Worst Japanese disaster since WWII Holy Father offers support; call for aid. See page 8 No 5407 www.sconews.co.uk Friday March 18 2011 | 90p SCIAF AND SUSAN BOYLE SCOTTISH SINGER lends her voice to Lenten appeal launch, helped by school pupils Pages 2, 13 ST JOHN OGILVIE Christian persecution is rising NEW DEVOTION I Cardinal O’Brien speaks of the threat to Christianity at Aid to the Church in Need report launch call from Archbishop Mario Conti for By Ian Dunn opment to guarantees by the recipients Cardinal Keith O’Brien and Archbishop lowed by Stations of the Cross at St Glasgow martyr of equitable treatment of Christians and Bashar Warda of Erbil join Neville Kyrke- Francis Xavier’s Church. CARDINAL Keith O’Brien has other religious minority groups. Smith and John Pontifex of Aid to the Church on feast day said he believes persecution of “I urge William Hague to obtain in Need to launch its latest report Refugees Christians is growing around the guarantees from foreign governments PIC: PAUL McSHERRY A Christian refugee from Iraq who had Page 3 world because of a desire to ‘con- before they are given aid,” the cardinal settled in Glasgow was on hand at St quer’ Christianity. said. “To increase aid to the Pakistan “It is very difficult for Christians in Rollox Church to drive Archbishop Britain’s most senior Catholic cler- government when religious freedom is Iraq right now, because there are so Warda’s point home. CLYDEBANK BLITZ gyman was speaking in Glasgow on not upheld and those who speak up for many recent stories of persecution that it “I left Iraq with my family in 2002,” Tuesday ahead of the official launch at religious freedom are gunned down makes many lose trust in the future,” Nather Esa, who was a teacher in his Carfin Grotto in Motherwell of the is tantamount to an anti-Christian Archbishop Warda told the SCO. native land, said. “It had just become Persecuted and Forgotten report by the foreign policy. “That loss of hope is why so many too difficult to live there as Christians. charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). “Pressure should now be put on the have left Iraq, because it can barely sur- There was too much violence and we The report reveals that 75 per cent of Government of Pakistan—and the gov- vive where there is such persecution, so were living in fear.” all religious persecution around the world ernments of the Arab world as well—to many attacks and kidnappings.” He now cannot imagine returning to is now directed against Christians and ensure that religious freedom is upheld, Even though his diocese in the north his home county. that 100 million Christians worldwide the provision of aid must require a of the country is the most peaceful in “I do not know how we could ever are facing persecution. commitment to human rights.” Iraq they still face huge challenges as go back,” he said. “There are too many 4000 Christian families have moved people who don’t want Christians Persecution is growing Religious freedom there to escape the violence in Baghdad there, it is just too dangerous for us.” Speaking to the press on Tuesday at St The cardinal said that the ACN report and Mosul. St Rollox’s has become vital to the Rollox’s Church of Scotland church in provided an urgent reminder that not “They need food, education, jobs, Sighthill asylum seekers community, Sighthill, which helps many Christian all countries enjoyed the same reli- always they need more and the authori- many of whom are fleeing religious refugees who have fled their own coun- gious freedoms as Scotland. ties [in Iraq] do not care,” he said. persecution. tries, the cardinal said his own travels “I hope the evidence presented by “They say nice words but they never Rev James Torrans, the church’s around the world had convinced him that Aid to the Church in Need will encour- come to hear people’s stories and when minister, said persecuted people of all persecution of Christians is growing. age us all to speak out for religious free- there are attacks on Christians the cul- faiths come to the church. “From what I’ve seen and heard it is dom at every opportunity and motivate prits are never caught.” “We see that people of many reli- MEMORIAL SERVICE getting worse,” he said. “I haven’t been us to support those who campaign for He fears that. without help. Christians gions have come here after being per- marks 70th anniversary to all the countries named in the report, it,” he said. “We ask that the religious may be forced out of Iraq forever. secuted by their governments but the of the Second World although I have been to many, and peo- freedoms we enjoy to practise our “In many countries, like Iraq, the abuse of Christians does seem to be ple in these countries have told me Faith, will soon be extended to every situation for Christians seems to be disproportionate,” he said. “Since War air-raid devastation many frightening stories of persecu- part of the world and that the tolerance worsening, sometimes to the point Kosovan refugees started coming here tion. I think it is because of a growing we show to other faiths in our midst where we wonder if we will survive as ten, eleven years ago, we’ve respond- Page 5 confidence in people of different reli- will be reciprocated everywhere.” a people in our own country,” he said. ed to that and we now have a drop in gions at present that is leading them to “There is no doubt that the political centre, English classes and more for try to impose their will and the will of Iraq turmoil and growing nationalist strug- refugees from Iraq, Iran, Nigeria and their faith on people of different faiths, This point was made clear by the pres- gles in Iraq are contributing to the loss China.” indeed to try and conquer them.” ence in Glasgow and at St Francis of our religious freedoms.” Xavier’s in Carfin of the Archbishop Cardinal O’Brien and Archbishop continued on page 2 Treatment of Christians Bashar Warda of Erbil, Iraq, where Warda both took part in the official The cardinal also called on the foreign nearly a million Christians have fled launch of the report on Tuesday night Bishop Devine calls Prime Minister secretary to link UK international devel- the country in the past decade. with a ceremony at Carfin that was fol- to task over equality law see page 3 SCO, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6BT I tel 0141 221 4956 I fax 0141 221 4546 e-mail [email protected] 2 SCIAF CAMPAIGN LAUNCH SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER Friday March 18 2011 Susan Boyle sings the praises of SCIAF’s work Scottish singer speaks movingly about her connection with the charity during its Lenten campaign launch in Glasgow By Ian Dunn SUSAN Boyle added some celebrity glam- our to the launch of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund’s (SCIAF) Wee Box, Big Change Lenten campaign this week. The international star spoke movingly about her connection to the charity in front of the press, local schoolchildren and SCIAF workers and sup- porters at the charity’s headquarters in Glasgow. “It’s been a charity which is very close to my heart as my mother used to have wee boxes in the house,” she said. “My mother used to have wee boxes such as this one in the house and, just before she passed away, she began collecting for SCIAF so this brings back a lot of memories for me personally. It is very personal and there is a strong message of hope.” Movingly Ms Boyle had with her the same Wee Box that her mother had used to save money for SCIAF in. The charity is asking Scots to give up a treat for Lent and donate the money saved to them, so they can continue their work helping the world’s poorest people. Susan Boyle said she was giving up chocolate. “Apart from it being too fattening, I think the money raised will be phenomenal!” she said. The singing sensation also showed a keen awareness of the importance of the charity’s work. “It’s a fantastic organisation that works in some of the poorest countries in the world, pro- viding real hope and practical help to people affected by extreme poverty or the trauma of war or natural disasters,” she said. “I know every Susan Boyle faces the cameras (above) at the SCIAF campaign launch in Glasgow at which she penny they get will be used in practical ways to was presented with a silk flower (left) from Paul Chitnis, SCIAF’s chief executive recovered from help poor people support themselves in the long the rubble of the cathedral in Haiti. She then posed on the steps of the SCIAF headquarters with term so they can fulfil their own dreams of a schoolchildren to bring the launch to a close ALL PICS: PAUL McSHERRY future with respect and human dignity.” SCIAF’s chief executive Paul Chitnis said he was delighted Ms Boyle had agreed to back the campaign. “It’s not often we have a global superstar in the SCIAF offices but the hard work, determination and talent Susan Boyle has shown in reaching the top of show business are the same attributes SCIAF shows working with the world’s poorest people,” he said.