DON’T MISS YOUR SCO PAPAL VISIT SOUVENIR SUPPLEMENT IN PARISHES NOW No 5289 Discover the ‘real heroes’ of Mary’s Meals Page Missionaries and guests join volunteers at charity’s Glasgow open day 6 No 5385 New website at www.sconews.co.uk Friday October 8 2010 | 90p Asylum prayers finally answered I Glasgow schoolgirl Dorothy Mwamba’s best 18th birthday present is right to continue to live in Scotland By Mary McGinty A TEENAGE parishioner of St Peter’s Parish, Partick, has been saved from depor- tation to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo on the eve of her 18th birthday. To the delight of her fellow parishioners, Congolese-born Dorothy Mwamba—whose plight has been previously highlighted in the Scottish Catholic Observer—has been granted ‘leave to remain’ in the UK after a lengthy dispute with the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. Parish joy After announcing the news to the parishioners, Fr Jim Lawlor spoke of the parish’s joy. “I am delighted, as are the whole parish, that Dorothy can stay,” Fr Lawlor said. “When we announced it at Mass and several parish gather- ings there was a spontaneous burst of applause. “I have been very impressed by the genuine concern for Dorothy in her parish and school. “I am also aware of the indignation people felt about the injustice of her situation. “I am sure that the clear support she received from her faith family was a help in the right deci- sion being made.” The Notre Dame High School pupil has been living in Glasgow supported by Barnardos since she was brought out of DR Congo three years ago by the religious sister who had been caring for her. Since the death of her mother and the disap- pearance of her father and siblings, her status of ‘lone female’ rendered her likely to attack in the country regarded by the United Nations as the ‘rape capital of the world.’ After settling in to Notre Dame she was accept- ed for the RCIA programme last year and was warmly applauded this Easter when she was one of the candidates received into the Faith at the Easter Vigil in St Peter’s. Deportation danger Ms Mwamba’s peace of mind was short-lived however, as in June this year, a letter informing Parishioners at St Peter’s, Partick, and Fr Jim Lawlor “Dorothy has become so much part of the Lawlor said that it left him feeling conflicted. her that her application to stay had been denied (right and inset) gave their full support to the bid by school community and her friends were incredi- “Dorothy has been awarded the ‘status’ of a filled her with terror. Immediately parishioners Dorothy Mwamba (centre) to stay in Scotland, and are bly happy and relieved for her,” Mrs Ramsay refugee,” he said. “While this means she can now rallied to assist her application to stay with a let- now delighted to hear that it is good news for the said. “She had lots of support that she appreciat- stay with us, imagine how it reflects on the 21st ter of support that was sent to the Home Office. teenage Congolese-born asylum seeker ed as it helped her tremendously but it was a very century in a modern democracy like ours that At a hearing several weeks ago at the Asylum PICS: DAN McGINTY dark, isolated and frightening time. refugee is deemed a ‘positive’ [outcome]. It actu- and Immigration Tribunal, Ms Mwamba was “Her life was literally hanging in the balance. ally means that she has fled in fear of her life, that accompanied by several of her supporters includ- She is overjoyed and relieved now that she has she is an orphan and a young lone female, that she ing Fr Lawlor and members of senior manage- Community support her permission to remain. leaves her country torn apart still by violence and ment from Notre Dame. Ms Mwamba’s elation on receiving confirmation “Now she can look to the future with confi- prejudice. Now she has received the judgement that enti- of her ‘leave to remain’ was shared by her teach- dence.” “But if ‘refugee’ is the badge that allows her to tles her to stay until she is 25, and the confirma- ers and classmates as she and her supporter and stay, then I will take it. To the system she may be tion of her status of ‘refugee’ means that she can- fellow parishioner Colette Ramsay went round Refugee status a refugee but to us in the parish she is Dorothy not be sent back to the DR Congo. her classes at Notre Dame with the news. Commenting on Ms Mwamba’s refugee status, Fr Mwamba.” CARFIN PILGRIMS ARCHBISHOP CONTI ITALIAN CHAPEL mark 350 years reflects on the Philip Paris tells of since St Vincent de life of the priest the inspirational Paul and St Louise who championed testament to de Marillac died the poor Faith in Orkney VINCENTIAN JOY TRIUMPH OF FAITH Page 2 Page 8 CARDINAL NEWMAN Pages 12-13 visit www.sconews.co.uk SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 I e-mail [email protected] 2 PICTURE NEWS SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday October 8 2010 Vincentian family remembers founders at Carfin By Dan McGinty (Above) Cardinal Keith O’Brien, his brother priests and parishioners from all over Scotland gather around the OVER one thousand members of the shrine of St Vincent de Paul at Carfin to mark the Vincentian family gathered at Scotland’s 350th anniversary of the saint’s death and that of St Louise de Marillac. (Right) Pilgrims carrying their National Shrine in Carfin to mark the 350th banners process to the shrine to mark the anniversary anniversary of the deaths of St Vincent de PICS: TOM EADIE Paul and St Louise de Marillac with the cele- bration of Mass. In attendance at the Mass were members of the The procession concluded at the statue of St Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP), Daughters Vincent where both the cardinal and Archbishop of Charity, Congregation of the Mission Mario Conti spoke of their great joy at seeing so (Vincentian Fathers), the International Association many people in attendance, reminding them both of Charities (AIC), staff and residents of St of the crowds they had seen when the Pope visit- Joseph’s Service for people with learning disabili- ed Scotland the previous week, and of reinforcing ties (run by the Daughters of Charity), the the important role that the Vincentian family Vincentian Volunteers and the Vincentian plays in Scottish Catholicism. Millennium Partnership—organisations which all Michael Balfour, national president of SSVP received their inspiration or were directly institut- Scotland told the Scottish Catholic Observer: ed by St Vincent de Paul and St Louise de Marillac. “This celebration reminded us that the Vincentian Among the congregation were Scottish sup- family is greater than the sum of its individual porters of the Vincentian family from as far north organisations or its local parish groups.” as Aberdeen, with farther flung Vincentians trav- As the banners were piped into the church “This was a wonderful occasion for the thou- The day also marked a celebration for Cardinal elling from England, Ireland and even from the before Mass began, Cardinal O’Brien welcomed sands of members of the Vincentian family to gather, O’Brien, who was presented with a gift to mark US and Indonesia to share in the celebrations. Fr Sean Farrell CM who had travelled from Dublin celebrate and learn of each others work,” Clare Carr, the 25th anniversary of his ordination as a bishop Before Mass, Cardinal Keith O’Brien led the to deliver an inspiring and thought provoking hom- national youth development officer for SSVP by Michael Connick, of Vincentian Millennium Rosary Procession through Carfin Grotto, fol- ily. The Mass also made special provision for the Scotland said. “From providing sign language at Project Scotland. lowed by colourful banners representing the vari- deaf among the congregation with the deaf choir, Masses and a youth club for children with disabilities ous Vincentian partners following, with a special resplendent in their tartan, signing hymns while to working with women who are victims of prostitu- For more information on the Vincentian family, place of honour given to the Saltire of Scotland. Bishop Emeritus John Mone signed the Mass. tion and those affected by alcohol and drug abuse.” visit www.vmp.org.uk or www.ssvpscotland.com “Protecting life from conception to natural death” Annual Conference 2010 SPOTLIGHT ON... Keynote speakers include: • John Smeaton, National Director of SPUC • Andy Pollard, Population Expert SPUC Annual Scottish Conference Registration Form SATURDAY 23rd OCTOBER 2010, 10am - 4pm INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, ST JAMES ROAD, GLASGOW NAME: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: EMAIL: COST: £15 PAYMENT METHOD: CASH CHEQUE PLEASE MAKE ALL CHEQUES PAYABLE TO SPUC SCOTLAND PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH AS WE CAN ACCEPT PAYMENT ON THE DAY. SEND REGISTRATION FORMS TO: SPUC SCOTLAND, 75 BOTHWELL STREET, Cardinal Keith O’Brien was main concelebrant at a Mass to celebrate the silver jubilee of Sr Mary Elspeth, FREEPOST GW 4451, GLASGOW G2 6TS Schoenstatt, Clachan of Campsie. Fr William Conway, Fr Michael Savage and Fr Kevin Murray joined in the celebration. Sr Mary Elspeth thanked her community, family and friends for all their help and support over Email: [email protected] Call: 0141 221 2094 the past 25 years PIC: PAUL McSHERRY Website: www.spucscotland.org Friday October 8 2010 SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER NEWS 3 Doctors advised the mother of Church calls for rejection of Margo’s bill Susan Boyle to have an abortion Committee analysing the End of Life Assistance Bill is urged to see it as bad for society FAMOUS Scottish Catholic Susan Boyle has revealed By Ian Dunn very same methodology that you’ve used doctors wanted to have her to calculate the figures, the number of aborted in the womb.