Parents Vital to Future of Catholic Schools
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ALEX MOSSON, former Glasgow Lord MOTHERWELL DIOCESAN PILGRIMS’ diary on Provost, tells the SCO how readers can their Lourdes visit concludes the support this year’s pilgrimage to the Holy SCO’s 2012 coverage of pilgrimages to Land in the Year of Faith. Page 12 the Marian shrine. Pa ges 22-23 No 5482 www.sconews.co.uk Friday August 31 2012 | £1 Parents vital to future of Catholic schools I Cardinal O’Brien, Bishop Devine underline importance of the parental role at inaugural meeting By Ian Dunn at which we all live, means that it is difficult to ject to views that would seek to minimise the Cardinal Keith O’Brien (above left) gives his address to think about being ‘more involved.’ But I do not impact of faith in schools, in the name of social the First Catholic Assembly of Parent Councils held at think that we—you—will have any choice in the cohesion, and to insist on all things being the same the Xavier Centre, Carfin on Saturday. It was organised CARDINAL Keith O’Brien has told Catholic by Tony Coultas of the Catholic Education Commission parents in Scotland that they must take a matter.” for everyone, in the name of a misguided approach and Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell, above right, greater role in their children’s education if to equalities legislation.’ also spoke PIC: PAUL McSHERRY they want ‘our schools to be Catholic schools Marginalisation of Faith In response, he said Catholic parents had to have in the years ahead’ and the Catholic Faith to The cardinal added that parental input was the confidence to express the Church’s teachings be protected from marginalisation. required because Catholic parents, as the first edu- and to not accept ‘views that would seek to dilute Cardinal O’Brien, president of the Bishops’ cators of their children, had to help ‘ensure that the what we provide to young people.’ Conference of Scotland, was speaking at the First voice born of Faith is not marginalised in our soci- seriously our role to help you to be good parents, Catholic Assembly of Parent Councils, held at ety today.’ Church efforts helping your children to grow up well and hand- Carfin last Saturday, where he and Bishop Joseph “We need to affirm the right of the Faithful— Cardinal O’Brien did stress he understood that ing on to them your Faith. You parents are the Devine of Motherwell—head of the Catholic Edu- those who believe in God—to have a voice in the ‘being a parent is not easy’ which was partly why foundation for any educational activity, and edu- cation Commission—met with parents from public discourse,” he said. “We need to ensure that he and his fellow bishops ‘take seriously the need cational activity has to be a continuation of the Catholic parents’ associations from around Scot- your right to have your children educated as you to support Catholic education.’ love that you share, the love that gives birth to land before Bishop Devine celebrated Mass. wish is realised in the fullest way possible. The “We do that as a service to the Church and as a your children.” “You and other parents need to be prepared to Church needs you to do this within your local service to you,” he said. “In supporting Catholic enter more fully into the life of your parish and of communities so that belief is not pushed into a schools we take seriously our role to ensure that I Continued on page 2 your school,” the cardinal told the Catholic par- purely private sphere.” there is a public environment to support young ents gathered at Carfin’s Xavier Centre. “That is The cardinal said that while there was no imme- people in knowing and loving Jesus who is our I Bishop Gilbert of Aberdeen to address Catholic demanding. The busy-ness of life today, the pace diate threat to Catholic schools, ‘education is sub- Saviour. In supporting Catholic schools we take primary school headteachers, page 5 HARRY SCHNITKER’S NEWS pages 1-9 CARDINAL O’BRIEN new series starts OPINION page 10-11 joins White Fathers today on those FEATURES pages 12-13, 21 in Galashiels for COLUMNISTS pages 10, 15 who have sat in St INTIMATIONS pages 17-20 100th anniversary Peter’s chair CHILDREN’S LITURGY page 16 celebrations CENTENARY Page 21 SPECIAL OCCASIONS page 6 SCO YOUR INSIDE Page 5 NEW PAPACY SERIES NEW PAPACY 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 PICTURE NEWS SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday August 31 2012 Catholic education workers back initiative to encourage parents to be more involved I Continued from page 1 (Above, left to right) John Brown of the Hundreds of pilgrims gather together Catholic Education Commission (CEC), Tony Support Coultas of the Parents’ Working Group, Cardi- nal O’Brien, James McVittie, chairman of the Bishop Devine backed the cardinal’s CEC, Bishop Devine and Michael McGrath, at Scotland’s ‘cradle of Christianity’ stance during his homily, telling parents director of the Scottish Catholic Education they had to ask if they were committed to Service. (Below) Bishop Devine and parents By Martin Dunlop (Above) Annual Galloway Diocesan Catholic education and if so, what they listen to the opening address close to 600 pilgrims made the jour- pilgrimage to St Ninian’s Cave. (Below) were willing to do to support it. PICS: PAUL McSHERRY ney to Whithorn and the diocesan cel- Two friends,Ann Moss and Sarah Maitland, Michael McGrath, director of the Scot- MORE than 500 pilgrims from ebrations had been ‘a great success.’ made a walking pilgrimage from Glenluce tish Catholic Education Service, said it Galloway Diocese joined Bishop For the Galloway youth, Sunday’s Abbey to St Ninian’s Cave, 27 miles over had been a ‘very positive’ event, very John Cunningham and Bishop Mass marked the culmination of an two days to reach the annual diocesan much focused on how to engage Catholic Emeritus Maurice Taylor for the enjoyable two days spent on the coast. pilgrimage on Sunday parents so they could help ‘shape the “It was a very positive event, but it celebration of Mass at the ‘cradle Due to the inclement weather on PICS: EDWARD FLANNIGHAN direction of Catholic education.’ should be seen as a beginning, rather than of Christianity in Scotland’ on the Saturday, the youngsters had to set “That is now a key focus of the Catholic the end of something,” he said. “We want Sunday afternoon. up camp at Our Lady and St Ninian’s Thankfully for pilgrims, Sunday’s Education Commission,” he said. “Trying to attract parents from every diocese in The annual diocesan pilgrimage to Church hall. This did not deter their weather was much more pleasant to encourage parent involvement, so they Scotland and engage them so that their St Ninian’s Cave drew large numbers, spirits, however, as they enjoyed and—following morning Mass at appreciate the value of Catholic education voices can be heard.” with different groups from the diocese learning more about St Ninian, the Newton Stewart—the Galloway and promote a partnership between par- Mr Coultas also said that ‘every parent’ also making their own unique pilgrim- history of Christianity in Scotland and youngsters walked from Whithorn ents and teachers, between the school and on a parents’ council is aware of the ‘dif- age routes to this year’s gathering. Whithorn as a place of pilgrimage at town to the cave to join their fellow the home.” ficulties in trying to engage parents.’ Friends Ann Moss and Sarah Mait- the Whithorn Trust museum. pilgrims from the diocese. Mr McGrath went on to say that the par- “People are very busy, and there is often land made a 27-mile walk over two The youngsters also visited the ancient “Sunday was marvelous, warm and ents present had been ‘anxious’to take this this litany of negative things, but lots of days from Glenluce Abbey to the cave, site of St Ninian’s Chapel, the medieval sunny, and we all enjoyed the pil- opportunity and build on it. parents are very committed to Catholic while Fr Stephen McGrattan, Gal- cathedral and saw the Latinus Stone, grimage,” Fr McGrattan said. Tony Coultas, chairman of St Peter the education, just in a quiet way,” he said. loway youth officer, and Fr Philip which, Fr McGrattan explained, is the Apostle High School, Clydebank’s parents’ “So a lot of this is about helping people to Kitchen, from Our Lady and St Cuth- ‘earliest Christian artifact in Scotland.’ I [email protected] group, was a key figure in setting up Sat- come together and support each other so bert’s Church, Maybole, led a group of urday’s meeting after being approached to they are more visible.” 14 young people from the diocese in a set up a working group within the Catholic two-day pilgrimage to the Whithorn Education Commission. I [email protected] area, home of the earliest recorded Christian community in Scotland. Bishops Cunningham and Taylor were joined by ten priests in celebrat- ing the Mass, including Fr Michael Briody, a priest of Motherwell Dio- cese, who brought a bus of pilgrims from Moodiesburn to the site that is reported to have been St Ninian’s place of retreat. Deacon Robert Simpson, from Our Lady and St Ninian’s Church, New- ton Stewart, preached the Gospel at Sunday’s Mass, speaking to pilgrims about ‘communion’ and how St Nin- ian traveled to Rome for communion with the Church there.