April/May/June 2020

Editorial‘We shall overcome’
Anthony Towey In the seasonal liturgies covered by this edition of the Pastoral Review, the Church will not only celebrate Holy Week, Easter,  ... 

Focus on Creation, Theology and EcologyCreation, ecology, and a cry for mercy
Celia Deane-Drummond, Director of the Laudato Si’ Research Institute at Campion Hall, Oxford, reflects on the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si’  ... 

How far have we come in five years? The legacy of Laudato Si’ in England and Wales
Edward de Quay, Project Manager for the Bishops’ Conference Environmental Advisory Group, looks at how Catholics in England and Wales have  ... 

New Monasticism and the environment
Pastoral Review editor Professor Anthony Towey recently spoke to Richard Barnard, a member of Christian Climate Action, about the ‘Twelve Marks’  ... 

Leadership & MinistryIt’s all about love, really! Relationship and Sex Education in Catholic schools
Matthew Dell, Chair of ATCRE (Association of Teachers of Catholic Religious Education) and Senior Lecturer at St Mary’s University, Twickenham,  ... 

Human trafficking and modern slavery
Carole Murphy, Research Lead at the Centre for the Study of Modern Slavery at St Mary’s University, reflects on the Catholic Church’s response to  ... 

Be a star of hope shining brightly
Rosemary Keenan, Chief Executive of the Catholic Children’s Society and a qualified social worker, explores the inter-relationship of hope with  ... 

Theology TodayInner healing and deliverance
Alan Guile, author of Journey into Wholeness: Prayer for Inner Healing – An Essential Ministry of the Church, reflects on some aspects of the  ... 

Let us call each other friends: Allies, friends, and identity in politics and religion today
Stephanie MacGillivray, Research and Policy Officer for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, explores how the social teaching of the Catholic Church  ... 

The Eucharist as memory, body, identity, and expectation
Four words – memory, body, identity, and expectation – allow us to gather some important realities that enter the eucharistic celebration. Gerald  ... 

SpiritualityBetween the Testaments: Early exemplars of scriptural formation
Susan Docherty, Professor of New Testament and Early Judaism at Newman University Birmingham, explores how studying intertestamental Jewish texts can  ... 

The icon of Easter
Thomas O’Loughlin explores how an icon from Eastern tradition can help us to reflect on the mystery of Easter. We love certainty! We love facts!  ... 

Sensing the Word: Reading the Bible in the Ignatian spiritual tradition
Gemma Simmonds CJ, Director of the Religious Life Institute at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, shows how reading the Bible using  ... 

Resources for MinistryFirst and best teachers in faith? Parent-led preparation for the sacraments
Mark Nash and David Wills from the Centre for Catholic Formation in the Archdiocese of Southwark reflect on how parishes can support parents in  ... 

The teacher: A good shepherd?
This article considers the distinctive nature of pastoral care in Christian schools and the way in which the model of the Good Shepherd informs  ... 

In Evangelii gaudium Pope Francis wrote: ‘It is indispensable that the word of God “be ever more fully at the heart of every ecclesial activity”. God’s word, listened to and celebrated, above all in the Eucharist, nourishes and inwardly strengthens Christians, enabling them to offer an authentic witness to the Gospel in daily life.’ The following reflections on the Sunday readings for the next three months are offered to help readers and listeners to reflect on the selected passages ...