SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR ONLY NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SEE PAGE 2 FOR DETAILS No 5289 Do Catholics have faith in politics? Page SCO/Newman Association panelists say yes, but are divided over hostility 3 No 5411 www.sconews.co.uk Friday April 15 2011 | 90p Let us strengthen the bonds of love I Apostolic nuncio to the UK speaks at St Andrew’s Cathedral re-opening New Missal coming in September By Liz Leydon Cardinal’s welcome Cardinal Keith O’Brien said that it gave him great THE new Apostolic nuncio to Great Britain pleasure to welcome the nuncio ‘on behalf of the told the congregation at the re-opening of St Bishops’ Conference of Scotland and the whole Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Glasgow Catholic Community in Scotland.’ He accepted that he aims to ‘strengthen the bonds of love’ Cardinal Bertone’s letter in Latin but opted, in between ‘the Holy Father’ and ‘the local good humour, to read aloud the English version. Church.’ “Now we have the opportunity of welcoming Archbishop Antonio Mennini made his first you to Scotland here in this magnificently re-deco- visit to Scotland last weekend following his rated St Andrew’s Cathedral in Glasgow,” Cardinal reception by Queen Elizabeth II last month. The O’Brien said. “ I am sure that you will not mind me nuncio came for Sunday’s Solemn Mass and altar congratulating Archbishop Mario Conti, the dedication at the re-opening of the renovated and Archbishop of Glasgow, and his collaborators for transformed St Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral the magnificent work accomplished in restoring in Glasgow, a city on which Pope Alexander III this cathedral to its ancient glory and giving to us a bestowed the title ‘special daughter of the Roman cathedral worthy of the city of Glasgow. Church.’ “However, it is as a brother bishop that on behalf The nuncio’s visit for the Mass with the of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland I welcome Scottish bishops, which also marked the sixth you to our midst today—hoping also that you will anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s elevation, enjoy your time sharing with the members of our begins a new chapter not only for the cathedral conference when we continue our deliberations but also for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, over the next few days in our capital city of which awaits news of new members. Edinburgh.” Nuncio’s message Scottish bishops Archbishop Mario Conti greeted Archbishop The nuncio is believed to be on the verge of Mennini following the blessing of the Sacred announcing new appointments to the Bishops’ Heart Chapel, the focal point of the £4.5 million Conference of Scotland as three of its current renovation, at the end of the first Mass in the re- members, including Archbishop Conti, have ten- opened cathedral. dered their resignations due to either ill health or The nuncio then formally presented his letter of upon reaching their 75th birthdays. introduction from Vatican Secretary of State “One of the most important functions of the nun- Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to Cardinal Keith cio is his role in the selection of bishops,” Catholic O’Brien, president of the Bishops’ Conference of writer Hugh McLoughlin told the SCO. Scotland. Archbishop Mennini met this week with the Speaking publicly for the first time in Scotland Bishops’ Conference of Scotland in Edinburgh. in his new role as nuncio, Archbishop Mennini While, as the SCO went to press, there had been no outlined his vision for the future. announcement regarding pending appointments to “One of my first tasks is to strengthen the Aberdeen or Dunkeld Dioceses or Glasgow bonds of love between the Holy Father and the Archdiocese, the Scottish bishops made a state- local Churches in Scotland, England and Wales,” ment this week outlining the introduction of the he told the Scottish bishops, Glasgow clergy and new English translation of the Roman Missal in congregation. Scotland from Sunday September 4. “I come to you first as a brother in Christ,” he In a letter to be sent to all clergy, Bishop Joseph said before going on to add: “In a society where Toal, president of the National Liturgy Commission, many persons are searching for deeper values and said: “Pope Benedict XVI has described the new meaning in their lives… Christ is needed more English translation of the Missal as ‘an immense than ever. It is in growing closer to the Father that service to Catholics throughout the English-speak- we grow closer to one another.” ing world.’ Scotland’s bishops welcome the oppor- Archbishop Mennini added that he was looking tunity this offers to renew our faith in the Eucharist forward during his visit to getting to know more and in all aspects of its celebration.” of the Scottish clergy and lay Catholics personal- The full Missal will be in use throughout Scotland ly and working together with Christian brethren from the first Sunday of Advent. towards justice and peace in the world. I Saturday celebrations and Vespers at the Cardinal Keith O’Brien and Archbishop Mario Conti with He encouraged the lay Faithful to be living I Bishop’s letter on the new Missal in full online at cathedral, and the Peter Howson painting of St Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Mennini and examples of the Faith and to also put the case for- http://www.sconews.co.uk/opinion/new-missal John Ogilvie, page 2 members of St Margaret of Scotland Youth Group ward for evangelising, saying that ‘society today outside St Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral after the needs clear voices’ and urging ‘do not be afraid’ I First Mass celebrated at St Andrew’s I Hugh McLoughlin provides an intriguing insight solemn Mass and altar dedication on Sunday to protect the future of your ‘beloved nation.’ Metropolitan Cathedral, pages 12-13 into how our bishops are selected, page 11 PIC: PAUL McSHERRY OMAGH RESIDENTS KEVIN MCKENNA MARK CHADBOURN march in memory says the Church from SCIAF speaks of murdered can better help to the SCO about Catholic policeman people make the current plight of Ronan Kerr their vote count COMMENT the Haitian people Page 10 HAITI REPORT Page 7 IRELAND NORTHERN Page 8 visit www.sconews.co.uk 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 April 15 2011 Civic reception at St Andrew’s Cathedral is full of surprises ST ANDREW’S Metropolitan Cathedral (Main) Archbishop Mario Conti poses with First Minister was stunning in all its restored and enhanced Alex Salmond and a host of civic leaders after the civic glory as guests arrived in the early evening reception in the newly refurbished St Andrew’s Cathedral sunshine for Saturday’s renovation project in Glasgow. (Inset) Stephen Callaghan, creative director completion celebrations and Vespers. of the Archdiocese of Glasgow’s Arts project, brings some drama to the occasion In spite of light-hearted banter from within PICS: PAUL McSHERRY Glasgow Archdiocese that work would continue The words are prominent in the cathedral until the eleventh hour to complete the £4.5 mil- ambo, designed by the archbishop in consultation lion restoration work, everything was ready on with Tim Pomeroy. the night with the bishop’s chair, which has sat in Archbishop Conti personally thanked everyone St Mary’s Pro-cathedral, Calton, for 20 months, who worked tirelessly on the renovation project at reinstalled behind the new altar. St Andrew’s, including artist Peter Howson who Archbishop Mario Conti, the driving force painted the St John Ogilvie canvas that adorns the behind the cathedral project, welcomed First Blessed Sacrament chapel (see report below). Minister Alex Salmond, civic leaders, representa- On Saturday the archbishop also made presen- tives from other churches and the architects and tations to the architects, project managers, crafts- artisans who had worked on the cathedral project men and women and artisans. Those honoured for a night of celebrations that concluded with included renovation project artistic advisor Netta Vespers. Many of the invited guests were seeing Ewing and artist Brendan Berry, whose depictions the completed, and dramatically brightened and of St Andrew and St Mungo adorn the foyer. newly adorned, cathedral interior for the first time. The evening’s events were not without a few sur- During part of his homily on the history of prises. The first of which was a short historical dra- Catholicism in Glasgow that prompted the con- matic reinactment of Fr (later Bishop) Andrew struction of St Andrew’s in the early 19th century, Scott’s decision to build St Andrew’s, starring Archbishop Conti said: “We are all familiar with Stephen Callaghan, the Archdiocese of Glasgow Glasgow’s motto: Let Glasgow Flourish. Perhaps Arts Project’s creative director. The performance of not everyone is aware that this is part of a longer how Fr Scott built on the Clydeside site in spite of verse and to complete it we need to add some fur- the critics of his day ended with the topical barb ther words: Let Glasgow Flourish by the Preaching ‘well at least I am not building a cloister garden as of the Word and the Praising of His Name. well,’ referencing the garden scheduled to open “This motto has relevance to Glasgow’s foun- beside the cathedral on May 16. The second surprise dation as a Christian settlement in the late sixth was an unexpected fire alarm towards the end of century by a missionary bishop called Kentigern, Vespersto, to which Archbishop Conti responded: better known to us as St Mungo.