October 2012 - Archdiocese of Glasgow

8 NEWS
OCTOBER 2012 • FLOURISH
Politics needs
prophetic voices
CHRISTIAN politicians have been
urged by Pope Benedict to
protect human life, marriage
and the common good in the
face of cursory, superficial and
short-term public opinion.
At a meeting with
representatives of Christian
Democratic parties from around
the world, the Pope encouraged
them in their commitment to
improving the quality of human
relationships and conditions of
life in a manner consonant with
Christian principles.
He said: “This commitment
must know no bending or
folding, but instead should be
lavished with renewed vitality,
in view of the continuing and –
in some ways – the deepening
of the problems we face.”
Among the politicians present
were Irish Taoiseach, Enda
Kenny, and the Prime Minister of
Greece, Antonis Samaras.
The Pope encouraged his
guests to speak to the ongoing
economic and financial crisis
with a “prophetic spirit” proper
to Christians.
He added: “With confidence
not resignation, civil and
political activity must be given
new incentives to seek solid
ethical foundations, the lack of
which in the economic field has
helped to create the current
global financial crisis.”
To promote the common good
and protect human dignity,
Christian politicians must
discern the truth of the primacy
of the person through constant
attention to the Word of God and
the teaching of the Church, the
Pope advised.
The area where decisive
discernment is most needed is
where fundamental choices
regarding the meaning of life
and the search for happiness
are made – abortion,
euthanasia, marriage and family
life.
It is in the family, founded on
marriage and open to life, that
human beings experience
sharing, respect and gratuitous
love, at the same time receiving
– be they children, the sick or
the elderly – the solidarity they
need.
“The family, the basic cell of
society, is the root which
nourishes not only the individual
human being, but the very
foundations of social
coexistence,” Pope Benedict
said.
Policies aimed at protecting
and promoting marriage should
be adopted by the international
community as a whole in order
to reverse the tendency towards
growing isolation.
THE Saint Thomas More
Society of Scotland was
officially launched during
the Red Mass in
St Mary’s Cathedral,
Edinburgh, marking the
start of the legal year.
Archbishop Philip
Tartaglia, who was chief celebrant
at the 23 September
Archbishop Tartaglia gives a blessing to
Lord Gill the Lord President and Lords
Hardie, Drummond Young and Matthews
Picture by Paul McSherry
Lawyers launch Thomas More Society
By Bill Heaney
Mass, has become a patron
alongside Cardinal Keith
O’Brien.
The Society has been set up
by members of the legal profession
in Scotland to engage
in reflection and discussions
about matters of Christian
faith and the law.
Gerard Considine (pictured),
a solicitor advocate
and former president of the
Glasgow Bar Association,
said the Society’s formation
was inspired by Pope
Benedict’s call on Scotland’s
Catholics to use their talents
and experience in the service
of the faith.
He said: “It is in our role in
the legal profession that we
can help to offer the people of
this country the guarantee of
authentic liberty, equality and
respect by promoting faith’s
wisdom and vision in the public
forum.
“In the legal profession
there are many challenges facing
people of faith and we
hope to be available to help
when there are issues involving
religious freedom, religious
discrimination or where
there are attacks on our
Christian heritage.”
Speak out
Mr Considine urged people
not to be afraid to stand up for
their rights and to speak out
and for more people in the
legal profession to join the
Society – “to help shape the
future of our country for future
generations just as past
generations stood strong in
their religious beliefs so that
we can gather here today”.
Among those gathered at
the Red Mass were four
judges from the Court of
Session and High Court –
Lord Gill, the Lord President
(the first Catholic to hold that
position since the
Reformation), Lord Hardie,
Lord Drummond Young and
Lord Matthews.
They were joined by the
Lord Advocate, Frank
Mulholland; the Dean of the
Faculty of Advocates, Richard
Keen QC; the President of the
Law Society of Scotland,
Austin Lafferty, and Queen’s
Counsel, sheriffs, advocates,
solicitor-advocates and solicitors
from across Scotland.
Sacred
In his homily, Bishop
Joseph Toal of Argyll and the
Isles spoke of love of God and
love of neighbour as the foundation
of law, but warned of
the danger of denying God’s
place.
He said: “To uphold sacredness,
particularly in the formation
and legislation of law,
may well be a task that provokes
reaction and so it asks
of the believer a strong constitution
and faith and determination
to persevere in what
can be trying and difficult circumstances.”
The Bishop assured the
members of the legal profession
that theirs was “a noble
and crucial vocation”, pointing
out that their work settling
disputes and bringing resolution
to conflict and confrontation
helped to sow the seeds of
holiness and peace.
Mgr Peter Magee, the officialis
of the Scottish Catholic
Tribunal, is chaplain to the
Society of St Thomas More.
In a homily given if the
feast of the Society’s patron,
earlier this year, he encouraged
members to develop a
strong spiritual programme focused
on the person of Jesus.
He said: “Let your motto be,
‘God’s servants first’, and let
that be the criterion which
guides your decisions, both
small and great, in your own
lives and in your development
as a society of Catholic professionals.”
■ Anybody interested in joining the Society
of St Thomas More and taking part in their
activities can find out more at:
thomasmoresociety.wordpress.com
KNIGHTS OF ST COLUMBA
SERVE GOD BY SERVING OTHERS
The Knights of
St Columba would
like to offer
congratulations and
their best wishes to
Archbishop Tartaglia
for the years ahead