Pope to Bishops: Love alone satisfies the heart

In his homily at Mass with the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) on Thursday, Pope Francis reflected on "three words that challenge us as Christians and Bishops in Europe: reflect, rebuild and see.", writes Francesca Merlo in Vatican News.

Bishops from across Europe, including Archbishop Leo Cushley, are in Rome to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the CCEE with a plenary conference on 23-26 September.

Reflect

God, speaking through the Old Testament prophet Haggai, invites us to reflect on how we live our lives, said the Pope: Twice the prophet says to the people: “Reflect on your ways!” ( Hag 1:5.7).

The Pope noted that those words, 'Reflect on your ways!', are challenging because in Europe today, "we Christians can be tempted to remain comfortably ensconced in our structures, our homes and our churches, in the security provided by our traditions, content with a certain degree of consensus, while all around us churches are emptying and Jesus is increasingly forgotten".

He asked the bishops and all those present to consider "how many people no longer hunger and thirst for God."

This is not because they are evil, he continued, but because there is "no one to awaken in them a hunger for faith and to satisfy that thirst in the human heart". Certainly, we are “preoccupied” by this, but are we really “occupied” with responding to it? asked the Pope.

There is no sense in judging those who do not believe, said the Pope. "Do we feel concern and compassion for those who have not had the joy of encountering Jesus or who have lost that joy?"

Through the prophet Haggai, the Lord asks his people to reflect on another thing, said the Pope, and this is charity. "Lack of charity causes unhappiness, because love alone satisfies the human heart," said the Pope. "The solution to problems and self-absorption is always that of gratuitous gift. There is no other. This is something to reflect on."

Rebuilding

“Build my house”, God says through the prophet (Hag 1:8), and the people rebuild the Temple, said the Pope, introducing the second word: rebuilding.

In order to build the European common house, we must "leave behind short-term expedience and return to the farsighted vision of the founding fathers, a prophetic vision of the whole", he said.

We must begin from the foundations, because that is where rebuilding starts: from the Church’s living tradition, which is based on "what is essential, the Good News, closeness and witness. We need to rebuild from her foundations the Church of every time and place, from worship of God and love of neighbour, and not from our own tastes."

"All rebuilding takes place together, in unity, with others," said the Pope. Rebuilding means becoming artisans of communion, weavers of unity at every level.

See

"If we rebuild in this way, we will enable our brothers and sisters to see," said the Pope. This is the third word: See.

"So many people in Europe see the faith as déja vu, a relic of the past," said the Pope. This is because they have not seen Jesus at work in their own lives, he explained. Often this is because we, by our lives, have not sufficiently shown Him to them.

"They will not recognize the One who loves each of His sheep, calls them by name, and bears them on His shoulders. They will not see the One whose incredible passion we preach: for it is a consuming passion, a passion for mankind," said the Pope.

This divine, merciful and overpowering love, concluded the Pope "is itself the perennial newness of the Gospel and it demands of us, dear brothers, wise and bold decisions, made in the name of the mad love with which Christ has saved us."

Faith leaders sign common declaration ahead of COP26

A declaration signed by leaders of all the UK's major faiths has been released ahead of the COP26 Conference in Glasgow.

The document has been signed on behlaf of the Scottish Catholic Bishops, by Bishop Brian McGee, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious dialogue and Sr Isabel Smyth of the Sisters of Notre Dame & Secretary to the Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Inter-religious Dialogue.

Glasgow Multi-Faith Declaration for COP26

Our faith communities are united in caring for human life and the natural world. We share a belief in a hopeful future, as well as an obligation to be responsible in caring for our common home, the Earth.

We recognise the opportunities that COP26 brings in addressing the urgent need for action in limiting the effects of climate change and the critical importance of decisions made in this conference to take forward the agreement made in Paris in 2015.

People have exploited the planet, causing climate change. We recognise that the burden of loss and damage falls most heavily on people living in poverty, especially women and children.

We acknowledge the commitments made through the Lambeth Declaration in 2015. Now, because of the gravity of our situation, the impact of climate change around the world, and the inequality of its effects we seek to strengthen those commitments.

We commit to respond to this challenge by:

We remind governments of their commitments made in Paris in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, and of Article 17 of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights to protect the environment, the biosphere and biodiversity.

We call upon them to take the urgent action needed to avert the loss, damage, and forced migration threatened by climate change.

We look to governments to work together and with others to create a positive vision for 2050 where addressing climate change is not just an opportunity to stop burning fossil fuels, but also: to achieve cleaner air and water; to reduce food wastage; to ensure a just and equitable sharing of the earth’s resources; and to protect the habitats we share with all other life on whose health we also depend.

Across our doctrinal and political differences, we know that we must change our ways to ensure a quality of life which all can share, and we need to provide hope for people of all ages, everywhere, including future generations.

To offer hope in the world we need to have confidence that those in power understand the vital role they have to play at the Glasgow COP26.

Our collective energy and prayers will be with those working for a successful outcome.

Catholic Church campaigns against Assisted Suicide Proposal

The Catholic Church in Scotland has restated its opposition to a new attempt to legalise assisted suicide.

While the church together with a wide range of other organisations supports the Care Not Killing group it has separately criticised the prospect of another consultation on the subject.

Anthony Horan, Director of the Catholic Parliamentary Office, said: "This is the third time in little over a decade that the Scottish Parliament has been asked to legalise assisted suicide.

"Despite the underlying arguments not having changed we are once again being confronted with the frightening proposal that doctors be legally permitted to help patients kill themselves by providing them with a lethal cocktail of drugs.”

Pressure on vulnerable people

He added: “Over the last eighteen months society has been reoriented to protect the most ill and vulnerable in response to the pandemic.

"Legalising assisted suicide moves in the opposite direction: putting immeasurable pressure on vulnerable people including those with disabilities to end their lives prematurely, for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden on others.”

Mr Horan restated the Catholic church position that “Once passed, incremental extensions and the removal of protections and safeguards are inevitable and have happened everywhere legislation has been passed.”

He called on MSP’s to “prevent suicide, not assist it” and urged Catholics to “engage with elected representatives to warn them of the serious dangers of assisted suicide and the deadly and irreparable consequences of its legalisation.”

  • Read the briefing on assisted suicide here.
  • The Archdiocese is hosting an event with Dr Gillian Wright titled 'Dying Well: How quality palliative care is the alternative to assisted suicide'. It takes place on Zoom (webinar) at 7:45pm on Tuesday 5 October. Register now at: bit.ly/DyingWellEvent

Pope 'supportive' of plans to relocate Scots College

Plans to relocate the Pontifical Scots College in Rome have been backed by Pope Francis.

Archbishop Leo Cushley met with the Holy Father at the Vatican on Saturday to discuss the proposed move.

He said: “Pope Francis expressed his full support for the intentions of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland to move the college into Rome city centre.

“I was delighted to hear that and I know my fellow bishops will be too.”

Archbishop Cushley updates Pope Francis on plans for the Scots College.

The decision to relocate the seminary, where young men in Scotland train for the priesthood, was announced in December after building upgrades were deemed too costly.

The college is currently on Via Cassia, around 10km from the city centre. The Bishops aim to sell the building and believe a more central location is the best option for the formation needs of the community and for future provision.

Archbishop Cushley added: “Saying goodbye, the Pope asked for our prayers, which I was happy to promise him on behalf of Scotland’s Catholics.

Archbishop Cushley is in Rome this week for the 50th anniversary of the council of European Bishops’ Conferences at the Plenary Assembly in the presence of Pope Francis.

Watch: Synod Basics in 5 mins

We asked Sr Anna Marie McGuan RSM and Fr John Deighan to tell us the basics about the forthcoming Synod in this 5 min video.

Find out more about the Synod process at www.synod.va/en.html

Buffer zones at abortion centres would be 'disproportionate'

The Archdiocesan Pro-Life Office has welcomed reports that the Scottish Government has rejected proposals to ban peaceful prayers and offers of help at abortion clinics.

It comes following an article in The Scotsman that said it had called buffer zones a "disproportionate" measure.

Paul Atkin, Pro-Life Officer for the Archdiocese, said: "The Scottish Government has acknowledged that banning peaceful prayer would be a disproportionate response.

"This confirms what we've been saying for some time that pro-life vigils are peaceful, prayerful and helpful for women.

"Participants must sign a ‘Statement of Peace’ and members of the public have been supportive.

"Abortion supporters have made many false allegations about vigils so we welcome this evidence-based decision by Scottish Government. Freedom of Information requests to Police Scotland have confirmed that there are no incidents on record.

"The NHS have also been asked and have said they have no record of anything untoward."

He added: "In 2020, there were 13,815 abortions across Scotland; 209 of these children were aborted because they were thought to be disabled. Women from our most deprived areas have abortion rates 2.2 times higher than women from the least deprived areas.

Alternatives

For many women and their families in our Archdiocese abortion is something they are pushed into by financial circumstances or a lack of knowledge of the support and alternatives that exist.

"Alternatives do exist; Pro-Life organisations across Scotland offer baby materials, support, help with accommodation, emotional support or whatever a new Mum needs, for as long as she needs it after birth as well.

"Peaceful Pro-Life vigils offer a chance for women to receive this help and support. Some women have said they would have run to a vigil if they had seen one when they presented for an abortion they later regretted. Vigils can also sign post women to post-abortion care and healing after the event."

40 Days for Life is starting a new campaign in Edinburgh on 22 September for 40 days. Will you be in the capital during that time? Could you pray one hour with them?  Find out more: www.40daysforlife.com/edinburgh

Dying Well event with Dr Gillian Wright

Medical ethicist and former Palliative care doctor Dr Gillian Wright explains how the end of life can be managed with care and compassion in an online event from our Pro-Life Office.

Dr Wright is a medical doctor who trained in general hospital medicine and palliative care.

She changed to work in the sphere of medical ethics in 2018 and worked for the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics in Edinburgh until 2020.

She now works for the campaign Our Duty of Care, which opposes the introduction of assisted suicide and euthanasia to the UK

The UK leads the world in palliative ‘end of life’ care. The modern hospice movement was founded here and palliative care has been recognised as a specialist branch of medicine for over 30 years.

Good palliative care attends to the needs of the patient as a whole, whether those needs are physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual or social. Through effective pain management, and good communication with the patient, symptoms can be well controlled.

Dying Well: How quality palliative care is the alternative to assisted suicide. 7:45pm-8:45pm, Tuesday 5th October, Zoom Webinar Register here.

 

September SPRED newsletter out now

The September edition of the SPRED newsletter is out now. It features news and events from SPRED groups across the Archdiocese. Read it here.

SPRED - Special Religious Development, is a spiritual programme for children and adults with special needs in the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh.

Find out more by contacting karenq@btinternet.com

Gallery: Diaconate ordination of Tom McEvoy

Congratulations to Tom McEvoy, who was ordained to the permanent Diaconate at St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, on Saturday.

Tom (main pic, left), a parishioner at Sacred Heart & St Margaret Parish, Penicuik, was joined by wife Anne as well as family and friends

Douglas Robertson, a parishioner at St Michael’s, Linlithgow, was instituted as a Lector, a step on the way to the diaconate.

They said: "We thank everyone, most especially our wives, Margaret and Anne, and our families, for loving us, guiding us, helping us and praying for us on our journeys to this special day. Please ontunue to do so.

"We pray for all of you and, as we also thank Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we ask them to guide and protect you always. God bless."

Gallery

All images by Paul McSherry

Deacon Tom, left, with Archbishop Cushley and Douflas Robertson.

 

 

Listening to the Faithful: Synod prep document released

The General Secretariat for the Synod has published the Preparatory Document, along with a Vademecum (or handbook) to indicate the guiding principles that will direct the path of the Synod on Synodality, reports Vatican News.

The solemn opening of the Synod will take place in Rome on October 9-10, and in the particular Churches on October 17. It will conclude in the Vatican in 2023 with the assembly of bishops from around the world.

The Preparatory Document, released on Tuesday, is intended to facilitate the first phase of listening and consultation of the People of God in the particular Churches, which will take place from October 2021 to April 2022.

Ten ways of Synodality

The preparatory document indicates ten ways that “articulate different facets of ‘lived synodality’.” These core areas should be explored in greater depth in order to contribute in a richer way to the first phase of consultation:

* The Journeying Companions: that is, reflecting on what we define as “our Church,” and on our “companions,” especially among the marginalized or those who are beyond the ecclesial boundaries;

* Listening: to young people, women, consecrated men and women, and those who are discarded or excluded;

* Speaking Out: considering whether “a free and authentic style of communication, without duplicity and opportunism,” is promoted within the community of the Church and in its institutions;

* Celebrating: thinking about how prayer and liturgy effectively inspire and guide our “walking together,” and about how the active participation of the faithful can be promoted;

* Co-responsible in the Mission: reflecting on how the community supports members who are engaged in service, such as the promotion of social justice, human rights, or preserving our common home;

* Dialogue in Church and Society: rethinking places and means of dialogue in the particular Churches, with neighbouring Dioceses, with religious communities and movement, with various institutions, with non-believers, with the poor;

* With the Other Christian Denominations: what are our relations with our brothers and sisters of other Christian confessions? What areas are involved, and what are the fruits and the challenges of our relationships?

* Authority and Participation: how is authority exercised in our particular Church, what is the experience of teamwork; how are lay ministries promoted?

* Discerning and Deciding: asking what procedures and methods are used to make decisions; how the decision-making process is articulated with decision-taking; what tools are promoted for transparency and accountability;

* Forming Ourselves in Synodality: in essence, looking at the formation offered to those in positions of responsibility in the Christian community, to help them to be more capable of listening and dialogue.

To learn more about the 2023 Synod on Synodality, visit the official website of the Synod.