News

World Leprosy Day is observed on​ the last Sunday of January every year to raise awareness of leprosy. It’s a time to recognise everyone worldwide who is affected by the disease, those who are supporting them and our goal for a leprosy-free world. St Francis Leprosy Guild are the UK Catholic Charity taking action and making a difference. To find out more about them click here St Francis Leprosy Guild Prayer: Lord, we remember the many people around the world affected by lepr

Since 2011, SiLENT has empowered people to embrace silence as a powerful act of reflection and solidarity. Silence has deep roots in the Christian tradition, especially during Lent—it’s a time to pause, reflect, and listen. Million Minutes invites you to be part of SiLENT 2026, our inspiring campaign rising vital funds to support our work with young people across the country. During Lent, they are asking you to stand in solidarity with silenced young people. By participating

Last term, students at the Ursuline Academy in Ilford took part in a creative campaign that celebrated the unique gifts of each pupil. Students from the Academy created decorated cut-outs of hands and doves as a reminder of the importance of being “United in Harmony” within their school community. Deirdre Eakins, Head of Year 11 and RS Teacher said: At the Ursuline Academy, we enjoy learning about the Ursuline Student Profile Values, and over the years we have worked hard to

Westminster Justice & Peace will be holding their second annual lecture in March – see below for more details. The second annual Justice and Peace Lecture which will be given by Charles Wookey, formerly CEO of Blueprint for Business, and for the last three decades advisor on social and ethical issues to archbishops of Westminster and at the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Charles will speak on the topic ‘Living out Catholic Social Teaching in Today’s Britain’. A re

In November last year, hundreds of young people from across Newham gathered at St Antony’s Catholic Church, Forest Gate, on Saturday, 22 November for IGNITE 2025 – a vibrant day of worship, music, and testimony that has become one of the borough’s most anticipated Catholic youth events. Organised by the Newham Deanery Youth Council, the programme began with a joyful Deanery Mass, celebrated by parish clergy and animated by youth choirs and readers. From the outset, the tone w

Church Action on Poverty, in partnership with Christian Aid, has launched “26 in 26”, a new initiative inviting Churches to take 26 social justice based practical actions in 2026. The campaign aims to turn faith into action and embed social justice in the everyday lives of parishes and their communities. Challenging churches to act on their faith and the values of the gospel, the initiative takes the form of an A3 sized poster that can be put up in your church’s porch or in t

Dear friends of Caritas Brentwood, Welcome to our Papal Insights for this month. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, filled with the light and the joy of Christ’s arrival: God becoming man, so man could become God (as St Athanasius might say). Over the last month, Pope Leo has written and recorded lots of messages, addresses, homilies, etc. Below you will find just a handful of quotes from him that we found to be particularly inspiring, resonating with our mission as C

Dear friends of Caritas Brentwood, Welcome to the latest (and slightly early) edition of Caritas Round-Up! Getting ahead before the Christmas break, we wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what we’ve been up to recently. Please see below a quick update on what we’ve done this month, as well as a message from our director. Conversations with External Partners Recently, we have been working with and speaking to various external partners, operating both inside and out

Since the beginning of Advent, St Bernard’s High School in Westcliff has been running a donation drive for the local charity Safe Steps. Safe Steps works primarily in the Southend and Thurrock area offering a range services to adults and young people alike who are experiencing domestic abuse or are seeking to rebuild their lives after fleeing it. St Bernard’s donation drive helps collect Christmas gifts and stocking fillers for children so that families don’t have to go witho

St Vincent de Paul (SVP) Centre in Southend-On-Sea has recently relaunched its powerful Hungry Cupboard initiative: a year-round community campaign ensuring vital food support reaches those who need it most. Originally launched three years ago, the project has now been revitalised with fresh energy, new supplies and a dedicated team determined to make a real difference. Hungry Cupboard’s remarkable feature is the people who are behind it: people who have experienced homelessn