The 28 year old was found guilty at Oxford Crown Court of killing Peter Farquhar, a member of St Mary’s (Stowe parish church), in order to inherit his house and money.

He also persuaded retired headmistress Ann Moore-Martin, a Catholic, to change her will in his favour and wrote messages on the mirror claiming to be from God.

He was arrested when her niece complained to the police, Miss Moore-Martin died two months laters of natural causes and Mr Field was cleared of conspiring to kill her.

The Times revealed that at that point in March 2017 he was just five days away from a Bishops’ Advisory Panel (BAP), where a bishop selects candidates to go forward for ordiantion in the Church of England, normally after a period of discernment and conversations with other clergy. 

He had asked Reverend Stephen Bushell, a trained psychologist, to be his spiritual director. Rev Stephen contacted the Diocese of Oxford in January 2017 with “serious concerns” about Mr Field and if he had been selected he would have had procedural psychological assesment. 

The Church of England will now order an investigation into fears that congregations can be groomed.

Mr Field grew up in Olney Baptist Church, where his father Reverend Ian Field resigned as vicar in April this year. 

The Scottish Daily Mail wrote in January 2018 that Benjamin…

Pell is the highest-ranking Catholic cleric to be found guilty of child sex abuse.

The 78-year-old, who was Pope Francis’s finance chief and one of his closest advisers, was convicted last December on one charge of sexual penetration of a child and four charges of committing an indecent act with or in the presence of a child.

Authorities are investigating whether the letter, dated August 1 and posted on Twitter, breaches rules forbidding prisoners from posting on social media or using the internet, or asking others to post on their behalf.

The letter was posted on Friday night on a Twitter account called Cardinal George Pell Supporters.

A spokeswoman from the Department of Justice of Victoria state, where Pell is in prison, said the letter was being investigated.

“(The department) will thoroughly investigate this social media activity,” the spokeswoman said. “Any prisoner found to be contravening prison regulations faces disciplinary action.”

The spokeswoman did not confirm whether the letter was written by Pell.

He was found to have raped a 13-year-old choirboy and sexually molested his friend in the sacristy of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in 1996 when he was newly installed as the city’s archbishop. He abused the first boy again about a month later.

In March, he was sentenced to serve at least three years and eight months in jail.

Pell has appealed against…

The proposed change would involve four Islamic scholars sitting on the Federal Supreme Court’s 13 member judiciary – with all decisions requiring the support of at least three of the four Islamic clerics.

The court is meant to be independent and interpret the constitution and also be the final court for appeals. 

Iraqi Christian activist and constitutional expert Professor Muna Yako told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need that although Iraq’s constitution describes Islam as the foundation of its law, it also stressed the importance of democracy and human rights.

Professor Yako said the proposed change to the Federal Supreme Court in Iraq could mean that Shari’a law would always take precedence.

She said: “You need to have the court to interpret the constitution. Right now, I hope that if a case goes to the Federal Court they might prioritise human rights and democracy, in some instances.
“If, however, these Islamic jurists join the court, we will have no chance of ever prioritising democracy or human rights.”

Opponents of the move say that it would effectively end attempts to overturn legislation that discriminates against religious minorities.

Earlier in the week, a Catholic Archbishop commented that Christianity could face extinction in Iraq becuase of the after shock Daesh left in the country.

 Professor…

The National Churches Trust says the total number of applications it received for its grant programmes increased by 24% in 2018 from the previous year, with 593 applications made and that over the last two years applications have increased by 56%.

It cited less money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, changes to the Trust’s grant programmes and greater awareness how the Trust can help as well.

Luke March, Chairman of the National Churches Trust said: “At a time when so many public buildings are closing and high streets are losing their shops, church buildings are places where people can meet, collaborate and build community, as well as continue to worship. That is why it is so important to keep them open and in good repair.”

“The funding of urgent repairs of church buildings remains a source of great concern. Following the decision by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to end its ring-fenced Grants to Places of Worship scheme, and the ending of the Government supported Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund, the Trust has seen a very large increase in demand for its grants.”

“Although congregations and charitable trusts continue to provide substantial financial support to churches, there continues to be a need for funding from national heritage bodies.”

“Direct state support continues through the refunding of VAT on repairs, administered by the Listed…