The Catholic Parliamentary Office is an Agency of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland. We promote Catholic Social Teaching. Retweets not always an endorsement.
Whilst attention is (quite rightly) focused on the
#HateCrime
Act, some may have missed the proposal to establish thought crime in Scotland, by criminalising silent prayer. Here is Scottish Govt Minister Jenni Minto MSP struggling to explain how it will work...
An astonishing exchange at the Scottish Parliament Health, Social Care and Sport Committee's meeting on abortion buffer zones, as Government Minister Jenni Minto MSP struggles to explain how 'silent prayer' will be made illegal.
Members of
@scotlibdems
will this weekend present a motion to remove faith schools, incl Catholic Schools, from state education. Catholic schools are an example of a tolerant, inclusive and diverse education system. Why would an expressly ‘liberal’ party want to close them?
“Assisted suicide sends a message that there are situations when suicide is an appropriate response to one’s individual circumstances, worries, anxieties. It normalises suicide and accepts that some people are beyond hope.” Bishop John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley.
Motion in Scottish Parliament "congratulates Father Eamon Sweeney, Sister Moira Duffy and Father Colin Hughes on decades of service to the Coatbridge community in St Patrick’s, Holy Trinity and All Saints, and St Stephen’s Roman Catholic Churches."
Thank you
@FrKane
for leading the celebration of Holy Mass live on
@BBCScotland
this afternoon from St Augustine, Coatbridge. Grateful to BBC Scotland for broadcasting Mass to the nation on this special day and in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.
#EasterSunday
#Easter
A few people suggesting that we place small tree branches in windows to mark Palm Sunday. Great idea!
How about we also place a crucifix and/or a holy statue next to windows for the duration of Holy Week?
"We are called to care for those who suffer, including those at the end of life. The appropriate response of civic society to suffering is not to facilitate death by prescription, but rather, to provide good, reliable care, including palliative care, for all those who need it."
The terrifying and deadly reality of assisted suicide is laid bare in Canada and other countries where it is already legal. People with diabetes, autism, and the disabled now routinely euthanised. It is little wonder support for assisted suicide in Scotland is ebbing away.
🔴 Scotland risks turning death into a ‘form of therapy’ under moves to legalise assisted dying - which could people with disabilities, autism and diabetes at risk - read the chilling verdict of Canadian legal expert Trudo Lemmens 👇
@TrudoLemmens
“The violent and threatening language on display reflects a disturbing and hateful attitude towards Catholics.
“Catholics make up 27 per cent of the population in Glasgow and their right to live free from fear, prejudice and discrimination must be upheld.”
A sticker posted on a busy Glasgow city centre street which called for 'taigs' to be murdered reflects a 'disturbing and hateful attitude towards Catholics,' the Church has said.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Archbishop Philip Tartaglia who has died suddenly at the age of 70.
He died on the feast of St Mungo, patron of Glasgow.
May his family and all who mourn feel the comforting presence of God at this difficult time.
Requiescat in pace.
It is with the greatest sorrow that we announce the death of our Archbishop Philip. He died suddenly at his home in Glasgow, this morning, the feast of St Mungo. He was 70 years old. Requiescat in pace
Full statement
Called to Care, Not to Kill - say no to assisted suicide and yes to care. Scotland's Catholic bishops write pastoral letter to Catholic community, to be read at all Masses this weekend
Prime Minister
@BorisJohnson
is in intensive care tonight with
#coronavirus
. Praying for him and for all those suffering from the disease; for those working so hard to care for the sick; and for those who have died.
This is what a group of doctors in Scotland stated in a letter to Humza Yousaf not too long ago on the subject of assisted suicide, when Mr Yousaf was Cabinet Secretary for Health...
#assisteddying
#assistedsuicide
#NoToAssistedSuicide
As we mark the anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death, the people of Scotland ought to reflect on what he had to say about euthanasia and assisted suicide...
Criminalisation of prayer in Scotland. Here is the revealing section of the Bill's Policy Memorandum which anticipates the criminalisation of prayer. Please help us to stop this unnecessary and disproportionate prohibition on prayer. Full details here:
This is a significant step and I look forward to meeting the new Cabinet Secretary for Justice with Archbishop Tartaglia to discuss our concerns.
@HumzaYousaf
Assisted suicide: the mask doesn't take long to slip as journalist Matthew Parris declares he would welcome vulnerable people feeling pressured to end their lives prematurely. This is the dark reality of assisted suicide.
Nicola Sturgeon suggests that she will vote against assisted suicide, saying: “the more deeply I think about the different issues involved, the more I find myself veering away from a vote in favour, not towards it.”
As the debate about sexuality and gender rages on, here is what the Bishops of Scotland said in their submission to the Scottish Parliament Equalities and Human Rights Committee in May 2022.
Little over a year ago the Catholic bishops of Scotland released this statement on conscience and politics, following the vitriol directed at Kate Forbes. Regrettably, in light of current events, it is necessary to share it again.
Priest School is on tonight 10.15pm, BBC Scotland.
It might be particularly interesting viewing for the young men in your life. Why not encourage them to watch it?
A reminder that a documentary about life in our College, entitled ‘Priest School’, will air this evening at 10.15pm on the BBC Scotland channel. Enjoy!
As we prepare to face yet another attempt to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland let's remember that in May 2023 the Catholic Church, the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Association of Mosques signed a statement opposing it
Most disability organisations are rightly very concerned and, thus, opposed to proposals to legalise assisted suicide, including Inclusion Scotland, Glasgow Disability Alliance, and Disability Equality Scotland.
Our ally
@MiroGriffiths
has urged MSPs not to support Scottish "assisted dying" legislation. Speaking as a bill was lodged at Holyrood, Dr Griffiths, a disability studies scholar, said: “It is deeply sad to see new assisted suicide legislation before the Scottish Parliament."
A scandalous ruling. The West has embraced a horrendous culture of death, concluding that it is 'just' to kill the smallest, weakest and most vulnerable human beings. The abhorrent practice of abortion, which runs contrary to the inviolable dignity of each human being, must stop.
'It makes me feel I should be extinct', says Heidi Crowter after legislation which allows the abortion of babies with Down's syndrome up until birth is upheld
Read more here:
Dunkeld has learned that its Bishop Elect, Fr Martin Chambers, has died in his sleep. Please pray for the repose of Fr Martin's soul. The diocese will gather together for a Mass in St Andrew's Cathedral, Dundee, at 1pm on Friday 12th April.
@BishopsScotland
@SCMO14
Scotland be warned: Canada's euthanasia law has been horrific
"These people are already struggling to live, but rather than help them in their time of greatest need, Mr McArthur and his 38 Holyrood co-signatories can only offer them death as a way out."
Terrifying. Is this really the road Scotland wants to go down? Assisted suicide sends the message to vulnerable people - the disabled, the elderly and those struggling with mental ill health - that their lives are no longer worth living. Please Scotland, reject assisted suicide.
Zoraya Ter Beek, a 29-year-old Dutch woman who struggled with depression, anxiety and an unspecified personality disorder has died by assisted suicide. Desperately sad, unjust, and a warning to the UK of where these laws can lead.
Dr Amy Profitt speaks movingly about her experience as a palliative care doctor in caring for people at the end of life and warns against "deeply dangerous" physician-assisted suicide
#saynotoassistedsuicide
#assistedsuicide
#AssistedDying
Palliative care consultant Dr Amy Profitt tells
#R4Today
it could be 'deeply dangerous' to have a doctor-led assisted dying system in the NHS.
The topic will be debated later today in Parliament after a petition led by Dame Esther Rantzen, who has stage four lung cancer.
A big shout out to our priests, deacons and parishioners who have pulled together in recent weeks to prepare our churches for reopening and who have ensured it is a safe environment for all.
Thank you!
This is precisely the point we have been making from day one. This unnecessary and disproportionate law will criminalise prayer, including silent prayer. Police Scotland have already declared existing law to be sufficient and expressed serious concerns about policing 'thought'.
Despite Police Scotland stating in evidence that existing law is sufficient to deal with any problems arising at peaceful prayer vigils, First Minister, John Swinney, has given his full backing to a controversial bill which seeks to criminalise prayer.
Chilling. Liam McArthur takes the radical step of redefining terminal illness in his Assisted Suicide Bill, a consequence of which is to pull disabled people into its orbit of death.
It is little wonder disabled organisations are so strongly opposed to assisted suicide.
“Although Liam McArthur has been saying that he's bringing forward a very tight [
#assistedsuicide
] bill… he's defined terminal illness as being people who may have years or decades to live… [which] will include lots of disabled people.”
St Andrew: a fisherman who dropped everything to bring souls to God; to spread the Good News. The relics of this holy man were in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.We pray that St Andrew will give our nation the courage to follow Christ and to never tire in the pursuit of truth.
'I suffered the loss of three of my dear sons and my only beloved daughter...I beg to differ from those who assert that the option of assisted suicide is necessary to ensure dignity in death.'
Dennis Canavan writes about the tragic loss of four of his children in today's Herald.
Not long now until Liam McArthur MSP publishes a proposed new law to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland.
We are going to need your help to stop it.
More to follow in the coming days….
WORDS OF CAUTION: Any announcement by the UK Government re. the opening of churches does NOT apply to Scotland. No dates for the re-opening of Scottish churches have yet been announced by the Scottish Bishops.
The correct decision. Ridiculous that it got to this stage, but grateful all the same that this little baby’s life has been preserved.
This is a moment of reckoning for society, including those of us who claim to be pro-life, what did we do or not do to let it get to this?
Will the Church tell me who I should vote for?
No. The Church does not state any preference for this or that candidate/party. The fundamental vocation of the church in the political sphere is to form consciences, and to be the advocate of justice and truth.
#scottishelection
Testimony of the dangers of assisted suicide continue to flood in. This time from Victoria, Australia, where a palliative care specialist says it has had a "devastating effect" on the practice of palliative medicine.
Assisted dying is not going as well in Australia as some Jersey civil servants claim. This is a statement from a palliative care specialist in the state of Victoria.
@StatesAssembly
@JerseyDyingWell
As Liam McArthur MSP prepares to publish his bill to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland, Professor Leonie Herx offers a chilling warning from Canada...
#assisteddying
#assistedsuicide
Tavistock children’s gender clinic closed after it is deemed ‘not safe’.
Let’s be honest, there is nothing safe about pushing this ideology on children.