Here you will find the official documents and publications of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. Certain departmental publications are available here.
| Document | Description | Download |
|---|---|---|
| Called to be Peacemakers - 2024 | Department document offering a Catholic approach to arms control and disarmament | |
| Intricately woven by the Lord - 2024 | A pastoral reflection on gender by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales | |
| Living Stones - 2023 | Celebrating the completion of major works to historic Catholic buildings in England | |
| Love the Stranger - 2023 | Department document presenting a Catholic response to refugees and migrants | |
| The Call of Creation - 2022 | Latest edition of the Bishops' teaching document on the environment. | |
| The Joy of Love - 2022 | A series of reflections on themes from Amoris Laetitia - Joy, Love, Mercy, Realities and Discernment, Mission. | |
| Holy Land Pilgrimage Guidelines - 2022 | For a Christian, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land can be a life-changing experience. These guidelines provide information to would-be pilgrims. | |
| CaTEW Safeguarding policy | Safeguarding Policy for the Catholic Trust of England and Wales | |
| Senedd 2021 Election Document | This document outlines the work of the Catholic Church in Wales as well as the Catholic community’s main policy requests ahead of the 2021 Senedd elections. | |
| Caring Safely for Others - 2020 | Pastoral standards and safe conduct in ministry | |
| Catholic Healthcare Chaplaincy Guidelines 2018 | Guidelines for the Church and Chaplaincy Employers 2018 | |
| A Guide to the Annulment Process - 2018 | A revised 4th Edition of ‘A Guide to the Annulment Process’. Produced by the National Board of Catholic Women and supported by the Marriage and Family Life Office. 2018. | |
| Learning to Love - 2017 | A document from the Department of Education and Formation. An introduction to Catholic Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) for Catholic Educators. 20 March 2017. | |
| The Right Road - 2016 | A Catholic approach to prison reform. Draws on expertise from Catholic charities, chaplains and experts working in this field. November 2016. | |
| Belief and Belonging - 2016 | A research document that looks at the spiritual and pastoral role of Catholic chaplains for Catholic prisoners. 2016. | |
| Charter for Priestly Formation for England and Wales - 2015 | This publication outlines the foundations behind the formation of men for the ministerial priesthood in England and Wales. Second Edition. Published 2015. | |
| The Call, the Journey and the Mission - 2014 | This document, released in December 2014, is an invitation from the Bishops of England and Wales to reflect on the gift of marriage and family life. | |
| Do You Love Me? Prayer and Spirituality - 2014 | A practical and participatory guide to Catholic prayer and spirituality. These guidelines are not just about what Catholic spirituality is, but also about how to develop your own relationship with God. Published by the Catholic Truth Society 2014. | |
| Applying Equality Law in Practice - 2014 | A guidance document from November 2014 intended to demystify the complex area of Equality Law for Catholics and Catholic organisations in England and Wales. Published by the Christian Responsibility and Citizenship Department of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. | |
| Choosing the Common Good - 2010 | This document, released ahead of the General Election of 2010, highlights key themes of Catholic Social Teaching. | |
| Spiritual Care of the Dying Person - 2010 | A practical guide to assist front-line healthcare staff in identifying spiritual need in their patients and to feel confident in their ability to provide it. 2010 | |
| Permanent Diaconate Directory- 2010 | This Directory for the Formation of Permanent Deacons in England and Wales can be used to guide ongoing work to make the permanent diaconate an integral part of the life of the Catholic Church in our countries. Released in 2010. | |
| Pope in the UK - 2010 | The Catholic landscape in the UK at the time of Pope Benedict XVI's visit. 2010 | |
| Meeting God in Friend and Stranger - 2010 | Meeting God in Friend and Stranger: fostering mutual respect and understanding between the religions" is a teaching document on interreligious dialogue from the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. It reminds all Catholics that they are called by their Baptism to engage in dialogue with others, and specifically with people of other religions. | |
| Directory on the Canonical Status of the Clergy - 2009 | This 2009 Directory sets out and draws together the relevant parts of Canon Law which establish the rights and obligations of the Clergy. | |
| Mission to Migrants - 2008 | A statement, from 2008, celebrating migrants' cultural and spiritual patrimony and the ways in which they enrich Catholic parishes and diocese. | |
| Call of Creation - CAFOD - 2008 | CAFOD, the Church's Aid and Development Agency, released this edition of the Bishops' 2002 document on the environment in 2008. | |
| Healthcare: A guide to Catholic Chaplaincy for NHS Managers and Trusts - 2008 | A Catholics in Healthcare publication from the 'Caring for the Catholic Patient' series looking at Catholic Chaplaincy for NHS Managers and Trusts | |
| Healthcare: Meeting the Pastoral Needs of Catholic Patients - 2008 | A Catholics in Healthcare publication from the 'Caring for the Catholic Patient' series looking at the pastoral needs of Catholic patients | |
| Healthcare: The Catholic Understanding of Spirituality - 2008 | A Catholics in Healthcare publication from the 'Caring for the Catholic Patient' series looking at the Catholic understanding of spirituality | |
| Not Easy But Full of Meaning - 2005 | A report by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales on the findings of Listening 2004: My Family My Church. Catholic Family Life in 2004. | |
| The Gift of Scripture - 2005 | The Bishops' 2005 teaching document on the beauty of the Bible. | |
| On the Way to Life - 2005 | Fr. James Hanvey, SJ, from the Heythrop Institute for Religion, Ethics and Public Life wrote this study subtitled 'Contemporary Culture and Theological Development as a Framework for Catholic Education, Catechesis and Formation. 2005. | |
| Cherishing Life - 2004 | The Bishops' 2004 document gives a Catholic perspective on some fundamental moral issues relating to the moral and spiritual well-being of the human person in society. | |
| Cherishing Life - Study Guide - 2004 | A study guide for the Bishops' 2004 document Cherishing Life on the moral and spiritual well-being of the human person in society. | |
| Place of Redemption - 2004 | A Christian approach to Punishment and Prison. 2004 | |
| The Dispossessed - 2004 | A brief guide to the Catholic Church’s concern for refugees and migrants. 2004 | |
| The European Common Good - 2004 | A 2004 statement on the Enlargement of the European Union. | |
| Evangelisation in England and Wales - 2002 | A 2002 report by the Bishops considering the principles of mission and evangelisation at the beginning of the twenty-first century. | |
| Interfaith Dialogue - 2002 | This 2002 booklet puts together key texts of the Church’s magisterium on interfaith dialogue. | |
| Pastoral Care of Vocations - 2002 | A document published in 2002 on the pastoral provision for initial and on-going priestly formation. | |
| Teachers of Faith - 2002 | A series of speeches and lectures on the Catholic faith from the Bishops of England and Wales. | |
| The Search for Christian Unity - 2002 | The Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism. 2002. | |
| Chwilio am Undod Cristnogol - 2002 | Welsh language version of the Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism. 2002. | |
| Vote for the Common Good - 2001 | A teaching document focusing on the common good providing principles and goals for life in society. 2001 General Election. | |
| Vote for Common Good (Welsh) - 2001 | Welsh language version of the teaching document focusing on the common good providing principles and goals for life in society. 2001 General Election. | |
| A Spirituality of Work - 2001 | A booklet contributing to the awakening of the Catholic Church to the God-given blessing of the gift of work. 2001. | |
| Any Room at the Inn - 2001 | Reflections on Asylum Seekers by Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue, Bishop Emeritus of Lancaster - 2001 | |
| Racial Justice, Refugees and the Election - 2001 | Questions regarding marginalised people that Catholics were encouraged to consider and raise with candidates ahead of the 2001 General Election. | |
| Priority Adult Formation - 2000 | Forming adults in the Catholic Faith. | |
| Religious Education in Catholic Schools - 2000 | A statement on Religious Education after a long period of discussion, public consultation, and the symposium on classroom RE which was held in January 2000. | |
| Life, Debt and Jubilee - 1999 | A 1999 statement on poverty elimination and debt remission by the Catholic Bishops' Conferences of England and Wales and Scotland. | |
| Jubilee for Refugees - 1999 | A biblical reflection from June 1999 on the plight of refugees at the turn of the millennium. | |
| Reconciliation for Millennium - 1999 | The Sacrament of Confession for the new millennium. | |
| Serving a Multi-Ethnic Society - 1999 | Guidelines for a review of Catholic organisations and institutions in the light of the Macpherson Report - 1999. | |
| Supporting Ministry - Clergy Appraisal - 1999 | A report on clergy appraisal to meet the needs of priests and deacons. | |
| Human Rights and the Church - 1998 | Reflections of the Bishops from 1998 on the Jubilee of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, 10 December 1948. | |
| One Bread One Body - 1998 | A teaching document from 1998 on the Eucharist in the life of the Church, and the establishment of general norms on sacramental sharing. | |
| Valuing Difference - 1998 | Valuing Difference is a pastoral document which invites us to reflect on promoting access and inclusion in all our church activities. | |
| The Common Good - 1996 | This 1996 document focuses on Catholic Social Teaching. | |
| Healing the Wound - 1996 | Healing the Wound of Child Sexual Abuse was published in 1996 as a response to a recommendation of the 1994 publication Child Abuse: Pastoral and Procedural Guidelines. | |
| The Sign We Give - 1995 | A report addressing the need to establish patterns of working and collaborating in the Church. 1995 | |
| Child Abuse: Pastoral and Procedural Guidelines - 1994 | A 1994 report from a Bishops' Conference Working Party on cases of sexual abuse of children involving priests, Religious and other Church workers. | |
| Mixed Marriages - 1990 | The Church’s policy concerning marriages between Catholics and those of other faiths or none was spelled out by Pope Paul VI in a motu proprio “Matrimonia Mixta” in 1970. The Bishops of England and Wales produced a directory on this first published in 1970. It was revised in 1977 and again in 1990. |
