Don’t miss Pope Francis’ prayerful and emotional visit to Albania where he spoke out against those who use religion as pretext for violence. See Page 6. No 5588 VISIT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER ONLINE AT WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK Friday September 26 2014 | £1 Young Scottish Catholics became BUILD MY the first among equals on Sunday when close to 200 CHURCH— of them took part in the first national youth pilgrimage MISSION organsied by Catholic Youth Service Scotland. MONTH Pilgrims at the Dunfermline event are seen here By Fr Tom Welsh receiving medals National director from Archbishop Mission Matters Scotland Leo Cushley of St Andrews and ARCHBISHOP Leo Cushley, the Edinburgh, Bishop president of Mission Matters Scot- Joseph Toal of land, is appealing to the nation’s Motherwell and Catholics to be enthusiastic and Bishop John Keenan generous in their support of the of Paisley. Church’s missionary work during Pilgrimage report, World Mission Month in October. page 2 “This year’s focus, Mongolia, is a PIC: PAUL young church that is growing,” the McSHERRY Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh said. “Its people are filled with zeal for the Faith, but lack resources to spread our Gospel of love. Such support is a concrete way to build our Church throughout the world. “The Faith came to us in Scotland from beyond our borders. St Ninian was a Briton—we’re not really sure from where in these islands—St NATIONAL YOUTH PILGRIMAGE Columba was an Irishman and St Margaret, our queen, was an Anglo- Saxon. We owe a debt of gratitude to many missionaries like them who first brought the Gospel to our land. “Your prayers and financial support Church pays tribute to First Minister on World Mission Sunday directly benefit the mission church places.” Prayers and donations offered to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith I Scotland’s bishops call for active Catholic participation post referendum on World Mission Sunday directly bene- fit the mission church. October provides By Liz Leydon Archbishop Tartaglia went on to say Scotland’s Professor John Haldane of St Andrews University a privileged period when the Faithful of bishops remain grateful for the support and assistance said. “It was used again by the Prime Minister in various continents engage in prayer and SCOTLAND’S bishops have hailed Alex Salmond given by the Scottish Government before and during response to the outcome of the 2014 independence concrete gestures of solidarity in support as a ‘wonderful champion’ for Scotland and ‘one of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Scotland in 2010 referendum. In so far as anything is ever settled in of the young Churches in mission lands. the most able politicians’ in British history after the and wished Mr Salmond ‘every blessing and happi- human affairs, we must now assume that just as there For next month’s campaign, Mission First Minister announced he was stepping down as ness in the future.’ is no going back on devolution, so there is no going Matters Scotland is focusing on the SNP leader following last week’s 55 to 45 per cent back on the decision to remain part of the United words from St Matthew’s Gospel: “I Will no vote in the independence referendum. Referendum Kingdom. The question is how to strike a new Build My Church,” (Matthew 16:18) The bishops, who respect the result of the ballot, Last Friday the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland balance between the constituent parts of the UK. That to help the world’s youngest Catholic are also urging the Catholic community to continue released a statement recognising and respecting the is a great challenge but also a great opportunity to Church, the Church In Mongolia. to be active in public debate and decision-making. result of the Scottish referendum, that Scotland renew the politics of the UK.” Bishop Wenceslao (Wens) Padilla, the should remain a part of the United Kingdom, and Rennie McOwan, a former SCO editor, however, first Bishop of Mongolia, and his fellow First Minister commending ‘all those who participated in what was said: “The constitutional debate will rumble on and a missionary priests from the Congregation In a letter to Mr Salmond, Archbishop Philip a passionate and sometimes partisan debate.’ second statement by our bishops would be of value. of the Immaculate Heart of Mary work Tartaglia of Glasgow expressed the thanks and “The vast majority of Scots engaged with the A major sore is still with us in the presence on among families and children in need, support of Scotland’s bishops for his long service to referendum and it is our hope that we can all now Scottish soil of the nuclear installations at Faslane on sharing God’s love and mercy. the country. cooperate for the benefit of our nation in future,” they say. the Holy Loch. After decades of struggling in a “The bishops are especially grateful for your “We urge the Catholic community to continue to “We should not mince our words.The possession communist ruled country, with no recognition of the important place of religion and engage in public debate and decision-making and, in of nuclear weapons is a sinful act. Popes in modern religious freedom, it is only recently faith in Scotland, for your support of Catholic edu- doing so, to uphold the meaning and importance of times have made it plain that all weapons of mass that the people of Mongolia have had cation as making its own distinctive contribution to the Christian message. May God bless Scotland.” destruction are evil.” the opportunity to hear the Good the good of Scotland as a whole, and for your sensi- Labour MSP Elaine Smith said she was ‘relieved News of Jesus Christ. tivity to the issues around religious freedom which Catholic reaction that Scotland has voted decisively to stay within the are emerging in our country as they are elsewhere,” Prominent Catholics on both sides of the referendum UK partnership with further devolved powers for our I Continued on page 2 the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland issue who campaigned prior to the ballot also gave Scottish Parliament.’ says in his letter. the SCO their reactions to the no result. I Continued on page 3 “With good reason, you have been described as “Scotland has debated and Scotland has decided. one of the most able and influential political leaders In 1999 referring to the referendum that inaugurated I Reconciliation service Edinburgh, Archbishop that Scotland and the United Kingdom has ever devolution the then Labour leader John Smith coined Tartaglia on sectarian trouble in Glasgow, page 3 produced.” the phrase ‘the settled will of the Scottish people,’” I Rennie McOwan’s opinion, see page 11 SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 I e-mail [email protected] 2 WHAT’S ON SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2014 THE opening of the new legal SPOTLIGHT ON year was marked in Edinburgh on Sunday with the annual Red Mass. Archbishop Leo Cushley was the main celebrant as Scotland’s Law Lords, the Catholic judges of the High Court of Justiciary, sheriffs, advocates, solicitors and law students all dressed in their robes of office, came to St Mary’s Cathedral to ask for spiritual guidance in the forthcoming judicial year. The High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court of Scotland. Among those attending this year’s Red Mass was the Right Hon Lord Gill, Lord President and Lord Justice General PICS: PAUL McSHERRY Following in the footsteps of St Margaret Help the Church’s mission I Continued from page 1 vocations to mission. There has been a growing awareness of the By Daniel Harkins True to his Faith and his mis- identity and mission of the lay sion, Bishop Wens, a missionary Faithful in the Church, as well as priest, arrived in Mongolia with a recognition that they are called ALMOST 200 young people two fellow priests 20 years ago to take an increasingly important followed in the footsteps of to build the Catholic Church, role in the spread of the Gospel.” St Margaret last Sunday as and the Kingdom of God Pope Francis frequently they gathered in Dunfermline on earth. reminds the Faithful of the Bap- for the first national pilgrim- By proclaiming and sharing tismal commitment to proclaim age to St Margaret organised their Faith through spiritual and the Gospel to all men and women. by Catholic Youth Service practical outreach including edu- Mission support is a concrete Scotland. cation, medical care and voca- way to ‘build our Church’—to The young Catholics visited tional skill training programmes, deepen your relationship with the cave where St Margaret went the first missionaries slowly Jesus by helping Bishop Wens, to pray and to escape the hustle built the Mongolian Catholic the first Bishop of Mongolia, and and bustle of her life as well as Church in this non-Christian so many other missionaries visiting her tomb and Dun- country where generations had around the world. fermline Abbey. never before heard about Archbishop Cushley concludes: The pilgrimage culminated in Jesus Christ. “Vast areas of the world today Mass in St Margaret’s Church Countless communities in are still in need of missionaries with Archbishop Leo Cushley of Mongolia and across the world to proclaim the love of God St Andrews and Edinburgh, have not yet heard the Good revealed in Jesus Christ. episcopal president of CYSS, News. In this year’s appeal, “Mission Matters Scotland is Bishop John Keenan of Paisley Mission Matters Scotland invites the Catholic Church’s official and Bishop Joseph Toal of the role of young people, partic- ducted, how delighted he was to Margaret’s to provide the oppor- Catholics to reach out and help mission charity.