Scottish Catholic Observer

St Bride’s in Bothwell played host to a gloriously faithful celebration last Saturday, as bishops, priests, sisters and parishioners came together to mark 800 years of the Order of St Clare.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien concelebrated the Mass that closed a year of celebrations for the Poor Clares, who live in the monastery attached to St Bride’s, as well as two sisters from Humbie in St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese. Cardinal O’Brien said it as a ‘huge privilege’ to be there for the celebrations.

With him on the altar for the final Mass following a triduum of events were Archbishop-elect Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow, Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell—within whose diocese St Bride’s falls—Bishop Joseph Toal of Argyll and the Isles, Bishop Emeritus Maurice Taylor of Galloway and Bishop Emeritus John Mone of Paisley.

Alongside them were a host of priests from Motherwell Diocese, the Franciscan orders, the Abbots of Nunraw and Pluscardden abbeys and Fr Thomas Doyle, St Bride’s parish priest.

Community celebration

The congregation filled every corner of the church and enjoyed a wonderful Mass greatly enriched by the moving singing of the parish choir.

In his homily, the cardinal said the day was a celebration of 800 years of Poor Clare life and women who ‘want to embrace a life of prayer and penance because of their thanksgiving for their relationship with Almighty God shown through their mutual love.’

Though it was a day of celebration, the cardinal did strike a sombre note.

“There are not the same numbers of religious sisters answering that call of Christ to prayer and penance as previously existed,” he said.

“Perhaps we should be asking ourselves why this should be so. One can think of the increasing battle with secularism at this present time when religion in its various forms and practices is so often derided. But I see another reason and that is because I am also fully aware of the wonderful ways in which women and men are prepared to give themselves in active service of Christ without thinking so much that in our Christians lives it is our lives of prayer and penance which are all important with our good works flowing from such lives rather than the other way around.  Yes, there is that need for Christian action, but all of our activity must be based on our prayer and penance.”

In this spirit, the cardinal called ‘upon our young people of today, so very generous with their time and their talents, to consider also the possibility of whether or not Jesus is calling them to leave their family and friends like St Clare and sisters down to the present time to concentrate on the one important thing namely Jesus Christ Himself and our union with Him.’

His words were echoed by Sr Angela, the abbess of the Poor Clares at Bothwell.

She asked all those present to pray ‘that if there are any young women who think they may have a vocation to poor Clare life, that they follow that instinct.’

Birthday wishes and prayers

A lighter tone was struck by Archbishop-elect Tartaglia of Glasgow who said the cardinal had ‘mischievously’ told him he was giving the vote of thanks without warning him so his remarks would be ‘off the cuff which, believe me, can be a hazard.’

The archbishop-elect went on thank all the bishops, priests and laity present for attending and paid particular attention to the parish priest Fr Doyle.

“I taught Fr Doyle at seminary and he was one of the very best students I had,” he recalled.

Archbishop-elect Tartaglia also joined the cardinal in wishing Bishop Devine a happy 75th birthday, which had passed a few days before, and noted that he had sent notice of retirement off to Rome.

“I have always regarded this diocese as a powerhouse of faith and whoever Bishop Devine’s successor is he will be lucky to have you, it’s people,” he said.

Finally the archbishop-elect asked the Poor Clare sisters to pray for him, as he prepared to be installed as Archbishop of Glasgow.

“I ask the sisters to pray for me because I think I am about to the most difficult thing I have ever had to do,” he said. “But I have Faith in the Lord’s plan and in the Church.”

Thanks

Sr Angela said she and her fellow sisters were ‘so grateful’ to everyone who had helped make it a day to remember.’

She said they were grateful to the cardinal for coming, to Bishop Devine for being ‘such a good friend’ and all the priests of Motherwell Diocese who had supported them.

With the Mass concluded, all those present gathered in the church hall and the monastery garden to enjoy the remainder of the celebration.

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