Mary’s Meals thanks school meal blogger The excitement of the Eucharistic MARTHA PAYNE for ‘banned’ efforts that Congress: AUXILIARY BISHOP ROBSON’S have now raised close to £100,000 blogs Pages 12-13 and CARDINAL O’BRIEN, for the charity. Page 5 BISHOP TARTAGLIA in special section inside. No 5472 www.sconews.co.uk Friday June 22 2012 | £1 Remain in ‘Communion with Christ’ I Pope Benedict XVI urges Catholics in Ireland at Eucharistic Congress to keep the Faith in Year of Faith By Ian Dunn POPE Benedict XVI has called on Catholics to embrace ‘Communion with Christ’ and each other as the Church moves towards a brighter future. The Holy Father sent this message to pilgrims at the close of the 50th International Eucharistic Con- gress in Dublin last Sunday. In his pre-recorded message, broadcast during the Statio Orbis in Croke Park that attracted around 80,000 pilgrims, the Holy Father said the Church in Ireland and throughout the world had a chance to advance through a period of renewal in the wake of the congress. Faith and renewal The forthcoming Year of Faith, starting from Octo- ber, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, would be a focus for that renewal, the Pope said. “It is clear that a great deal has been achieved; but it is equally clear that there have been many misunderstandings and irregularities,” the Pope said. “In a changed world, increasingly fixated on material things, we must learn to recognise anew the mysterious presence of the Risen Lord, which alone can give breadth and depth to our life.” Pope Benedict added that this renewal was espe- cially needed in Ireland after the clergy sex abuse scandal there. He said it was ‘a mystery’ why Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Vatican's Congre- Scottish hierarchy priests and other Church officials abused children gation for Bishops, centre left, arrives with other treasury, which is the Catholic Church in Ireland. entrusted in their care, undermining Faith in the prelates for the closing Mass of the 50th International Cardinal Keith O’Brien, one of the five principal That was largely why I chose to attend the Church ‘in an appalling way,’ but that the Church Eucharistic Congress in Dublin with Cardinal Keith concelebrants at the closing Mass of the congress, Eucharistic Congress in Dublin.” in Ireland would endure. O’Brien, a principal concelebrant, right told the SCO upon his return home that ‘I myself “Ireland has been shaped by the Mass at the was aware of the ‘Spirit’ moving throughout the Legacy deepest level for centuries, and by its power and week … the spirit of joy in the Catholic Christian The Healing Stone that was unveiled as part of the grace generations of monks, martyrs and mission- loving God over and above all things, intent on liv- faith; the spirit of reconciliation; and then a very IEC’s opening ceremony is being moved to a per- aries have heroically lived the Faith at home and ing in the spirit of the new and eternal covenant.” great spirit of mission!’ manent home at the ancient sanctuary of St Patrick’s spread the Good News of God’s love and forgive- The cardinal added: “One might ask what other Purgatory at Lough Derg in County Donegal. The ness well beyond your shores,” he said. “You are Closing comments Church, what other nation, would have dared to shaped Wicklow granite, inscribed with the words the heirs to a Church that has been a mighty force At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Diarmuid celebrate such a week with so many other diffi- of a prayer composed by a survivor of clerical abuse, for good in the world, and which has given a pro- Martin of Dublin reflected on the events of the culties in their country and in their Church in is to find its resting place where Cardinal Ouellet found and enduring love of Christ and His blessed congress, saying that the Eucharist ‘has awakened recent months and years. However the Irish people undertook a penitential pilgrimage during the con- Mother to many, many others.” in our hearts something which went way beyond are indeed a people of Faith.” gress and met with abuse survivors. our plans and expectations.’ Bishop Philip Tartaglia of Paisley told the SCO The next Eucharistic Congress in 2016 will be Papal legate “The Eucharist has been the nourishment of the that during the congress he ‘never forgot that Ire- held in Cebu City, Philippines. As the announce- The Pope’s message was preceded by a homily from extraordinary sense of our communion with one land has been traditionally and, until relatively ment was made on by the Pope on Sunday, thou- Papal Legate Cardinal Marc Ouellet who said that another which those of us who have been in the recently, arguably the most practising Catholic sands of participants from the next host nation the Faithful in Ireland could ‘rely on the Lord for a RDS [Royal Dublin Society] and are here today country in Europe.’ waved their flags and applauded with joy. new beginning.’ have experienced,” the archbishop said. “We have “Throughout its history, Catholic Ireland has “Faith is the most precious gift we have received experienced the communion of the Church. We contributed massively to the evangelisation of I Extracts from Auxiliary Bishop Robson’s blogs with Baptism,” Cardinal Ouellet said. “Let’s not have been enriched by our sharing with those who Europe and of the world,” the bishop said. “Ire- from the IEC 2012 in Dublin, pages 12-13. keep it private and fearful! Let it grow as a splendid have joined us from over 120 countries.” land has provided priests and religious in prodi- tree through sharing everywhere. Even if we are The archbishop concluded his statement by call- gious numbers for the whole English speaking I Special IEC section inside. sometimes tested in our Faith, do not be afraid, and ing on those present to carry what they have world and for the mission lands. And, as we know remember who we are: the body of Christ intent on received in this congress out into the wider world. well, Scotland has benefited too from the spiritual I [email protected] ST COLUMBA’S THE STONE ROSES MGR PAUL CONROY primary pupils talk to Richard to host visiting from Oban win Purden about secretaries of honour of being their Catholic bishops’ Royal chefs backgrounds conferences MUSICAL ROOTS FIT FOR A QUEEN FIT FOR Page 6 Page 4 Page 7 HOSTS EDINBURGH visit www.sconews.co.uk 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 June 22 2012 ‘Alive with Augustinian family feeling’ Broomhill parish in Edinburgh shares its news in the first PARISH FOCUS in a new SCO series By Ian Dunn ‘ALIVE with Augustinian family feeling’ is how the SCO found St Joseph’s Broomhill, Edinburgh where Fr Kevin Lowrie is a newly installed parish priest. The parish, the only Augustinian house in Scotland, is just the latest to be visited PIC: JIM HOEY by the SCO as part of our parish talk ini- tiative to take the newspaper’s message out into the dioceses, and our circulation Knights support Aid to the associate Steve Lavery was hugely impressed by St Joseph’s very welcoming Church in Need at Carfin and friendly atmosphere. “The parishioners were lovely,” he said. “There was a great atmosphere around the CATHOLIC charity Aid to the those gathered about his own place, you could tell they all knew each Church in Need (ACN) held its experiences of religious persecu- other and the priests and have a good rap- annual pilgrimage to Carfin on tion. Pilgrims, including the the lay port. It was really good to see.” Saturday,with around 150 sup- Catholic order the Knights of St Fr Kevin Lowrie, who moved to the porters and representatives Columba (above), gathered at parish five months ago to become parish Fr Kevin Lowrie (above left) with Fr George joining together in prayer for Carfin were also informed of the priest, said St Joseph’s is famed through- Donaghy. Left, the altar at St Joseph’s the persecuted Church around plight of suffering Christians in the out the Augustinian order for its hos- PICS: STEVE LAVERY the world. Middle East by Neville Kyrke- pitable atmosphere and good-natured The charity was delighted to Smith, ACN’s UK director, who people. (children’s liturgy), the parish pastoral coun- welcome Fr Michael Shields to has just returned from a trip to “It is a very friendly welcoming cil and a music group among others. celebrate the pilgrimage Mass at Lebanon. parish,” he said. “Full of wonderful peo- Fr Lowrie said that the role of the laity in Carfin’s St Francis Xavier’s Senior pupils from Cardinal ple, I think it is known throughout the the parish is a ‘strong feature,’as is the close Church. Newman High School in Bellshill order for that and I think all the Augus- links with the local primary school, St Fr Shields, originally from attended Saturday’s pilgrimage, tinians who have served here have found Joseph’s. Alaska in the US, is based in during which they led meditations that to be the case.” “The laity do take a prominent role,” he Siberia and set up the Church of alongside members of the Knights That welcoming nature is shown by the said.