MAY 2009

Issue No. 193 £2 Seminary - set for closure. A SCOTTISH RELIGIOUS MAGAZINE OF COMMENT, OPINION AND REFLECTION

EDITORIAL Penal Times Again. Page 1 Penal Times Again The Scottish Bishops appear to show no How did the post-Vatican II Church Edinburgh 1910 - The Birth of sense of accountability for the closure of (the People of God!) consult the laity, Catholic Ecumenism. the last seminary in . Rather formation staff and seminarians in the Page 2 than have a phased closure and a process? A lack of vision has ensured planned move to more practical that the in Scotland facilities, allowing the present students continues to live in the past rather than Bad Times Come Again. to complete their studies, no reason is to read the signs of the times and Page 3 given for the hastiness of their decision. respond to the needs of the Church in The Bishop of Paisley is credited with the modern world. The same short- the immediate move to . If training sightedness and lack of imagination The Cafeteria Culture. of priests at home is not important then has blinded us from seeing the obvious. Page 5 why have we been doing it for hundreds It is not the national seminary that has of years? Apparently even troubled Iraq had its day. Rather it is the seminary Modus Vivendi. Page 6

Market Speculation, World Order and The (Part 1). Page 7

The Gonzaga Lectures 2009 - Part 2. Page 9 Interior of the new chapel which was built and opened in 1997. A Reflective Rant. has a home seminary with more system that is now and has been for Page 10 seminarians than Scotus and Rome’s years defunct, archaic and as such must put together! be confined to history. It is not fit for purpose. It does not equip student That the reasons for closure were not Publisher’s Notes. priests for parish life. Putting them in financial will comfort some. That it is Page 11 parishes, as the Archbishop of due to staff being required in the did, would do so. At least the home parishes doesn’t square with Scotland formation process at Scotus had a still being one of the best in the world in Reviews strong and effective pastoral and terms of proportion of priests to people, Page 12 ecumenical bent. outstripping many traditionally Catholic countries with about 750 priests to The students who are coming to Your Letters: 750,000 Catholics. It is the present intake seminary are not staying and it’s not that is poor and the hierarchy must look difficult to see why. It may be worth Page 15 at their role in this and consider how bearing in mind that when the Royal they prioritise their ministry. Parishes Scots College in Salamanca closed all the Contact Details: must also promote vocations rather than students who were transferred to Rome Page 16 adopt an attitude of ‘leave it to others left within one year of arrival. To close and hope for the best.’ the Scots College in Rome would seem the more obvious option. If for whatever reason, other than plan for priestly formation before the prestige, students should train abroad then this could be creation of monster seminaries 450 years facilitated by one the many half empty seminaries in Rome. ago. St Charles Borromeo believed that The bishops should either reverse their decision to close student priests should undergo proper Scotus College and allow priests to train at home or, better formation in small numbers in houses still, admit that the cobwebbed seminary formation system is with their bishop. It is time for reform. a dinosaur of the past that is incapable of meeting the Only fans of H. G. Wells could applaud demands of the modern world. The ‘it was good enough for this decision as the hierarchy have made us, so it’s good enough for you’ attitude is no longer a time travel possible and taken the Church tenable position. The most suitable place to train priests for back to Penal times. It is time we parish life is and always has been in parish life - the original wakened up.

MICHAEL T R B TURNBULL Edinburgh 1910 - The Birth of Catholic Ecumenism

Next year, from 14 to 23 June, Resistance to Apartheid (Skotaville: Bonomelli (1831-1914) of Cremona took Edinburgh’s Assembly Hall will host Johannesburg, 1989) and the Truth a personal initiative to send the World Edinburgh 2010 in celebration of the first and Reconciliation Commission, Missionary Conference a strong message World Missionary Conference held at the Encyclopaedia of Public Administration of support. This intervention, although same venue exactly a century before. and Public Policy (Marcel Dekker: New not sanctioned by higher authority, Like the 1910 original, it will consist of York, 2004). marks the tentative beginning of the discussions on reports written by eight Catholic Church’s eventual involvement In the first quarter of the twentieth appointed commissions on a number of in the Ecumenical Movement. In recent century the Catholic Church deliberately key themes: Foundation for Mission; years, Cardinal Walter Kasper, secretary shunned joint ventures with other Christian Mission among other Faiths; of the Pontifical Council for Promoting churches. On 2 November 1914, for Mission and Post-Modernity; Mission Christian Unity, has described Bishop example, Robert Gardner, Secretary of and Power; Forms of Missionary Bonomelli’s intervention as ‘a prophetic the Commission of the Episcopal Church Engagement; Theological education and sign of the Catholic Church’s entry into in the United States, wrote to Secretary of formation; Christian communities in the ecumenical movement.’ contemporary contexts; Mission and State Cardinal Gasparri asking for an unity - ecclesiology and mission; Mission audience with the Pope for the purpose In his letter Bishop Bonomelli foresaw spirituality and authentic discipleship. of discussing the proposed Conference the tentative beginnings of a movement of all Christian Communions to discuss towards Christian unity: This Edinburgh 2010 project (see: ‘Faith and Order’ questions. This http://www.edinburgh2010.org/) is based .…from the various Churches and audience was granted and in May 1919, at New College, Edinburgh and headed religious denominations into which a delegation of five Episcopalians visited by International Director, South African you Christians are divided there Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922). Dr Daryl Balia, an ordained minister of arises a new unifying element, a the Methodist Church, who taught In spite of such polite diplomatic noble aspiration, restraining too missiology for ten years, worked in overtures, after the Stockholm Life and great impulsiveness, levelling Nelson Work Conference (1925) and the Faith dividing barriers, and working for Mandela’s and Order Conference in Lausanne the realisation of the one Holy government (1927), Pius XI issued Mortalium animos Church through all the children of for seven (6 Jan 1928) ‘On Religious Unity’, which redemption. years declared that doctrinal compromise for Msgr. John A. Radano, an American who promoting the purpose of union was unacceptable. served on the Vatican’s Pontifical public After the formation of the World Council Council for Promoting Christian Unity and national of Churches (1948), the Holy Office for more than 23 years, points out that, integrity and issued An Instruction on the Ecumenical ‘while ecumenical initiatives took place is the author Movement (1949) to summarise and before, nonetheless in a special way of a number consolidate this position. of books, Edinburgh 1910 marks the twentieth- including In the face of this official aloofness, it is century beginning of several very Christian all the more remarkable that one far- representative embodiments of the Dr Daryl Balia sighted Catholic priest, Bishop Geremias Ecumenical Movement.’ These 2 : OPEN HOUSE : May 2009 include the Bonomelli had a strong sense of social on board the historical-critical methods International justice. In 1896 appalled by the plight of in biblical studies and other disciplines, Missionary Italian migrant workers whom he had was partly due to the influence of a Council (1921), met during his travels throughout group of Roman Jesuits who forced a the Faith and Europe, he issued a pastoral letter on change in the more liberal attitude OrderEmigration. Three years later he founded adopted by Pope Leo XIII. movement, the the ‘Opera Bonomelli’, an agency to Universal provide migrant Italian workers with Subsequent Popes, however, affirmed Christian material and spiritual assistance. the work of Bishop Bonomelli. In his Council of Life apostolic constitution Exsul Familia While Bonomelli’s courage and and Work and Nazarethana (1952), Pope Pius XII praised Msgr John A. Radano independence of mind (developed by his ultimately to Bonomelli’s apostolate to Italian migrant studies at the Gregorian University) can establishment of the World Council of workers in Switzerland, Austria, only be admired, some of his initiatives Churches in 1948. Germany and France and the agency he fell foul of the Vatican. An anonymous founded for their relief. Then, in 1994, in Bonomelli did not himself conceive the pamphlet he wrote in 1889, aimed at a letter marking the eightieth idea of writing a letter. He was invited to suggesting to the Vatican a way of anniversary of Bonomelli’s death, Pope do so by the American Episcopalian reaching an accommodation with the John Paul II wrote what must be Bishop layman, Silas McBee, who had visited new Italian state, was placed on the Bonomelli’s most fitting epitaph Bonomelli in Cremona a few months Index of Forbidden Books. An (recently translated into English by before the World Missionary Conference unguarded reference to the possibility of Annette Brydone). ‘With the passions of opened. Although he suspected that the reconciling Christianity and Darwinism, Vatican authorities would not openly incurred the disapproval of the Sacred the past buried, today what remains support him and might even strongly Congregation and, although they did not alive is the teaching of the Pastor, which disapprove, Bonomelli was keen to make condemn him, he quickly retracted his did its best to emphasise the harmony this statement as the divisions in the opinions. In Negotiating Darwin The between Christian witness and the Christian family preoccupied him Vatican Confronts Evolution, 1877-1902 obligation to civil society, and also the deeply. In June 1908, his friend Don (The John Hopkins University Press, open dialogue of faith with science and Roncalli (the future Pope John XXIII) had 2006) Mariano Artigas, Thomas F. Glick, culture … Monsignor Bonomelli, thanks spent three days with him in Cremona and Rafael A. Martinez have examined to an attentive reading of the present and and suggested an ecumenical council as the cases of Bonomelli and a number of to a masterly evaluation of every a way of dealing with the intellectual other similar cases. Barry Brundell in appearance of good, had a surprising crisis then challenging the Catholic ‘Catholic Church politics and evolution ability to see far ahead, from a Church (see: Joan Delaney, ‘From theory, 1894-1902’ (British Journal for the perspective which was always Cremona to Edinburgh, The Ecumenical History of Science (2001) concludes that illuminated by a deep and courageous Review, July 2000). the failure of the Catholic Church to take faith.’

MICHAEL O’NEILL Bad Times Come Again

As the ‘Great Recession’ continues it competition and created Standard Oil, Obama's attempts to gain Republican would take Karl Marx himself to do full now Exxon Mobil. support in Congress and with a view to justice to the obvious historical his long-term strategy to reform health comparisons and contrasts with the care as well as the economy, I remain Great Depression of the 1930s. Even unconvinced that he can avoid if one were to accept that all that consistently, not just occasionally, capitalists wanted was a free market pointing out that this ideology is his and unbridled competition, one would principal obstacle, without sacrificing his have to be really stupid not to know that goals of ending the economic This has this ideology has now been tried on a recession/depression, and reforming the not prevented grand scale at least three times in the last whole financial system, as well as Republican idolaters from century on this side of the ocean, and delivering national health care continuing to peddle their snake oil and, found spectacularly wrong. John D. insurance. excepting their three schismatic senators, Rockefeller Jr, who spent his final years voting against Barack Obama's ’stimulus The McCarthy era of the 1950s over in Ormond Beach, thirty miles from bill’, even after they had been granted a demonised the word ‘socialism’ and where I am writing this, changed ridiculous one-third amount of tax cuts even the word ‘liberal’ - hence, the recent capitalism for ever by recognizing the as part of it. Accepting the merits of spectacle of Obama feeling compelled to futility and ruination of such

May 2009 : OPEN HOUSE : 3 call back a New York Times reporter and insist speculative credit derivative swaps, that he is ‘not a socialist’, as if most Americans unregulated hedge funds and private equity Contributors would know the difference between a socialist schemes taking advantage of unfair tax and the game of cricket, far less the different systems and offshore financial piracy. The to versions of socialism, or indeed capitalism. whole panoply of that brilliant financial Perhaps the biggest obstacle to a sensible system has now imploded. Until all Open House resolution of the economic crisis, including the this is cleared up, no one should give any necessary and total credibility to what reform of the whole has been discredited John Cooney; Author of many books; Professional Journalist with financial system, is this and governments Irish Independent; Historian; dead weight of history, should be funding Open House Committee. the triumph of alternatives. economic ideology over Paul Fitzpatrick; Lecturer in What a pity history economic intelligence, Theology and Philosophy in puts a twenty-five and its continued use by Scunthorpe; Reviewer and Writer. year gap between the those who profited most defeat of the miners’ Dr. Ian Fraser; Retired Minister of from its recent débacle. strike by the capitalist Church of Scotland, Author of ten This has been most queen herself, books, Member of the Iona evident in the Larry Summers Tim Geithner Margaret Thatcher, Community; Committee Member floundering attempts to solve the collapse of and her system's definitive self-immolation! of Open House. the financial system and the credit crisis. It is Such irony - the union movement historically Willy Slavin; Parish Priest; An almost unbelievable that President Obama's has been the main and sometimes only Editor of Open House; Writer and economic team, led by Larry Summers and countervailing power to that of the Reviewer. Tim Geithner , are still cautious about taking corporations and financial capitalists, so its on the class of Wall Street operators who weakening if not demise in many places, has Michael Turnbull; Historian; created the collapse and the crisis. One removed any balance in the system and aided Author of many books. Recent Books: St. Peter’s Church realizes that they themselves have been part the unrestricted power of the corporations Edinburgh, (2006); Rossyln Chapel of that same circle, as have many members of and financial operators to create a depression. Revealed, (2007); Life of Cardinal Congress beholden to them for campaign ‘New Labour’, which appears to be Gray (St Andrew Press 1994); An money. If only Obama had appointed as his constructing its own demise, far from fostering Editor of Open House. advisors the likes of Paul Krugman of a renewal of the union movement, accepted Princeton, Joseph Stiglitz of Columbia, Simon the Thatcher and Reagan consensus, and cast James McGarry; Retired Doctor; Johnson of MIT (truly independent its lot with the financial services industry. The Freelance Writer; Reviewer; economists), then Wall Street would have same was true of all too many Democrats in Author. been put on notice that the game was over. Congress. Naturally, economic inequality Ian Willock; Retired Professor The major banks and other large financial grew, the median income fell, poverty rates from Law Faculty of Dundee institutions dependent on public money for became worse in this country, and the lack of a University; An Open House their continued existence would have been national health service here forced more Editor. nationalized and recapitalized, such as people into bankruptcy and poverty, even happens at least twice a week to smaller before the recession/depression hit. Jimmy Kelly; Retired Teacher; banks the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Freelance Writer; Reviewer. One can only hope another potential Corporation) has to take over to save people's countervailing power, religion (and in Michael O’Neill; American deposits up to $250 thousand. particular Catholics with their social teaching Lawyer (Born in Scotland); Writer; Now that financial capitalism has self- tradition) will find in the present crisis a new Reviewer; Member of the destructed, we shouldn't need anything else Democrat Party; Frequent Writer opportunity to learn and promote the to allow creative alternatives to be publicly for Open House. principles of social justice and basic economic capitalized. Credit Unions and cooperatives literacy to be found in our scriptures and Austin MacCawley; Scots already flouris. Only the lack of imagination tradition. As it turned out, once again, and Qualified Medical Doctor; Retired created by the triumph of capitalist ideology’s with all its limitations and deficiencies, those Professor of Psychiatry, ‘false consciousness’, especially in the past of us formed in that tradition were wiser in Conneticut USA; Adviser to thirty years, prevents alternative financial these matters than the ‘cultured despisers’ of Hierarchy in Conneticut on Abuse systems and practices being fostered by the religion who turned to ‘the Market’ for their Issues for many years. only game in town, public money. Because of idol and guide. Catholic social teaching has a the combo of predatory lending in the Jim V. Isaacs; Contributor to and healthy scepticism not only for Soviet housing market, out-of-control Writer for Open House for many communism but also Western capitalism. years. speculation/casino gambling, the alchemy of Catholics who did not know that or had changing mortgages into securities, followed forgotten it have been ill served by clergy and It is confirmed that the opinions and by shell games of bundling and dicing, no one ideas expressed by all our teachers, to say nothing of their own knows what was being traded and where it Contributors are their own and not negligence in not checking out the older accepted as those of Open House. landed up. Insurance companies like AIG tradition. gambled on the unregulated insuring of 4 : OPEN HOUSE : May 2009 AUSTIN MCCAWLEY The Cafeteria Conscience

As Catholics, we are told we should not family, fought the Nazis and Fascists. That pick and choose which of the Church’s does not excuse the silence of the Vatican. teachings we accept and which we reject. The Church has never fully acknowledged Matters of conscience are not items on a the mistakes of that period. It is not clear cafeteria menu, to be selected at random. that they recognize that there were mistakes Questioning the teaching authority of the or how serious they were. Church is the equivalent of a ‘cafeteria conscience.’ This failure of leadership by the Vatican before the war is one of the reasons the This comparison is misleading. The exercise Church lost credibility in Europe, one of the of conscience necessarily involves decision reasons for the increasing secularization. making, either selection or rejection, before Not the only one, by any means, but for any truly informed, responsible belief takes some of the Catholics who grew up with shape. The automatic acceptance of all teaching supposes that the Church never me it was highly significant. makes a mistake, and that is inconsistent Another reason for disaffection has been with the historical record. The Vatican made some major mistakes in the teaching on sexuality. There are many the last century. Before World War II, they In the course of history, the Church has areas of disagreement; many Catholics can ignored the menace of the Nazis and the Far only live their lives by reaching the kind of taught that the earth was the centre of the Right. They signed a non-aggression pact Universe, that Jews deserve persecution, compromise that repudiates part of the with Hitler, the Concordat which promised catechism while retaining a core faith. that heretics and witches, many of whom Catholic parties in Germany would stay out were mentally ill, should be burned at the of politics, and they said nothing about the The scandal of child abuse by priests might stake, that mental illness was caused by Holocaust. They did not support the Nazis, have occasioned a reassessment of the demonic possession and that torture, as but neither did they oppose them. teaching about sexuality, not just in practiced by the Inquisition or by the seminaries but in regard to the whole various Kings and Princes whom the doctrine. This has not happened. The Church supported, was justifiable and even The record of the Church Bishops have done everything possible to in the best interests of the hapless victims, prevent further abuse; applicants to the whose souls would be saved by the most might not be exceptional seminary are screened carefully, complaints dreadful agony. Would it have been wrong are investigated very thoroughly, and there to question all that? when judged against is zero tolerance for offenders. But they do The record of the Church might not be not feel the Church has any special problem exceptional when judged against other other institutions with this kind of behaviour in priests. Their human institutions that have been in explanation is that these abusers are present existence for any length of time, but that is that have been everywhere in society, and we were the point: although the Church was unfortunate in admitting some of them to founded by Christ and is guided by the in existence for any the priesthood. It is society’s problem, and Holy Spirit, it is composed of fallible we have our share of it. human beings and administered by them. length of time. Anyone who looks at the numbers, or even Christ did not change the human nature of reads the newspapers knows that this is a his ministers. On the contrary he embraced In fact, the Vatican supported causes that rationalization. The abusive behaviour is so humanity, with all its faults. One were aligned with the Nazis. They opposed to everything the Church stands characteristic of human beings is that they enthusiastically backed Franco, who was for, and there were so many abusers, that make mistakes. heavily supported by Hitler and Mussolini, clearly something is fundamentally wrong. It is, of course, particularly tragic that the and who turned out to be another mass The disfunction between the strict morality violence implicit in the list of abuses above murderer. Pope Pius XI blessed Mussolini’s of Catholicism and the enormity of the was committed by the Church that speaks troops on the way to Abyssinia (now abuses is so striking that there has to be a the Word of God, the Church that Ethiopia), and there were Fascist supporters relationship - obviously a negative introduced the nations of the world to the in the hierarchy, some of them still around relationship, but still significant. There will ideas of charity, love and the value of the during Vatican II. be different opinions about what is wrong individual life and has done far more for I know that many Catholics in Europe and where the boundaries between the poor and suffering than any other protected the Jews and many, from all over morality, pathology and normal sexual human institution. That paradox, however, the world, including members of my own experience lie, but the problem needs to be makes the Church even more human. looked at by people who can speak freely.

May 2009 : OPEN HOUSE : 5 Although the investigations by the Bishops’ These discoveries are quite compatible with whose strength of mind and intellect is one Conference of the United States have been religious faith, but they may require a of the unused resources of the Church. At remarkably frank in describing the extent of change in our understanding of the Creator, present, their voices are silenced. Also, the abuses and effective in their as well as the Universe that He created. debate by the priests from diocesan clergy recommendations for a rigorous program Perhaps this will lead not to a fresh and religious orders who understand the of prevention, they avoided some of the understanding but to an increased issues better than anyone else but do not really embarrassing questions about why awareness of how little we can ever speak out, for a variety of reasons: they this happened in the first place. understand about God. If that were to be don’t think it will do any good, they fear the outcome, a little humility would not be retaliation, they are ambitious and do not It took the Bishops a long time to realize the a bad thing. Are we prepared to take the wish to damage their chances, they are need for action. For years, they ignored the kind of hard look that these issues will conditioned to obey - the list is long, but the problem, reassigned abusive priests and require in the near future? basic reason is the official sanction. Finally exposed children to risk. There has never debate by the laity who, at present, are not been any accounting. Cardinal Law, who The Church does not see the need for listened to. was one of the most egregious offenders, change. The Word of God does not change. had to leave Boston, but he now holds high Although that is true, the world in which I remember after Vatican II there was an office in Rome. That does not suggest the we live by that Word changes all the time, excitement in the Church, a ferment of ideas Church has taken the matter seriously. and that changes the way in which we live and an enthusiasm among the priests that our faith. Also the effects of our mistakes promised wonderful things. Then the It is not just a question of being able to look attitude of the hierarchy and the Vatican accumulate and that demands a corrective at mistakes. Is it not also a matter of changed. Debate was discouraged, and change. At present, we are unable to make adjusting to changes in the human several prominent voices silenced. If only the necessary adjustments because debate condition and some of the discoveries by the spirit of those times could be is forbidden. Science that have radically altered our recaptured. Was Vatican II only an understanding of the Universe? We need debate by those theologians aberration?

JOHN COONEY Modus Vivendi

It’s a mystery tale involving the Vatican, dealing with the first pro-choice U.S. the White House and Camelot, with the administration since Bill Clinton. Pope principal characters starring Pope Benedict sent a private message to Benedict, President Barack Obama and Obama, hoping God would ‘enlighten Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late him and help him in his great JFK. But none of the central characters responsibility.’ are enlightening us on the plot. However, the season of good will has The shadowy story began when Il not lasted long. One of Obama’s first Giornale, the Milan daily newspaper, acts was to end a ban on Federal reported that the appointment to funding to international groups that succeed Mary Ann Glendon, the perform or promote abortions. The ambassador appointed by George W. Vatican was not happy at all. Bush, to the Holy See had run into difficulties, because of the ‘strained’ Not surprisingly, therefore, the relations between the White House and American media avidly picked up the the Holy See over the President’s public Italian report suggesting that Caroline support for abortion and stem cell Kennedy had been proposed to Obama research. It said that three candidates for the job by Democratic senator John including Ms Kennedy had been turned Kerry, a Catholic who lost the race for down. the presidency to Bush in 2004, as a President Obama with Caroline Kennedy reward for her support (and that of her convinced that tensions had emerged in During last year’s campaign between uncle, the ailing Ted Kennedy) of informal contacts among officials of the Obama and Republican John McCain a Obama for the presidency. world’s top two temporal and spiritual Vatican official branded the Democratic powers. Party as ‘the party of death’ because of Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico its pro-choice stand on abortion. But Lombardi, told the U.S. Catholic News The story took on a new dimension millions of Catholics cast their vote for Service that no proposals for the job had when it was linked to a controversy over Obama. When Obama was elected as yet been made to the Vatican. However, the invitation by Notre Dame, Indiana the country’s first black President, the this denial did not ‘kill’ the story for (America’s premier Catholic university) Vatican appeared to be reconciled to veteran Vatican watchers who were for President Obama to deliver the

6 : OPEN HOUSE : May 2009 commencement address this zealously championed as a badge of authentic Catholic month and receive an honorary identity by conservative American Catholics, even though a degree. recent Gallup poll showed that American Catholics are more liberal than their non-Catholic compatriots on issues like sex Conservative Catholic right to life (non-marital and gay) and gambling, but are split over groups and some bishops damned abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Not surprisingly, the president of Notre Dame, Fr. Gallup also found that ‘committed Catholics,'’ those who go to John Jenkins, for endorsing church regularly, are more in line with Church teachings on Obama’s pro-choice views on these issues. abortion and his support of stem cell research. The ugly tone of their This debate, therefore, is more than a storm in a chalice. It protests was embodied in a poison Fr. John Jenkins relates to the wider question of how Catholics engage public pen e-mail carrying a picture of a figures who hold pro-choice views without seeming to prisoner behind bars under the spoof headline of ‘Jenkins approve those views, rather than denouncing and boycotting arrested for impersonating a Catholic.’ them. It is essentially a struggle between intellectual freedom Although Fr Jenkins pleaded that the invitation did not imply and doctrinal isolationist certitude. approval of Obama’s positions on abortion and stem cell Nor is the controversy likely to go away quickly. Obama was research, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago condemned due to appear at Notre Dame on 17 May, only two days after Notre Dame in no uncertain terms. ‘It is clear that Notre Dame Pope Benedict will have completed his visit to Jordan, Israel didn’t understand what it means to be Catholic’, George and the Palestinian Territories. On that trip the German Pontiff thundered. Pointing out that the bishops did not control Notre will engage on critical issues relating to Catholic-Muslim and Dame, he urged conservative Catholics to send their angry e- Catholic-Jewish relations, and will call for peace in the Middle mails to the university rather than clog up episcopal East. But it is the United States, not the Vatican, which holds the administration. key to unlocking the Middle East conflict between Israel and Writing in the liberal National Catholic Reporter, John L. Allen the Palestinians. This reality poses the acute problem for Pope appealed for charity and perspective. ‘In a nutshell, my hope is Benedict to temper his stand by returning to the traditional that American Catholics will manage their disagreements over realpolitik of accepting the American ambassadorial the Obama appearance without turning this into yet another nomination regardless of the personal beliefs of its candidate. nasty front in our version of the culture wars,’ he wrote. To insist that an American ambassador should be in line with ‘Inviting a pro-choice president of the United States to speak at official Catholic belief amounts to confessional blackmail the country’s premier Catholic university may be highly against a nation which prides itself on the separation of Church charged at the level of symbolism and political fallout, but that and State. In his approach to the Obama administration, it does not make its advisability a matter of dogma.’ would seem that Pope Benedict has taken the cultural war too This cultural civil war within the Catholic Church runs deep far in his fight against ‘aggressive secularism’. As Pope and as because of the emphasis placed by Popes John Paul II and head of the Holy See, he needs to be more diplomatic and Benedict XVI on the defence of human life from conception to accept a modus vivendi between moral authoritarianism and natural death as core Catholic values. The papal view is respect for the secular world.

REV IAN FRASER Market Speculation, World Order and The Bible Part 1

One result of the global financial He was on theological territory but he did world order which meltdown of 2008 was that Alan not seem to realise it. True, the word he now rejected. Greenspan experienced a conversion. A ‘conversion’ was not used but the marks These were basic former chairman of the USA Federal were all there. He had been brought up features which Reserve, he had directed it for 18 years sharp, compelled to face a reality which also marked St under four Presidents, and had been the questioned deeply-held assumptions he Paul’s conversion! most trusted of financial gurus. On the 23 had affirmed up to that point. His eyes What he had October he had confessed to the House of had been opened. He looked on what he believed in, what Representatives Oversight Committee had previously believed and lived by, and he now discarded, that he was in a state of ‘shocked disbelief’ found it wanting. He had turned in his was expressed … ’I found a flaw in the model … that tracks. He looked for a new way, based on Alan Greenspan thus by Jeremy defines how the world works.’ He was not alternative assumptions concerning ‘how Warner in ‘The Independent’ of 24 talking of some tinkering with a system, the world works’. There had been October 2008: ‘faith in the ability of the but speaking of a profound change in his consequences for others, whom he had free market system to protect and heal understanding of the basis of world order. encouraged to adopt the understanding of

May 2009 : OPEN HOUSE : 7 itself had gone up in smoke.’ Self- no credence. Rather he identifies I see that you are in the gall of bitterness regulation by Wall Street had failed. manipulative forces thus: ‘The interest of and the chains of wickedness.’ (Acts 8:18- dealers is always in some respect different 24). Paul tongue-lashed the magus Elymas The chairman of the Oversight from and even opposed to that of the in Cyprus: ‘You son of the devil, you Committee, Henry Waxman, pressed public. The proposal of any new law or enemy of all righteousness, full of all home the consequences of this false world regulation of commerce which comes deceit and villainy, will you not stop view -‘The Federal Reserve had the from that order (i.e. dealers) ought always making crooked the straight paths of the authority to stop the irresponsible lending to be listened to with great precaution, Lord?’ Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, saw in practices that fuelled the sub-prime ought never to be adopted till after having the birth of the Christ child a death- mortgage market, but its long-time been long and carefully examined, not sentence to the power of magic. Writing to chairman rejected pleas that he intervene. only with the most scrupulous but with the Ephesians on the way to martyrdom in The Securities and Exchange Commission the most suspicious attention. It comes Rome, somewhere around 107 to 110 AD, had the authority to insist on tighter from an order of men whose interest is he stated: ‘A star, brighter than all the standards for credit rating agencies but it never the same with that of the public, other stars, shone in the sky… Thereupon did nothing. The Treasury Department who have generally an interest to deceive all magic was dissolved …’ could have led the charge for responsible and even oppress the public, and who, oversight of financial derivatives, but Trust in magic is an alternative to trust in accordingly, have upon many occasions instead it joined the opposition. The list of the living God. It can offer cover for the both deceived and oppressed it.’ (see regulatory mistakes and misjudgements is greed-is-good brigade. The Creator of the Penguin Classics edition of ‘The Wealth of long, and the cost to tax-payers and our world invites us in partnership to create a Nations’, p 358) country is staggering.’ world order which works. The alternative, The tools of magic trust in human nature in its unregenerate It is well to list and deal with these must be discarded, condition, had had clear dissuasives mistakes and misjudgements but the replaced by the during my lifetime. The elimination of concern about ‘how the world works’ exercise of human transcendence (‘that which goes beyond drives deeper. It requires theological perceptions and . Changes responsibility. the merely earthly’) in the evaluation of in practice must be based on a human life, brought not freedom but realistic perception: human different forms of subjugation to nature can be the seat of sinful powers-that-be. As a young pretensions as well as hopeful man Karl Marx had a religious stirrings. The concept of sin, phase which he outgrew, and absent from these debates as far Stalin, destined for the as I can see, should feature priesthood, kicked over the significantly in our understanding religious traces. Marx later and response to the financial found in the idea of a creator meltdown. When I worked in Selly God an insufferable limitation Oak Colleges, Birmingham, I met at on collective man. Stalin both times with colleagues who were lauded collective human industrial chaplains. On one occasion they achievement and dealt pitilessly puzzled over ways of getting an In his inaugural address as U.S.A. with actual human beings -both kulaks understanding of sin across to basic President, Roosevelt stated: ‘… we require and colleagues were liquidated on a workers. In the end they saw the need to two safeguards against a return to the massive scale. After Stalin’s death in 1953 express it as the ‘buggering-up factor in evils of the old order; there must be a strict this discrepancy between theory and life.’ The relevance today should be supervision of all banking credits and actuality produced a new search into the obvious. investments; there must be an end to nature of humanity in Russia and Eastern speculation with other people’s money …’ Europe. Attempts were made to see Sin is expressed in at least these two This accords with the biblical conviction whether the element of transcendence significant ways: a belief in magic, and a that God made human beings, women could be accommodated to Marxist trust in unregenerate human nature. and men together, to be responsible theory. They had found it to provide an ‘The magic of the market’, belief in its self- stewards of creation, to manage it as essential ingredient in giving value to regulatory powers, is really based on the trustees so that ‘the way it works’ fulfils human life. his good intentions for it. Ways of fantasy thesis that, whatever devilment When relationship to God is eliminated and deception are ruled out of court. They speculators get up to, some hidden force from the human, there is no restriction on will iron out consequences. They will get are evil. powers-that-be identifying human nature away with their loot if they gamble well, The early Church ruled out magic as a on their own terms and acting accordingly. and no one will lose. Those who hold to sinful delusion which withdrew people For Stalin, the truly human person would this view project no real credible world. As from trusting God in their exercise of be the faithful Party member (though he St Paul says: ‘Make no mistake about this: human responsibilities. Simon, a Jewish eliminated plenty); for Hitler, those of God is not to be fooled; everyone reaps Magus, wanted to buy the Spirit-power of Aryan race; for Mao, aficionados of the what he sows.’ (Galatians 6:7) the disciples. Peter gave him short shrift: Red Book. The dimensions of human life Play is made of the ‘invisible hand’ to ‘May your silver perish with you … were thus woefully reduced where there which Adam Smith refers. But he gives it Repent therefore of this wickedness … for was no transcendent reference.

8 : OPEN HOUSE : May 2009 Theology is needed to correct this skewed Human beings, male and female together, being transformed so that it is marked by understanding of human nature. It is the are made in God’s likeness and invited to justice, truth and peace. He presented most practical of disciplines. It addresses manage the world in partnership with himself as the way, the truth, the life. That the actual terms provided by life on earth, God, as trustees of the Creator’s intention life could be shared; with followers he asks what sense we can make of that life for it and stewards of all that has been could work in double harness. and what is required of each of us. It sees made. Marx thought that this in Jesus Christ’s life an acceptance of these downgraded humanity. The apprentice Senator Salonga of the Philippines terms and a manifestation of ways of self- who learns his craft from the master understood that when he spoke to me of giving and sacrifice which make the world craftsman is not downgraded but the evangelical necessity of research into work. He often expressed his own equipped for the job. multinational corporations, lest the world theology in parables, using the story form get into a powerful grip which is other to enable hearers to face deep questions of All through the bible there are than God’s’.Institutions, corporations, life and gain perceptions on how to live encouragements to rejoice in and share truly in a struggle for light. He showed God’s generous provision for human life banks, stock-exchanges need to turn from that there is a theology which meets and at the same time be wary of self-seeking, self-rewarding ways to people where they are, those rejected by destructive sinful pretensions in human servant ways. Great institutions will find society, illiterates, the downtrodden as nature. Jesus Christ came announcing the their true role and get their true reward well as those who find social acceptance. Kingdom, the whole fabric of created life when they accept servant status.

JIMMY KELLY Gonzaga Lecture 17th March 2009 How Liberal is Labour? Liberalism, New Conservatism and New Labour Baroness Shirley Williams of Crosby

Baroness Williams began by pointing out What was needed was devolution that the word ‘liberal’ rarely appears through referenda, freedom of before the Enlightenment, then later as an information, and a Human Rights Act, all individual’s freedom of thought, then in of which came in with Tony Blair. What economics - in the sense of free market did not come in was Smith’s fourth point, competition. Adam Smith, she reminded proportional representation, which, us, was not a prophet of modern Baroness Williams found, left us with a capitalism, his being deeply rooted in the skewed and strange voting system. ethical society of 18th century Edinburgh, Regrettably, lecture regulations prevented and in Protestant moral principles. her from consulting the audience (now Holyrood-governed), about life under a developed was seen in her conviction that As the concept of universal rights skewed and strange voting system. racism had moved out of society, which developed, Ruskin used it to mean a she found to be much less prejudiced than wider responsibility to the citizen. Later it For Dame Shirley, a golden period of it used to be. Baroness Williams did not included views encompassing the Liberalism ended after 1997, thanks to appear to make a connection of any kind widening of the franchise with Gladstone. two things: the devastation of 9/11, she between this development and the 460 Through trade unionism and democratic felt, could not have happened in a worse Acts of Parliament, 38,000 statutory socialism the Labour Government of 1945 place from the perspective of attracting instruments and 3000 new criminal helped to complete the process. As late as skewed media coverage. From the point offences. Another benefit of new 1948 university graduates had two votes, of view of casualties, Rwanda was much legislation was gender equality, with one for ‘University seats’ until the worse, but 9/11 produced in Britain 460 proper age equality in the wings. Representation of the People Act (1949). Acts of Parliament, 38,000 statutory She concluded that there had been a Voting on class lines lasted only until instruments and 3,000 new criminal substantial advance in liberal thought and about 1960, which then produced left- offences. While undoubtedly statistically action, but that civil liberties were in voting professionals and Tory-voting accurate, this may have been a new danger, for which the Executive must workers. perspective on skewed media coverage always be held to account, and that the for some of the audience. John Smith’s four points of 1983 were price of liberty was constant vigilance, important in the evolution of Labour. Another new challenge as Liberalism from all perspectives.

May 2009 : OPEN HOUSE : 9 Gonzaga Lecture 24th March 2009 The Virtuous Astronomer: How Studying the Stars is Shaped by Faith, Hope and Love Bro Guy Consolmagno sj, Curator of Meteorites at the Vatican Observatory

Making his first appearance in a pulpit, as operates according to laws, at least partly he pointed out, Brother Guy acceptable by human reason. Both science Consolmagno lectured on ‘The Virtuous and religion are concerned with creation, Astronomer: ‘How studying the stars is with the nature of reality and the origin of shaped by Faith, Hope and Love,’ being things, and both are involved with issues his contribution to ‘Faith and Politics in of truth. It is a sterile and dishonest source of all law and beauty and truth.’ St the 21st century’. He expounded his solution to separate them ‘into watertight Athanasius suggested by implication that subject effortlessly, joining Fr Nicholas boxes.’ ‘Religion starts with Truth , ‘ he the honour and duty of one who knows King sj and Professor Tom Devine at the added, ‘but only begins to approach and loves God is to know and love his top of a long list of memorable Gonzaga Understanding and Science consists of creation. ‘In other words,’ he concluded, lecturers, now 60 in number. human-made theories to describe that ‘God calls us to be scientists.’ The first of many intriguing insights was Truth. We spend out lives on the road Brother Guy outlined the spectacular his demonstration that politics and linking Truth and Understanding. contribution of the to astronomy had much more in common Scientists travel in one direction, believers astronomy, prefigured by Ignatius whose than one could have imagined. His the other; those of us who are both get to ‘greatest consolation came from the elegant dissection of the relationship experience both. It is, after all, a two-way contemplation of the heavens and the between Science and Religion, inevitably street. And Faith is both the starting point stars, which he would gaze at long and touched, charitably, on, creationism and and the goal.’ often, because from them was born in him atheism, the former giving science too Hope gives us the confidence to proceed the strongest impulse to serve Our much credit, while the theist or agnostic down that street, to see that the universe is Saviour.’ The prophet Baruch spoke of ‘the scientist is more common than the atheist. not an accidental chaos, a hope, in stars at their posts [which] shine and ‘Even an atheist scientist must still astronomy, which has to be supported by rejoice. When He calls them, they answer worship at the altar of Truth … Recall how an enormous amount of human effort, ‘Here we are!’ shining with joy for their the God of Genesis remarks on Creation, and expense. But ‘we are invited to learn maker … call it consolation, call it joy; call judging it good. Likewise, even the most about God by studying His wonderful it love.’ It is in season every year. It is the atheistic scientists experience that sense of universe’ by what Chesterton called the study of the universe, the ‘all things’, joy, that simple happiness, that sense of ‘mystic materialism’ of Christianity, and to where one finds God. It is the work of the rightness, when they uncover the elegance become technologists, engineers, doctors, Vatican Observatory. It is the work of in nature reflected in the laws of science. psychiatrists. ‘We are invited to become every observatory. We call it astronomy.’ To study science, you must accept articles astronomers. It is because that invitation The grateful thanks of the Catholic of faith, hope and love that are quite comes from God that we have the certain community go to St Aloysius College, the frankly religious in nature.’ expectation — the hope that in the beauty Headmaster, Mr John Stoer, and the There must be a faith in objective reality, of the Stars and the Laws that govern organiser Mr Hugh Campbell for a most he continued, a faith that the universe them, we will encounter Him who is the stimulating series of Gonzaga Lectures.

J. V. ISAACS A Reflective Rant

A chap came into the office, red-faced and out of explaining and analysing the current crisis. breath, ‘I’ve just run all the way behind a bus and saved myself a pound. A voice from the far corner What also crossed my mind was a timely and apt piped up and said ‘you should have run behind a quotation used by Pope Benedict in his first taxi and saved yourself a fiver.’ It’s a very old joke Encyclical ‘Deus Caritas Est’. He quotes thus, ‘The but it crossed my mind as I listened to Bankers, just ordering of Society and the State is the Politicians and Financial Commentators responsibility of Politicians. As Augustine once

10 : OPEN HOUSE : May 2009 said, a State which is not governed Had the words of the Fathers of the according to justice would be just a Church, crystallised by Pope John Paul PUBLISHER’S NOTES bunch of thieves.’ in Christifideles Laici (1988), been heeded Perhaps we should all reflect a little we may well be in a position to brave The credit crunch has adversely affected our more deeply on that brief statement in the storm which is before us. Twenty- costs. Whilst our printing and design costs have the 1 Tim: 6, ‘the love of money is the one years of building communities and remained constant our postal costs and other root of all evil’? And there is much evil giving a lead and example to all. production costs have risen. We are grateful to in the world. There is a saying in the Church that it is many of you who have made donations and we hope you will continue to do so. The new design But we have built a consumer society, never too late. Perhaps now is the time of Open House has increased the number of our and a service economy which demands to prove it. Especially as I remember the that we spend, spend, spend. The words written by one European writer subscribers. We are applying to become a financial system itself is bankrupt so several decades ago. He said ‘The 21st Registered Charity but this takes time. As a where will we go from here? While the Century will be a Christian one or not at Charity our income should increase. In the financial framework has been decaying, all’. meantime to reduce our costs we have decided so too has the framework of our Society to produce Double Issues for June/July and Another item which seems to cause and culture. August/September. As the number of some people much bother is the old subscribers continues to increase and the effects An attribute of old age is that you can British custom of giving people of being a Registered Charity produces more view what to many is history, from the nicknames. I remember many years ago income then we will lessen the number of double perspective of personal experience. One being in billets with groups of chaps issues. Our aim is to continue to publish Open of the gravest of depletions we have who lived and worked together in House as a voice for the ordinary members of experienced is the loss of that sense of harmony. I can see their faces as I the Christian Churches in Scotland in spite of the community. How has it happened? remember Jock Taff and Paddy, Scouse credit crunch. We know that you will also There are several reasons, but there is Brum Geordie and Jan from Devon. understand that printing double Issues from one at whose root lies that love of Then there was Chalky White, Dusty time to time enables us to keep the price of Open money which turns so easily to greed. Miller, Jumper Collins and Nobby House at £2.00 for each copy. Go back to the 1950s when among the Clark. Who could forget Tiny who many buzz words used by the stood 6 feet 4 inches in his stocking feet James Armstrong, ‘efficiency experts’ we had and Lofty who just managed 5 feet 2 Publisher. MAY 2009. ‘centralization’, then we had mergers inches, and then there was Darky for economy of scale, and takeovers. Knight. I wonder what we would have One by one factories closed until whole affectingly called a gentleman from ROBERT MCLAUGHLAN industries disappeared. So did the Pakistan? centres of wealth creation. Each time a BOOK CLUB community lifestyle, both inside and But language as well has been under outside the factory, developed over a attack and assisting in cultural change. SUMMER MEETINGS 2009 century and more, was lost, destroyed. New words have come into use and old ones changed in meaning. WEDNESDAY, 27 May 2009 at 7.15p.m. This was done for profit, but the price paid is yet to be calculated. The greatest commandment is to Love Monsignor Henry Docherty will talk on the book God and Neighbour, the operative ‘Turmoil & Truth’: The Historical Roots of Some people ask, ‘What does the word being Love. What a pity for the Church say about all this?’ The Church the Modern Crisis in the Catholic Church younger generations that love is now by Philip Trower (Family Publications, £10.95) has said a great deal. From Rerum synonymous with sex. Love, which is Novarum (1891) to Centesimus Annus ISBN 1-871217-40-7 ‘the heart of the Christian faith’, is (1991) there has been a steady stream of devalued every time we say love when documents culminating in the TUESDAY, 23 June 2009 at 7.15p.m. we mean sex. The description of love in publication in 2004 of ‘The James McGarry will talk on the book 1 Cor 13 seems to have been forgotten. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of ‘Culture Counts’: Faith and Feeling in a the Church’. I liked the chap who said that sex and World Besieged Unfortunately it acquired the name of love were like two chemicals. Each had by Rodger Scruton (Brief Encounters, £11.99) ‘our best kept secret’, the reason being it own properties and characteristics, www.encounterbooks.com obvious. To paraphrase a well known but when mixed together the result was Meetings are held at the Western Club saying, if the clergy were in Court, unpredictable. 32 Royal Exchange Square, . charged with spreading or promoting Society and the world are changing. the social teaching of the Church, Those who are responsible for the Cost per meeting - £6.00. would there by enough evidence to direction of the Church have to make To book: Contact James Armstrong by convict them? up their minds whether we are to be phoning 0141 427 2222 or writing to Added to the documents referred to part of that change or sit on 26 Torridon Ave.,Glasgow G41 5AU above, we have had many others which the sidelines and live with the E-mail: [email protected] consequences. Rome has spoken, it should have touched the lives of all the Pre-meeting drinks at 6.45. faithful. is up to us to respond.

May 2009 : OPEN HOUSE : 11 Film Review IAN D. WILLOCK In the Loop

‘The Finest Satire in Years’, ‘Impossibly statement to the media that ‘war is and stamps it to disintegration on the floor. Hilarious’, ‘Sheer Genius’, Deliriously unforeseeable’ and spends much of the film The film moves on to two contrasting Funny’. Allowing for the traditional trying to explain what he meant. He is settings. Simon is sent by the Prime hyperbole, it might be worth a laugh or two. overshadowed by Peter Capaldi as Minister to Washington for 48 hours to find And so it delivers, but no more. Malcolm Tucker who gives his own As most people sickening flavour to the whole film. But will now know, who is Malcolm Tucker? He seems to be a this film figure of power who can shriek at a Cabinet purports to be a Minister and is in contact with the Prime satire on British Minister and yet has no title or function. He and USA is also a sufferer from what the psychiatrists international call Tourette’s Syndrome, having in relations. And abundance the two characteristics of facial they will bring jerks and relentless swearing. It has been some kind of suggested that he is inspired by Alistair assumptions to Campbell (Blair’s Press Spokesman), but on the cinema. But that we could not possibly comment. He is Peter Capaldi and Chris Addison in a scene Director Armando Iannucci how do they highly unoriginal in his swearing only from the film link them with rarely proceeding beyond the ‘f ***’ word to the satire? The principal characters are an occasional ‘Jesus Christ’. Late in the film out what is going on. He takes the political never introduced. Nor do the two official an equally crude Scots journalist, James adviser, if such he is, and not surprisingly internet trailers help in any way. Without MacDonald, makes a brief and ineffective Malcolm turns up too. Most people ignore being too ponderous successful satire surely appearance, leading one to think, surely them. But when Simon is asked to demands some shared knowledge about Gordon Ramsay must have been contribute to a meeting of what is officially what is being satirised. We never meet the unavailable. the Planning Committee but known to US President or the UK Prime Minister. It There is also a shadowy young man who on insiders as the War Committee, he fluffs the would not be reasonable at this time to little evidence might just be a non-swearing opportunity. Not a chance our urbane portray, say, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald political adviser. The Americans are fairly Foreign Secretary would miss. Reagan, but some hint as to whether they colourless with one gross exception, a The most satisfying touch is when the are right or left wing and what country they General who hangs around the politicians United Kingdom representatives return are contemplating unleashing war upon in a green uniform bedecked with ribbons from their jaunt to Washington and the UN would have injected a little more reality. and medals. Surprisingly he is anti-war: as at New York and they are at once plunged However, we become boringly familiar he observes ‘civilians want to go to war. into Simon’s constituency affairs in with their underlings. There is a nervous Once you have been there, you don’t want Northampton, looking into a septic tank shy little man, Simon Foster, who is a to go back. It’s like France.’ His most and a constituents collapsing wall. Cabinet Minister, though what his portfolio memorable scene is when he grabs a fax Suddenly one thinks, yes this is the way it is remains obscure. He is haunted by a machine whose output he disapproves of is. High flyers have to come down to earth. Theatre Review WILLY SLAVIN Be Near Me

Priests may be flattered to know that having been adapted for the stage, has its opening week in The Palace Theatre, their image, at least in the fallen state, is been chosen by the recently founded Kilmarnock. After an extended run in still a box office attraction. Andrew National Theatre of Scotland as its latest London it has played in the main Scottish O’Hagan’s latest novel, Be Near Me, production. Not a ticket was to be had for cities before returning to England.

12 : OPEN HOUSE : May 2009 The title is from the opening line of the 50th the influence of drink and drugs. It is clear the play is better than the book. Certainly canto of Tennyson’s poem In Memoriam O’Hagan sees Bourtreehill from the point of the four main actors brought a zest to their A.H.H. Tennyson’s close friend, Arthur view of London where he now lives: there is parts which lent focus to the story. Hallam, died suddenly at 24 putting the nothing of human history on the estate, just The main thrust of O’Hagan’s book is the poet’s conventional Anglican faith into life an immoderate acceptance of life’s low plight of the homosexual vowed to celibacy. long doubt. The hero of O’Hagan’s book is standards and a desire for state benefits and Although Larkin had his tongue in his a Catholic priest, David Anderton, whose babies. This is a contrast with Scottish based cheek when he said sex had been invented closest friend Conor was killed in an writers like McIlvanney for whom the accident. Thereafter Conor remains near to history, often in old industries, is very much in 1964 it is true that it is from about then him in all his subsequent struggles and alive. that sex has become the common idiom of temptations. the media, arts and eventually ordinary The other social feature is sectarianism conversation to the extent that it is now in In his first novel, Our Fathers, O’Hagan which, as here, is often described as a West the vocabulary of pre-school children. This recalls his family origins in the East End of of Scotland phenomenon but which is has, amongst other things, obliterated the Glasgow and his upbringing in Irvine new much more in your face in deprived areas of difference between homosexual relations town. Following his success with Personality Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Inverclyde and West (which can be as discreet as heterosexual based on the life of Lena Zavaroni he places Lothian than it is in a city of relative ones) and, on the other hand, camp Fr Anderton in St John Ogilvie’s, opportunity like Glasgow. In the Glasgow behaviour which needs a public forum. Dalgarnock, clearly Bourtreehill housing Citizens Theatre it was much enjoyed by the estate. An unsettled priest of Lancaster young audience, as was the constant foul There’s an interesting passage in the book Diocese for 20 years he has come to language. As an Englishman Fr Anderton is (p179) about the previous illegality of Scotland because of a friendship he had further marginalised. homosexual relations: privacy was not just a survival requirement but something quite central to what we had. I’ve seen men holding hands in the years since and wondered if something wasn’t lost by what they gained (by legalisation). We found it easy to outwit the law because our own law called for caution. It is this caution that Fr Anderton throws to the wind in drink. There’s also an interesting comment on priests as boys who never grow up (p203): one lives like an orphan in a beautiful paternalistic dream. During the trial this is Fr Anderton’s defence. He genuinely thought of himself as Author Andrew O’Hagan Ian McDiarmid, Richard Madden, Helen Mallon in Be Near Me an equal with the 15 year old hooligan. Critics have thought that the efforts of the Although there has long been a desire to during studies in Rome with the Bishop of priest to contact what are now described as conduct a witch hunt of priests in Scotland Galloway, not entirely fanciful since St John feral youngsters is the least successful part there has been little evidence of priests Ogilvie is still run by non-Scottish Sacred of the book. There are a couple of behaving as boys in this sense. For many of Heart Fathers. cringeworthy pages as the author tries to them, and for some still, ‘the boys’ are the The climax of the story is the priest’s trial for offer middle class readers a pharmacopoeia other priests with whom they had to live in sexual assault on a 15 year old boy whom of current street usage. This is Irvine Welsh large presbyteries with little of the licence he admits to kissing while both were under territory. Opinion is divided as to whether afforded to Fr Anderton. Book Review PAUL FITZPATRICK Teddy Boy Blue by Edward M. Taylor, (Glasgow: Kennedy and Boyd, 2008) (Also available at Amazon Books) 269 pages £14.95. Teddy Taylor was the Conservative MP for Southend East in a bye-election in 1980 with 41 years as a Member of Parliament. This Glasgow Cathcart between 1964 and 1979, a majority of 400, a majority which he autobiography is dedicated to the other famously losing his seat, against the national restored to its ‘rightful’ level of 10000 in the members of the ‘group of eight’ - the eight swing, in the very year which swept Mrs next General Election. When first elected, he Tory MPs who lost the Party whip under Thatcher to power. After a brief absence was the youngest member of the House; John Major for voting against the from Parliament, he was elected MP for when he retired in 2005, he had completed Government on the subject of Europe - and

May 2009 : OPEN HOUSE : 13 the threat of Europe to the British traditions up during the Second World War, he Government Ministers, who rely heavily on of Parliamentary democracy forms the admired the political leadership of Churchill the work of their civil servants. His is a ‘Yes backdrop to Taylor’s reflections. It is as the embodiment of all that was right and Minister’ approach to politics, without the perhaps typical of the man that he has admirable. He describes such leaders, laughs. Yet he remains a stout defender of included in an appendix a profile of him without a hint of irony, as ‘inspired and Parliamentary practices and pays close entitled ‘Nutty but Nice’ first published in faultless visionaries whose qualities were attention to the work of its committees and The Observer in August 1996 by the political unique and wonderful’ (p3). Politics the law-making process. It is not his purpose journalist Andrew Billen, which alludes to certainly appeared to the young Taylor as an to reveal secrets or report gossip: he allows various features of his career passed over by honourable occupation. He sat on the himself a story about the dining the man himself, including his knighthood. Conservative benches of the Glasgow arrangements which had to be introduced in Parliamentary Debating Society largely the House of Commons to accommodate the So, is he indeed ‘nice’ (a favourite Taylor because ‘it seemed the respectable thing to presence of both Ian Paisley and Bernadette term) or is he dangerous? Is he an innocent do and not because, at the time, I had any Devlin - solution: a staggered lunch hour, at large in the vicious world of Westminster great knowledge of party policies’ and just like at school! Little information is politics or himself a fomenter of that because it might have distressed his parents provided about his voting record in viciousness? Even the title of his memoir had he joined another political group (p13). Parliament and little analysis is offered of highlights the uncertainty - is it a playful When he first stood for Parliament in 1959, the issues of the day. He is content with and ironic juxtaposition of conservative he stood as a Unionist. In fact he regrets the remarks like ‘I gained the impression during identity and modern culture, or a decision of the Conservative Party in the a visit to Angola, Mozambique and provocative allusion to a deeply entrenched early 1960s to move into local government Rhodesia that none of these countries would association between Scottish Conservatism in Scotland. Until then a variety of do well with self government and I gained and Protestantism which will set on edge Progressives, Moderates and Independents the impression that Iain Smith had a great the teeth of all those Glaswegians who are had generally upheld basic Conservative deal of genuine support amongst the neither conservative nor Rangers ideas. ‘Many people who were perfectly African majority’ (p232). supporters? Is he better thought of as a willing to vote for local non-socialist parties Teddy Taylor comes over as a man of maverick with interesting views on were simply not willing to support decency and honesty, self deprecating - ‘my unfashionable foreign policy topics like Iran Conservative candidates’ (p 75). No further life has been haunted with luck’ (p 186) - and Libya, or as a Monday club member analysis of the nature of Scottish sceptical about the pretensions of power, an who regrets the passing of capital Conservatism is found in this book. Much of accidental politician, responsible, punishment and for whom Mrs Thatcher its sensibility, like its author’s, seems to conventional, careful, prudent, loyal, eager was too liberal? Is he a Tory ideologue or an belong to an earlier age, marked by a lower to help, decent. He is a social conservative old-fashioned independent? middle class sense of deference combined unsure how to deal with the myriad with a commitment to civic duty, an age The book reinforces the reader’s puzzlement problems of a Castlemilk, yet willing to try. whose passing Taylor, unsurprisingly, without providing a clear answer to any of But is all the effort spent in getting elected regrets. these questions. More detail is provided on worth it, when his achievements are his early forays into local government in Yet he made his mark as a hard working apparently meagre and the treasured Glasgow than on his parliamentary career. constituency MP who paid close attention to democratic freedoms of Britain are in He became involved in representational the ‘grass roots’ and who cherished the roles danger of being lost to Brussels? He seems politics from a young age, first standing for played by countless local activists. This is burdened by self-doubt, but he manages to Glasgow City Council in 1958 while still a where he seems happiest, in helping conclude on an optimistic note: people can student, as the Progressive candidate in the individuals through his weekly surgeries. work together to solve common problems Townhead ward, and yet his motivation for He was an assiduous attender of meetings, and telling the truth is the most powerful doing so remains unclear. Why was he so who remained keenly aware of the means for engaging people. These keen to be a young conservative? Growing limitations of the power both of MPs and of reminders are undoubtedly timely.

JAMES MCGARRY The Weight of a Mustard Seed by Wendell Steavenson (Atlantic Books) £14.99.

Iraq is a country but not a nation. Its produced a republic, which became a international power by developing population of eighteen million has been tyranny in 1979 under Saddam Hussein. nuclear weaponry and chemical and ruled by Arab conquerors, then by the A wasteful war with Iran lasted from biological means of terror. He used Ottoman Empire until 1918, when it was 1980 to 1988. In 1990, conquest of Kuwait poisons in his assaults on the minority established as a kingdom, administered in pursuit of oil-wealth and access to the Kurdish people of Iraq. He was deposed by Great Britain until 1932, after which Persian Gulf was reversed by United by invasion in 2003, captured, tried and date it was sovereign. A coup in 1958 Nations forces. Saddam Hussein sought hanged.

14 : OPEN HOUSE : May 2009 Iraq has a long history of disorder, strain of trying to reconcile his conscience Government must have a monopoly of dissension, tribalism, lethal enforcement of with the horrific policies of Saddam violence. Guns in other hands means power, felt in every family. It has no history Hussein needed some relief, which he chaos, feuds, and revenge for ever.’ That of democracy, civil society, justice or peace. sought in Islamic faith and practice. He sentence covers the national scene. The It has had universities, scholarship, imposed strict dress and behaviour on his writer’s attempt to express the struggle of medical expertise technology, international wife and children, and became a divided one man reduced to the status of agent by travel, television and radio: all of these man, trying to resist excesses of cruelty tyranny certainly excites the sympathy of aspects of modern life are there, but all from his leader, but in the process falling the reader. dominated by central power: all under suspicion. In the end, in 1998 he was conditional, insecure, controlled. Wendell executed. It could be considered that most of us in Britain look at Iraq through a telescope: we Steavenson seeks to illustrate the plight of Wendell Steavenson went to Iraq in 2003, are preoccupied by regret and guilt that in Iraqis by recounting the life story of Kamel her contact was a Dr. Hassan, a psychiatrist 2003 the defence of the West by removing Sachet, a clever boy, who worked hard at who led her to the home of Kamel Sachet, school, took one of the limited range of to interview and befriend his widow and Saddam Hussein from power was at least chances for a career by entering the Police children. The story is presented in a series a proximate cause of the present chaos of Force then the Army. He was a brave and of flashbacks, which make it rather Iraq. This book, by contrast, could be said effective soldier, and, in time was difficult to follow. There is no originality to look through a microscope, to detail the promoted by Saddam Hussein to the rank here but dismay and sadness, almost human reality. Nothing that we learn of General. The year was 1979, and for despair at the state of the country. A changes that reality. The harrowing tale nearly twenty years Sachet served his measure of the awfulness is the comment may leave the reader feeling that he has leader and his country. He was a good of an Iraqi Administrator, ‘the only been invited to look through a keyhole into father to his large family, but the terrible solution is imposed Order. The a darkened room.

YOUR LETTERS Dear Editors...

Dear Editors, Dear Editors,

You assert in your April 09 Editorial that the young Catholics I am rather puzzled that Lynn Jolly read my film review of who have arrived in recent years from Eastern Europe, Africa, Doubt ‘with growing bewilderment’. She acknowledges ‘about India, etc., did not receive a warm welcome in our Parishes. If some things we agree’ - many I would say. one accepts the assertion as factual (I would take it with a pinch of salt) it presents only one side of a coin. The other side of the But I do disagree that ‘the Council is everywhere here’. The same coin is that many of these new arrivals have shown little docile Parishioners pack the Church in silence. Sister Aloysius interest in becoming part of ordinary day to day Parish life. The pounces on any inattentive children. No sign of the dialogue relationship between ‘us’ and ‘them’ often reduces to we will mass which, in Aberdeen Cathedral at least, was encouraged supply the venue (i.e. empty Church building) and you supply from 1961 and prepared the congregation for the coming of everything else (i.e. Priest and Congregation). English in 1967.

The retiring Archbishop of Westminster raised a few eyebrows I did ponder as to whether Sister’s preoccupation with closing the window that kept blowing open had a symbolic some time back when he warned against the creation of parallel significance, that it showed her anxiety that her position would Churches. More recently and nearer home the Bishop of not be undermined by what was happening in Rome. But after Aberdeen wondered if perhaps we have been too 45 years knowledge of that cannot be assumed in any audience. accommodating in our approach. As I see it, the year 1964 is insignificant. The film is about the The issue of integration is a debate whose time has come in the authoritarian system which is the Catholic Church. Within it Scottish Church. Diversity is a vital ingredient of Roman there are rival power systems, here the diocesan priesthood and Catholicism but so too is unity. the teaching sisterhood, in each of which power can be abused.

Yours sincerely However, I am glad that someone was watching a fascinating Rev John Lyons film with thoughtful attention. Glasgow Ian D Willock, Dundee.

May 2009 : OPEN HOUSE : 15 REPRESENTING THE GONZAGA RELIGION IN LECTURES 2009 HOLOCAUST Recordings of the 2009 Gonzaga Lectures EXHIBITIONS are now available at the price of West of Scotland Council £6.00 each lecture including p&p of Christians and Jews The complete series is available for £16.00 including p&p Recordings of all the 2008 Gonzaga Lectures are also available at the price of £12.00 inc p&p Two suppliers from which to obtain the recordings are: Frank Trias, 33 Eskdale Road, , G61 1JZ. Representing Religion in Mobile: 0750 768 3364 Holocaust Exhibitions With Hannah Holtschneider E-mail: [email protected] Lecturer in Modern Judaism at the AND University of Edinburgh Pauline Books & Media Tuesday 12th May at 7.30 pm Newlands South Church 5a-7 Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, G1 3AH Corner of Langside Drive and Tel: 0141 226 3391 Riverside Road G43 E-mail [email protected] (Opposite Langside Station) AGM at 7.15 Tea will be served Full list of recordings can be obtained from the suppliers.

OPEN HOUSE Web Site: www.open-house-scot.co.uk WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE DONATIONS SENT IN THE PAST MONTHS. Please continue to send donations. With them we are able to survive in our present form. Please accept our apologies for not acknowledging gifts individually due to lack of staff. FOR OUR FUTURE PLANS WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE EMAIL NUMBERS FROM AS MANY OF YOU AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE SEND THEM TO JAMES ARMSTRONG’S E-mail no: [email protected] CONTACTING OPEN HOUSE. Please contact any of the following team with articles news, reviews and letters. IAN WILLOCK Phone 01382 646957. [email protected] 11 Norwood Crescent, Dundee DD2 1PD WILLY SLAVIN [email protected] • MICHAEL TURNBULL [email protected] JAMES ARMSTRONG Phone 0141 427 2222. [email protected] Fax: 0141 427 0500 Address: 26 Torridon Ave., Glasgow G41 5AU. Publisher (phone Publisher on any issue re Open House) SUBSCRIBE/RENEW FOR ONE YEAR Send cheque for £20 made payable to Open House to Alison Whitton, Administrative Secretary, Clematis Cottage, William Street, Carnoustie, DD7 6DG [email protected] One monthly edition of Open house costs just over £900 to produce and post. Please also send donations by cheque payable to Open House to Alison Whitton at the aforesaid address. EDITORIAL BOARD Jim McManus; Rev. Ian Fraser; Michael O’Donnell; Elizabeth Kearney; Maeve McGlynn; Jennifer Stark; John Cooney.

Typesetting: Alison Whitton - [email protected] Printing: Prontaprint, Hawkhill, Dundee. 16 : OPEN HOUSE : May 2009 Design & Layout: Iain MacPherson Design, Glasgow. Tel: 0141 639 8922. Email: [email protected]