Scottish Catholic Observer

The Holy Father this week led tributes to the people of Glasgow as the city rallied to cope with the fatal police helicopter crash in to the Clutha Vaults bar last Friday, which claimed nine lives.

Pope Francis expressed his ‘closeness’ to Glaswegians in a message to Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow on Monday. Catholic chaplains and priests from St Andrew’s Cathedral in the city, which is only 400m from the crash site, have been comforting and consoling the bereaved, members of the emergency services and the public since the accident.

Archbishop Tartaglia celebrated a memorial Mass last Saturday, at the Clydeside cathedral, whose administrator, Mgr Chris McElroy, has been helping the local people come to terms with the tragedy. The funeral of one the police officers who died in the crash is due to take place at the cathedral next week.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg visited St Andrew’s Cathedral on Tuesday to see the nine candles lit (above) in memory of those who died in the accident. He is the latest politician to come to the crash site area, which First Minister Alex Salmond visited on St Andrew’s Day.

Mr Clegg paid tribute to the emergency services who have responded to the tragedy, including Fire Service chaplain Fr Jim Robinson, who was present at the crash site in the hours following the disaster.

The Pope sent his support to Archbishop Tartaglia through the Papal Nuncio to the UK, Archbishop Antonio Mennini.

“Having learned the sad news of the tragic accident which occurred in Glasgow when a police helicopter crashed into Clutha Vaults pub, close to the cathedral, causing the death of several people and numerous injured, I would like hereby to convey to you, as Archbishop of Glasgow, the closeness of the Holy Father as well as my most sincere sympathy in these difficult moments,” the Pope’s message reads.

“I assure you of my prayers for those who have tragically lost their lives or have been injured as well as their relatives. May the Lord grant eternal rest to those who have died and comfort their relatives and the entire community of Glasgow in these moments of distress and sadness.”

Archbishop Tartaglia said that his ‘heart, and I’m sure your heart, goes out to all those who have been affected by this tragic accident, those who have very sadly lost their lives, those who have been injured and those who have been bereaved.’

He added that it may have been ‘a miracle’ that the crashed helicopter did not explode and harm more people.

The archbishop is immensely proud of the way that Glasgow had responded to the disaster.

Fr Jim Thomson, the chaplain of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who was at the crash scene helping in the hours after the incident, and the days that followed, said the response of the emergency services had been immense, said that the local community had been a tremendous support to those on the front line.

Nine candles have been lit in St Andrew’s Cathedral, one for each of the victims of the helicopter crash that took place last Friday at 10.25pm. The victims are Robert Jenkins, 61; Mark O’Prey, 44; Colin Gibson, 33; John McGarrigle, 57; Samuel McGhee, 56; Gary Arthur, 48; David Traill, 51; and PCs Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43.

The funeral of PC Kirsty Nelis, is expected to take place at the cathedral next week with Archbishop Tartaglia concelebrating.

Cathedral Administrator Mgr McElroy said the Church was doing whatever it could to help the response effort and anyone else and that it would take the cathedral parish a long, long time to recover.

“We just have to give people whatever help we can,” he added.

Messages of support have come in from across the political spectrum and from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Glasgow’s Lord Provost has established the Clutha Appeal Fund to support anyone facing hardship as a result of last Friday’s events, including the injured and the families of those who lost their lives.

The quickest and simplest way to donate to the Clutha Appeal Fund is by calling: 0141 287 7878 and giving by debit or credit card.

—[email protected]

Pic: Paul McSherry

—This story ran in full in the December 6 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.