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…

Under changes which may be law before 2020, couples will no longer be given a marriage certificate at the end of a church wedding.

Instead of being asked to sign a register and certificate, they will instead sign a “marriage schedule”, the Faculty Office said.

The couple then have to take this document to their local register office to record their marriage into a database and only then will they get a certificate, it added.

Failure to do this within a set time will result in the couple being compelled to “attend personally”, the new law says.

Those who do not officially register their marriage will be guilty of a criminal offence and could face a fine of up to £1,000.

The government General Register Office (GRO) has not confirmed the timescale but a Church of England body said it understands couples will have only a week to register their wedding.

Rev Marcus Walker, a London-based Anglican priest, said it was “an astonishing change to the way marriages are recorded”.

“What was supposed to be a fairly sensible proposal – to record the names and professions of mothers – has triggered a seriously big, and probably expensive, shift,” he said.

“Now, instead of marriages being registered then and there by the priest, the couple will get a temporary certificate which they then have to present to the register office within a week of the wedding. When, y’know, they might…