Catholic Bishops' Conference Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
All our podcasts on one feed, under one roof - well, at the foot of the one Cross. We cover a wide variety of subjects through a Catholic lens.
Canon Christopher Thomas, General Secretary here at the Bishops’ Conference secretariat, gives us an update on the new lectionary that will be used for the first time in parishes across England and Wales on the First Sunday of Advent. Speaking on our monthly At the Foot of the Cross podcast, Canon Thomas tells us that […]
At the Foot of the Cross returns with a new episode as we enter the autumn months, and October’s podcast takes on a subject that is literally life or death. On Wednesday, 16 October, the House of Commons heard the first reading of a new bill on assisted suicide tabled by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. […]
On this Catholic News podcast, you can listen to the President of the Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, talking about why it’s so important to inform ourselves about assisted suicide and take action to oppose attempts to legalise it. In a pastoral letter to the priests and people of his diocese, the Cardinal refers to […]
If you’ve been a regular at Mass over these summer months you will have listened to the guidance of the prophets in our readings. Whether you’ve heard God’s wisdom and warnings through Jeremiah, Isaiah, Amos, Micah or Hosea, it’s that time of year when we are given the revelatory word that brings about change in […]
As things begin to quieten down for a month or so, it’s time for a Summer At the Foot of the Cross podcast. Canon Christopher Thomas, our General Secretary and regular studio guest, is in the chair to talk to us about what’s currently on the slate at the Secretariat of the Bishops’ Conference. Since […]
Ahead of the World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly, Bishop David Evans has spoken about the need for us to value the elderly and recognise the important contribution grandparents make to society. On this ‘Catholic News’ podcast we discuss how we can use this day, on Sunday 28 July, as one of […]
Ahead of Sea Sunday, the day we come together to pray for seafarers and fishers to thank them for the vital role they play in all of our lives, we spoke to Deacon Nick O’Neill, the Senior Area Port Chaplain for the South of England and Wales for Catholic charity Stella Maris. In this Catholic News […]
Hospices – places you go to die, right? Horizontal in a bed for the last months of your life? Decades ago, perhaps, but the modern hospice offers a wide variety of services – all designed to provide high quality, compassionate care for the dying person. In fact, around 50% of people that use the facilities […]
The only place to start with June’s At the Foot of the Cross podcast is to offer an apology. After two months of radio silence, we return with an episode that looks back over April and May and forward into June. At least it’s pack with audio clips to keep you engaged! The thread running […]
For this special Catholic News podcast, we take a look back on Bishop Declan Lang’s twenty-three years as Bishop of Clifton. Let me set the scene for you… It was the evening before his successor’s episcopal ordination, and we were fortunate to side-step all the intense planning and preparation for the day to come, in […]
Father Gabriel Romanelli is the parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. He had to watch from a distance as the horrors of the 7 October Hamas attack unfolded, before Israel’s bombardment of the Strip led to the humanitarian crisis and suffering we now see in this torn land. Father Romanelli spent a […]
This Catholic News podcast looks at AI and Pope Francis’ message for World Communications Day. Bishop John Arnold, Lead Bishop for Communications here at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, talks about how the technology can make information accessible and support the common good but we should make sure that it is carefully […]
March’s At the Foot of the Cross podcast focuses on Holy Week and our journey to the Cross at this profound moment in our Catholic life. Canon Christopher Thomas, our General Secretary, joins us to bring us up to speed with the workings of the Secretariat of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. We […]
We keep our firm focus on the Holy Land and whilst we continue to weep as we look on at the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and the suffering of all civilians caught up in this conflict, we’re joined by Fr Fadi Diab to discuss the lived realities of the Palestinian people in the West Bank […]
Bishop Declan Lang, Chair of our International Affairs department, recently joined former Middle East North Africa advisor to the Bishops’ Conference, Dr Harry Hagopian, on a special podcast to discuss the tragic events playing out in the Holy Land as the conflict continues to rage in Gaza. Five long, painful months after the Hamas terror […]
The focus of this Catholic News podcast is the Year of Jubilee in 2025, and the preparation year proceeding it that we’re currently living – the Year of Prayer. Pope Francis wants the Church to be prepared for the Jubilee Year with a particular focus on prayer, and what better prayer to use than the […]
It’s an early Lent this year and as such, the focus of February’s At the Foot of the Cross is very much on the three pillars of the season – prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Canon Christopher Thomas, our General Secretary, joins us to talk about what’s crossing his desk at the Secretariat of the Bishops’ […]
Deliver Us From Evil is a new booklet, published by the Catholic Truth Society (CTS), offering Catholics a useful set of prayers and supplications, humble requests for the Lord’s help, that can be used in times of fear, distress or temptation. The prayers are drawn from Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition and are intended for […]
The first At the Foot of the Cross podcast of 2024 has a very ecumenical flavour to it. That is a word that can confuse rather than clarify so what we’re discussing today is dialogue and Christian unity. There are many reasons for this. Firstly we have the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, from […]
As the Church enters the season of Advent, on the first Sunday, 3 December, we also celebrate the International Day of Disabled Persons. It’s an occasion that reminds us, should we need reminding, that the Church needs to be a place of belonging for people with disabilities. For this Catholic News podcast we’re joined by […]
Phil McCarthy is the man behind Pilgrim Ways – a digital resource that provides walking routes to key pilgrimage sites in each of our dioceses. An author, and former CEO of the Caritas Social Action Network, he has created a ‘pilgrim way’ for each diocese – from the cathedral of that diocese to one or […]
Our summer ‘At the Foot of the Cross’ is very much a pilgrimage podcast. So whether you’re staying at home or travelling abroad, there’s always time to walk with the Lord and deepen your faith. Canon Chris Thomas, General Secretary here at the Bishops’ Conference, joins us to welcome a newly-installed Bishop for Hexham and […]
June’s At the Foot of the Cross podcast is just creeping in at the end of the month. It’s a ‘mea culpa’ from the presenter who has been away for a few weeks. This is very much a programme of accompaniment and encounter – very apt words for the synodal pathway we find ourselves treading. […]
In this Catholic News podcast, we’re joined by Bishop Peter Kihara Kariuki, Bishop of Marsabit, and Isacko Jirma, Director of Caritas Marsabit. Marsabit is a semi-arid location 500km north of the capital of Kenya, Nairobi. The local Catholic diocese spans almost 80,000 square kilometres without a single river passing through. The Horn and East Africa […]
Rachel’s Vineyard is a healing ministry for those who are suffering from the trauma of abortion, or have been closely connected to someone who is – whether they’re siblings, grandparents, aunts, cousins. Rachel’s Vineyard recognises that abortion impacts the wider family and community. The organisation also supports those that have worked in the abortion industry […]
Recently, Archbishop Bernard Longley was a keynote speaker at a unique interfaith event that examined how followers of the world’s major religions viewed eternity, and how a knowledge of eternity can help us to make the most of the life that we have now. Organised by The Centre for the Art of Dying Well and […]
The mission of the Church, how we share our faith with others and the need to communicate clearly and truthfully from the heart – these are the over-arching themes of our At the Foot of the Cross podcast. Know who you’re speaking to, be human, be relational – all aspects of good communication modelled by […]
To mark the 57th World Communications Day, this Catholic News podcast looks at Pope Francis’ message for the day and the challenges of emerging technologies with Bishop John Arnold. Bishop Arnold is the Lead Bishop for Communications for the Bishops’ Conference. As well as discussing the theme for World Communications Day, Speaking with the heart. […]
Sunday 14 May, the Sixth Sunday of Easter, marks the International Day of Prayer for Eastern Christians. It’s an opportunity to come together to pray for peace in the world – especially in the Middle East. But with so many noble causes competing for our attention, why is it important for us to pray for […]
Speaking to us shortly after Sunday Mass the day after the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla, Cardinal Vincent Nichols looks back on a day of celebration that showcased plenty of elements familiar to Catholics. Six Catholic prelates attended the historic coronation, including the Cardinal Secretary of State and the Apostolic Nuncio […]
Bishop Tom Neylon, Lead Bishop for Asia for the Bishops’ Conference, has recently returned from a week-long trip to Pakistan from 9-16 March. He visited a number of projects funded by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need and met with the faithful, priests and bishops in the major cities of Rawalpindi, Islamabad, […]
Holy Week is a very sacred time for us as we follow Christ from his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem to the foot of the Cross – the name of this very podcast – as sorrowful bystanders to His Passion. On Easter Sunday, we roll back the stone of the empty tomb and share in the […]
On today’s Catholic News podcast, Archbishop John Wilson joins us to talk about the launch of CARITAS Southwark – a new diocesan Caritas social action charity to help those in need across the south east. Archbishop Wilson is keen to work collaboratively: “This is not about a takeover. This is about creating a network whereby […]
Jesus encounters a sick man at a pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem. He had been unable to walk for 38 years. Jesus says to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” The Jews persecute Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, but he says, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” […]
We’ve held our February podcast back a week so we can justly and solemnly mark the tragedy of the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, the Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the UK gives us an extended interview as we remember all those who have died and […]
A new year, a new ‘At the Foot of the Cross’ podcast. Much has happened since we were last with you. A prayerful focus on the last days of Advent and the O Antiphons was followed by the joy of the Word Made Flesh – the coming of Christ at Christmas. That, in turn, was […]
Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Chairing his first Holy Land Co-ordination, spoke to us on the eve of his return home from Amman, the capital of Jordan. He had just spent five days leading a pilgrimage of Bishops from 11 countries around the holy sites of Jordan, as well as visiting some of the Catholic parishes and […]
“In one way it was a very straightforward celebration of a Funeral Mass as would take place at the deathof any Catholic in any parish church. And yet in another way it was a uniquely historical event and an event of great emotional depth and stature. “I think we can say it’s the first time […]
Shortly after arriving in Rome the day before Benedict XVI’s funeral, Cardinal Vincent Nichols spent some time in prayer and quiet contemplation before the body of the late Pope Emeritus Lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Benedict was visited by tens of thousands of pilgrims who paid their final respects and offered prayers […]
Our final ‘At the Foot of the Cross’ podcast of the year features a whistle-stop review of the year with our General Secretary, Canon Christopher Thomas. As we move prayerfully through the final octave of Advent, and with our O Antiphons audio series live and online, in this podcast, we look towards Christmas and the […]
November’s ‘At the Foot of the Cross’ really is pushing its luck, coming in on the last day of the month. Profound apologies, but, hopefully, it’s well worth the wait. Canon Christopher Thomas, General Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference joins us and kick-starts the podcast by reviewing elements of the Bishops’ November plenary meeting at […]
Audio taken from a virtual press conference in which four Catholic bishops from England and Wales discussed their autumn plenary meeting. Bishop Paul Mason, who chaired the press conference, spoke about the Church’s safeguarding work, Bishop John Arnold discussed four resolutions concerned with environmental matters, Bishop John Sherrington addressed the issue of buffer zones around […]
Patrick O’Dowd, the director of Caritas Salford, spoke to us recently to give an overview of what the charity is doing to ease the burdens of struggling families in the north west of England. Patrick relayed some shocking statistics about the devastating effects of the crisis, with hundreds of thousands of children lacking the bare […]
We have two interesting years ahead of us in the life of the Catholic Church. 2025 is a Jubilee Year where the theme is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. In the lead-up, not only do we have a two-part Synod of Bishops meeting in Rome in 2023 and 2024, we also prepare for the Jubilee with two […]
Every year, millions of pilgrims from around the world visit the foothills of the French Pyrenees to walk in the footsteps of Saint Bernadette at Lourdes. It’s one of the world’s busiest Catholic pilgrimage sites with around five million pilgrims visiting each year. It’s estimated that over 200 million people have visited the Marian shrine […]
As the Social Justice department of the Bishops’ Conference launches a new revised edition of the Bishops’ teaching document on the environment The Call of Creation, Bishop John Arnold, our episcopal lead for environmental matters, has been speaking to us about the current ecological crisis, our responsibilities as Catholics and custodians of the created world, […]
An awful lot of water has passed under the bridge since our summer At the Foot of the Cross podcast. In a month in which we lost our longest-serving monarch, it’s only fitting that we start by discussing the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Tributes, mourning, Requiem Masses, Bishops’ messages of prayer and […]
In this audio interview, Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, takes us through the Consistory that saw him elevated to the rank of Cardinal by Pope Francis. He explains the role of cardinal, how it impacts on his work in the Roman Curia and […]
The director of a new Ukrainian Welcome Centre in central London has urged Britons to keep their hearts and doors open to Ukrainians who are arriving in the UK fleeing the war in their homeland. Andriy Marchenko talks to us about the Centre, based at the cathedral of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy […]
Domestic abuse is the difficult subject we're tackling in this month's 'Social Justice Matters' podcast. One in four women and about one in six men suffer from domestic abuse in their lifetime. Two women are killed every week in England by a partner or ex-partner. Back in June 2019, we held a panel discussion looking at what we can do to positively change the culture on domestic abuse in families, at work, and in our churches. Listen to the full discussion.
More and more people are struggling to cope with their mental health. We face rising rates of depression, anxiety and self-harm - especially in young people.
The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have a Mental Health Project that aims to increase spiritual and pastoral support in our communities for those with mental health challenges, their families and carers.
For today's 'Social Justice Matters' podcast we caught up with Dr Simon Hewitt from the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science at the University of Leeds.
Simon has an academic interest in psychiatry but, on a personal level, was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder six years ago. Also, as is quite common with the condition, he has lived with depression. It's a condition that can be completely disabling if untreated. Simon talks candidly to us about Bipolar disorder and we cover a lot of ground including support groups, labels and language, dos and don'ts when you're accompanying a friend with a mental health condition and much more.
What's the Catholic Church's position on blood and organ donation? A law change will come into force in England in 2020 whereby the system will change to 'opt out' or 'deemed consent'. This means that every patient who dies is considered a potential organ donor if they are eligible. In this first ever 'Social Justice Matters' podcast, we discuss the law change, what we'd encourage you to do and speak to the remarkable Mary Adeturinmo who has sickle cell anaemia and needs blood transfusions on a regular basis to cope with episodes of extreme pain and to ease the symptoms of the condition.