DAVID KERR argues that the joy of the Scottish pupils prepare for the inaugural Faith, coupled with hope and love can POPE BENEDICT XVI CARITAS AWARD indeed overcome dissent, as Pope ceremony at the Clyde Auditorium in Benedict XVI stresses. Page 10 Glasgow next month. Page 3 No 5465 www.sconews.co.uk Friday May 4 2012 | £1 Cardinal O’Brien challenges PM over ‘immoral’ poverty neglect By Martin Dunlop CARDINAL Keith O’Brien has accused Prime Minister David Cameron of ‘immoral’ actions by favouring the rich ahead of those worst affected by the recession. Britain’s most senior Catholic clergyman has branded the UK Government’s opposition to a ‘tiny tax’ on banks and the financial sector to help combat poverty as ‘shameful’ and reiter- ated his support for the introduction of a Robin Hood Tax on institutions in the UK. Strong criticism The cardinal urged Mr Cameron not just to help ‘your very rich colleagues’ and said it was immoral ‘just to ignore’ those who were suffer- ing as a result of recent financial disasters. “My message to David Cameron, as the head of our government, is to seriously think again about this Robin Hood Tax, the tax to help the Vote to protect our schools poor by taking a little bit from the rich,” Cardi- nal O’Brien said. “The poor have suffered tremendously from the financial disasters of I Threat of same-sex ‘marriage’ highlighted in Scottish Council election week recent years and nothing, really, has been done by the very rich people to help them. By Ian Dunn admiration of Catholic (Above) Campaigners to protect traditional marriage “And I am saying to the Prime Minister, look, schools for their moral lobbied outside Glasgow City Chambers on Monday. (Left) Michael McGrath has warned of the potential don’t just protect your very rich colleagues in THIS week’s council elections became an teaching, it is ironic that difficulty of teaching Catholic doctrine on marriage in the financial industry, consider the moral obliga- unofficial referendum on the Scottish Gov- this legislation attempts to schools if the law changes PICS: PAUL McSHERRY tion to help the poor of our country.” ernment’s plans to redefine marriage after set aside one major item of experts warned that the introduction of same- Christian moral teach- Robin Hood Tax sex ‘marriage’ in Scotland would be a serious ing—the sanctity of mar- tional body is recognised in the Equality Act 2010, The cardinal’s call for the introduction of a barrier to Catholic education. riage as a covenant the commission is concerned that teachers would Robin Hood Tax, outlined in a letter to the The Scotland for Marriage campaign, which has between husband and be compelled to teach according to the policies of Prime Minister, has been backed by Scotland’s the support of the Catholic Church, and the Chris- wife,” he said. “This their employers—local councils.” First Minister Alex Salmond. tian Institute, spent thousands of pounds encour- understanding of the sanc- I Continued on page 4 aging voters this week to support only council tity of marriage is divinely ordained in Church Election urgency candidates who promised to stand by traditional doctrine and underpins the teaching of marriage in Scotland for Marriage and its supporters distrib- marriage. Catholic schools across the world.” uted 300,000 leaflets to every household in Glas- The campaign comes as the Catholic Education Mr McGrath said in Scotland’s 373 Catholic gow this week and supporters of traditional Commission, the Church’s official body on edu- schools, teachers provide opportunities for learn- marriage protested outside Glasgow City Cham- cation, warned this week that the failure to stop ing about the ‘complementarity of man and bers on Monday with two large vans that are tour- same-sex ‘marriage’ becoming legal in Scotland woman’ and the rearing of children within the fam- ing Scotland emblazoned with a message would present a major challenge to Catholic ily setting ‘ideally with a mother and a father.’ defending marriage between a man and a woman. schools. This issue is particularly relevant to this “The commission, in its response to the [Scot- I Continued on page 4 election as councils control almost all Catholic tish Government’s same-sex ‘marriage’ consulta- schools in Scotland. tion], has expressed significant concern that, if I Calls to save marriage as figures show majority such legislation were enacted, it would become of children now born out of wedlock, page 3 Threat to schools impossible for teachers in Catholic schools to Michael McGrath, director of the Scottish Catholic teach conscientiously, according to the doctrines I Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow on the Education Service, said the Scottish Government’s of the Catholic Church, as parents expect them to sanctity of marriage, page 5 plan to legalise same-sex marriage, appears to be do,” he said. Cardinal O'Brien with Lexi Barnett, SCIAF’s campaigns ‘designed to undermine’ Catholic education. “While the right of teachers in faith schools to I Apostolic nuncio rallies bishops in England and officer, and SCIAF Robin Hood Tax postcards “While the First Minister has expressed his promote the doctrines of a school’s denomina- Wales on marriage, page 8 CARDINAL O’BRIEN RONNIE CONVERY BISHOP TARTAGLIA welcomes group speaks in Rome on to confirm more visiting from the online success than 1100 young Thailand ahead of Glasgow people at St Mirin’s of their concerts Archdiocese Cathedral Page 7 Page 4 MEDIA DIGITAL Page 5 visit www.sconews.co.uk PAISLEY CONFIRMATIONS PAISLEY GOOD CHILD FOUNDATION CHILD GOOD 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 May 4 2012 Honouring the spirituality of the Church at Lindisfarne Cardinal Keith O’Brien leads fifth annual Catenian pilgrimage to the Holy Island and speaks to pilgrims of true Christian values By Martin Dunlop CARDINAL Keith O’Brien spoke of the spirituality in the early Church and the Church today when he led a Catenian pil- grimage to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, an island associated with the missionary apostolate of St Cuthbert. A large cross section of Catenians and their families from Province 5, which covers northern England, attended the fifth annual Province 5 pil- grimage to Lindisfarne last Saturday. Homily During his homily at the pilgrimage Mass in St Mary’s Church of England, Cardinal O’Brien (right) emphasised aspects of spirituality in the PICS: PAUL McSHERRY early Church, especially basing his sermon on St Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, reminding the we are also reminded in the words of sacred Marriage Leer, provincial president of the province, and early Christians that they should be ‘clothed in scripture ‘the life and death of each of us has an The cardinal also reiterated that marriage ‘of one Catenian Grand President Tony Godden and his sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, influence on others’ and a Christian influence man and one woman in a union of love forever,’ wife, Kelly, who flew up from engagements in gentleness and patience.’ must always be exerted by us on those who are is ‘not a problem for the rest of society.’ Wales for the pilgrimage before flying to Ireland Applying this message to our own time, the around us in society—our neighbours at home, “Family life, with mother and father, parents for further engagements there. cardinal spoke of the ‘value of the family of the our colleagues at work, those with whom we find and children, living together in peace and har- During Saturday’s visit to Lindisfarne , some Church; the human family into which we are recreation, and those eventually with whom we mony, is not a problem for legislators to solve,” of the Catenians and their families walked the born and brought up; and the family of the whole grow old. “Society in general often does not have he said. “Rather our communion in marriage and Pilgrims Way onto the island and, following human race—where the Catholic Christian pres- the high standards which the Christian has but family life must always continue to be what it lunch, all gathered on St Cuthbert’s Beach to ence and influence must always be exerted.’ nevertheless we must try to impart something of always has been, namely the greatest building (above) enjoy a stimulating talk on the saint by “As Christians more than ever before we our own standards and of our own ways of life to block of a stable society and one of which we are Catenian brother Mike Duffy. A Holy Hour with should always remember that we are members of those around us. St Paul writes of ‘heartfelt com- in greater need than ever in our troubled world.” Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament then fol- the wider family of the society in which we live passion, generosity and humility, gentleness and lowed in St Aidan’s Chapel on the island. in the particular countries from which we come,” patience.’ These must be among the virtues Pilgrimage Cardinal O’Brien told the Catenian pilgrims. “As which we live and which we hand on to others.” The Province 5 pilgrims were joined by Brendan I [email protected] Canon Clements celebrates five decades of service BISHOP Joseph Devine and clergy from Motherwell Diocese traveled to St Aidan’s Church, Wishaw, on Sunday to help the parish priest Canon Joseph Clements, celebrate a golden occasion. Sunday’s Mass at the Wishaw church marked the 50th anniversary of Canon Clements’ ordination to the priesthood, and his parishioners and friends were delighted to gather to cele- brate the occasion with him.