United Kingdom

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Sudiksha Thirumalesh died Sept. 12, 2023, after a legal fight to circumvent a ruling in the United Kingdom that she was not competent to make decisions about her care.

Family of UK teen who died fighting rare disease speaks out

Sep 26, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

“After a year of struggle and heartache, we can finally say our beautiful daughter and sister’s name in public without... Read more

“This isn’t 1984, but 2023 —I should never have been arrested or investigated simply for the thoughts I held in my own mind,” Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who was arrested for praying outside of an abortion clinic, said Sept. 22, 2023.

Woman arrested for silent prayer at UK abortion clinics gets police apology

Sep 22, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has received a police apology and confirmation that she will not face charges for violating a local “buffer... Read more

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Seriously ill UK teen dies fighting mental competence ruling

Sep 15, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

“I want to die trying to live,” the young woman told a psychiatrist evaluating her. “We have to try everything.” Read more

A pro-life woman is arrested for praying silently in alleged violation of a local buffer zone law.

UK home secretary tells police that ‘silent prayer’ is not a crime

Sep 8, 2023

By Daniel Payne

Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s comments follow several arrests of pro-life activists for praying outside of abortion clinics. Read more

Law enforcement estimated 7,000 attended the March for Life in London, England.

Thousands march for life in London

Sep 5, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

The ninth annual march processed through the city of Westminster in London and ended at the Houses of Parliament.  Read more

Adam Smith-Connor was fined for “praying for [his] son, who is deceased” near an abortion facility in Bournemouth, England.

UK man fined for praying outside abortion clinic now faces criminal charges

Aug 4, 2023

By Jonah McKeown

Authorities have filed criminal charges against Adam Smith-Connor, who was fined in 2022 for praying silently within an abortion facility... Read more

CNA

UK Catholic bishops join other faith leaders to oppose assisted suicide bills

May 24, 2023

By Madeleine Teahan

The Catholic bishops of England, Wales, and Scotland issued statements recently opposing assisted suicide for terminally ill people. Read more

Heidi Crowter speaks outside the High Court in London England, July 6, 2021.

Woman with Down syndrome sues over abortion law at European Court of Human Rights

May 20, 2023

By AC Wimmer

Heidi Crowter announced her decision to appeal to the ECHR this week after England’s Supreme Court refused to hear her... Read more

Gene editing in vitro genetic CRISPR genome engineering medical biotechnology health care concept with a fertilized human egg embryo and a group of dividing cells as a 3D illustration. Via Shutterstoc

First British baby with DNA from three people is born after IVF procedure

May 10, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

The first baby born in the U.K. with DNA from three parents was born after doctors performed a revolutionary IVF... Read more

Father Patrick Pullicino

Catholic hospital chaplain reaches £10K settlement in religious freedom lawsuit in UK

Apr 4, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

A Maltese Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in a London hospital received £10,000 in a settlement with the... Read more

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

UK Parliament makes it illegal to pray near abortion facilities

Mar 7, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

Britain’s House of Commons approved legislation Tuesday to create “buffer zones” around abortion facilities that would prohibit silent prayer. Read more

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce (center-left) and Father Sean Gough (center-right) celebrate their legal win outside the Birmingham Magistrates Court in Birmingham, England, on Feb. 16, 2023.

Two UK Catholics acquitted after being charged for praying in front of abortion clinic

Feb 16, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

Father Sean Gough and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce were charged with violating a local Public Spaces Protection Order that censors speech around... Read more

Father Sean Gough, a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, England, faced criminal charges for praying for free speech outside an abortion clinic after business hours in violation of a strict buffer zone law in the English city of Birmingham. “I pray wherever I go, inside my head, for the people around me. How can it be a crime for a priest to pray?” he said in a Feb. 9, 2023, statement from the ADF UK legal group.

Priest charged for praying for free speech in U.K. abortion clinic ‘buffer zone’

Feb 10, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

Police charged the Catholic priest with “intimidating service users” of the abortion clinic. Read more

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Charges dropped, for now, against woman arrested for praying silently outside UK abortion clinic

Feb 3, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce says the charges still could be revived, leaving her in an ambitious legal situation. Read more

Adam Smith-Connor was fined for “praying for [his] son, who is deceased” near an abortion facility in Bournemouth, England.

Second bystander ensnared by English ban on prayer outside abortion clinics

Jan 22, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

Amid continuing controversy over strict limits on behavior outside abortion clinics in some English cities, a man faces a fine... Read more

Bishops of England, Scotland, and Wales line up to kiss Pope Benedict XVI's ring at Oscott College in Birmingham, central England, on Sept. 19, 2010, where he later addressed bishops.

Benedict XVI is mourned in the United Kingdom

Dec 31, 2022

By Madeleine Teahan

The leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, King Charles, and the Prime Minister of Great Britain were... Read more

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Woman arrested while praying silently outside abortion clinic charged with ‘intimidation’

Dec 30, 2022

By Charlotte Evans

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce is accused of “protesting and engaging in an act that is intimidating to service users.” Read more

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Woman arrested by English police for silent prayer near abortion facility

Dec 21, 2022

By Charlotte Evans

As part of her bail conditions, restrictions have been placed on her participating in public prayer. Read more

Interior of the Scottish Parliament Building.

Scottish bishops warn of ‘gender reform’ bill

Dec 20, 2022

By Madeleine Teahan

Scottish bishops have released a statement in opposition to the government’s plans to make it easier for individuals to change... Read more

Bishop Robert Byrne

English bishop resigns, saying office is ‘too great a burden’

Dec 13, 2022

By CNA Staff

A bishop in the U.K. has taken the unusual step of announcing his resignation on the grounds that the office... Read more