It isn't surprising that mountains are understood as sacred and mysterious places , we discover that from the oldest traditions of our human ancestors they have been held in reverence and fear. Even the conquest of mountain peaks by skilled climbers cannot dent their mystique or power , they are one of the places on this little planet that humans have no control over for there is something mysterious and enhancing about being at the top of a mountain, even a small one. To look down over the world spread below is both a humbling and a magnificent

Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, Vatican representative to the United Nations in Geneva, on Friday addressed the Human Rights Council on the 'moral obligation' of universal access to medicines.He said a coherent policy was necessary to achieve this goal. "In relation to pursuing of the double goals of access to medicines and necessary medical innovation, policy coherence is fundamental for effective, sustainable and equitable progress towards universal health coverage and improved health outcomes for all."

At a Mass for bereaved parents, Bishop Paul McAleenan acknowledged the pain these parents experienced at the loss of a child and said they had a "right to expect support and understanding" from the Church. Placing their suffering in the context of Jesus' death on the cross and Mary's anguish, he said, "to be a bereaved parent is to experience a particular kind of pain." Bishop McAleenan spoke of the gift of life which "parents bestow with God's help" and said: "There are times when we need the capacity to release that gift from our hands and allow it

Do you have the skills and behaviours needed to contribute to our vision, Helping to Build a Safer Scotland - Unlocking Potential - Transforming Lives? The post holder will be responsible as part of the Chaplaincy Team for the provision of chaplaincy services to all prisoners in HMP Castle Huntly. Duties will be carried out in co-operation with members of the ecumenical and multi-faith chaplaincy team. Candidates are expected to have Pastoral experience or equivalent in the Catholic Church.

Religious Sisters are transforming communities across Latin America by travelling to isolated parishes that have not seen a priest for years. Mother Lorena told Aid to the Church in Need about the impact of the work being done by the Misioneras de Jesús Verbo y Víctima. When she started working in the parish of Virgen del Carmelo de Villa Ygatimy, Paraguay three years ago some of its chapels had not seen a priest since 2013. Mother Lorena said that the parish is made up of nearly 100 chapels for 20,000 faithful living in scattered rural communities.

Almost 20 years ago Professor Ray Donnelly, a Liverpool cancer surgeon, was exploring ways in which to respond to the spiritual needs of those people who are affected by cancer. A group of like-minded people came together and devised an ecumenical service, PAUSE for HOPE, which has been held annually ever since, alternating between Liverpool's two cathedrals. It takes place now in several other centres. On Sunday, 19th March Archbishop Longley will lead Pause for Hope at St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham.

Amidst intense grassroots organizing by Faith in New Jersey, a member of PICO National Network, Catalino Guerrero, an undocumented immigrant from Union City, New Jersey, was granted a reprieve from deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today. Guerrero has received an outpouring of support from faith leaders across the country as well as Senator Robert Menendez and Cardinal Joseph Tobin, in his quest to remain with his family. Guerrero was ordered to appear with his passport

PICO National Network, the largest network of congregations and faith-based groups in the United States, has spoken out against Republican leaders' proposed replacement for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Noting the measure will give massive tax cuts to the wealthy, while taking affordable coverage from the most vulnerable people in the country, the network of faith leaders called the ACA replacement "a betrayal of faith-based values."

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has written to Pope Francis as he prepares to celebrate the fourth anniversary of his election as Bishop of Rome - the 265th successor of St Peter. The Cardinal offers prayers and thanks for the Holy Father for the steadfast way in which he has upheld the teachings of Christ and the Church "presenting them in

Women are the greatest survivors, the most resilient and the most abused. Much of it starts in childhood and they carry it all their lives. Angel is a 13-year old girl, still very much a child, needing attention, care, protection therapy, education and love of a family. She was in the play therapy room of the Preda home for abused children laughing happily, playing with the group of other children some as young as 11

On 7th March MPs voted 287-267 to close the Dubs Amendment, and to shut the door on 2650 unaccompanied child refugees living without protection in Europe. This is a reprehensible decision. The Children and Social Work Bill was proposed to have an amendment by MP Heidi Allen, which required the government to assess each local council's space allocation for unaccompanied minors.

The Archbishop of Birmingham, Most Rev Bernard Longley is encouraging Catholics across the city to support Lord Mayor Cllr Carl Rice's charity appeal. Mayor Rice is asking Brummies to help raise money for charitable organisations which provide shelter, food and support to rough sleepers and the homeless. Lord Mayor Cllr Carl Rice said: "Sadly, rough sleeping and homelessness are on the rise both

Marie Dennis, co-president of Pax Christi International endorsed the views of other speakers at the Vatican conference on International Women's Day, 'Voices of Faith 2017: Women at the Heart of Nonviolence. She said the full participation of women is central to the Church's promotion of active non-violence, as spelt out by Pope Francis in his message for World Peace Day in January this year.

We must must be honest and admit that the full participation of women in the life of the Church "remains stymied on many fronts". Those were the words of the Jesuit Superior General, Fr Arturo Sosa, at the opening of the 2017 Voices of Faith event in the Vatican on Wednesday. The annual event marking international women's day brought together voices of Catholic women from around

Amanda Perreau-Saussine de Ezcurra died of cancer in 2012, only 18 months after the death of her first husband, Emile Perreau-Saussine. As a couple, they incarnated all that was best in Catholic intellectual life in Britain: they were intellectually courageous, open-minded, faithful, imaginative, wide-ranging, serious, wise and perceptive. Shortly before he died, Emile had finished his book Catholicism

The Spiritual Boost Series is a Creativity and Spirituality Retreat given by JudyAnn Masters at DeMazenod House, an Oblate Retreat Centre located at Tower Hill, London. The series is designed to assist you in exploring new and/or different ways to deepen your relationship with God, by enhancing communication pathways with God. A Creativity and Spirituality Retreat will feed both sides of your brain. Feeding the

The Chapel of the Ascension, located at the top of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, was damaged in an arson attack on 8 March, the Custody of the Holy Land report. Police are investigating the cause, but it appears that a car tyre was set on fire in the chapel. It had been laid on the rock, where, according to tradition dating from the early centuries of Christianity, Jesus ascended to heaven.

As Congress prepares to discuss possible changes to the Affordable Care Act, the chairmen of four United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committees called on lawmakers to consider important moral criteria, especially pertaining to the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn and those experiencing deep poverty. The Bishops of the United States have consistently advocated for

Around 50 people preparing to be baptised or confirmed and received into Full Communion with the Catholic Church were personally greeted by Bishop Alan Hopes at the Rite of Election service at St John's Cathedral in Norwich on Sunday (March 5). Catchecumens and Candidates from across the Diocese of East Anglia gathered at the cathedral with their sponsors to take part in the important

The best-selling German writer and sociologist, Gabriele Kuby, will be giving a talk entitled the 'Ideology of Gender' at a conference entitled 'Man or Woman - A Matter of Choice' in Shrewsbury on 21 March. Mrs Kuby will also address the clergy and educationalists of the Diocese of Shrewsbury on "The Gift of Human Sexuality" at meetings which are not open to the wider public. Mrs Kuby, a convert to the Catholic faith, is

A Bradford-born, award-winning film composer who penned the score for Johnny Depp's latest film London Fields has become the newest ambassador for CAFOD. Benson Taylor, whose music has featured in TV shows the Big Bang Theory, Orange is the New Black and Two and a Half Men is currently supporting the charity's Big Fish Lent Appeal. A lifelong committed Catholic, the married

Let's begin by recalling the main characters in the parable of the Good Samaritan. The traveler, the bandits who beat him up, the priest and the Levite who pass by on the other side, the Good Samaritan and the inn keeper. This evening let's focus firstly on the traveler as representing those beaten up by the world and, most distressing of all, those beaten up by the Church; secondly we'll

Fr Christopher Jamison OSB - monk, writer and broadcaster - gave a very moving lecture at Farm Street on Tuesday evening, to introduce Landings - a lay-led course for welcoming and accompanying people who have been been away from the Church for some time but are wondering about reconnecting with their faith.

LGBT Catholics, parents and friends returned home on Sunday after an inspiring six day pilgrimage to Rome. The group was afforded special places at Pope Francis' General Audience in St Peter's Square on Ash Wednesday. Later that day, they were present in Santa Sabina Church for the Papal Mass to mark the beginning of Lent, receiving ashes blessed by Pope Francis. That evening, the

Archbishop Bernardito Auza gave a talk at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, speaking about Pope Francis' diplomacy to the students and faculty at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations. The Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations said the Church speaks "of continuity - as seamless as possible - of a journey guided by perennial doctrine discerned