Scottish Catholic Observer

The news out of Manchester this week is hard to comprehend. Young, happy people at a pop concert, attacked in the most savage way possible. Much can and will be said about terrorism, about religion, about integration, but it evaporates before the huge, all enveloping, grief of the families affected.

In the face of such horrors it is hard not to struggle, hard not to lose Faith, lose hope, but that is just what God offers no matter how difficult it can be to discern. The undying, impossible, unbreakable message of the Church that when faced with monstrous events we defeat them with love.

As Mother Teresa said when she received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979: “We in our family don’t need bombs and guns, to destroy, to bring peace—just get together, love one another… And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world.”

Bringing forth that love is not easy, but it is essential as we try to understand what has happened. There are so many stories this week that would break your heart but what happened to Eilidh MacLeod and Laura MacIntyre, the two teenagers from Barra who travelled down for the concert, has been especially awful. As we go to press Laura is still in hospital. Eilidh remains missing. We pray for them, and their families.

What their families are going through is grim beyond imagination. Words fail. There are few places on Earth more beautiful than Barra. There are few people stronger and more welcoming. It is a island blessed by God—though it does not feel like it now. Its people are suffering terribly today. All we can say is that you are not alone. Barra and its people are in our hearts and our prayers.

A Mhoire Bhan-tighearna, a Reul na Mara, treòraich ur clann dhachaigh gu sàbhailte. A Thighearna, thoir Barraigh agus a muinntir gu lèir fod dhìon. Thar nan eilean ‘s na tìr-mhòir, tha sinn a’ guidhe air ur son.