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- Catholic Church marks 25th Anniversary of Pope's visit to Scotland
Catholic Church marks 25th Anniversary of Pope's visit to Scotland
- By SCMO
- Published 20/08/2007
- News Releases
At Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, Pope John Paul addressed the whole of the
Catholic community in Scotland. He spoke about the need to appreciate our
heritage, about the responsibilities of the day and about the challenges of
the future. We can benefit from reflecting on this three-fold theme:
The Pope said: “You are the heirs to a sacred heritage. Your forefathers
have handed on to you the only inheritance they really prized, our holy
Catholic faith! From heaven their heartfelt appeal to you would be this:
“Set your hearts on his Kingdom” (Luke 12, 31).”
The Catholic community today plays a full and active part in the life of our
country. But in recognising the achievements of our time we must not forget
the struggles of our forebears. It is only by knowing where we come from
that we can take stock of where we are and plot a roadmap for the future.
“You originate in a glorious past, but you do not live in the past. You
belong to the present and your generation must not be content simply to rest
on the laurels won by your grandparents and great-grandparents. You must
give your response to Christ’s call to follow him and enter with him as
co-heirs into his Father’s heavenly Kingdom.”
In a passage of enormous significance he spoke clearly about the challenges
we were then about to face, and continue to face today: “We find it harder
to follow Christ today than appears to have been the case before.
Witnessing to him in modern life means a daily contest … As believers we are
constantly exposed to pressures by modern society, which would compel us to
conform to the standards of this secular age, substitute new priorities,
restrict our aspirations at the risk of compromising our Christian
conscience.”
In words which ring more true today than ever he said: “The spirit of this
world would have us capitulate on the most fundamental principles of our
Christian life. Today as never before, the basic doctrines of the Faith are
questioned and the value of Christian morality challenged and ridiculed.
Things abhorred a generation ago are now inscribed in the statute books of
society! These are issues of the utmost gravity to which a simple answer
cannot be given; neither are they answered by being ignored. Matters of
such magnitude demand the fullest attention of our Christian conscience.”
Catholic community in Scotland. He spoke about the need to appreciate our
heritage, about the responsibilities of the day and about the challenges of
the future. We can benefit from reflecting on this three-fold theme:
The Pope said: “You are the heirs to a sacred heritage. Your forefathers
have handed on to you the only inheritance they really prized, our holy
Catholic faith! From heaven their heartfelt appeal to you would be this:
“Set your hearts on his Kingdom” (Luke 12, 31).”
The Catholic community today plays a full and active part in the life of our
country. But in recognising the achievements of our time we must not forget
the struggles of our forebears. It is only by knowing where we come from
that we can take stock of where we are and plot a roadmap for the future.
“You originate in a glorious past, but you do not live in the past. You
belong to the present and your generation must not be content simply to rest
on the laurels won by your grandparents and great-grandparents. You must
give your response to Christ’s call to follow him and enter with him as
co-heirs into his Father’s heavenly Kingdom.”
In a passage of enormous significance he spoke clearly about the challenges
we were then about to face, and continue to face today: “We find it harder
to follow Christ today than appears to have been the case before.
Witnessing to him in modern life means a daily contest … As believers we are
constantly exposed to pressures by modern society, which would compel us to
conform to the standards of this secular age, substitute new priorities,
restrict our aspirations at the risk of compromising our Christian
conscience.”
In words which ring more true today than ever he said: “The spirit of this
world would have us capitulate on the most fundamental principles of our
Christian life. Today as never before, the basic doctrines of the Faith are
questioned and the value of Christian morality challenged and ridiculed.
Things abhorred a generation ago are now inscribed in the statute books of
society! These are issues of the utmost gravity to which a simple answer
cannot be given; neither are they answered by being ignored. Matters of
such magnitude demand the fullest attention of our Christian conscience.”