Redefining Marriage Would Be Shameful I Cardinal Keith O’Brien Warns of the Consequences of Legalising Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ in Hard-Hitting Statement
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KEVIN McKENNA says that the womb has SUSAN BOYLE and BISHOP EMERITUS become the most vulnerable, rather than JOHN MONE help St Andrew’s Secondary the safest, place for an unborn child in School in Glasgow launch its Scotland to be. Page 10 Lenten charities appeal. Pag e 6 No 5457 www.sconews.co.uk Friday March 9 2012 | £1 Redefining marriage would be shameful I Cardinal Keith O’Brien warns of the consequences of legalising same-sex ‘marriage’ in hard-hitting statement By Ian Dunn redefinition of marriage would have terrible consequences. MAKING JESUS THEIR GOAL CARDINAL Keith O’Brien has issued his “Imagine for a moment that the government had hardest-hitting warning to date on the conse- decided to legalise slavery but assured us that ‘no quences of legalising same-sex ‘marriage’ in one will be forced to keep a slave,’” he said. the UK. “Would such worthless assurances calm our fury? The cardinal has said that a redefinition of mar- Would they justify dismantling a fundamental riage would result in ‘shaming our country,’ and human right? Or would they simply amount to would be a ‘violation of human rights’ and appear weasel words masking a great wrong?” ‘grotesque to some people.’ In a subsequent radio interview, responding to His strong comments will give a boost to the those who claimed his remarks were inflamma- bishops of England and Wales as they launch their tory, the cardinal stated this was not the case. own campaign against the UK Government’s plan “I don’t think it’s inflammatory at all,” he said. to launch a consultation on legalising same sex “I think it’s handing on the teaching of the Chris- ‘marriage’ this month. tian Church for more than 2000 years and I am doing my best to hand it on in a way that many Leading opposition people can hear it. The natural law teaching of Cardinal O’Brien, who is leading the fight against what marriage is is quite simple. It is natural for a the Scottish Government’s plans to redefine mar- man and woman to be together for the procreation riage in Scotland, said that the UK Government’s and education of children and for their own mutual suggestion that religious bodies need not partici- love.” pate in same sex ceremonies was ‘disingenuous’ and ‘staggeringly arrogant.’ English and Welsh campaign “Redefining marriage will have huge implica- Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster is to tions for what is taught in our schools, and for urge the Catholics of England and Wales to peti- wider society,” the cardinal, president of the Bish- tion their MPs to reject any change to the legal ops’ Conference of Scotland, warned in a London definition of marriage. newspaper article. A letter from the archbishop, to be read out at all The cardinal hopes that his message will be parishes in England and Wales this Sunday, will heard by all MPs, including Scottish MPs, who warn that any change to who is allowed to marry will be able to vote on any proposal to legalise would be a ‘profoundly radical step’ stripping same-sex ‘marriage’ brought forward by the coali- marriage of its ‘distinctive nature.’ tion government. “The reasons given by our government for want- “Disingenuously, the government has suggested ing to change the definition of marriage are those of that same-sex ‘marriage’ wouldn’t be compulsory equality and discrimination,” the letter, which is co- and churches could choose to opt out,” he said. signed by Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark, “This is staggeringly arrogant. No government has will state. “But our present law does not discrimi- the moral authority to dismantle the universally nate unjustly when it requires both a man and a understood meaning of marriage.” woman for marriage. It simply recognises and pro- The cardinal went on to say that ‘if same-sex tects the distinctive nature of marriage.” ‘marriage’ is enacted into law’ teachers who dis- The letter also states that the nature of marriage agreed with it could be ‘removed’ from their posts is beyond the power of parliaments to legislate on. as the ‘madness’ of politicians who sought to ‘jet- “The roots of the institution of marriage lie in tison’ and ‘subvert’ marriage was ‘indulged.’ our nature,” it says. “This pattern is, of course, “Other dangers exist,” he added. “If marriage affirmed by many other religious traditions— can be redefined so that it no longer means a man understood as a lifelong commitment between a and a woman but two men or two women, why man and a woman, and for the creation and stop there? Why not allow three men or a woman upbringing of children, marriage is an expression and two men to constitute a marriage, if they of our fundamental humanity.” pledge their fidelity to one another?” The letter is accompanied by a cover note ask- ing priests to encourage their parishioners to sign Terrible consequences a petition set up by the group Coalition for Mar- In a message that will have a strong resonance in riage, opposing the redefinition of marriage. Scotland, where the results of the Nationalist Gov- Pontifical North American College seminarian Nick Nelson of Duluth Diocese, Minnesota, controls the ball as ernment’s consultation on legalising same-sex I [email protected] the college played a football match against Redemptoris Mater during the Clericus Cup tournament in Rome on Saturday March 3. The US seminarians won the game 1-0 ‘marriage’ have been delayed until at least April to process the huge response, the cardinal said a I Editorial, page 14 TRIBUTES PAID TO JAMES MacMILLAN YOUNG CATHOLICS leading Scottish suggests studied to take part in the lawyer after his scepticism on 50th International tragic death in independence Eucharistic Pakistan for Scotland Congress in Dublin CATHOLIC FUTURE CATHOLIC Page 3 McBRIDE QC PAUL Page 11 Page 8 visit www.sconews.co.uk EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS EUCHARISTIC SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 I e-mail [email protected] 2 PICTURE NEWS SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday March 9 2012 Galloway launches This is Our Faith Bishop Cunningham welcomes teachers and pupils for religious education syllabus unveiling By Martin Dunlop Galloway Diocese, council and education repre- (Above) Bishop John Cunningham, Michael McGrath, we achieve,” Ms McKay said. “We are seeing a sentatives and headteachers, staff and pupils from director of the Scottish Catholic Education Service real resurgence in commitment and enthusiasm and staff and pupils from Galloway Diocese pictured LAST Wednesday evening it was the turn diocesan primary and secondary schools. after their official launch of the This is Our Faith for teaching the Faith.” of Galloway Diocese to launch This is Our Ms McKay emphasised that an important part religious education syllabus. (Above right) Headteachers Ms McKay was also keen to pay tribute to the Faith, the new syllabus for religious educa- of the celebration was focused on Galloway’s are presented with a copy of the syllabus by the bishop role of schools’ parent councils, chairs of which tion in Scottish Catholic schools. links with St Ninian and, earlier in the day, Fr PICS: PAUL McSHERRY were present at the launch, and their ongoing Bishop John Cunningham of Galloway was Kitchen and the headteachers of the four work in forming partnerships between the joined at St Margaret’s Cathedral, Ayr, for the Catholic secondary schools in the diocese, St Mr McGrath spoke to the more than 300 peo- Church, schools and parents. School pupils from launch by Michael McGrath, director of the Scot- Joseph’s, Dumfries, St Joseph’s, Kilmarnock, St ple gathered at the cathedral about This is Our throughout the diocese played their part in the tish Catholic Education Service, Fr Philip Kitchen, Matthew’s, Saltcoats and Queen Margaret, Ayr, Faith’s background and the fact that the docu- day’s celebrations and those gathered at the cathe- Galloway Diocese’s primary school RE adviser, along with senior pupils, had celebrated Mass at ment has received the official approval of the dral had the opportunity to enjoy the singing of Fr Mark Kelly, Donna McKay, primary school RE Whithorn, where copies of This is Our Faith, Vatican, while Ms McKay spoke about the the choir of St John’s Primary School, Ayr. co-advisor for the diocese, local MPs and MSPs, which were later distributed to primary and sec- Catholic Faith in Galloway Diocese. the four provosts of the local authorities within ondary school headteachers, were blessed. “We are very proud of our schools and what I [email protected] Sisters says goodbye to Craigmillar after 20 years PIC: PAUL McSHERRY CARDINAL Keith O’Brien got to know so very many special O’Brien, who celebrated Mass celebrated Mass at St people in the parish.’ alongside Fr Boniface Kruger Teresa’s Church, Craigmillar, The parish has also served OFM, guardian, and Fr Juniper Pro-life film premieres in Glasgow on Sunday as a thanksgiving the Little Company of Mary, Adams OFM, St Teresa’s parish for the apostolate of the Poor (popularly referred to as the priest, said. CARDINAL Keith O’Brien life, as does this film Doonby, we when we tamper with God given Servants of the Mother of ‘Blue Nuns,’ in reference to the The cardinal added that ‘we addressed the audience must again ask ourselves just life in the ways in which we do,” God and the Little Company colour of their veils) since the can now thank God for the won- (above) at the premiere of what has been happening since the cardinal said.