The Santa Marta group, which brings together police chiefs and religious leaders internationally to fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery, was this week awarded the 2018 Path to Peace Award by the foundation of the same name.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, president of the group, and Kevin Hyland (pictured), who is just ending his four years as the UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, travelled to New York to collect the award, which was given in recognition of the group’s outstanding work to eradicate slavery.
Both Cardinal Nichols and Mr Hyland, a Catholic who was formerly head of the Metropolitan Police’s Human Trafficking Unit, were at the Vatican in April 2014 for the conference with Pope Francis that established the Santa Marta group, which has been widely acclaimed as one of the best global initiatives against trafficking. After accepting the award, Cardinal Nichols remained in the US for a conference on human trafficking at the UN.
Bishops’ appeal ahead of vote
Compassion is not one-sided: caring for the mother is vital but so too is caring for the child in the womb, an Irish bishop said this week in a final appeal to voters on the eve of Ireland’s referendum on abortion.
Bishop John Buckley of Cork and Ross said that those who are heading to vote today are “the unborn babies’ last line of defence”.
Meanwhile, Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, urged people to enter the polling stations thinking of two lives, “the life of the mother and the life of the baby – two hearts beating; two lives which are both precious and deserving of compassion and protection”. To be against abortion, he said, “is not simply ‘a Catholic thing’. The innate dignity of every human life is a value for the whole of society – for people of all faiths and none.”
New standards of safeguarding for the Catholic Church in Scotland that came into force this week aspire to the highest levels of care and protection for all, according to one of its leaders, and Scottish bishops “are committed to rebuilding trust and confidence in the ways in which we ensure that children, young people and vulnerable adults are kept safe”.
Joseph Toal, Bishop of Motherwell, who is responsible for safeguarding for the Scottish bishops, said the new manual, “In God’s Image”, offers comprehensive guidance and instruction. The Scottish Catholic Church has continued to receive criticism that survivors have not been supported and independent scrutiny has not been provided: the hope now is that the new guidelines satisfy the critics.
A college in Scotland has come under fire for cancelling Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation, two days before it was due to take place. City of Glasgow College has a prayer room that all religions may use, and which has been used in the past for the celebration of Mass.
However, earlier this month, although the plan had been approved by the college’s equality, diversity and inclusion department a week earlier, the Ascension Thursday celebration was cancelled on the Tuesday of that week after it came to the notice of the college principal, Paul Little. Br Antony Connelly, of the college chaplaincy, said that he had informed Mr Little “out of courtesy” and was surprised to find the Mass had been cancelled. Although he said he had not experienced any anti-Catholic feeling, he was aware of other staff describing a “hostile” environment for Catholics.
Assisted dying plan rejected
On May 18, Guernsey’s parliament decisively rejected proposals to legalise assisted dying. Had the proposed bill been accepted, the island would have become the first place in the British Isles to allow assisted dying. Following three days of debates, a series of votes on different clauses were all lost decisively. But the 40-strong parliament did agree to review palliative and end-of-life care, owing to an anticipated increase in healthcare needs for the island’s ageing population.
The Bishop of Portsmouth, Philip Egan, whose diocese includes the island, tweeted that he was “delighted to learn that Guernsey has rejected the proposals for physician assisted suicide and euthanasia”. Gavin St Pier, a politician who championed the proposals, said: “A conclusion has been reached – we accept that result.”
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