EXCLUSIVE:
US Sr Megan Rice on anti-nuclear
protest. Page 8
SCIAF’S WEE BOX
appeal total to be doubled again this
Case for and against 40 DAYS
FOR LIFE vigil in
Scotland.
- year. Page 3
- Pages 10-11
- No 5655
- Friday January 22 2016 | £1
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FROM THE MOUTHS OF BAIRNS
Mungo’s Bairns 2016 was a Scottish Sing-a-long Song’s, Performance on Friday January 15 2016, Wellington Church, University Ave, Glasgow as part of this year’s St Mungo festival for Glasgow’s patron saint. Pupils from St Monica’s Pri- mary, Milton (right), performed When Mandela came to Glas- gow. Kevin Baijonauth played Mandela with St Mungo (Szy- mon Matusiak) and St Enoch (Niomi Dysart) on either side. More on St Mungo Festival, pages 2, 9 and 22
PIC: PAUL McSHERRY
Pope invited to Scots College’s 400th
I Archbishop Leo Cushley extends invitation during private audience with the Holy Father
By Ian Dunn
He also gifted the Pope a copy of his the martyrdom of St John Ogilvie, the
2015 pastoral letter We Have Found the 16 students studying at the college Messiah in which the archbishop sets vowed to become priests and return to out a vision of how St Andrews and Scotland, just one year after the saint’s Edinburgh Archdiocese can better execution at Glasgow Cross.
POPE Francis has been officially invited to visit the Pontifical Scots College in Rome to help mark this year’s 400th anniversary of its foundation as a seminary.
evangelise the communities within its bounds. The archdiocese is facing college and for all the young men reorganisation at parish level. studying with us if Pope Francis is able
“It would be a great honour for the
Archbishop Leo Cushley issued the invitation on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland and the Pontifical Scots College during a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Monday.
“Pope Francis has such a warm, to join us to mark 400 years of priestly kindly and supportive personality and formation,” Fr Daniel Fitzpatrick, rector he was clearly very informed and of the Pontifical Scots College, said. “I interested in how the Catholic Church am sure the Holy Father’s presence would in our part of Scotland is faring as we be a great blessing to the College, a attempt to preach the Gospel to our source of encouragement for our contemporary society,” the archbishop seminarians and an inspiration to other said. “In short, Pope Francis was Peter— young men to join them here in Rome the rock—such that during our discussion to continue the long tradition of the he continually confirmed my Faith by Pontifical Scots College.” his words and by his example.”
“The Pontifical Scots College has a truly remarkable history and, so, it would be wonderful if Pope Francis could join us as we celebrate that past with pride while looking to the future with great confidence and trust in the Lord,” the Archbishop of St Andrews
and Edinburgh, diplomat, said.
- a
- former Vatican
Scots college
If the Pope was to visit the Pontifical Scots College in Rome it would be the
Health of Church
highpoint in a year of celebrations.
During their 40-minute discussion, the archbishop discussed a wide range of issues with the Holy Father including
The college was officially founded in
1600 by Pope Clement VIII to provide an education for young Scottish the general health of the Church in Holy Father sent me to Scotland to wanted to brief him on how our Catholic men who—due to the laws Scotland and his predecessor Cardinal bring the joy of Christ’s Gospel to all archdiocese is progressing with that against Catholics—could not receive a
- Keith O’Brien.
- those who live within the Archdiocese important mission he has entrusted to Catholic education at home. It was on
- “It’s now over two years since the of St Andrews and Edinburgh—so I me,” Archbishop Cushley said.
- March 10, 1616, however, inspired by
I e-mail [email protected]
SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT
I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546
- 2
- WHAT’S ON
- SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER
SPOTLIGHT ON
FRIDAY JANUARY 22 2016
What’s On
A weekly guide to upcoming Church-related events, more online at www.sconews.co.uk
SATURDAY JANUARY 23
I Youth Work Training day at St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen. If you’re interested in Youth Ministry then this workshop, led by the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia, could be just what you’re looking for. January 23, Cathedral Upper Hall from 10.30am to 3.00pm.
SUNDAY JANUARY 24
I PACT Christian Unity Taize Service in Paisley Abbey at 4pm. Please do come along to pray with other Christians.
FRIDAY JANUARY 29
I A Burns Supper will take place on Friday January 29 in St Mirin’s Cathedral Hall, Paisley. Tickets are
THURSDAY JANUARY 28
I Newman Association: Facing the Challenges of Laudato Si: Energy, environment and the human future. A talk by Professor Colin McInnes, The Ogilvie Centre, St Aloysius’ Church, Rose Street, Glasgow, G3 6RE at 7.30pm on Thursday, 28th January. All welcome. Non-members:
£15,includes a meal and entertainment. BYOB. Some tickets are still available for this very popular event.
SUNDAY JANUARY 31
This year’s Molendinar Lecture on January 14 was given by The Right Reverend Gregory Cameron, bishop of St Asaph of the Church of Wales.Asaph was appointed by Mungo as Bishop of the Diocese in Llanelwy which he founded during his exile from the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Bishop Cameron is seen here with members and friends of Glasgow Mediaeval Trust—Saint Mungo Festival. (Left to right) Dr Laurence Whitley, Bishop Gregor Duncan Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway, Bishop Gregory Cameron, Catherine McMaster, organiser, Dr Gordon Wyllie Trustee, Bailie Josephine Docherty representing the Provost, Councillor Gordon Matheson and Archbishop Mario Conti.The lecture was held at Glasgow City Chambers
PIC: PAUL McSHERRY
I Celtic Roots Mass at St Aloysius, Garnethill, Glasgow. Gaelic and ScottishcChoirs will sing at this 4pm Mass. admission £3 including refreshments.
E-mail [email protected]
Glasgow University primary school teacher students working on placement with 12 primary schools in Glasgow to prepare for the Mungo’s Bairns 2016, the Scottish sing-a-long song’s, on Friday January 15 at Wellington Church, University Ave, Glasgow that was part of this year’s St Mungo festival. (Left) Pupils from Our Lady of Annunciation perform Nessie, (above) St Brendan’s pupils perform a
PICS: PAUL McSHERRY
INSIDE YOUR SCO
INDEX TO NEWS, OPINION AND FEATURES THIS WEEK
EWTN CATHOLIC TV IS ON SKY EPG 589
Sky Freesat £175 total cost , no monthly charges. 200 Free channels including EWTN TV & Radio. Call Sky on 08442411602 for installation.
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NEWS pages 1-7 LOCAL NEWS pages 2,3,4 and 5
WHAT’S ON page 2 WORLD/VATICAN NEWS pages 6-7 LETTERS page 9
COMMENT pages 9-11 FEATURES pages 8, 12-13
FR ROLHEISER page 14
CHILDREN’S PAGE page 21 INTIMATIONS pages 17-20
page 20
BISHOPS’ ENGAGEMENTS
- SPECIAL OCCASIONS pages 22- 23
- SPIRITUAL REFLECTION page 15
PUZZLES pages 16 and 21
CATHOLICISM & ISLAM page 24
WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK
- FRIDAY JANUARY 22 2016
- NEWS
- 3
- SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER
SCIAF can double 2016 Wee Box total
MONEY given to SCIAF’s Wee Box Annual Lent Appeal will once again be doubled thanks to a UK Government aid match scheme that will give £1 for every £1 donated by supporters.
Last year’s Wee Box campaign, supported by the SCO and the Department for
- International Development, raised
- a
record-breaking £3.4 million (right) in the charity’s 50th anniversary year thanks to the generosity of donors and the UK Aid Match scheme. This year the Wee Box appeal tells the story of cattle herders in Ethiopia.
“It’s fantastic that we’ve secured UK Government aid match funding again this year,” SCIAF’s Director Alistair Dutton said. “The donations we get will be doubled—so every £1 you give to the Wee Box appeal will equal £2.
“This will help us to give so many more people the help they need, such as seeds, favourite treat, like coffee or chocolate, for with UK Aid match we can offer a hand farm tools, cattle, training and small loans, the 40 days of Lent and putting the money up to many more people.
- so they can work their way out of poverty saved in their Wee Box.
- All donations given to SCIAF between
- and have a better future. I would urge
- The 2016 appeal will be launched on February 5 and May 4 will be matched
- everyone to make the most of this amazing Ash Wednesday, February 10.
- pound for pound so more people than ever
offer and make sure the money you give goes twice as far!”
The very existence and way of life of will be helped. This means SCIAF will be cattle herders in Ethiopia is threatened by able to reach more people who need help
Storm damage bill reaches quarter of a million pounds for East Kilbride parish
The annual appeal raises vital funds for more severe droughts and floods. Carfi the most. SCIAF’s life-changing work in Africa, Sara and his family from Borana in southAsia and Latin America and helps some of ern Ethiopia are on this year’s Wee Box. I The SCO is backing the SCIAF Wee the poorest people in the world living with They lost all their cattle in a severe Box appeal again this year. Coming soon,
- hunger, poverty, disease and disasters.
- drought in 2011 and struggled to survive Ian Dunn’s reports on visiting Ethiopia
Thousands of supporters in schools and until they were given eight goats and a with the charity parishes across Scotland raise money for camel which now provide milk for the
ST LEONARD’s Church in East Kilbride is facing a repair bill of £250,000 after damage from Storm Frank.
Heavy winds and rain caused chaos and damage across the country in December and into the New Year.
Leonard’s Primary School, while weekday Masses will be celebrated in the side chapel, which is unaffected. the appeal every year by giving up a family and a source of income. This year I http://www.sciaf.org.uk/
Parish priest Fr Gerard Chromy thanked those who have helped the church over the last few weeks. “We have had great support from volunteers and I would really like to thank
Call for support for headteacher, staff at Edinburgh school
THE director of the Scottish since the new head teacher
- difficult time.”
- St Leonard’s suffered exten-
sive flooding after the roof was speak to staff.
Catholic Education Service has urged parents to support an Edinburgh high school after a newspaper report of complaints from some staff members about recent
- took over.
- Edinburgh City Council are
planning to write to parents with children at the school with regards to the reports.
“In addition an open staff
- forum meeting has been
- “I am aware of claims made
in an Edinburgh newspaper about recent events in St Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School in Edinburgh,” Michael McGrath, director of the Scotblown off the church in the first South Lanarkshire Council for planned so any issues can be raised. We also recognise that parents may have concerns and have written to them to highlight the action being taken by the council and how they can share feedback with us directly.
“St Thomas’ is one of the city’s leading schools with strong attainment and everyone is keen for the school to move forward so that all pupils can benefit from a first class learning environment.”
- week of the year.
- quickly moving us into the
- school,” he said.
- The church is expected to be
closed for the next six months and Communions, Confirmations and weddings have been moved to St Vincent’s Church and Our Lady of Lourdes, with others postponed.
“The council is working with the head teacher and staff and has put in place a package of
A statement on the church website had previously called for parishioners to follow in the footsteps of those who worked with Fr Kieran O’Farrell to establish the parish in 1966. The damage comes at the same time as another church in the town, St Bride’s, has also closed for six months as
changes.
The Edinburgh Evening
tish Catholic Education Service measures to identify and
News reported last week that it had received a list of
(SCES), said. “I am confident that this Catholic school community, which is one of Edinburgh’s leading schools, will address areas for development within the school,” a council statement said. complaints compiled by staff at St Thomas of Aquins High that had been presented to the school’s headteacher Thomas Hughes. The alleged problems are reported to have occurred
Torrential rain flooded the ceiling and floors in the church resulting in the need for new electrics, pews and floors.
“Senior managers within the make a robust response to these schools team are working in anonymous allegations. I urge parents to support the school’s headteacher and staff at this partnership with St Thomas’s to tackle emerging concerns, and were at the school last week to
Sunday and Saturday Masses it undergoes repairs and
- are now being celebrated in St
- renovation.
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Milngavie parents submit final primary school plans
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St Joseph’s Primary is the
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A long-running battle has specialist schools are the only taken place between parents state schools which operate outfrom St Joseph’s Primary in side of local authority control Milngavie and East Dunbarton- and funding.
8-11 February: Only £445
Body of St. Padre Pio onview inthe Vaticanat this time
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to close the school and merge it a private Muslim school in Glasin a new build with St Andrew’s gow to receive state funding,
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- SCHOOLS/LOCAL NEWS
- SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER
- FRIDAY JANUARY 22 2016
St Margaret’s Malawi refuge centre project gets cash boost from St Bartholomew’s parishioners
By Daniel Harkins
they visit the country in June.
“I have studied the plans for the refuge and seen the profiles mud hut with her grandfather and a goat, is also being sponsored. Doris has suffered from malaria for two years and is now
KIND-hearted parishioners from St Bartholomew’s Parish of the females who will be the in Coatbridge donated over £700 to an Airdrie high school’s project to build a female refuge centre in Mulanje, Malawi.
first residents,” Steven Snee, acting headteacher at St receiving treatment for this. The walk to school for Doris will also be cut from more than an hour to five minutes.
Margaret’s, said. “All are orphans and have endured terrible hardships, only surviving their experiences through their faith and the support of the Parish at Mendulo, Malawi. I am
Also staying in the refuge will be Martha Mulole, an 18- year-old disabled girl who has returned to education after being hidden by her family for years, and Tsungi Phiri, a 21- year-old who suffers from HIV and diabetes, and is being put through university by the
The funds were collected at the funeral of parishioner Mary Mitchell, whose family sponsored Ruth Samson, one of the
Two Catholics nominated
delighted with the members of our community, who have come in off the street to put change in our collection box and to the families of our children who have sent their coin collections to the school.” females from the Makhosa Female Farming Catholic Cooperative, an organisation set up by St Margaret’s High School in Airdrie.
By Daniel Harkins
travelling to the country to lend a hand. The project supportsThe Buccama Clinic, which
TWO Catholics who support women with helps women suffering with uterine prolapse medical problems in Ethiopia have been after childbirth. While the medical problem can jointly nominated for Scotswoman of theYear. treated routinely in the west, in parts of Africa, Joe Middlemiss and Maureen Burnett (above) women can be left ashamed and ostracised with are among six women who will compete for the little understanding of the problem and unable to prize at a glittering awards ceremony in Glasgow even lift up their newly born children as a result City Chambers next month. They have been of the condition.
Healthy Lifestyle Project and the St Margaret’s community. Tsungi will act as the mother of the house.
The late 81-year-old (above right) was dedicated to her
Faith and bought The Scottish Catholic Observer every week,
despite being blind in her later years. Mary still attended Mass to the very end and said her Rosary daily.
The Million Penny Campaign is running alongside a Prayer Book project, where members of the St Margaret’s community make a donation to write their name, or the name of a loved one, into a book, which the residents of the
The refuge is known as
Maria Amayi Achifundo—
- Home of Compassionate
- nominated alongside champion wheelchair racer
- Money raised for the project is used to fund
Samantha Kinghorn, dementia academic Debbie the clinic which has a staff of 15, including Tolson, charity worker and quadruple amputee trained nurses, but operates on a shoestring Corinne Hutton, and Glasgow Women’s Library budget. The project also provides for operations, founderAdele Patrick. The awards are sponsored food, transport and recovery for the sick women.
Mary—and St Margaret’s Female Refuge Centre. It will provide the women for the first time with a room, a kitchen, electricity and running water. St Margaret’s Malawi project is run in cooperation with North Lanarkshire Council. Convener Jim Logue, who has met the women involved in the refuge, said he was delighted to support the project.
“My mum took great joy from her faith and loved the fact that we supported Ruth and her children Prisca and Mary,” Mrs Mitchell’s daughter, also Mary, said. refuge will then pray over
- every night for a year.
- by the Evening Times newspaper and the St
- Ms Burnett and Ms Middlemiss raise money
- for the charity by giving talks across Scotland,
- Enoch’s Centre in Glasgow.
- Zione Jianji, who gave birth
to a disabled child when she was 10 years old, is one of the women who will be staying in the refuge. Her son sadly died of malnutrition when he was 5. Zione is now sponsored by the St Margaret’s community. Staying in the refuge will cut her journey time to school from 90 minutes to just five.
The Catholic duo’s charity work began after visiting parishes and gathering donations and Ms Burnett visited Ethiopia and was introduced supplies. Last weekend, an event in Christ the to the work of a clinic run by a Franciscan nun. King parish hall raised £10,000, contributing to She joined forces with her cousin Joe Middlemiss the more than £100,000 raised over the years by and together the two began the Ethiopia Medical the two cousins.
The project was officially launched on December 14 with the Million Penny Campaign (above), which it is hoped will raise £10,000 towards the £14,000 total still outstanding. The St Margaret’s community has already purchased and prepared the land and hope to have the centre opened before
- Project, fundraising for the clinic and regularly
- Ms Middlemiss she was ‘really, really chuffed’
Anyone wishing to donate to the Million Penny Campaign or the Prayer Book can do so by contacting the school.
Doris Rodrick, a six-year-old girl who shares a four foot square