Scottish Catholic Observer

by Amanda Connelly

The congregation numbered more than 500 as they celebrated Mass for those affected. There was a strong presence from Glasgow’s Italian community, including representatives from St Aloysius’ College, Glasgow, and Dr Carlo Perrotta, Consul General of Italy in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Led by Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, along with Archbishop Mario Conti and other members of the clergy, Mass was celebrated on the feast of St John the Baptist, to whom many people in Italy have a great devotion.

Archbishop Tartaglia welcomed those present at the Mass, and extended his sympathies to Dr Perrotta, and through him the Italian Government, and the Italian people on behalf the Glasgow Archdiocese.

“We have all witnessed in the media the destruction wreaked by the terrifying power of the earthquake which struck cruelly during the night when people and families were asleep and at their most vulnerable and defenceless. Nearly 300 people lost their lives, including, tragically, a number of children,” said Archbishop Tartaglia. “May God rest them! Many more were injured. May God heal them! More again were dispossessed, losing homes, property, infrastructure, communications, communities and even whole residential areas. Italy herself and the Italian people have been traumatised by this disaster. May God help them!

The Archbishop noted Scotland’s Italian community, which has had a presence in the country for over 100 years and now reaches into its third and fourth generation, as well as the Church in Scotland’s own links to Italy, with the Scots College in Rome where seminarians have been educated for more than 400 years.

“For us Scotland is the land of our birth and our home, while Italy remains deep in our hearts too as part of our identity and culture, and it breaks these hearts and brings us to tears when we see the Italian people suffering” he said.

The Archbishop also shared a remarkable story from Norcia, one of the areas worst-affected by the earthquake. Norcia, where St Benedict hails from, has a community today of Benedictine monks there today, one of whom, a Brother Aidan, is from Scotland was a former altar server for Archbishop Tartaglia, contacted him to say that despite the significant damage to buildings and churches throughout the town and to the monastery and basilica, there had been no loss of life.

“Amidst all the death and destruction, it was good to receive a message of hope from one of our own, also caught up in the horror of the earthquake,” the Archbishop said.

PIC – A packed cathedral for the Mass this afternoon. Paul McSherry.