Glasgow ready to host Pope as Francis pleas for climate action

Glasgow ready to host Pope as Francis pleas for climate action

By Ronnie Convery

It’s a race against time, and we have a moral obligation to avoid causing irreparable damage to the planet. That’s the message Pope Francis is expected to deliver in Glasgow in just a few weeks, in one of the most historic speeches of his pontificate.

The Holy Father is expected to arrive in the Dear Green Place on All Saints Day, November 1, to meet with and address world leaders.

Though he will only spend four hours in Glasgow his visit could go down in history as the most important foreign visit of any Pope in living memory.

While details of the Holy Father’s itinerary are not yet public, he is expected to land in Scotland on the morning of Monday November 1. The city will be locked down under the largest security operation in Scotland in peace time as world leaders including President Biden of the USA, President Macron of France and Prime Minister Draghi of Italy gather to hear the Pope’s message in person.

The United Nations COP 26 Climate Change Conference will run from October 31-November 12, and although there will be no opportunity for parishioners to meet the Pope, there is an array of events planned.

On Sunday November 7 an international Mass will be held at St Aloysius which is expected to bring together the Vatican delegation to the talks and the Bishops of Scotland. Bishop William Nolan of Galloway will preach at the liturgy which will be open to the public as well as members of the national delegations, with tickets expected to be bookable via Eventbrite – more details will be released via the Archdiocese of Glasgow website – www.rcag.org.uk

Meanwhile leaders of all the main world faiths have signed a so-called Glasgow Declaration.

“Our faith communities are united in caring for human life and the natural world”. Thus begins the Glasgow Multi-Faith Declaration for COP26. Among the signatories are: Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, Brian McGee, president of the Catholic Committee for Interreligious Dialogue of the Scottish Bishops’ Conference; Catholic Bishop of Salford, John Arnold, responsible for the environment for the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Other signatories to the Declaration include the President of the Methodist Church; the General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the representatives of the Jewish, Muslim, Baha’is, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain communities.

“We remind governments of their commitments made in Paris in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees”, the religious leaders said. “We call upon them to take the urgent action needed to avert the loss, damage, and forced migration threatened by climate change. Across our doctrinal and political differences, we know that we must change our ways to ensure a quality of life which all can share, and we need to provide hope for people of all ages, everywhere, including future generations”.

Climate pilgrims are on their way

By Brian Swanson

Hundreds of Christian pilgrims of various denominations, including many Catholics, have begun their “Walk to COP26”.

Their goal is to arrive in Glasgow on the eve of the climate conference on 30 October, to lobby political leaders to deliver on their promises.

The pilgrimage began in St Ives, Cornwall, after the G7 meeting last June, and is organized by the “Young Christian Climate Network”, an association of young Christians aged 18 to 30 who organise various initiatives to protect the environment.

The 8,000 km route includes several stops, approximately every fifteen kilometres, where groups of young people hand over a “relay baton” consisting of a message “Relay to COP26” and also “There is no planet B”. The website “Young Christian Climate Network” lists the legs of the pilgrimage and the proposed initiatives, including Masses and religious services, and a chance to write postcards to political leaders to remind them of their environmental pledges.

There are stops in major UK cities from London to York, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Oxford. Christian Churches across the UK, which have repeatedly called on the government to have more ambitious environmental targets, encourage their faithful to participate in the initiative. More information on the pilgrimage can be found at www. www.yccn.uk

In addition, SCIAF is working with various Catholic organisations from mainland Europe who are currently on pilgrimage to Glasgow. One group from Sweden left on the 19th July and a group from Poland left last month. In total 30 people from the two groups, 10 from Sweden and 20 from Poland will be in Glasgow after being hosted by Catholic parishes during their trip.

St Mungo’s Singers mark half century

By Brian Swanson

As fanfares marked the 50th anniversary of the St Mungo Singers, co-founder Monsignor Gerry Fitzpatrick revealed that opposition to the idea of starting the choir came from an unlikely source … none other than Cardinal Winning!

Giving a brief outline of the history of the group at a Mass of thanksgiving in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Monsignor Fitzpatrick, parish priest at St Leo’s Dumbreck, brought smiles to the congregation when he said:

“Archbishop, later Cardinal, Thomas Winning let me know that he really didn’t want a choir but rather wanted people to sing, and was reluctant to be persuaded that in fact the choir could and would give a strong lead to the congregation in the singing of the psalm and Mass parts, enrich it with harmony, find new repertoires, and encourage creativity.”

“Within five years we had sung in or supported 70 parishes throughout the Archdiocese with choir or the loan of cantors and he gradually changed his mind and over the years he became really rather proud of us!”

He recalled: “The Glasgow Church Music Association held a very successful Music Day at St Aloysius’ Garnethill in 1969 and that was when we decided to establish a proper liturgical choir which then became known as the St Mungo Singers, a name given it by Archbishop Scanlan.

“The choir was founded in 1971 to promote the development of liturgical music in the Archdiocese of Glasgow, to support Music Days, and to help parishes on request.

“In the 1970s and 80s we organised concerts with the Glasgow Jewish Choral Society and the Kedron Choir, we marked St Cecilia Days in the early 1980s, and led in another concert with Glasgow Churches Together for the Great Jubilee.

“We also provided a concert at Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem and another at the Cathedral in Salamanca.

“However, liturgy was, and is, our main concern and throughout the years we have been in existence we always took care to ensure that music serves the liturgy and not the other way round.

“Looking back we are glad to have served the Archdiocese in the annual ‘ordinary’ events such as the RCIA Mass on the 1st Sunday of Lent, the Chrism Mass, and the Pentecost Mass.

“We also helped to organise and sing for the funerals of Archbishops, Bishops and Priests, the Annual Archdiocesan Requiem for the Clergy, the Ordinations of Bishops, Priests and Deacons, the re-opening of the Cathedral and the Installation of three Archbishops.

“We were also closely involved in events with civic links such as the deaths of Princess Diana and the Queen Mother, the 16th Centenary of St Ninian, the 14th Centenary of St Gregory the Great, of St Columba, and of our own St Mungo.

But the choir has another string to its bow – so to speak. Mgr Gerry said: “Ecumenism is a serious part of our work - we were happy to support the Baptists at the Coats Memorial and Church of Scotland events in Paisley and Elderslie in the 1980s, the Mission to Seamen in Govan, the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988, the City of Culture in 1990, and the launch of Glasgow Churches Together in 1990.

“Glasgow is twinned with Bethlehem, and we were also very happy to have organised Carols for Peace at the request of former Lord Provost Alex Mosson in 2000 and to initiate ‘Glasgow the Welcoming City’ in 2003 at the request of the then Lord Provost Liz Cameron.

“We, the St Mungo Singers, have enjoyed friendship and support over these 50 years - being absent, due to Covid19, for more than a year from what we do has been difficult.

“We look forward to continuing our friendship, enriching the Church’s life and helping others and ourselves in our prayers through music. 

“I thank all the members present and past, the organists and conductors, the Archbishops and clergy and all who have valued our presence in the Archdiocese and beyond.

“Let Glasgow Flourish - and the St Mungo Singers with it!”

Taizé brothers will lead vigil

The powerful spiritual experience of the world-famous Taizé monastery in France is coming to Glasgow in time for COP26.

Taizé Brothers from the mother house in Burgundy will travel to the city in the days of the world climate conference and lead sessions of prayer and chant across the city from 7 – 12 November.

The effects of climate change and the struggle to reduce it have mobilised many young people and many churches. In Taizé, climate change has been part of the reflection in workshops held over the past few years.

A spokesman for the Community said: “We invite readers to take part in a pilgrimage of prayer in the period preceding and during the COP26 gathering. These prayers could take place anywhere, in small groups or in larger assemblies, if possible also visiting local initiatives related to the climate emergency, or offering times of sharing around the theme.

“We will post on our web page www.taize.fr/glasgow a suggested prayer service in October and the beginning of November. These will include intercessions gathered by the Iona Community in Scotland from young people all over the world, as well as ones given by youth taking part in the 2021 reflection week in Taizé at the end of August.

And the Taizé Community have a special invitation for those who live and work in and around Glasgow.

The spokesman added: “The brothers, together with a team of local young people, will take part in prayers from Monday 8 to Friday 12 November each midday near to the University and every evening in different parts of the city. On Thursday 11 November, there will be the main vigil prayer in St Aloysius’ Church on Rose Street, Glasgow.

“If you can help with music, are willing to give a hand for practical questions, or would like to let us know about a time of worship or gathering, please write to glasgow2021@taize.fr

The Archdiocesan Youth Office is helping organise the visit and are appealing for parishioners to get involved.

Youth Office co-ordinator, Mairi-Claire McGeady said: “Together with Fr Ross Campbell, the chaplain at Glasgow University, and a few others from various denominations based in Glasgow, we are helping to coordinate the ecumenical prayer event. The Taizé community will be hosted by different churches and run different events during their visit. The event that we are working together on is a Taizé Night of Prayer for the World in St. Aloysius on November 11, in the evening.

“Given that the working group is ecumenical, we would really like to get the word out in the Catholic community that all are welcome.”