- Find the Cross Wires blog, coming soon under opinion on the relaunched Scottish Catholic Observer website. Visit http://www.sconews.co.uk from September 3.
Cross Wires moves location
September 5, 2010Thursday headlines: New president for Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; Pope says Church always needs ‘female genius’; Altar images for beatification Mass released
September 2, 2010The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity is not an entity independent from the Pope, its new president confirmed on Wednesday. Archbishop Kurt Koch spoke with L’Osservatore Romano newspaper about some of the highlights from his meetings with the Pope this past week.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/archbishop-koch-pledges-unity-with-pope-as-he-assumes-new-vatican-post/
Vatican: Pope: the Church is always in need of ‘feminine genius.’ In his general audience, Pope Benedict XVI begins to describe the female figures who played a ‘valuable role’ in the Church, speaking of Hildegard of Bingen, the medieval mystic, writer, counsellor of bishops and princes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYk9hXGs41Y
Three images of the altar for the beatification of Cardinal Newman in Cofton Park have been released.
http://www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/News-and-Media/Latest-News/Images-of-the-Beatification-Altar
ITV1 to air Tonight special on Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Britain. Julie Etchingham to front show but, unlike BBC, broadcaster will not alter schedule to air live coverage of the Papal trip
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/01/pope-benedict-itv-uk-visit <http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/01/pope-benedict-itv-uk-visit
Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster has distanced himself from an aide who said gay rights and the commercialisation of sex had turned Britain into a ‘selfish, hedonistic wasteland’ and ‘the geopolitical epicentre of the culture of death’. The comments were made by Edmund Adamus, director of pastoral affairs at the diocese of Westminster and an adviser to the Archbishops Nichols.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/01/archbishop-aide-britain-hedonistic-wasteland
Tony Blair ‘distorted’ the truth to prevent the collapse of the Northern Ireland peace process, he admits in his memoir, A Journey.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/tony-blair/7974784/Tony-Blair-concealed-full-truth-to-save-Northern-Ireland-peace-talks.html
A collection of historic manuscripts which document the establishment of the Protestant church in Scotland have gone on display in Edinburgh.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-11150337
Shimon Peres will reportedly travel to Italy for a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the latter’s summer residence.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=312520
Injury prevents Dunkeld Bishop from joining Papal visit
September 1, 2010
BISHOP Vincent Logan of Dunkeld announced today that he has been forced to withdraw from all events organised to mark the visit of Benedict XVI to Britain.
Bishop Logan has a broken shoulder and has reluctantly made his decision on the advice of his doctors.
“I am deeply sorry to have to make this announcement, but I have to adhere to the medical advice I have been given,” he said.
“I will most certainly join in prayer with everyone, at every event, throughout the four days Pope Benedict is with us, and I feel sure that all of us will be enriched and encouraged by his presence among us.”
Wednesday headlines
August 31, 2010Roads, schools and refuse collections are being look at ahead of the Pope’s visit to Glasgow next month. Almost 3500 letters are being sent to households and businesses near Bellahouston Park advising of changes on and around September 16, when Pope Benedict XV1 will celebrate Mass on September 16 in front of 100,000 people.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/editor-s-picks/city-prepares-for-the-pope-1.1051852
The BBC has unveiled more details of its extensive plans for coverage of the forthcoming UK visit by Pope Benedict XVI, with more than 10 hours of live broadcasting on BBC1 and BBC2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/31/papal-visit-bbc-blanket-coverage
Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, the Catholic leader of England and Wales, said yesterday that he didi not think that asking the Faithful to pay a contribution to travel to see Pope Benedict XVI when he visits Britain this month would ‘dampen enthusiasm’ for the trip.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gahk68KryGT3lHnX27JONAA-UcCg
Pope Benedict XVI has granted a series of in-depth interviews with German journalist Peter Seewald. The Pope’s responses to questions about the state of the Church and his pontificate will form the basis for a book to be published before the end of this year.
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=7409
Vatican official Archbishop Robert Sarah yesterday criticised Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi’s reported call for Islam to become the religion of all of Europe, labelling it disrespectful to the Pope and Catholic Italy.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hWQJuSQu4jmYojyW-DVWfJgY9Tcw
Holy Father and past pupils interpret Vatican II.
http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=419039
When attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist, Catholics must be filled with gratitude for God’s great gifts, Pope Benedict XVI has told a group of his former students.
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1003510.htm
German Catholic Church rewrites sex abuse guidelines.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11142793
Fr Paddy O’Kane, from the Holy Family church in Londonderry, has made a call from the pulpit for talks with dissident republicans to begin.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-11140285
Bob Geldof seeks comfort from his daughters as they mourn his father Bob Snr at Catholic funeral.
Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair has described his successor Gordon Brown as ‘difficult, at times maddening’ in his long-awaited memoirs, which are published today. Mr Blair, who converted to Catholicism in 2007, launched his Tony Blair Faith Foundation in May the following year.
Church defends male-only priesthood
August 31, 2010THE LACK provision for women to become Catholic priests is not the result of sexism 2000 years ago, its because women cannot fulfill a basic function of the priesthood, ‘standing in the place of Jesus,’ Fr Stephen Wang said yesterday in a statement sent out by the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales.
Fr Wang was responding to the announcement that campaigners for female priests will plaster posters on London buses next month during the Pope Benedict XVI’s arrival in the city as part of his visit to Scotland and England.
Cross Wires reiterates that there are are many ways for women with a vocation to dedicate their lives to God in the Catholic Church and that equal does not mean the same. The tradition of male priests must not become a subject to score empty political points on, be it through equality legislation or poster campaigns. And finally, until the thousands of women who have already committed to the Church through Holy Orders demand the right to be priests, there is no genuine case for change.
To read more visit
Edinburgh Castle preview of St Ninian’s Day parade for Pope
August 31, 2010
CARDINAL Keith O’Brien, Britain’s most senior Catholic clergyman, has invited over a thousand pipers, hundreds of school children and dozens of historical characters to greet Pope Benedict XVI and entertain the crowds gathered in Edinburgh to greet him on the morning of September 16.
The St Ninian’s Day parade, which will precede Pope Benedict XVI’s tour of the capital by Popemobile, was officially launched this morning at a ceremony at St Margaret’s Chapel in Edinburgh Castle and it promises to be spectacular event.
The pipers will be drawn from bands from Scotland and beyond. They will lead the parade and they will also play Highland Cathedral as the Holy Father travels past in the Popemobile.
The launch, a mini pararde in itself, was attended by Cardinal O’Brien, Fiona Hyslop MSP, Minister for Culture and External Affairs, and a selection of the characters who will represented in the historical parade. John Knox will be played on the day by Scottish actor John Shedden.
The parade will start at 11am from Regent Road and will march along Princes Street concluding at 12.30pm with the arrival of the Holy Father himself in the Popemobile.
“In centuries gone by St Ninian’s Day was always a great occasion for national celebration and charitable giving,” Cardinal O’Brien said. “We’ve now got a fabulous chance to resurrect that noble Scottish tradition by raising money for two wonderful charities.”
The charities that will benefit from fundraising at the parade are Marie Curie Cancer Care and Mary’s Meals. Marie Curie has two hospices in Scotland—Glasgow and Edinburgh—while Mary’s Meals runs school feeding projects providing daily meals for 400,000 children in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Mary’s Meals is looking for volunteers to represent the charity on Princes Street in Edinburgh during the St Ninian’s Day parade. Anyone who can help would be asked to wear a Mary’s Meals T-shirt and would be assigned a place to stand and watch the parade, holding a collection bucket. The time commitment would be from about 9am to about 1pm. To sign up e-mail info@marysmeals.org or call Rachael on 0141 336 7094.
The St Ninian’s Parade is free and spectators are advised to arrive in plenty of time to line the streets ahead of the start.
In other Papal visit news, Cardinal Seán Brady, Primate of All-Ireland, has said he is greatly looking forward to the Holy Father’s visit to Britain and that he plans to attend the key events.
“I plan to accompany Pope Benedict in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Birmingham,” Cardinal Brady said.
Video links: Archbishop Conti says ‘don’t miss’ Papal Mass; Susan Boyle sings and talks about her role
August 30, 2010
Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow Archdiocese talks on YouTube about his hopes for the Papal Visit and tells Scots: “Don’t miss it.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S45ZZBpKoM
Susan Boyle – Singing for the Pope. Scottish singer performs How Great Thou Art and and talks on video about her role in Papal visit with Cardinal O’Brien’s comments
Majority of Scots welcome the Holy Father’s arrival
August 30, 2010
PIC:CNS
OPPOSITION to next month’s Papal Visit to Scotland is far less than media speculation has suggested, according to a new poll.
The survey, carried out by Opinion Research Business and surveying over 1000 adults across Scotland, finds that only two per cent of Scots say they ‘strongly object’ to the visit whilst another three per cent say they ‘object’.
Commenting on the findings, Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien said: “I am greatly heartened by the results of this poll as it again confirms that the vast majority of Scots are warm hearted and welcoming of all people.”
The poll also shows that 70 per cent of Scots consider themselves Christian, up on the last census of 2001, and that nearly half of all Scots said they go to church at least once a month.
While the National Secular Society has organised a march through London to protest against the Papal visit, there are no plans for an event of this kind here.
“It’s now clear to everybody that this tiny minority of secularists speak for nobody but themselves,” Peter Kearney, director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office, said. “Most Scots will be delighted to hear that they’ve given up their attempt to spoil what promises to be a very exciting day for all Scots.”
http://www.scmo.org/articles/poll-shows-opposition-to-the-papal-visit-evaporating.html
Cardinal Peter Turkson joins Pope in Britain
August 30, 2010
Cardinal Peter Turkson PIC: CNS
ON THE subject of Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson as potentially the next Pope, as Hugh McLoughlin has previously predicted in the Scottish Catholic Observer, Hugh O’Shaughnessy picks up the subject in The Independent with reverence to Britain’s most senior Catholic clergyman, Cardinal Keith O’Brien.
“When Benedict XVI visits Britain next month, Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson will be with him,” Hugh O’Shaughnessy said.
“His Eminence Cardinal Turkson, the fourth of 10 children, has wasted little time in hitting the highest reaches of the Roman Catholic Church. He is 122nd in seniority among the 179 cardinals, many of whom have retired and would never be regarded as papabili (papal material). In precedence, the Ghanaian stands just a few places behind the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Keith O’Brien, and the semi-retired former archbishop of Westminster, Cormac Murphy-O’Connor.”
To read more, visit http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/the-young-tearaway-whos-in-the-running-to-be-next-pope-2064792.html
Vow of silence better than decrying Papal visit
August 29, 2010Guess the source of these words of wisdom:
“Scotland will be on display to the world during the Papal Visit, with the global television audience estimated at more than one billion. And Scotland being Scotland, for every sectarian there are two curmudgeons – the people who complain about every public event in our capital city, from the G8 summit to the papal visit, on the grounds they are inconvenienced by roads being closed, etc. Their tiresome bleating does no-one any good, and makes us all appear petty and small-minded. This particular group may like to consider a vow of silence along the lines practiced by the Catholic Trappist order of monks.”
The Scottish Catholic Observer? No, today’s Scotland on Sunday leader. Perhaps Scotland’s other leading national group could take a leaf out of the SOS’s book.
http://news.scotsman.com/comment/Leader-Welcome-the-Pope.6500899.jp
Cross Wires 