Scottish Catholic Observer

“I want to ask you, our parents, to think of adopting a child through St Margaret’s and they will be there to give you all the help and support you need,” the bishop said. “They will give you the training and peer support you need ongoing to continue meeting the needs of your child for as long as you need it and you will be invited to their weekly play group and calendar events so that you feel part of St Margaret’s big family.”

Founded in 1955, with the support of the the dioceses of Glasgow, Motherwell, Paisley and Galloway, St Margaret’s is the only remaining Catholic adoption society in the United Kingdom, and with the bishops of the four founding dioceses involved in the organisation to this day, Bishop Keenan chose Adoption Week Scotland as the time to call on Catholics to support its work.

“I want you to know… the amount of work St Margaret’s has done in carrying on Jesus’ own loving care for the little ones,” he said. “To date they have placed well over 3,500 children in need of a ‘forever home’ in west and central Scotland,”

“Although the sole focus of their work is in adoption, they realise that their wider mission is to support the full wellbeing of the children and families who come to them for as long as they need,” he went on. “Adoption has changed over the years and most children they find homes for have suffered neglect or abuse. For these little ones St Margaret’s has broken this bad cycle by providing a path out of their difficult start in life. The hard work of the staff team has been recognised once again this year by the Care Inspectorate who awarded them three grade sixes, the highest achievable award.”

Throughout Adoption Week Scotland St Margaret’s led a variety of events, such as a family soft-play day, an open day at their offices and a pop-up information stall in the Mitchell Library.

Speaking after the hectic week, and ahead of a busy Christmas period which will feature a special trip to ‘search for Santa’ on the Flight of Dreams from Glasgow Airport and the annual St Margaret’s Christmas service in St Mary’s, Calton on December 15, Joanne Hearl from the St Margaret’s society spoke of the importance of spreading the news of the good work the society does.

“We are developing our social media presence,” the training and development officer told the SCO. “We want it to be a resource for our adoptive families as well an opportunity to raise awareness for those interested in adoption. Adoption is changing, and we need to highlight the needs of adopted children and focus on all the good work we have going on at St Margaret’s.”

Bishop Keenan, meanwhile, concluded his letter to Scottish Catholics by appealing for them to support St Margaret’s.

“Finally, how can you be part of this great mission of our Church?” he said. “Firstly St Margaret’s could not exist without generous support of the dioceses of Paisley, Motherwell, Glasgow and Galloway, so if you are in our Catholics schools, parishes or societies why not run a fundraiser for them? Secondly if you want to find out about adopting just call St Margaret’s for a chat.”

PHOTO: Josh Applegate/unsplash.com

—This story ran in full in the December 9 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.