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A Step Too Far
A number of weeks ago, I was walking past one of the major hospitals in Glasgow. Standing outside the perimeter wall were a number of women who were silently protesting against abortion. One or two of them were quietly praying the Rosary, while a couple held up placards saying what they were doing and why. When the women are approached, they are very happy to be engaged in conversation and will very politely explain the purpose of their actions. Similar silent protests are in place outside at least one other very large hospital in Glasgow. There is no aggression, no hostility, no shouting – they are simply, quietly there. At…
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From Humiliation To Humility
An article in The Sunday Times this morning reminded me that it is now ten full years since a major scandal erupted in the Catholic Church in Scotland, the shock-waves from which are still being felt keenly. It was, of course, the whole debacle surrounding the late Cardinal O’Brien, whose momentous fall from grace made newspaper headlines around the world. As has been noted on many occasions since then, the real scandal was perhaps not so much about the Cardinal’s sexual behaviour in itself but about the blatant hypocrisy which was used to cover that behaviour; and it was very much about the abuse of power which facilitated those behaviours,…
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Promoting Intolerance
Two days ago, the Catholic bishops of Scotland released a statement on the subject of ‘Conversion therapy’ – this is a particularly thorny topic because it is widely perceived be be deeply coercive in nature, placing heavy burdens upon the subject and causing them deep psychological harm. The media have previously interviewed a number of people who have experienced it, and their accounts are generally disturbing and distressing, and quite harrowing to listen to. The broad aim of this practice is to change the sexuality of a person. It is, I think, debatable whether or not any authentic ‘therapy’ is involved. The statement from the bishops was in response to the…
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A Forgetful Church
It’s been a fractious week in my relationship with the institutional Church. At various points this past week, I have found myself reading articles regarding the deaths of two notable figures in the Church – the former Pope Benedict and Cardinal Pell of Australia. While many of the articles focussed on the former Pope were looking at whatever legacy he leaves behind, there were also reports of his private views on our present Holy Father and his pontificate – needless to say, these were not always complimentary. Now it needs to be noted clearly that these views were ascribed to him and did not come directly from him and so,…
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Barred and Bolted
When Christ founded the Church, it was abundantly clear that it was open to all – everyone was not simply welcome, but actively invited to respond to the Good News which He proclaimed throughout His life, to enter that Kingdom which He told us was close at hand. Everyone, without exception, was asked to “follow Me” – and this included those whom the religious leaders and people of that time least expected to be invited. Christ became a bridge to all people, regardless of their situation. Today, things seem somewhat different. The faith has become not so much a bridge as a wall. That open invitation of the Lord has…
