What the papers said in the week ending 24 December 2022
The Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury and the young leader of Methodists in this country have shared messages:
- Pope to Curia: ‘Be vigilant, evil comes back under new guises’ – Vatican News
- Sermons | The Archbishop of Canterbury
- A Christmas Message from the Methodist Youth President
The Pope holds before us the need for focus on gratitude, conversion, peace, kindliness, mercy, forgiveness, and the challenges of synodality. Archbishop Welby thinks especially about the war between Russia and Ukraine. James Carver is already looking back at Christmas Past and feeling for those pinched by the cost of living crisis.
Polly Toynbee is for a winter celebration, but dismisses religions and superstitions, in the same bracket: Christmas comes with good cheer. The tragedy is the religious baggage | Polly Toynbee | The Guardian
Kate Bush is with Archbishop Welby in her thoughts on the Ukraine: Kate Bush calls for end of war in Ukraine and voices support for striking NHS nurses | Kate Bush | The Guardian
Alan Bennett’s diary draws us to the impact of losses as we age: Alan Bennett contemplates losing friends and the Queen in 2022 diary | Alan Bennett | The Guardian
What makes you tick when you are 97? An independent spirit and pinches of salt seem to be a favoured formula: ‘I don’t fall, I slide’: older people rebel to keep sense of control, research finds | Older people | The Guardian
You might give a thought to where you will be buried and remembered: Final funeral in Wiltshire ‘ghost village’ likely to be that of former inhabitant | Ministry of Defence | The Guardian
Meanwhile, the year of 2022 is leaving us with much to regret:
We are shamed by our compliance with the decision to deport refugees: Deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda is immoral | Immigration and asylum | The Guardian
We are shamed by the failure to make resources available for those in need: Tories ‘failing women’ as gynaecology waiting times treble in a decade | Women’s health | The Guardian
- NHS braced for increase of patients after ambulance workers’ strike | NHS | The Guardian
- Burnham urges ministers to step in after TransPennine issues ‘do not travel’ alert | Rail transport | The Guardian
- Vulnerable miss out as third of UK energy help vouchers not redeemed | Energy industry | The Guardian Terry Hall was the self-assured eye of the Specials storm | Terry Hall | The Guardian
Germany makes good a British theft from Africa: Germany returns 21 Benin bronzes to Nigeria – amid frustration at Britain | Nigeria | The Guardian
Our priorities are revealed as pay rises are greatest for those working in hospitality and entertainment, and least for those providing education and social care: Teachers and social workers suffer most from ‘lost decade’ for pay growth in UK | Public sector pay | The Guardian
There are things to feel positive about:
Some people are returning to work after sampling retirement: ‘It was frightening’: four Britons on returning to work after retiring | UK cost of living crisis | The Guardian
The World may not have approved of much to do with the siting and management of the World Cup, but joy for the triumph of Lionel Messi and his team cannot be denied ‘Like paradise’: Argentina erupts in celebration of World Cup win | Argentina | The Guardian
A young man and his mum are helping retain the benefits of old technology for current and future generations: How teenager created one of the UK’s last celluloid-only cinemas | Film | The Guardian
A hundred years of BBC in Wales: Daleks, daemons and Bagpuss: 100 years of the BBC in Wales | BBC | The Guardian
Singing together: The Guardian view on singing in groups: hitting the right notes | Editorial | The Guardian
The new King: King Charles III bank note designs revealed by Bank of England | Bank of England | The Guardian
Putting some money in the right places: People living in care homes and caravans offered £400 energy payment | Energy bills | The Guardian
But worries prevail:
Some species are struggling: Earthworms may have declined by a third in UK, study reveals | Biodiversity | The Guardian
Covid-19 will not be consigned to the past: China rushes to boost intensive care beds, doctors and stocks of medicine as Covid surges | China | The Guardian
And the consequences of ancient wrongs still chill our hearts: Former Nazi camp secretary found guilty of complicity in 10,500 murders | Holocaust | The Guardian
David Jolley. Chair of Christians on Ageing, in a personal capacity
