Horror as Gaza Catholic school attacked

Horror as Gaza Catholic school attacked

By Ronnie Convery

The martyred parish of Holy Family in Gaza, whose priest, Fr Gabriel, visited Glasgow earlier this year to tell of his people’s appalling sufferings, has been targeted by a new rocket attack.

The Holy Family School has, since the beginning of the war, been a place of refuge for hundreds of civilians.

Archbishop Nolan condemned the attack and called for a renewed campaign of prayer and political pressure to halt the slaughter.

He said: “There is no safe place in Gaza for the civilian population, not even on Church premises. I would urge everyone to pray fervently for an end to this conflict.

“Only the cessation of hostilities and the release of all hostages will bring respite to the suffering peoples of the Holy Land and restore the opportunity to work for a just peace.”

A spokesman for the local church said: “The Latin Patriarchate condemns in the strongest terms the targeting of civilians or any belligerent actions that fall short of ensuring that civilians remain outside the combat scene.

“We don’t have accurate numbers because our own parish priest and members of the community could not get to the location, because there’s intensive fighting around the parish.”

“It’s too dangerous for anyone to actually leave.

Dangerous

“We continue to pray for the Lord’s mercy and hope that the Parties will reach an agreement that would put an immediate end to the horrifying bloodbath and humanitarian catastrophe in the region.”

In Scotland, the Bishops’ Justice and Peace Commission, said: “We are horrified to hear that the Israeli army have bombed the Holy Family School in Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties. The school is the property of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and part of the compound area of the Holy Family Parish where Fr Gabriel who visited us in April is the parish priest and has been a place of refuge for civilians since the start of the war.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the targeting of civilians and reissue the call for a permanent ceasefire now.”

The Holy Family Parish in Gaza was the site of a similar reported conflict late last year when in December it was alleged that an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) sniper shot and killed two women at the church’s compound.

Bishop-elect’s fond farewell

Scotland’s newest bishop has spoken movingly of the moment he was told he would be leaving St Andrew’s Cathedral to become Bishop of Dunkeld.

Canon Andrew McKenzie revealed he had received a Saturday morning phone call from the Apostolic Nunciature in London, asking him to go and see the Nuncio (the Pope’s ambassador).

When he arrived in London, the Nuncio, Spanish Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, said to him: “When a priest is called to the Nunciature it is either to be made a bishop or to be excommunicated. You will be glad to know it’s the former and not the latter!”

After that Canon Andrew was informed that the Holy Father had named him Bishop of Dunkeld. He was then invited to go into the Nuncio’s oratory to spend some time in prayer, and thereafter write a letter there and then to the Pope accepting the nomination.

“It was a shock,” said the Cathedral-based priest. “I never foresaw it and that sense of shock has stayed with me. But I’m also excited at the challenge, if a little daunted too.”

Becoming a bishop means a series of practical issues which have had to be dealt with in recent weeks, while still overseeing the life of the Cathedral. Canon Andrew has been on retreat in preparation for the ceremony of Episcopal Ordination scheduled for August 10. The lead consecrator will be Archbishop Cushley of St Andrews and Edinburgh (in whose province the Diocese of Dunkeld lies), assisted by Archbishop Nolan and Bishop Joe Toal of Motherwell.

The Mass will take place on the Feast of St Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, and Canon Andrew will be surrounded by family and friends. It will be a special moment for his mum and dad, who are in their mid-80s and plan to travel to Dundee for the event. He hopes his brother and sister will sing at the Mass too.

As a Bishop he will be asked to choose a motto and a coat of arms, and work is underway on both fronts. Typically for the man who has served diligently as Master of Ceremonies for three Archbishops, the liturgy will be carefully planned.

“There will be links back to my ordination Mass as a priest on October 31 1988 at Our Lady of Lourdes in Cardonald. The same psalm will be sung – Mgr Gerry Fitzpatrick’s version of “Such are the men who seek your face, who seek your face O Lord” – and the concluding hymn will also be the same, ‘For all the saints’”.

In recent weeks the new Bishop-elect has had to make a flying trip to Rome to get ‘kitted out’ for the new role. That meant choosing an episcopal ring, a pectoral cross and a mitre while also getting measured up for a bishop’s soutane. “It should be in the post and arriving any day now,” said Canon Andrew hopefully!

When he takes up office, he will live in Newport on Tay in the parish house of St Fillan’s. It was the house chosen for his predecessor Fr Martin Chambers who tragically died between being nominated and being consecrated. Canon Andrew knows the area a little, after having served for years as Director of Priests for Scotland from 2004–2012 during which time he worked closely with the late Bishop Vincent Logan who was then bishop of Dunkeld.

As he prepares to leave Glasgow, Canon Andrew, admits there will be a degree of sadness in his heart. He said: “I will be sorry to leave Glasgow and leave the Cathedral.

Home

“The city is my home and I had expected to live the rest of my life here. I moved into the Cathedral one year and nine months ago and some of the boxes from that move have still to be unpacked! I had imagined I would be at the Cathedral for a good while longer and there is certainly work still to be done there, but that will be for my successor now.”

For the Cardonald boy, the trip 100 miles north will be a big change. But with his shy smile, sense of dedication, and commitment to the Church, one thing is clear – Glasgow’s loss will be Dunkeld’s gain.

AGAP going to the Fringe

Glasgow parishioners are to get a sneak preview of AGAP’s new play which is running at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

As the Festival Fringe approaches, AGAP Theatre will return to parishes with a bold new production that tells the story of Antoni Gaudí, the internationally renowned visionary architect most famous for Barcelona’s Cathedral of the Poor, the Sagrada Familia.

With the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s untimely death approaching in 2026, and his cause for canonisation being scrutinised by the Church, the vibrant new multimedia drama, “Gaudí: God’s Architect” written by Stephen Callaghan, explodes with colour and creativity, with visual effects by Technical Director, Zach O’Neill.

The life of the fiery, enigmatic and eccentric architect is delivered through storytelling and characterisation by a cast of three actors, consisting of Callaghan, alongside Russell Wheeler and Jacqueline Glencorse, portraying a total of 19 characters.

Fringe

The production follows the runaway success of last year’s Fringe hit “Oggie! Oggie! Oggie!”, a solo play in which Stephen Callaghan portrayed an updated version of “The Confessions of Saint Augustine” to over 2000 people in schools and parishes across the country.

Stephen said: “The play does not assume a verdict on Gaudí but simply asks the question, ‘Who was Gaudí?’ A genius? A madman? A saint? Or some combination of the three?”

He added: “I think this production will have broad appeal as Gaudí is a figure that cuts across the secular and the sacred, due to his relevance as an artist and as a Servant of God.”

The play addresses timely themes, such as respect for nature and ecological awareness in the use of materials; the role of art and beauty in the life of the Church; religious observance in a time of political unrest and intolerance; mental and physical health issues and the value of life despite illness or difficulty; defence of the rights of workers; the humanity of the saint as a “sinner who tries”; and his untimely accidental death, which emphasises the need to seize the day and live “life in all its fullness”.

Preview performances will take place in Glasgow at 7.30pm at the following: Tuesday 16th July at Archdiocese of Glasgow Curial Offices (beside St Andrew’s Cathedral); Wednesday 17th July at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardonald; Thursday 18th July at St Thomas the Apostle, Riddrie; Friday 19th July at Blessed John Duns Scotus, Gorbals.

Tickets £8 (£6 concession) are available from www.Gaudí-play.co.uk or 0749 534 7884.

Edinburgh Fringe performances will take place at C Aurora (Venue 6), Lauriston Halls, 28 Lauriston Street, EH3 9DJ, from 19th to 25th August 2024 at 6.40pm and tickets are available from C ARTS box office: www.CtheArts.com or 0131 581 5555.

New deacon for Glasgow

By Brian Swanson

The newest permanent deacon in the Archdiocese has been welcomed into his role at a joyful Mass of Ordination celebrated by Archbishop Nolan at Sacred Heart Church Cumbernauld.

Father of two, Paul McNair, 51, becomes the fourth permanent deacon from parishes in Cumbernauld to be ordained in recent times.

The Ordination Mass was held on Friday June 21st and saw seven priests concelebrate with the Archbishop assisted by no less than 12 permanent deacons.

Several students for the diaconate also took time out to be present and offer their good wishes and prayers to Paul and his family.

Service

Archbishop Nolan began by outlining the duties of deacons like Paul – to serve, not to be served, to be effective in action, gentle in ministry and constant in prayer.

The Gospel reading told how Jesus calmed the wind and waves while crossing the sea of Galilee and Archbishop Nolan picked up that theme in his homily.

As he addressed Paul directly he said: “Jesus asked his disciples ‘why are you afraid?’ and that reminds us that even in the storms of life Jesus doesn’t abandon us. He is always with us.

“You too must be calmed by the faith that Jesus has given you and be gentle, calm and understanding in all you do for those you will serve throughout your ministry by reassuring those who are in the storms of life that God is with them.

“You will experience the gift of God’s Spirit in your heart through the sacrament of ordination, always being there to help you carry out your ministry of service.

“You will bring God’s love to believers and non-believers alike, presiding over public prayer, baptising, assisting at marriages, giving viaticum to the dying and leading the rites of burial.”

Later Paul, who speaks Spanish, French and Italian in his role as a customer adviser with an international company, described his journey to the Permanent Diaconate.

With his wife Joanne, daughters Holly, 15, and Darcy, 12, beside him Paul said: “I felt the call back to my faith just over ten years ago.

“I used to tell Joanne I was going to the shops and instead I’d sneak into the back of the Vigil Mass on a Saturday night.

“I eventually told her that I was rediscovering my faith and started attending Mass less covertly!

“Then I made the ‘fatal mistake’ of answering a request in the bulletin looking for musicians and started playing with the church music group… then over the next couple of years I found myself helping in the parish – even playing Jesus in our passion play!

“Then we got our first deacon in Kenny McGeachie. I had never heard of a deacon before and thought he was some kind of new priest. I nearly fell off my seat when he mentioned his wife in the first homily I heard him preach.

“I got to know him and his wife Sandra well after that, and both thought I’d be a good candidate. I resisted at first because I wasn’t sure if it was for me.

“But over the years of pastoral and academic formation and searching, I’ve come to realise that God doesn’t call us to ‘be’ anything, but rather he calls us to ‘do’ something.

“He calls us to love him and love others as he loves us – it’s that simple.

“Now I am looking forward to serving in the Archdiocese and wherever that is it will be where God wants me to be.”

Deacon Kenny, Archdiocesan Director for the Permanent Diaconate, said: “Glasgow needs more vocations and the permanent diaconate, especially for married men, is a truly wonderful and fulfilling vocation.

“We are hoping that more men come forward who sense that God may be calling them to becoming deacons themselves.”