Scottish Catholic Observer

Scotland’s Catholics are showing their support for the suffering people of Syria with two key events organised by a Catholic charity helping the Middle East’s oppressed Christians.

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) will be holding a Mass for the country’s beleaguered Faithful and putting on a concert by Christian singer Marilla Ness to raise money for Church help for displaced people and refugees from Syria who have had to flee their homes because of the conflict.

Support from ACN for Syria’s Christians has included an urgent aid package of more than £130,000 to provide food, blankets and medicine for people struggling in below-freezing temperatures.

Lorraine McMahon, ACN head of operations in Scotland, described how the plight of Syria’s suffering Faithful was of great concern to many Catholics in Scotland.
“There are people within our local community who have come from Syria, and the desperate situation in the country is affecting their families,” Ms McMahon said. “The presence of Syrian refugees in Scotland, who are our friends and neighbours, makes the tragedy present within our community.”

The Marilla Ness concert will be held next Thursday, (May 9) at 7.30pm at St Francis Xavier’s Church, Carfin, with all profits going to support ACN’s work for Syria.

“We are delighted that renowned Catholic singer Marilla Ness (above) will again be staging an evening of prayerful music and reflections in support of our suffering brothers and sisters in the Middle East,” Ms McMahon said. “She is an inspirational singer and those who come along to hear her will be inspired as we come together in solidarity.”

A Mass for Syria will be celebrated at St Paul’s Church, Ayr on Monday May 13. Fr Gerard Donnelly, parish priest, will celebrate the Mass, which begins at 7.30pm. Syrian Christians now living in Scotland will take part in the Mass, who will bring up the offertory gifts of bread and wine.

Pupils from local schools, St John’s Primary School and Queen Margaret Academy will also be involved in reading the bidding prayers, with older pupils serving and reading at the Mass.
“In praying and raising funds for Syria’s Christians we will not only be showing our solidarity with them in their suffering, but raising aid to help those who have been forced to flee their homes,” Ms McMahon said.

—Tickets for the Marilla Ness cost £10. For further information, visit the ACN website: http://www.acnuk.org/concerts