Displaying items by tag: changes

The world’s smallest state, in the heart of Rome and the papal domain, is losing credibility through numerous scandals, aggressive papal doctrinal positions, and sustained decline in vocations (of priests, monks and nuns), which are bringing many changes to Catholicism. Pray for the impact of charismatic renewal on Catholics worldwide: a large proportion of the Catholic missionary force is charismatic. At the same time, the Church is expanding in theological conservatism, Marian devotion (prayers to Mary), and folk religious practices.

Government officials could face exams in a bid to end an environment where civil servants change jobs regularly and ‘almost no one is ever fired’, in an organisation of which some say ‘failure is normal’. Number 10 is planning a string of changes to the structure of government, with several departments set to be merged or rebadged in the early months of Boris Johnson's administration. Rachel Wolf, the Tory manifesto author, said officials should expect to be kept on projects where they ‘know the background’. In a move that could anger civil service unions, she hinted at a ‘rethink of incentives, numbers and pay’ in the organisation. She is urging Downing Street to oversee a wider change in the organisation, saying civil servants were currently too focused on ‘stakeholders’ and not the public, with too many officials seeing special interests as their customers. For information about a government reshuffle, go to

The next stage of Universal Credit rollout will be scaled back, amid concerns it has made an estimated 3.2 million households worse off. It has also run over budget, is years behind schedule, and is said to have forced claimants into destitution and in some cases even prostitution. Others say they have been left to rely on foodbanks. The Trussell Trust, which runs national foodbanks, said it welcomed the news but added, ‘It will come too late for the thousands making new UC claims over the coming year. As an urgent priority, the 5+ week wait for a first payment must end’. When she started as work and pensions secretary, Amber Rudd, said she would listen ‘very carefully’ to concerns. She admitted the system could be better, and promised to ‘learn from errors’ and adjust the system where needed. See also

In Britain, we see chaos and confusion surrounding government. It is not just in Westminster; Brussels has many political, legal, commercial and ideological ‘unknowns’. Throughout Europe there are signs of growing discontent and dissatisfaction with policies and attitudes that have been followed by traditional leaders for decades. In Catalonia, independence protesters brought areas to a standstill as they objected to the incarceration of former nationalist ministers and vice-president Oriol Junqueras. Young people are rising up to challenge traditional authority. France, Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic have all voted for young leaders. Austria voted in October for 31-year-old right-wing Sebastian Kurz, who is talking to the far-right Freedom Party about forming a government. 30% of the Czech Republic voted for anti-establishment leader Andrej Babis, and Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won 94 seats in the Bundestag.