Day of Prayer for Peace

Catholics are being encouraged to say a prayer and light a candle for peace on Tuesday 7 October.

In a pastoral letter, Bishop John Keenan writes: ""Our world today is troubled by so many wars and conflicts; it is appropriate that we as Catholics pray individually and together on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary for the Holy Land, Gaza and Israel.

"Pope Leo has also asked all Catholics to pray the Rosary during the month of October for peace in our world."

A prayer for peace
God of peace and justice,
We pray for the people of the Holy Land:
Israeli and Palestinian, Jew, Christian and Muslim.
We pray for an end to acts of violence and terror.
We lift to you all who are fearful and hurting.
We ask for wisdom and compassion for those in leadership.
Above all, we ask that Jesus the Prince of Peace,
Establish lasting reconciliation and justice for the Holy Land and all nations. Amen.

Read more here

Day of Prayer for Peace

Catholics are being encouraged to say a prayer and light a candle for peace on Tuesday 7 October.

In a pastoral letter, Bishop John Keenan writes: "It is two years since the terrible massacre in Israel and now the continuing atrocities in Gaza.

"We invite our brother priests to open their churches on that day for as long as possible so that everyone has the possibility to visit their parish, especially the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for a moment of prayer and to light a candle.

"Our world today is troubled by so many wars and conflicts; it is appropriate that we as Catholics pray individually and together on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary for the Holy Land, Gaza and Israel.

"Pope Leo has also asked all Catholics to pray the Rosary during the month of October for peace in our world."

A prayer for peace
God of peace and justice,
We pray for the people of the Holy Land:
Israeli and Palestinian, Jew, Christian and Muslim.
We pray for an end to acts of violence and terror.
We lift to you all who are fearful and hurting.
We ask for wisdom and compassion for those in leadership.
Above all, we ask that Jesus the Prince of Peace,
Establish lasting reconciliation and justice for the Holy Land and all nations. Amen.

Catholics are also being encouraged to contact their MP and download a template letter calling for more action to end the war. More details on the Justice & Peace Scotland website.

Lighting a candle for unity in communities

Douglas Alexander, the Secretary of State for Scotland, joined Christian, Muslim, and Jewish leaders to light a candle for peace and unity in Scotland.

The event took place at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Friday under the theme of reconciliation and social harmony as a response to xenophobia, antisemitism and Islamophobia

Archbishop Cushley said: "It is a modest gesture, but its meaning is not: we wish to recognise our shared humanity, our goodwill towards others, and our concern for our
people in these troubled times.

"None of us is here very long, so let’s do what’s in our power to leave the world a better place."

Candles were lit by:
- The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Scotland
- Reverend Fiona Smith, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church
of Scotland
- Archbishop Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh
- The Most Revd Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
- His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch
- His Grace the Duke of Hamilton
- Edward Green DL, Leader of the Edinburgh Jewish Community

Douglas Alexander said: “The ceremon highlighted the very best of Scotland - our capacity to come together across different faiths and backgrounds in pursuit of our shared values of respect, dignity and community.

“At a time when division and hatred seek to undermine our society, this powerful demonstration of togetherness sends a clear message that Scotland will always
choose hope over fear, and bridge-building over barriers.

Church leaders release joint statement on Gaza

The Catholic Church in Scotland has joined with the Church of Scotland to release a statement on Gaza.

The statement is signed by Bishop John Keenan, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland, and the Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Statement

We unite to ask for the immediate cessation of violence and the relief of the suffering of the people in Gaza, and echo the words of Pope Leo in calling for "a ceasefire, for the release of the hostages, for a negotiated diplomatic solution, and for full respect for international humanitarian law."

In reaffirming the "inviolable dignity" of each person made in the image of God, he reaffirms that understanding which we hold in common and speaks of a dignity that deserves to be "respected and protected".

We are deeply conscious of the extent to which that human dignity has been violated and that both young and old, strong and vulnerable, are all alike exposed to the threat of death and destruction.

In the light of this, we call for the release of the hostages taken on 7 October 2023 and an immediate ceasefire for the sake of all.

Further, we call for all parties to unite in the provision of humanitarian aid and, while recognising the extreme difficulties faced by all agencies in this regard, we ask that, as a matter of urgency, an accord be reached which would enable such provision to be made.

We are especially conscious of the perilous situation faced by the Christian church in Gaza, and we pray for those who in their suffering continue to bear witness to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We urge the United Kingdom Government to recognise the State of Palestine and call upon the Government to now fulfil its stated intention to do so, and thereafter to join the international community in seeking to establish a viable State within Gaza and the West Bank.

We recall that the Vatican recognised the State of Palestine in May 2015 and we join with all those who affirm the right of self-determination by the Palestinian people.

Bishop John Keenan
President, Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland
Rt Rev Rosie Frew
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

Archbishop: pray and fast for peace Friday 27 Oct

Archbishop Cushley  is encouraging all Catholics in the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh to respond to the Holy Father's call to pray and fast for peace this Friday.

Watch the video message below or on YouTube.

He said: "The Holy Father has asked us to join him this Friday in a day of prayer and fasting and penance, asking the Lord for peace in our world in these troubled times."I'd like to encourage you to do that and you may also wish to join him at 5pm on Friday there will be an out of prayer from Saint Peter’s Square and we will all be able to participate in that online."

Challenge Poverty Week event

Bishop John Keenan will join Rt Rev Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the Church of Scotland, for a special Challenge Poverty Week event.

Faith, Compassion and Security is hosted this Thursday (5 October) at the Xaverian Missionaries Conforti Centre and Church of Scotland Priority Areas.

The theme of the event is to learn about a Minimum Income Guarantee as a way to combat poverty and discuss in a Christian context how this may be achieved.

Bishop John Keenan, of Paisley Diocese, said: “It is an opportunity for individuals to raise their voices against poverty and unite with others in calling for a just and equal Scotland.

"I am heartened to be able to participate in these conversations, to lead worship together with Catholics and Reformed Christians active in anti-poverty work across Scotland.”

Hugh Foy of the Xaverian Missionaries, said: "This campaign seeks to return human dignity to the heart of political decision making.

"These issues transcend party politics, they define who we are as a society.

"A minimum income guarantee secures a healthy standard of living for all, and allows it to be sustained as a fundamental requirement of all governments in the future"

Faith, Compassion and Security – A Challenge Poverty Week Event, Thursday 5 October 2023, 10:00am to 3:00pm at the Conforti Centre, Calder Avenue, Coatbridge ML5 4JS. No registration required.

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Challenge Poverty Week runs from 2–8 October and is organised by The Poverty Alliance, an organisation which Justice and Peace Scotland are members of.  Justice and Peace advises the Bishops' Conference of Scotland in matters of social justice, peacebuilding, promoting care for creation and human rights, supporting the Catholic community to live the values of the Gospel in service to the poor and marginalised.

 

Message on Day of Prayer for Peace

In his annual letter to all parishes in Scotland for a Day of Prayer for Peace (Sunday 2 January) Bishop William Nolan has contrasted the vast sums spent on military spending with the millions of displaced people facing persecution and poverty.

Bishop Nolan, Bishop of Galloway and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland Justice and Peace Commission, has called on Catholics to “recognise the dignity of our fellow human beings, particularly those who are strangers to us”.

Read the full letter below.

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My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

2nd January 2022

Every year we begin the new year by praying for justice and for peace. And each year it seems that justice and peace are beyond our grasp, yet ever more necessary than the year before.

As we look around us, we see a world where justice and peace are an elusive dream for so many but not a reality.

Looking at the problems we face today, it is clear that many of these problems have as their root cause human weakness, human failing, and human sinfulness.

Much of the environmental crisis that confronts us just now is caused by our misuse of the world’s resources, our pollution of the air and the seas, and our exploitation of the earth without a concern for the consequences. And in so many countries we see the suffering caused by warfare and violence.

Is it not strange that we human beings spend over $1.9 trillion* every year in global military spending? So much money spent defending ourselves from our fellow human beings! What does that say about the state of our humanity?

We need to recognise that the core of the problem lies within ourselves, within the human heart. Among the consequences is that we live in a world where the number of forcibly displaced persons is more than it has ever been. 82.4 million people worldwide** have had to leave their homes and move elsewhere, often to other countries, as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or climate change. Hardly surprising that some of these people try to reach our shores.

Hardly surprising that those fleeing oppression or poverty take the risk of travelling in flimsy boats across the Channel longing to get here, to what they hope is the Promised Land.

We pray every year for peace and for justice. We need to pray fervently not just today but every day, so that the message of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, will touch human hearts; so that we will recognise the dignity of our fellow human beings, particularly those who are strangers to us, particularly those who are poor, particularly those who call out to us for help.

May our prayer go hand in hand with our actions so that justice and peace may no longer be just a dream but become a reality in our world, in our lives and in the lives of our fellow human beings.

Wishing you every blessing in the year ahead,

+William Nolan Bishop of Galloway

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland Justice and Peace Commission

*Source: www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2021/world-military-spending-rises-almost-2-trillion-2020

** Forced Displacement in 2020, source: www.unhcr.org/flagship-reports/globaltrends/