AGAP brings to MISSION SUNDAY Headteacher life the story focus on vital SHORTAGE is of founder of work of the real issue, Schoenstatt. Church. says director. Page 8 Pages 12-13 Page 3 No 5591 VISIT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER ONLINE AT WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK Friday October 17 2014 | £1 Mid-synod report does not change ‘God only knows’ if Christians ‘Church teaching’ By Ian Dunn will survive in the Middle East Synod on the family A PRELIMINARY document released on Monday by the extraordi- I nary synod on the family—suggest- Lebanese bishop gives Scots harrowing ing a gentler approach towards gay people and unmarried couples—has account of ongoing religious persecution been criticised by some taking part in the synod. The official midterm report from the synod of bishops on the family emphasised calls for greater accept- By Ian Dunn year old to see ance and appreciation of divorced blood pouring out of and remarried Catholics, cohabitat- A LEBANESE bishop has told Scottish Catholics that a bus that had just ing couples and gay people. ‘God only knows’ if there will be any Christians liv- been attacked. The Vatican has since emphasised ing in the Middle East in 20 years time such is the “I saw people killed in front that it is only a ‘working document.’ persecution they are facing. of me, people tortured in front of me,” he said. “But as a Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Arch- Maronite Archbishop Elias Nassar of Saida in Lebanon Christian I reject all violence. It just leads to more vio- bishop of Westminster, said it was was speaking at an Aid to the Church in Need event at Our lence.” not a ‘doctrinal’ document but one Lady of Good Aid Cathedral in Motherwell last Thursday He said the sectarian civil war in Lebanon had since intended to ‘raise questions and indi- when he said it had become all too ‘convenient for Europe been replicated with wider sectarian conflict across the cate perspectives’ and it did not to ignore and forget about Christian persecution in Middle East. change Church teaching. my region.’ “I think this is because of other countries and one In presenting the interim report, During Mass at the cathedral, Bishop Joseph Toal of country in particular continuing to create violence for Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom- Motherwell used his homily to urge those present to help their own ends,” he said. “We don’t want more bombs Budapest, who as the synod’s relator the ‘Christians in need who are crying out for help, their from the west, we want genuine political pressure for a has the task of guiding the synod dis- prayer is very strong and they are persisting in their faith peace that will last.” cussion and synthesising its results, in the most difficult circumstances.’ gave a nearly hour-long speech that Solidarity drew on the synod’s first week of Religious refugees Bishop Toal said Scottish Catholics could not forget about discussions ahead of the document’s After the Mass, Archbishop Nassar pro- their fellow Christians who suffered in the Middle East. release. vided first-hand experience of life in “No matter how hard the circumstances the Holy Spirit “Homosexuals have gifts and qual- Lebanon, whose population has is always there,” he said. “I worry sometimes we feel the ities to offer to the Christian commu- swelled following the vast number of pain of those suffering but we don’t accept it for our- nity,” the cardinal said. “Often they refugees arriving from war-torn Iraq selves.” wish to encounter a Church that and Syria, including two million Gesturing to the statue of St John Ogilvie at the back of offers them a welcoming home. Are from Syria alone. the cathedral in Motherwell, the Scottish bishop said ‘that our communities capable of provid- “The suffering of Christians in is a man who died for his Catholic Faith.’ “This is the ing that, accepting and evaluating my part of the world began long spirit we see in these troubled parts of the world where their sexual orientation, without ago but it has expanded greatly men and women are facing persecution and death for compromising Catholic doctrine on in the past few years,” the their belief, yet they do not let go, they persist!” he added. the family and matrimony?” archbishop said. “What we see The statement represents a marked in Syria and Iraq from ISIS are ACN shift in tone on the subject for an the most inhumane barbaric Neville Kyrke-Smith, Aid to the Church in Need (UK)’s official Vatican document. While acts. There has been so much national director, also spoke at the event and said on a Cardinal Erdo said that same-sex suffering.” unions present unspecified ‘moral The Lebanese clergyman I Continued on page 2 problems’ and thus ‘cannot be con- added that he had witnessed sidered on the same footing’ as tradi- the start of the Lebanese civil ISIS scrawled the Aramaic symbol for ‘N’ meaning Nazarene tional marriage, he said they also can war with his own eyes, step- (below), on all the homes of Christians in Mosul, Iraq. Now it is exemplify ‘mutual aid to the point of ping out of his house as a 15 being used by Muslims and Christains as a symbol of solidarity sacrifice (that) constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners.’ Similarly, the cardinal said, divorced and civilly remarried Catholics deserve an ‘accompani- ment full of respect, avoiding any language or behaviour that might make them feel discriminated against.’ I Continued on pages 6-7 I Editorial, page 9 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 OCTOBER 17 2014 SPOTLIGHT ON What’s On A weekly guide to upcoming Church-related events, more online at www.sconews.co.uk SATURDAY OCTOBER 18 Glasgow’s music lovers Nibbles provided, BYOB. All welcomed some special Italian I St Patrick’s Lourdes Fund welcome. Mass begins 7pm in visitors to St Andrew’s Cathedral Fish Tea Dance in aid of the St John the Baptist, Perth. last Thursday as the prestigious Lourdes Fund will take place Conservatorio di Musica San in the Mayo Suite of St WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 22 Pietro a Majella, from Naples, Patrick’s Hall. Tickets are I Italian actor, Mario performed a concert of sacred priced £6 and are available in Pirovano, performs a one-man and renaissance music (left). the Hall. Raffle tickets are also drama written by Dario Fo. The free event was attended by available for purchase before This entertaining show about Archbishop Emeritus Mario Conti the function. Contact Martha St Francis of Assisi uses story- (above) and Ronnie Convery, on 01236 604901 for more telling, comedy and high editor of the Italian Scotland website and Glasgow information. energy delivery. Come and Archdiocese communication hear about the little poor man officer. The event was arranged SUNDAY OCTOBER 19 from the 13th century who I under the auspices of the Italian Archbishop Cushley will changed the world and inspires presidency of the European celebrate Mass in St Francis’ Pope Francis today. Begins Union with the support of the Xavier’s Parish Falkirk at 7.30pm in St Columba’s, Col- Italian Embassy to the UK, the launch the Archdiocesan Mar- loden. Tickets £5 from Helen Italian Consulate in Edinburgh, riage Preparation programme, a MacGilp 01463792140. 12- the Italian Cultural Institute and new pastoral initiative to sup- 18year-olds free entry. the Italian Chamber of Commerce port couples who plan to marry PICS: ROBERT WILSON in the Catholic Church. THURSDAY OCTOBER 23 During the Mass, married I Annual Pro-Life Rosary, couples will have the opportu- Procession and Mass. Event nity to renew their vows and begins in George Square, Glas- Bidding a fond farewell to St Paul’s Muirhouse engaged couples will be invited gow, followed by Mass at St forward for a blessing. The Andrew’s. Assemble in George occasion marks the final day of Square at 6pm. Rosary and ARCHBISHOP Leo Cushley the Third Extraordinary Synod procession from 6.30 to 7pm. celebrated a Mass of of Bishops, which has been Mass in the cathedral at Thanksgiving and closure convened by Pope Francis on 7.30pm. last Friday as parishioners the theme of The Pastoral I Glasgow Faith Forum talk— of St Paul’s said goodbye to Challenges of the Family in the Reason for Believing talk by Fr their parish after 35 years. Context of Evangelisation. Ross Campbell on the theme of The Archbishop of St Everyone throughout the Arch- Sin: Damaged but not Andrew’s and Edinburgh was diocese is now warmly invited Destroyed. Takes place in principal celebrant at the Mass to join the Archbishop at this Turnbull Hall, Southpark Ter- and was joined by parish priest celebration, to pray for the race, Glasgow, beginning at Mgr Brian Halloran and clergy Church’s ministry to married 7pm. Part of a series of talks with a link to the parish (right). people and families and to pray for young people aged 16-25. A small group of parishioners for those in our Archdiocese The talk will be followed by staged a candlelit and silent who have a specific role in refreshments and night prayer. protest outside the church supporting marriages and fami- against the closure. A Facebook lies. Mass begins 7pm. FRIDAY OCTOBER 24 page set up to fight the I Annual Tri Parish Ceilidh closure plans after they were of pounds of debt, was built in option is for people to attend also served by Mgr Halloran.