Scottish Catholic Observer

POPE Benedict XVI’s latest comments on HIV, condoms and sexuality have been misinterpreted as a change in Catholic teaching, according to Church experts. In what has been perceived as a dramatic statement, The Holy Father says in a new book that the use of a condom could be ‘a first step... read more

Cardinal Keith O’Brien led a last-minute bid seeking assurance from First Minister Alex Salmond that Scottish Government’s international aid budget will be saved from cuts this week. Along with the heads of the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church, the cardinal wrote to the First Minister to warn that... read more

Catholics across Scotland are being asked to contribute again towards the Church’s share of the costs for Pope Benedict XVI’s highly successful four-day state visit to the UK in September. Parish priests have been advised of the ongoing need to fundraise and Cardinal Keith O’Brien, president of the Bishops’ Conference of... read more

Bishop Donal McKeown (above left), auxiliary bishop of Down and Connor and chairman of the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education, was responding to the First Minister’s call for a carefully planned 10-year transition to a general integrated education system in Northern Ireland. Mr Robinson (above right) described the current system... read more

ARCHBISHOP Mario Conti has launched a scathing attack on Margo MacDonald’s End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill. Speaking at St Joseph’s home for the elderly the Archbishop of Glasgow contrasted the ‘delicacy and serenity’ with which the elderly are treated by the Little Sisters of the Poor there with the ‘doctor’s... read more

A NEW translation of St John’s Gospel into contemporary Gaelic was launched on Wednesday at the Gaelic Mod in Thurso. The new translation, Soisgeul Eòin, is part of the translation of the whole of the New Testament from Greek into contemporary Gaelic and is being undertaken by a small committee, comprising... read more

A TEENAGE parishioner of St Peter’s Parish, Partick, has been saved from deportation to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo on the eve of her 18th birthday. To the delight of her fellow parishioners, Congolese-born Dorothy Mwamba—whose plight has been previously highlighted in the Scottish Catholic Observer—has been granted ‘leave to... read more

The Catholic Church led opposition to Margo MacDonald’s assisted suicide bill this week while campaigners demonstrated against the legislation outside the Scottish Parliament. The End of Life Assistance Bill committee is currently hearing evidence about the bill prior to a final version being voted on by MSPs. Danger of the bill John Deighan,... read more

Following the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the UK the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has urged Catholics to make their Faith more visible in their daily lives. Speaking in a Pastoral letter, read out in parishes at the weekend, Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, encouraged... read more

WHEN Anne Sloan received a call asking if her son, Elliot would like to take part in the Offertory procession during the Papal Mass at Bellahouston Park, she was somewhat more than absolutely delighted. The call came from James Connelly, formerly headteacher of Firpark School, Motherwell, and a long time stalwart... read more