Anglicans produce advice on domestic abuse

THE Anglican Alliance and the Anglican Consultative Council have produced a resource designed to help churches take action against domestic abuse. Domestic Abuse and COVID-19: How Churches can respond states that “the increased fear, tension and lack of money can worsen a toxic environment where abuse can thrive unchallenged.” It includes sections on what the Bible says about abuse, what domestic abuse is, and how big an issue it is, as well as the impact of Covid-19 on domestic abuse. It sets out practical action for church leaders and good neighbours, advice for victims and survivors, and challenges for perpetrators.It can be downloaded from anglicanalliance.org

WCC’s Africa president dies

THE South African academic the Revd Professor Mary-Anne Plaatjies van Huffel, who was the current Africa president of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the first woman to be ordained in what was then called the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in 1992, died on 19 May, aged 60. She lectured in church history and held multiple leadership positions, besides being an expert on church law in South Africa. She also worked extensively with the homeless and the poor of the country’s townships. Tributes have been published on the WCC website, www.oikoumene.org

Run cancelled: a papal audience instead

THE Pope held an audience on Wednesday with a group of young athletes who would have been participating in an international fund-raising event, “We Run Together”, the next day if it had not be cancelled, owing to the pandemic. He praised their efforts, describing the event as “a concrete witness of what sports should be: a ‘bridge’ that unites men and women of different religions and cultures, promoting inclusion, friendship, solidarity, education. In other words, a ‘bridge’ of peace.” Proceeds from the auction accompanying the event will benefit the Pope John XXIII Hospital in Bergamo and the Poliambulance Foundation in Brescia, institutions that have been serving coronavirus patients.