Flourish - Archdiocese of Glasgow Journal History
Newspaper for the Archdiocese of Glasgow
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April 2020 edition of the Flourish - Archdiocese of Glasgow Journal
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faith Focolare from Trent to Glasgow full report page 8 I t has been the Lent we had never considered possible. Prayer, yes, prayer for our very survival. Fasting, yes, but fasting from the Bread of Life. Almsgiving, yes, but alms giving to save lives in our midst. The iconic image of Pope Francis, alone, silent, frag ile in a rainswept St Peter’s Square, imploring God to spare his people, and im ploring people to turn to God, is one we will never forget. The Pope’s words pen etrate our souls: “For weeks now it has been evening. Thick dark ness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by… “We feel it in the air, we notice in people’s gestures, their glances give them away. We find ourselves afraid and lost. “Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us frag ile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us The hour of T riaL svdp Christianity in shirt sleeves full report page 10 coronavirus Church faces crisis with faith full report page 2 in need of comforting the other. “On this boat… are all of us. “Just like those disciples, who spoke anxiously with one voice, saying ‘We are perishing’ so we too have realized that we cannot go on thinking of ourselves, but only together can we do this.” Those words echo in our minds. “Only together can we do this …” Throughout the Arch diocese and beyond those words have been heard. Parishes are mobilising. People are thirsting for the Mass in a way that was un foreseeable. Livestreams at tract huge numbers. People gather round computers on a Sunday to hear the Arch bishop speak to his diocese as never before… “Only together we can do this …” As we enter the most sa cred week of the year, we do so knowing that we will not be able to kiss the cross on Good Friday, to go to com munion on Easter Sunday, to sing “alleluia” together… not yet. This will be the long est and strangest of Holy Weeks. But at its end, our joy will be greater, our un ion stronger, and our faith deeper. The Easter message is needed more than ever… death does not have the fi nal word. Christ will rise, and so will we, to a new and better future. by ronnie convery editor Flourish News • Spirituality • Culture • Education • Life Official Journal of the Archdiocese of Glasgow April 2020
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2 FLOURISH April 2020 news Emergency indulgence granted to the sick During the current emergency, new arrangements will apply for the care of the sick and dying. The following note was released by the Archdiocese last week. T he current health emergency has led to radical changes in our hospitals. To protect staff and pa - tients, new rules essentially prevent almost all visits to in-patients. One side effect of this is that priests will not have the same access to patients in hospitals they have always had up until now. In particular, patients with Covid 19 are strictly iso lated even from their own families. The Archbishop is anxious to provide, as far as possi ble, support to the sick and dying in these terrible cir cumstances. In recent days Pope Francis has approved a new decree which, during the current crisis, provides the option of a plenary indulgence (the remittance of all tem poral punishment for sins forgiven) to those who cannot receive the Last Rites of the Church and the Archbishop wishes this to be widely known. In practice this means that if a patient cannot get to confession because a priest cannot attend, then God, in his love for us offers us other means of forgiveness. As St Paul reminds us in his letter to Timothy, God desires all men and women to be saved (cf 1 Timothy 2:4). Patients in these circumstances are urged to say the Creed, Our Father and Hail Mary and make an act of per fect contrition – this means that we hate the sins we have committed, we are truly sorry for them, are resolved not to sin again and that we will confess our sins if we can, when that is possible. This prayer of sorrow will obtain forgiveness of both mortal and venial sin. The act of contrition can be in the patient’s own words – no specific formula is needed. It can be a simple phrase, “Lord, have pity on me, a sinner.” The indulgence is also granted to every Catholic who, at the point of death, cannot receive the Last Rites (as may well be the case due to current health restrictions), and who, even if they cannot recite the prescribed prayers, in their life, has tried to pray and to love God. Please make this information known to anyone cur rently in hospital or likely to be admitted. My dear friends, stay at home, keep safe, and may God bless us all Pope: We are on a stormy sea – save us, Lord! Archbishop Tartaglia addresses the whole Archdiocese in this dramatic and powerful letter M y dear Brothers and Sisters, In an effort to help halt the spread of the coronavirus, on top of the suspension of public Mass and other acts of worship, following Gov ernment advice, we have had to close our churches. I had hoped that this would not become necessary, but it has. The new golden rule in this battle against the virus is that we should all stay at home, if possible, and that, outside the home, no group larger than two persons should form. We are all a bit anxious just now. I know I am. The coronavirus will have mild effects in the vast majority of people, but, according to the experts, we can expect confirmed cases of the virus to rise and fatalities to grow in number. At the same time, our leaders and medical officers have advised us that staying at home will halt the spread of the virus, lessen suffering and save lives. I do not want to do any thing that encourages peo ple to come out of their homes, or that causes peo ple to gather in a group of more than two, or that might contribute in some way to the spread of the vi rus through some hidden contagion. Churches there fore have to close – even for private visits. The full package of restric tions is therefore as follows: • Suspension of public Masses and Acts of Worship • Closure of churches • No marriages in church • No baptisms in church • No home visits to the sick • Funerals limited to the Act of Committal at the graveside or crematorium Thankfully, Government directives still allow for the livestreaming of Masses and other acts of worship from behind closed doors. I encourage you therefore to follow Mass online, and, as you do, to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, asking the Lord to come into your heart through the grace of the Holy Spirit, even though you cannot re ceive him sacramentally in Holy Communion. Mass is celebrated online from the Cathedral every weekday at 8.15am, 1pm and 5.15pm, and on Sundays at 10am and 12 noon. You can follow these Masses at www. cathedralg1.org It is important to be aware that, if you need any personal pastoral or sacra mental care, please call or email your parish priest, and he will discuss with you how best to help you in the circumstances. I encourage you to pray unceasingly in your homes for a halt to this epidemic, for those who are suffering, for all doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, and for our civic leaders. You can access news up dates and online prayer re sources at the www.rcag. uk and other Catholic web sites. Let us together put our trust in God the Father who created us with a loving purpose. Let us together put our trust in God the Son, Jesus Christ, who, through his death and resurrection, conquered sin and death, so that death will never have the last word in human des tiny. Let us together put our trust in God the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us and gives us the strength to do what is right in every circumstance. Let us together continue to seek the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Michael and all the Holy Angels, St Andrew, St Nin ian, St Mungo, St Columba, St Margaret, St John Ogil vie and all the Saints, that the human race will come through this time safely. My dear friends, stay at home, keep safe, and may God bless us all. Yours devotedly in Christ, Philip Tartaglia Archbishop of Glasgow T he storm exposes our vulnerability and uncov - ers those false and super - fluous certainties around which we have constructed our daily schedules, our projects, our habits and priorities. It shows us how we have allowed to become dull and feeble the very things that nourish, sustain and strengthen our lives and our communities. The tempest lays bare all our prepack - aged ideas and forgetful - ness of what nourishes our people’s souls… In this storm, the façade … with which we camouflaged our egos, always worrying about our image, has fallen away, uncovering once more that (blessed) common be - longing, of which we cannot be deprived: our belonging as brothers and sisters. Like the disciples, we will experience that with him on board there will be no shipwreck. Because this is God’s strength: turning to the good everything that happens to us, even the bad things. He brings seren - ity into our storms, because with God life never dies. “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” Lord, your word this evening strikes us and regards us, all of us. In this world, that you love more than we do, we have gone ahead at breakneck speed, feeling powerful and able to do anything. Greedy for profit, we let ourselves get caught up in things, and lured away by haste. We did not stop at your reproach to us, we were not shaken awake by wars or injustice across the world, nor did we listen to the cry of the poor or of our ailing planet. We carried on regard - less, thinking we would stay healthy in a world that was sick. Now that we are in a stormy sea, we implore you: “Wake up, Lord!”. “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” Lord, you are calling to us, calling us to faith. Which is not so much believing that you exist, but coming to you and trusting in you. This Lent your call reverberates urgently: “Be converted!”, “Return to me with all your heart”. You are calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing. It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others. Pope Francis spoke not only to Catholics, but to all humanity as he addressed the world from St Peter’s Square during his extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing. Flourish here reproduces some of his most powerful words
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3 April 2020 FLOURISH news Eastender Andy’s golden touch Canon Bob’s book Vatican street art a n altar server at St a lphonsus, Calton, is using his skills as a self- taught gilder to complete a restoration project at the church, part-funded by unwanted gold jewellery donated by parishioners. For almost two years Andy Scott, 57, spent hours, usually before the church opened for worship, pains takingly restoring gilt on the magnificent Sacred Heart side altar. The former demolition worker is currently work ing on the equally elaborate Marian side altar, which he expects to complete over the coming months. The project began after a chance conversation with Canon Tom White, who is Parish Priest of both St Al phonsus and St Mary’s Cal ton. Andy said: “I used to be a pass keeper in both church es and one day about three years ago Father asked me if I wanted to be an altar server and I thought, fair enough, and then we got talking about the side altars in St Mary’s and how they could do with being restored. “I said to Father that I learned gilding from an older guy when I worked with Lipton’s the grave stone company in Eglinton Toll and that I’d be happy to help.” Grandfather Andy, who has been a regular worship per at both churches for more than 20 years added: “I’m not a professional gilder but I’ve definitely got the hang of it now. I use a brush or my fingers to place it where I want the gold to go – you have to have an eye for it because the altars are pretty complicated bits of carving! “But the main thing is to take your time – rush it and ruin it as they say.” After both altars were completed in St Mary’s, Andy began work on the ones in St Alphonsus. And to raise money for the 24 carat gold leaf need ed for the gilding Canon White asked parishioners to donate old or broken gold jewellery to be sold to pay by brian swanson S t Matthew’s, Bishop - briggs’ Parish Priest Canon r obert h ill, whose regular Scripture reflec - tions appear in f lourish, has completed an in-depth commentary on the Gospel of John which is now avail - able on a mazon Kindle. Entitled “The Gospel of John in the Lectionary, Vol ume 1” and also available in paperback, Volume 2 will follow in due course. Canon Hill, whose com mentaries on the Sunday Lectionary volumes A, B and C have been available on Amazon Kindle for the past four years said: “It’s really just a hobby for me and one which I very much enjoy. I write where others do – or watch – sport, so it does not take away from parish work. I get up at 5.30 each day and after the dog has been dragged round the park, and the day set in motion I get to work before Mass, and again at the end of the day, time permit ting”. Canon Hill’s books are available via the Amazon website. T he Vatican has chosen street art for its 2020 e aster stamp. A version of the Ascen sion by Heinrich Hofmann seen near Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II in Rome will be available soon at the Holy See’s post office in St Peter’s Square. The choice of the image didn’t pass unnoticed on so cial media. “What does the slogan ‘Just Use it’ mean please?” asked one tweeter. “A play on Nike’s ‘Just Do it’? Use the Sacred Heart… as in work it, use it for refuge etc…” suggested another. A US street artist hailed the image, saying: “As a Catholic artist who lives in LA, street art is one of the most influential and inspir ing things I have witnessed in this secular world. Wit nessing murals has remind ed me of how God touches the artists’ soul and how they are given the ability to share their creativity!” The Vatican’s full pro gramme of stamp releases for 2020 has now been pub lished. Among the special stamps to be released this year will be commemorative sets to mark the centenary of the birth of Saint John Paul II; one to mark the 5th cente nary of death of the painter Raphael and the 250th anni versary of Beethoven’s birth. Political events will also be marked with special stamps, including the 50th anniver sary of di0plomatic rela tions between the Vatican and the European Union. And in a release which is sure to have a special reso nance in Glasgow, the 100th anniversary of the founda tion of Stella Maris, which will be marked later this year with a special congress in the city, will also be re called with a special Vatican stamp. Cancellations Please note that due to the ongoing health issues, the Annual Ozanam Talk on Monday 20th April in Blessed John Duns Scotus and Annual Concert on Friday 8th May in the Woodside Halls, have now been cancelled. Hopefully take place later in the year. Thank you Yours in St Vincent and Blessed Frederic Ozanam Joseph Maguire Glasgow Archdiocesan President s e r v i n g i n h o p e Society of St. V incent de Pau l Scotland Glasgow Archdiocese Society of St.Vincent de Paul File name: SVdP 12x2 ad Flourish Ozanam Cancel Client: Society of St. Vincent de Paul Size: 85mmx140mm Publication: Flourish Artworker: RP Time: March 27, 2020 12:11 PM Status: Client proof 2 for a regular supply of the precious material. Parishioners responded with typical generosity al lowing the work to go ahead although donations are still welcomed. Andy said: “I’m actually quite pleased with the work. It won’t need replaced in my life time that’s for sure – they say it lasts 100 years so I’d love to think when my seven year old grandson has his own kids he’ll tell them ‘my grandad did that’. It’s a good thought.” Canon White said: “Andy’s typical of the volunteers we have here in the Calton… along with others, he helps maintain and bring out the physical beauty of both churches and there are oth ers who help support and maintain and bring out the beauty of living stones.” THE WHITE FATHERS (Missionaries of Africa) MASS FOR THE DECEASED SUNDAY 26TH APRIL 2020 H A S B E E N C A N C E L L E D T HIS IS DUE TO THE CURRENT CORONAVIRUS CRISIS . W E WISH TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR CONTINUED HELP AND SUP PORT IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES . T HE W HITE F ATHERS WILL BE REMEMBERING YOU IN THEIR PRIVATE MASSE S AT THIS TIME . P LEASE S TAY S AFE ! G OD B LESS . White Fathers Coronavirus:Layout 1 19/3/20 16:00 Page 1 by brian swanson pictures by paul mcsherry
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4 FLOURISH April 2020 news Glasgow youth team inspired at Catalan shrine of Our Lady Participants Canon Tartaglia (3rd from right) and Michelle Kerr (7th from right) a fter a breath-taking bus journey through the Pyrenees, the team arrived at the beautiful old Benedictine monas - tery called Santa Maria de Montserrat , which is locat - ed about 45 km northwest of Barcelona and is nestled in the jagged mountain peaks of Montserrat. The monastery is sur rounded by the astounding natural beauty of unusual rock formations and offers spectacular, misty views of the Catalan countryside. It is also home to the fa mous statue of the Virgin Mary, known locally as ‘La Moreneta’, which pilgrims can visit in the monastery’s gothic basilica. More than 200 youth lead ers, priests and religious from all over Europe gath ered in Montserrat for Life Teen’s conference aimed at encouraging youth workers to “dive deeper with Christ” and glean more practical skills so as to transform the culture of their parishes and lead their youth into a per sonal encounter with Jesus Christ. The theme of the confer ence centred around Our Lady’s ‘Fiat’ (the Latin word meaning ‘let it be done.’) It was incredible to see how much the Holy Spirit worked in just one week end. The team experienced God’s grace through the dy namic, Spirit filled speak ers who shared practical leadership skills, covering a diverse range of topics such as: how to use the various social media platforms ef fectively to engage with the youth in our ministry; the importance of meeting our young people where they are in their lives, and the ways in which we, as lead ers, can better understand the current youth culture in order to touch the hearts of our young people more deeply and profoundly. It cannot be denied that we each encountered Jesus personally throughout the conference; in the Word, in the Sacraments and in the laughs and heartfelt conver sations that we shared over the dinner table. Each day ended with a peaceful time of prayer in front of the Blessed Sacra ment while gentle, reverent worship music filled the Ba silica. We were reminded by one of the speakers, Mark Berchem, founder of NET Last month, Archdiocesan Youth Director, Canon Gerry Tartaglia and RCAG Youth Officer, Michelle Kerr, teamed up with the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia and fellow youth ministers, Tamara Sanchez-Kapostasy and Sam Begbie from Our Holy Redeemer’s and St Margaret’s parishes, and headed to Spain to attend the Life Teen European Training Conference. Their mission? To learn more about successful programmes and ideas which are leading to successes in outreach to young people across the globe. In this article, Michelle reports back on the experience 1 8 4 – 2 0 0 H O W A R D S T R E E T G L A S G O W G 1 4 H W T el ephone: 0141 552 4368 • F ax: 0141- 552 4731 Ber n ar d C or r igan L t d W H O L E S A L E F I S H M O N G E R • P O U L T E R E R & G A M E D E A L E R Bernard Corrigan 6x2.qxd 2019-11-19 11:24 Page 1 “LET US ARRANGE YOUR WEDDING RECEPTION ” T elephone: 0141 944 6231 W e hav e a wide range of MENUS including B uffets and F inger B uffets 20 DR UMCHAP EL R O AD, OLD DR UMCHAP EL, GL ASGO W F uneral par ties cater ed for Co v er ed car par king O ur FUNCTION SUITE also caters for: BIR THDA Y , CHRISTENING & ENGA GEMENT P AR TIES Olivers 5x2.qxd 19/7/10 10:20 Page 1 S t and ar d Bu ild ing s , 94 H op e S t r e e t , G las g o w G � �PH T e l e p h o n e + 4 4 ( 0 ) 1 4 1 2 4 8 8 1 1 1 F a x + 4 4 ( 0 ) 1 4 1 2 2 1 8 4 2 0 E - mail m ail@blane y carnan. com INST ALL A TIONS, REP AIRS & MAINTENANCE OF ALL GARA GE DOORS D AL Y G ARA GE DOORS F ami l y Business W i th Ov er 30 Y ear s Exper ience • Electr ic oper a tor s ins ta lled to ne w & ex is ting door s • Roller door s & spar es • Fr ee es tima tes & advice TELEPHONE: 01355 261601 MOBILE: 07821 679606 www . da l y g ar ag edoor s . co . u k Emai l: mar kpda l y@blue y onder . co . u k 1 K enda l Road, Eas t Ki lbr ide G75 8Q T Extensiv e r ang e of door s inc luding: Hender son, Hor mann, Gar ador , Glider ol, C ar ada le , No v of er m et c. 24 Hour Ca ll-Ou t Daly Garage Doors 10x2.qxd 29/6/10 09:18 Page 1 Froscote Roofing 5x2 17/10/11 14:49 Page 1 Ministries, that in order to “cultivate a missionary heart” it is not enough to simply “talk about Jesus”, rather we must “experience and come to know the per son of God” through nurtur ing a personal relationship with Him each day. The team returned to Glasgow renewed and strengthened in their mis sion to invest in the future of the Church by being the Spirit filled evangelisers Pope Francis speaks of in his exhortation to young people Christus Vivit. I returned reassured that throughout Europe is a gen eration of young Catholics, leaders in their communi ties, who are standing up to give their own ‘fiat’, with hearts on fire for the con version of our young people, following the advice that the Pope gives in his apos tolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (the Joy of the Gos pel)… In order to best win hearts for Christ, we must each become “ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervour, who have first received the joy of Christ”. Our Lady of Montserrat, pray for us!
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5 April 2020 FLOURISH news a mini-panic broke out in r ome re - cently following an article in the r o - man newspaper Il Messaggero by veteran Vatican reporter f ranca Giansoldati, who reported that Pope f rancis has undergone a test for the coronavirus and the results were negative. Prompting the ferment is the fact that Francis has been suffering from what’s been described by the Vatican as a “light cold,” which has caused him to cancel several public engagements and to re strict himself to appointments within the Domus Santa Marta, the hotel on Vatican grounds where he’s chosen to reside since his election in 2013… Francis also was forced to bail on the an nual Lenten retreat for the Roman Curia held in Ariccia, a town nestled in the hills outside Rome, restricting himself to fol lowing it at a distance. What drove Vatican watchers batty is not so much the idea that Francis’s medical team would have carried out a test for the coronavirus – which, since he’s sick and the disease has a large footprint in Italy, seems an entirely reasonable precaution. In fact, given the circumstances, the real story probably would have been why the Pope hadn’t been tested for the disease. Instead, the thing driving some people crazy is that the Vatican didn’t provide any comment on Giansoldati’s story, so that journalists have been left to traffic in sec ond hand reports and conjecture rather than officially confirmed information. The most we got was a fairly oblique statement from the Vatican Press Office, which said: “The cold diagnosed in the Holy Father in the past few days is taking it course, without symptoms attributable to other pathologies.” In all honesty, the reticence shouldn’t be terribly surprising. Over the years, the Vatican has always been extremely reluc tant to divulge information concerning what it would consider the private life of a pope, especially when it concerns his health. When I first arrived in Rome as a cub reporter in the 1990s, the city was awash with rumours that Pope John Paul II had Parkinson’s disease. Italian newspapers routinely carried reports to that effect, though all were un sourced. In my na iveté, I decided to call a Vatican spokesman to put the question on the record. When I finally got someone on the line, the answer was brusque: “Si tratta della vita privata del papa,” he said, meaning, “It’s a matter of the pope’s private life.” The response was meant to end the conversa tion, and the dial tone I was greeted with on the phone after it was uttered sort of put an exclamation point on things. There’s a grand history of such refus als. On August 19, 1914, for example, L’Osservatore Romano, the official Vatican newspaper, published a stinging editorial denouncing unnamed commentators who had suggested the previous day that Pope Pius X had a cold. Less than twenty four hours later, Pius X was dead. Historically, the most reliable way to destabilise a monarchy, whether of the secular or ecclesiastical sort, is to suggest that the king is ill. Traditionally, there fore, the Vatican is extremely reluctant to acknowledge that a pope is ill, fearing that it will induce a fin de régime scramble for power and turn the sitting pope into a lame duck. None of this is to suggest there’s any rea son to think that Pope Francis is seriously ill, or that the Vatican’s explanation of a “light cold” isn’t correct. To date, Francis has shown himself to be remarkably resil ient despite his age… Two points from the current bout of pa pal sniffles, however, suggest themselves. First, it’s a reminder that sooner or later, the 83 year old Francis will go into de cline. How that will play itself out, mean ing how long an illness might unfold and whether he’d choose to resign if he feels he can’t govern effectively any longer, is im possible to say, but the brute fact is that no papacy goes on forever. The current hiccup beckons the question of whether cardinals who will be voting in the next papal election may be thinking more intentionally right now about what comes next. It would be natural if they were – perhaps especially the expanded number of cardinals from outside the West created by Francis, such as cardinals from Myanmar, and Cape Verde, and Tonga, and Laos, who’ve never had to think about de ciding the future leadership of the Church before, and who may have been reminded by these events that someday they’ll have to make that fateful choice. Second, the Pope’s case of the cold also raises the question of what the Vatican will tell us when things are more serious. Francis has endeavoured to promote a culture of transparency in the Church, urging officials at all levels to tell the truth even when it’s inconvenient, on the con viction that it’s ultimately better to take a small hit up front than a much bigger one down the road. It will be interesting to see if that philosophy also drives Vatican com munications when the Pope’s health truly is uncertain, or if the institution falls back on its historical patterns. In the meantime, one hopes that Francis stages a quick recovery and is good to go as Catholicism nears the holiest period on its calendar… Follow John Allen on Twitter: ■ @JohnLAllenJr This article also appears on the Crux homepage www.cruxnow.com Vatican silence on Pope’s cold sets the alarm bells ringing Urbi O rbi News fr OM the Vati C a N a N d the Cath OL i C w O r L d In association with Crux – taking the Catholic pulse & CRUX is an independent US- based news agency with the mission to deliver the best in smart, wired and independent Catholic news. We have special editorial interests, such as faith and culture and anti-Christian persecution around the world , but we cover the whole Catholic story. cruxnow.com Picture: Imago Mundi by john l allen jr editor of crux
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7 April 2020 FLOURISH feature “ a s long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under e nglish rule. i t is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor hon - ours, that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself”. These are the best known words in the Declaration of Arbroath, foremost among Scotland’s state papers and the most famous historical record held by the National Records of Scotland. The Declaration is a letter writ ten in 1320 by the barons of the kingdom of Scotland to the Pope, asking him to recognise Scotland’s inde pendence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king. The Declaration was writ ten in Latin and was sealed by eight earls and about 40 barons during the long war of independence with Eng land which started with Ed ward I’s attempt to conquer Scotland in 1296. It was sent to Pope John XXII who was resident not in Rome, but in France. At this time Scotland was having its difficulties with the English King, Edward I, the “Hammer of the Scots”, mainly over a question of jurisdiction. After a succes sion of able Scottish Kings, sons of St Margaret, one of whom, David, has been hailed as a saint, the nearest blood relative to the throne was Margaret, the Maid of Norway. Sadly she died on her sea journey to Scotland. King Edward used the opportuni ty to revive English claims of superiority. He had already attempted to conquer the country but was rebuffed by William Wallace at Stirling Bridge… think Braveheart, but that’s another story! Kind Edward I backed a certain John Balliol to be the new ruler of the Scots and wrote to the Pope giving his reasons for the choice. I have seen the actual letter in the Vatican Archives. But in the meantime Robert the Bruce had seized the throne and defeated the English army at Bannockburn in 1314. The English refused to recognise Scotland’s inde pendence or Bruce’s posi tion as King. The Pope intervened with a peace plan but the Scots defied papal efforts to es tablish a truce with Eng land. The Pope excommuni cated Robert the Bruce and three of his barons, once again using spiritual power to solve a political impasse. The Declaration of Arbroath was part of the Scots’ diplo matic counter offensive. Written at the great Ab bey of Arbroath under the guidance of Abbot Bernard, and sealed with some 40 seals of Scottish Barons, it is a masterpiece of diplomacy. Calling on the fatherly con cern of the Church’s chief shepherd and underlining the bullied condition of the Scots, it stated in majes tic sentences their call for justice, their right to inde pendence: “As long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours, that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself”. Last summer I fulfilled an ambition to visit Avignon and see the papal Palace there to which the Declara tion of Arbroath was sent. It has a significant role in the history of the Papacy. For two distinct – though con nected – periods of time it served as the residence of Popes. Indeed throughout most of the 14th century it was home to the Bishops of Rome, and it remained the a rbroath’s Papal anniversary For many of us, Arbroath is synonymous with smokies and bank holiday day trips … but this month the seaside town in Angus is being remembered for one of the most significant moments in Scotland’s religious and political history … the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath. To mark the anniversary the iconic document is planned to go on display in the National Museum of Scotland. In this article, Archbishop Mario Conti sets the story in context and recalls links between Scotland and the Papacy. property of the Popes until the French Revolution. There is another city wherein the Popes had a temporary residence which I have also visited in recent years. It is south of Rome, in Lazio, signposted “La Cit tà dei Papi” the City of the Popes – the city of Anagni. There a significant event took place which influenced the course of history, the history of the Church but with wide political implica tions. But why was the Papacy in exile from Rome? This re sulted from an original fall out between Pope Boniface VIII and the French King. Boniface attempted an ex pression of universal juris diction even in the political sphere when he addressed Philip, the French King, in a letter which started “Aus culta Fili”, Listen Son! The king did listen – and put a heavy tax on the Church! He also sent 1600 soldiers to Anagni and impiously as saulted the Pope in his pal ace, a shock from which the Pontiff died the following month! The Cardinals appointed in due course a successor in the person of the Archbish op of Bordeaux, a friend of King Philip, who, in turn, prevented him leaving France. The creation of many French Cardinals ensured future popes would be French and they prefered Avignon to Rome as home! Only 70 years later, a saint, Catherine of Siena, got the popes back to the eternal city. It was for this reason that the Scots addressed their plea to the Pope – John XXII – not in Rome but in France. The independence of Scotland (until the Union of the Crowns in 1603) was eventually recognised. A papal mission to Scot land, famously recorded by Pinturicchio in Siena Ca thedral, was conducted by Aeneas Piccolomini who became Pius II, one of the great Renaissance Popes, and the great Sword of State in the honours of Scotland was the gift of Pope Julius II to James IV, our Renais sance prince. The Diocese of Glasgow had already been granted by Pope Alexander III in dependence of the met ropolitan claims of the Archdiocese of York and designated the “Special Daughter of the Roman See” (1175). This was subsequently ex tended and was confirmed in effect by the independent restoration of the Scottish Catholic Hierarchy in 1878.
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8 FLOURISH April 2020 feature T his year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chiara Lubich, the foundress of the i nterna - tional f ocolare Movement. e vents to mark the occa - sion have been happening across the world. In Trent, the beautiful little city in the folds of the Italian Alps, where Chiara was born, the President of Italy and other dignitaries attended an event to cel ebrate her life, its impact and message for the world today. In the UK ecumenical and interfaith events are being held with a similar aim. But in the Archdiocese of Glas gow, which has been home to the Focolare movement for decades, the anniversary is truly something to cel ebrate. Chiara never planned to start a movement. In her own words, she “only want ed to follow God”. The fact that the Focolare Movement developed was a direct re sponse to her “yes” to love God before all else, and the attraction of that way of life on those around her. Contagious Chiara was 19 years old, when on a dreich morn ing in 1943 she offered to walk from her home to the farm, in place of her sister, to get some milk. A practis ing Catholic, she was trying to understand what God wanted of her life. On her way she felt very strongly that God was call ing her, “Give yourself com pletely to me”. Soon after she arranged to meet a lo cal Franciscan priest. After a long chat, he agreed to let her consecrate herself to God, which she did in pri vate, at 6am on 7 December 1943. Chiara’s diary entry that day states, “The interior joy was inexplicable, secret, but contagious.” Contagious is the right word. Within a short time, Chi ara’s radical choice of God attracted a group of friends. Initially these were young women like her, who recog nised that, amidst the ruins and destruction of the war that was devastating their city, one thing was left: God. Love. Their only rule was the Gospel, which they read to gether in the air raid shel ters and tried to put into practice in everything they did. Soon a group of these women began living togeth er in a humble apartment. This was the first Focolare house – a community of consecrated men or women who give their lives for God through the spirituality of communion ( Focolare is an old Italian word for hearth or fireplace). Living together this first group of companions dis covered the Gospel truth that, “Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). One day, reading the Gospel, they were struck by Jesus’ prayer, “Father, may they all be One” (Jn 17:21), and decided to make this prayer their own, to live for unity. The Focolare spiritual ity is focused on this idea of communion that devel oped from those early days has now spread across the world. Approximately two million people (children, young people, married or single, priests, religious and consecrated lay people) put it into practice in various ways: within their daily life and work; in their parish; ecumenically; in interfaith relations; with people of no religious beliefs; and across political, economic and so cial spheres of life. Celebrating the centenary of Chiara Lubich f rom t rent to Glasgow t he story of the f ocolare Movement by edward duncan Focolare Movement foundress Chiara Lubich with early companions
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9 April 2020 FLOURISH “Lose everything, even the attachment to holi - ness, so that you aim only at one thing: to love” “In life we do many things, say many things, but the voice of suffering offered out of love – which is perhaps unheard by and unknown to others – is the loudest cry that can pen - etrate Heaven” “We discovered, like in - fants opening their eyes for the first time, that God’s coming upon earth out of love for us had radically changed the world, because he had remained with us. As we walked about the city, or traveled to different cit - ies and countries, it was not the beautiful and in - teresting things around us that attracted us. Not even Rome’s wonderful monuments and precious relics seemed so impor - tant. Rather, what gave a sense of continuity to our journeying through the world for Jesus, was His Eucharistic presence in the tabernacles we found wherever we went.” “Be aware that the fire that does not grow is ex - tinguished.” “That all may be one… We were born for these words, for unity, to con - tribute toward its fulfill - ment in the world.” feature Bombed-out Trent, Italy, at the end of the war Chiara (centre) with Archbishop Conti and the late Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor Chiara (in white jacket) with St John Paul II The spiritual insights of Chiara Lubich The wisdom of Chiara Lubich has inspired countless thousands of people, inside and outside the Focolare ■ movement to deepen their faith. Here is a taste of the spirituality of Chiara: The Focolare Movement arrived in Scotland in the late 1960s, through an Ital ian Xaverian priest (Fr Polowski) who had met Chi ara in the 1950s. Fr Polowski invited Dori Zamboni, one of Chiara’s friends from that first group of girls to speak to a group in Coatbridge. Soon people from Glasgow and beyond started attend ing monthly community meetings at Strathclyde University chaplaincy. They were a complete cross section of society: taxi drivers, barbers, academics, painters, priests, religious, teachers, housewives, and families – all wanting to live for unity and to put the Gos pel into practice. In 1976, the first summer gathering of the Focolare, known as a Mariapolis, was held in St Joseph’s College, Dumfries. Then in 1977, a women’s Focolare commu nity house opened in Glas gow. It has moved location across the city several times over the years, but today is located in the south side at 2 Sherbrooke Gardens. Commitment Over the years, Focolare in Scotland has grown. To day it is characterised by an even more diverse cross section of society, people who are all united in their commitment to live for uni versal fraternity, to love God and their neighbour. The Focolare Movement in the Archdiocese of Glasgow works for unity within the Catholic Church as well as ecumenically, with people of other religions, and with those of no religious affilia tion. Most recently, the Fo colare community locally has developed a profound dialogue and fraternal re lationship with members of the Shia Muslim commu nity in Glasgow. Reflecting on the gift that Chiara Lubich’s spiritual ity of communion has been in her life, local Focolare member, Angela Marr, said: “Chiara Lubich and Focolare mean family to me. Where you are completely loved, accepted and cherished for who you are, a child of God. Through truly living the Gospel, Chiara taught me how to love and to experi ence the joy of the Gospel in a completely new way. “Many times in my life I’ve asked ‘why?’. When Chi ara shared her understand ing from God that Jesus too cried out ‘why’ and yet con tinued to love, this was such a turning point in my life. I understood the value of suf fering and that by loving Je sus in the suffering, he Him self gives us light and the joy and the peace of sharing in His Resurrection. “Chiara taught me how to start again and again! To have mercy on myself and others, and to root myself in the present moment. As a wife and mother these are precious treasures to live together.” f rom t rent to Glasgow: t he story of f ocolare continued from page 8 T he current emergency means our churches have had to close, but costs remain and some parishes are in a difficult situation. If your own circumstanc es allow it, please consider helping us by donating £5 during this worrying time. The Archdiocese has set up a system where by you can simply text RCARCHGLA to 70085 to donate £5. Please share this emer gency donation option with others, especially those who may be anxious because they normally contribute to their parish through collec tion envelopes. Those who use collection envelopes are asked to continue to place donations in these and de liver them to the local par ish after the emergency has passed. Urgent appeal If you want to find out ■ more about the Focolare, visit www.focolare.org/ GB or Tel. Mil Zomack (2 Sherbrooke Gardens, Glasgow) – 0141 637 3316. Text RCARCHGLA to 70085 to donate £5 Archbishop pays tribute to health care workers o n behalf of the a rch - diocese of Glasgow, i wish to of fer a heartfelt message of appreciation for all doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who are striving so valiantly under taxing conditions to care for the sick during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. We include in our appreci ation the Funeral Directors and personnel who, under a great deal of pressure, take care of our deceased loved ones so respectfully. Please know that you all have our support and gratitude. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Keep safe and well. May God bless and protect you.
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10 FLOURISH April 2020 HEAR THEIR CRY RESPOND IN LOVE When Joyce was attacked, neither she or her son would have survived without access to emergency medical care. This was possible thanks to generous donations to SCIAF which fund our life-saving work in DR Congo and around the world. Thousands of women and girls continue to be left injured, traumatised, isolated and in urgent need of assistance. This Easter please hear their cry and respond in love. www.sciaf.org.uk/weebox 0141 354 5555 GIVE TODAY This year, your £1 = £2. Give before 20th May and all public donations to our WEE BOX BIG CHANGE appeal will be doubled by the UK government. [please tick] I want all the donations I’ve made to SCIAF since 6th April 2015 and all donations in the future to qualify for Gift Aid until I notify you otherwise. I am a UK Income or Capital Gains taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax or Capital Gains tax in the current tax year than the amount of Gift
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11 April 2020 FLOURISH focus W elcome the stranger. That was the simple philosophy of f rederic o zanam, the young f rench student who founded the Society of St Vincent de Paul in 1833 and whose members run the Briggait centre today. On the bitingly cold Sun day morning when I visited, the welcome was as warm as the home made soup sim mering in two large pans, as Dominic Sutherland, former deputy head of St Maurice’s High School, Cumbernauld and his team of volunteers prepared lunch for the 30 or so clients who will begin ar riving shortly. The use of the word ‘cli ents’ is deliberate – there are myths to be dismantled today. Dominic, who has worked at the Briggait and a former centre in nearby Parnie Street for many years said: “We’d never use terms like down and outs or rough sleepers and even the phrase homeless is not 100 per cent accurate nowadays. “The numbers have dropped in the past couple of years and that must be a good thing – but as long there is a demand we’ll be To the casual passer-by or rush hour motorist the Frederic Ozanam centre in the Briggait seems permanently closed. And who, they might wonder, was Frederic Ozanam anyway to have his name written so prominently on an unlovely looking building sandwiched between an old Glasgow pub and a New Age café? For those in the know, the centre provides a vital lifeline by giving clothes, food and friendship for those living in the margins as it has been doing for decades. Brian Swanson joined volunteers at the centre, which opens for lunch every Sunday. Paul McSherry took the pictures. f aith, hope and holy hot pies here. “Nearly all of the cli ents, mostly men but some women – are not homeless. Some live in hostels ,some with friends; sofa surfing they call it while some live in rented accommodation but for all sort of reasons can’t look after themselves and come here not just for food but for the banter – that’s very important.” Dominic, a parishioner of Holy Family, Kirkintilloch added: “Their backgrounds don’t matter to us – I f they want to tell us their stories that’s enough but to us – no matter their background or religion – they are people in need and we are happy to help them.” English teacher Siob han Thompson and Caritas award student Adam Crain ie, both from Dominic’s old school, are among today’s volunteers. They have spent the past couple of hours setting ta bles in the compact dining room of the centre, filling takeaway food bags, and keeping a careful eye on the soup, Scotch pies and beans. This is Christianity with its sleeves rolled up, so it seems unnecessary to ask Siobhan and Adam why they give up a part of their Sundays to be here but they are happy enough to explain anyway… Siobhan said: “It really opens your eyes when you come here – it makes you very grateful for what you have but more than that it really is a very uplifting ex perience.” Adam, a parishioner of St Patrick’s Kilsyth, who at 17 is the same age as Frederic Ozanam when he founded the society, said: “It’s giving back I suppose – that’s why I do it because you don’t of ten get a chance to do that nowadays.” Last word goes to Dun can, enjoying a lunch served with extra banter on the side with his pals Peter and Colin. He said: “See this place mate – I’ll be honest with you – we’d all be lost with out it. It’s knowing you can come here, no questions asked, no problems, no has sle. Great people these vol unteers – fantastic the lot of them. And the food’s great too.” Volunteers are always ■ welcome at the centre. For details contact the national office of the Society of St Vincent de Paul on 0141 226 8833 Above: Dominic, Adam and Siobhan plate up the pies. Right: Adam serves lunch. Left: Siobhan and Adam checking the soup.
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12 FLOURISH April 2020 art and spirituality T his painting, The Descent of Christ from the Cross, is on a wood-panel by the f lemish artist r ogier van der Weyden. It dates from around 1435 and can be found in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. There is a copy of this painting in the Chapel at Turnbull Hall, the Catholic Chap laincy of the University of Glas gow. Jesus is dead and has been low ered from the cross, by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. The flesh tones of the Body of Christ stand in stark contrast to the beautiful and sometimes rich garments the others are wearing. Look at the grief on the faces of those around the dead Christ. Bewilderment, grief and pierc ing sorrow. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, seems to faint or swoon with shock and is comforted by John, the beloved apostle. This small group alone, care tenderly for Jesus. Where are all those he healed and cured and comforted during his public ministry? Where are we? Are we mere on lookers? The month of the Crucifixion! This year, Good Friday falls on 10th April which happens to be the anniversary of the election in 2005 of His Holiness, Benedect XVI. Holy Week and Good Friday in particular, presents us with time and oppor tunity for being holy, or desiring holiness, in all things. It is a time during which we may strengthen ourselves, family and friends. Saint Ignatius of An tioch in his letter to the Church of Ephesus, gives good advice that this can be done, “by your faith, your encouragement, your pa tience, your serenity.” As we observe the Passion of the Lord, we mark the day with fasting and abstinence. It may be useful to remind ourselves of what this involves. As on Ash Wednes day, on Good Friday everyone 14 years of age or older is bound to abstain from meat. Those of us who are 18 or older, but under 59 years of age are bound also to fast on these penitential days. In practice, what does this in volve? We should eat only one full meatless meal. Two other small meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. So, you could, if you think it necessary or advis able, have two small snacks during the day to keep from feeling un well. That apart, eating between meals really shouldn’t happen! Ill health, of course, could be an excusing cause but we should not lightly excuse ourselves from these these rare acts of penance and mortification. A mortification is an act of self denial to teach us the value of dis cipline and to unite ourselves with Christ on the Cross. The greatest act of mortification the world has ever known was the Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord. a rchers Look at the painting again and note the unusual shape of His Body. Does it remind you of any thing? Well, here’s a clue… The artist, Rogier van der Weyden, was commissioned by the Leuven guild of archers for their chapel and very cleverly and uniquely, he positioned Christ’s body in the T shape of a crossbow to reflect the commission. The feet of Christ seem still to be nailed together; the arms still stretched as they were on the Cross as if to suggest the Cruci fixion will not end until the world does. The Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen used to speak of “the eternal freshness of the wounds of Christ.” Holy Week is such a poignant time but one comforting thought that gets us through Good Friday is that, of course, it is not quite the end! INDIFFERENCE In this poem, much favoured and frequently quoted by the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the poet puts a modern spin on Christ’s Passion and has him in the city of Birmingham suggesting that apathy and indifference regarding the Cross is worse than opposition or ignorance.. When Jesus came to Golgotha, they hanged Him on a tree, They drove great nails through hands and feet, and made a Calvary; They crowned Him with a crown of thorns, red were His wounds and deep, For those were crude and cruel days, and human flesh was cheap. When Jesus came to Birmingham, they simply passed Him by. They would not hurt a hair of Him, they only let Him die; For men had grown more tender, and they would not give Him pain, They only just passed down the street, and left Him in the rain. Still Jesus cried, ‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do, ‘ And still it rained the winter rain that drenched Him through and through; The crowds went home and left the streets without a soul to see, And Jesus crouched against a wall, and cried for Calvary. G. A. Studdert-Kennedy P RAYER TO S T . R OCH O Blessed Saint Roch, Patron of the sick, Have pity on those Who lie upon a bed of suffering. Your power was so great When you were in this world, That by the sign of the Cross, Many were healed of their diseases. Now that you are in heaven, Your power is not less. Offer, then, to God Our sighs and tears And obtain for us that health we seek Through Christ our Lord. Amen. (Repeat the following 3 times) Saint Roch, pray for us, That we may be preserved From all diseases of body and soul. Art of the month Praying the painting: finding inspiration in art by mgr tom monaghan
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13 April 2020 FLOURISH education I n a ugust 2018 h oly f am - ily Primary School in Kirkintilloch changed the way they implement the Pope f rancis f aith a ward. Instead of undertaking this through the curriculum, Mr Nicholas McMahon and Mrs Karen Crossan decided to do this as an after school club which would meet reg ularly throughout the year. Nicholas said: “We felt that the children who signed up for the award would be fully committed to learning more about their faith and more enthusiastic over the course of the two year journey. This has proven to be the case and we are delighted that 16 pupils are nearing the com pletion of the award.” In fact, the club has been so popular that a new group of pupils enrolled in Au gust 2019. Throughout the year the pupils have added depth to their knowledge of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and this has been evident in their preparations for Con firmation. Karen said: “I am very proud of the cohort of chil dren participating in our PFFA club. They have shown a high level of maturity throughout all of our meet ings. This has been shown through their honesty and self reflection of their per sonal faith journey. Our P7 children have been an excel lent example to our new P6 cohort. I have no doubt that they will continue to use their new knowledge and understanding of their faith in their day to day lives.” The children have reflect ed on their experience and have shown that it has been a worthwhile spiritual en deavour: “I joined the Pope Fran cis Faith Club because I wanted to learn more about my faith and I thought this was a good opportunity. I have learned about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how I can apply these gifts in my life. It has helped me be a better person. I am also an altar server and I now feel that I understand my role in the Parish.” Mia, P7. “I enjoyed learning about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how I can use them in my life. I also enjoyed tak ing time to have reflections to let me think deeper about my faith.” Eve, P7. “It has helped me understand my faith and it makes me feel like I am a good person.” Mark, P7. “I joined the Pope Francis Faith Club because I wanted to expand my faith journey. I enjoyed looking at the checklists within the gifts and setting myself targets to achieve in school and at home.” Freya P7. Andrew Gallagher (Head Teacher, Holy Family Pri mary) reflected on the jour ney so far. He said: “I am delighted with the commit ment of the pupils who en rolled for the award, and the dedication of Mrs Crossan and Mr McMahon for lead ing them. Not only are they learning about their faith, but they are putting their faith into action on a daily basis. In fact, all of the first cohort will lead the whole school in a Pope Francis Faith Award Mass at the end of the school year to celebrate their achievements.” Help protect children’s futures Today, more than 50 children will be diagnosed with leprosy. Many will already have life-changing disabilities due to delayed diagnosis. Unable to hold a pen or walk properly, often these children have to drop out of school. Many more children are unaware they have the disease. Without treatment, they face a life of increasing disability and unbearable prejudice. We work with communities in Bangladesh, India and Mozambique to find children living with leprosy and give the support, treatment and surgery to help them walk, write and return to school. By leaving Lepra a gift in your Will, or by making a donation, you will support children and adults affected by leprosy for generations to come, and fund our work to create a leprosy-free world. File name: lepra quarter page Client: Lepra Size: 130mmx160mm Publication: Flourish Artworker: RP Saved: September 4, 2019 2:42 PM Status: Revised Sep 2019 proof 1 Make beating leprosy your legacy To receive a copy of our Legacy information booklet, or speak directly to our legacy team please call 01206 216700 or email donorsupport@lepra.org.uk Find out more: www.lepra.org.uk Registered charity number 213251 (England and Wales), SC039715 (Scotland)
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14 FLOURISH April 2020 education Teaching in Catholic Schools Would you like to be a Catholic teacher in the Catholic sector? At the School of Education at the University of Glasgow you can take the Catholic Teacher’s Certificate as part of our teacher education degrees, Masters in Education (MEduc) or Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE). Your school placements will focus on the Catholic sector and you will benefit from the expertise of our professional and academic colleagues. You can enjoy being part of the wider University community, particularly its lively Catholic chaplaincy. Check out our website at: www.glasgow.ac.uk/education by lucy mcalindon sixth year pupil at st roch’s secondary T hroughout the year, Caritas has enabled me to take a more active role in the faith life of the school and parish. There have been so many examples… talks on the school’s values, fundraising, saying the opening prayer at staff meetings, reading at lunchtime Mass, recording faith based informational videos for the school’s social media, helping out with RE classes, preparing prayer services and taking a lead role in them. I recently had the privi lege of helping Fr Thaddeus distribute ashes on Ash Wednesday. I felt honoured to help in this way and re peating the words “Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel” helped me to reflect on what more I could do to live my life according to Gospel teaching. s afe One of our school values is inclusion and one way I embrace this is by attend ing a weekly ‘Chat ‘n’ Chill’ club where some of the sen ior girls create a safe space for S3 girls to share any concerns with us in an en vironment where they feel comfortable. They can trust us to help them or at least ease their worries a bit as we were in the same posi tion as them just a couple of years ago. I would have loved to have an opportunity like that when I was their age as I was extremely wor ried about things such as the increasing workload in the senior phase of school. I am also a senior prefect which means I have duties including weekly lunchtime hall monitoring and staying back late to help out at par ents’ evenings along with other after school events like information evenings for the local primary school pupils who will be progress ing on to our school. My in volvement with Caritas has made me see that sacrific ing my spare time can be an act of love. highlight The highlight of my Cari tas experience this year was an overnight retreat at the Craigmore centre. The ses sions were centred around themes such as responsi bility, courage, faithfulness and love. The one I found particu larly motivating was the session about responsibility where we had to decide what we value most in life and ex amine how much time we actually spend focusing on these things. I discovered that I had been prioritising meaningless things like TV and social media over more important aspects of my life like appreciating the people who support me and spend ing more time helping those in need. As a result, I made a conscious effort to spend less time on my phone and to try harder to show God’s love (‘caritas’) to others. e ye-opening The parish I attend is St Roch’s, Garngad, which runs a weekly food bank. Visiting the food bank was a particu larly eye opening experi ence for me. It is run by a lo cal family who often have to buy the food themselves as there is often a lack of dona tions. In order to help them, the Caritas nominees and I made an appeal at school as semblies for non perishable food and loose change. The people who run the food bank are the personi fication of what Caritas is all about. They work hard to give to people who need it, regardless of their religion The Caritas award changed my life or background. The first time I attended the food bank, I was quite anxious, and I worried that I might see people I know and my being there could made them uncomfortable. How ever, we were greeted with joy and gratitude. One of my favourite Pope Lucy with fellow St Roch’s pupils and Archbishop Tartaglia Francis quotes is: “A Chris tian knows when it is time to speak of God… and when it’s better to say nothing nothing and let love speak.” Although the Church is called to preach the Chris tian message, spreading the faith isn’t just about con verting others... Sometimes the most loving thing you can do in a situation is not to say anything but to show God’s love through action. t eaching Many of the frequent us ers of the food bank suf fer from forms of drug or alcohol addiction but they are never turned away or looked down upon. They are taken in and cared for just as anyone else would be. This makes explicit the Bi ble teaching that we are all made in the image of God and therefore deserving of respect and dignity. JOE WALSH TOURS PILGRIMAGES 2020 Joe Walsh Tours | 0141 530 5060 www.joewalshtours.co.uk | info@joewalshtours.co.uk Licenced by the Commission for Aviation Regulation, TO 052 and TA 0689 in compliance with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Package Regulation 2018 PILGRIMAGE TO MEDJUGORJE FROM EDINBURGH | 7 NIGHTS • Departing May to September • Breakfast & evening meals included • Full religious programme • Full assistance of Joe Walsh Tours guides and reps £ 725 pps £ from PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES FROM GLASGOW | 7 NIGHTS • Departing on 17 May from Glasgow International • All meals included £ 779 pps £ from pct@rcag.org.uk · 0141 226 5898 · Scottish Charity SC029832 A charity of the Archdiocese of Glasgow The Saint Nicholas Care Fund awarded a total of £42,528 to projects that support those in greatest need in our communities. The next deadline for applications is 4th May. If you know of any project or organisation that might benefit from our support please encourage them to make an application. File name: SNCF 5x2 Client: St Nicholas Care Fund – Feb 2020 Size: 85mmx50mm Publication: Flourish Artworker: RP Time: January 27, 2020 10:51 AM Status: Client proof 2 St Nicholas Care Fund
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15 April 2020 FLOURISH columnists o n the same day i had to announce to people that all public Masses in Scotland were suspended until further notice, i also had to announce the death of f ather Lawrence Byrne CP, a member of our Pas - sionist community here at St. Mungo’s. It was a real double whammy for people, like a double bereavement, the loss of not being able to gather for the Eucharist, the source and summit of our Christian lives, for God only knows how long; and the loss of a man who was a much loved preacher and confessor, and whose kind and gentle approach endeared him to so many folk who will grieve at the thought of never seeing or hearing him again. I don’t think he realised how much loved he was, perhaps peo ple didn’t tell him enough, but they certainly told us. Passionists Lawrence was born in Ir vine during the 2nd World War. On his birth certifi cate his father is described as an explosives’ worker. Lawrence himself qualified as an electrician but then joined the Passionists in his early 20s and made his 1st Religious Profession on 8th March 1964. He spent many years in Botswana as a Passionist Brother but in the mid 1970s he decided to return home and study for priesthood. That meant we were stu dents together in Dublin and during that time Law rence was persuaded by his confreres to come out of sporting retirement to take up his position as a goal keeper when we were strug gling to put a team together for the Seminary League, and a fine goalkeeper he was too. He was the original Holy Goalie. Lawrence loved his football and especially he loved Glasgow Celtic. Be fore he joined the Passion ists he had attended Celtic’s famous 7–1 victory over Rangers in the 1957 League Cup Final, and his account of that day was submitted and included in Pat Woods’ book recalling that memo rable event, “Oh! Hampden in the Sun”. Goalie During one of our Semi nary League games in the late 1970s, when Lawrence was in goals and I was play ing right back, I took a knock on the leg making a pass back and I shouted to him not to throw the ball back out to me. Unfortu nately, he did, and I made a poor clearance from which the opposition scored. He was not a happy goalie. Forty years later I was driv ing from Bishopbriggs to St Mungo’s with Lawrence in the passenger seat and, believe me, he was not a good passenger. Turning into Baird Street I made a manoeuvre which Law rence didn’t appreciate. He turned to me with a glare Fr Lawrence will be very sadly missed Fr Frank’s log Fr Frank Keevins cp is Parish Priest of St Mungo’s Townhead and said to me through gritted teeth: “You’re as bad a driver as you were a right back” – some things are never forgotten. Of course, Lawrence himself was a no toriously slow driver. When Fr Pat Rogers was in St. Mungo’s preaching the No vena of Hope in September 2017, Lawrence gave him a lift to the Passionist Retreat Centre at Minsteracres in County Durham where Pat was due to give a seminar. As Pat describes it; “It was a long, slow journey, for Larry was reluctant to bypass any other vehicle no matter how slowly it was travelling. It took me about six minutes to persuade him to pass a tractor, on a long, straight stretch of road, 30 miles east of Carlisle”. Courage Lawrence was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer a few months after that, in December 2017. The next two years and more were an extraordinary journey of courage and determination. Time and again, just when you thought he had reached the end, he would somehow rally and say that he was fit for a Public Mass and could help with Confessions. He loved ministry because he loved people and he just wanted to keep getting back to it for as long as he was able, and the people were J E RIC H O T h e C omp as s i on of J es u s Dr u g & Alco h o l Re h a b s . , Re f u g e f o r Vict im s o f Do m e st ic Vio le n ce , Su p p o r t e d Acco m m o d a t io n f o r t h e De st it u t e , t h e Dist r e sse d , a n d a ll b e in g ‘p a sse d b y o n t h e o t h e r sid e . ’ V o c a t i o n i n f o . f r o m Br o . P a t ri c k M u l l e n , T h e J e ri c h o So c i e t y , M a t e r Sa l v a t o ri s , Ha re l a w F a rm, Ki l b a r c h a n , Re n f re w s h i re . P A1 0 2 PY Sc o t t i s h Ch a ri t y SC0 1 6 9 0 9 T e l : 0 1 5 0 5 6 1 4 6 6 9 Ema i l : t h e J e ri c h o s o c i e t y @g ma i l . c o m A C O MMU N ITY O F MEN O F PR A Y ER FO R O U R TIMES (founded 1970) Jericho 7x2.qxd 10/3/11 12:02 Page 1 t o a lif e of silenc e and solitude within a c ommunit y of f ello w seek ers? T he C ist er cian monks a t Nunr a w A bb ey off er such an opp or tunit y . W ith them y ou can pr aise G o d thr ough the psalms and litur gy a t set times during the da y . Y ou will ha v e time t o study the w a y s of G o d and t o meet G o d in y our lec tio divina. A nd , y ou will find w ork tha t will k eep b o dy and soul t o gether . I f y ou ha v e go o d r eason t o b eliev e G o d ma y b e calling y ou t o b e a monk , writ e t o: V o ca tion Dir ec t or , Nunr a w A bb e y HADDING T ON, EH41 4L W , S c otland Or email: nunr a w .abb ot@y aho o .c o .uk S c ottish C har it y No SC O22611 I s G o d calling y ou? Project2:Layout 2 27/07/2017 13:55 Page 1 always delighted to see him reappear. His last appear ances in St Mungo’s were for Fr Antony’s ordination and to concelebrate at one of An tony’s first Masses. In truth, he wasn’t able, but he was so determined to be there. His last outing was when An tony drove him down to Ir vine to see his ailing sister, a much more mellow pas senger at this stage. He saw her and came home, and his sister, Catherine, died the very next day, as if she had waited to see him before she let go. As I write, Catherine is still awaiting burial, and on Wednesday Lawrence passed away in the Marie Curie Hospice. RIP. www .mainheadstones.co.uk W e have 100 different styles of headstone to choose from at our showyard 2`6" POLISHED GRANITE HEADSTONES FROM £ 450 0141 641 0088 WHY P A Y MORE THAN YOU HA VE TO! PHONE FOR A FREE BROCHURE OPEN 7 DA YS 282 Main Street, Cambuslang , Glasgow (at Railway Station) Bobby Main 8x2.qxd 24/05/2013 11:10 Page 1
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Alex B la c k F U N E R A L C A R E 7 P e e l g l e n R o a d D r u mc hap e l g15 7x n t e l e p ho n e 9 49 123 4 2 88 – 2 90 D y k e R o a d Kn i g ht s w o o d g1 3 4q u t e l e p ho n e 95 9 123 4 1927 Mar y hi l l R o a d Mar y hi l l g20 0b x t e l e p ho n e 9 46 123 4 � 2 4 h o u r car i ng & pr o f e ssi o nal se r v i c e � F u ne r al planni ng , a d v i c e and i nf o r m at i o n � Se r v i c e r o o m a vai lab le w i t h pr i vat e r e st r o o m s Alex Black 10x2.qxd 21/5/10 12:18 Page 1 16 FLOURISH April 2020 verbum vitae guests whether to expect him to return, or whether they should continue the meal in his absence. This practice goes back to at least the time of the writing of the gospels, and the Greek word which was used for the nap kin was ‘soudarion’. No meal is explicitly mentioned in this gospel passage. The story is about H oly Week opens with what used to be called Palm Sunday but now has the more expansive title of “Palm Sunday of the Pas - sion of the Lord”. The title alerts us to the fact that on this day we re flect on Jesus’ arrival in Je rusalem for the only visit he makes to the city – at least according to the gospels of Matthew Mark and Luke. The week takes in that se quence of events from the Last Supper (Holy Thurs day) to the death and burial of Jesus (Good Friday), the liturgical ‘non day’ of Holy Saturday, when Jesus’ body is in the tomb and to the Easter Vigil on Holy Satur day night when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus in a spectacular manner in the Easter Vigil. Palm Sunday Matthew’s Passion Narrative is the long est of the four – John’s is the shortest! All accounts except John tell the same basic story of Jesus’ Passion and death. John’s text concentrates more on the theological sig nificance of the narrative. In Matthew’s version, the emphasis is on how Jesus fulfils the scripture. At least seven times in the Passion Narrative, either Jesus him self or events around him, fulfil the scripture. A good example is when Judas accepts 30 pieces of silver as payment for be traying Jesus, and again when he has remorse at what he has done and hangs himself, The 30 pieces of silver is a fulfilment of the prophet Zechariah, and Ju das’ remorse is a fulfilment of King David’s trusted ad visor (Ahithophel, by name) who betrayed his king, and in remorse took his own life. An interesting feature of Matthew’s passion is the description of the dead ris ing from their tombs after Jesus’ death. There is no account anywhere else of such a remarkable event whether in gospels, or any other source. Writers think that this is Matthew offer ing a prophetic statement that the day will come when the dead will rise as a conse quence of the death of Jesus. To this day the prophecy has not been fulfilled! Mass of the Last Supper The Easter Triduum begins with this Mass. The Gospel is the beginning of John’s Last Supper account. The meal itself is not re counted in detail. There is no institution of the Eucha rist, but the significance of Eucharist is spelled out in the remarkable story of Je sus washing the feet of his disciples. His actions shock Peter, and no wonder. In the ancient world, washing another person’s feet was the most degrading thing a human being could do – so much so that not even the lowliest slave could be com pelled to do this, and yet here is Jesus washing the feet of his disciples! Peter knows exactly what this means – that Jesus, and indeed God – serves even the lowest human being. Je sus washes even Judas’ feet, knowing full well what Ju das will do! In washing feet, Jesus indicates the com mitment to all people that will be made in his death, and which he offers to all in Eucharist. Solemn Commemoration of the Passion and Death of the Lord Mass is not celebrated to day. The focus is rather on the Proclamation of the Passion from the Gospel of John. Most of the detail of the other Gospel accounts is ei ther omitted, or dealt with only briefly. This is because John wants to focus on how God’s plan unfolds through the horror of Jesus’ death. Jesus is the one who brings God’s plan to its comple tion: in John, Jesus does everything without the help of others. So, Jesus is taken into custody only after he has ensured the freedom of his followers. There is no Simon of Cyrene to help with the carrying of the cross, and Jesus does not have his life taken from him. At life’s end, he says “it is accom plished”, and he hands over his spirit to those at the foot of the cross. John does not avoid Jesus’ suffering, but he stresses that through it all, Jesus voluntarily carries out God’s plan. www .t mc go wa n.c o.uk f ami l y fi r m e s t abl i s he d 1947 S t . K e nt i ge r n ’ s C e m e t e r y 109 T r e s ta R o ad, G l as g o w g23 5 aa T e l e p h one : 0 141 946 2 42 9 Li nn C e m e t e r y 6 02 L ain s h aw D riv e , G l as g o w g45 9s p T e l e p h one : 0 141 6 34 85 15 D a l b e t h C e m e t e r y 1920 L o n do n R o ad, G l as g o w g32 T e l e p h one : 0 141 7 7 8 4916 P h i l i p sh i l l C e m e t e r y W e s te r f ie l d R o ad, E as t Kil bride g76 T e l e p h one : 0 141 6 44 45 35 Ne w Me mo r i al s · Ad d i ti o n al L e t te r i n g · C l e an i n g A ll w or k c omp le t e d i n any c e me t e r y . B r oc hur e av ai lable on r e q ue s t T . M c G o wan & S o n s M o n u me n tal S c u l pto rs T McGowan 8x2.qxd 13/7/10 11:03 Page 1 No public liturgies – but let the scriptures guide us this Holy Week 5 APR Saturday No liturgy is cel ebrated today until the Easter Vigil at night. There are seven Old Testa ment readings which give a full account of God’s deal ings with humans, from the story of the creation of hu mans in God’s image and likeness, through the story of Abraham and on to the voice of prophets during the exile of God’s people in Babylon. At all times, the plan of God is unfolding. The Easter Gospel this year is from Matthew, and in an account not found in the other gospels, Matthew tells us that an angel descended, rolled the stone away and sat on it. Matthew is extremely explicit in this detail. The angel descends in the sight of those who have gone to the tomb. He takes away the stone and everyone present – the women, disciples and the soldiers placed on guard – can see that the tomb is empty. Later attempts to suggest that the disciples came and stole Jesus’ body are thus proven to be lies. The angel speaks the well known words: “There is no need for you to be afraid. I know you are looking for Je sus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said he would…” Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples. And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings’ he says. ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’” Easter Sunday To this day when a Palestinian host is called away from table, he may use his napkin as a signal to his 9 APR 10 APR Jesus is condemned to death; Stations of the Cross, Saint Boniface Church, Leeuwarden, Holland Mary of Magdala going to the tomb very early on the first day of the week. To what must have been her horror, she sees the stone has been moved from the entrance, and that the tomb is empty. She runs to Peter and the unnamed disciple of this part of the Gospel. These two head for the tomb. Peter goes in first, sees the cloths on the ground, and one cloth rolled up in a place by itself. This was the cloth that had been over Je sus’ head. In the Greek text of the gospel, this cloth is called ‘soudarion’. The ‘other disciple’ real ises its significance; Peter does not. At the last supper, Jesus had said to the disci ples, “I am going away…but I will come back to take you with me”. The ‘other disciple’ in the tomb sees the soudarion rolled up and remembers what Jesus said. The sou darion is the sign that Jesus will return. This disciple, like Peter, sees, but this dis ciple also believes. Canon Robert Hill 11 APR 12 APR F O R W O M E N E X P L O R I N G F R A N C I S C A N V O C A T I O N w w w. f r a n c i s c a n v o c a t i o n s . o r g . u k Franciscan Minoress 6x2.qxd 19/7/10 13:41 Page 1
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Kiltwalk Gear Up For Sport We believe in giving back to our local communities. That means charities, sports teams and great causes across the UK. Marie Curie Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice e ditorial: Flourish Publications (Scotland) Ltd, 196 Clyde Street, Glasgow G1 4JY · Telephone 0141 226 5898 · email flourish@rcag.org.uk · Charity no SC015900 a dvertising and origination: MSC Publishing & Design · Telephone 0141 956 2051 · email gary@flourishnewspaper.co.uk www.flourishnewspaper.co.uk FLOURISH
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