NI Children at risk as social services budget slashed; Growing number of Irish children going hungry to school or bed; 29 schools in NI could close; Coalisland teens offered 'free drugs'; Police refute claims 'meth' circulating in Coalisland
The world premiere of a poignant sound and visual installation marked the 100-year anniversary of the historic evening of 14th April, when RMS Titanic struck an iceberg in 1912. The classical music installation 'Water Night' includes 3746 voices from 73 countries – a 'Virtual Choir' made up of individual recordings performed online.
Pavarotti of the organ in Derry this Friday; Archbishop of Armagh Pays Tribute to Ray Davey; Connor Diocesan Parish Development Officer appointed; Church of Ireland Historical Society meeting; Glenageary choir to sing mass in neighbouring church; New Chaplain for Kingston College; Ethnic cleansing recalled in film; How will the long slow secularisation of Ireland affect NI's future politics?; Guilty priest flees to Ireland from USA
Gove welcomes Church School of Future report in Commons; Gove urges church to extend role in education; Consultation on charity tax plan; Dean of Newcastle adds voice of concert over government VAT plans; Archbishop of Wales petitions against "heritage tax”; Dominic Lawson: It's a myth that the rich profit from donating to charity; British Library buys £9m gospel; When religion and spirituality collide
Calary Concert tonight; Pavarotti of the organ in Derry this Friday; Glenageary choir to sing mass in neighbouring church; Classical Music in Delgany; Trinity College Chapel Choir Celebrates 250 Years of Music; Christ Church Cathedral Past Choristers Association; Sligo International Choral Festival 2012
Interim cathedral gets go-ahead; Anglicans welcome International Development Select Committee's report on South Sudan; Final call for participants from Asia and Latin America for young peacebuilders' scheme; Anglicare CEO Lynn Arnold moves on to study and to seek ordination
The death has been announced of Ray Davey, who founded the Corrymeela community in 1965. Tributes by Alf McCreary and David Ford; Ray’s recollections on the 40th anniversary of the founding of Corrymeela and his memoires of being a POW.
Trinity College Chapel Choir Celebrates 250 Years of Music;
'Great Big Photo Fest’ at St Columba’s Knock; Cashel Institution; Classical Music in Delgany; Catholic Church remains biggest child in playground; Closure of Vatican embassy will not be reversed ‘in the immediate term’; Vatican and voices of dissent; Vatican ‘not totalitarian state’: ACP
Who is responsible for leaks from the Crown Nominations Commission?; Charity tax plans to be reviewed; Tax relief on charitable giving; C of E Director of Communications appointed; Major ecumenical climate change service and workshops
Live from Keble College, Oxford at 3.30pm
On the internet at present - Lichfield Cathedral; Choral Evensong from the Old Royal Naval College Chapel, Greenwich; St John's College, Cambridge; New College, Oxford
Bible Association Conference in Dublin; Book launch; Calary Concert; Dublin lectures; Installation of Down Canon; A new dream in Belfast's historic Titanic Quarter; Diversity and Healing in Ireland; Your song could go global; New HOPE Harvest resource pack
Archbishop of Canterbury rebukes claims of 'persecuted' Christians in UK; Traditionalist Anglican leaders to meet over homosexual bishops 'crisis’ Ministers sound retreat in charity tax row; George Osborne’s charity tax plan is unfair, says Church of England; In praise of … Pamela Greener; Fish bunting fit for a Queen; Giles Fraser: The cross is a symbol of cruelty, not a club badge; Lord Carey is a bigger problem for British Christians than any secularist; Evangelicals in uproar over Southwark liberal appointments
Reports and web links including reflection by Bishop David Chillingworth, Bishop of New York's comment at Southampton service, services and events in Belfast, and video of Fr Brown the best guided priest on the Titanic.
Petition defending traditional marriage reaches 400,000 signatures; The Government should ditch its plans to redefine marriage; Gay MP attacks Government plans to allow same-sex couples to marry; Why liberals and progressives should refuse to get on the gay-marriage bandwagon; Church Services after a Civil Partnership Registration: What is and is not permitted?; Tory MEP warns Cameron over ‘militant gay agenda’; We’re being bullied by a privileged elite - Anne Widdicombe; The Government’s consultation on gay marriage is riddled with Queer Theory gibberish
Titanic commemorations; TCD Chapel Choir 250th Festival; Ulster speaker at Assisi gathering on ecumenism; Clogher Lakeside Dawn Agape Service; Drinks body tried to alter damning report; Cleric’s fears over Titanic Quarter becoming a ‘foreign country’; Church in ‘The Dock’ of the Titanic; US Exchange program teaches conflict resolution; Pair fined after posting sectarian comments on Facebook; Bishops put on alert as Catholics reject key church laws; Priests 'treated like imbeciles'; Cleric objects to Vatican’s ‘diktat culture’; ‘Many clerics ready to walk away’ over 25% salary cut plan;
Fee-paying pupils two years ahead in their reading skills; Parents in affluent areas now struggling to buy schoolbooks; Warning over regional pay scales for teachers; Minister rounds on retailers over cheap booze promotions;Food for thought at Buddhist retreat
Christians are being “persecuted” by courts and “driven underground” in the same way that homosexuals once were, a former Archbishop of Canterbury has warned, The Daily Telegraph reports today, 14th April.
Archbishop calls Back to Church Sunday "essential” - as registrations open for 2012 ; Diamond Jubilee New Testament published; Charity tax proposal misguided says Christian Aid; Dr Glynn Harrison's views about homosexuality; Gay-therapy Professor defended; In praise of Dean’s wife … Pamela Greener; Preston Guilds Christian parade faces criticism; UK Government preparing for Family Planning Summit for developing countries; Cameron calls on Islam to embrace democracy and reject extremism
Follow-up to yesterday’s Focus - Banned gay bus ad group looks at legal action against TfL; Now a lawsuit against the Mayor over the bus adverts; Some people are religious. Get over it!
Transport for London bans evangelical groups ‘Some People are Ex-Gay! Get Over It’ adverts after Mayor Boris Johnson intervenes
Crowds bare their soles for a record challenge; An Irish Colloquy at St Nicholas' Galway; C of I institutions; Methodist Global Vision Conference; Sligo International Choral Festival 2012; 'Catholic Spring' uprising prediction for Ireland over dissenting priest; Most Catholics 'in favour of married priests'; Disciplining dissent
The petition against VAT on C of E buildings passes 10K mark; A C of E congregation joins Rome - as 3,500 adults became members in England and Wales last week; Tributes to Archbishop Williams continue, but a former staff member at Lambeth goes public on the need to 'dissolve the court of Lambeth Palace'... and bringing some reality in church news - a super flower festival is planned for London, and knitters work in Coventry Cathedral to raise funds for nurses!
Fifth of children 'may hear voices'; 'Children the victims of austerity', says union chief; 'Hours taken up' driving children; Physical violence from pupils affects a third of teachers; Young homeless 'underestimated'
Two main themes continue: (1) The fallout after the attempt by the Vatican to silence Irish priests, and (2) the customary three post-Easter teacher union conferences where (a) the Republic’s Minister spells out the state of the national purse to far from receptive audiences, and (b) issues arise from the proposed lessening of church control - mainly Roman Catholic - on the system. In Northern Ireland, an MLA’s concern about the impact of online gambling raises a growing problem which the churches amongst others should not ignore.
Dean of Ely appointed; Church Army takes hope to the streets; Council decides not to resume prayers; Bishop welcomes Nissan expansion plans;
Special edition Gospel of Mark for the Olympics; Prime Minister 'disappointed' with music industry over explicit videos
Under siege but vicar of Baghdad is still spreading the word; Malaria fight 'badly compromised; Orthodox patriarch hits at "unacceptable" attacks on ecumenism; $30,000 Watch Vanishes Up Russian Church Leader’s Sleeve; Chuck Colson in Critical Condition after Surgery, Recovering Slowly; Canadian Government minister rebukes bishops on Catholic sexual teaching
Child choristers have been singing at Salisbury for 900 years. This film now available on BBC i-Player link below – provides an observational portrait, history and musical immersion in one of Britain's most distinctive and beloved cultural traditions – follows Salisbury Cathedral's current choristers over Easter and through the summer term of 2011.
Bishop backs UK charity move to NI; 'Nearer my God. . . ' Irish Times leading article on The Titanic; C of I ethos at King’s Hospital; No major difference in quality between large and small schools; Teachers call for reduced Church control of schools; Report: 700,000 living in poverty in Ireland
Archbishop panel member believes gay people can 'change' sexual desire; Religious people are more likely to be leftwing, says thinktank; Hope invasion in York; Bishop warns stripping Britain of religion leaves country vulnerable to extremism; A society that persecutes Christ is heading for terrible trouble - leading journalist; New fund to help with disasters
Limerick recital and concert; New recording by David Paul; Titanic Festival; Neil Hannon recalls and other reports