Pope urges Syrian refugee Generation bravery from families Hope shows Scots in age rescued by how Mary’s of martyrdom. Pope Francis. Meals works. Page 3 Page 6 Pages 4-5 No 5668 VISIT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER ONLINE AT WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK Friday April 22 2016 | £1 BISHOP KEENAN ‘SPIRITUALLY RE-FOUNDING’ PAISLEY DIOCESE BISHOP John Keenan says that the Church is ‘spiritually re-founding’ the diocese through the groundbreaking Paisley Dioce- san Synod, which opened this week. “Convening a diocesan synod is a way of opening up a new and hopeful chapter in our life and history,” Bishop Keenan said at the opening Mass of the synod at St Mirin’s Cathedral on Tuesday. “But before it is about changing things it must be about changing ourselves. Above all any diocesan synod aims to help us recover our iden- tity as God’s people.” The bishop, who was suffering with a sore throat, said he was so optimistic about the synod that even losing his voice seemed ‘an eloquent sign of what is to come, when the bishop speaks a little less and the priests and the people speak a lot more.’ Surrounded by the priests of the diocese, and with the synod delegates in the congregation, the bishop added that the synod ‘shows our trust that the Holy Spirit speaks through the whole body of Christ—clergy, religious and lay faithful, men and women, young and old, married or single, rich and poor, sick and marginalised—not just through the bishop.’ Continued on page 2 PIC: PAUL McSHERRY Scotland helps after Ecuador quake I Former missionary priest Fr Martin Chambers on Missio’s pledge as SCIAF works with Caritas Internationalis By Ian Dunn Chambers—who spent five years as a Kilmarnock, led by Heather missionary priest in Nueva Prosperina, O’Rourke—who have twice been CATHOLIC charities are working to Guayaquil, in the south west of the to Nueva Prosperina—have set up a help the many victims of Sunday’s country—assured the Ecuadorean peo- Justgiving page to raise money for the tragic earthquake in Ecuador. ple that prayers were being offered people have been affected by the earth- Former missionary priest Fr Martin for them. quake, which has already raised in Chambers (right), Missio Scotland’s “After the news of the earthquake excess of £1000. diocesan director for Galloway, has that has affected Ecuador, we are united The Church’s international Caritas assured the people of Ecuador that Scots in prayer,” Fr Chambers said. “Ecuador network is also working to help those will endeavour to support them spiritually and Scotland are friends, united in effected by the quake. SCIAF’s Lor- and financially after an earthquake meas- prayer and in hope.” raine Currie said they were monitoring uring 7.8 magnitude. The Scottish Fr Chambers went on to describe the the situation. Catholic InternationalAid Fund (SCIAF) situation in his missionary diocese and “Our thoughts and prayers are with is also working with the Caritas Interna- explained how one of his former parish- the people of Ecuador and especially tionalis network to aid victims. ioners is embarking upon his own per- those who have lost family and loved So far at least 413 people are thought sonal mission to help those in need. ones in the earthquake,” she said. “We to have died in the tragedy and more than “In Guayaquil one man died when a are in contact with our sister agencies 2500 people are said to have been injured. flyover collapsed in the centre of the in Caritas.” The cost of rebuilding in the country— city,” he added. “Roads throughout the most notably in the towns of Pedernales country are cut off especially in the I [email protected] and Portoviejo, close to the epicentre of affected area. In Nueva Prosperina, the quake—is likely to be billions of dol- there is no electricity, water has been it happened, it was shaking violently, orphanages and offer support and com- lars. The dead include 33-year-old Derry cut off, shops are closed and there is with books flying off bookshelves, fort for the children who are living woman, Sr Clare Theresa Crockett (far restriction on movement. People need crockery smashing and such like. through fear. He wants to give them right), a nun with the Servant Sisters of food, water and clothing. “One of my former parishioners, Tito strategies to overcome the pain. And to the Home of the Mother who taught 400 “During my time in the country, there Misionero, who is one of the most do this he will have to take leave from children in the Colegio Sagrada Familia was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake and inspiring people I have ever met, told his job and that will cost him money.” School (more on page 6). although the epicentre of that was some me an inspiring story. 300km north, in Guayaquil, buildings “In the midst of tragedy, he and some Fundraising Missionary insight shook quite badly. It felt like the whole friends are travelling to the areas Closer to home, a group of pupils Speaking after the quake struck, Fr house was in a washing machine when affected by the earthquake to visit formerly of St Joseph’s Academy in SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 I e-mail [email protected] 2 NEWS SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER FRIDAY APRIL 22 1016 Paisley synod on future to run for six weeks Royal patron named for Pluscarden pilgrimage Continued from page 1 HRH Princess Michael of “It shows our belief in our Kent has agreed to be the shared Baptismal and Confirma- Royal patron of the Pluscar- tion vocation, where the Holy den Abbey 1230 pilgrimage. Spirit came upon each and every The pilgrimage, which will one of us with His courage, take place over the period June knowledge and wisdom,” he 5 –September 3 2017, will added. “It shows our hope that retrace the steps of the original when the whole Body of Christ is Valliscaullian monks who, in gathered with all its gifts, talents, 1230, walked from their home hopes and fears then the fullness at Abbey Val-des-Choux in of the Holy Spirit is present to Burgundy to set up their new 12 legs of 100 miles and a final guide us and give us collective home at Pluscarden Abbey, in leg of 80 miles. Each leg, less strength to embrace and over- Morayshire, in the North of the final leg, will have a ceiling come the challenges that face us Scotland. Today Pluscarden of 40 participants and will take in our times.” Abbey continues to thrive and six days, Monday to Saturday Synod preparations have been is the home to some 22 Bene- inclusive, and Sunday will be a underway for the past year, with dictine monks. The aim of the day of rest, worship and input from parishes, school and pilgrimage, which is broken changeover of participants and religious groups within the dio- down into 13, approximately sponsors. The final leg will cese. Over the next six weeks 100 mile legs, with a weekly have 60 participants, will cover 160 delegates—clergy, religious changeover of pilgrims, is to 80 miles over five days arriving and laity, from every parish in raise funds for the final restora- on the Friday, and leading to a the diocese and from diocesan tion of the Abbey which was final weekend of worship and groups, will meet and discuss embarked on in 1948. celebration. Each participant, the challenges facing Paisley A documentary covering the on each leg, must achieve a diocese. event is currently in the planning minimum sponsorship of It is the first such synod in fortune raised for us a much big- what is wrong.” Church. Our synod cannot avoid phase and a book will be pub- £1230. The money raised will Scotland for half a century and ger and better challenge which The bishop urges them not to its responsibility to be a forum of lished following completion go towards the £5 million the official synod booklet says was how to begin a renewal of shy away from hard choices. honest correction.” with a view to establishing the required to complete the Plus- that: “After consultation, pas- our diocese so that we could “Where our diocese has gone The bishop said that ‘to all our route as a permanent pilgrimage. carden Abbey South Range toral dialogue and profound dis- spread the Gospel more widely wrong, or sinned even, you have brothers and sisters gathered The idea is the brainchild of Project. A stone from the origi- cernment together we will issue in the decades ahead.’ to point out this fault.” he said. with me this evening, I am look- retired Gordon Highlander, Lt nal abbey will be carried decrees that will genuinely Bishop Keenan asked all pres- “Up until now you have had the ing forward with excitement and Col David Broadfoot MBE. throughout the pilgrimage and engage the entire population ent at Tuesday’s Mass to pray for opportunity only to point this out anticipation to our synod, a won- The draft route, produced fol- will constitute the foundation of our diocese, its needs and the synod delegates. “You are at group or parish level and, while derful instrument of our colle- lowing a meeting in Rome stone of the new South Range. wisdom.” taking on a sacred responsibility some things may have been giality as a diocese—bishop, between David and Professor Details of the South Range Although one of the back- but please do so without fear and resolved, there will have been clergy and people in shared Philip Adamo, author of New Project, the Pluscarden 1230 ground documents for the synod only with trust that the Lord will other weaknesses, failings and communion— such a powerful Monks in Old Habits, an expert Pilgrimage, including details of suggests the diocese would ‘for be close to you to guide and sup- sins that have persisted within our sign of our fraternity as a dioce- on the Valliscaulians, will be all 13 legs, and how to apply the next 15 years at least, have port you,” he said.