Arrests are expected to be made after the Scottish Cup semi-final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Easter Day. Police said it was a large and complex operation that involved officers working with a range of partners across the country to ensure the match went ahead safely and with minimal disruption to the wider public. “Police Scotland had a proportionate plan in place to support the event and to deal swiftly with acts of violence, disorder and anti-social behaviour,” said Chief superintendent Mark Sutherland, Divisional Commander for Greater Glasgow. “Prior to kick off a group of Rangers supporters were escorted to the stadium. The focus of the policing operation at this time was public safety and the quick movement away from an area where there was a high risk of disorder between supporter groups. Video evidence footage was taken at that time and enquiries are now ongoing into alleged sectarian and anti-Catholic singing from those being escorted. Anti-Catholic and indeed all forms of hate crime are completely unacceptable and today’s events again remind us of the ongoing challenges we have in some parts of Scotland with sectarianism.”
Green Christian is inviting members to write to MPs about the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on 4 April, which suggested climate disaster is looming. Also, Green Christian is urging people to join its “joy in enough” programme, which picks up on the report’s recommendation that reducing the demand for energy and moving away from high-impact behaviours are vital. “This is the area that our joy in enough project has been addressing for years and we are pleased that it is finally being considered, said Green Christian. The programme looks at lifestyle changes of individuals and communities to transition to reduced carbon footprints. There is also a brief discussion of “degrowth” for developed countries and the acknowledgement that this “could result in a dramatic reduction of energy and resource consumption”.
Pax Christi England and Wales has criticised UK preparations to store new US nuclear weapons in Britain. Military bunkers in the UK are being upgraded so they can be used to store US nuclear weapons again after 14 years of standing empty, according to US defence budget documents. Chair Ann Farr told The Tablet: “The suggestion that former nuclear bases are being prepared, to allow for US nuclear weapons to, yet again, be stored in the UK is abhorrent.” She added: “Pax Christi England and Wales, with other peace groups in the UK, and other Pax Christi Sections in the affected European countries, will protest the presence of US nuclear weapons and continue to work for the abolition of all nuclear weapons.” She pointed to a March talk, attended by Pax Christi members in Coventry, where Christopher Cocksworth, Anglican Bishop of Coventry said: “I long for a world without nuclear weapons. I have long held that the possession of nuclear weapons and specifically their use as a deterrent is morally unjust.” He warned that nuclear proliferation “could spiral out of control”.
Teachers at the John Fisher Catholic school in Purley have voted to strike over the decision to ban gay author Simon James Green. A spokesperson for the National Education Union, the UK’s largest education union, told The Tablet: “The diocese has so far not engaged in communication with the NEU to try and resolve this dispute.” They said that 87 per cent of members on a turnout of 92 per cent voted to move to a formal ballot which closed on the 13 April. The turnout was nearly eight out of ten, and nine out of ten voted to strike. “Members clearly feel very strongly about the decision to cancel the book talk by James Green and the subsequent removal of members of the governing body. The NEU remains willing to enter into talks with the diocese to ensure this matter is resolved.” The strike is expected to start at the end of April.
People who identify as LGBTI should not have to live in fear any more than anybody else, Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin has said. In his Easter vigil homily, the Bishop of Elphin referred to the violent attacks in Sligo which had resulted in the deaths of two men who were gay. He told the congregation, “Each of them, in different ways, served his community well. Each one was a much-loved son and brother and uncle. If, as seems possible, they were targeted because of their sexuality, we have to say once and for all that this is unjustifiable and unacceptable. It is something that we as Christians can never condone.” Bishop Doran also criticised acts of vandalism on properties associated with the Islamic community in the past few days. To lay the blame for recent events on a whole community, “might suit the racist and sectarian agenda of some among us, but it would be totally unjustifiable,” he warned. The Bishop also revealed that representatives of the Traveller community had told him recently that they “don’t always feel accepted by the settled community. They feel that they are often ‘lumped together’ as if they were all the same.”
Bishop Phonsie Cullinan has expressed his admiration for priests and their work over the past two years, saying they had given “inspirational witness”. Speaking as chair of the council for vocations of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Cullinan said priests had formed part of the frontline caring for the sick, the bereaved, and the lonely, as well as carrying out numerous other duties. “Every day in Ukraine we see that priests are staying with their people in the dreadful conditions brought by war in that country.” In spite of all that is going on and has gone on, priests had given inspirational witness he said, and he prayed that this witness would inspire young men to follow Jesus Christ through priesthood and in caring for the spiritual lives of others.
Bishop Fintan Monahan commissioned 24 new lay ministers for the Diocese of Killaloe in the ministries of pastoral care, catechetics and faith development at this year’s Chrism Mass. In the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Ennis, Co Clare, Bishop Monahan welcomed the women and men who will minister in the 58 parishes and pastoral areas across Killaloe diocese. He said the new ministries are part of a diocesan response to the changing face of the Church which includes fewer priests. “Whereas once there was at least one priest in every parish, now many parishes have no resident priest, rather they are served by the priests of the local pastoral area. In the future, in our diocese, parishes will be served by a team of priests and lay ministers working together to meet local pastoral needs. Some roles traditionally undertaken by priests will in future be carried out by the new lay ministers.” Separately, Bishop John Fleming has said parish pastoral councils will be a key element in the creation of the synodal church in Killala diocese. At Chrism Mass in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina, Bishop Fleming told the congregation, “This evening marks the beginning of a new journey for the Parish Pastoral Councils of our diocese.” He said a priority for the diocese in the first year of its synodal journey would be the training and formation – or the renewal – of effective Parish Pastoral Councils.
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