CHRISTINE GLEN begins covering BISHOP TOAL hopes a concert with the arts for the SCO by looking at Michelle McManus for St Columba’s the Archdiocese of Glasgow Arts Cathedral encourages visitors to Project and Lentfest. Pa ge 12 Argyll and the Isles Diocese. Page 4 No 5451 www.sconews.co.uk Friday January 27 2012 | £1 Assisted suicide debate revived VATICAN POST I Church condemns Margo MacDonald MSP’s latest attempt to bring issue before Scottish Parliament By Ian Dunn THE Catholic Church in Scotland has condemned Margo MacDon- ald’s latest attempt to legalise assisted suicide, just a year after her last effort was roundly defeated in the Scottish Parliament. The Independent Lothians MSP unveiled a new consultation on the issue—which pushes for ‘a friend at the end’—at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, despite the failure of her first MGR PETER SMITH bid to make it legal for the ill and the of Glasgow to take up dying to seek help to kill themselves. role at UN in New York Prior to the defeat of Ms MacDon- ald’s last bill, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, helping Vatican nuncio Britain’s most senior Catholic clergy- man, warned that it would inevitably Page 3 lead to repeated attempts to change the law. INSIDE YOUR SCO Democratic process NEWS pages 1-9 Ms MacDonald’s new proposals come OPINION pages 10-11 in spite of the comprehensive defeat of the previous End of Life Assistance FEATURES pages 12-13, 21 (Scotland) Bill in a free vote at Holy- LETTERS page 14 rood just over a year ago. The Catholic COLUMNISTS pages 10-11, 22 Church was instrumental in the suc- cessful campaign against her legislation. INTIMATIONS pages 17-20 A spokesman for the Catholic Church BISHOPS’ ENGAGEMENTS in Scotland said it was ‘questionable’ that page 20 Ms MacDonald was returning this issue to the Scottish Parliament so soon. CHILDREN’S LITURGY page 23 “Nothing has changed,” Peter Kear- John Deighan, parliamentary officer been able to negotiate all its hurdles in Cardinal Keith O’Brien has spoken publicly and privately to Margo MacDonald MSP CELEBRATING LIFE page 24 ney, director of the Scottish Catholic for the Scottish bishops and one of the their quest for a peaceful death,” she about his concerns over assisted suicide Media Office said. “Deliberate killing, leading campaigners against Ms said. “With the benefit of that experi- PIC: PAUL McSHERRY even when assisting someone who is in a McDonald’s assisted suicide campaign, ence the new proposal, whilst being PRO-LIFE STRUGGLES state of despair, is always wrong. said that bringing this issue back risked equally robust aims to provide a clearer, issues. We remain convinced that “Furthermore, it is questionable that a wasting the parliament’s time. more straightforward process.” majority opinion favours the position legislator would seek to continually “The Scottish Parliament has already Among the new proposals she is put- reflected by my bill—people in full return a proposed piece of legislation, given considerable time to considering ting forward is a suggestion that a command of their rights be able to even though it has recently been com- proposals from Margo MacDonald on trained ‘licensed facilitator’ would have request help to end their lives at a time prehensively defeated a number of times. euthanasia,” he said. “The committee to be present when someone is taking and a place of their choice if their life Surely there is more to democracy than which examined the previous proposal their own life. A facilitator could be a has been made intolerable by an the idea that one introduces proposals exposed the multitude of dangers and doctor, social worker, or close friend, irrecoverable illness.” until they attain the answer they were problems that any such legislation would but not a relative or anyone who stands looking for.” create. There is absolutely no need to re- to gain from the death. Scottish law Donna Nicholson, director of pro-life examine this issue so soon after it was Under the proposals the helper would It is not illegal to attempt suicide in group SPUC Scotland, said Ms Mac- overwhelmingly rejected when put to the be responsible for reporting the death to Scotland but helping somebody take Donald’s return to this issue was a vote in parliament. There are real prior- the police, but the suicide may have to their own life could lead to prosecution ‘depressing and worrying’ development. ity issues which our politicians need to be filmed to prove that it had been car- for culpable homicide. “Hardly a year has passed since the be giving their time to and they should ried out by the patient themselves. “Across the parliaments of the United Scottish Parliament rejected the End of not be distracted with this issue again.” New MSPs Kingdom determined attempts are being Life Assistance Bill by 85 votes to 16— Flawed proposals made to legalise euthanasia,” Cardinal CATHOLIC MIDWIVES’ in fact every single parliamentary term Ms MacDonald claimed that Scottish O’Brien previously warned. “We can be court case gets backing since the opening of the Scottish Parlia- When Ms MacDonald’s first assisted Parliament elections, resulting in a sure that further attempts to legalise ment has seen an attempt to introduce suicide bill was rejected, Mr Deighan, ‘new batch’ of MSPs sitting at Holy- euthanasia and physician-assisted sui- from profession; TV euthanasia laws in some form,” she said. said that it sent ‘a powerful message to rood, meant she was justified in bring- cide will be made in our parliaments. adverts for abortion “Once again we would urge concerned the pro-life community around the ing this legislation forward again. The threat of legally assisted suicide in members of the public to take part in the world that euthanasia and assisted sui- “Since the defeat of the first bill I Scotland is doubly concerning: not only given green light consultation process and to contact their cide laws can and must be rejected.’ presented to the third Scottish Parlia- would it endanger Scottish patients, but constituency and regional MSPs to In launching her new bill, Ms Mac- ment, a great deal has changed,” she it would also lead to euthanasia tourism, Pages 3, 5 oppose this latest bill because no matter Donald, who has Parkinson’s disease, said. “There is a new government and as it is called, as already happens in what form this consultation takes it does admitted her previous attempt at drawing the composition of the various parties Switzerland.” not negate the fact that the right to die will up legislation on this issue had not been a has changed. The new consultation will accept all too soon, despite the best safeguards, success, even by her own standards. “My supporters and I have learned submissions from members of the pub- become the duty to die for the elderly, “The previous bill was robust but lessons from the previous bill, not least lic until April 30. the infirm, the disabled or any such vul- cumbersome and if passed, I believe from listening to the views and experi- nerable groups in our society.” that very few if any people would have ences of people on both sides of the 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 PICTURE NEWS SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday January 27 2012 (Above) Mgr John McIntyre of St Bridget’s, Ballieston, at his golden jubilee celebrations with his family. (Right) Mgr McIntyre concelebrating the Mass with members of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland St Bridget’s welcomes hierachy to Mgr John McIntyre’s golden jubilee ST BRIDGET’S Church, Cardinal O’Brien was a col- lar parish priest as he marked Baillieston, was packed last league of Mgr McIntyre for his golden jubilee. Friday as priests, parish- five years when he was a direc- “It was very gratifying that ioners and members of the tor at Blairs College, Aberdeen, so many people came to cele- Scottish Catholic hierarchy while Bishop Moran and Arch- brate the occasion,” Mgr McIn- Kinnoull Centre for Spirituality joined parish priest Mgr bishop Conti studied at Blairs tyre, who has been parish priest John McIntyre to mark 50 at the same time as Mgr McIn- at St Bridget’s for 16 years, said. Home of the Redemptorists in Scotland years since his ordination to tyre. Archbishop Conti spoke at Members of Mgr McIntyre’s the priesthood. the end of the Mass, and Mgr family, including his brother, The Redemptorists invite you to find time to ‘come away to a quiet Cardinal Keith O’Brien, McIntyre explained that his Jim, sister, Rosaleen, and Archbishop of St Andrews and friendship with the Archbishop extended family also joined him place’ this year. Make Space for Jesus to Speak to your Heart. Edinburgh, Archbishop Mario of Glasgow had grown through for the golden jubilee Mass, for We welcome individuals, groups and parishes to our Retreat centre Conti of Glasgow, Bishop their involvement in the Scot- which he offered great thanks to Emeritus Peter Moran of tish Heritage Commission and the St Bridget’s parishioners. through Lent, Eastertide and Summer. Aberdeen and Bishop Joseph the establishment of Blairs “I am very thankful to all the Toal of Argyll and the Isles Museum in Aberdeen. parishioners and especially the joined Mgr McIntyre, and Bishop Toal, who was a parish committee for organising Lenten Retreat many more priests he has pupil of Mgr McIntyre’s at the evening with such great suc- 20 – 24 Feb 2012 Jesus, a man of Passion served with over the years, on Blairs, also made the journey to cess,” Mgr McIntyre said.