An appeal to the Scottish State to do more to support couples in crisis has been made by Cardinal Keith O’Brien, leader of Scottish Catholics. The cardinal criticised the new bill on the family now before the Scottish Parliament that will accelerate even further the times for divorce, making it possible for couples to obtain a final divorce after only a year’s separation. Today couples in crisis have to wait two years before divorcing. The leader of the 750,000 Scottish Catholics described as “a national disgrace” the fact that in Scotland, where 11,000 marriages break up every year, one of the highest rates in Europe, “there only exist two agencies that provide therapy to couples in crisis” and asked the government to “increase the funds allocated to them”. “What Scottish couples in crisis need is rapid and easy access to therapies and support provided by professionals”, said the cardinal. And he added: “studies from all over the world demonstrate that if we intervene promptly to help couples in crisis, we can avoid high financial and emotional costs and protect children from suffering and trauma”. The family therapy agency supported by the Scottish Catholic Church is called “Scottish Marriage Care”.
