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[Episcopal News Service] Episcopalians from Michigan’s three dioceses – Northern Michigan, Michigan and the Great Lakes – joined hundreds of others at the state capitol in Lansing April 22 to rally for gun violence prevention. Many also met privately with legislators, asking them not to weaken laws aimed at reducing gun deaths that went into effect in February 2024. Those laws, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told rallygoers, have made the state safer, resulting in the lowest overall crime rate since 2015. It also allowed authorities to remove guns from nearly 300 people who posed a threat to themselves or others. Legislators passed those laws in the wake of two mass school shootings – the 2021 shooting at Oxford High School, where four students were killed, and the 2023 shooting at Michigan State University, where three students were killed. Michigan Bishop Bonnie A. Perry attended the rally. In information provided to Episcopal News Service by the diocese, Perry said, “We know that people everywhere in the state of Michigan can be safer, and that it is up to us to invite our leaders to remember their call, to remember their duty, to remember their humanity.” The Diocese of Michigan co-sponsored the event, which it called Lansing Lobby Day. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lansing, located across the street from the Capitol, served as a gathering place for Episcopalians before the rally, where Perry delivered remarks. Perry is one of the conveners of Bishops United Against Gun Violence, a network of more than 100 Episcopal bishops working to curtail gun violence, and also is a cofounder of End Gun Violence Michigan, which has fought for the past two years for passage of gun violence prevention laws. She also moderated a “Faith Leadership for Gun Violence Prevention” panel session at a virtual gun violence prevention summit on Jan. 30, 2024, just before the new Michigan laws went into effect. For Northern Michigan Bishop Rayford Ray, who also attended the rally, the issue of gun violence is personal, having known people who took their lives with a gun. “Suicide is really an issue for the Upper Peninsula [of Michigan],” he said. “It’s kind of silent, but it’s there.” For the Rev. Barry Randolph, priest and pastor at Detroit’s Church of the Messiah, reducing gun violence is a major emphasis in his ministry. He and 30 members of his congregation attended the rally. “This is about making sure our government leaders understand the importance of keeping people safe,” he said. For 18 years Randolph and the church have sponsored “Silence the Violence” rallies that have become a major part of the statewide gun violence prevention movement. The march in 2024 drew hundreds of people, including then-U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who now is a U.S. senator; Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist; Detroit Police Chief James White and Detroit City Councilman James Tate. — Melodie Woerman is an Episcopal News Service freelance reporter based in Kansas.  

[Church of Ireland] A special program of events is planned for Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, on May 8 for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. Enniskillen’s program of events – the most westerly location for the VE Day 80 Commemorations in the United Kingdom – balances remembrance with celebration, including a VE Day 80 commemorative church service, beacon lighting ceremony, pipers’ tribute, beating retreat and concert. On May 8, Gary Wilson will be joining town criers and toastmasters throughout the country to read the VE Day 80 proclamation at The Watergate, outside Enniskillen Castle, marking the official start of the day’s commemorations. As part of the nationwide celebrations, the bells of St. Macartin’s Cathedral will ring at 6:30 p.m., in a symbolic act of remembrance and unity. This will be followed at 7:30 p.m. when the Inniskillings Museum and four churches on the island of Enniskillen will come together to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a service of peace. It will start in St. Macartin’s Cathedral with a spectacular parade of 80 pipers and drummers from local bands to form a community–massed band to support the service. The band will gather on Church Street, guiding the congregation to St. Michael’s Church for the continuation of the service. Lanterns will be produced, having been presented to Enniskillen’s churches in 2018, marking the 100th anniversary of the World War II armistice. These lanterns, in line with the official VE Day 80 promotion of “Lamping Lights of Peace,” will light the way from St. Michael’s Church back to St. Macartin’s Cathedral. There, the service will conclude with the lighting of a ceremonial beacon by Viscount Brookeborough, lord lieutenant for County Fermanagh. The beacon will symbolize hope as the light that emerged from the darkness of war. On May 10 at 3 p.m., the band, bugles, pipes and drums of the Royal Irish Regiment will perform a “beating retreat” at the Cathedral Hall Car Park to include a special performance by the Erne Highland Dancers. This event is free, with an invitation extended to everyone and no tickets or pre–booking is required. At 7 p.m., the VE Day 80 commemorative concert comprising the musicians from the Royal Irish Regiment will perform a special concert in St. Macartin’s Cathedral hosted by the Royal Air Forces Association (Fermanagh Branch).  It will be compered by Gary Wilson with guest soloists Lauren Kells and Clara Wilson. This event is free, with an invitation extended to everyone and no tickets or pre–booking is required.

[Scottish Episcopal Church] First Minister John Swinney MSP spent time at St John’s, Princes Street, in the Diocese of Edinburgh on April 21, hearing about the Warm Welcome space that has been set up in St. John’s. As first minister, Swinney heads the Scottish government. Swinney said, “Projects like the one at St. John’s in Edinburgh demonstrate this exactly – the compassion and resilience of our local communities in Scotland has the ability to bring people together, particularly in times of hardship and division. “It was a privilege to meet guests and volunteers at St. John’s – one of over 5,250 Warm Welcome Spaces across the U.K. Spaces like this can be a lifeline to people who are struggling to keep warm and those feeling lonely.” The Rev. David Bagnall, associate rector of St John’s said, “We’re located right in the heart of the city, and there’s a growing homeless community in the area. About 18 months ago, we created this space to provide food and hospitality to those who were naturally coming through our doors and it has continued to grow ever since. “Originally, it was intended as a winter initiative, but when that first winter ended, the community asked if we could keep it going. It had become their space: a place where they gather, share a bowl of soup, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, and have meaningful conversations with one another.” You can read more about Swinney’s visit on the Warm Welcome campaign website here.

[Diocese of Central Florida] The Rt. Rev. Justin S. Holcomb, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, recently appointed the Rt. Rev. María Griselda Delgado del Carpio, retired bishop of Cuba, as assisting bishop for Latino Ministries. She was the first woman to serve as a diocesan bishop in Cuba and in Latin America, and she was one of the co-consecrating bishops in Holcomb’s June 10, 2023, consecration. After leading the Diocese of Cuba for more than 12 years, Delgado retired in 2023 and now lives in Fort Myers, Florida. This year, she also has begun serving as assisting bishop in residence alongside the Rt. Rev. Douglas Scharf in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, where she is working to unify and expand Hispanic ministry efforts amid growing challenges for immigrant communities. “This is the first time the diocese has had an assisting bishop dedicated specifically to the Hispanic community,” Delgado said of her role in Southwest Florida. “It creates a new opportunity to provide pastoral support and strengthen the Episcopal presence among Latinos.” As assisting bishop in residence, she will oversee pastoral visits, Spanish-language confirmations and leadership development programs for Latino clergy and laity, carrying out similar functions in Central Florida, where she will be available for five visitations per year and also serve the Latino Ministries Commission with regard to ministry and leadership development. “The new presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, is reorienting the churchwide structure to support dioceses and congregations on the ground where ministry happens, and that’s exactly what’s happening with the Diocese of Southwest Florida and the Diocese of Central Florida,” Holcomb said. “Bishop Doug Scharf and I have been exploring what it would look like for Bishop Griselda to have shared episcopal ministry in two dioceses – Southwest Florida, where she lives, and Central Florida, where she has good relationships and connections. We’re both heartened by the ministry opportunities Bishop Griselda will provide for our dioceses, and we’re thankful for the vision of our presiding bishop.” Delgado emphasized the importance of providing faith spaces for Latino immigrants. “Even if they live in a different country and speak a different language, Latinos need a place where they can nurture their faith in their native tongue,” she said. More information about Delgado’s work in Central Florida is available in English and Spanish.

[Episcopal News Service] April 22 is Earth Day, and many Episcopal congregations and ministries are observing the day by organizing and participating in various creation care-themed events through the coming weeks, including recycling collections, festivals, educational activities and more. “Now is not the time for The Episcopal Church to either falter or step away from our love and passion for God’s creation, rather it is a time for prophetic, visionary action,” the Green Caucus of The Episcopal Church said in a written statement for Earth Day 2025. Episcopalians can learn more about the church’s support for the environment and public health here. The Episcopal Church’s Creation Care ministry also offers Earth Day 2025 resources on its website. Anyone participating in an Earth Day event is encouraged to share prayers, photos and stories on social media using the hashtags #EpiscopalEarthDay, #EarthDay2025, #CreationCare and #EpiscopalClimate, or via email with creation@episcopalchurch.org. About 20 million Americans observed the first Earth Day in 1970, helping to launch the modern environmental movement. It led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Water and Endangered Species acts. These laws and the EPA’s regulatory oversight addressed many environmental concerns of the time — pesticide usage, oil spills, toxic waste dumps, pollution resulting from agriculture and industry. Environmental regulations have reduced pollution and contamination in some areas. Meanwhile, global dependence and investment in fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy sector over renewable sources. At the same time, temperatures continue to reach record levels, resulting in more frequent extreme weather events, including heatwaves, hurricanes, severe rain events, increased flooding and wildfires. Additionally, humans’ exponential increase in plastic production and use over more than a half century has contributed to a worldwide pollution crisis, killing millions of animals every year and dumping 12 tons of plastic waste into oceans every year. Today, Earth Day is said to be the largest secular observance in the world. “Recognizing that the church and global affairs are in times of transition and uncertainty, The Episcopal Church can continue to be a beacon of hope for our congregations and communities,” the Green Caucus said in its statement. The Green Caucus is an independent voluntary organization dedicated to the advocacy, monitoring and implementation of creation care and creation justice initiatives and resolutions passed by General Convention and Executive Council. “We celebrate all the actions The Episcopal Church has taken for over 50 years to preserve and protect God’s creation, and the Green Caucus urges The Episcopal Church to implement creation care resolutions passed by General Conventions and subsequently funded.” The following is a list of some Episcopal ministries and affiliates, dioceses and parishes hosting Earth Day events. Check online for additional events in your area. All events listed are free and open to the public unless otherwise specified. All times are local. Diocese of Chicago — Eco DioChicago, a creation care group in the Diocese of Chicago in Illinois, will share how it’s engaging churches and communities in environmental work at 6 p.m. via Zoom. The group will explain how individuals and congregations can also engage in environmental work. Click here to join the Zoom meeting. Davis, California — The Episcopal Church of St. Martin will host an Earth Day gathering on April 22 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The Rev. Pamela Dolan, rector of St. Martin’s and dean of the Diocese of Northern California’s Wingfield Deanery, will lead the gathering and share the importance of caring for creation and how participants can help. Click here to join the Zoom gathering. Diocese of Newark — On April 22 and 27, the Community of St. John the Baptist in Mendham, New Jersey, will ring its bells and pray or meditate for 427 seconds. That number represents the global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration of 427 parts per million as measured by the Kneeling Curve, a daily record maintained by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. Earth’s carbon dioxide levels are significantly higher than pre-industrial levels and continue to increase, leading to more frequent and devastating extreme weather events. Diocese of California — Between now and April 27, congregations throughout the San Francisco-based Diocese of California are participating in the California Interfaith Power and Light’s Faith Climate Action Week. This year’s action week theme is Grounded & Growing: Planting the Seeds for Change. The 2025 faith climate action tool kit includes information on the importance of trees and how deforestation, wildfires and other climate disruptions threaten their extinction. The tool kit also includes prayers, activities for children, group discussion questions and other resources. Cincinnati, Ohio — On April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer’s creation care team will collect items listed for reuse on the Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub’s website from the church’s parking lot. Listed items include binders, real corks, egg cartons, eyewear, fabric, clean and dry garden pots, greeting cards, batteries, hangers, non-power tools, office supplies, Styrofoam and prescription bottles with labels removed. Austin, Texas — St. David’s Episcopal Church’s environmental guild is hosting an Earth Day celebration 8:30-11:30 a.m. April 22. The celebration will feature sustainable garden information, environmental resources, advocacy information, exhibits from Barking Dog Ranch and the Refugee Collective Farm, children’s activities and more. Seward, Nebraska — On April 27 from 12:30 to 4 p.m., St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church will host an Earth Day festival, which will start with a brief worship service. Volunteers from the Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery will give a presentation featuring live raptors for families. Festival participants will also learn how to properly plant trees and meet animals from Blue River Pet Rescue. The festival will include a bake sale, storytelling, activities for children and more. Garden City, New York — The Diocese of Long Island will host the “Fight for Earth” Day Retreat and Spring festival on May 3 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Mercer School of Theology. The free event will focus on climate action, justice and community. After breakfast,

[Religion News Service] As more than a billion Catholics mourn the death of Pope Francis, cardinals around the world are preparing to travel to Rome to begin the solemn tradition of choosing a new pontiff. And when the prelates gather at the Vatican in the coming weeks to elect a new Bishop of Rome, Francis, who died at age 88 on April 21, stands to have an outsize impact on the vote. That’s because, unlike some of his predecessors, Francis has appointed the overwhelming majority of clerics who can cast a ballot in the conclave — namely, members of the College of Cardinals who are under age 80. He crossed a crucial threshold in September 2023, when he finally appointed enough voting-eligible cardinals over the course of his papacy to constitute more than two-thirds of voting members in a conclave, the margin required to elect a pope under the current rules. And according to an analysis by Religion News Service, as of April 21, of the 135 members of the College of Cardinals eligible to vote, 108 — 80% — were appointed by Francis. An additional 16.3% were appointed by Pope Benedict, and only 3.7% were tapped by Pope John Paul II. By comparison, when Francis was elected pope in 2013, 57.9% had been appointed by his recently retired processor, Pope Benedict. An additional 42.1% were appointed by Pope John Paul II. The current electorate is also more geographically diverse than in years past. In 2013, for instance, Italian cardinals alone made up nearly a quarter of voting members at the conclave, but they only constitute 12.6% of those eligible in the coming conclave. Meanwhile, prelates hailing from Asia expanded from 8.8% in 2013 to 17% today, and representatives from Africa have also increased their numbers from 8.8% to 13.3%. Outside of Italy, Europe has roughly maintained its influence, representing around 28% of the conclave in 2013, compared to around 26.7% today. North America has lost ground, dropping in representation from 17.5% to 14.1%, while South American prelates have slightly increased their numbers under Francis, the first Argentinian pope, rising from 11.4% to 13.3%. How these changes will impact the vote remains to be seen. Francis’ 12-year papacy was marked by a focus on the poor, immigrants and the effects of climate change, and he has tended to select like-minded cardinals. But cardinals aren’t the same as members of Congress with specific party loyalties, and voting outcomes can sometimes be difficult to predict. It’s also possible some of the numbers could shift in small ways before voting begins, as past conclaves have seen some surprise last-minute changes. Even so, whoever becomes the next pope will be chosen by a group largely hand-selected by Pope Francis himself.