Ahead of International Volunteer day on Thursday, Home for Good’s the Homecoming project is releasing a short film to encourage Christians in the UK to rethink orphanage volunteering, arguing that it reinforces trauma and abandonment for institutionalised children.

Founding director of the charity, Dr Krish Kandiah, said “Children living in orphanages have suffered the trauma of having been separated from their parents. This often causes attachment difficulties or disorders, where children may be overly affectionate towards complete strangers, forming unnaturally quick and unhealthy bonds.”

“Many orphanages rely on a steady stream of volunteers and the generosity of donors, who are usually well-meaning and genuinely want to help vulnerable children. But unfortunately, good intentions do not automatically result in best practice.”

“Christians have long been supporters of pioneering and innovative projects and the Church has been at the forefront of caring for vulnerable children. It is time for a new wave of innovation to see children in institutions come home to family. The first step we can take is to ensure we do not exacerbate poor practice in our giving and our going.”

A ComRes poll of over 6,000 British adults found that regular churchgoers are seven times more likely to visit or volunteer in an overseas orphanage than other British adults.

Dr…

Speaking in Birmingham, the senior Labour figure said: “On Tuesday a new Shelter report found 135,000 children will be without a home this Christmas.

“On the same day an analysis by the Equality Trust showed the UK’s six richest people control as much wealth as the poorest 13 million. It all went to show just how unequal our society is.

“It’s three weeks to Christmas. The celebration of the birth of Jesus.

“Children going hungry and homeless in the fifth largest economy in the world begs the question: are we really living up to the values of Christianity – or any other of our religions or beliefs for that matter?

“We don’t believe it’s enough to offer people a hand-up out of poverty. We want to abolish poverty.

“That’s why we committed in our manifesto to abolishing in-work poverty within five years.”

Mr McDonnell also accused the Conservatives of lying about the Hillsborough disaster.

He added: “This election campaign began for me in Liverpool, the city of my birth. Only last week, the people of that city were forced to relive again the trauma of the Hillsborough disaster.

“The memory of a previous Conservative government and how it treated the north, midlands, Wales and Scotland – football fans, and the working class.

“I remember the Hillsborough tragedy like it was yesterday. I remember the brave campaigners who have fought for justice ever since.

“I remember how…

The Catholic Church is encouraging congregants to go to Confession, or “reconciliation services”.

It is part of an initiative to ensure that the Catholic Church plays a role in tackling the climate crisis.

The lay-run campaign, called Journey to 2030, was launched last weekend in partnership with the Bishops’ Conference and the Ecological Conversion Group, a volunteer group for young Catholics.

The initiative aims to “create a sense of urgency towards our ecological crisis and those suffering from its ill effects” as well as promote confession of environmental sins.

As a result, it has created a toolkit for church leaders to help Catholics confess their environment-related sins and is sending out its resources to parishes across the country.

Pope Francis said: “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth. Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change. A great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge stands before us, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal.”

‘The Journey to 2030’ says it aims to support the Catholic Church and it’s community to progress towards this ‘long path to renewal’, by providing the necessary resources to parishes and individuals in order to engage with the “urgent challenge of our ecological crisis”.

Stay up to date with the…

A joint statement from RA, NSWRU and Folau said the “post reflected Mr Folau’s genuinely held religious beliefs, and Mr Folau did not intend to harm or offend any person when he uploaded the social media post”.

It added: “Mr Folau wants all Australians to know that he does not condone discrimination of any kind against any person on the grounds of their sexuality and that he shares Rugby Australia’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity. “

The Instagram post from Folau, 30, proclaimed hell awaits “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters”.

Rugby Australia said it does “not in any way agree with the content of the social media post”.

“Inclusiveness is one of rugby’s core values and it welcomes all people to the game, including all members of the LGBTI community,” the statement said.

RA said it had not intended to hurt the player’s feelings, but “acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused to the Folaus”.

The statement added that “Folau did not intend to hurt or harm the game of rugby and acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused.

“Rugby Australia and Mr Folau wish each other well for the future.

“The parties do not intend to comment further on the terms of their settlement as it is confidential.”

There was widespread condemnation of Folau’s remarks when he made them, including from former…

The head of the Church, Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, said the decision was made out of respect for those killed and wounded in recent anti-government protests, which have now been going on for three months.

“There will be no decorated Christmas trees in the churches or streets, no celebrations and no reception at the patriarchate,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Almost 430 people have died and 20,000 wounded in mass rallies that have been met with retaliation by security forces.

The protests have mostly being taking place in Shia Muslim-majority areas, but the Church said it would take part in an act of solidarity “out of respect for the dead and wounded among protesters and security forces, and in solidarity with the pains of their families”.

Iraq’s parliament formally accepted the prime minister’s resignation on Sunday,

Protesters are calling for a complete overhaul of the sectarian political system.

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A joint statement from RA, NSWRU and Folau said the “post reflected Mr Folau’s genuinely held religious beliefs, and Mr Folau did not intend to harm or offend any person when he uploaded the social media post”.

It added: “Mr Folau wants all Australians to know that he does not condone discrimination of any kind against any person on the grounds of their sexuality and that he shares Rugby Australia’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity. “

The Instagram post from Folau, 30, proclaimed hell awaits “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters”.

Rugby Australia said it does “not in any way agree with the content of the social media post”.

“Inclusiveness is one of rugby’s core values and it welcomes all people to the game, including all members of the LGBTI community,” the statement said.

RA said it had not intended to hurt the player’s feelings, but “acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused to the Folaus”.

The statement added that “Folau did not intend to hurt or harm the game of rugby and acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused.

“Rugby Australia and Mr Folau wish each other well for the future.

“The parties do not intend to comment further on the terms of their settlement as it is confidential.”

There was widespread condemnation of Folau’s remarks when he made them, including from former…