SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR ONLY NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SEE PAGE 24 FOR DETAILS No 5289 SCIAF’S HIV/AIDS awareness campaign Page Charity makes the cause a focus of its Christmas fundraising drive 2 No 5393 www.scottishcatholicobserver.org.uk Friday December 3 2010 | 90p Scotland still a hostile home? ‘SEXMAS’ PLAN SLAMMED I Leading Scottish Catholics back Peter Kearney’s recent comments on sectarianism By Ian Dunn LEADING Scottish Catholics have backed a Church spokesman’s claim that there is a ‘vicious’ hos- tility to Catholics in Scotland. Peter Kearney, media spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, has been widely lauded for penning a newspaper article in response to the recent furore following allegations of the sending of e-mails within the CHURCH SPOKESMAN Scottish Football Association that mocked Pope Benedict XVI. calls on Scottish Mr Kearney said the reaction to his Government to request for an SFA investigation had reconsider its 2010 revealed the ‘deep and wide layer of anti- Catholicism’ that exists in Scotland. Christmas sexual Composer James MacMillan and health campaign Michael McGrath, the head of the Scottish Catholic Education Service, Page 3 are among those who have followed Mr Kearney’s lead in expressing their disgust at the anti-Catholicism in PRO-LIFE WAR Scotland today, as has a senior member of the Church of Scotland. CHURCH EXPERT The flashpoint warns against Mr Kearney originally wrote to the SFA calling for ‘urgency and trans- complacency even as parency’ in investigating Hugh Dallas, assisted suicide bill the head of referee development in Scotland, who allegedly forwarded on Fresh comments by Peter Kearney (above), ago in reference to sectarianism, said Catholic songs they received derisory looks set to fail an offensive e-mail about Pope director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office, the ‘level headed, moderate’ article fines because UEFA said Scotland is an Benedict on the day of the Papal visit on the issue of sectarianism have received deserved praise unlike the work of anti-Catholic nation and it would be Page 6 to Scotland. support from fellow Scottish Catholics such many in the Scottish media. unfair to judge one team for a national Although Mr Dallas has since left his as composer James MacMillan (top right) and “Certain people always seek proof problem,” he said. “I think there is justi- post, Mr Kearney said the whole affair Michael McGrath (bottom right), director of when you speak of anti-Catholicism, fication for saying that because Rangers ST ANDREW’S DAY proved that ‘Scotland has become com- the Scottish Catholic Education Service but Peter spoke about three incidents for many years had an explicitly bigoted pletely inured to the corrosive effects of PICS: PAUL McSHERRY of priests being attacked and in the policy of not signing Catholics, and not religious bigotry and may even have Catholic community we know that one voice in the Scottish establishment lost sight of what constitutes it.’ brick through the bedroom window of they are the tip of the iceberg and there was raised against it, and to me silence “Many people have claimed that e- the Renfrewshire priest as he slept. are far more incidents of this kind that implies consent. mails similar to the one in question cir- “Such incidents are a mere snapshot are not reported,” Mr MacMillan said. “I’m glad this has come out and I think culated widely in the weeks leading up of the daily tide of intolerance “A line must be drawn and this violent we need a full and open enquiry into it, to to the Pope’s visit,” Mr Kearney says Catholics, especially clergy, have suf- behaviour against Catholics stopped. I settle this issue for once and for all. in his article. “These comments are, fered and continue to suffer.” believe the media does have questions Let’s find out hundreds if thousands of incredibly, intended to somehow miti- He concluded by saying bigotry to answer about why this sort of thing Catholics over many years are just para- gate the culpability of those who were against Catholics was a truth the is not widely reported and some noid as many have claimed or if they recently being accused. Sadly, they do country did not want to face up to. Scottish newspapers need to take a do in fact have a legitimate grievance.” nothing of the sort. Instead they illu- “Reminding Scotland that religious long look at themselves.” minate the reality of a layer of deep, intolerance exists here is a risky busi- Michael McGrath, the director of the Christian backing wide and vicious anti-Catholic hostili- ness, which is probably why so few Scottish Catholic Education Service, A senior member of the Church of ty in our country.” people do it. Crown Office statistics said the level of vitriol directed against Scotland also said there was a sectari- Mr Kearney went on to say this hos- show that Catholics are six times Scotland’s highly successful Catholic an prejudice against Catholics that tility was merely the latest iteration of an more likely to suffer a sectarian attack schools made him believe there was had to be addressed. ‘anti-Catholic bigotry’ that ‘has existed than any other group,” he continues. still a ‘significant undercurrent’ of anti- “The Church of Scotland wants to in Scotland for a very long time.’ “Let no one be in any doubt, with this Catholic feeling in Scotland. see Scotland rid of every last vestige MESSAGES “As the racist bile of ‘comedians’ shameful episode, Catholics in Sco- “I think you do tend to get an unin- of sectarianism,” Rev Ian Galloway, from Scotland and like Bernard Manning underpinned tland have drawn a line in the sand. formed response to Catholic educa- the Kirk’s convener of the Church and Rome on feast day of and affirmed the actions of many who The bigotry, the bile, the sectarian tion and when people continually Society Council, said. “There is no committed racially motivated attacks undercurrents and innuendos must ignore what the facts are you do start place for it in our society. I am espe- nation’s patron saint in the 1970s and 80s so too does the end. Such hateful attitudes have had to wonder if they are motivated by cially appalled by acts of violence car- Catholic baiting of the chattering their day, they poison the well of com- some kind of prejudice,” he said. ried out on my Catholic colleagues. Pages 12-13 classes bolster the bigotry of a new munity life, and they must be excised Patrick Reilly, professor emeritus of There is no excuse for this, or for the generation of vicious thugs,” he and cast out once and for all.” English at Glasgow University who attitudes that lead to it.” writes. “They are the ones who threw worked with the Scottish Bishops’ the concrete block at the Lanarkshire Catholic support Conference’s Communication Com- To read Peter Kearney’s comments priest, striking him in the head. They Leading Scottish Catholics were quick mission, said he hoped that Scotland in full visit www.sconews.co.uk/ are the ones who surrounded the car of to praise Mr Kearney for speaking out. would now face up to the reality of sec- news/scotland-is-anti-catholic- the West Lothian priest hurling vile Internationally renowned composer tarian bigotry in this country. church-spokesman-claims invective at him and trapping him in James MacMillan, who coined the “When Rangers were fined by UEFA fear. They are the ones who hurled a term ‘Scotland’s shame’ over 10 years four years ago for the singing of anti- [email protected] SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 e-mail [email protected] 2 SCIAF SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday December 3 2010 The mother of all Christmases Preparing for the family celebration of PIC: SEAN SPRAGUE the birth of Christ often falls to women. To: Merry Christmas SCIAF’S REAL GIFTS offer the chance this year to send a gift on behalf of the women in your family that will really help women in the developing world OR many people SCIAF-supported training pro- Christmas involves a gramme at Agakura in Burundi large amount of (above), helping vulnerable work, from making young people receive a practi- sure everyone gets a cal education in farming. This Fpresent they like to ensuring includes training people in how there’s enough turkey to go to make jam so they can make around. Often these duties fall more money than just selling on the shoulders of the women their basic crops... of the family. Many people in Burundi have In the countries where had their education disrupted by SCIAF works women also play war and employment opportu- a major role in looking after nities for them are few and far their families and making the between. Abel is 25 years-old home a warm place of refuge. and he and his wife have Unfortunately, for many received training from Agakura. women in Africa, Asia and He told SCIAF: “We cultivate Latin America this can be a land and grow food to eat and huge struggle due to extreme sell. With the money we make poverty. However, this year we are able to do things, for there are a range of Christmas example, when the baby is sick Real Gifts from SCIAF which we can afford to get treatment for can help you say ‘thank you’ to her. The money also allows us to the people that care for you and, buy other things like salt and at the same time, provide life- sugar.