Arrests after patient abuse caught on film
Police in Bristol have arrested four people after secret filming by BBC Panorama found a pattern of serious abuse at a residential hospital. Andrew McDonnell, who works with adults with mental disabilities, labelled some of the examples seen on film ‘torture’. The hospital's owners, Castlebeck, have apologised and suspended 13 employees. See: Frail elderly people will be left to suffer unless David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband can put aside their political differences to agree urgent reforms to the care system, an alliance of charities, think tanks and councils warned yesterday. In an open letter to the three party leaders, The Daily Telegraph reported the groups saying that time has run out for political wrangling over how to look after the millions of elderly and disabled people who need support. With the system at ‘breaking point’, MPs of all parties must now reach a ‘consensus’ or condemn generations of pensioners to a life of poverty, misery and pain.
Pray: that this incident in Bristol would raise awareness of the need for changes across the system. (Lev.19:32)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8548976/MPs-must-unite-to-reform-elderly-care.html
Postcard campaign to find new priests
The Church in Wales will be handing out postcards this Sunday as part of a major drive to boost the number of vicars. The bilingual cards invite people to think about whether they, or anyone else they know, would consider a career in the Church in Wales. Those interested can respond to the calling using the postcard. As well as the postcards, special prayers will be said for people considering ordination and a website will be launched to help those who want to find out more about vocations. The Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron, who spearheads the Church’s vocations strategy, said that with a third of the clergy - 166 - due to retire in the next five years, the Church was facing a ‘growing need’ to find more ministers. ‘God has not stopped calling people but we need to search out and develop new ways of identifying leaders to sustain our life,’ he said. Pray: that in this busy, noisy world, there will be those that hear the 'still, small voice of calm' calling them to a different way of life. (Ps.95:7) More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/postcard.campaign.to.find.new.priests/28067.htm
Faith leaders reconfirm cooperation
Faith leaders gathered in Brussels have expressed their readiness to work with the European Union institutions to promote fundamental freedoms. This was the seventh in a series of annual meetings aimed at keeping dialogue open with churches and communities of conviction. The President of the European Council spoke of humanity’s shared historic march toward freedom and justice, values rooted in the European Treaties. It was underscored that cooperation with religious groups in an effective EU neighbourhood policy has a vast scope — from education and health to rebuilding post-conflict societies.
Pray: for the continued cooperation and understanding between religious groups. (Ac.2:44)
More: http://www.euronews.net/2011/05/30/eu-faith-leaders-reconfirm-cooperation/
Faith leaders reconfirm cooperation
Faith leaders gathered in Brussels have expressed their readiness to work with the European Union institutions to promote fundamental freedoms. This was the seventh in a series of annual meetings aimed at keeping dialogue open with churches and communities of conviction. The President of the European Council spoke of humanity’s shared historic march toward freedom and justice, values rooted in the European Treaties. It was underscored that cooperation with religious groups in an effective EU neighbourhood policy has a vast scope — from education and health to rebuilding post-conflict societies.
Pray: for the continued cooperation and understanding between religious groups. (Ac.2:44)
More: http://www.euronews.net/2011/05/30/eu-faith-leaders-reconfirm-cooperation/
