DON’T MISS YOUR SCO PAPAL VISIT SOUVENIR SUPPLEMENT IN PARISHES NOW No 5289 Australian saint had strong Scottish roots Pages Josephite Sisters praise the cherished Highland heritage of their foundress 12-13 No 5386 New website at www.sconews.co.uk Friday October 15 2010 | 90p THE ‘BIG SOCIETY?’ ARCHIE MacLULLICH casts a critical eye over Prime Minister David Cameron’s vision for social policy in the UK Page 8 GOSPEL FOR THE GAELS NEW TRANSLATION of St John’s Gospel into the Scottish language is launched at the Gaelic Mod Focus on care, not killing Page 5 I Archbishop Mario Conti attacks Margo MacDonald’s End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill MIDDLE EASTERN CHURCH By Ian Dunn to natural decline,” he said. “Here, in Archbishop Mario Conti (inset top) has said be for the elderly a living source of this place, we read a very different that care provided to the elderly by nursing hope and for the persons so generous- ARCHBISHOP Mario Conti this story to that told by supporters of homes (main) like those run by the Little ly placing themselves at their service week launched a scathing attack on Margo MacDonald’s bill currently Sisters of the Poor is in stark contrast to the a powerful stimulus to pursue and Margo MacDonald’s End of Life before the Scottish Parliament which End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill pro- develop her work.” Assistance (Scotland) Bill. seeks to legalise assisted suicide. posed by Margo MacDonald (inset bottom) Archbishop Conti said he was sure Speaking at St Joseph’s home for “Human beings living with the bur- all present would say ‘Amen’ to the the elderly the Archbishop of Glasgow den of age and in declining strength of the Pope at the Canonisation Mass Pope’s words. contrasted the ‘delicacy and serenity’ are assisted to live—not to die. The for St Jeanne Jugan. with which the elderly are treated by concept of the frail elderly being a “Through her admirable work in the Future of the bill the Little Sisters of the Poor there with ‘burden’ to others is alien to those service of the poorest elderly, St The Scottish Parliament committee the ‘doctor’s syringe’ solution pro- who care for you here and who recog- Marie de la Croix is also like a beacon that is examining Margo MacDonald’s posed by the advocates of the bill. nise in each and every resident, a per- to guide our societies which must End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill Archbishop Conti said it was a great son made in the image and likeness of always rediscover the place and has finished taking evidence and will joy to be at the home to mark the first God, worthy of the highest levels of unique contribution of this period of issue a stage one report next month. anniversary of the Canonisation of the care in surroundings characterised by life,” the Pope said. “Her charism is John Deighan, the Catholic Church’s foundress of the congregation of the delicacy and serenity.” always relevant, while so many aged parliamentary officer said he hoped they Little Sisters of the Poor, St Jeanne Jugan. He added: “Care not Killing is the persons suffer different types of would heed Archbishop Conti’s words. POPE BENEDICT XVI name of the alliance which has been set poverty and solitude, sometimes even “Right now the human right to life speaks of the need for Championing care up to resist the slippery slope to abandoned by their families. The spir- is being undermined across the whole a Christian presence in His Grace said that the Glasgow euthanasia. Care not killing is what it of hospitality and fraternal love, of Europe because of assisted suicide Archdiocese owed the sisters a special happens here too. And who can argue founded on limitless trust in being permitted in countries like the Middle East debt of gratitude ‘because here in this that this oasis of loving tenderness, Providence, which Jeanne Jugan drew Holland and Switzerland,” he said. lovely facility you offer a welcome to rather than the doctor’s syringe, is what from the Beatitudes, illuminated her “So across the continent people are Page 24 many priests of the archdiocese who is truly meant by ‘dignity in dying?’ So whole existence. coming to see it as acceptable, I think have retired from active service.’ in that sense every act of charity and “The evangelical impulse is fol- it is a key role of the Church to stand “In this case the love for and care concern for the residents here in St lowed today throughout the world in up and say we cannot lose sight of our for the elderly is in striking contrast to Joseph’s is a challenge to our selfish the Congregation of the Little Sisters fundamental values, so I hope politi- those in our society who would see old society—an affirmation that there is of the Poor, which she founded and cians take a lead from the archbishop age as a kind of failure which must be another way, a better way.” which bears witness to her following and realise that assisted suicide and resisted, and see infirmity as a burden the mercy of God and the compas- euthanasia are unacceptable.” to be despised, culminating in a desire St Jeanne Jugan sionate love of the Heart of Jesus for to promote euthanasia as an alternative The archbishop also quoted the words the littlest ones. May St Jeanne Jugan I [email protected] 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 October 15 2010 Bishops mark cathedral 150th in Aberdeen By Dan McGinty served as a reminder of the means the oldest Catholic important role played by the dio- church of our diocese. St Peter’s THE Scottish Catholic hierar- cese in the years leading up to the in Buckie is three years older, chy gathered in Aberdeen to Restoration of the Hierarchy, and and indeed was at one time a celebrate the 150th anniver- indeed during the hardships of candidate to become the cathe- sary of the city’s Our Lady of the Reformation. It was fitting dral of the diocese. the Assumption Cathedral. then, that Bishop Moran chose to “Here in the city St Joseph’s Mass was celebrated on focus heavily on the historical Woodside and the venerable St October 5 by Bishop Peter Moran significance of the celebration. Peter’s in the Castlegate are of Aberdeen, with Cardinal Keith “The 150th anniversary of the much older. Tynet and Preshome O’Brien and Archbishop Mario cathedral is a milestone not only in the Enzie of Banff are older Conti also in attendance. for the building itself but for the still, and of course Pluscarden Scotland’s Bishops were joined entire diocese of Aberdeen. Abbey outstrips them all by at by Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Members of every parish have least 400 years. But when this Müller from Regensburg, which been invited to share this joyful church of Our Lady of the is twinned with Aberdeen, while and historic occasion,” he said. “I Assumption was begun in 1860, Mgr Brian Udaigwe, Chargé am delighted to welcome my fel- and particularly when it became d’Affaires at the Nunciature in low Scottish bishops, especially the cathedral of the restored dio- London, represented the Papal my predecessor in Aberdeen, cese of Aberdeen in 1878, it took Nuncio, Archbishop Faustino now the Archbishop of Glasgow, on its present symbolic role.” Sainz Muñoz, who is recovering Archbishop Mario Conti and our Bishop Moran reserved special from illness. ecumenical guests.” praise for the lay Catholics of his The celebration not only “Even during the period since diocese, speaking of the loyal marked a great anniversary for the Reformation in the sixteenth support shown by the parish- the Aberdeen Diocese, but also century this cathedral is by no ioners of Aberdeen Diocese and complimenting the people who brought the church to where it is today—the bishops, housekeep- ers, chairpersons and, of course “Protecting life from conception to natural death” altar servers, one of whom Bishop Moran mentioned had ‘seen service over fully one third Annual Conference 2010 of those years,’ a remarkable achievement, serving Mass for (Main) Bishop Peter Keynote speakers include: more than half a century. Moran of Aberdeen, with • John Smeaton, National Director of SPUC Bishop Moran concluded by Cardinal Keith O’Brien, • Andy Pollard, Population Expert saying: “But still we have not Archbishop Mario Conti, mentioned the main body of Bishop Philip Tartaglia, parishioners, whether the long- Bishop Joseph Toal, SPUC Annual Scottish Conference Registration Form established Aberdeen Catholic Bishop John SATURDAY 23rd OCTOBER 2010, 10am - 4pm Cunningham, Bishop families or the more recent Gerhard Ludwig Müller INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, ST JAMES ROAD, GLASGOW arrivals, first from Italy, then from Regensburg, which NAME: the older and the newer Polish is twinned with ADDRESS: migrants, and those from else- Aberdeen, Mgr Brian where in the UK, from Latin Udaigwe, Chargé TELEPHONE: America, and from Africa. d’Affaires at the Nunciature in London EMAIL: “The congregation of the and Pluscarden Abbot COST: £15 PAYMENT METHOD: CASH CHEQUE cathedral, like the population of the wider diocese around it, has Hugh Gilbert. (Above) PLEASE MAKE ALL CHEQUES PAYABLE TO SPUC SCOTLAND Bishop Moran and PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH AS WE CAN ACCEPT PAYMENT become truly universal, truly cathedral administrator ON THE DAY. SEND REGISTRATION FORMS TO: Catholic in that other sense of Fr Christopher Brannan SPUC SCOTLAND, 75 BOTHWELL STREET, the word.” and Vicar General Canon FREEPOST GW 4451, GLASGOW G2 6TS Andrew Mann celebrate Email: [email protected] Call: 0141 221 2094 Additional reporting by Mass.