Pontiff Calls for Action on Abuse

KEVIN McKENNA is prompted by the SSVP celebrates the 200th anniversary of death of an inspiring teacher to write the birth of its founder Frédéric Ozanam, about shining examples of the Faith in and the enduring relevance of his our lives and communities. Page 10 message to serve the poor. Pa ges 12-13 No 5513 JOIN THE SCO PRAYER CAMPAIGNwww.sconews.co.uk FOR PRIESTS IN THE YEAR OF FAITH, PAGE 14 Friday April 12 2013 | £1 Pontiff calls for BEST FOOT FORWARD action on abuse I Says protection of children, support for victims and prosecution of accused is only way forward By Ian Dunn be able to ‘cure it,’ the future Pope said in the book, Pope Francis: Conversations with Jorge POPE Francis will ensure the Church always Bergoglio by Sergio Rubin and Francesca Ambro- responds decisively to sexual abuse of chil- getti. Because such a flaw would already be pres- dren by priests and urged the Vatican to ‘pro- ent in a candidate, he said, ‘it is necessary to pay mote measures that protect children’ and lots of attention to the choice of candidates to the ‘those who have suffered.’ priesthood.’ The Holy Father made this clear during a meet- He said Buenos Aires Archdiocese had been ing with Archbishop Gerhard Muller, prefect of very ‘rigorous for many years already,’ noting how the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the only about 40 per cent of candidates were actually Vatican office that deals with reports of clerical admitted into the priesthood. He also described abuse of children. how candidates undergo in-depth psychiatric tests During their Friday meeting, the Pope made a to look for different forms of deviant tendencies, particular point of highlighting the CDF’s work to including ‘megalomaniacal, dishonest and crimi- counter such abuse, telling Archbishop Muller he nal’ traits. wanted the congregation to continue with the poli- cies of retired Pope Benedict XVI ‘to act deci- Action sively concerning cases of sexual abuse.’ In On Heaven and Earth, a 2010 book of conver- The Pope, in a written statement released after sations with a Buenos Aires rabbi, the then-Cardi- the meeting, asked the congregation to continue: nal Jorge Mario Bergoglio said, when it is ‘promoting measures that protect discovered that a priest has minors, above all; help for those engaged in such behaviour, it is who have suffered such violence in The Pope has imperative that no one ‘look the the past; necessary procedures other way.’ against those found guilty; (and) the asked the CDF “One cannot be in a position of commitment of bishops’ confer- to continue: power and destroy the life of ences in formulating and imple- another person,” he said. menting the necessary directives in ‘promoting The proper action to take this area that is so important for the against an abuser, he said, would Church’s witness and credibility.’ measures that be to prohibit him from exercis- He also assured victims that they protect minors’ ing his ministry and begin a had a special place in his heart and canonical process in the diocese. prayers. above all “I don’t believe in those posi- tions that propose supporting a Protection and help kind of ‘corporate’ spirit in order While Archbishop of Buenos Aires, the future to avoid damaging the image of the institution,” Pope had said his archdiocese had been very atten- he told the rabbi, Abraham Skorka. tive to the problem and was ‘rigorous’ in its The future Pope Francis said that moving an screening and selection of candidates for the abusive priest to another parish in an effort to pro- priesthood and religious life. tect the image of the Church had appeared as a Sex abusers suffer from a ‘perversion of a psy- ‘solution’ at times in the United States, but that it chological kind’ that is not caused by or directly was ‘foolishness’ because the abusive priest only linked to celibacy, he said in a book-length series takes his problem with him to a new parish. Pope Francis signs a cast on the leg of a young pilgrim at the end of his weekly audience in St Peter’s of interviews. Square at the Vatican last week. Since his election as Pontiff, the Holy Father has made every effort to meet “If a priest is a paedophile, he is so because he I Editorial, page 14 and interact with lay Catholics, no matter how solemn or informal the occasion. At this week’s general brought that perversion with him from before his audience he said we must ‘consider the meaning of Christ’s Resurrection for us’ and live like God’s children ordination,” and not even priestly celibacy would I [email protected] SHERIFF’S ATTACK EDINBURGH ARCHIVE on Catholic closure on Monday education in ruling after mould find is questioned by prompts questions Michael McGrath from academics YEAR OF FAITH CATHOLIC ARCHIVE CATHOLIC Page 7 SCHOOLS CATHOLIC Page 3 visit www.sconews.co.uk SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 I e-mail [email protected] 2 COMMENT/PICTURE NEWS THE SCO SUPPORTS THE YEAR OF FAITH SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday April 12 2013 In response to school merger protest By Councillor Maureen Henry but with more than double the roll two new Catholic primary of St Joseph’s. When the council schools in East Dunbartonshire. OVER the past years, like embarked on the consultation to However, over the last number of every other local authority look at options for primary school years, the children from St in the country, East Dunbar- mergers, at stakeholders meetings, Joseph’s have not been progress- tonshire Council has suf- the merger of St Joseph’s with St ing in their faith development as fered huge cuts to its budget Andrew’s, building a new school the majority of them go onto from the Scottish Govern- on the St Andrew’s site was put attend the local non-denomina- ment. We can argue all day forward as an option worthy of tional secondary school. This is about who is to blame for consideration. an excellent school but we have the unprecedented rafts of As with all proposed mergers, two excellent Catholic secondary cuts, but, the reality is that it was deemed more suitable for schools in East Dunbartonshire, councils have to deal with the smaller school to move to the St Ninian’s in Kirkintilloch and the situation, ensuring that larger school site. In this case St Turnbull High in Bishopbriggs, resources are distributed in Joseph’s pupils would move to both within easy travelling dis- a fair and equitable manner the new school on St Andrew’s tance from Milngavie. Mr and that we are spending site. The St Andrew’s parents McFadyen advised me he would our budget that ensures best overwhelmingly agreed to this have sent his children to a value for all our residents. option while the St Joseph’s par- Catholic secondary school if there The reality is that East Dunbar- ents overwhelmingly rejected it. was one in Milngavie. I make no Silver service for Fr Roddy McAuley tonshire has too many primary However, before the consultation comment as it is the parents’ was carried out, residents were right to decide where their chil- schools and, while other councils A SPECIAL Mass of Thanks- Bishop Joseph Toal, parish- Fr McAuley from his appear- have dealt with this situation by advised that the status quo was dren are educated. not an option and the council Mr McFadyen suggested that giving was celebrated at St ioners of St John’s and sur- ances on the BBC Television merging schools and building John’s Church, Caol, on Tues- rounding parishes and friends series, An Island Parish, which new schools, EDC is now dealing would need to make hard deci- there was a split in the Labour with schools that are under capac- sions in order to secure appropri- Group re school mergers; this is day night, as the parish priest for the jubilee Mass. was ﬁlmed when he was serving ity or in a poor state of repair or ate levels of educational funding complete and utter nonsense and marked the silver jubilee of As part of the celebrations, on the island of South Uist. both. It is gross misuse of that ensure our schools are meet- this remark has caused real anger his ordination. Hugh MacLean, a parishioner of Fr McAuley also featured in resources to be spending huge ing the needs of Curriculum for among my colleagues. The group Fr Roddy McAuley—who St John’s, presented Fr McAuley the media last summer, when he amounts of money keeping open Excellence. At the council meet- took a collective decision to go was ordained in 1988—was with a gift on behalf of the celebrated Mass at the top of Ben schools that are half full or need ing on March 27 it was agreed to forward to the formal consulta- take the proposed merger tion on the mergers put forward joined by clergy from Argyll and parish community. Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain substantial repairs. It is much bet- the Isles Diocese, including Many readers will recognise PICS: ANTHONY MacMILLAN ter to invest in new schools, and between St Andrew’s and St and other Labour councillors had with the savings made, allow us Joseph’s to the formal consulta- to take the hard decisions to to provide much needed tion stage with a final decision merge schools in their own wards resources to all our schools.

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