ARCHBISHOP-ELECT CUSHLEY is expected Get ready for the SCO RELAUNCH. to facilitate pending independent Next week your national Catholic abuse inquiry by opening Church newspaper will have a brand new look records to scrutiny. Page 3 and content. Don’t miss it. Page 2 No 5533 YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLICwww.sconews.co.uk NEWSPAPER SUPPORTS THE YEAR OF FAITH Friday August 30 2013 | £1 HOW LOVELY ON THE MOUNTAIN ARE THE FEET OF HIM Pilgrims from across Galloway and beyond gathered at St Ninian’s Cave, Whithorn, on Sunday for this year’s diocesan pilgrimage to the cradle of Christianity in Scotland. Bishop Emeritus Maurice Taylor of Galloway led the celebration of Mass, which was attended by a number of young people from Galloway and their counterparts from Paisley Diocese. The summer weather brought the best out of the idyllic setting at the cave, with pilgrims perched on nearby rocks to get the best view possible of proceedings. Also making its first appearance at Whithorn this year was the Scottish Youth Cross, which was commissioned ahead of the Papal visit in 2010. Full report, see page 5 PIC: PAUL McSHERRY CALLS FOR PEACE IN SYRIA Signing up to save marriage CHEMICAL ATTACK reports prompt threat of international intervention; I Politicians from across the spectrum join campaign to save traditional marriage number of child refugees By Ian Dunn legislation passes there will be cata- be forced into participating. to the bill in the UK Parliament was from Syria tops a million. strophic consequences for civil liberties. “What will it mean for the Church, based on my opinion that it was a poorly Page 8 SENIOR Scottish politicians from Explaining his opposition to the cur- which, whilst perhaps not forced in law constructed piece of legislation, capable all the main political parties this rent proposals, Mr Mason, who has to have a celebration of same-sex mar- of being challenged in the courts with the week joined the campaign to save spoken out in the past against his own riage, will find that it has no alternative result that churches could be compelled DUNKELD AT LOURDES traditional marriage, as the 50,000th party’s support for homosexual ‘mar- but to make its premises available for to marry same-sex couples.” supporter signed up to the Scotland riage,’ said he was very worried about such events?” he said. “Scottish minis- He also warned that gay activists DIOCESAN GROUP for Marriage campaign. the impact on workers who refuse to ters will tell us that the bill being were already planning to use the courts has stories to tell after SNP MSP John Mason, Tory MSP endorse same-sex ‘marriage.’ brought before parliament will have all to force church involvement in same- Murdo Fraser and Labour MP Michael “As a member of the Equal Opportu- the necessary safeguards in place. That sex ‘weddings.’ pilgrimage to the McCann appeared together at a Scot- nities Committee I think my main aim is exactly, of course, what they told us “I thought that challenge may have French Marian shrine. land for Marriage event on Wednesday will be to examine what protections are in relation to previous legislation to taken a few years but already a couple in a rare coalition to warn of the dan- in place for celebrants, denominations, legalise adoption of children by same- from Essex, Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and Pages 12-13 gers of redefining marriage. Several public sector workers, third sector volun- sex couples. We were assured that there his civil partner Tony, have announced hundred people attended the meeting, teers and others who do not agree with would be no threat to faith-based adop- that they will go to court to force CHURCH SALVATION one of many planned over the next few same sex marriage,” he said. “So far we tion agencies, which took a different churches to host gay weddings,” he said. months as the Scottish Parliament pre- have had assurances on this from both view. We see today that these promises “That is unacceptable and I fervently pares to consider proposed legislation Scottish and Westminster governments were utterly worthless.” hope that Scottish politicians have the BISHOP GILBERT to change the law. but I remain far from convinced that these Labour MP Mr McCann, who also wisdom to draft a law which separates The SNP Government published the ‘guarantees’ are actually deliverable. spoke at the rally, said he prayed the Church from State.” sees Church as Salvation, Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill two In a rare display of cross party unity Scottish Parliament did not repeat the A Scotland for Marriage spokesman new US sisters as months ago but the Scotland for Mar- Tory MSP Mr Fraser agreed with Mr mistakes of Westminster, which recently said this rare coalition was evidence of evangelisers in Scotland. riage campaign now has more support- Mason. legalised same-sex ‘marriage.’ the seriousness of the issue. ers than there are members of the four “I simply cannot see how it is possible “I hope the Scottish Parliament learns “A broad section of the Scottish pub- Page 7 main Scottish political parties and has to create ‘equal marriage’ without inter- lessons from the mistakes made on same- lic opposes politicians meddling with pledged local campaigns in all 73 Holy- fering with the religious liberties of those sex marriage legislation in the UK Par- marriage at all,” he said. “In addition, rood constituencies. who take a contrary view,” he said. “What liament,” he said. “It is a very sensitive there are genuine civil liberty concerns will it mean for those working within the issue but what became clear to me is that that have not been taken seriously. Politicians public sector who take a traditional while people claim that everyone desires “Our national petition continues to grow Scotland For Marriage has repeatedly view of marriage, whether they be in edu- a sane and rational debate on the issue with more than 50,000 now having signed. warned that if the Scottish Govern- cation, the health service or elsewhere?” there are people on either side of the issue ment’s planned same-sex ‘marriage’ He also warned that the Church may that hold extreme views. My opposition I Continued on page 5 SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 I e-mail [email protected] 2 RELAUNCH NEWS THE SCO SUPPORTS THE YEAR OF FAITH SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday August 30 2013 REFRESHING YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER BETWEEN EDITIONS Your SCO will look new, 1985 and read differently, beginning next week 1985 By Liz Leydon SCO editor, right NEXT WEEK we are relaunching The Scottish Catholic Observer, your inde- pendent national Catholic newspaper, because we think Catholic communica- tions is more important now than it has ever been in recent years and we need to move with the times in conveying Christ’s message. We all know that the Good News is the message of Christ that we have been charged with going and telling everyone about. To help with this task of evangelising in this, the Year of Faith, and in the future, your national 2008 post relaunch Catholic newspaper uses every means possi- ble—from your weekly print edition, last revamped in 2008 and available in parishes; to our website, which we improved for the Papal visit in 2010; to our work in social media such as Twitter and Facebook and our cross media presence on radio and television. The SCO team has been hard at work throughout the summer making improve- ments. Your new SCO from next week will bring you: in Scotland to help redress the balance of how the Church is portrayed in the secular media. Now more than ever the SCO needs your sup- I more in-depth reporting on local and Vati- port in parishes. 2013 can news in news spreads; Our Church has been through a multitude of challenges this year, from the retirement of I fresh voices from within the Catholic community in columns and opinion articles; Pope Benedict XVI to the retirement of Car- dinal Keith O’Brien here in Scotland. We I spiritual life features from religious orders have also seen the joy of the election of Pope and prayer direction among; Francis, his triumph at World Youth Day in Rio, Brazil this summer, and the announce- I other new features on life and mission ment of Scotland’s new archbishop, Mgr Leo work. Cushley, whose Episcopal ordination for St Andrew and Edinburgh take place next There is even going to be a What’s On col- month. umn and an extended diary. We want to keep Times are changing in Scotland and globally, and you need a Catholic newspaper that can you as informed, up to date and active as pos- W sible and next week sees the first new help you stay up-to-date with events—in print, columns from Michael McGrath, director of online and in social media—and in touch with 2013 relaunch the Scottish Catholic Education service, and your Faith. The SCO team is working hard to Sr Roseann Reddy from the Sisters of the serve the Catholic community. Gospel of Life. The new SCO is here for you, so do let us The SCO was established in 1885 and has know what you like in the newspaper, what been through many changes and improve- you don’t like, what you want to see and how ments since then. Now more than ever we we could serve you, and the Catholic com- need an independent Catholic newspaper here munity, better in the future.