Scottish Catholic Observer

Today’s Scotland was founded on Christianity, a faith community that has survived the test of time. Therefore in the Year of Faith, the Catholic Church demonstrates now more than ever that tried-and-tested values, morals and ethics stand the test of time—as only truth can—while fads and fashions ebb and flow, showing the error of modern secular society’s ways as they do so.

John Deighan, the Scottish bishops’ parliamentary officer, has accused leading LGBT campaigners—including a Scottish MSP of—‘intolerance and intimidation.’

Mr Deighan has also charged ‘gay rights’ charity Stonewall of displaying stridency and aggression with its ‘Bigot of the Year’ award, created to intimidate anyone who criticises their agenda, which is aimed squarely at dismantling marriage—the bedrock of our family-orientated society.

It would be an even sadder day for Scotland if it were not for the fact that no amount of name-calling will intimidate the ordained and lay Catholics in this country to the point of preventing the Church’s stance from being presented and supported. Secularisation is rapidly over taking from sectarianism as the enemy at the door. In the debate on equality, however, protecting our values—those that provide the soul of our country—is an equally, if not more, valid standpoint for our elected officials to respect than lobbyists wielding the ‘pink pound.’

Scottish, and particularly Dunkeld Diocesan, Catholics are keeping kidnapped priest Fr Jean-Pierre Ndulani in their prayers. As the SCO reported, the Assumptionist priest, who left city of Dundee where he had been based for some years in September to return to his home in war-torn Congo, has been kidnapped at gunpoint by rebel forces. He was at home with three colleagues in the parish house in Mbau when they were kidnapped. Clergy from Dunkeld Diocese have been in touch with the Church in the Congo and a ransom has been demanded.

Where there is life there is hope and, as Bishop Emeritus Vincent Logan said ‘we are all distraught at this news about Fr Jean-Pierre and his fellow priests’ but ‘all of us in Dunkeld are united with them as we hope and pray for Fr Jean-Pierre’s safe return.’

The Episcopal Conference of Congo condemned the kidnapping.

“I hope that the kidnappers are aware of the size of their act and take this into account,” Bishop of Tsumbe Nicolas Djomo said.

So soon after World Mission Day, recent events in the Congo are an unfortunate but timely reminder of the risks and sacrifices those spreading the Word of God face every day.