstone, Leicestershire. On 1 December, a carol service will be held among the ruins.

King hopes to meet Pope

King Charles III and Queen Camilla hope to meet Pope Francis during their first major tour of 2025, which begins with a visit to Italy. The King last met the Pope in 2019.

 St Mary’s University in London has announced plans to open a School of Medicine on its campus in Twickenham. 

Schools in Salford diocese are benefiting from £3.3 million in government funding to address sustainability and carbon reduction. More than 125 of 160 schools are installing solar panels.

Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia Mark O’Toole led a ceremony to mark the start of work on a Catholic school in Merthyr Tydfil named after Blessed Carlo Acutis. 

The Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI) has elected Fr Joe McGee MSC as president and Sr Barbara Murphy IBVM as vice-president.

The latest financial statement for the Archdiocese of Dublin reports “significant” financial gains of €8.6 million made last year from the sale of parochial houses.

Leaders of the Catholic and Anglican Churches in Ireland will tomorrow reflect on the lives of two wartime military chaplains on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship programme for Remembrance Sunday.