Working for a Just World for 50 Years: SCIAF 1965-2015 FOREWORD
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Working for a just world for 50 years: SCIAF 1965-2015 FOREWORD Since SCIAF was founded in 1965 we The words of Pope Paul VI in his have walked together in God’s love, in encyclical letter Populorum Progressio solidarity with those who are poor and were the inspiration for the growth and oppressed, and with your help we’ve development of SCIAF and many other achieved great things. Millions of people Church aid agencies around the world. in Africa, Asia and Latin America have He wrote, “The hungry nations of the been able to work their way out of world cry out to the peoples blessed with poverty with the tools they needed, and abundance. And the Church, cut to the millions have received the life-saving aid quick, asks each of us to hear the plea they needed after disasters. Generations and respond lovingly.” of our loyal supporters In schools, Our founders took this message to parishes and elsewhere throughout heart. Their initiative and dedication led Scotland have put their faith into action Catholics up and down the country to and reached out to their brothers and help people devastated by emergencies sisters in need overseas. including the 1968 crisis in Biafra (now All this has only been possible, thanks part of south-eastern Nigeria) and to you – your generosity, your time, your drought in Bihar in India. Our work passion for justice and your support. continued and grew, helping people in SCIAF Director Alistair Dutton in Burkina Faso. We owe a huge debt to our founders and need overseas including Vietnamese all those who’ve worked hard over the refugees fleeing their country from the years. Inspired by the spirit and teaching mid-1970s and Ethiopians hit by the Contents of the Second Vatican Council, Mgr John terrible famine in the mid-1980s, to the Rooney and John McKee set up SCIAF Darfur crisis, the Asian tsunami, the Haiti Foreword . 3 in Rutherglen in 1965 with just £8,000 in earthquake, the Philippines’ cyclone, the Syrian conflict and the Ebola epidemic in Introduction . 6 the first year. The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland appointed Bishop Michael more recent times. Founding a Fund . .1965 . to 1974 . 9. Foylan as our first Treasurer. Their aim, As the Church teaches, we always give Confidence and growth . 1975 to 1984 . 13. which we still follow today, was to help more than financial support; we always people who are poor throughout the Building a sense of solidarity and justice . 1985 to 1994 . 19. strive to cater for people’s physical, world and inspire Scottish Catholics to emotional, spiritual, social and economic From Rwanda to Make Poverty History . 1995 to 2004 . 25. respond to Jesus’ call for a just world in well-being. As the international aid which all people have life and live it to The SCIAF family . .2005 . to 2015 . 33. charity of the Bishops’ Conference in the full (Luke 4:18-19). Scotland, ours is a cause of dignity, What next for SCIAF? . .41 . Just as Jesus launched his public ministry solidarity, compassion, justice, caring Our 50th anniversary blessing . .42 . by taking the scroll of Isaiah, we join him for people in their entirety, and in proclaiming: accompanying them on their journey Words of thanks to our supporters . .45 . “from less human to more human “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Index . 48. conditions,” in the words of Pope Paul because he has anointed me VI. As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his Bibliography . 50 . to bring good news to the poor. 2009 encyclical letter Caritas in Veritate, He has sent me to proclaim liberty to Acknowledgements . 51 echoing the words of Paul VI, “authentic the captives and recovery of sight to the human development concerns the whole Published by the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF). First edition: 2015 blind, to let the oppressed go free, of the person in every single dimension.” ISBN: 978-0-9932562-0-2 to proclaim a year of the Lord’s favour.” © All rights reserved. (Lk 4:18-19) This shines through in our work. For 2 3 example, after the Asian tsunami in than the kind of charity which encounters 2004, we not only rebuilt homes and the neighbour directly.” (Caritas in helped people to earn a living again, Veritate, paragraph 7). Every Christian, we also worked with children so they he said, is called to practise this charity could overcome their fear of the sea, according to their role in society. and learn to play in it once more. In Africa, we care for women traumatised Pope Francis has continued the social by rape through counselling centres run impetus of the Church, calling us to be “a by the local Church, as well as giving poor Church for the poor”, and has been medical care to them and their children. prolific in highlighting the plight of the In Latin America, we continue to support poor and the need for social justice. To the work of poor families who help mark the start of our anniversary this year their disabled children take part in the we were honoured to receive a blessing community. from the Holy Father. In it, Pope Francis Reflecting the teaching of the Church, reiterated his Lenten message from 2014 our work over the years has helped in which he said, people to take control of their lives – we give them a hand up, not a hand out. “We Christians are called to confront This is why, for instance, we support the poverty of our brothers and sisters; many small savings groups among poor to touch it, to make it our own and take women, who use their collective funds to practical steps to alleviate it… Our efforts help each other. Loans are given to the are also directed to ending violations of women in most need, who might buy a human dignity, discrimination and abuse sewing machine or a few goats to make a in the world, for these are so often the living and provide for their children. This cause of destitution in the world.” often produces a small surplus which they can sell and save so they can provide These words guide our work forward some of the family’s other necessities. every day. Over the years, whether it When they pay the loan back, the money has been responding to major disasters, is used to help others. helping people to free themselves from Church teaching also tells us to tackle hunger and poverty or campaigning for the causes of poverty such as inequality, justice, we seek to be a reflection of economic injustice and climate change. God’s love for His people. This has inspired us to play an important part in popular political campaigns With your support, over the last 50 years over the years such as the Jubilee we’ve given millions of families a better Debt campaign, Make Poverty History chance in life and hope for the future. and most recently, Enough Food for We won’t stop while they need our help. Everyone’ IF. In various ways, these have made a huge difference, leading to the cancellation of debt for many poor countries, a massive increase in international aid, and help for people who are already suffering the effects of climate change. Pope Benedict called this kind of response “the political path of charity, no less excellent and effective Alistair Dutton, Director of SCIAF A bullet made into a Cross acts as a sign of peace in DR Congo (photo: Simon Murphy). 4 5 INTRODUCTION The year Catholics of Scotland reaching out to the • globalisation and the increasing Spreading that joy, in practical aid as well 2015 marks needy.” influence of commercial interests; as in words, when the Church reaches out the fiftieth to the needy, is a missionary imperative If there is one thing which reassures us • the fragmentation of some countries, anniversary for all Christians. And when we say that SCIAF is still close to the minds which looks like creating a new “Third of the “the Church”, that has to mean you and and hearts of Catholics in Scotland it is founding of World”; me. We are the salt to counter so much the huge number of SCIAF volunteers. the Scottish • the opportunity offered by the corruption, and the light that must banish Around two hundred individuals give Catholic the darkness. willingly of their talents, and of whatever communications revolution based on International time they can spare, to help with so many social media. As we begin this anniversary year, I Aid Fund – aspects of our work. We can be sure that our SCIAF hand over the presidency of SCIAF SCIAF – in to my successor, Bishop Joseph Toal Our achievements, which are your successors, and even the younger people 1965. This of Motherwell. I wish him, and the achievements, are recorded in this little already among us, will have no lack of little book organisation, every success. seeks to book, in the newspaper coverage, and purposes and projects in the future. chart the progress of SCIAF and to offer in the series of annual reports sent out The cry of the poor and the oppressed a thank you to all the many people who to parishes, with project details and the has resounded in every century since have helped make us something the smiling photos of people grateful for Isaiah. As the Church in Scotland we Catholic community can be proud of. your help. cannot and must not close our ears If you are reading this, you are almost Our thanks must go of course to to their cry.