Scottish Catholic Observer

THE official Vatican report into the problem of clerical abuse in Ireland expresses a ‘great sense of pain and shame’ and calls on the Church there to continue to listen to and help victims of abuse. The summary of the report, published on Tuesday, the result of last year’s Vatican ordered... read more

Pope Benedict XVI has spoken about the importance of religious freedom, the protection of family values and the crippling effects of the global financial crisis, during a speech to Vatican diplomats. Speaking on Monday at his annual ‘State of the World’ address to members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the... read more

Cardinal Keith O’Brien and Archbishop Mario Conti have echoed the Holy Father’s support of Nigerian Catholics after Islamic terrorists killed dozens of people in bomb attacks on Churches and other targets on Christmas day but threats of further violence loom. This week a spokesman for the terrorist group Boko Haram, which... read more

In a ‘milestone’ decision, Pope Benedict XVI has fully endorsed the new national syllabus for religious education in Scotland’s Catholic schools that was officially launched this week. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, presented Bishop Joseph Devine, president of the Catholic Education Commission, with the Decree of... read more

Pope Benedict XVI has announced a Year of Faith, starting next year, calling the period ‘a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Saviour of the world.’ The Pope made the announcement at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, at a Mass for the New Evangelisation on Sunday. Speaking... read more

Pope Benedict XVI defended the ‘integrity’ and ‘uniqueness’ of marriage between a man and a woman, during his four-day state visit to Germany last week in which he underlined Christian unity, interfaith dialogue and the urgent need for religion in an increasingly secularised society. The Holy Father was making his first... read more

Pope Benedict XVI told close to two million young Catholics from throughout the world ‘to share with others the joy of your Faith’ and ‘to be the Apostles of the 21st century’ at the closing Mass for the World Youth Day celebrations in Madrid on Sunday. The Holy Father  (right) concluded... read more

Cardinal Keith O’Brien has asked young Catholics from Scotland attending World Youth Day in Madrid next week to return ‘better followers of Jesus Christ’ and more eager ‘to share in the mission of our Church in Scotland.’ More than 300 young Catholics from Scotland, representing each of the country’s eight Catholic... read more

Scottish charities are answering Pope Benedict XVI’s call to help the famine-afflicted people of East Africa. Pope Benedict XVI appealed again on Sunday for aid for those suffering in the Horn of Africa from the worsening consequences of drought and famine. The United Nations on Tuesday urged the air transport industry... read more

Pope Benedict XVI has responded to the terrorist attacks in Norway, which left dozens dead, by calling for an end to hatred and ideologies that promote evil. Pope Benedict said Friday’s bombing and shooting spree—believed to be the work of Anders Behring Breivik and resulting in 76 deaths—have dismayed the entire... read more