Law Casts a Shadow Over Family
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NUNS held US AUTHOR MSP MARGO hostage freed brings hope on MacDONALD from captivity abuse to Scots criticised over in Syria. Catholics. bill claims. Pages 6-7 Page 8 Page 3 No 5560 VISIT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER ONLINE AT WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK Friday March 14 2014 | £1 War is not worth it, Ukrainians in Scotland tell President Putin By Ian Dunn A UKRAINIAN Catholic community in Edinburgh is raising money for the victims of violence in Ukraine as they fear a wider war with Russia is inevitable, their parish priest told the SCO this week. Fr Vasyl Kren, parish priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Church of our Lady of Pochaiv and St Andrew in Edinburgh, said his parishioners had raised more than £700 through an auction of Ukrainian goods on Saturday. “We are sending that money to the family of a man who lost his leg dur- ing the recent protests in Kiev,” he said. Archbishop Leo Cushley (inset) has questioned “He is in the hospital and has a the Scottish Government over the Children and young family, and is known to peo- Young People (Scotland) Act, which he feels ple in the parish so we wanted to may intrude on the privacy of a family (main) help.” PIC: MICHAEL COGHLAN Fr Kren said he believed the peo- ple of Ukraine were fighting for their democratic rights but the conse- quences could be terrible. “We think it will be war, and not just with Ukraine and Russia,” he said. “Russia has sent its troops into Law casts a shadow over family Crimea and that is close to Poland, the Baltics, it will spread.” I He said he was constantly in touch Archbishop Leo Cushley questions new legislation and warns against state interference with his own family, back in Ukraine, and was using social media By Ian Dunn “We share the widely expressed reservations of funding the government will be ‘setting health visi- and online videos to see what was many who fear that some provisions of the Children tors up to fail,’ as there are not enough health visitors happening on the ground. ARCHBISHOP Leo Cushley of St Andrews and Young People (Scotland) Act could permit unwar- currently in place ‘to meet even the needs of their “Ukraine will try to stay peaceful,” and Edinburgh has said the Scottish Govern- ranted interference in family life due to the broad existing caseloads.’ he said. “We just have to hope [Presi- ment must not ‘interfere in the internal life of nature of the powers of ‘named persons service’ and dent] Putin will realise war is not the family.’ the low threshold set for triggering the sharing of Concerns worth it.” His intervention comes as fears grow over the information about children among state agencies,” he Dr Stuart Waiton, a sociology lecturer at Abertay In the Ukraine, the stand off inten- Children and Young People (Scotland) Act, which the said. “While recognising the good intentions behind University, has raised concerns that the appointed sified as Russian troops solidified Scottish Parliament passed last month, as reports sug- such efforts, we hope that the government will act in state guardians will inevitably be ‘less likely to focus their control of the Crimea before a gest the implementation of its plan to name a state a proportionate and focused manner with due respect on the very few serious cases of child abuse’ as these referendum on the Crimea leaving guardian for every child may cost tens of millions to the autonomy and privacy of the family.” will become ‘lost in the crowd’ of an expanded list Ukraine and joining Russia takes more than previously thought. The archbishop added that he hoped the Scottish of concerns. place on Sunday, as Ukraine and the Government would act on his and others’ concerns “Others have rightly noted that the creation of a West say it is illegal. Legislation as ‘many fears could be allayed and the legitimate guardian for every child, based on the suspicion that The US secretary of state has also Archbishop Cushley said that the ‘Bishops’ Confer- concerns of many could be addressed by ensuring every parent is a potential abuser, sends out a rejected a talks offer with Russian ence of Scotland is fully committed to ensuring the that ministerial guidance on implementation embeds depressing and inaccurate message about the nature President Vladimir Putin until wellbeing of children,’ but that this legislation was a threshold for intervening in family life only when of parents,” he said. “With the introduction of state Moscow engages with US proposals questionable. objective and significant cause is shown.’ guardians, the potential for further state intrusion into on Ukraine’s crisis. “We endorse attempts to ensure that excellent serv- parents’ behaviour will increase, as will the anxiety John Kerry told his Russian coun- ices are available to all children who require them Expense some parents feel about their own behaviour being terpart Sergei Lavrov that Moscow’s and have shown this commitment in implementing His warning comes amid concerns that implement- monitored.” military intervention in Crimea had rigorous safeguarding policies and collaborating with ing the bill could be ruinous and expensive. The leg- Aidan O’Neill QC, a leading human rights lawyer, made any negotiations extremely dif- the GIRFEC model of child wellbeing,” he said. islation instructs the NHS to appoint a health worker also warned that the named person would have pow- ficult. US officials say there will be “Support for children puts the wellbeing of children to be the ‘named person’ for every child up to the age ers that ‘cut across’ the rights of parents and warned little to talk about if the referendum at the heart of all policies and must be based on sup- of five, after which responsibility would pass to local that the plans may not be compatible with the Euro- on Crimea’s future goes ahead. port for the family. The common good of society councils, with teachers likely to take over the role. pean Convention on Human Rights, which says the depends on the stability of family life. The state must But the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has state should respect ‘private and family life.’ respect subsidiarity and should support not interfere warned that the scheme would require the recruit- The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill in the internal life of the family.” ment and training of 450 new health visitors. was passed by 103 votes to 0, with 15 abstentions Archbishop Cushley said that he and his fellow bish- The cost of nursing training and annual salaries for after the final debate last month ops shared the fears of other groups like the Church of the extra health visitors could amount to well over Scotland that the bill would undermine the family. £30 million. The RCN said that without increased I [email protected] 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 MARCH 14 2014 SCIAF launched its annual Wee Box, Big Change Lenten campaign PICTURE OF THE WEEK on Ash Wednesday as Scottish stars including Susan Boyle, What’s On Nicholas McDonald, Neil Lennon and Kaye Adams joined Scottish A weekly guide to upcoming Church events, Catholic school children in pledging to take part. more online at www.sconews.co.uk The 2014 campaign was launched by pupils from Holyrood SATURDAY MARCH 15 gow G3 6RJ. Admission free; Secondary in Glasgow’s Merchant I Jan Garbarek with The donations welcome. Square as well-known Scots from Hilliard Ensemble. A mixture music, sport and the media made of early and renaissance vocal WEDNESDAY MARCH 19 public their pledge to join music, with pure toned saxo- I Monthly Pro-Life Mass with thousands of Scots who will give phone melody and improvisa- the Sisters of the Gospel of something up for the 40 days of tion in St Mary’s Cathedral, Life (Govanhill). An opportu- Lent and donate the money saved to help the charity’s work in some Aberdeen. 4.00-5.30pm. Tick- nity to celebrate Mass and pray of the poorest countries in the ets £30 (£20 limited view), for the unborn and for all world. available from: 0845 111 0302 affected by abortion. Pope At the launch Mairi McLean, a or at www.aberdeenjazzfesti- Francis has told us to say ‘yes sixth year from Holyrood val.com. to life and not death’. This is I secondary in Glasgow, said it was Music Sacra (Day One). Part our chance. Exposition 6pm, great ‘to get the chance to support of LentFest. 10.30am – Rosary 7pm, Mass 7.30pm, the great work that SCIAF do’ and 5.30pm, St Peter’s Church, Our Lady of Consolation, 42 said she was giving up chocolate Hyndland St, Partick. Ingelfield Street, Glasgow G42 and donating the money saved to I Folk Session. Part of Lent- 7AT. Tea, coffee, biscuits and a SCIAF this Lent. Fest. 7.30pm. St Helen’s, natter in the hall afterwards. Global singing sensation Susan something to help people less will be giving up sugar for 40 days, The focus of this year’s appeal Langside. Boyle will go without chips for fortunate than ourselves this Lent. said she was taking part because is Colombia and the plight of the THURSDAY MARCH 20 Lent because ‘it makes me really What will you do?” ‘it’s crazy’ that ‘a third of the native American Emberá people Neil Lennon, Celtic FC manager world’s population is overweight whose very existence is under SUNDAY MARCH 16 I Poetry and Music Café sad to know that so many people I in the world today are still living in has committed to not eat and yet still more than ten percent threat as big business, guerrilla Musica Sacra (Day Two).