motherwell-come - Scottish Catholic Observer

Transcription

No 5575
Fate of
Catholic
mother in
Sudan.
Pages 6-7, 10
CORPUS CHRISTI:
Procession of
public witness
in Glasgow.
Pages 4-5
TWO PRIESTS
have been
ordained in
Scotland this
week. Page 3
Friday June 27 2014 | £1
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Bishops of Scotland
re-open Salamanca
as working seminary
MOTHERWELL-COME
By Ian Dunn
THE Bishops of Scotland are re-opening the
historic Royal Scots College in Salamanca as
a seminary.
They have also proposed Fr Tom Kilbride, currently parish priest of Our Lady of Good Counsel,
Glasgow, to serve as rector of the college and asked
him to prepare the college to receive seminarians
from January 2016 for an annual six-month preparatory period before they go to the Pontifical Scots
College in Rome.
It is also hoped that, in time, there will be sufficient
numbers of seminarians to see Salamanca serve as a
full seminary again.
As the college is a Royal foundation, it is the King
of Spain who will appoint the new rector, with the
approval of the Holy See, now the Bishops of Scotland have named a candidate.
Fr Kilbride has been the director of religious education for Glasgow Archdiocese since 2007 and Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow, president of the
Bishops’Conference of Scotland, said this experience
would serve him well in his new role.
“I am very pleased that Fr Tom Kilbride will be the
next rector of the Royal Scots College, Spain,” the
archbishop said. “His nomination was welcomed
enthusiastically by the Bishops’ conference. Fr Kilbride is an experienced parish priest who has held
responsibility for directing the Religious Education
Office of the Archdiocese of Glasgow. He has also
shown a special interest in adult religious education
and spirituality, which will be an invaluable asset for
him in his work with candidates for the priesthood.”
By Liz Leydon
MOTHERWELL’s new bishop spoke out on the
need to protect religious freedom, traditional marriage and life, and for Christian unity, in his first
homily as bishop of the diocese.
Bishop Joseph Toal, formerly Bishop of Argyll and the
Isles, was installed on Monday as Motherwell Diocese’s
fifth bishop in a joyous celebration at Our Lady of Good
Aid Cathedral in the presence of Bishop Emeritus Joseph
Devine (left), Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow, his
mother, family, Scotland’s bishops, Archbishop Antonio
Mennini, Papal nuncio to the United Kingdom, and Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh. Bishop Toal, speaking
on the vigil of the Solemnity of St John the Baptist,
highlighted some of the challenges that Catholics face.
Continued on page 8
Continued on page 8
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WHAT’S ON
SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
What’s On
A weekly guide to upcoming Church-related
events, more online at www.sconews.co.uk
FRIDAY JUNE 27
Feast of the Sacred Heart.
The Mass for the Feast of the
Sacred Heart will take place
in St Francis’ Xavier’s, Carfin
at 7:30pm. The Novena to
the Sacred Heart, which has
been prayed in the parish will
conclude at this Mass.
SATURDAY JUNE 28
Fun Day. Grand fete, bbq
and family fun day at The
Immaculate Conception,
Maryhill. You are invited you
to join them from 1pm to 4pm.
SUNDAY JUNE 29
Aberdeen Diocesan
Pilgrimage to Pluscarden
Abbey. Transport from St
Peter’s, Castle St (opposite
Blackfriars pub) at 10.45am,
Union Street, across Huntly
Street, at 11am and St
Joseph’s Woodside at
11.20am. Cost is £22 per
person, including high tea at
Baxters of Fochabers.
Enquiries to Maureen Sinclair
(01224) 626 359 or
[email protected]
Remembrance Mass. A
Mass will be offered in St
Agnes’, Lambhill, Glasgow
at 3pm for the faithful
departed whose final
committal took place at St
Kentigern’s Cemetery,
The Western Necropolis
Cemetery, Lambhill
Cemetery or Glasgow
Crematorium. Tea/Coffee
will be provided in St Agnes’
Church Hall afterwards.
MONDAY JUNE 30
Gaelic League Summer
Camp 2014. A chance for
primary school age children
to have lots of fun, meet new
friends and learn some Irish
(Gaeilge) through drama,
music, songs, dance and
Gaelic football. From
Monday June 30 to Friday
July, 10.30am-2.30pm daily.
Price £6 per day or £25 for
the whole week. Family
discounts apply. St Helen’s
Church Hall, 32 Langside
Ave, Shawlands. More info
from 0141 433 9495, 0141
5894041 and
[email protected]
Bishops mark Foxbar parish’s golden jubilee
By Canon Bernard Canning
PARISHIONERS of St
Paul’s, Foxbar, came out in
force recently to celebrate 50
years since the opening of
their church with not one, but
two bishops.
TUESDAY JULY 1
Pope Francis: Servant
Leadership and Ignatian
Spirituality. Talk by Fr James
Crampsey SJ on Pope
Francis: Servant Leadership
and Ignatian Spirituality.
Laurieston Jesuit Centre,
Edinburgh at 7.30pm.
All welcome, admission by
donation.
Mass of thanksgiving was
offered with Bishop John
Keenan of Paisley as principal
celebrant and Bishop Emeritus
John Mone—who presided at
the church’s silver jubilee in
1989—and 12 priests of the diocese, two of whom, including
Canon John Cunney, were present at the formal dedication of
the church in 1964.
Rev Edward Cameron, St
Peter’s Glenburn, was a relative
of Edward Deehan, one of the
bricklayers who built the red
brick St Paul’s with the red suggesting an eagerness to serve the
people of God of Foxbar, as a
distinctive and large belfry and
bell echoed the glory of God.
In 1960 Bishop James Black
of Paisley founded St Paul’s
Parish and named Rev Luke
Brady as its first parish priest. St
Paul’s Primary School, which
was opened in 1960, served as a
temporary facility for church
functions and services.
(Top left) Bishop John Keenan helps
with the St Paul’s catering, offering
pupils from St Andrew’s Academy
and St Paul’s Primary a sandwich.
(Top right) Bishop Mone and Bishop
Keenan at the anniversary Mass
PICS: PAUL McSHERRY
On June 21, 1964, Bishop
Black blessed and laid the foundation stone affording the people the first opportunity to pray
in their new church. The
Catholic population at the time
was estimated to be in the region
of 2,200.The Church copied the
coat of arms of St Paul’s School
with symbols of St Paul’s missionary work—the sword of
PICTURE OF THE WEEK
E-mail [email protected]
Kraków 2016
World Youth Day
Jim Cassidy’s idea to raise funds to help Scottish youth travel to
World Youth Day in Krakov, Poland, in 2016 in honour of the
newly canonised Sts John Paul II (who founded WYD) and John
XXII has prompted the SCO to launch an appeal fund. Anyone
wishing to support this cause can send their donation to The
Scottish Catholic Observer Appeal Account, 19 Waterloo
Street, Glasgow, G2 6BT marked WYD 16. The SCO will work
with the Church and its associated youth ministries to make
sure the funds go to helping young pilgrims get to Poland for the
celebrations.
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truth, the ship which was shipwrecked and Paul’s Letters with
the words of the crest and motto
of the church and school: Crescentes in Scientia Dei—Growing in the Knowledge of God.
St Paul’s has in its foundation
stone coins of the day, newspapers, and stone taken from the
cave which tradition indicates as
the place where St Paul took
shelter after the shipwreck.
After Mass, Bishop Keenan
joined parish priest Fr Frank
Hannigan and pupils from St
Andrew’s Academy and St
Paul’s Primary for some celebratory sandwiches.
Bishop John
Keenan of Paisley
and Bishop
Emeritus John
Mone celebrated
the diamond
jubilee of four
priests recently in
Holy Rosary
Residence (Little
Sisters of the
Poor), Greenock.
Jubilarians Canon
Noel Murray,
Canon Tom Nolan,
Canon Brendan
Healy and Canon
Felix McCarney
are pictured with
the bishops
PIC:PAUL
McSHERRY
THE SPIRIT OF
GLASGOW 2014
A faith-based guide to the Commonwealth
Games free next week inside the July 4 SCO
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FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
NEWS
Scottish bishops issue fresh
warning over assisted suicide
PICS: PAUL McSHERRY
By Ian Dunn
THE Bishops’ Conference
of Scotland has said the plan
to legalise assisted suicide
in Scotland ‘is wrong in
principle and would be
impossible to implement in
practice whilst ensuring the
safety of inhabitants of our
country.’
Archdiocese welcomes new priest Fr Nicky Welsh
SCOTLAND welcomed a new priest
into its fold last week as Fr Nicky
Welsh was ordained at Our Lady and
St Ninian’s, Bannockburn.
Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews
and Edinburgh Archdiocese ordained Fr
Welsh (above left) alongside parish priest
Fr Michael Bagan on the feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga, patron saint of youth.
The archbishop spoke of the relevance
of the feast day, relating the life St Aloysius Gonzaga to what Fr Welsh would be
doing with his life.
Fr Scott Deeley, chancellor at St
Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese, said
it was a ‘very beautiful’ ordination.
“It was very prayerful,” he said. “The
parish had prepared beautifully for the day.
The church was looking splendid as was
the ground and the choir. A lot of preparation had gone into it.”
Also in attendance were Bishop Stephen
Robson of Dunkeld Diocese and clergy who
had travelled over from Rome for the ordination. Fr Welsh was supported on his journey by his parents Thomas and Jeanette, his
sister Colette, and his grandmother Helen
(above right).
Fr Welsh celebrated his first Mass the following day in his home parish of The Sacred
Heart in Cowie, with the new priest’s former
spiritual director in Rome preaching at the
Mass. He will now serve as the curate at St
Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Edinburgh.
Joining Fr Welsh in the priesthood will
be Fr Martin Delaney, who was ordained
on Thursday in St Ignatius’, Wishaw, by
the new Bishop of Motherwell Joseph Toal.
I [email protected]
Celebrated youth choir set to perform to Scottish audiences
SCOTLAND’S two Archdiocesan Cathedrals will
welcome a renowned Australian youth choir next
week as they perform some
of their ‘uplifting and inspirational’ music.
The St Michael’s Grammar
School Choir (right) is touring
Europe for the sixth time and
will visit Scotland as part of a
Celtic tour that will also take it
to Ireland and France.
The Archdiocese of Glasgow
Arts Project (AGAP) will welcome the choir to St Andrew’s
Cathedral on Saturday July 5,
before the musical youngsters
head to Edinburgh’s St Giles’
Cathedral two days later.
The concert programme will
last just over an hour and is
packed with medieval chants,
renaissance anthems and
baroque motets as well as touching upon some modern sacred
music by the likes of John Rutter and incorporating a selection
of Gaelic songs and Spirituals.
Entry to the concert is free.
Stephen Callaghan, creative
director of AGAP, said that he
was contacted earlier in the
year by the choir’s director
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world and sharing in events
that lift our spirits,” he said.
“Surely the arts can do the
same thing and, in a profound
way, sacred music reminds us
that God is the common currency of all nations and cultures that seek truth, beauty and
goodness. I just hope that
Glaswegians grasp the importance of this event for the
young people involved and will
leave them with fond memories
of the Commonwealth City.”
Mr Callaghan went on to
stress the importance of young
people in faith and the arts.
“Young people restore our hope
and share their vitality with the
people around them,” he said.
“The arts provide a framework
for this tangible realisation of the
Kingdom of God among us.”
about including Glasgow in the
tour, and said he was amazed to
find their ‘humble community
arts project has friends around
the world.’
“This year, international
sporting events like the Commonwealth Games and the
World Cup have got us all
thinking about welcoming our
neighbours from around the
In spite of this warning, a
group of children’s charities
has called on MSPs to allow
assisted suicide for children as
the argument over the end of
life heats up.
Both the Church and the
charity grouping Together were
responding to the Scottish
Parliament consultation on the
Assisted Suicide Bill conceived
by the late independent MSP
Margo MacDonald, who died
in April following a long battle
with Parkinson’s disease. Green
Party co-convener Patrick
Harvie has pledged to take the
bill forward, with the support
of Conservative MSP Jackson
Carlaw, Labour MSP Mary Fee
and SNP MSP Bill Kidd.
The Church’s submission
said that the ‘legislation is a
stepping-stone to further, more
wide-ranging legislation and
therefore contradicts claims
that there is no danger of a
‘slippery slope’ and the consequent threat to innocent life.’
“Many of the previous ‘safeguards’ have been diluted or
entirely removed potentially
creating an even more
unsatisfactory bill than that
overwhelmingly rejected by the
parliament so recently,” the
Church’s submission said. “It is
a retrograde step to remove any
involvement of those most
qualified and specially trained,
such as psychiatrists and
psychologists. The law should
remain unchanged. The
proposals gravely undermine the
protection due to all citizens as
required by Article 2 of the
European Convention on Human
Rights. It fails to provide
adequate deterrence for the
misuse of any of the provisions
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and fails to provide direction
on how such misuse should be
detected and investigated.”
The bishops also say that the
proposed law would damage
doctors’ ability to do their jobs
as ‘it would directly undermine
the Hippocratic ethics which
have underpinned the practise
of medicine in our country for
centuries.’
“In practice a register of proand anti-GPs and consultants
would need to be created,” the
bishops say. “This has been
recognised as fairly likely by
‘The Royal College of General
Practitioners Scotland.’”
“There is no legislative provision of conscientious objection for pharmacists, GPs and
consultants, as we have seen in
other areas of medical practice
such as abortion, even when
there is the right to conscientious objection it can lead to
discrimination or at least a difficult work environment for
those not prepared to take part.”
A change in the law is
formally opposed by the British
Medical Association, the
Association for Palliative Medicine, the British Geriatric
Society, the World Medical
Association and the Royal Colleges of Physicians and General
Practitioners. However
Together, an alliance of
children’s charities, took the
opposite view suggesting that
MSPs should consider allowing
assisted suicide for children.
The submission said that MSPs
should note that ‘terminal illnesses do not discriminate
based on the age of a person
and accordingly, neither should
health care.’
Together recommends that the
committee ‘reflects on international examples of comparable
legislation, such as the recent
amendment to Belgium’s 2002
euthanasia law.’ The response
made clear that the views
expressed in it ‘do not necessarily
reflect the specific views of each
member organisation.’ Members
of Together include Save the
Children and Barnardo’s.
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4
SCHOOLS/LOCAL NEWS
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
PICS: PAUL McSHERRY
Holyrood pupils act fast to fundraise for SCIAF
By Daniel Harkins
CHILDREN from Holyrood
Secondary gave up food but
acquired a taste for fundraising as a sponsored fast
raised thousands of pounds
for a Scottish charity.
The Glasgow school raised
£6274 for SCIAF after pupils
across all year groups agreed to
stop eating for a day to experience a little of what less fortunate children have to endure.
Coupled with other fundraising efforts, the school’s Lenten
campaign raised a total of
£8635 which was received with
thanks by SCIAF’s school’s
officer Mark Booker.
Youngsters and young adults
from the school all contributed
to raising the incredible
amount, which will now be
used to help people in Columba
who live amongst violence,
poverty and exploitation by
large corporations.
Anna Gardiner, an S2 pupil
at the school, decided to take
part in the fast after Holyrood’s
Caritas Award students spoke
to pupils about the dire situation in parts of Columbia. “I
decided to do the 24 hour fast
for the first time this year
because I wanted to feel what
children out in poorer countries
have to go through every day of
their lives,” she said. “It was
really weird not eating anything
in the morning before school. I
was really hungry and at
lunchtime when other people
were eating it made me feel
worse. The last hour of my fast
between 5 and 6pm felt the
longest! Doing this made me
realise how lucky we are and
also how much we take everything for granted each day.”
Fundraising pupils stopped
eating in the evening and continued their fast through until
the next day. At school lunch,
the students collected money
from their well-fed peers as S6
pupils played music to take
their mind off their hunger.
Megan Collins, an S6 pupil,
said she wanted to raise money
for SCIAF having been made
aware of how little children in
developing countries have compared to her. “This year I spoke
at one of the year group assemblies myself about the work
SCIAF is doing out in Colombia and it really opened my eyes
to realise how privileged we are
in this country,” she said. “I
hope to continue fundraising for
SCIAF in 6th year.”
S2 pupil Daniel Leyden has
taken part in the fast before,
and said he was inspired to do
it again after hearing about
SCIAF’s work in Columbia. “I
raised over £100 again this year
and after I handed the money in
it made me feel really good
knowing that it would really
help some families,” he said.
Holyrood’s fundraising campaign kicked off earlier this
year after they helped launch
SCIAF’s Wee Box programme
at an event covered by national
media. Talent contests, special
uniform days, and a general
charitable ethos in the school—
with one teacher requiring
Ryan McSorley and Megan Collins
(holding cheque), Daniel Leyden
(holding Actfast Bucket) and Anna
Gardiner (on other side of the
poster) with headteacher Mr Byrne
and Jade Boyle
pupils to make small donations
to borrow stationery—all
helped the school reach their
four-figure fundraising sum.
Some pupils raised more than
£100 individually, while one
anonymous individual donated
£311.
Attracta O’Reilly, a teacher
at the school who helped organise the fast, said she was very
proud of the pupils and their
enthusiasm. “They absolutely
enjoy fundraising,” she said.
“They are very keen. They ask
every year when the fast will be
happening. And some pupils try
and do it every year. If they are
not doing the fast they think of
other things to do and they give
money each morning.
“The reason for the fast is to
encourage the pupils to experience what it is like to be hungry. Some of them you ask if
they are going to do it and they
say ‘No, I couldn’t.’ Well that’s
the whole point! It’s to get
them to experience it. The sad
thing is the people out in the
developing countries are doing
this every day.”
Mrs O’Reilly said the school
had broken its own fundraising
records, adding that she was
very grateful to the pupils’ parents for supporting them.
I [email protected]
Corpus Christi procession
By Helen Border
With additional reporting from Daniel Harkins
GLASGOW University Catholic chaplaincy
hosted a Corpus Christi procession last Sunday, in association with two parishes, that
was attended by more than 200 people.
University students and staff joined parishioners from different parts of Glasgow along
with First Communicants to celebrate this
Solemnity, which began with adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament at St Patrick’s, Anderston,
and ended with Mass with Archbishop Philip
Tartaglia of Glasgow at St Paul’s, Whiteinch.
In the second year of what is hoped is an
annual event, the procession encouraged
Catholics to proclaim their faith in a quiet and
reverent manner by walking with the Lord
through the streets of Glasgow.
The celebrations began with a very prayerful
holy hour held in St Patrick’s Church. As incense
wafted through the church and music filled the
air it was wonderful to see so many religious,
youth, children and the elderly and many parents
with young children kneel or sit so respectfully
praying before the Blessed Sacrament as they
were led in prayer and listened to a homily by Fr
Ross Campbell, Glasgow University Catholic
Chaplain (above left top), and led in prayerful
song by a music group from the chaplaincy and
St Mirin’s Cathedral choir, Paisley.
Many participants said it was a most holy and
prayerful experience with Our Blessed Lord
enhanced by the wonderful singing and prayers.
One older participant said this reminded them of
days gone by in the church seeing such reverence
for the Blessed Sacrament by so many people.
Fr Campbell said a real mix of people participated in the Mass and the procession.
“Given the incredibly secular climate in which
we live in, often our culture and to an extent our
media would have you believe that religion has
all but disappeared,” he said. “The fact is the
majority of people are not atheists; the majority
of people have some belief and belief in some
deity or god. We’re showing that we believe in
Jesus Christ who is made present to us in the
Eucharist and Mass.”
Following Fr Campbell’s blessing of the people in the Church with the Blessed Sacrament,
Three Catholic schools in Scotland nominated for national education awards
By Daniel Harkins
THREE Scottish Catholic
schools will next week attend
a prestigious London awards
ceremony after being nominated amongst the best
schools in the UK.
St Ninian’s High School, Kirkintilloch, will compete against
five other schools to be named
secondary school of the year in
the Times Education Supplement
School Awards. Our Lady and St
Patrick’s High School, Dumbarton (right), has been nominated in
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the international category for having an ‘innovative international
strategy,’ while Holy Cross High
School, Hamilton, will contest the
Sports and Healthy Eating Award.
Our Lady and St Patrick’s has
been recognised for its links
with projects in Kenya and for
its work in the British Council’s
Connecting Classrooms initiative with Palestine. Pupils have
been involved with different
Catholic international charities,
and the school is recognised in
particular for its extensive work
in Kenya, with staff travelling to
the country at their own expense
to work with and train teachers.
Charles Rooney, headteacher
at Our Lady and St Patrick’s, said
that as a school they are ‘keen to
carry forward the Church’s mission not only through our words
but more so through our actions.’
“Our programme of daily
morning prayer and thoughts for
the day reminds all of us of
responsibilities, as Pope Francis
states, to find new ways to
spread the word of God to every
corner of the world,” he said.
“We are therefore delighted that
our commitment is being nationally recognised.”
St Ninian’s High have been
shortlisted for secondary school
of the year three times in five
years but have yet to win, and
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headteacher Paul McLaughlin
said he is hoping this year will
be their year.
“Fingers crossed,” he said. “It
would be nice to win it but its
not really about that it’s just getting the recognition. To get nominated three times is exceptional.
“We see the school as being a
whole load more than academic
successes. We see the positives
rather than the barriers in the
way. And behind that is all the
things we do; we do a lot of
work in parishes… we’ve had
Chinese visitors… we have a
partnership with Celtic FC
Youth Academy… we are very
positive thinking.”
Holy Cross High was nominated for the award by the University of the West of Scotland
after they assisted in some pioneering physical education
research that looked at the
effects of high intensity training.
John Reilly, Holy Cross headteacher, said he was ‘absolutely
delighted’ to be one of the finalists and to have a ‘superb partnership’ working between the
school’s PE department and the
university.
The award winners will be
announced at a gala luncheon
and awards ceremony, hosted by
comedian Hugh Dennis, on July
4 at London’s Park Plaza Hotel.
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
LOCAL NEWS
5
Praying for vocations at Pluscarden Abbey
BISHOP Hugh Gilbert led a
vocations retreat recently in
the peaceful surroundings of
Pluscarden Abbey.
The event—Be Fruitful and
Multiply: Giving a Life-giving
Life—followed on from a successful diocesan young adults’
retreat held last year.
Beginning with a walk
through Monaughty Woods, the
retreat gave participants the
opportunity to learn about,
meditate on and discuss vocation in its many different forms.
Retreatants listened to talks
and took part in discussions,
focusing on evangelisation and
spreading the Word of God. A
number of documents produced
by the Church under the guidance of St John Paul II, looking
at the main forms of vocation,
were considered.
Afterwards, the bishop
(above) celebrated Mass and
the day rounded off with
Vespers with the community.
Participants said they were
‘grateful to all involved in making the day such a fruitful experience,’ and singled out Bishop
Gilbert and the monks at Pluscarden for praise. Such was the
success of the retreat that
another will be held next year,
with retreatants saying they are
looking forward to it with keen
anticipation.
Church musicians set to light up Cumnock music festival
was a celebration of Faith
the large crowd of more than 200 people gathered outside as several priests respectfully led the
procession along the three mile walk to St Paul’s
Church in Whiteinch. Four priests took it in turn
to carry the Blessed Sacrament. Prayer cards and
medals were distributed to people along the route
as they stood and gazed in wonder at the prayerful and joyful walk by so many people along a
very busy city street. People looked out of windows from their high-rise flats, came out of
shops, cafes and pubs to see what was going on.
Some fathers carried their young children high
on their shoulders; others were wheeled in their
prams, while others pushed less able people in
wheelchairs. Several elderly people walking at
the end of the procession, their ages ranged from
70-90 years, strived to finish the walk. They had
been offered a lift in a car several times but were
determined to finish walking with the Lord.
It took courage for participants to give such a
public testimony to the Faith but many also said
it wasn’t courage that encouraged people to participate in this procession but the love of the Lord.
The procession (above) ended two hours later at
St Paul’s Church with Mass at 6.30pm concele-
brated by Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow.
Archbishop Tartaglia (above left, bottom) said
it was a ‘great privilege’ to ‘celebrate the evening
Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi for the very
enthusiastic and happy congregation which had
gathered in St Paul’s Whiteinch.’
“It was so wonderful that many of the participants, men, women and children, young and old,
including a group of First Communicants, had
accompanied the Blessed Sacrament in procession from St Patrick’s, Anderston, to St Paul’s,”
he said. “This event had all the hallmarks of an
authentic festival of faith: adoration, prayer, joy,
witness and service.
“I was so thankful for such a visible and public witness to our faith in Jesus Christ who, as the
living bread come down from heaven, wishes to
be our spiritual nourishment. In the spirit of the
new evangelisation, I couldn’t help thinking that
it was also a loving and respectful assurance to
the people of Glasgow that Jesus offers himself
as spiritual nourishment to everyone who wishes
to receive from him.”
[email protected]
THE leading lights of Church
music will come to St John
the Evangelist church later
this year as the town of Cumnock prepares for a festival
of song involving some of
the world’s most renowned
musicians.
The church will host a special
music day on September 27 featuring Fr Guy Nicholls, an
expert in Liturgical music from
Birmingham Archdiocese, and
leading Scottish composer
James MacMillan, who will lead
participants in a day of singing
the music of the Church.
The special event will take
place a week before the launch of
The Cumnock Tryst, a festival that
will bring some of the world’s
leading musicians to the town.
Speaking about the special
music event, James MacMillan
(above) said that he had a long
history with the town.
“Cumnock is the town where I
grew up, and as a boy and
teenager I was very involved in
the life of the Catholic parish
there, St John’s, where I played
the organ,” he said. “The church
was built in the 1880s by the
Marquis of Bute, whose wish
was that the parish should have a
thriving musical life. In establishing the new festival, The
Cumnock Tryst, I was keen that
the community of St John’s
would play a significant part.”
The September event, organised in part by Musica Sacra
Scotland and open to all, will
culminate in a Vigil Mass in St
Patrick’s Church in nearby
Auchinleck with parish priest Fr
Stephen McGrattan and Fr Guy
Nicholls principal celebrants.
Those who are able to attend are
also invited to an 11am Mass the
next day in St John’s, Cumnock
where Fr Guy will also preside.
The Cumnock Tryst festival will
take place from October 2-5 and
will be followed later in the year
by a national music conference
to take place at the St Ninian
Institute, Dundee.
Bishop gives historic address at Paisley presbytery
BISHOP John Keenan of
Paisley has made history
after becoming the first
bishop to speak at a presbytery in the diocese.
The bishop was invited by Rev
Kenneth Gray, moderator of the
Church of Scotland Presbytery of
Greenock and Paisley, to address
their recent meeting at the Cornerstone Centre, Bishopton.
A packed hall heard Bishop
Keenan (right) speak with good
humour about the appropriately
named location of the meeting—Bishopton—and talk of
the need to make neighbours
out of enemies and friends out
of neighbours.
“Religion, on a global level,
so often now is seen as a problem, but the first doctrine of any
true religion is reconciliation,”
the bishop said at the meeting.
“An essential quality of authentic religion is the ability to reconcile. And we know that,
because we have worked so
hard under the guidance of the
Holy Spirit to be reconciled.
Tonight I feel that oneness pal-
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pably; I feel we really are brothers and sisters.”
Mr Gray said they decided to
PICS: PAUL McSHERRY
invite the bishop after they
were invited to his ordination
and made ‘so very welcome.’
Medjugorje 2014
June 22nd and September 10th
£544 excluding insurance
Departing from Edinburgh
contact
Roger Foster
01475 793 987
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WORLD/VATICAN NEWS
Sudanese woman on death row freed, re-arrested
THE Sudanese Foreign
Ministry has summoned the
US and South Sudanese
ambassadors after a Christian woman, who was facing
the death penalty for her
faith, attempted to travel to
the United States this week
using documents issued by
the embassy of South
Sudan.
The move escalated a diplomatic row over Meriam Yahya
Ibrahim, 27, a Catholic who
was detained as she and her
American husband and two
children sought to fly out of
Khartoum on Tuesday, a day
after she was released from
death row. Ms Ibrahim was
freed on Monday by an appeals
court, that cancelled the death
sentence imposed on her for
alleged conversion to Christianity from Islam, after the
government came under
what it called ‘unprecedented’
pressure.
Family members and
religious liberty advocates
had applauded her release.
“We are very very happy
about this and we’re going to
her now,” Elshareef Ali, one of
her lawyers, said. “They have
released her... she’s on her way
home.”
However, that jubilation was
short lived.
“The airport passport police
arrested Abrar after she presented emergency travel documents issued by the South
Sudanese embassy and carrying
an American visa,” Sudan’s
National Intelligence and Security Services’ media department
said in a statement, referring to
Ibrahim by her Muslim name.
“The Sudanese authorities
considered [the action] a criminal violation, and the Foreign
Ministry summoned the American and South Sudanese
ambassadors,” it added.
Under Sudan’s penal code,
forging a document is punishable by up to five years in
prison. Mrs Ibrahim’s lawyer,
Mohaned Mostafa, said on
Tuesday that she was expected
to stay in police custody for
24 hours.
Her case triggered an international outcry and was closely
monitored by Washington and
London, who last month summoned the Sudanese charge
d’affaires to protest against Mrs
Ibrahim’s initial death sentence.
Following her brief release on
Monday, Mrs Ibrahim was sent
to a secret location for her protection after her family reported
receiving threats, another one
of her lawyers had said.
In Washington, the US State
Department offered a different
version of events on Tuesday,
saying the Sudanese government had told the United States
that Ibrahim had been detained
for several hours and then
released but that she had not
been arrested.
“The State Department has
been informed by the Sudanese
government that the family was
temporarily detained at the airport for several hours by the
government for questioning
over issues related to their
travel and I think travel documents. They have not been
arrested,” State Department
spokeswoman Marie Harf said.
“The government has
assured us of their safety,” Ms
Harf added. “We are engaging
directly with Sudanese officials
to secure their safe and swift
departure from Sudan.”
Mrs Ibrahim had been
charged with abandoning Islam
under Sudanese law. Because
her father was a Muslim, Mrs
Ibrahim was legally considered
a Muslim even though her
mother raised her as a Christian
after her father left the family
when she was six years old.
David Cameron, Tony
Blair, John Kerry and Hillary
Clinton all called for her
release, and a petition to secure
her freedom gathered over
700,000 signatures.
Members of Mrs Ibrahim’s
current legal team have also
received threats from extremists who have deemed their
actions as ‘un-Islamic,’ adding
that they too should receive
deaths sentences. Pressure
has also come from Mrs
Ibrahim’s accusers. Her alleged
brother has publicly stated the
family would carry out the
death sentence should the court
acquit her.
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
Pope Francis speaks
By Stephen Reilly
POPE Francis has taken on one of Italy’s
most dangerous organised crime groups, by
calling the ‘Ndrangheta crime group an
example of ‘the adoration of evil’ and saying that Mafiosi ‘are excommunicated.’
The Holy Father also met with the father of a
boy slain earlier this year in a Mafia killing.
The Pope (right), speaking at a Mass during
his day trip to Italy’s Calabria region last Saturday, issued one of the strongest attacks on organised crime since the late Pope St John Paul II
lambasted the Sicilian Mafia in 1993.
“Those who in their lives follow this path of
evil, as Mafiosi do, are not in communion with
God, they are excommunicated,” Pope Francis
said in impromptu comments at the Mass before
tens of thousands of people.
He told the crowd at the outdoor Mass in
Sibari: “This evil must be fought against, it must
be pushed aside. We must say no to it.
“When adoration of the Lord is substituted by
adoration of money, the road to sin opens to personal interest... When one does not adore the
Lord, one becomes an adorer of evil, like those
who live by dishonesty and violence.
“Your land, which so beautiful, knows the
signs of the consequences of this sin. The
‘Ndrangheta (Calabrian mafia) is this: adoration
of evil and contempt of the common good. This
evil must be fought, must be expelled. It must be
told no.”
Those who have chosen the ‘evil road, such as
the mobsters’ are ‘not in communion with God.’
They are ‘excommunicated,’ he said.
His homily, preached on the feast of the Corpus
Christi focused on the importance of adoring
God alone.
“And, for this faith, we renounce Satan and all
of his temptations; we renounce the idols of
money, vanity, pride and power,” the Pope emphasised. ‘We, Christians, do not want to adore anything or anyone in this world except Jesus Christ,
who is present in the Holy Eucharist.”
Christians adore God ‘who is love’ and who
‘in Jesus Christ has given Himself for us, who
has offered himself on the cross for the expiation
of our sins and by the power of this love is risen
and lives in the Church.’
The Holy Father urged the congregation to
‘witness to concrete fraternal solidarity in families, parishes, and ecclesial movements.’
“The Lord Jesus does not cease to raise up gestures of charity in His people who are journeying!” he exclaimed. “If you adore Christ and
walk behind Him and with Him, your diocesan
church and your parishes will grow in Faith and
in charity, in the joy of evangelisation. You will
be a Church in which fathers, mothers, priests,
religious, Catechists, children, the elderly, (and)
young people walk together, one alongside the
other, supporting one another, helping one
another, loving one another as brothers, especially in moments of difficulty.”
Earlier that day the Pope met the father of a 3year-old boy slain in the region’s drug war.
The Holy Father comforted the imprisoned
father of Nicola Campolongo in the courtyard of
a prison in the town of Castrovillari.
In January, the boy was shot, along with one of
his grandfathers and the grandfather’s girlfriend,
in an attack blamed on drug turf wars in the
nearby town of Cassano all’Jonio. The attackers
torched the car with all three victims inside.
“
This evil must be fought
against, it must be
pushed aside. We must
say no to it. When
adoration of the Lord
is substituted by the
adoration of money, the
road to sin opens to
personal interest... When
one does not adore the
Lord, one becomes an
adorer of evil, like those
who live by dishonesty
and violence.
Pope Francis
”
The boy’s father and mother already were in
jail at the time on drug trafficking charges. The
Pope had expressed his horror following the
attack and promised to visit the town.
The Holy Father embraced the man. He asked
the Pope to pray for the boy’s mother, who was
permitted to leave prison following her son’s
slaying and remains under house arrest. The
Pope also met two of the boy’s grandmothers.
A Vatican spokesman, Fr Ciro Benedettini,
said the Pope told the father: “May children
never again have to suffer in this way.”
“The two grandmothers were weeping like
fountains,” Fr Benedettini added.
Calabria is the power base of the ‘Ndrangheta,
a global drug trafficking syndicate that enriches
itself by extorting businesses and infiltrating public works contracts in underdeveloped Calabria.
Belfast parish in uproar after ‘blasphemous’
US Bishops urge government to act on Iraqi crisis
THE American Bishops Conference has called on the
United States Government to
take action to help solve the
current crisis in Iraq, saying
they bear special responsibility after the 2003 invasion.
The chairman of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’
(USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace said
that the current conflict in Iraq
(above) demands humanitarian
assistance from the US in addition to diplomatic measures.
In a letter to Ambassador
Susan E Rice, US National Security Advisor, Bishop Richard
Pates of Des Moines, Iowa said:
“Our nation bears a special
responsibility toward the people
of Iraq. The US-led invasion and
occupation unleashed both sectarian conflicts and extremism in
Iraq, two tragic unintended consequences that have profound
and continuing repercussions for
the people of Iraq.
“It is appropriate that the
administration is urging political
leaders in Iraq to form an inclusive
government,” he added. “For too
long, large elements of Iraqi society have felt disenfranchised. It is
critical that all ethnic and religious
groups are represented at the table
of governance so that the common
good of all is served. Extremists
have been exploiting the divisions
born of exclusion and the weakening of the rule of law.”
Bishop Pates echoed the words
of Pope Francis in his recent
request for prayers ‘for the dear
Iraqi nation, especially for the
victims and for those who most
suffer the consequences of the
growing violence, in particular
the many persons, among whom
are so many Christians, who have
had to leave their homes.’
The US foreign secretary John
Kerry was in Iraq this week for
peace talks as Sunni militants
captured more cities, following
their capture of Iraq’s second
city Mosul two weeks ago.
A BELFAST parish is in
uproar after a music video
was secretly filmed there
that featured a partiallyclothed young couple kissing on its altar.
The video for English DJ
Wikinson’s song Half Light
was branded ‘total porn’ and
‘blasphemous’ by parishioners
at the Good Shepherd Church
(right).
In a strongly-worded statement, it was also described as
‘a desecration of the church’ by
Down and Connor Diocese.
It is understood Church
authorities are considering
legal action against the filmmakers for shooting the scenes
without permission.
The video was directed by
London-based Irish director
Aoife McArdle and features
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actors Diarmuid Noyes and
Joanna Nixon, who play a couple who spend a night drinking
and clubbing in Belfast.
The scenes featuring the
church have since been edited
out, but at Mass last Sunday Fr
Patrick McKenna referred to an
‘incident’ that had been featured in the press as he read out
a Church statement in response.
“No permission was either
sought or granted to film the
interior of the parish church
within the context of any conduct or activities that were not
relating to prayer or homage
and in accordance with the
sanctity of the Church,” read
the statement. “The behaviour
in the video was a desecration
of the church and caused most
grievous distress to the parish
priest and if viewed by the
parishioners would cause
severe hurt and distress to the
wider parish community.
“For these reasons, to protect
the Church and its parishioners,
the Diocese of Down and Connor immediately brought these
concerns to the attention of the
distributors and creators of the
material which was unlawfully
obtained by deception and
trespass,” the Church statement
went on. “The originators/creators and distributors gave us an
under-taking that the unlawful
material would be removed
from circulation and destroyed.”
It is believed the filmmakers
had only been given permission
to shoot backdrop shots of the
church, yet the video went on
to show the actors running
around pews and then undressing each other on the altar.
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
out against the Mafia
NEWS ROUNDUP
Pope urges Christian
unity against torture
POPE Francis has urged
Christians to work together to
abolish every form of torture,
condemning the practice as a
grave sin.
He told the public in St Peter’s
Square Sunday he wanted to
reiterate his ‘firm condemnation
of every kind of torture.’
He sought united efforts to
work for torture’s end and to
support victims and their
families. The Holy Father said
that it was a ‘mortal sin, a very
grave sin, to torture people’ and
noted that Thursday marks the
United Nations day for torture
victims.
Holy Father speaks
out on ʻevilʼ of drugs
Holy Father speaks of the ‘joy of the priesthood’
DURING his visit to the
South of Italy, Pope Francis met with the priests of
the diocese, and spoke of
the joy of the priesthood,
but also of the dangers of
an individualistic culture.
“I would first of all like to
share with you the joy of
being priests,” the Pope said.
“The ever new surprise of
having been called by the
Lord Jesus. Called to follow
him, to be with him, to go to
others bringing him, his
word, his forgiveness. There
is nothing more beautiful for
a man that this, right?”
The Pope was speaking in
Cassano all’Jonio, a small
town in the province of
Cosenza of Calabria, located
in the south of Italy.
Opening his speech to the
priests, the Bishop of Rome
thanked them for their welcome, revealing that he has
‘greatly desired this encounter
with you who bear the burden
of daily parish work.’
Drawing their attention to
the ‘joy of being priests,’
Pope Francis explained that
there is no greater happiness
than being called by God and
to bring his word and mercy
to others.
“When we priests are in
front of the tabernacle, and we
stop there for a moment, in
silence, then we feel the gaze
of Jesus upon us once again,
and this gaze renews us,
revives us” he said.“It’s not
easy because we have taken
on so many things, so many
people, but sometimes it’s not
easy because we feel a certain
discomfort, Jesus’ gaze troubles us a bit, also puts us in
crisis...but this does us good!”
THE Holy Father says drugs
are a serious and complex ‘evil’
plaguing our society, which
must be combatted, without fail
or compromise.
Pope Francis said this when
addressing participants in the
31st International Conference
on combatting drugs, which was
held in Rome last Thursday.
The Pope reminded them that
as Christians, we are called to
help those in need, including
those who have fallen into ‘the
spiral of drugs.’ “The scourge
of drugs continues to rage in
impressive shapes and sizes,
powered by an ugly market that
crosses national and continental
boundaries,” he said. “In
this way, there is a growing
danger for young people and
teenagers.”
In the face of this phenomenon,
Pope Francis said that as
Christians we are to help those
WORLD/VATICAN NEWS
struggling.
and vowed that the government
would ‘do everything within
available law and legislation ‘to
prevent a visit by the Russian
prelate, fearing that such a visit
under today’s circumstances
‘can only provoke a wave of
inter-confessional conflict.’
Russian Patriarch not
welcome in Ukraine
UKRAINE’S culture minister
has announced that a visit to his
country by Russian Orthodox
Patriarch Kirill would be
‘undesirable, provocative, and
designed for political ends.’
Volodymyr Yushkevych
made his announcement last
Thursday as the Synod of the
Ukrainian Orthodox
Church-Moscow patriarchate
was gathered in Kiev, amid
speculation that the Orthodox
prelates would issue an
invitation for the Russian
patriarch to visit.
Patriarch Kirill has travelled
to Kiev each year since he
became the leader of the
Russian Orthodox Church in
2009, to celebrate the feast of
St Vladimir.
Mr Yushkevych, the culture
minister, said that a visit by
Patriarch Kirill ‘during ongoing
Russian military aggression
against Ukraine’ would be
inappropriate.
He said that he was making a
statement while the Ukrainian
Orthodox Synod met ‘under
pressure from external forces,’
War in South Sudan
may lead to starvation
THE newly independent
Republic of South Sudan is
caught up in its own civil war,
which threatens to cause
widespread starvation, warns the
apostolic nuncio serving there.
Archbishop Charles Daniel
Balvo, who doubles as the
Vatican’s representative in
Kenya and in South Sudan, says
that the current fighting in the
impoverished country is ‘a
struggle for political power
which now has tribal overtones.’
After the country won its
independence from Sudan in
2011, after a long and bloody
civil war, ‘no longer having a
common enemy they started
fighting with each other,’ the
apostolic nuncio lamented. If
the fighting is not curbed in
time for farmers to plant their
crops, he said, starvation will
loom in six months.
SPOTLIGHT ON
music video is secretly filmed in city church
People take photos as an artist constructs an image of Christ with coloured sand outside the metropolitan
cathedral in Curitiba, Brazil
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7
8
NEWS
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
(Clockwise from top left) Bishop Toal with his mother and family; the newly
installed bishops greets the congregation in the upper hall; Bishop Toal
presents his mother with flowers
PIC (ABOVE LEFT): PAUL McSHERRY
PICS (ABOVE RIGHT AND BELOW): TOM EADIE
I Continued from page 1
“The issues in regard to marriage and
the unborn child are very much to the
fore in modern society and, while we
know others may have differing views,
we would want to uphold our right to
express our beliefs and to seek protection for the consciences of those who
work in public services,” Bishop Toal
told those present.
“We can see an affirmation of our
faith about marriage as a life-long union
of love and fidelity between a man and
a woman, open to the possibility of
receiving the blessing of children.
“Just as John the Baptist was marked
out as being special in his mother’s
womb, whose birth would bring great
joy and happiness to many, so are all the
unborn, who therefore merit the highest
respect and care…”
Installation
Over 100 priests joined bishops from
Scotland and Ireland and members of
the religious orders to welcome Bishop
Toal to Motherwell.
Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral was
full beyond capacity on Monday night
and the Mass was broadcast live to
those gathered in the neighbouring St
Bride’s parish hall.
The bishop processed into the cathedral—in vestments made by nuns in
Salamanca—to an uplifting arrangement of the Litany of the Saints. Canon
Thomas Millar, cathedral administrator,
then welcomed the congregation before
Metropolitan
Archbishop
Philip
Tartaglia of Glasgow began the installation ceremony.
Bishop Toal has proved himself to be
‘a long and attentive shepherd of Argyll
and the Isles,’ Archbishop Tartaglia
said, and ‘an active member of the bishops’ conference’ who was now very
welcome in Motherwell.
Bishop’s installation joy, message
“[We] deem you worthy to take
charge of this… diocese, given the
proven gifts of mind and heart with
which you are endowed, and your abundant experience in pastoral matters,”
Pope Francis said in the Papal bull
announcing Bishop Toal’s appointment,
which was read at the start of the Mass.
Joy
Prayers and unity
The unity and sense of working together
within and out with the Church that
Motherwell Diocese is famed for was
underlined by the strong interfaith, civic
and political presence at the bishop’s
installation Mass. Leaders form other
Christian faiths were joined by North
and South Lanarkshire dignitaries, representatives from the Police and Fire
services and politicians including MSPs
Michael McMahon and James Kelly.
“We need to be united in the Lord…
working together to build up our communities and to reach out to others,”
Bishop Toal said.
After acknowledging the ecumenical
and Scottish/Irish links in Motherwell
Diocese, the bishop also asked for
prayer, support and guidance for the
decisions ahead of him in Motherwell.
“Parishes and communities are geographically very close together in Motherwell Diocese that is a strength and an
encouragement to work together rather
than trying to plough our own furrow,”
he said.
On his new role as Motherwell
bishop, he added ‘there is a lot of
licence given, and, at the same time, a
lot of discernment necessary to know
when to tear up and knock down and
when to build and plant.’
is also a new beginning [for Motherwell
and Scotland].
“You come from Argyll and the Isles
with considerable experience both as a
priest and as a bishop,” the nuncio
added before speaking of Bishop Toal’s
role as Apostolic administrator for
Motherwell. “God willing you should
feel very much at home here.”
Youth and vocations
Young Catholics were visibly present
on Monday, including many in school
uniform, along with their parents and
teachers.
“Over the year I have been Apostolic
Administrator of Motherwell it has been
good to have the presence of young
people from the schools in the diocese
at special Masses and celebrations in
the cathedral and to have visited some
of the schools for their own celebrations,” Bishop Toal said.
“This contact with the young people
in the schools and elsewhere has to be
an important part of the bishop’s ministry in this diocese and I will try
follow Bishop Devine’s example in
making it so.
“I offer a special word of encouragement and thanks to parents, grand-parents, teachers, clergy and many others
who inspire the young in the ways of
faith and lead them by the example of
their lives.”
Bishop Toal also acknowledged the
presence of deacons and seminarians
from Motherwell, including Paul Denney, and the religious life in the diocese.
Nuncio
Archbishop Mennini offered Bishop
Toal the Holy Father’s and his own
prayers of support.
“You are building on the solid foundation left by Bishop Devine after 30
years of faithful service,” Archbishop
Mennini said. “But in many ways this
The bishop’s installation Mass
reminded all present of the joy of
Catholic celebration, with John Pitcathley, director of music in Motherwell
Dicese, and the diocesan choir lifting
the congregation’s spirits even higher.
Fiona Pitcathley, John’s daughter,
was a hauntingly beautiful cantor for
the Responsorial Psalm and the literal
trumpeting of the news of a new bishop
added to the sense of occasion marking
a new beginning.
The bishop’s serious message of religious freedom did not prevent lighter
moments during the celebrations. He
came down off the altar to present his
mother with a stunning bouquet of
flowers and teased her that she might
not be able to visit him so often in
Motherwell cathedral.
He also admitted: “I am probably the
first Bishop of Motherwell who has
looked after sheep while I was parish
priest in St Michael’s, Ardkenneth,
South Uist!”
One of Bishop Toal’s first duties as
Bishop of Motherwell was to ordain a
new priest, Fr Martin Delaney, on
Thursday evening in St Ignatius’,
Wishaw.
“Martin’s ordination will be a great
blessing for the diocese as will be the
diaconate ordination of James Travers
at Oscott College, Birmingham, on Saturday,” the bishop said.
I [email protected]
Scotland’s bishops delighted over re-opening seminary in Spain and choice of new rector
I Continued from page 1
Archbishop Tartaglia added
that he and he and the other bishops were delighted to announce
that the college would once
again play a key role in the formation of Scottish priests.
“Fr Kilbride’s appointment
coincides with our decision that
the Royal Scots College in Salamanca, Spain, will once again be
used for the formation of candidates for the priesthood in Scotland, its historic purpose for the
last four centuries,” he said.
“It is envisaged that from January 2016, candidates for the priesthood will follow a six-month
propaedeutic period in our Sala-
manca college before going on to
Rome for studies in philosophy
and theology. The Bishops of
Scotland are very pleased to be
able to announce that we are reopening a seminary.”
Fr Kilbride said the news was
‘a huge surprise.’
“I feel honoured—but not a little daunted—at the prospect,
aware of the great tradition the
College represents of service to
the Catholic community over four
centuries but looking ahead to
making it serve future needs of the
Church too,” he said.
“I feel sad at the prospect of
leaving Our Lady of Good Counsel parish, which I have loved
these past six years, but I hope I
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can put my pastoral, educational
and personal experience to good
use in this new challenge.”
Ordained to the priesthood in
January 1996 by Cardinal
Thomas Winning, Fr Kilbride
served as an assistant priest in St
Roch’s and St Andrew’s Cathedral and Our Lady of Lourdes
parishes Glasgow before becom-
ing the parish priest of Our Lady
of Good Counsel in Denistoun
in 2008.
The Royal Scots College was
founded at Madrid in 1627. In
1771, the college was transferred to Valladolid and in 1988
it was transferred to Salamanca.
I [email protected]
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
LETTERS
9
LETTER OF THE WEEK
A letter to Pope Francis on
independence comments
DEAR Holy Father, my wife and I and our
family were disappointed to learn that you
had made certain remarks against Scotland
returning to being an independent nation.
From time immemorial Scotland has
been treated by the Vatican as a state in its
own right. Witness to this is the fact that
Scotland has always had a hierarchy of its
own completely independent and separate
from the hierarchy in England.
Following defeat of the English at
Bannockburn in 1314 against all the odds
there was composed at Arbroath Abbey a
Scots Declaration of independence. It was a
formal document addressed to the Holy
Father of the day asking him to confirm
that as far as the Vatican was concerned
they would continue to regard Scotland as a
wholly independent nation in no way
subject to the sovereignty of the King of
England. The Holy Father of the day
accepted this.
It should also be known that the treaty of
union 707 was brought about by the bribery
of certain number of the Scottish nobles
sufficient to pass the Act of Union through
Scots Parliament. There was, of course, no
universal suffrage at that time. Only the
nobles, certain land owners and the
representatives of some burghs were
allowed to vote. The nobles had the
greatest say.
The list of nobles who accepted bribes
and the amount of each bribe is contained
in a document which is extant to this day.
The populace at large was thrall against the
union. There were even riots in the streets
of Edinburgh.
The whole matter is very neatly summed
up by the Scots poet Robert Burns in one of
his poems were he states: “We’re bought
and sold for the English Gold, such pack of
rouges (the nobles) in a nation.”
The union has never been satisfactory
from many points of view. We, the Scots,
have had a terrible struggle to re-establish
our parliament in Edinburgh. It is, of
course, a devolved parliament having no
sovereign powers.
The re-establishment of Scotland as a
Independence is becoming a
‘no debate’ zone
POPE Francis is correct to be wary about
independence, not so much about whether
countries should or shouldn’t strive for it but
about entering the fray at all on the subject.
As the countdown ticked under 100 days
to Scotland’s referendum on independence
on September 18, campaigning voices
became increasingly shrill. While it is
wonderful that people are so passionate
about Scotland’s future, suddenly differing
opinions became ‘wrong,’ with one camp
shouting down the other and no one
listening to each other. It is hard to separate
the facts from the propaganda in the run up
to the referendum, and, by its very nature,
little about a possible independent Scotland
is tried and tested. But Scots must not think
Catholic press should stay
out of referendum
I AM alarmed at the SCO’s foray into politics, albeit not party politics. The Church in
Scotland has kept very quiet in the run up
to the independence referendum yet the
SCO (June 13, 20) appears to be pre-occupied with it, between front page news, back
page adverts and Kevin McKenna’s wry
sovereign nation far from causing division
will put an end to many of the antagonistic
feelings which Scots bear towards the
English.
The two nations will then be able to
speak peace to one another.
As native Scot Catholics we sincerely
request that you reconsider the statement
which you apparently made against
Scotland becoming once again an
independent and sovereign state.
We are of the view that with Scotland’s
independence re-established there will be a
much better opportunity to further
in absolutes. There is not just the yes and
the no camp, there are many undecideds,
many ‘yes ifs’ and ‘no ifs,’ and even some
‘no now, yes laters.’
Yes the Universal Catholic Church is all
about unity, but Scotland already has its
own independent Catholic hierarchy, along
with is own legal and education systems.
And to those who decried the Holy
Father commenting on independence at all,
this is one area where Faith and politics
overlap. For that whatever lies ahead for
Scotland, our Church’s future must be
secured. The Pope isn’t telling anyone how
to vote, and neither is the worsening
propaganda. But I have faith that Scots are
canny enough to make up their own minds
and not fall for ‘he who shouts the loudest.’
F McGuigan
GLASGOW
column (June 20) in between. It’s true Pope
Francis did recently comment on the subject, and that Church and state must overlap on occasion. But apart for praying for
guidance through any future national transition, surely the role of a Catholic newspaper lies in staying out of the constitutional
independence debate?
Mr Green
EDINBURGH
SCO reserves the right to edit letters to conform with space or style requirements
This page is used solely for reader opinion and therefore views expressed are not necessarily
shared by SCO
If you would like to share your opinion, send your correspondence to the address below
Whether you use e-mail or post, you must provide your full name, address, and phone number or
your letter will not be used
Christianity in our land, the land of
Scotland.With sincere good wishes and
every blessing.
Helen and Jamus Smith
ABERDEEN
EDITOR’S NOTE: As seen in last week’s
SCO news reports and comment articles,
the Holy Father did not take a stance for or
against independence, but advised caution
in all nations considering such a move. The
SCO, however, respects our readers’ right
to reply
He who pays the piper
calls the tune
INDEPENDENCE: Those who suggest the
Catholic Church, and Catholic media, have
no right to voice opinion on the future of
Scotland are clearly concerned that the
outcome of the referendum could well
hinge on the Catholic vote, particularly in
Motherwell Diocese and Glasgow
Archdiocese. Catholic voices must be
heard as part of the debate ahead of the
ballot.
B Thomson
MOTHERWELL
Don’t forget the dioceses
left behind
AMID all the celebrations surrounding the
installation of Bishop Joseph Toal as the
next bishop of Motherwell, I hope those
present on Monday night at Our Lady of
Good Aid Cathedral spare a thought for the
Faithful of Argyll and the Isles who are
losing a good shepherd.
I am not in anyway suggesting one need
is greater than the other between the
dioceses, I just hope that a new bishop can
be found for Argyll and the Isles in the near
future to fill Bishop Toal’s shoes. It is a tall
order. Please pray for Bishop Toal, as we
do, and for all of Scotland’s bishops, and
for the challenges ahead.
We wish them well. And we pray for
guidance and a shortened timeframe in the
selection and appointments remaining.
Name supplied
OBAN
ESTABLISHED IN 1885
Concerned letter on
advertising
I REGRET that I do not have
the financial ability of Lord
Reid to place a full page advert
in the Catholic Observer on my
views on the independence
debate. However as someone
who has always regarded your
newspaper as being fair I do
hope I can call upon that sense
of fairness to find some column
inches to print my views on
Lord Reid’s recent contribution
to this debate. I must say I do
find these contributions leave
me somewhat confused,
bewildered and disappointed.
As someone who attended St
Patricks High School,
Coatbridge, at the same time as
Reid in the early 1960s I was
never left in any doubt about his
commitment to the cause of
nationalism. That nationalism
was of course of the Irish variety
and not particularly Scottish. Like
Reid and a great many others at
our school, I was the progeny of
economic migrants who came to
work in the Lanarkshire coal
mines in the nineteenth and early
twentieth century. Like Reid we
were all versed in the history of
the struggle to achieve an
Independent Irish state and the
bloody events which led to the
creation of that country. As you
would imagine that even as a
young man Ian (that was his
name then ) Reid showed
remarkable ability in leadership
and that ability was nowhere less
profound in reminding us all of
our background and the
associated heroes who he was
quite capable of immortalising in
song and word. It is shortly after
this that it would seem our paths
diverged politically. I used the
background we both came from
to work for the establishment of
an Independent Scotland based
purely on democracy and the
wishes of the Scottish people. We
now stand at the edge of
achieving that ambition. Ian, it
seems, changed not only his
name but equally the values
which he held in such high regard
as a young man. It would seem
that taking the ‘Queens shilling’
would not be an unfair label to
attribute to the man.
As the good book tells us
“What does it profit a man if he
gain the whole world etc etc.’ I
am unsure if ten cabinet posts in
the government of Mr Blair
comes anywhere near the ‘whole
world.’Alongside nationalism
our heritage in Coatbridge was
equally a commitment to the
cause of socialism and fairness. It
is a sad fact that ten cabinet posts
working for Mr Blair who did so
much to destroy both socialism
and fairness, shows Lord Reid
didn’t just sell out on one of his
basic principles. There is still
around 12 weeks for Lord Reid
and others to examine their
beliefs and to realise that these
can only be achieved through the
creation of an independent
Scotland. There is still time for
Lord Reid to relieve the
disappointment of an old school
friend
Councillor George Kay
BURNTISLAND
WRITE TO LETTERS, SCO, 19 WATERLOO STREET, GLASGOW G2 6BT [email protected]
10
COMMENT
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
Where is the outcry for this martyr?
T
New mum Meriam Yehya Ibrahim faces torture, death in Sudan for refusing to give up her Catholic Faith
HE plight of 27-year-old
Dr Meriam Yehya Ibrahim
is appalling. Accused,
falsely, of apostasy from
Islam—a faith to which
she has never belonged—this Catholic
woman is lying in chains in a filthy,
disease-ridden prison in Sudan, trying
to look after her 21-month-old son and
newly born daughter, while awaiting
flogging with 100 lashes and, if she
survives that barbaric punishment,
execution by hanging.
Of course, Meriam could free herself from this ordeal at any time: all
she has to do is renounce her Catholic
faith and embrace Islam. This, to her
enormous credit, she has steadfastly
refused to do. There could be no
clearer example of Catholic martyrdom than the heroic suffering of
Meriam Ibrahim. Every Catholic in
the world should be praying fervently
that she and her children survive and
regain their freedom, or failing that,
may she be granted the grace of perseverance unto death.
An additional agony for her is the
threat to which her children are
exposed—one infant a day dies in that
prison—the torment of which every
mother will find easy to imagine. Even
when giving birth Meriam was kept
shackled in her chains. The charges
against her under Shariah law were
brought by a group of men, whom she
had never seen before, pretending to
be her relations. The 100 lashes is her
sentence for ‘adultery,’ which this
devout woman has not committed, on
the grounds that she, a Muslim, could
not contract a valid marriage with her
Catholic husband.
But she has never been a Muslim.
Her Muslim father abandoned her
Catholic Faith. It is a shining example
to a materialist, cynical world. But it is
an even more striking example to us.
How many of us would have the
courage to endure what Meriam
Ibrahim is undergoing?
This article was written
prior to Meriam Yehya
Ibrahim’s release from
prison this week and
breaking news of her
subsequent re arrest as
the SCO went to press
W
BY GERALD WARNER
when she was five and her mother
brought her up a Christian. In 2011 she
joined the Catholic Church. The archdiocese of Khartoum has condemned
her treatment. Fr Mussa Timothy
Kacho, episcopal vicar for Khartoum,
said: “She has never been a Muslim in
her life.” The death sentence she has
received for ‘apostasy’ is a travesty.
B
ut where are all the usual suspects, normally so ready to
speak out against illiberal
behaviour? Where is Barack Obama?
If the Sudanese government were
offending against some aspect of
homosexual ‘right’ the full fury of the
US establishment would be unleashed
against it. But a Christian—especially
a Catholic—facing martyrdom for her
faith is not seen as a cause worth supporting.
If only this inconvenient woman
would abandon her intransigent stance
and conform, is the likely attitude of
the militant secularists who have
occupied the commanding heights in
Western governments and media. In
reality, is she not a better role
model for women than the pathetic,
vulgar ‘celebrities’ who are hyped as
paradigms?
For Catholics, what we are witnessing here is something awesome, in the
proper sense of the term. This is an
insight into the very core of Catholicism, the ultimate act of Faith: the
acceptance of martyrdom for the sake
of Christ. It is as it was in the early
Church, in the prisons of Nero and
Diocletian.
This Sudanese woman is chained,
as St Peter was. As happened to many
Christian mothers in the first centuries
after the Redemption, her children are
victims too.
This case is crystal clear. It is not
muddied by politics. A brave woman is
facing torture and death for one reason
alone: she refuses to abandon her
What do you think of GERARLD WARNER comments on Meriam Yehya Ibrahim? Send your points of
view to the SCO. Write to Letters, SCO, 19 Waterloo St, Glasgow G2 6BT or e-mail [email protected]
hat does her uncompromising sacrifice say to the cafeteria Catholics of the
Western world? To people who, in the
drift towards indifferentism and secularism of the past 50 years, regarded
a prohibition on eating meat on
Fridays as intolerable, Holydays of
Obligation as an imposition, and
going to confession as too bothersome
to submit to?
The whole history of the Catholic
Church in Europe and America over
the past half-century has been a shrugging off of responsibilities and a rejection of doctrine on matters such as
artificial contraception. The restraints
and precepts of Catholic teaching are
resisted as restrictive and irksome.
Even now, a faction is trying to hijack
the forthcoming Synod on the Family
to allow couples living in an adulterous union, in an objective state of
mortal sin, to receive the Body, Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Christ in the
Eucharist.
How spiritually refreshing to turn
from this orgy of self-indulgence to
contemplate Catholic reality as lived
by Meriam Ibrahim.
False witnesses, lashes—here are
the signs of authentic Catholicism, the
renewed Gethsemane of every potential martyr who takes up the Cross in
Christ’s footsteps. Meriam Ibrahim’s
plight is appalling, but also glorious.
We must pray for her, but also learn
from her.
The views expressed in the opinion
pages of the SCO are those of
informed individuals and groups and
not necessarily those of the
newspaper or the Church
Living and believing the Gospel can lead to endless adventure
IN 1947 the Norwegian
explorer Thor Heyerdahl and
five companions sailed a raft
made of balsa logs across the
Pacific Ocean. The raft was
named ‘Kon Tiki’ the ancient
name of the Inca sun god.
This was not an insignificant
undertaking. In a world recovering
from the horrors of the Second
World War, it was hailed as an
incredible feat of both bravery
and seamanship. Heyerdahl
wanted to test a theory that people
from the Polynesian Islands had
potentially sailed similar vessels
across the Pacific. He proved that
the journey was possible, even if a
more modern understanding of
the migration of peoples tends to
discount the theory. Since 1947
was the year that I was born, I was
completely unaware of the journey
and its outcome. I became made
aware of this incredibe voyage in
1960 in the less than exotic
surroundings of Blairs College.
The noise of some 200 adolescent
boys having lunch in the refectory
at Blairs was substantial. It was
tempered by the more muted
Fr Eddie
McGhee
tones of one of our number reading aloud to the rest of us. The
practice of reading in the refectory
had monastic origins. At a much
more practical level it prepared us
for reading and speaking in public
even when there was significant
other noise. It was in this
circumstance that I heard, read
aloud, The Kon Tiki Expedition by
Thor Heyerdahl. For me, this story
was one of endless fascination. It
had it all. A theory was being
tested. Had people from South
America travelled by raft to
Polynesia all those years ago? A
raft of balsa logs constructed of the
most primitive materials and basic
technology was being floated on
the vastness of the Pacific at the
mercy of wind and tide, to test the
theory and to
discover what could be discovered.
There was no template for the raft,
only some early drawings from the
time of the conquistadores. Six
adventurers were setting out on the
journey of a lifetime. It was worth
listening to and I did.
Subsequently, I read the story
again in much quieter surroundings. Even today, when I hear the
name Kon Tiki, I still get a sense
of excitement.
Explorers have always fascinated
me. Perhaps it was the story of
David Livingstone, the great
Scots missionary and explorer that
first fired my youthful imagination.
Africa was truly the ‘dark continent’
in the 18th and 19th centuries. We
have become more sophisticated
in our journeying, but tales of
early travellers and adventurers
hold endless fascination. Devotees
of Star Trek know that space is the
final frontier, but even in the 21st
century there is still so much left
to discover about our own planet.
Last week a caver was rescued
after an accident deep underground. The claustrophobic me
shivers at the thought, but I admire
the courage of cavers and rescuers
alike. Explorers and adventurers
are essentially risk takers. Not for
them the mundane of a well-run
and well-ordered life. They thrive
on pushing the boundaries to their
limits and then setting new
challenges as soon as the limit is
achieved. Most of us are happy to
settle for the mundane. Excitement
comes in trying the newest
flavoured crisps.
The temptation this weekend, as
we honour St Peter and St Paul is
to see them as solid citizens, pillars of the establishment, foundational in all that they did. Nothing
could be further from the truth.
Here are two people characterised
by their willingness to take whatever risks were necessary for the
spread of the Gospel. It takes
courage for a fisherman from
Galilee to leave all that is familiar
and comfortable and journey. The
first journey Peter made was with
Jesus during His ministry. He saw
Jesus Crucified.
He knew that there was a price
to pay for faithfulness to the
Gospel. He understood the
ruthlessness of Roman justice. He
had seen it at first hand. Did he
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opt for the quiet life? No. Peter
moved from the relative safety of
Galilee and all that he knew right
into the lions den that was Rome.
Similarly Paul, sometime tent
maker from Tarsus. Tarsus was
the capital city of the Roman
province of Cilicia. He is both
Roman citizen and Jew. Paul was
already a traveller by the time of
his conversion. He became an
even more fervent traveller and
minister of the Gospel.
Both Peter and Paul lived at a
time when travel was difficult and
when extensive travel could be
well nigh impossible. This did not
deter them in any way. They were
animated in their journeying by
their commitment to the Gospel.
Travel difficulties were the least of
their worries. Like Thor Heyerdahl nearly 2000 years later, Paul
and Peter did not see obstacles,
they only saw opportunities. All
were animated by the spirit of
what they believed. They had a
hugely positive outlook on what
they were doing and on where
they were going. If they had seen
the obstacles they would have
given up. Thor Heyerdahl did not
see the Pacific Ocean as an
obstacle, only as an opportunity
and as the vehicle that would
carry ‘Kon Tiki’ to its destination. Peter and Paul saw only
their journeying as the opportunity to speak the word as widely
as possible.
If we focus on the deaths of
Peter and Paul it allows us to
forget their lives. Certainly, they
were martyrs but how they lived
was infinitely more important
than how they died.
In the 21st century there is still
the potential for adventure, for
challenge for discovery. How do
we live our lives? Have we settled
for comfortable mediocrity? Do
we see opportunities? Do we seize
the opportunities we see? Today’s
feast should challenge us. It should
remind us that the Gospel is as
exciting today as it was then. It
should remind us that life is to be
lived to the full and that living and
believing the Gospel can lead to
endless adventure.
I [email protected]
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
COMMENT
11
Get it?...Got it?...Goooood.
Fr Jim versus secularism
A
The Church called to
listen without ‘taboos’
BY JOHN DEIGHAN
T ONE particular
time five of my
children
were
pupils attending
St Charles’s Primary School in Paisley when
the chaplain was Fr Jim Byers.
Fr Jim had a particular routine
for class services that involved
a magnificent collection of
every stuffed toy character
imaginable from Winnie the
Pooh stories. He would introduce these one by one to the
delighted children and there
was no character that children
could call out that Fr Jim
couldn’t then pull from his
magic bag. As the school
encouraged parents to attend
class events I had five opportunities at a time to get to
know the Winnie the Pooh routine and of course I also got to
know Fr Jim well. He had a
big influence on our family
and so it was with great sadness that we heard he had
passed away recently at too
early an age. I can picture him
now joyfully striding up a
Munro, a passion he frequently
spoke of. He worked hard to
find ways of getting a simple
Christian message to his
school children. He entertained
them and none of them will
have passed from his care
without remembering his core
message that we need to care
for all others no matter who
they are. He would finish his
lessons with his infectious
catchphrase: “Get it?...Got
it?...Goooood.” We still have a
statue at home of Christ
knocking on a door; I couldn’t
resist buying it to show him. It
was a favourite sermon of Fr
Jim’s at First Holy Communions to explain that Our Lord
is knocking at the doors of our
hearts and it is up to us
whether we let him in.
S
uch are the messages
passed to our children in
our Catholic schools and
parishes.Yet we now live at a
time when distrust and hostility to Catholic institutions is
being sown by a small and
determined number of people.
The Scottish Parliament has
recently had more than its
share of individuals proposing
views and policies which
would marginalise and even
Mgr Basil
Loftus
eradicate the presence of reli- than evil.
gion in schools and society in
Creating a harmonious socigeneral.
ety solely through the law is an
Religion for some appears impossible task. It would require
as a threat. In their minds it is the law to invade every aspect of
about enforcing irrational our lives and seek greater and
views on the population. They greater control. We can see the
think it is a threat to freedom temptations towards that as sociand to them separation of ety grows more and more secuChurch and State means pro- lar. Governments think they
tecting the State from the have to take over everything
power of religious believers.
even down to what we eat and
Perhaps it is superficially drink, the sort of exercise we do
appealing to see that people and even how we bring up our
with different religions are children. This eventually
s o m e exhausts
times in
t h e
It was a favourite
conflict.
resources
The terof
the
sermon of Fr Jim’s at
rors we
state
and
First Holy Communions
have had
in a way
to explain that Our
reported
helps
Lord is knocking at the
f r o m
explain
Kenya
how the
doors of our hearts and
and Iraq
Soviet
it is up to us whether
recently,
Union
we let him in.
of fanatcollapsed
ics murunder the
dering the innocent and scale of the levels of control it
defenceless, supposedly in the tried to exert.
name of God, could easily
society that says there
sicken anyone against religion.
is no God and uses
secularist
recently
atheism as its default
addressed members of position supposedly leaves
the Scottish Parliament everyone to be the master of
and imagined the harmony that their own lives. But this can
would spread if religion were only work if everyone someset aside. That secularist wants how behaves generously and
the same peace and justice that altruistically. If secularism
we do but his analysis over- wishes to let everyone be their
looks the lessons of the 20th own source of right and wrong
Century’s atheistic tyrannies without reference to religion
which brought carnage and then why wouldn’t we expect
murder to levels unparalleled everyone to view the whole of
in human history.
society through the lens of
The reality is that there is what is best for them.
something dark in human
Can it be a surprise that
nature. It can be restrained increasingly people in society
externally by laws and are demanding their rights and
enforcement. Internally, it can pitting themselves against othbe overcome by a committed ers? Society is thus atomising
effort to inculcate values as people become less able to
which call us to more noble put up with the failings and
ways of living and which can imperfections of others. There
motivate us to do good rather is less stomach for commit-
“
A
A
”
The late Canon Jim Byers at Our
Lady Shrine at Nunraw
guesthouse
ment to the good of others;
even to spouses and children,
if the extent of broken homes
is anything to go by.
Religion of course needs to
be held up to scrutiny by reason.To encourage people to
guide their lives by unreasonable ideas just because they
come from people representing
religion would be wrong. That
is why the Church uses natural
reason in its analysis of laws
and ways of living; looking to
see what reasonably contributes to a better life for individuals and society.
A message that we should
love all people, even our enemies, is not one which should
be a threat. It chimes with reason and makes sense even to
children who take joy from the
goodness of stories like Winnie the Pooh. In the ongoing
debates that are likely to continue in Scotland about the role
of faith we certainly have no
need to think that we should be
on the back foot in terms of
contributing to a good society.
In fact the core Christian value
which recognises the dignity
of every person made in the
image of God can only bolster
to a decent society. An awareness of the frailty of human
nature makes us willing to
guard against our own selfishness and to understand the
need for mercy. We can therefore have confidence that taking the Christian message to
whatever part of society we
ever happen to be in is an act
of charity and a necessity for
the common good. Get
it?...Got it?...Goooood.
I John Deighan is the
parliamentary officer for
Scotland’s bishops
WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK
FEEL sorry for Holy Father Francis. On becoming Pope he put his
hand up to a not totally successful
career in church governance. Yet
he cannot now give all his attention to fronting a ‘teaching’
Church, which he is brilliant at,
because he has so much to do in
putting right the truly theological
scandals he has inherited in
church-government. He has, perforce, to devote much of his time
to internal governance rather than
external evangelisation. This too
is imprisoning him within the
Church, when his whole calling is
to go out into the world with the
‘Joy of the Gospel.’
Now the Pope has signalled his
urgent desire to break out into a
wider and more open Church,
which he hopes will blow away
the foetid stench of corruption
and the scandals which have been
the inheritance of a previously
inward-looking Church, beset
with ambitious prelates. He has
stoked the fires for those who
may once merely have gazed into
the dying embers of ecclesial
controversy, and given his blessing and encouragement to those
who must now learn to look outwards from the Church, seeking
new challenges amidst controversy, not gaze supinely inwards
at the Church; who must learn to
stir the fires of controversy rather
than merely stirring themselves,
and that only when it is necessary
to safeguard the status quo ante,
and at all costs to prevent change.
The Holy Father began, as he
so often does, a few days before
his own speech, by ensuring that
one of his ‘warm-up’ men, in this
case the Secretary-General of the
Italian Bishops’ Conference,
would say the right things.
Archbishop Nunzio Galantino
(above left) was only recently
appointed to that post by the
Pope, and is clearly ‘His Master’s
Voice’: “My wish for the Italian
Church is that it is able to listen
without any taboo to the arguments in favour of married
priests, the Eucharist for the
divorced, and homosexuality.... I
don’t identify with the expressionless person who stands outside the abortion clinic reciting
their Rosary, but with young peo-
ple, who are still against this
practice, but are instead fighting
for quality of life, their health,
their right to work...With Pope
Francis the Italian Church has an
extraordinary opportunity to
reposition itself on spiritual,
moral, and cultural beliefs.”
In an unprecedented move,
Pope Francis then took over from
the President of the Italian Bishops Conference, and himself
gave the keynote speech at their
General Assembly: out with idle
gossip and introspection in the
Church—forward, with the Holy
Spirit, into the unknown.
“Therefore, as pastors, we
must flee from the temptation
that otherwise disfigures us....;
the gossip, the half-truths that
become lies, the litany of lamentations that betrays profound
delusions; the hardness of one
who judges without being
involved and the laxity of those
who comply without taking
charge of the other. Again, being
gnawed by jealousy, blindness
induced by envy, ambition that
generates currents, factions, sectarianism: how empty is the sky
of the one obsessed with himself
... And, then, the withdrawal that
seeks lost securities in forms of
the past; and the pretence of those
who would like to defend unity,
denying the diversities, thus
humiliating the gifts with
which God continues to
render his Church young and
beautiful.”
This latter phrase echoed St
Pope John XXlll’s opening
speech at the Second Vatican
Council, with its assurance that
‘God continues to render his
Church young and beautiful.”
John XXlll had said that the
Council ‘will be a demonstration
of the Church, always living and
always young, which feels the
rhythm of the times, and which in
every century beautifies herself
with new splendour, radiates new
light, achieves new conquests...’
It is not only ‘the Italian
Church,’ to which Nunzio Galantino referred in his speech, which
‘has an extraordinary opportunity
to reposition itself on spiritual,
moral, and cultural beliefs.’ So
too does the whole Church. Let’s
have some of that ability ‘to listen without any taboo to the arguments in favour of married
priests, the Eucharist for the
divorced, and homosexuality’
which the Galantino urged.
12
WAY OF THE CROSS
JUNE 27 2014
JUNE 27 2014
GÀIDHLIG
13
When the Holy Spirit moved within Veronica
In his monthly series, JOE McGRATH looks at the sixth station and asks us all to consider taking up our own Cross
T
JOE McGRATH’S
WAY OF THE CROSS
PART SIX
HIS month I’m looking at the sixth station—Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.
This is a really puzzling station. In our
story of Jesus, men seem to get the main
parts. Peter gets to be the head of the
Church. John gets called the beloved. You can
understand how people see the Church as a man’s
world with women in the background. I’ll not get
into the discussion on woman’s place in the Church,
not today anyway.
This station gives us pause for thought if we
think women have no prominence in our story. We
have been considering the final journey of Jesus as
He walked to his death. The scene is one of brutality, oppression and fear. Where are Jesus’ faithful
companions? One of them has betrayed Him and
the others have run off.
Jesus is struggling under the weight of the cross,
His loss of blood so weakening Him that Simon
has been press-ganged in to assist Him. The crowd
is shouting abuse and the guards are pushing
them back.
Into the middle of this, Veronica forces her way
through the crowd, ignores the guards and places a
towel on the holy face. The face is streaked with
blood from the wounds on his head. Veronica
absorbs the blood on the towel to give a little comfort to Jesus. As she is pushed away she is left with
the imprint of the holy face in blood.
I have no scriptural evidence for this, but it is traditional. It is interesting to note that the name
Veronica comes from the Greek icon meaning
‘image’ and the Latin ‘vero’ meaning ‘true’—the
true image. The tradition seems to have come from
the Eastern Church and became popular in the
Roman rite about 1000 years ago. I am more concerned about the message this story has for me than
the history.
T
he first thing that strikes me is the courage
displayed by Veronica. Many Jews had
become followers of Jesus, some of them
prominent like Nicodemus. Yet even prominent
men were afraid to come forward to intercede. It
was this lone woman who broke through the crowd
and ignored the soldiers to bring some small relief
to Jesus. The amazing thing is that she got away
with it. Why did she act in this way?
I have no doubt that she was inspired by the Holy
Spirit. There lies the first message. When the Holy
Spirit moves you, you have nothing to fear. You will
succeed. Now I had always imagined that the Holy
Spirit would act through the Apostles, their successors in the Church and the saints. Veronica was just
a ‘wee wummin’ as they might say in Glasgow. She
was not one of the elite—a bit like you and me. The
message is clear. Be prepared to act as an instrument
of the Holy Spirit. As ordinary people we can and
will be called upon to act.
It may not be in a dramatic way like Veronica but
in a small way. It might be to give that kind word to
a stranger that gives them encouragement to carry
on in a difficult situation or you might be moved to
speak out against an injustice. The words just come
to you. I remember Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow
describing how he came to found Mary’s Meals. He
was just an ordinary young man, too shy to continue
his university course who found himself starting a
charity. He didn’t recognise what was happening at
first, but when he did he followed the Spirit. You
know the rest.
Turas Caitligeach a dh’Assisi
B
GÀIDHLIG
In his Gaelic column this month, ANDREAS WOLFF reports back from
his recent trip to Assisi with a group of Scottish pilgrims and explains
the impact that the saint had on the town and, indeed, the world
T
he second message I get from this station is
about the role of women in the Church. Not
just women, but all of us ordinary people. Critics of the Church often point out that we are a Church
of men and women are only good for making the tea.
I think that is to fail to see how the Church works. It
is true that our priests are men and the hierarchy is
exclusively male. However, the vast bulk of the
Church is not comprised of clergy and religious.
The Spirit acts through all of us. I think of the
hierarchy as the management, the priests as specialists who alone can bring us to Christ through the
Eucharist and the rest of us as the workforce whose
job it is to get on with the work. The Church is not
a club we join, pay our dues and draw the benefits.
The Church is a way of life, new life in Christ.
Now I can hear the voice of reason tut-tutting in
the background. That’s all very well but we have
lives to lead, families to look after, work to go to.
We live in this society and we must fit in. We go to
Mass; we say our prayers. What more do you want?
I will let Veronica answer that. I’m sure she prayed
and fulfilled all the requirements of the Jewish faith.
Veronica did not stop there and she certainly did not
fit in. She didn’t just stand out from the crowd; she
elbowed her way through it. Do I stand out from the
crowd or do I just try to blend in so that nobody will
notice me? Veronica has shown us a great example.
What she did was just a simple thing, mopping the
face of a man in pain. The thing is, she did it publicly, her actions in stark contrast to the baying of the
crowd. We don’t need to fight the world, we just need
to be seen to live as Christ taught us and be a living
example for those who don’t share our values. It
takes a little courage to stand out. Where could I find
the strength to live like that? I’ll have to double my
prayers to the Holy Spirit.
T
he last message that I see in this station is
about the image that was left on the cloth
Veronica used. At school I learned that Jesus
left this image of his face as a reward for Veronica’s
kindness. As Christians we are all seeking the face of
Jesus. There are all sorts of pictures made by great
WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK
artists but none of them is the real face. It’s not
uncommon for great leaders to have their face shown
to everyone. Kings, queens and presidents all have
their image in the newspapers and on television.
Jesus is not going to appear on the box one night
as we sit down to watch the news. If we want to see
His face we must seek it out. I feel I need to take a
leaf out of her book. I should be living my life as a
true follower of Christ. If Christ’s teaching is at
odds with the norms of my society then my life
should reflect his teaching and be seen to do so. Do
I meet the beggar is the same way Christ did? Do I
speak out against falsehood and wrongdoing?
Perhaps if I try to live more like Christ and see people as he did, not just strangers but fellow children of
God, loved by God just as much as I am, then I might
just reach my goal and see God, face to face as it
were. I’m fairly sure that if I continue to ignore my
responsibilities to my neighbour then I might end
up seeing a face I’d rather avoid.
I http://theviewfromjoemcgrath.wordpress.com
HA turas gu math caitligeach agam a
dh’Assisi o chionn ghoirid. Dh’fhalbh
mi tràth sa mhadainn às an Ròimh air
bus còmhla ri buidheann de dh’Albannaich fo stiùir Mhgr Calleja. Tha esan
à Malta bho thus, ach tha e a-nis na shagart paraiste
ann am Mòrar an Sgìre-Easbuig Earra-Ghàidheal
agus na h-Eileanan. Stad sinn àiteigin ri taobh an
rathaid airson cupa cofaidh dar a dh’fhaighnich
sagart à Meagsago dha am b’ urrainn dhan bhuidheann aigesan agus am buidheann againne Aifhreann a bhith againn còmhla ann an Assisi.
Chuir Alba Tours neach-iùil air dòigh dhuinn ann
am baile beag Santa Maria degli Angeli mu 2.5 mìle
air falbh bho Assisi. Thug i dhan eaglais fon aon ainm
sinn ann am meadhan a’ bhaile. Tha eaglais beag na
broinn a tha gu math aithnichte. Is e Porziuncola an
t-ainm a th’ oirre. Bha An Naomh Phrainnseas de
dh’Assisi ag ùrnaigh an sin dar a dh’innse Ìosa dha:
“A Phrainnseas, a Phrainnseas, thalla is càraich an
taigh agam a tha ann an droch staid mar a chì thu.”
Reic e an t-each aige agus pìos clò agus rinn e sin.
I
s e seapal beag mìorbhaileach a th’ ann. Tha e
daonnan trang le daoine air eilthireachd ag
ùrnaigh air an glùinean. Ach an uair sin chaidh
sinn gu seapal beag eile am broinn na h-eaglaise
mòire airson na h-Aifhreann. A bharrachd air Mgr
Calleja bha trì sagartan Meagsaganach an sàs ann.
Dh’fhàs e soilleir gu luath gun robh na
Meagsaganaich nas fheàrr air seinn agus mar sin
(Os cionn seo) Buidheann de dh’Albannaich air Eilthireachd
an Assisi
bha na h-òrain againn ann an Spàinntis. Thuirt sinn
a’ mhòr chuid a dh’ùrnaighean ann an Laidinn agus
rinn mi fhìn co-dhùnadh gum feum mi oirdhirp a
dhèanamh gus an ionnsachadh ann an cànan na hEaglaise. Thàinig sinn uile a-mach gu math
toilichte às an tachartas fìor chaitligeach agus trìchànanach seo. Thug e orm smaoineachadh gur
dòcha nach dèanadh e cron an Aifhreann a bhith
ann am Beurla agus Gaidhlig air Ghàidhealtachd
nas trice na tha a’ tachairt an-dràsta.
Chum sinn oirnn gu ruige Assisi fhèin—baile beag
breàgha air mullach beinne. Is ann an sin a tha An
Naomh Phrainnseas air a thiodhlacadh ann an eaglais
leis an aon ainm. Bha àireamh mhòr de dhaoine a’dol
dhan uaigh aige agus le sin cha leig na manaich bhon
òrdugh Franciscanach le daoine stad an sin. Bhuinneadh An Naomh Phrainnseas do theaghlach beartach
bho thus, ach ann an 1209 chuala e searmon a thug
buaidh cho mòr air gun do leig e seachad a bheartas
air fad. Cha robh athair toilichte idir. Choisich e air
feadh na sgìre, casrùisgte, gus searmonachadh e fhèin.
Dh’fhàg e buaidh cho mòr agus cho maireannach gu
bheil Assisi fhathast a-measg nan àiteachan cràbhaidh
as motha a bhios daoine a’ tadhail air san Eadailt.
Sin e bhuamsa à Assisi. Gus an ath-mhìos: Beannachd leibh.
I [email protected]
Ann am Beurla (In English)
I WAS on a very Catholic trip to Assisi
recently. Together with a group of
Scottish pilgrims we set of from Rome
early in the morning on a bus. Our
spiritual guide was Fr Joseph Calleja,
originally from Malta and now parish
priest in Morar in Argyll and the Isles
Diocese. We stopped for coffee on the
way and were approached by a group of
Mexican pilgrims who wanted to join
us for Mass in Assisi.
Our tour operator, Alba Tours, had
arranged for our tourist guide to meet us at
Santa Maria degli Angeli, about 2.5 miles
from Assisi. She took us to the church of the
same name in the centre of town. The main
attraction here is another tiny church inside
the basilica. Called the Porziuncola, it was
restored by St Francis after the Icon of
Christ Crucified became alive and said to
him: “Francis, Francis, go and repair My
house which, as you can see, is falling into
ruins.” St Francis sold his horse and some
of his father’s cloth to pay for repairs. It is a
WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK
marvellous little chapel, where many people
pray on their knees.
Then we went on to another chapel for
Mass and were indeed joined by our
Mexican friends. Their singing was better
than ours and obviously in Spanish, the
homily was in English and most prayers in
Latin. It was a truly Catholic experience,
which made me realise that I have to brush
up on my knowledge of the Church’s
language. It also made me wonder if we
could have more bilingual English and
Gaelic Masses in the Highlands.
We went on to Assisi itself—a really
lovely hilltop town. St Francis is buried here
in the church of the same name. A lot of
people came to visit his grave and so the
Franciscan friars politely hurried everyone
along. St Francis was of a wealthy family,
but renounced all his wealth, which left his
father furious. Barefoot he set of to preach
in the villages of Umbria. He left such an
impact that Assisi is still amongst the most
visited pilgrim sites in Italy.
12
WAY OF THE CROSS
JUNE 27 2014
JUNE 27 2014
GÀIDHLIG
13
When the Holy Spirit moved within Veronica
In his monthly series, JOE McGRATH looks at the sixth station and asks us all to consider taking up our own Cross
T
JOE McGRATH’S
WAY OF THE CROSS
PART SIX
HIS month I’m looking at the sixth station—Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.
This is a really puzzling station. In our
story of Jesus, men seem to get the main
parts. Peter gets to be the head of the
Church. John gets called the beloved. You can
understand how people see the Church as a man’s
world with women in the background. I’ll not get
into the discussion on woman’s place in the Church,
not today anyway.
This station gives us pause for thought if we
think women have no prominence in our story. We
have been considering the final journey of Jesus as
He walked to his death. The scene is one of brutality, oppression and fear. Where are Jesus’ faithful
companions? One of them has betrayed Him and
the others have run off.
Jesus is struggling under the weight of the cross,
His loss of blood so weakening Him that Simon
has been press-ganged in to assist Him. The crowd
is shouting abuse and the guards are pushing
them back.
Into the middle of this, Veronica forces her way
through the crowd, ignores the guards and places a
towel on the holy face. The face is streaked with
blood from the wounds on his head. Veronica
absorbs the blood on the towel to give a little comfort to Jesus. As she is pushed away she is left with
the imprint of the holy face in blood.
I have no scriptural evidence for this, but it is traditional. It is interesting to note that the name
Veronica comes from the Greek icon meaning
‘image’ and the Latin ‘vero’ meaning ‘true’—the
true image. The tradition seems to have come from
the Eastern Church and became popular in the
Roman rite about 1000 years ago. I am more concerned about the message this story has for me than
the history.
T
he first thing that strikes me is the courage
displayed by Veronica. Many Jews had
become followers of Jesus, some of them
prominent like Nicodemus. Yet even prominent
men were afraid to come forward to intercede. It
was this lone woman who broke through the crowd
and ignored the soldiers to bring some small relief
to Jesus. The amazing thing is that she got away
with it. Why did she act in this way?
I have no doubt that she was inspired by the Holy
Spirit. There lies the first message. When the Holy
Spirit moves you, you have nothing to fear. You will
succeed. Now I had always imagined that the Holy
Spirit would act through the Apostles, their successors in the Church and the saints. Veronica was just
a ‘wee wummin’ as they might say in Glasgow. She
was not one of the elite—a bit like you and me. The
message is clear. Be prepared to act as an instrument
of the Holy Spirit. As ordinary people we can and
will be called upon to act.
It may not be in a dramatic way like Veronica but
in a small way. It might be to give that kind word to
a stranger that gives them encouragement to carry
on in a difficult situation or you might be moved to
speak out against an injustice. The words just come
to you. I remember Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow
describing how he came to found Mary’s Meals. He
was just an ordinary young man, too shy to continue
his university course who found himself starting a
charity. He didn’t recognise what was happening at
first, but when he did he followed the Spirit. You
know the rest.
Turas Caitligeach a dh’Assisi
B
GÀIDHLIG
In his Gaelic column this month, ANDREAS WOLFF reports back from
his recent trip to Assisi with a group of Scottish pilgrims and explains
the impact that the saint had on the town and, indeed, the world
T
he second message I get from this station is
about the role of women in the Church. Not
just women, but all of us ordinary people. Critics of the Church often point out that we are a Church
of men and women are only good for making the tea.
I think that is to fail to see how the Church works. It
is true that our priests are men and the hierarchy is
exclusively male. However, the vast bulk of the
Church is not comprised of clergy and religious.
The Spirit acts through all of us. I think of the
hierarchy as the management, the priests as specialists who alone can bring us to Christ through the
Eucharist and the rest of us as the workforce whose
job it is to get on with the work. The Church is not
a club we join, pay our dues and draw the benefits.
The Church is a way of life, new life in Christ.
Now I can hear the voice of reason tut-tutting in
the background. That’s all very well but we have
lives to lead, families to look after, work to go to.
We live in this society and we must fit in. We go to
Mass; we say our prayers. What more do you want?
I will let Veronica answer that. I’m sure she prayed
and fulfilled all the requirements of the Jewish faith.
Veronica did not stop there and she certainly did not
fit in. She didn’t just stand out from the crowd; she
elbowed her way through it. Do I stand out from the
crowd or do I just try to blend in so that nobody will
notice me? Veronica has shown us a great example.
What she did was just a simple thing, mopping the
face of a man in pain. The thing is, she did it publicly, her actions in stark contrast to the baying of the
crowd. We don’t need to fight the world, we just need
to be seen to live as Christ taught us and be a living
example for those who don’t share our values. It
takes a little courage to stand out. Where could I find
the strength to live like that? I’ll have to double my
prayers to the Holy Spirit.
T
he last message that I see in this station is
about the image that was left on the cloth
Veronica used. At school I learned that Jesus
left this image of his face as a reward for Veronica’s
kindness. As Christians we are all seeking the face of
Jesus. There are all sorts of pictures made by great
WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK
artists but none of them is the real face. It’s not
uncommon for great leaders to have their face shown
to everyone. Kings, queens and presidents all have
their image in the newspapers and on television.
Jesus is not going to appear on the box one night
as we sit down to watch the news. If we want to see
His face we must seek it out. I feel I need to take a
leaf out of her book. I should be living my life as a
true follower of Christ. If Christ’s teaching is at
odds with the norms of my society then my life
should reflect his teaching and be seen to do so. Do
I meet the beggar is the same way Christ did? Do I
speak out against falsehood and wrongdoing?
Perhaps if I try to live more like Christ and see people as he did, not just strangers but fellow children of
God, loved by God just as much as I am, then I might
just reach my goal and see God, face to face as it
were. I’m fairly sure that if I continue to ignore my
responsibilities to my neighbour then I might end
up seeing a face I’d rather avoid.
I http://theviewfromjoemcgrath.wordpress.com
HA turas gu math caitligeach agam a
dh’Assisi o chionn ghoirid. Dh’fhalbh
mi tràth sa mhadainn às an Ròimh air
bus còmhla ri buidheann de dh’Albannaich fo stiùir Mhgr Calleja. Tha esan
à Malta bho thus, ach tha e a-nis na shagart paraiste
ann am Mòrar an Sgìre-Easbuig Earra-Ghàidheal
agus na h-Eileanan. Stad sinn àiteigin ri taobh an
rathaid airson cupa cofaidh dar a dh’fhaighnich
sagart à Meagsago dha am b’ urrainn dhan bhuidheann aigesan agus am buidheann againne Aifhreann a bhith againn còmhla ann an Assisi.
Chuir Alba Tours neach-iùil air dòigh dhuinn ann
am baile beag Santa Maria degli Angeli mu 2.5 mìle
air falbh bho Assisi. Thug i dhan eaglais fon aon ainm
sinn ann am meadhan a’ bhaile. Tha eaglais beag na
broinn a tha gu math aithnichte. Is e Porziuncola an
t-ainm a th’ oirre. Bha An Naomh Phrainnseas de
dh’Assisi ag ùrnaigh an sin dar a dh’innse Ìosa dha:
“A Phrainnseas, a Phrainnseas, thalla is càraich an
taigh agam a tha ann an droch staid mar a chì thu.”
Reic e an t-each aige agus pìos clò agus rinn e sin.
I
s e seapal beag mìorbhaileach a th’ ann. Tha e
daonnan trang le daoine air eilthireachd ag
ùrnaigh air an glùinean. Ach an uair sin chaidh
sinn gu seapal beag eile am broinn na h-eaglaise
mòire airson na h-Aifhreann. A bharrachd air Mgr
Calleja bha trì sagartan Meagsaganach an sàs ann.
Dh’fhàs e soilleir gu luath gun robh na
Meagsaganaich nas fheàrr air seinn agus mar sin
(Os cionn seo) Buidheann de dh’Albannaich air Eilthireachd
an Assisi
bha na h-òrain againn ann an Spàinntis. Thuirt sinn
a’ mhòr chuid a dh’ùrnaighean ann an Laidinn agus
rinn mi fhìn co-dhùnadh gum feum mi oirdhirp a
dhèanamh gus an ionnsachadh ann an cànan na hEaglaise. Thàinig sinn uile a-mach gu math
toilichte às an tachartas fìor chaitligeach agus trìchànanach seo. Thug e orm smaoineachadh gur
dòcha nach dèanadh e cron an Aifhreann a bhith
ann am Beurla agus Gaidhlig air Ghàidhealtachd
nas trice na tha a’ tachairt an-dràsta.
Chum sinn oirnn gu ruige Assisi fhèin—baile beag
breàgha air mullach beinne. Is ann an sin a tha An
Naomh Phrainnseas air a thiodhlacadh ann an eaglais
leis an aon ainm. Bha àireamh mhòr de dhaoine a’dol
dhan uaigh aige agus le sin cha leig na manaich bhon
òrdugh Franciscanach le daoine stad an sin. Bhuinneadh An Naomh Phrainnseas do theaghlach beartach
bho thus, ach ann an 1209 chuala e searmon a thug
buaidh cho mòr air gun do leig e seachad a bheartas
air fad. Cha robh athair toilichte idir. Choisich e air
feadh na sgìre, casrùisgte, gus searmonachadh e fhèin.
Dh’fhàg e buaidh cho mòr agus cho maireannach gu
bheil Assisi fhathast a-measg nan àiteachan cràbhaidh
as motha a bhios daoine a’ tadhail air san Eadailt.
Sin e bhuamsa à Assisi. Gus an ath-mhìos: Beannachd leibh.
I [email protected]
Ann am Beurla (In English)
I WAS on a very Catholic trip to Assisi
recently. Together with a group of
Scottish pilgrims we set of from Rome
early in the morning on a bus. Our
spiritual guide was Fr Joseph Calleja,
originally from Malta and now parish
priest in Morar in Argyll and the Isles
Diocese. We stopped for coffee on the
way and were approached by a group of
Mexican pilgrims who wanted to join
us for Mass in Assisi.
Our tour operator, Alba Tours, had
arranged for our tourist guide to meet us at
Santa Maria degli Angeli, about 2.5 miles
from Assisi. She took us to the church of the
same name in the centre of town. The main
attraction here is another tiny church inside
the basilica. Called the Porziuncola, it was
restored by St Francis after the Icon of
Christ Crucified became alive and said to
him: “Francis, Francis, go and repair My
house which, as you can see, is falling into
ruins.” St Francis sold his horse and some
of his father’s cloth to pay for repairs. It is a
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marvellous little chapel, where many people
pray on their knees.
Then we went on to another chapel for
Mass and were indeed joined by our
Mexican friends. Their singing was better
than ours and obviously in Spanish, the
homily was in English and most prayers in
Latin. It was a truly Catholic experience,
which made me realise that I have to brush
up on my knowledge of the Church’s
language. It also made me wonder if we
could have more bilingual English and
Gaelic Masses in the Highlands.
We went on to Assisi itself—a really
lovely hilltop town. St Francis is buried here
in the church of the same name. A lot of
people came to visit his grave and so the
Franciscan friars politely hurried everyone
along. St Francis was of a wealthy family,
but renounced all his wealth, which left his
father furious. Barefoot he set of to preach
in the villages of Umbria. He left such an
impact that Assisi is still amongst the most
visited pilgrim sites in Italy.
14
FR ROLHEISER
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
God understands all our distractions
T
BY FR RONALD
ROLHEISER
HERE’S a story in the
Hindu tradition that runs
something like this: God
and a man are walking
down a road. The man asks
God: “What is the world like?” God
answers: “I’d like to tell you, but my
throat is parched. I need a cup of cold
water. If you can go and get me a cup
of cold water, I’ll tell you what the
world is like.” The man heads off to
the nearest house to ask for a cup of
cold water. He knocks on the door and
it is opened by a beautiful young
woman. He asks for a cup of cold
water. She answers: “I will gladly get
it for you, but it’s just time for the
noon meal, why don’t you come in
first and eat.” He does.
Thirty years later, they’ve had five
children, he’s a respected merchant,
she’s a respected member of the community, they’re in their house one
evening when a hurricane comes and
uproots their house. The man cries out:
“Help me, God!” And a voice comes
from the centre of the hurricane says:
“Where’s my cup of cold water?”
This story is not so much a spiritual
criticism as it is a fundamental lesson
in anthropology and spirituality: To be
a human being is to be perpetually distracted. We aren’t persons who live in
habitual spiritual awareness who occasionally get distracted. We are persons
who live in habitual distraction who
occasionally become spiritually aware.
We tend be so preoccupied with the
ordinary business of living that it takes
a hurricane of some sort for God to
break through.
CS Lewis, commenting on why we
tend to turn to God only during a hurricane, once put it this way: God is
always speaking to us, but normally
we are not aware, aren’t listening.
Accordingly, pain is God’s microphone to a deaf world.
However none of us want that kind
of pain; none of us want some disaster, some health breakdown, or some
hurricane to shake us up. We prefer a
powerful positive event, a miracle or
mini-miracle, to happen to us to
awaken God’s presence in us, because
we nurse the false daydream that, if
God broke into our lives in some
miraculous way, we would then move
beyond our distracted spiritual state
and get more serious about our spiritual lives.
That’s the exact delusion inside the
biblical character in the parable of
Lazarus and Dives, where the rich
man asks Abraham to send him back
from the dead to warn his brothers that
they must change their way of living
or risk the fiery flames. His plea
expresses exactly that false assumption: “If someone comes back from the
dead, they will listen to him!” Abraham does not buy the logic. He
answers: “They have Moses and the
Prophets. If they don’t listen to them,
they won’t be convinced either, even
if someone came back from the dead.”
What lies unspoken but critically
important in that reply, something easily missed by us, the reader, is that
Jesus has already come back from the
dead and we are not listening to Him.
Why should we suppose that we
would listen to anyone else who
comes back from the dead? Our preoccupation with the ordinary business
of our lives is so strong that we are not
attentive to the one who has already
come back from the dead.
G
iven this truth, the Hindu tale
just recounted is, in a way, more
consoling than chiding. To be
human is to be habitually distracted
from spiritual things. Such is human
nature. Such is our nature. But knowing
that our endless proclivity for distraction is normal doesn’t give us permission to be comfortable with that fact.
Great spiritual mentors, not least
Jesus, strongly urge us to wake up, to
move beyond our over-preoccupation
with the affairs of everyday life. Jesus
challenges us to not be anxious about
how we are to provide for ourselves.
He also challenges us to read the signs
of the times, namely, to see the finger
of God, the spiritual dimension of
things, in the everyday events of our
lives. All great spiritual literature does
the same. Today there is a rich literature in most spiritual traditions challenging us to mindfulness, to not be
mindlessly absorbed in the everyday
affairs of our lives.
But great spiritual literature also
assures us that God understands us, that
grace respects nature, that God didn’t
make a mistake in designing human
nature, and that God didn’t make us in
such a way that we find ourselves con-
What do you think of FR ROLHEISER’S comments on distractions? Send your points of view
to the SCO. Write to Letters, SCO, 19 Waterloo St, Glasgow G2 6BT or e-mail [email protected]
ON JUNE 28, 1914, the
Archduke Ferdinand—the heir
to the Austro-Hungarian
Empire—was assassinated in
Sarajevo in Bosnia. This
became the spark that started
the First World War in which
about 19 million people were
killed.
This also was the day on
which the Treaty of Versailles
was signed in 1919, at the end
of that war.
Although the First World
War had ended seven months
earlier with an armistice, this
treaty formally ended the war,
setting severe penalties on
those who had lost—particularly Germany.
Some parts of the Treaty of
Versailles were unjust to Germany. That injustice fuelled
the start of the Second World
War in which about 60 million
people lost their lives.
As peace between nations
starts with individuals, let’s
pray first of all that each one
of us here appreciates more
and more the individuals who
are part of our lives. Let’s pray
that we treat others fairly and
with respect.
Lord, may peace with justice
come to our world, but let
peace and justice start with
the way each of us lives this
day. Amen
JUNE 29 is the feast of Saints
Peter and Paul. Who were
they?
Simon was introduced to
Jesus by his brother, Andrew,
who was also a fisherman.
Later Jesus changed Simon’s
name to Peter, from the Greek
word, ‘Petros,’ meaning ‘Rock.’
Peter and his faith would be a
rock on which Jesus would
build his church, even though
Peter would run away and
deny knowing Jesus in His
hour of need.
Peter served as the leader of
the first group of Christians.
He travelled to the centre of
the Roman Empire, and there
became the first Bishop of the
city of Rome. The Bishop of
PRAYERS FOR THE WEEK
Rome is now called the Pope,
a word that means ‘father,’
recognising his leadership.
Paul used to be called Saul
and had been a Jewish official
who hunted down Christians.
He was one of those who was
responsible for their deaths,
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genitally distracted and then facing
God’s anger because we are following
our nature. Human nature naturally
finds itself absorbed in the affairs of
everyday life, and God designed
human nature in just this way.
And so, I think, God must be akin
to a loving parent or grandparent,
looking at his or her children at the
family gathering, happy that they have
interesting lives that so absorb them,
content not to be always the centre of
their conscious attention.
I Fr Ronald Rolheiser is a Catholic
priest and member of the Missionary
Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He is
president of the Oblate School of
Theology in San Antonio, Texas. Visit
his website at www.ronrolheiser.com
The views expressed in the opinion
pages of the SCO are those of
informed individuals and groups and
not necessarily those of the
newspaper or the Church
but then had a vision that
changed his life, and he
became a Christian. Being
given a new name, Paul, was a
sign of being called to live a
new kind of life.
We have heard how both
Peter and Paul were unlikely
choices to help continue the
life and work of Jesus—Peter
denied knowing Jesus, and Paul
had persecuted Christians.
Because they are both
unlikely characters, and
because neither of them was
perfect, we are reminded that
God accepts us as we are, with
our limitations.
Peter and Paul are linked
together because, in their
different ways, they did so
much to inspire and build up
the Church.
We’ll use as a short reading
and prayer, some words of St
Paul, found in a letter that he
wrote to the Christians in Rome
For those who love God
everything works out for good,
because God has chosen us to
bear the image of Jesus, His
Son. With God on our side, who
can be against us?
Even if we face hard times
or are threatened, God’s love is
greater still and nothing can
ever separate us from His love.
Through all difficulties we
can never be failures or losers
because of the power of God’s
love.
WILLIAM Davies was born in
Newport, Gwent, on July 3,
1871. He was a poet, and
wrote: “What is this life if, full
of care, we have no time to
stand and stare?”
Let’s pray for a growing
sense of wonder and and
appreciation for all that is
around us.
Lord God, may all of your
creation—from the vastness
of mighty stars and planets to
the lowliness of the smallest
living creature I can see—
remind me to live in wonder
and appreciation of all that is
around me. Amen.
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
REFLECTION
15
EWTN PROGRAMMES
Eucharist adoration can
help us renew devotion
F
The latest article on our series on spirituality sees SR ANNA CHRISTI
SOLIS extol the virtues of, and give a guide to, Eucharist adoration
OR centuries, people of faith have
recognised the immense gift of
Eucharistic adoration and devotion. An example of this fervour
for the Eucharist is seen in
Blessed Julianna of Liège, who lived at the
beginning of the 13th century.
At the tender age of 16, while praying in her
convent, Blessed Julianna had a vision of a full
moon with a thick black diagonal line running
across it. She understood that the moon was like
the life of the Church on earth and the black line
represented the omission of an important feast,
a feast to celebrate the gift of the Holy
Eucharist. She was asked by Our Lord to
promote a feast day in honour of the Eucharist,
in order to make reparation for abuses done to
the Blessed Sacrament and to increase the
Faith, holiness and devotion of the Faithful. She
tenaciously persevered in petitioning for this
feast, and eventually theologians, bishops, and
the Pope himself heard her and agreed to her
proposal. It is thanks to her initiative that the
Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most
Holy Body and Blood of Christ, more commonly known as Corpus Christi. Over the
years this solemn feast has developed with
exquisite hymns, flower-lined processions
and fervent Eucharistic adoration.
T
he Liturgical Solemnity of Corpus
Christi—along with the processions
and devotions that attend it—reminds
us that before the Blessed Sacrament millions
of lives have been converted, vocations discerned, problems solved, burdens lightened,
and graces obtained. We should not be afraid
to avail ourselves of Eucharistic adoration
(above), thinking it an out-dated practice. In
fact, in the past twenty years, a marked
increase in the availability of Eucharistic
adoration has been noted worldwide.
Perhaps you have the great privilege to
A SPIRITUAL
REFLECTION
attend Eucharistic adoration in your area.
While we enjoy the quiet and peace of the
church as we kneel in the presence of the
Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, we may
often find ourselves at a loss for ‘what to do.’
In spending precious time with Our Lord in
the Blessed Sacrament, I have always found
the acronym ACTS (Adoration, Contrition,
Thanksgiving, Supplication) a helpful guide
for myself and for the students I teach.
ACTS: We begin with Adoration. It would
be rather strange to walk into your best
friend’s house and begin asking for things:
“Can I borrow a cup of sugar? Will you drive
me to the garage to pick up my car? Will you
come over and prune my roses?” It would be
better to greet your friend and tell him how
happy you are to see him. Adoration is a way
to recognise the greatness and loving mercy
of Jesus who is present in the Eucharist.
Psalms of praise from Scripture, published
prayer or litanies, or simply the sincere and
spontaneous words arising from our own
hearts could be prayed in adoration of the
loving Lord present before us at this time.
ACTS: After adoration, Contrition for our
weaknesses and sins is appropriate. We are sorry
that we have not allowed the grace of this good
God to permeate every aspect of our lives. We
express this sorrow and trust in the mercy of
God, thinking of how we might amend our lives.
ACTS: Turning next to Thanksgiving, we
recall the abundant blessings of God, from
the mundane to the extraordinary, and we
express our gratitude to Him personally.
Thanksgiving expands our hearts and makes
them available for further blessings.
ACTS: Finally, we can spend time in Supplication. Bringing our burdens and needs to
the Lord, we ask for His help. This is an act
of faith, as we recognise both our neediness
and the Lord’s power. We always ask that our
requests be granted according to God’s will,
since He knows what is best for us.
W
e should not feel that we need to
speak to God the entire time. As a
peasant once told St Jean Marie
Vianney about his prayer before the
Eucharist: “I look at Him and He looks at
me.” Simply listening, saying nothing, can
be a beautiful prayer. Those who love one
another do not always have to speak in
words. They are not embarrassed by silence.
Simple presence to one another can speak.
This is true of our conversations with God.
As we let the Lord’s grace work on our souls
in the silence, he often speaks within us in a
mysterious but real way, renewing our souls.
Children appreciate Eucharistic adoration
as well, if they are properly prepared beforehand. Shorter times, such as 10-15 minutes
for younger children, are appropriate. I have
often led classes of students through the
prayers of ACTS and their response has
always been positive, even when they wiggled and whispered at times.
As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of
Corpus Christi on June 22 this year, let us
renew our devotion to Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament, confident in His desire to pour
graces upon us and our families.
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SUNDAY JUNE 29
8.30AM
SOLEMNITY OF THE FEAST OF
SS PETER AND PAUL
11AM
ANGELUS WITH POPE FRANCIS
1PM
LIVE EWTN MASS: SS PETER
AND PAUL
5PM
EWTN BOOKMARK
6PM
THE WORLD OVER
10PM
VATICANO
MONDAY JUNE 30
1PM
DAILY MASS
9PM
SERRA: EVER FORWARD,
NEVER BACK
TUESDAY JULY 1
1PM
DAILY MASS
5.30PM
EWTN NEWS NIGHTLY WITH
COLLEEN CARROLL CAMPBELL
9PM
NEVER BACK
WEDNESDAY JULY 2
1PM
DAILY MASS
5.30PM
7PM
CATHOLIC LIVES
7.30PM
FORGOTTEN HERITAGE:
EUROPE AND THE EUCHARIST
9PM
NEVER BACK
THURSDAY JULY 3
1PM
DAILY MASS
5.30PM
8PM
EWTN LIVE
9PM
NEVER BACK
FRIDAY JULY 4
1PM
DAILY MASS
5.30PM
8PM
THE WORLD OVER LIVE
9PM
NEVER BACK
SATURDAY JULY 5
1PM
DAILY MASS
5.30PM
7PM
HEALING POWER: AN
INSPIRATIONAL STORY ABOUT
FR PATRICK POWER
9PM
ENDS OF THE EARTH
LAY READERS’ GUIDE
SUNDAY JUNE 29
Solemnity of the Ss Peter and Paul. Acts 12:1-11.
Response: From all my terrors the Lord set me
free. 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18. Matthew 16:13-19.
MONDAY
Amos 2:6-10, 13-16. Response: Mark this,
you who never think of God. Matthew 8:18-22.
TUESDAY
Amos 3:1-8;4:11-12 . Response: Lead me, O
Lord, in your justice. Matthew 8:23-27
WEDNESDAY
Amos 5:14-15, 21-24. Response: I will show
Godʼs salvation to the upright. Matthew 8:28-34.
THURSDAY
Feast of St Thomas. Ephesians 2:19-22.
Response: Go out to the whole world;
proclaim the Good News. John 20:24-29
FRIDAY
Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Amos 8:4-6, 9-12. Response: Man does not
live on bread alone but on every word that
comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 9: 9-13.
SATURDAY
Amos 9:11-15. Response: The Lord speaks
peace to His people. Matthew 9:14-17.
16
FAITH IN CULTURE
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
St Paul has taught us that love is a verb
I
FAITH IN CULTURE looks analytically at the words of the popular reading from St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians
By Richard
Purden
I
“Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but
delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse,
to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.
Love does not come to an end.”
T HAS been a real pleasure and honour to have
been asked to read at two weddings of late St
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Verse 13.
I remember the power of the words at my own
wedding when my wife’s friend Susan read
with an admirable strength and sense of purpose.
Good friends of Louise and I—Ronnie and
Vicki Cassidy—also asked me to read at their
humanist wedding. Being honest, public speaking
or reading is not something I volunteer readily, I’d
sooner pick up a pen or grab an instrument as part
of the wedding band, something I’ve done in the
past and thoroughly enjoyed. But what a blessing
it has been to mediate on these words while learning new disciplines in tackling a task that doesn’t
come to me with a sense of ease. Of course St
Paul’s address to a dysfunctional church wasn’t
intended to become a wedding standard. Some
who were familiar with the verse thanked me for
the reading, others who hadn’t heard it before
asked about the source and author with palpable
warmth and interest.
By the time you read this I’ll have read the verse
again for a second time as my young sister Jennifer
is getting married at St Catherine’s chapel in south
east Edinburgh. Although she relocated to Glasgow
CROSSWORD
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ACROSS
Incompatible description of a Warsaw separation? (5,5)
Electrical connection (4)
The weary sound of a distressed organ (5)
Space traveller (9)
Part of the defences consists literally of an ape trap (7)
Sits as I leave bouquets (5)
Lady—perhaps Russian—breaks out of gaol (4)
Den (4)
Witches tried here to cook meals (5)
Ah, samba around a Caribbean island group (7)
Scandinavian preferred by vegetarian cannibals? (5)
Farm building (4)
Extremely dry (4)
A person, not an animal (5)
Run playfully like a southern outdoors type (7)
Preserve that could have caused worry? Made alarm,
perhaps (9)
Scripted ‘The Broken Tower’ (5)
Highway (4)
Travels on horseback after scattered sheep to find the
nymphs who minded the golden apples (10)
DOWN
The courtier is in the book (4)
Person physically similar to one more famous (9)
Tiaras a man remodelled as a historic ship (5,5)
Jet (5)
Decomposes (4)
Sums of money borrowed (5)
He sent game around to a biblical garden (10)
It might have you making circles, but you shouldn't
get lost with it! (7)
Big cat (4)
In the direction of hospital rooms (7)
Amber helps upset the profane type (10)
Might a doe shell out for such tenure? (9)
Informal piece of furniture (7)
Ms Paquin gets the last of the heavenly food (4)
See 3 down
Crawl, slink (5)
Row me round to the cutter (5)
Creature that lives in a form (4)
Payments due to professionals (4)
Send your completed
crossword entries—along with
your full name address and
daytime phone number—to
CROSSWORD CONTEST SCO 19
WATERLOO ST GLASGOW G2
6BT
The winner’s name will be
printed next week
in her teens as a music student, she has retained a
strong connection with the community and it means
a great deal to all the family to see her marry where
she made her First Holy Communion and Confirmation. As I write this amid the last minute preparations, the trying on of kilts and final duties, I’ve
gone from apprehension to gratefulness at being
given the opportunity to read to many nations and
creeds, to those with and without faith and to my
family which now spans generations from my
grandmother, soon to be 97 years of age, to my
daughter who is fast approaching two.
The greatest challenge has not been the thought
of doing the reading but the words themselves. The
more I’ve read them out loud every day—I don’t
know what the neighbours must think—the more
you realise St Paul (above) is not talking about
love as something naive or simplistic like a warm
and fuzzy feeling, but as an action and a value. It
makes for sobering reading as so often our lives
depend on the human condition of ourselves and
others, the choices we make are often based on our
perception of others or the mood we are in that day.
In St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he reveals
the characteristics of love: “Love is always patient
and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful
or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not
take offence, and is not resentful.”
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LAST WEEK’S
SOLUTION
1 Four-poster 6 Apes
10 Uncle 11 Apologise
12 Fritter 15 Comma
17 Erie 18 Thaw
19 Pried 21 Sherbet
23 Panic 24 Efts
25 Alms 26 Await
28 Sternum
33 Horse fair 34 Penne
35 Role 36 Fatted calf
I Richard Purden is a freelance journalist, the
author of We are Celtic Supporters, Faithful
Through and Through, an SCO feature writer and
a married father of two
SUDOKU
The editor’s decision is final
ACROSS
n wider society we are rarely encouraged to love
sacrificially, charity happens when you hit the
send button on your smartphone now rather than
a long-serving commitment towards a person, cause
or community. Celebrity magazines inform us on the
latest new couples as well as who have just spit up...
and got back together again. A wedding is just the
beginning of a life-long relationship based on love.
With Ronnie and Vicki I could see the change that
took place and how this commitment strengthened
them and brought new dimensions to their relationship as husband and wife. For my own sister and
her husband-to-be, Gent, I hope the words from this
passage will remain with them long into the marriage and assist them on the journey. I’ll never forget hearing the verse on the day of my wedding, it
felt like a prep talk before a big match—one which
continues to gift me scope to this day.
In Corinthians 13, we read about the kind of
community that Paul hopes for. One that could
exist where people are loved and honoured, not
constantly pulled up for trivial mistakes and shown
mercy and forgiveness. Imagine what impact this
could have in your church, community, home and
work-life? To show grace under fire and overlook
the trivialities of what we find difficult about others is a challenge. Misunderstandings among
believers are inevitable in a Church full of so many
personalities and opinions. But the goal is transformation, the more we flex the muscle of grace
towards others and chose to think and hope the
best for them, the more a deep transformation can
take place within us.
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1 Foul 2 Uncertain
3 Pleat 4 Shake 5 Eros
7 Priam 8 Stewardess
9 Concept 13 Tosh
14 Repress 16 Stepfather
20 Influenza 21 Scatter
22 Ease 27 April
29 Tarot 30 Rapid
31 Gala 32 Serf
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Scottish Catholic Observer:
Scotland’s only national
Catholic weekly newspaper
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printed by Trinity Mirror, Oldham.
Registered at the Post Office
as a newspaper.
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FILL IN THE GRID IN SUCH A WAY
AS EVERY ROW AND COLUMN
AND EVERY 3 BY 3 BOX CONTAINS
THE NUMBERS 1 TO 9. NO GUESS
WORK IS REQUIRED AND THERE
IS ONLY ONE SOLUTION. ABOVE
IS JUNE 20’s SIMPLE SOLUTION
MODERATE
1
Last week’s winner was:
Mrs E Adams, Coatbridge
5
3
2
9
SIMPLE
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9
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3
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1
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9
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5
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3
7
6
4
1
9
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2
8
FILL IN THE GRID IN SUCH A WAY
AS EVERY ROW AND COLUMN
AND EVERY 3 BY 3 BOX CONTAINS
THE NUMBERS 1 TO 9. NO GUESS
WORK IS REQUIRED AND THERE
IS ONLY ONE SOLUTION. ABOVE IS
JUNE 20’s MODERATE SOLUTION
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
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18
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
RELIGIOUS BIRTHDAY REMEMBRANCE
VERY REV. CANON
GEORGE BOYD
Remembering Canon
George Boyd, whose 90th
birthday occurs on July 3,
2014.
Fondly remembered.
Our Lady of Knock and St
Pio, pray for him.
From your family, friends
and former parishioners.
GALLAGHER
19th Anniversary
In loving memory of Reverend Father Daniel
Gallagher, Parish Priest of St
Gregory’s, Wyndford, died
July 2, 1995.
Requiescat in pace.
Annie.
BIRTHDAY REMEMBRANCE
VENNARD
Treasured memories of
Tommy, died suddenly on
holiday, Isle of Mull, May 26,
2004, and whose 80th birthday occurs June 29.
Put your arms around him
Lord,
And when you see him
smile,
Tell him he is not forgotten,
But longed for all the while.
So deeply loved, so sadly
missed.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray
for him.
St Joseph the Worker, pray
for him.
Loving husband of Margaret,
dad of Christine, Kathleen,
Thomas, Margaret and
Andrew, father-in-law,
grandad, great grandad, also
faithful friend and messenger of Bill W.
277 Bilsland Drive, Glasgow.
RELIGIOUS MEMORIAM
DELANY
13th Anniversary
Please pray for the repose of
the soul of our dearly
beloved brother and uncle,
Rev. Jack Delany, who died
June 20, 2001.
May he rest in peace.
Inserted by Sister Kathleen,
Margaret and Terence.
HUGHES
44th Anniversary
the soul of Reverend Father
Martin Hughes (Founder
Parish Priest of St Margaret
Mary’s, Castlemilk), who
died July 6, 1970.
Most fondly remembered by
Bernadette, Margaret and
family, Garnethill, Glasgow.
LOWRIE
In loving memory of Fr Hugh
Lowrie, who died on June
26, 2005.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray
for him.
Also remembering Hugh
Lowrie Snr, who died on
June 26, 1997.
St Pio, pray for him.
Inserted by Helen.
MEMORIAM
CAMPBELL, Donald (Dan)
2nd Anniversary
In loving memory of Dan,
who died June 26, 2012.
A loving heart stopped beating,
As I watched you slip away,
My heart was truly broken,
As you fought so hard to
stay,
God saw you were so tired,
The cure was not to be,
He put His arms around you,
And whispered come to me.
Our Lady of the Isles, pray
for him.
Inserted by his loving wife
Kathy, son Mark and daughter-in-law Lesley.
No longer here our love to
share,
But in our hearts you are
always there.
To Gen from Jack and Ross.
From all the family Glasgow,
Paisley, Oban and Ireland.
CAMPBELL
2nd Anniversary
the soul of my dear brother,
Dan, who passed away on
June 26, 2012. R.I.P.
Sadly missed.
for him.
Donalda, Angus and niece
Lorraine.
CAMPBELL
Michael and Katie
In loving memory of our dear
parents and grandparents,
Michael, died June 30, 2009,
and Katie, died May 19,
2012.
It does not take a special
day,
For us to think of you,
Each Mass we hear, each
prayer we say,
Are offered up for you.
Inserted by Angus John and
Christine.
There are many saints in
heaven,
We have our own special
saints there too,
It is you dear granny and
grandad.
Find the softest pillow Lord,
To rest their heads upon,
Place lots of kisses upon
their cheeks,
They’ll know who they are
from. R.I.P.
Loved and remembered.
Your grandchildren Michael,
Kathleen, Eilidh and Kate.
xxxx
West Kilbride, South Uist.
CASHMORE
22nd Anniversary
In loving memory of my dear
aunt, Mary Cashmore, who
died June 30, 1992; remembering also my uncle,
Joseph Cashmore, who died
on February 23, 1995.
for them.
Susan.
CASSIDY
10th Anniversary of our
beloved mother, Annie, who
died June 29, 2004.
We do not need a special
day,
To bring you to our mind,
The memories we have of
you,
Are the everlasting kind.
for her.
Your loving daughters and
their families.
CLARKE
3rd Anniversary
Remembering with love
today and always, our mum,
Cecilia (Cela, née Donnachie), who died June 28,
2011.
You’re always close beside
us,
In everything we do,
You were our greatest treasure,
God’s gift to us was you.
Requiescat in Pace.
Your loving family.
CLEMENT
20th Anniversary
husband, and father, John,
who died June 28, 1994.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, grant
him eternal rest.
Bryde and family.
COWAN, Cathie
(née Hendry)
3rd Anniversary
Loving memories of Cathie,
who died on June 30 and
whose birthday occurs on
July 4. Loving wife of Alec,
mother, mother-in-law,
grandmother, auntie and sister of the family.
Sadly missed by everyone.
St Catherine, pray for her.
COYNE
Of your charity, please pray
for the repose of the soul of
Francis Coyne, who died on
June 29, 1999, aged 34
years and also his brother,
John Coyne, who died October 26, 2008, aged 40 years.
Beloved sons of John and
Helen and dear brothers of
Gerard and Martin.
for them.
DONOGHUE
12th Anniversary
In loving memory of our
dearest mother and grandmother, Kathleen Donoghue
(sister of Rev. Martin
Hughes, P.P.), who died
peacefully on June 29, 2002;
also remembering our dear
father and grandfather,
Thomas Donoghue, who
died on December 24, 1992.
R.I.P.
Always in our thoughts and
prayers.
Inserted by Bernadette,
Margaret and family.
JANY
Treasured memories of my
beloved husband, Eryk, a
dear dad and loving papa,
who died suddenly June 26,
1990. R.I.P.
Sadly missed.
Our Lady of Czestochowa,
pray for him.
Your loving wife Daisy and
family.
FOXWORTHY
for the repose of the souls of
our dear parents, Bessie,
who died on June 27, 2002,
and Jack, who died on April
29, 1973. Also our sister,
Anne, who died November
8, 2010.
for them.
Inserted by the family.
GLANCEY
mother, and nana, Catherine, who died on July 1,
1992; also our dear father,
Henry, who died on December 26, 1964.
On whose souls, sweet
Jesus, have mercy.
for them.
Gerard, Patricia, Joan, Anne
and Brian; Katie, Martin and
Geraldine.
HENDERSON
3rd Anniversary of Alistair
Stephen, who died suddenly
on July 1, 2011.
Today they are with you,
Tomorrow they are gone,
In the days that follow,
Somehow life goes on.
The tears that fell like rain,
When souls are torn apart,
In time are gently frozen,
In the corners of the heart.
So quickly goes a week,
A month will disappear,
And then the tears return,
The anniversary is here.
From Dad, Mum, Donna,
Kieran, granny Cathie and
all the families at home and
away.
KINNAIRD
15th Anniversary
In loving memory of my
beloved husband, George, a
dear father and grandfather,
died June 29, 1999; also
remembering my dear sister,
Leah, died February 22,
1999 and much loved son,
Martin, died November 7,
2009.
All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing
passed,
You are now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at
last.
There is not a day goes by,
George,
Without your name being
mentioned,
You really are “unforgettable.”
St Peter and St Paul, pray
for him.
From loving wife Jean,
Stephen, Irene, son-in-law
Thomas and grandson
Conor.
McCANDLISH
20th Anniversary
mother, Margaret, who died
on July 2, 1994, also our
father, Willie, died December
2, 1995.
The years are slowly passing,
But in our hearts you stay,
Along with all the memories,
Time cannot take away.
St Anthony, pray for them.
Loving family Billy, Liz and
family.
McGOWAN
19th Anniversary
sister, Mary, who died June
22, 1995.
May she rest in peace.
for her.
Inserted by Annabel, Michael
and all the family.
MacINNES
8th Anniversary
In loving memory of my
dearly beloved husband,
John, a loving dad and
grandad, who died on June
30, 2006; also remembering
our dear daughter and sister,
Janette, who died May 9,
1985.
Fois shiorruidh thoir dhaibh,
O Thighearna,
Agus solus nach dibir
dearrsadh orra.
Gun robh am fois ann an
sith. Amen.
for them.
Inserted by Angusina and
family.
McINTYRE
In loving memory of Hugh,
born June 27, 1924, in
Anderston, Glasgow and
died December 20, 1995 in
Sousse, Tunisia.
Hail Queen of Heaven, the
Ocean Star, pray for him.
Loved and missed by all.
Requiescat in Pace.
MacINTYRE
mother, Mary Ann
MacEachen, who passed
away on June 25, 1988.
R.I.P.
Your memory is our keepsake,
With which we will never
part,
God has you in His keeping,
We have you in our hearts.
St Martin, pray for her.
Inserted by her family in
Oban, Glasgow and
Edinburgh.
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
19
MacKAY
dad, grandad and greatgrandad, Norman, formerly
of Kildonan, South Uist, who
died in Corby on June 26,
2004. R.I.P.
Deep in our hearts you will
always stay,
Loved and remembered
every day.
All our love.
George, Annag and family,
Corby and High Wycombe.
MacLEAN
20th Anniversary
mother and grandmother,
Katie, who died June 30,
1994.
When thoughts go back as
they often do,
We treasure the memories
we have of you.
Inserted by Mary Margaret,
Archie and family.
for her.
Inserted by Lachie, Anna
and Donnie.
McLUSKIE, Ian
husband, father and gramps,
who died on June 30, 2004.
We are so thankful that we
knew and loved him, he lives
on in our hearts.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray
for him.
God Bless and keep you in
His care.
Helen and family.
MALLOCH
6th Anniversary of my dearly
beloved husband, Danny,
devoted dad, grandpa and
great-grandpa, who died
June 30, 2008.
Sadly missed by all.
for him.
Always in my thoughts,
Marie.
God bless dad,
Thomas, Frank, Joe, Iain,
Marie Therese, Barny and
Gerry.
Miss you grandpa.
MOONEY
25th Anniversary
for the repose of the soul of
Peter, loving husband of the
late Helen, loving father,
grandad and great-grandad
of the family, who died July
1, 1989.
We think of you in silence,
We make no outward show,
But what it meant to lose
you,
No one will ever know,
Time changes many things,
But one thing changes
never,
The memory of those happy
days,
When we were all together.
Sweet Sacred Heart of
Jesus, we place all our trust
in You.
Inserted by his loving family.
MOUNT
In loving memory of our
beloved daughter and sister,
Kathleen, whom God called
home on June 29, 1976,
aged 10 years.
A life well lived is a precious
gift of hope and strength and
grace,
From someone who has
made our world a brighter,
better place,
It’s filled with moments
sweet and sad with smiles
and sometimes tears,
With friendships formed and
good times shared,
And laughter through the
years.
Sleep in heavenly peace
Kathleen.
Saints Peter, Paul and Maria
Goretti, pray for her.
From Ma and all the family.
O’NEILL
wife, mother and grandmother, Helen, who died
July 1, 1989; also remembering my father, Henry, and
my mother, Gertrude, and
brothers, Brian, Jim and
Harry.
Eternal rest grant unto them,
O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine
upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Inserted by Bill and family.
RANACHAN
16th Anniversary
son, Jack, died June 24,
1998, and our dear daughters, Marie and Catherine,
died in infancy.
We hold you close within our
hearts,
And there you shall remain,
To walk with us throughout
our lives,
Until we meet again.
Goodnight and God Bless.
Mum and Dad.
SHARPE
4th Anniversary
dad and granda, Andy, who
sadly died June 27, 2010.
Just a token of affection,
And a heartache still for you,
Whatever else we fail to do,
We never fail to think of you.
Eternal rest grant unto him,
O lord,
And let perpetual light shine
upon him,
May he rest in peace. Amen.
Too dearly loved to be forgotten.
Your loving son Andrew,
daughter Claire and all your
loving grandchildren. xx
SINCLAIR
13th Anniversary
mother, mother-in-law and
grandmother, Jane (Nindack), who died July 2,
2001.
Fois shiorraidh thoir dhith, a
Thighearna,
Agus solas nach dibir
dearrsadh oirre,
Gu’n robh a fois ann an sìth.
Our Lady, Star of the Sea,
pray for her.
Inserted by her loving family
at home and away.
Ours is just a simple prayer,
Keep our gran in Your care.
From all the grandchildren.
THANKSGIVING
MURRAY
In loving memory of Sarah
Murray, whose nineteenth
anniversary falls on June 30,
beloved wife, mother and
grandmother.
Eternal rest grant unto her,
O Lord.
GRATEFUL thanks to St
Joseph of Cupertino, Our
Lady of Fatima and Divine
Mercy. – E.MacD.
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY,
you who can find a way
when there is no way, please
help me. Repeat six times
and publication promised. –
B.T.
O ST. MARTHA, I resort to
thee and to thy petition and
faith. I offer up to thee this
light which I shall burn every
Tuesday for nine Tuesdays.
Comfort me in all my difficulties through the great favour
thou didst enjoy when Our
Saviour lodged in thy
house…I beseech thee to
have pity in regard to the
favour I ask… I intercede for
my family that we may
always be provided for in our
necessities. I ask thee, St
Martha, to overcome the
dragon which Thou didst
cast at thy feet. One Our
Father, three Hail Mary’s and
a lighted candle every Tuesday and the above prayer
made known with the intention of spreading devotion to
St Martha. – J.C.
O DEAR ST JOSEPH OF
CUPERTINO, who, by your
prayers, did seek from God
that you should be asked at
your examination the only
propositions you knew, pray
that I too, like you, may succeed in the examination for
which I am preparing. In
return I will make you known
and cause you to be
invoked; publication promised. – H.N.
D.N.
DEAR HEART OF JESUS
Dear Heart of Jesus in the
past I have asked you for
many favours, this time I ask
you for this special one
(mention favour), take it
Dear Heart of Jesus, and
place it within Your broken
heart where your Father
sees it, then in his merciful
eyes it will become Your
favour, not mine. Amen. Say
for three days, publication
promised. – P. McL.
GRATEFUL thanks to the
Sacred Heart and St Jude
for favours granted. - E.B.
GRATEFUL thanks to St
Jude for prayers received.
Still praying. - M.I.
J. McN & T. McN.
Have
YOU
discovered
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O DEAR ST JOSEPH OF
CUPERTINO, who, by your
prayers, did seek from God
that you should be asked at
your examination the only
propositions you knew, pray
that I too, like you, may succeed in the examination for
which I am preparing. In
return I will make you known
and cause you to be
invoked; publication promised. – C.C.
DEAR HEART OF JESUS
Dear Heart of Jesus in the
past I have asked you for
many favours, this time I ask
you for this special one
(mention favour), take it
Dear Heart of Jesus, and
place it within Your broken
heart where your Father
sees it, then in his merciful
eyes it will become Your
favour, not mine. Amen. Say
for three days, publication
promised. Also thanks to St
Francis, St Martha and St
Pio and all other saints to
whom I pray. Still praying.
G.H.
THANKS to the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Joseph and St
Anne for all prayers
answered. Still praying.
I. M.
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FUNERAL DIRECTORY
BISHOPS ENGAGEMENTS
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As featured in the
Mary Queen of Scots
by Cath Doherty
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FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
FAITH
FIRST
KIDS
21
Our weekly series on Children’s Liturgy has lesson plans and activity suggestions for use with young
people who are on the path to Christ
Each week, Catechists will find readings and Psalm responses, complemented by prayer, reflection,
discussion questions, and activities. Please feel free to use them as you wish
The lessons are created by Adorer-theologians using the lens of the spirituality of St Maria de Mattias,
which also embraces precious blood spirituality
While this is the starting point for the lessons, readers are invited to approach them however the spirit
moves you
The Church is concerned with the availability and understanding of scripture for children who have their
rightful place in the Church. In light of this SCO aims to provide a useful tool in drawing children closer to
the Catholic Faith
2) Jesus came bringing Peace. What can I do
today to have peace in my own family?
In my own heart? What keeps me from having
inner Peace?
3) Jesus came bringing mercy and compassion.
What can I do today to show others compassion?
Prayer
14th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Reflection
DO we think of Jesus as God’s perfect gift
to us? And as our perfect gift to God?
God’s perfect gift: The first reading
reminds us that Jesus came humbly—
riding on a donkey—the sign of the poor.
Yet Jesus came powerfully—destroying all
weapons of violence by replacing them with
peace. When we look at the violence in our
world today, we realise how much we need
the peace that Jesus offers.
The Gospel reveals that Jesus came to tell
us about God our Father. Only Jesus can do
this because only Jesus knows the Father.
The Father wants Jesus to tell us about the
Father and how much the Father loves us.
And He wants us to tell others about this
Father and His love for everyone.
The Gospel also tells us that Jesus came
with mercy and compassion, healing
the pain of tiredness, weariness,
disappointment and frustration. When life
is hard, Jesus wants to help us. Jesus says:
“Come to me.” Most of all Jesus came to
reconcile us to the Father and to save us.
Jesus is our perfect gift to the Father. He
poured out all of His Blood in His
sufferings and His death on the cross. Only
Jesus could completely atone for our sins.
Am I happy to learn about God as
Father, and how to follow His Son, Jesus?
Am I eager to read the Gospels and to take
time out to think, to listen, and to talk to
the Father and to Jesus?
Thank you, Father and Son, for giving us
a way to know more about You. Thank You
for the Gospels. I will praise you my God
and my King.
Discussion
CHILDREN’S PAGE
Why did Jesus come?
1)To tell us about the Father
2) To bring Peace to the World
3) To help us when we are tired and weary and
when hard things happen in our lives.
4) To show us how to live and to offer Himself
for us by pouring out His Blood on the Cross
for our sins.
How did Jesus come?
1) Poor—the first reading said Jesus came
poor riding on a donkey—the sign of the
poor. How do I look on poor people? What
can I do to help others who are poor?
I will praise You, my God and my King.
Today is the first Sunday in July, the month
traditionally dedicated to your Son’s precious
blood. Thank you, Father, for giving us your
Son to save us by pouring out His most
precious Blood, and by giving us eternal hope
in His Resurrection. Help us to grow in the
knowledge of you and your Son; and help us
praise you, Father by following your Son
more closely. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Activities
Materials need: Coloured paper, scissors
glue or tape markers, pens or crayons.
Help the children to memorise the verse: “I
will praise you, my God and my King.”
(This step may be done in advance) Give
each child a piece of paper. Ask them to
fold the paper in half, width-wise, four times
so there are six ‘strips’ on the page. Then
ask them to fold the paper in half, lengthwise, creating 12 strips. Ask the children
to cut out the 12 strips. They may trade strips
with others to have multiple colors, if
they wish.
Instruct the children to write to phrase: “I
will praise you, my God and My King! Love
_________(insert the child’s name). One word
per strip in the middle of the strip.
Glue the strips into circles, forming a chain.
Instruct the children to put the chain where
they will see it often throughout the next
week and praise their King and their God,
every time they see it.
First Reading
See how humbly you king comes to you! A reading
from the book of the prophet Zechariah 9:9-10.
The Lord says this: Everyone in Jerusalem,
celebrate and rejoice. Your king has won the
victory, and He is coming to you. He is humble
and rides on a donkey. He comes on the colt of
a donkey.
I, the Lord, will take away all war chariots
and horses from Israel and Jerusalem. Bows that
were made for battle will be destroyed. I will
bring peace to nations, and your king will rule
from sea to sea. His kingdom will reach from
the Euphrates River across all the earth.
The Word of the Lord
and my God.
Our Lord, you keep your word and do everything
you say.
When someone stumbles or falls, you give a
helping hand.
(R) I will praise your name forever, my King
and my God.
Second Reading
God’s Spirit now lives in you. A reading from the letter
of Paul to the Romans 8:9, 11.
Brothers and sisters, you are no longer ruled by
your desires, but by God’s Spirit, who lives in
you. People who don’t have the Spirit of Christ
in them don’t belong to Him.
God raised Jesus to life! God’s Spirit now
lives in you, and He will raise you to life by His
Spirit.
The Word of the Lord
CHILDREN’S
CROSSWORD 37
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Alleluia
Matthew 11:25.
(R) Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of
the kingdom.
(R) Alleluia, alleluia.
15
17
Gospel
I am gentle and humble of heart. A reading from the
Holy Gospel according to Matthew 11:25-30.
On one occasion Jesus said: “My Father, Lord
of Heaven and earth, I am glad that you hid all
this from wise and educated people and showed
it to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that is what
pleased you.
“My Father has given me everything and He
is the only one who knows the Son. The only
one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But
the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so
that they can know Him too.
“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens,
come to me and I will give you rest. Take the
yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and
learn from me. I am gentle and humble and you
will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this
burden is light.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm
89:1-2, 15-16.
and my God.
I will praise you, my God and King and always
honour your name.
I will praise you each day and always honour
your name.
and my God.
You are merciful, Lord! You are kind and
patient and always loving.
You are good to everyone and you take care of
all your creation
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16
18
ACROSS
2
7
8
9
10
13
14
15
16
17
18
1
3
4
5
6
11
12
13
14
Something like this can be plugged in (8)
It grows in a lawn (5)
It comes out of the spout of a boiling
kettle (5)
Do the best performance ever to break
this (6)
It allows you to hear your own voice
coming back from a cave or other place (4)
The first woman in the Bible (3)
Ancient fighting vehicle (7)
Type of orange (7)
Baby’s dribbler (3)
Bird that is said to get up very early (4)
Seat you’ll find on a bicycle or put on a
horse (6)
DOWN
The feeling of being furious (5)
One who is defeated (5)
The name of a book or film (5)
Cosy, snug (11)
English city (10)
Went up a mountain (7)
Yellow fruit (6)
Artist’s stand (5)
What you hit a golf ball with (4)
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
ACROSS
1 Returns 6 Udder 7 Propose 9 Crows 11 Tacks
13 Wicked 15 Ice-hockey 16 SOS 17 Elephant
DOWN
2 Err 3 Unpack 4 Sue 5 Dry 7 Pantomime
8 Monkeys 9 Chicken 10 Sadness 12 Cheese
14 Posh
The Children’s Liturgy page is published
one week in advance to allow RE teachers
and those taking the Children’s Liturgy at
weekly Masses to use, if they wish, this
page as an accompaniment to their
teaching materials
22
CELEBRATING LIFE
East40 are on song
during London trip
By Daniel Harkins
THE heart of British power
was gatecrashed this week by
children from the East End of
Glasgow who brought their
song for the Commonwealth
Games to the nation’s capital.
East40, a band made up of
pupils from schools across the
east end of Glasgow, visited
London to play their song in
Downing Street and St James
Palace for gathered dignitaries.
The youngsters’ song, Let the
Games Begin, was created with
the help of band members from
The Vaccines, Franz Ferdinand
and Frightened Rabbit, and
released last month on iTunes.
Before heading to the capital
city, the musical youngsters
entertained fellow Glaswegians
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
PIC: PAUL McSHERRY
with a performance of their song
in the city’s Central Station.
Beneath the Commonwealth
Games clock that hangs from the
station’s roof and counts down
to the opening ceremony, the
children sang to commuters, holidaymakers, babies and pensioners, as a crowd were drawn to
the budding musicians (right).
Before departing, Jamie Leigh
Smith, 16, and Abigail Clark, 14,
both pupils at St Mungo’s Academy, Bridgeton, and lead vocalists in the band, said they were a
little nervous but knew it was
going to be fun.
“I’m so excited,” Abigail said,
adding that she believed the song
will only get more popular once
the Commonwealth Games start.
I [email protected]
SPOTLIGHT ON
Generous pupils from Cardinal Winning Secondary School in Glasgow gave up their time to help raise £1000
for the Martin Chambers Ecuador Trust. Gerard McDonald, headteacher at the school, said it was studying
the values of the Commonwealth Games that inspired the school’s fundraising pupils to raise money for the
third world charity. Pictured are pupils from the school with Fr Chambers and headteacher Mr McDonald
Communion day joy at Holy Family, Mossend
Eighteen faithful First Communicants are seen here with parish priest Fr James Grant in the garden of the Holy Family
PIC: TOM EADIE
Church, Mossend, following their Mass of thanksgiving on Sunday
SCO SOCIAL MEDIA
Parishioners at
St Agnes’ put
their best foot
forward in aid
of the church
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the latest news
from home and
abroad, find and
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Catholic
Observer page
on Facebook and
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Twitter
@sco_news
PARISHIONERS from St
Agnes’ Lambhill, Glasgow,
celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi with a sponsored
walk for the restoration of
their church.
Parish priest Fr Noel Barry
joined churchgoers young and
old as they set off on a 2km walk
around the parish.
Fr Barr’s effort was particularly appreciated as he is currently undergoing chemotherapy
treatment for cancer of the
esophagus.
PIC: PAUL McSHERRY
E-MAIL CELEBRATING LIFE EVENTS TO DAN MCGINTY AT [email protected]
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
CELEBRATING LIFE
A new shrine to
Our Lady at St
Mary’s Inverness
23
PIC: JANE McMASTER
THANKS to the kindness of
Ishbel MacGillivary-MacGregor, a beautiful statute of
Our Blessed Lady now
stands opposite the back door
of St Mary’s, Inverness.
The statue’s erection came
about after members of the Polish community were interested
in erecting a grotto for her.
Thirty years ago or so, the
congregation would have largely
been Invernessians, but in a
global age the parish now boasts
a very international community.
Indian children from the
parish, who add to the realisation
of the universality of the Church
in the Highlands are pictured next
to the new statue (right).
SPOTLIGHT ON
Trinity pupils have their eyes on the prizes
TRINITY High School in
Rutherglen highlighted the
successes of its junior pupils
as it hosted its Lower
School Award Ceremony.
The pupils were treated to
the wise words of former pupil
Dr Kieran Dunwoodie, a former pupil and guest speaker on
the evening, as they gathered to
honour those pupils whose
efforts and talent has marked
them out over the last year.
The winners were Kiera Wat-
son, Sports Personality of the
Year, Joseph Watt, Junior Dux,
and Lauren Gormley, who won
the Alexandra Stark Award. They
were joined by headteacher Peter
Bollen as they celebrated
receiving their awards (above).
Generous Highlanders helped raise money for a local residential home as they took part in a Pentecost Walk
of Witness. The Fort William Council of Churches visited the Salvation Army and made stops at Duncansburgh
MacIntosh, St Andrews Church and St Mary’s, where Mgr Donald MacKinnion said a reading and a hymn
was sung
PIC: ANTHONY MacMILLAN
St Patrick’s
parishioners
enjoy Lourdes
pilgrimage
Parishioners from St Patrick’s
parish in Anderston, Glasgow, had a
wonderful pilgrimage to Lourdes
earlier this month. The group
received a very warm welcome at
Lourdes and enjoyed a prayerful
and spiritual time at the French
shrine. All the pilgrims very much
enjoyed their trip, and the parish is
looking forward to its next pilgrimage
E-MAIL CELEBRATING LIFE EVENTS TO DAN MCGINTY AT [email protected]
24
T
JOURNEYS OF FAITH
FRIDAY JUNE 27 2014
Like Edith, we are all on
our own Faith journeys
JOURNEYS OF FAITH
“Seek and ye shall find.”
DR HARRY SCHNITKER concludes his series looking at different people’s
journeys of faith by giving us an insight into the conversion of Edith Stein
HE above quote, with regard to this
final instalment of the Journeys of
Faith series, is deliberately provocative. We read in Matthew’s Gospel that
Our Lord instructed His followers—
you and me—to ask and to seek. What we have
seen in this series, however, is that there are many
who do not seek at all, who reject, but who are still
somehow touched and converted. They are
dragged into the Faith, and sometimes even
become saints. Other journeys are made against
the odds, in a world that is sceptical both of the
abilities of the saint and of the possibility of
redemption and conversion.
Some journeys, and they have become more
prevalent these days, are journeys of seekers.
These are intellectual journeys of Faith, journeys
of curiosity. Arguably that most famous of these is
that of Edith Stein (1891-1942). Edith Stein was
born in Wroclaw in Poland, then known as Breslau
and a very German town in the country’s eastern
lands. It may have been very German, but it also
had a substantial Jewish community. Indeed, the
city was home to Germany’s third largest Jewish
population, and they were marked by deep integration and an ancient history.
It was in this community that was both Jewish
and German, that Edith’s father ran his business. In
1893, when Edith was only two, she lost her father,
who died of sunstroke. Edith’s mother, as remarkable as her daughter, took over the family business,
and made it prosper.
E
dith was the youngest of seven children,
born on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of
Atonement. Although a devout Jew who
urged her children to attend synagogue, Edith’s
mother did little to instil a cultural sense of Jewishness in her children.
Edith was marked by the sharpest of intellects,
and questioning was a way of life for her. She
questioned everything, including her Jewish
beliefs and the existence of God. In 1904, her reading convinced her that she no longer believed in
any aspect of God. Again, one is struck by the
modernity of this: Edith was aged 15 when she
stopped praying and renounced her faith in God.
Like so many teenagers, she was at the height of
her physical abilities, and the future seemed endless, as did the possibilities. Edith had become
autonomous, no longer felt the need to pray.
At that time she was staying with her sister,
Elza, in Hamburg. She was totally unprepared for
what was unleashed on her through her reading.
Elza and her husband were both confirmed atheists, their house devoid of religion altogether. In
her autobiography, she wrote: “After doing the
domestic chores, I would read. I read and heard
things that were not good for me. My brother-inlaw’s profession required that he keep a library of
books that were by no means suitable reading for
a 15-year-old girl. What is more, both Max and
Elza were confirmed atheists, and there was no
trace of religion at their house. It was there that I
consciously decided, of my own volition, to give
up praying.” (Life of a Jewish Family, 179)
The journey away from Faith had begun rather
earlier, though. Her mother’s was a household
where prayer was formulaic, part of a cultural tradition that no longer held meaning. Germany
around the time of the First World War was full of
those who rejected beliefs, and it need not come
as a surprise that this Germanised Jewish family
followed their path. The malaise was wide-spread,
and once more very modern. She was deeply
shocked by the faux-pious attitudes at the funerals
of her two uncles, both of whom had committed
suicide. The prayers were of the head, not the
heart, she felt. As she would note years later: “The
immortality of the human soul is not an article of
faith with the Jews. All their efforts are focused on
earthly life. Even the devotion of the pious is
directed at making this life holy.” (Life of a Jewish
Family, 98)
N
ow a committed atheist, Edith enrolled in
Breslau’s famous university in 1910, opting to study German studies, history and
psychology; it was only two years since the first
female students had been admitted. Describing
herself as a radical feminist when young, there is
no doubt that the highly intelligent Edith Stein
made quite an impact. One can easily taste the
flavour of her age when reading her accounts of
those years. Edith was simply completely absorbed
by the world around her, and it was a world hostile
to Faith. Captivated by psychology, she moved to
the even more famous university of Göttingen in
order to gain a better understanding of the philosophical basis of her studies. She encountered Phenomenology and studied under Edmund Husserl.
With characteristic energy, she began her PhD
at the same time as volunteering for the Red Cross
when the war broke out in 1914. In many ways,
her life as a nurse was the perfect accompaniment
to her PhD: the one was an expression of empathy,
the other, a study of the same. She had always felt
deep empathy with her fellow human beings, and
it was this that made her aware again of Faith. Her
PhD was awarded in 1916. Like many of her fellow students at Göttingen, her studies drew Edith
back to prayer. She now began a serious quest to
discover which Faith tradition suited her best.
By 1920, Edith was still attending synagogue
with her mother, but also went to the local
Lutheran church and attended Mass. This wavering, searching attitude, this awareness of the spiritual without belonging, in the true sense, to any
organised form of religion is striking. Edith Stein’s
life resembles that of modern people in respect of
her lukewarm religious background, in her subsequent rejection of Faith as a teenager, and in her
thirst for spirituality.
One evening, in 1921, now more mature at
thirty, she picked up the autobiography of St
Teresa of Avila, read it in one sitting, put the book
down and proclaimed ‘this is the truth.’ The next
day she bought a missal and Catechism, and a
short period later knocked at the parish priest’s
door demanding Baptism. She was Baptised on
January 1, 1922. She had discovered Faith for herself, guided there by the autobiography of one of
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the great mystics and Doctors of the Church.
“The state of my soul before my conversion was
the sin of radical unbelief,” she would write later,
but she was wrenched from this when she knew the
Truth as she read it. It had been quite a journey, but
not an unusual one. And that is the point. None of
the people discussed in this series had a journey of
Faith that was totally unique. They may strike many
of us who were Baptised Catholics and have
remained so throughout our lives as ‘odd;’ they may
be a little extreme at times, but they are not unique.
We have seen the witness of the many for whom
Faith is a struggle, against the world around them,
the times in which they live, their own fallen nature
or their own indifference. This is far more common
than is often thought. The global Catholic Church
receives into its body thousands of people who
have found Faith later in life. The annals of her
saints are littered with lives that were anything but
exemplary prior to a conversion, beginning with St
Paul. Yet there is something here for all of us. We
are called to holiness, and the attainment of holiness is a journey. Our starting points may not be
quite as radical as those of some of the people discussed in this series, but we all have to travel. After
all, only Our Lady was born without imperfections.

motherwell-come - Scottish Catholic Observer

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