Cardinal Keith O’Brien issues call for prayers as South Sudan becomes the world’s newest nation
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Pray for a peaceful future in Sudan
Cardinal Keith O’Brien and SCIAF have called for the Catholic community and all people of faith to dedicate their prayers to the peaceful future of Sudan as the south region prepares to split from the north this weekend. The largely Christian South Sudan will become the world’s newest nation on Saturday,... read more
All aboard for charity
Pope Benedict XVI reinforces Catholic identity of agencies such as SCIAF at Rome assembly
Pope Benedict XVI has highlighted the importance of Catholic charities worldwide, emphasising that they must be guided in their work by bishops and the official teaching of the Church. Speaking at the 19th general assembly of Caritas Internationalis, Pope Benedict said that the Vatican is responsible for following the activities of... read more
Bauchi’s new bishop is ‘home-made’
— Cardinal O’Brien installs son of mission’s cook, Malachy John Goltok, to lead Nigerian diocese adopted by Scots
Cardinal Keith O’Brien had a very special reason to feel proud at the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Malachy John Goltok of Bauchi, Nigeria. Cardinal O’Brien traveled to Nigeria to be the principal concelebrating bishop at the Episcopal Ordination last Thursday, to represent both the Holy Father and St Andrews and Edinburgh... read more
Great joy for Blessed John Paul II
— Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop Mario Conti and Archbishop Vincent Nichols at Beatification in Rome
Cardinal Keith O’Brien and Archbishop Mario Conti have spoken of their joy at being able to represent Scotland at the Beatification of Pope John Paul II at the Vatican last Sunday. Cardinal O’Brien said it was a ‘wonderful event,’ which he ‘was privileged to take part in,’ adding that he and... read more
Condemnation of a callous murder
— Church leaders and politicians unite to decry the killing of Catholic PSNI officer Ronan Kerr
Church leaders and politicians have decried the murder of a Catholic policeman in Omagh, Northern Ireland, as graffiti praising the killing and threatening further attacks was found daubed on walls in Derry. As the SCO went to press, the funeral of Ronan Kerr (right), a constable for the Police Service Northern... read more
Pope leads call for ceasefire in Libya
— Holy Father’s fears for safety of civilians in Libya is catalyst for imploring an end to the violence
Pope Benedict XVI has led the Church in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Libya, saying he is concerned about the safety of civilians in the North African country and urging ‘reconciliation’ across the Middle East. The senior bishop in Libya has backed the call for peace by the Holy Father,... read more
Christian persecution is rising
— Cardinal O’Brien speaks of the threat to Christianity at Aid to the Church in Need report launch
Cardinal Keith O’Brien has said he believes persecution of Christians is growing around the world because of a desire to ‘conquer’ Christianity. Britain’s most senior Catholic clergyman was speaking in Glasgow on Tuesday ahead of the official launch at Carfin Grotto in Motherwell of the Persecuted and Forgotten report by the... read more
Go forth and evangelise
— Cardinal Keith O’Brien and Archbishop Mario Conti lead the call in letters for Lent
Senior members of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland are urging Scottish Catholics to embrace ‘new life’ and ‘new evangelisation’ during Lent. In his pastoral letter Cardinal Keith O’Brien said Catholics faced a challenge to embrace the ‘New Evangelisation.’ It is ‘a challenge which we should be facing at this present time and... read more
Beatification decree brings joy
Scottish hierarchy welcomes the news that Pope John Paul II is to be Beatified this year
Senior members of the Scottish hierarchy have echoed the Holy Father’s joy following the announcement that Pope John Paul II is to be Beatified on May 1. Pope Benedict XVI said that everyone who knew or admired John Paul II shares his joy over the news that he will Beatify his... read more
‘I wondered how any germs or bacteria could survive…’
— Cardinal O’Brien, in Haiti with SCIAF, gives a first-hand account of the devastation one year on from the earthquake
I flew out on Thursday January 6 to Haiti not knowing exactly what to expect. I was joined by Paul Chitnis, chief executive of SCIAF and photographer Paul McSherry, realising that this would be an important visit—especially for the people of Haiti to let them know what SCIAF had been... read more
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- Full report on Knights of St Columba’s sanctity of marriage campaign in parishes in Scottish Government ministers’ constituencies.
- The Scottish Lieutenancy of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre greets the order’s grand master, Cardinal Edwin O’Brien after his elevation.
- Cardinal Keith O’Brien tribute to murdered Pakistani politician Shahbaz Bhatti on the first on anniversary of his death.
- Preview of the Lentfest play The Martyrdom of St John Ogilvie.
- Canon Canning looks at the history of the Eucharistic Congress ahead of this year’s gathering in Dublin in June.
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