MGR ROBSON CALLS FOR SCOTTISH SUPPORT FOR 2012 EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS PAGES 3 & 4 No 5289 St Andrews and Edinburgh Lourdes pilgrimage Page Four archdiocesan pilgrims share their experiences of visiting the Marian shrine 6 No 5427 www.sconews.co.uk Friday August 5 2011 | 90p ‘It is forbidden to be indifferent in the PAISLEY LOURDES DAY face of the tragedy of the starving’ I Scottish Catholic charities respond to Pope Benedict XVI’s appeal for East Africans By Ian Dunn SCOTTISH charities are answer- ing Pope Benedict XVI’s call to help the famine-afflicted people of East Africa. BISHOP TARTAGLIA Pope Benedict XVI appealed again leads diocesan on Sunday for aid for those suffering in pilgrimage to Carfin; the Horn of Africa from the worsening consequences of drought and famine. tells young Catholics The United Nations on Tuesday urged not to lose their Faith the air transport industry to help fly food in urgently to the region. Page 2 The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund and Mary’s Meals have both expanded their operations in the region YOUTH CROSS in response to the worsening crisis fol- lowing the recent drought. SCIAF’s emergency appeal has raised more than £600,000, while Mary’s Meals has extended its feeding programme in East Africa to provide a daily meal for 24,000 hungry children. Both charities hope that continued donations will allow them to help even more. In spite of initial promises of sup- port, Oxfam this week said govern- GALLOWAY DIOCESE ments and donors are not acting fast enough to address the drought crisis in receives the Scottish the Horn of Africa in light of the deep- Youth Cross ahead of it ening crisis. The relief agency said that donors departure for WYD must immediately fulfill pledges of aid Page 7 to help more than half a million people who are at risk of starvation in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. Congregation for the Evangelisation of said. “These donations are helping to pro- Nameyana Turkana collects food from ANTI-CHRISTIAN ATTACKS Peoples, has reported that Catholic vide emergency aid which is saving lives. Mary’s Meals in East Africa. SCIAF and Pope’s call charities are deeply involved in meet- We are working tirelessly with our part- Mary’s Meals have responded to Pope Car bomb explodes Pope Benedict told around 3000 pil- ing the needs of people suffering from ners in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan Benedict XVI’s call to remember those outside Catholic Church grims, who gathered outside his sum- the famine in Somalia, Ethiopia, to get aid to those who need it most. This affected by the famine in the region mer residence at Castle Gandolfo, not to Eritrea, Djibouti and Kenya. includes food, water, medicine, cash pay- in northern Iraq forget the victims of famine in the Horn SCIAF, an agency of the Bishops’ ments and working with local people to of Africa. He made the appeal during his Conference of Scotland, and Mary’s build or rehabilitate wells, ponds and pas- children under five years of age. Page 8 weekly blessing to pilgrims last Sunday. Meals, a Scottish International Relief tureland so that they can maximise “It is forbidden to be indifferent in the project, are playing a vital part in the access to the resources they still have.” Helping the young INSIDE YOUR SCO face of the tragedy of the starving,” the efforts to help during this current crisis She went on to say that more money Mary’s Meals has pledged to help Pope said. “Think of the many brothers and in the long-term. was urgently needed to prevent an thousands more hungry children in NEWS pages 1-9 and sisters who in these days, in the Horn even greater catastrophe. northern Kenya. of Africa, are suffering the dramatic con- Emergency appeal “The situation remains critical as The charity, which provides school OPINION pages 10-11 sequences of famine, aggravated by war SCIAF has expanded its emergency more people become desperate to find meals in some of the world’s poorest FEATURES pages 12-13, 21 and the absence of solid institutions.” response to help deal with the tragedy food and water, and malnutrition, espe- communities, has been working in the LETTERS The Pope also said Jesus set an and has had a remarkable response cially amongst the very young, increas- region for several years, and already page 14 example of meeting material needs from its Scottish donors. es,” she said. With the seasonal rains not feeds thousands of children in South COLUMNISTS pages 15-16, 22 while also addressing the deeper Donations to SCIAF’s emergency due for several months the situation is Sudan, Uganda and Kenya. Now its INTIMATIONS pages 17-20 hungers of the human heart. appeal have come from supporters unlikely to improve in the short term and work in Lodwar Diocese, in drought- “The love of God is present in the across Scotland and now total £625,000. we are extremely grateful for people’s hit northern Kenya, is set to reach BISHOPS’ ENGAGEMENTS bread of Christ; encountering Him, we This generosity has been underscored ongoing support at this difficult time.” 6000 more children. page 20 feed on the living God, so to speak, and by the fact that CAFOD’s similar appeal Further donations will allow SCIAF The assistance will target nursery- CHILDREN’S LITURGY page 23 we truly eat the bread come down from has raised £1 million—a remarkable to expand its programme of emer- aged children, the age-group at the Heaven,” the Pope said. “In the Eucharist, achievement in its own right—in gency relief that began in January in most at risk from hunger-related dis- CELEBRATING LIFE page 24 Jesus makes us witnesses to God’s com- England and Wales which have ten the drought-stricken Borena region of eases, ensuring that they receive cru- passion for every brother and sister.” times the population of Scotland. southern Ethiopia. This programme cial nutrition during the six week sum- He then prayed that people would Lorraine Currie, SCIAF’s head of has now been extended to cover mer holiday, when other sources of open their hearts with compassion for international programmes, said Scottish 10,000 households. food are not available. their neighbours and would share with Catholics had been extraordinarily SCIAF has also extended its emer- those in need. generous. gency relief work into Turkana in north- I Continued on page 5 “SCIAF would like to thank everyone ern Kenya where it is helping to provide Charities rally who has generously donated money to water, food and medicine to 5400 fami- Global hunger remains a complex Fides, the news agency of the help people caught up in the drought,” she lies, 6500 nursery children and 10,000 problem, pages 12-13 SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 e-mail [email protected] 2 PICTURE NEWS SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday August 5 2011 (Left) Pilgrims take part in the Rosary Bishop Tartaglia talks to young and old at Paisley Lourdes Day procession at Paisley Diocese’s third annual Lourdes Day at Carfin. (Above) Bishop Philip Tartaglia anoints the sick SIXTEEN coaches brought up- experiencing here at our Scottish olics, who were well represented among the Sacraments. I hope you know that we PICS: TOM EADIE wards of 1000 pilgrims from Paisley Catholic Marian Shrine in Carfin the the Paisley pilgrims at Carfin, urging do not have to be intimidated or swayed to Carfin Grotto on Sunday to cele- positive and uplifting spirituality of them not to lose their Faith. or fearful or silenced because Jesus brate the third annual diocesan Lourdes,” Bishop Tartaglia said. “Especially to the young people who Christ is our strength and our hope, coach to leave the grotto on Sunday, Lourdes Day to Scotland’s national “We come here to Carfin Grotto each are here today, I pray that you are not because he is present with us until the which kindly brought home two mem- Marian shrine. with their own prayers and needs and intimidated by the apparent absence of end of time, and because he nourishes us bers of the choir who had missed their Bishop Philip Tartaglia of Paisley intentions for ourselves, for our families, Faith in the world around us,” he said. “I with the bread of life, his body and earlier connections. began the tradition of congregating and for others. We bring these prayers to pray that you are not swayed by the pre- blood, in the mystery of the Eucharist.” Sad news for the Carfin community Paisley Catholics at Carfin for a Lourdes Mary because she is our Mother who vailing false opinions about God and Paisley Catholics took part in two pro- came later in the week, however, when Day in a year when his diocese did not wants to help us. We bring these prayers man that circulate so freely in our socie- cessions on the day: The Blessed the death of Frank Devlin, who main- go on a formal pilgrimage to the French to Jesus because he is the Saviour and ty. I pray that you are not fearful because Sacrament procession and the Rosary tained the grotto’s grounds for many Marian shrine. Lord of all mercies.” of your own frailties or scandalised procession. years, was announced. The diocesan pilgrimage to Carfin has In his homily the bishop spoke of cur- because of the sins and crimes of others. The pilgrims in the processions were become an annual tradition.