ENGLAND AND WALES
Budget cuts pose threat to Catholic schools The conservative government’s budget cuts affect free or subsidised transport for faith school pupils. A large number of Catholic schools in England received State subsidies. In some cases, the removal of buses in an area has meant there is no possible way of pupils reaching a Catholic school. The fare increase in areas of England and Wales where the local authorities were compelled to interrupt the bus service as a result of government cuts might force many families to send their children in the school nearest to their homes, ensuring Catholic school attendance only by those who can afford it. The new fares imply a cost of 100 pounds per child (over 100 euro), a burdensome sum for large families. The situation is so serious that the “Catholic Education Service”, the Education department of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, is seeking legal advice to explore whether the local authorities’ decision could be impugned on the basis of human rights and anti-discriminatory regulations. The possibility of bringing the case to court is still being debated, explained Maeve McCormack, in charge of the “Catholic Education Service” policies. Accordingly, it’s hard to have a clear picture of the situation at national level as the local authorities’ behaviour is not the same all over the country. Caritas: Msgr. Nichols, “not without the State”The “Big society” concept launched by Prime Minister Cameron is a positive opportunity to build a stronger society provided that it is not confined to decreased State engagement. These were the two key issues addressed by Msgr. Vincent Nichols, Catholic Primate of England and Wales in the speech delivered at the conference promoted by Caritas in St.Mary’s University College in Twickenham, London. Msgr. Nichols told participants that Cameron’s idea of stepping up the engagement of civil society is “an opportunity for a genuine engagement which succeeds in promoting a society of greater solidarity”. However, Nichols warned, “The growth of subsidiarity cannot be achieved simply by the withdrawal of the state”. Over the past months the Catholic Bishops’ Conference launched a project for the renewal of Caritas Social Action, to strengthen national advocacy and a single voice. “It seems to be the right time to consider developing a coherent Caritas network, at parish, diocesan and national levels”, Msgr. Nichols declared. Discriminated Christians: the European Court intervenesThe European Court of Human Rights instructed the UK Government to clarify the rights of Christians in recent cases where individuals have been penalized for expressing their faith in the workplace. The cases brought to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg are Nadia Eweida, a British Airways worker who was told she could not wear her cross necklace at work; Lillian Ladele a marriage registrar who was disciplined for refusing to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies; Garry McFarlane, a relationship counselor sacked by the counseling service Relate for saying he could not give sex therapy counseling to gay partners; and Shirley Chaplain, a nurse who was banned from working on hospital wards after refusing to remove her cross necklace. Shirley Chaplin and Gary McFarlane are represented by the “Christian Legal Centre”, an organisation advocating the diffusion of Christian truth in the public arena as well as the freedom of expression of Christian faithful. The case has been judged to deserve further investigation by the ECHR. When British government ministers have responded, the Court will decide whether to hold further hearings. “There seems to be a disproportionate animosity towards the Christian faith and the workings of the courts in the UK has led to deep injustice”, said Andrea Minichiello Williams, chairman of the “Christian legal centre”.
