Ave Maria

Ave Maria

By Brian Swanson

Come back to Carfin…that’s the heartfelt plea to Catholics everywhere as the annual pilgrimage season gets underway at the Lourdes Grotto at the start of its first full year as the National Marian Shrine of Scotland.

The title was formally given to the shrine last October last year to mark its 100th anniversary and to coincide with the visit of St Bernadette’s relics which drew record crowds from all over Scotland.

This significant honour was underlined by the fact that the grotto, Scotland’s little sister of the French shrine, was selected as the only place outside England to receive the Saint’s relics during their first ever UK tour.

Father James Grant, Guardian of the Grotto and Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier’s Church, Carfin, said: “Last year was exceptional in terms of numbers but we would hope that we can build on that, which is why I’d like to welcome anyone and everyone to come and find solace and peace in the beautiful grounds of the Grotto.

“In the 100 years since the Grotto was first opened the expressions of faith have in many ways altered totally, and yet this place of prayer still has a role to play in nourishing the faith of Catholics in the 21st century.

“There is an inner need for people to express their deepest feelings by lighting a candle, laying flowers at a statue, placing a photograph of a sick child or relative alongside a statue.

“Carfin Grotto has provided a locus for such expressions of grief, joy, and faith for a century.

“The heady days of the great pilgrimages which featured thousands of the faithful may now belong to a bygone age, yet the Grotto is still popular with so many people of different ages and faith backgrounds as well as those who profess no particular religious belief. 

“If you have never been to Carfin or it is many years since you visited the shrine, why not make a point of coming this summer. You will not regret it!”

The Lourdes Grotto was originally the inspiration of Carfin parish priest Canon Thomas Taylor whose vision led to the Grotto being created. It was built by unemployed miners whose descendants still live in the area today.

Father Grant said: “Canon Taylor was a pastor who had a great devotion to Our Blessed Lady and the saints, especially, St Therese of Lisieux. He was a true shepherd of souls but also a man of tremendous ambition. He wanted his poor mining flock to have something of the experience that wealthier Catholics could afford by visiting the shrine at Lourdes.”

Glasgow’s own Catholic museum planned

By Ronnie Convery

Scotland’s Catholic treasures are on the move … and their new home will be Glasgow!

Plans are underway to open a new museum of Scottish Catholic history at a site in the East End of the city which will also serve as an office space for the Bishops’ Conference and as the Church’s archive.

The new museum is part of a plan for the Bishops Conference of Scotland to move all its agencies, the Scottish Catholic Archives and the Scottish Catholic Museum to a new single location close to the historic parish of St Mary’s Abercromby Street. The site will be in nearby Orr Street.

Commenting on the decision, Bishop Joseph Toal, who has responsibility for Catholic Heritage and Culture said: “In the chosen location we wish to identify with plans to regenerate the area around St Mary’s, Abercromby Street, which itself has such strong historical and cultural links with the development of the Catholic Church in Scotland through the last two centuries.”

The site of the new museum and offices building was previously the school of St Mary’s parish, which once served as the pro-cathedral of the Archdiocese in the mid-19th century and was home to many immigrant Catholics. The monument to those who suffered from famine in the Scottish Highlands and Ireland in the 19th century is also located close to this site.

The presence of the archives and museum in Glasgow will give greater accessibility to the historical records and artefacts of the history of the Catholic Church in Scotland pre-Reformation, the Penal Laws when Catholicism was banned in Scotland, and the Emancipation of Catholics in 1829 up until the present day.

Consolidating the agencies with the archives and museum will contribute to a significant financial saving for the Bishops’ Conference. The new centre should be open by spring next year.

The initiative underlines the Bishops’ commitment to using the richness of Scottish Catholic culture – including the famous portrait of Mary Queen of Scots – and many Jacobite artefacts to tell our story through the ages, engaging with the many nearby historical religious sites of the life of St Mungo but also as a means of informing and evangelising.

Archbishop goes back to his roots as Motherwell diocese marks anniversary

By Ronnie Convery

There was a special welcome on hand at Motherwell’s Cathedral of Our Lady of Good Aid as Archbishop Nolan celebrated a special Mass to mark the foundation of his home Diocese in 1948.

The 75 years of Motherwell Diocese have a special significance for the Archbishop as he served as a priest of Motherwell from his ordination in 1977 for 38 years.

Commemorate

But it was in the role of Metropolitan Archbishop of Glasgow that he returned to commemorate the decision of Pope Pius XII shortly after the Second World War to divide the huge territory of Glasgow into three, creating the new dioceses of Motherwell and Paisley.

The current Bishop of Motherwell, Bishop Joe Toal was on hand to welcome ‘home’ Archbishop Nolan as were a large number of his former colleagues among the Motherwell priests and former parishioners from his time as a Parish Priest there.

The Archbishop took the opportunity to pay tribute to the faith of the people and priests of Lanarkshire which had seen the development of Motherwell Diocese over the last 75 years.

He said: “Times were different then and people rose to the challenges of establishing the new diocese. Parishes were real centres of community and the faith was strong. Today the challenges are different. There is more individualism and that can make it harder for parishes to flourish. The challenge now is to reach out to people and show them that faith is something attractive and relevant in their lives.”

In its 75 years of life Motherwell Diocese has been a powerhouse of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Five bishops have led the community there: Bishop Edward Douglas (1948–1954), Bishop James Scanlan (1955–1964), Bishop Francis Thomson (1965–1982), Bishop Joe Devine (1983–2013) and Bishop Joe Toal since 2014.

Although the decree separating Motherwell from Glasgow took effect 75 years ago the two communities have continued to work together in faith. Cardinal Tom Winning was originally a priest of Motherwell Diocese while Bishop Joe Devine was originally a priest of Glasgow Archdiocese. And Archbishop Nolan carries on the tradition of ‘sharing resources’.

Pope’s appeal to stop the online hate

Pope Francis has urged a rediscovery of gentleness and respect in a highly pertinent letter for Communications Sunday which will be celebrated later this month.

In a letter to mark the day, the Holy Father laments the toxic and vicious tones which can sometimes dominate social media.

His chosen theme is ‘Speaking with the heart’ – a method which, he acknowledges, can be rare online:

“Communicating in a cordial manner means that those who read or listen to us are led to welcome our participation in the joys, fears, hopes and suffering of the women and men of our time. Those who speak in this way love the other because they care and protect their freedom without violating it.

He adds: “We should not be afraid of proclaiming the truth, even if it is at times uncomfortable, but of doing so without charity, without heart.”

The Pope warns against inciting violence or hatred in communication: “We are now living in a dark hour in which humanity fears an escalation of war that must be stopped as soon as possible, also at the level of communication.

“It is terrifying to hear how easily words calling for the destruction of people and territories are spoken. Words, unfortunately, that often turn into warlike actions of heinous violence. This is why all belligerent rhetoric must be rejected.”

The Pope calls for civil dialogue also to be a hallmark of communication within the Church, especially during the current Synod process.

“In the Church, too, there is a great need to listen to and to hear one another. It is the most precious and life-giving gift we can offer each other. Listening without prejudice, attentively and openly, gives rise to speaking according to God’s style, nurtured by closeness, compassion and tenderness.

“We have a pressing need in the Church for communication that kindles hearts, that is balm on wounds and that shines light on the journey of our brothers and sisters.”

Communications Sunday this year will be marked on May 21.