Catholic News 2

(Vatican Radio) Scottish Catholics around the world are preparing to celebrate the feast of their patron saint tomorrow.

As the Catholic Church prepares for the major feast day, Vatican Radio's Scottish intern Ryan Black reflects on the relationship between the Apostle and Scotland, and speaks with the Vice-Rector of the Pontifical Scots College and the President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland...

Saint Andrew the Apostle is the patron of many countries worldwide, including Scotland. The Galilean fisherman was adopted by the early Picts and Scots at a time when the country needed a national symbol to rally around. In a story that echoes that of the Emperor Constantine’s victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312 AD), King Angus of the Picts saw a Saltire Cross in the sky ahead of his victory over the Saxons at the Battle of Athelstaneford (735 AD). From then, Saint Andrew and his distinctive cross became national symbols of an emerging Scotland.

National heroes William Wallace and Robert the Bruce both appealed to Saint Andrew in times of emergency. Taking advantage of Saint Andrew’s fraternal relationship with Saint Peter, the Scots made a declaration of independence in 1320, called the Declaration of Arbroath, and submitted it to Pope John XXII.

This relationship between Peter and Andrew led Pope Saint John Paul II to say, during his homily in Glasgow in 1982,"Today marks another significant moment in the history of our salvation: the Successor of Peter comes to visit the spiritual children of Andrew! We are bound one to another by a supernatural brotherhood stronger than that of blood. Here and now we testify that we profess that identical faith in Jesus (the faith of Andrew), and we firmly hope that we too can lead others to him. This common profession of faith is the compelling motive behind my pastoral visit.”

Until the Scottish Reformation, the town of St Andrews was the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland. The famous cathedral there, built in 1158, now lies in ruins. The town is the home of the University of St Andrews. Founded between 1410 and 1413 by Augustinian clergy, it is the oldest of four ancient universities in Scotland, and the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world.

The apostle unites Scotland with Greece and Italy; each country has a cathedral dedicated to the saint that contains his relics (in Edinburgh, Patras and Amalfi respectively).

The feast is marked by Scottish Catholics in Rome, too. The community of the Pontifical Scots College, founded in 1600, is under the patronage of Saint Andrew. The Vice-Rector, Fr Gerald Sharkey, spoke to Vatican Radio’s Ryan Black about how the feast is celebrated at the national seminary.

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland and Archbishop of Glasgow, also spoke with Ryan about how the feast day is celebrated in Scotland. He commented on Saint Andrew’s role as a symbol of “new life” after the “suppression” of the Scottish Reformation.

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Catholics in Scotland and around the world will celebrate the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle tomorrow, on 30th November.

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(Vatican Radio) The Slovakian Bishops have urged their government not to ratify the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The Bishops warned that certain parts of the convention contain inappropriate gender definitions. They also warned that the work of the church and other agencies “that have long been established in protection of women are going to face direct discrimination.”

The convention is comprised of 81 articles, addressing subjects such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage, forced abortion and sterilisation. It also describes violence against women as a historical inequality of the sexes. 

In a statement from the Slovakian Bishops Conference Arcbishop Stanislav Zvolensky of Bratislava said “Any form of violence committed on women is condemnable and absolutely inadmissible. Violence against women can never be tolerated and it is our duty to make every effort to stop it. The protection of women, however, is an important matter, that all concealed attempts of simultaneously advocating for other issues, such as the gender ideology or teaching of so-called non-stereotypical roles in schools, are unacceptable.”

The Archbishop went on to warn that some sections of the convention separate gender from biological sex, implying that children are born as gender neutral, with factors such as masculinity being the result of personal choice or education. According to Archbishop Zvolensky “Such assumptions, however, contradict human experience and common sense.” 

Article 14 of the convention refers to issues of equality “Between men, women and non stereotyped gender roles.”

Archbishop Zvolensky warned that “The convention fights against gender stereotypes but the instruments of this fight can be easily misapplied. They can lead to the suppression of those non-governmental organisations and churches that disagree with the gender ideology.”

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Benin City, Nigeria, Nov 29, 2016 / 06:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the Catholic Church’s Year of Mercy came to a close, a gathering of Nigerians took the time to reflect on God’s mercy and prayed to be more merciful towards others in their lives.

“All who are suffering and who feel that God is distant should have recourse to the mercy of God who forgives and who cannot abandon his children,” the Catholic Biblical Association of Nigeria said in a statement. “God does not give up on anyone; and we should not give up on God.”

The association issued the statement at the close of its four-day annual convention, which took inspiration from the Year of Mercy that concluded Nov. 20.

This convention’s theme was “Mercy and Justice in the Bible.” The convention was held Oct. 25-28 at the Bishop Patrick Kelly Pastoral Centre in Benin City, the Catholic News Agency for Africa reports.

The biblical association encouraged everyone to ensure that mercy, not punishment or revenge, has primacy in their relationships.

“We urge all to welcome and celebrate with gratitude God’s disposition to show mercy to others and to rejoice with those who have been shown mercy,” the group said.

Archbishop Augustine Akubeze of Benin City hosted the convention, while Bishop Martin Olorunmolu of Lokoja attended.

The convention statement stressed that God’s mercy is unconditional and available to everyone “no matter the magnitude of our sin.” People should show “profound gratitude” for God’s mercy no matter their condition.

“We are grateful to God for his unfathomable mercy which supersedes all we could know of him. Like Mary of Nazareth in her Magnificat, our duty, as community and individuals, is to always sing the praise of God whose mercy for us endures forever,” the statement continued.

“The entire salvation history is an expression of God’s justice and mercy on behalf of sinful human beings. This mercy of God is revealed in a climactic manner in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,” the convention statement reflected. God does not condone sin and unfaithfulness, but he tempers justice with mercy, it said.

“God’s actions of mercy and justice demand our response, which is to accept his mercy and be instruments of his mercy in the world,” the statement explained. “We are also invited to learn from God in his dealings with human beings, especially the weak and the unworthy. Our response to God’s mercy also includes our effort to acknowledge our sins and to return to the merciful Father in genuine repentance.”

God’s grace precedes every effort to repent, the convention added, encouraging Christians to rejoice with those who have been shown mercy.

“We pray that the fruits of mercy will become more concrete in our lives as we make better efforts to imitate Jesus Christ, the visible face of the Father who is ‘rich in mercy’,” the statement said.

The association’s statement was signed by its president Sister Teresa Okure, S.H.C.J., and secretary Father Luke Ijezie.

 

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(Vatican Radio) The Marymount International School of Rome has been celebrating its 70^th anniversary recalling the founding of the institute in 1946.

The first Marymount School was founded in 1926 in New York by Mother Marie Joseph Butler, and was part of a network of schools directed by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM). Mother Butler envisioned an independent educational opportunity for the daughters of the Irish and Italian emerging middle classes, to ensure they would continue their education as Catholics. With this in mind, she founded the Marymount School and soon after opened Marymount colleges to educate the teachers who worked in the schools. Mother Butler had the foresight to think of broadening the girls’ education by sending them to Europe, which led to the opening of schools in London, Paris, and Rome.

Ms. Sarah Gallagher, Executive Headmistress of the Marymount International School of Rome, spoke with Vatican Radio’s Hayley Susino about the school’s 70^th anniversary and the tremendous strides Marymount has made since 1946.

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From just 30 students at the time of the founding, the school has evolved to include over 660 students today, enrolled from over 50 countries. Originally an all-girls day and boarding school, Marymount is now a co-ed day school, ranging from early childhood to grade 12.

Students who attend Marymount are offered an added educational value. In 1985 they adopted the International Baccalaureate diploma program to enrich the education of their students. They are also a part of a global network of 19 schools, all directed by the RSHM.

Headmistress Gallagher emphasizes that, “Our focus is on the education of global citizens who are formed within the values of the Catholic mission of the school. It’s a very rich environment for us to be able to harvest for the students.”

Mother Butler’s vision is embedded in the curriculum, which places an importance on the embrace of independent thinking and inquiry driven learning. The students are driven by their desire to not only absorb, but truly understand the material that is put before them.

Ms. Gallagher explains how the global network places an added value on Marymount:

“There is the network of alumni from schools all over the world and because of the nature of Marymount, these alumni tend to be very well placed in their home countries or internationally in business, politics, diplomacy, law, education, and the students benefit from that connectivity and interaction.”

Although Marymount is a Catholic school, they welcome students of all faiths and backgrounds. The roots of the school stem from France, where the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary was established by Father Jean Gailhac in the middle of the 19^th century, with the purpose of providing young women an alternative life path to prostitution. He reached out to those on the social and economic margins of Southern France, founding the school on the practice of an inclusive mindset. 

“Gailhac’s vision is and was to make God known and loved. That is at the heart of our schools and all of the students who join us are able to embrace that through the RSHM mission. The students understand that and can connect to it, whether they do it from a faith based perspective or from the perspective of understanding our connectivity as a common humanity both to one another and to the planet which we should responsibly inhabit,” says Ms. Gallagher, expressing the importance of tolerance throughout the student body.

The cultural diversity of Rome and the student body is also reflected in the curriculum of Marymount. Ms. Gallagher says that, “the school is very aware of the rich tradition of Rome, its cultural history, and its church history. It is also very aware of Rome in its modern context and the nature and shape and contours of the society in which our students are growing up in this moment in time.”

Although the Marymount International School of Rome has developed into a top ranking institution, it is always looking to the future for new opportunities to advance the education of the student body.

Headmistress Gallagher describes the emphasis placed on education:

 “As I look around, I increasingly feel that in the media and in discussions, there is a dispirited sense of the level of political discourse and engagement. It’s very important for us as a school, that the preparation we are giving our students is preparing them for a world in which that diminishing hope and political discourse is set to one side and we move back to a much more hopeful and graceful language.”

At Marymount, Ms. Gallagher elaborates, “We believe in educating our students in their civic connections in this moment. It gives them meaningful engagement at the local level to help them to realize the impact and influence that they have for good, despite the barrage of negativity, hopelessness, and helplessness that they might pick up from the media discourse on contemporary life.”

In terms of preparing digital learners, the Marymount schools in London, Paris, New York, and Rome are pioneers in introducing Fabrication Laboratories. ‘Fab labs’ are spaces that allow students to create digital content.

Ms. Gallagher explains that, “The computational thinking which characterizes a 21^st century learner, finds its full expression in a fab lab.” They are equipped with items like 3D printers, laser cutters, and robotics kits, and are open to all students at the school, as well as members of the community.

Marymount encourages mindfulness and a contemplative view of life in a noise-filled world. They are also aware of students’ need to develop presentation and public speaking skills:

“The business of preparing to persuade an audience of one’s ideas or opinions has remerged in a world where top job and university interviews have given increased privileging to oral presentation,” expresses Ms. Gallagher.

She continues, “The end product is a very confident, articulate, poised, eloquent student who presents well, but more importantly has a substance to the presentation. I think this is the objective of the education that Mother Butler envisioned and we are continuing to vision as those who have been fortunate enough to follow in her footsteps.” 

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Sydney, Australia, Nov 29, 2016 / 12:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In Australia, the Catholic Church has established a new independent non-profit to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse.

“Catholic bishops and religious leaders in Australia are determined to do all in their power to ensure that abuse, in any form, should never again occur in the Church,” said a Nov. 22 FAQ on the new company. “The setting of consistent national standards and auditing compliance with them is a key element in this.”

The creation of the non-profit company, Catholic Professional Standards Limited, was jointly announced by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia during the bishops’ plenary meeting with religious leaders at Mary MacKillop Place in Sydney, the Diocese of Hobart reports.

The company will develop, audit, and report on professional protection standards across Catholic entities, with a special focus on areas that currently lack standards.

“We look ahead with safety, respect and authenticity at the core of all we do in the community,” said Sister Ruth Durick, O.S.U., a member representative of Catholic Professional Standards and president of Catholic Religious Australia. “Today’s announcement marks a significant development in how the Church in Australia operates.”

Catholic Religious Australia’s membership includes over 130 congregations of vowed religious and priests.

She said the creation of the company is “a decisive step forward” for the Church following the Royal Commission’s investigation of institutional responses to sexual abuse of children.

Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, vice president of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said he believes the company will continue the “cultural change” begun by the Truth, Justice and Healing Council, which represented Catholic organizations before the Royal Commission.

The Royal Commission is expected to conclude at the end of 2017.

“Catholic Professional Standards will pay close attention to the relevant recommendations that the Royal Commission makes in its final report to the Government and will be obliged to implement any subsequent related legislation,” the new company’s FAQ said.

The company will not have the jurisdiction to force any church authority to implement its recommendations, but it will publish regular reports that will make it known whether an entity has failed a particular standards audit.

“The influence which Catholic Professional Standards will have over any church authority will be through public accountability,” said its FAQ.

The non-profit will assume the responsibility of the National Committee for Professional Standards any time a complaint is made against a bishop or a leader of a religious institute.

Catholic Professional Standards said it encouraged anyone with a complaint of alleged criminal behavior to report it to the police, or to the appropriate Director of Professional Standards or the relevant Church agency when the alleged behavior is not criminal.

The non-profit company’s establishment is funded by Catholic Religious Australia and the Australian bishops’ conference. Each Church authority that is under review will pay for the costs of each audit and reporting process.

Catholic Religious Australia and the Australian bishops’ conference are establishing a seven-member board of directors for the company. The board will operate and function independent of the Church and will recruit and appoint a chief executive officer in 2017.

Three directors have already been designated: Geoffrey Giudice, past president of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission; Patricia Faulkner, past secretary of the Department of Human Services in Victoria with experience in child protection and family violence; and John Watkins, a former deputy premier of New South Wales.

The company is expected to be running by early 2017.

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