Salesians POPE FRANCIS GERALD WARNER celebrate the calls for an reflects on the bicentenary of end to the recent synod ST JOHN BOSCO. death penalty. on the family. Page 2 Pages 6-7 Page 10 No 5593 VISIT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER ONLINE AT WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK Friday October 31 2014 | £1 PRO-LIFERS LIGHT UP GLASGOW PROCESSION Glasgow’s George Square was illuminated by candlelight last week as hundreds of pro-life supporters gathered to pray for the repeal of the 1967 Abortion Act. The annual pro-life torchlight procession brought Faithful campaigners and supporters into the rain and darkness of Glasgow to pray the Rosary and process through the city’s streets to St Andrew’s Cathedral. For more on the torchlight procession and pro-life gathering, turn to pages 4 and 5 PIC: ROBERT WILSON Named Person scheme website under fire I Government’s online educational portal described as ‘blatant propaganda’ by critics of the legislation By Ian Dunn these apparently superhuman Named limited money is being poured into this is quite frightening,” he said threshold set for triggering the sharing of Persons can remedy almost any problem programme which is fundamentally information about children among state A WEBSITE that has been put in the way of ordinary people,” he designed to undermine and destabilise Archbishop’s concerns agencies,” he said. “While recognising designed to educate children about continued. “They can save families families.” Earlier this year Archbishop Leo Cushley the good intentions behind such efforts, Scotland’s controversial Named from desolation after divorce and even On one part of the site, a named person of St Andrews and Edinburgh said that we hope that the government will act in Person scheme has been described help get dads to kick alcohol—according is described as a ‘kind, elderly lady with the ‘Bishops’ Conference of Scotland is a proportionate and focused manner as ‘blatant propaganda’ by critics. to this website which is filled with rosy cheeks and a permanent smile.’ On fully committed to ensuring the with due respect to the autonomy and The Scottish Government website, laughable fairy tales.” another, children are reassured: “Most wellbeing of children,’ but that this privacy of the family.” www.wellbeingforyoungscots.org, likely you won’t notice anything legislation was questionable. which cost taxpayers £18,000, aims to Role of parents different at school. You’ll only get help “We endorse attempts to ensure that Defence of legislation convince children that state guardians, The spokesman described another from your named person if there are excellent services are available to all Scottish Government Children’s Minister set to be brought in under the scheme scenario where ‘the named person concerns about your wellbeing.” children who require them and have Aileen Campbell has defended the for every child in Scotland, will be their appears like a knight in shining armour Maggie Mellon, who is a social work shown this commitment in implementing legislation and said the policy would be ‘friends.’ who comes to the rescue when a mum consultant with over 35 years experience, rigorous safeguarding policies and rolled out across the country as planned leaves the family home. The message warned that the ‘crucial’ role of parents collaborating with the GIRFEC model in 2016. Criticism that is being sent out is that even a is completely denied under the Named of child wellbeing,” he said. “The common She argued it would stop vulnerable The Named Person scheme is part of blubbering dad really needed the help Person scheme. good of society depends on the stability children slipping through the net and the Children and Young People from the school guidance teacher to pull Ms Mellon said families are only of family life. The state must respect give families ‘somewhere to go if they (Scotland) Act 2014, which has been himself together.’ seen as being ‘caretakers on behalf of subsidiarity and should support, but not need an extra bit of help.’ criticised by the Church and is facing a “In another example, a young boy is government’ and that ‘children’s rights interfere in the internal life of the family.” legal challenge from opponents featured telling other youngsters they have also been interpreted, almost Archbishop Cushley said that he and I [email protected] who say it contravenes the European should talk to their named person after exclusively, as something that’s his fellow bishops shared the fears of Convention on Human Rights a bereavement,” he continued. “There’s opposed to parents’ rights.’ other groups like the Church of Scotland A spokesman for the No To Named no mention of talking to your parents or John Deighan, parliamentary officer that the bill would undermine the family. Person (NO2NP) campaign said the relatives when there’s a tragedy. It of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland “We share the widely expressed website ‘is an astonishing example of seems pretty sinister to drive a wedge in said although the intention behind this reservations of many who fear that some blatant propaganda by a Scottish this way between a young person and law may be good, it can easily backfire. provisions of the Children and Young Government intent on stripping the their immediate family. If it weren’t so “People are very trusting of state People (Scotland) Act could permit rights and responsibilities of mums and serious the whole matter would be quite authority sometimes, but I know a lot of unwarranted interference in family life dads for their children.’ risible. At a time when public funds are people who have been on the wrong end due to the broad nature of the powers of “According to this disturbing website, being squeezed it seems outrageous that of government power who find this law ‘named persons service’ and the low 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 OCTOBER 31 2014 Scottish bishops join order for a knight to remember What’s On By Tom Knight PIC: PAUL McSHERRY THE Knights of St Columba were joined by the Bishops of Scotland as A weekly guide to upcoming Church-related they held their annual Supreme Council events, more online at www.sconews.co.uk at the Beardmore Hotel in Clydebank last weekend. SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1 crematorium. Ahighlight of the evening was the election I Mass for the Sick. St Vincent of Charlie McCluskey of Province 1, de Paul Society has organised MONDAY NOVEMBER 3 Glasgow, as the new Supreme Knight, the a Mass for the Sick from the I Prayer Evening. ‘Send Me first time in 85 years that the honour has parish of St Mirin’s Cathedral Your Guardian Angel’—Padre fallen to the Province, in the city where the and from local nursing homes. Pio. An evening of prayer at order was founded in 1919. Mass will be celebrated at 2pm Pauline Books & Media, 5a-7 On the Saturday evening the Supreme in St Mirin’s Cathedral, Paisley. Royal Exchange Square, Banquet was held, where the Hierarchy was Glasgow, G1 3AH. 5:30pm- represented by Archbishop Philip Tartaglia I The Colmcille Choir will be 7pm. Register early for places. of Glasgow, Archbishop Malcolm performing at Sacred Heart [email protected]. McMahon of Liverpool, Bishop Joseph Church, Lauriston, Edinburgh. 0141 226 3391 Toal and Bishop Emeritus Joseph Devine The choir will also be singing of the Diocese of Motherwell (right). alongside the cathedral choir I Italian Mass. Archbishop Other distinguished guests present were at the 11.30am Mass in St Tartaglia will celebrate Mass Srs Roseanne and Andrea of the Sisters of Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh. in Italian in St Andrew’s the Gospel of life, Nan Reilly, president of for family life and pro-life causes, young “It is my vision that the Knights of St Cathedral, at 7pm. For those the Union of Catholic Mothers and her vice people, schools, charities and, in a very Columba answer the call of Pope Francis to SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2 travelling from the Perth area, president Agnes Long, Barry MacMahon personal way, their support to priests. He play our full part in the Lay Apostolate. To I Rosary Group meeting. The the Perth Italian Association and Gerald Harbinson, Supreme Knight wished to express the appreciation and be at the forefront of the New Evangelisation Rosary Group from St Mary’s have arranged a bus leaving St and Deputy Supreme Knight of the Irish good wishes of the bishops to the knights, and to offer Catholic men all over Britain the Cathedral in Edinburgh will John the Baptist’s at 4pm, with Order of St Columbanus, and Alan Brown here and in England and Wales. He concluded opportunity of a Lifetime of Faith by serving meet at 6.30pm in Cathedral high tea en route. Phone of Mary’s Meals. by wishing the lay Catholic association God in their parishes and communities.” House. 01738622661 to book. In reply to the toast to the hierarchy, every success and fruitfulness in the future. During the evening Alan Brown of Archbishop Tartaglia congratulated The order’s new Supreme Knight, Br Mary’s Meals was presented with a cheque I Cemetery Mass, Paisley WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 5 Archbishop McMahon on his appointment Charlie McCluskey, thanked Archbishop for £45,287—the amount raised by the Diocese. Catholics are invited I Faith and Freedom. To to Liverpool. Tartaglia for his kind words. order in the first year of their two year to attend the celebration of mark the launch of Aid to the He added that as he and Bishop Toal He added: “It is a great honour to be National Action Project in support of the Mass at St Conval’s Cemetery, Church in Need’s Religious were respectively president and vice elected to the position of Supreme Knight.