GREAT BRITAIN
Scotland: no to euthanasia and to sexual relations between minors Cardinal Keith O’Brien, leader of Scotland’s Catholic Church, will appear on a BBC television channel next week while he tries to convince a famous Scottish politician not to put an end to her life. Margo MacDonald, MP since 1973, in 2002 revealed she is affected by Parkinson’s disease. In the first months of the year, during a Parliament sitting, she expressed the wish to die before her disease gets worse. Cardinal O’Brien, who often condemned pro-euthanasia stands described as a “culture of death”, will seek to convince the MP to change her mind. Through his spokesperson Ronnie Convery, Scotland, the Catholic Church welcomed the Parliament’s decision not to depenalize sexual intercourse between minors. A Scottish child aged 13-15 who has sexual intercourse with the partner’s consent, can be charged with infringing the Law. In the past weeks, the Scottish parliament had launched consultations aimed at identifying a consistent number of MPs in favour of changing the Act and depenalizing children in this age bracket. Having listened to different opinions, Scottish ministers decided that depenalizing sexual intercourse between minors would give the wrong message and would make children and adolescents more vulnerable. This stand is supported by the Catholic Church, according to which legislation establishes social standards that, if changed, would spread the message that sexual intercourse is a recreational activity that can be performed by all age groups. Ireland: bishops and the Eucharistic congress Cardinal Sean Brady, archbishop of Armagh and leader of Ireland’s Bishops Conference, along with the archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, welcomed the Pope’s announcement that Dublin will be hosting the 50th International Eucharistic Congress in 2012. Speaking from Quebec, where the previous Congress was held, the two leaders of Ireland’s Catholic Church said they feel “honoured and made humble” by the Pope’s decision. “While the topic of the next Congress has yet to be defined – Brady and Martin explained – we are fully aware that 2012 will also mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council”. “The purpose of the Congress is to deepen our knowledge of the Eucharist which is central in Catholic faith, said the archbishops of Armagh and Dublin -. The Church received the Eucharist from the Lord. The Eucharist is the source and the zenith in the life of all followers of Jesus. We encourage the faithful to pray to the Holy Spirit and that his works may guide us to fully appreciate the presence of Jesus among us, for our love, in the gift of the Eucharist”. “The Congress in Dublin will be an international event- the bishops added – the celebration will attract thousands of pilgrims and will enable local and foreign Catholics to meet, pray together and discuss faith-related issues”. The two archbishops recalled that this is the second time that Dublin and Ireland host the International Eucharistic Congress and that “in the next four years Irish parishes will be encouraged to communicate what they consider as the most appropriate ways to celebrate the Congress”. England: Day of Life on mental diseases The next Day of Life will be celebrated by the Catholic Church of England and Wales in all parishes on July 6. In describing the initiative, bishop Bernard Longley explained that “one person out of four experiences some form of mental disease in the course of his life”. This points to the fact that “often the bond between mental disease and spiritual life” is misunderstood, claimed Sheila Hollins, President of the Psychiatrist Register, who attended the press conference. “At times – she explained – people think that if you’re a good Catholic then that is sufficient. The fact that one is unable to control his emotions is seen as a sign of weakness. However, this does not mean not being able to understand mental diseases”. Roberta Canning, volunteer worker in a marriage project of the Catholic Church whose son suffered from mental diseases, said he found much help in the Church, but, she added, “often Catholic sick people live in conditions of total isolation, marked by guilt feelings”. Bishop Longley explained that even priests are not immune to mental diseases and said he hopes that the day of life will further sensitize parishes on this problem and increase their determination in combating the stigma experienced by those who suffer”. Donations for this Day, which last year reached the record amount of 140thousand pounds – some 177thousand euro – will serve to pay a full-time assistant in charge of coordinating the Church’s response to the problem of mental diseases and of finding the necessary resources required by parishes.
