17 May 2018

(London) A postcard explaining the work of the Press Office in London, a homily, some Prayers of the Faithful, and a message that the Churches can put in their weekly newsletters – these are the resources made available to the 2,500 parishes in England and Wales on the website of the Bishops’ Conference (http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk) to mark World Communications Day next Sunday, 13 May. Donations will also be collected at Masses throughout the country to support the work of the Catholic Media Office in Eccleston Square, London, which is a point of reference for British journalists. For them, Bishop John Arnold of Salford will celebrate a Mass at the Holy Apostles Catholic Church in the London borough of Pimlico on Thursday, 17 May. This will be followed by a conference on the theme “living in populist times as journalists and citizens”, which will be attended by British Catholic journalist Shelagh Fogarty, with a long career at the BBC Radio 5, and by Professor Karen Saunders, media expert at Saint Mary’s Catholic University in London. Most of the homily, suggested by the London Press Office to parish priests, draws on Pope Francis’ Message and is devoted to the theme of “fake news”.