THE LEGAL PROFESSION has been told not to use the term "Christian names" when addressing members of ethnic minorities who might be Hindu, Sikh or Muslim. Judges, lawyers and court officials were told by a judicial monitoring body that the term could cause "considerable offence" to non-Christians.
Valentine bomb
A BOMB HIDDEN in a heartshaped box of chocolates exploded in the home of a Belfast Catholic family on Valentine's day, it was reported. No one was injured in the attack, thought to be the work of the Ulster Freedom Fighters.
Newman's day
THE BISHOPS OF ENGLAND
and Wales have assigned 21 February, the 193rd anniversary of Cardinal Newman's birthday, as a special day of prayer for his Beatification and Canonisation. Parishes and individuals are invited to pray through the intercession of the Venerable John Henry Newman (1801-1890), especially for the cure of the chronically and terminally ill.
Parish aid
A SMALL CATHouc parishbased charity which aims to provide help "where the large charities can't or won't" responded to the appeal of a TV producer moved by the plight of children in Angola. The Shirley-based Fr O'Mahony Memorial Trust has sent L8,000 of medicines and medical equipment to Luanda hospital, in the Angolan capital, after Channel 4 film producer Janny Barraclough found doctors trying to treat children with almost nothing. Looking at Lent A QUARTER OF a million people are expected to take part in this year's ecumenical Lent course, Have Another Look. Designed as an integral part of the Decade of Evangelisation, the 9000 discussion packs-course is sponsored by the ecumenical Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland. 43 local radio stations are involved in promoting the course.
Family basics
A GROUP OF inter-denominational Christian organisations, including the Catholic Centre for Healing in Marriage, joined this month to form a new umbrella group called Promoting Marriage, to support family groups as part of a Christian back-to-basics campaign.
Liverpool Mass ARCHBISHOP DEREK Worlock of Liverpool celebrated the annual Civic Mass for the City of Liverpool and the County of Merseyside last Sunday at 11 am in Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral. The Mass, attended by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Michael Black, drew together two MPs, 12 Circuit Judges and a number of area councillors.
People-peace
THE JUSTICE AND Peace Commission of the Liverpool Archdiocese has invited a Bradford University lecturer to speak about the much-ignored peace breakthroughs being made in the former Yugoslavia by ordinary people. Dr Nick Lewer will talk of his personal experiences of peace efforts on 27 February when he delivers the annual Peter Heery Memorial Lecture at the University's Catholic Chaplaincy.
Gentle Gerry GREEN INK, LONDON'S
evocatively-named Irish bookfair, is promoting a dramatic adaptation of a short story by Sinn Feinn leader Gerry Adams entitled "The Mountains of Mourne". The story is described in the Fair's publicity as "a gentle and humorous reflection on the division of land and the gap in understanding between people".
Safe gravestones IN THE WAKE of a recent national rise in the desecration of graves by vandals, academics at Newcastle University have come up with what they believe is the perfect solution the "vandalproof gravestone". The new model headstone is held in place by a low-cost ground anchor system, and includes a patented locking system which allows the stone to be removed and replaced easily if additional inscriptions are required.
Energy questions IS THERE A CHRISTIAN policy for energy? The Anglican Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, will chair a seminar offered by the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland on Friday which will focus on the three years of work conducted by the Churches' Energy Group. The seminar will be held at Inter-Church House.
Debt discussion
THIS YEAR'S CATHOLIC
Student Council Easter Conference, organised jointly with CAFOD and the youth and student movement Third World First, will feature Cardihal Basil Hume and Bishop Crispian Hollis discussing Third World Debt.