Scottish bishops celebrate Masses for Manchester
victims
(Vatican Radio) Catholics in Scotland are gathering to pray
for the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Manchester.
Bishops from Scotland are inviting their flocks to gather
for Masses to pray for those who were killed and those who have been affected
by the recent “massacre” in Manchester, when a suicide bomber killed 22
innocent people after a concert.
Archbishop Philip Tartaglia is inviting people in and around
the Archdiocese of Glasgow to attend a special Mass on Thursday 25th May,
the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, in St Andrew’s Cathedral. In his
homily, released ahead of the Mass, Archbishop Tartaglia says, “We pray for
those who have lost their lives. We pray for those who have been so horribly
injured. We offer our deepest sympathies to the bereaved mothers, fathers,
children, families and friends.”
In an emotional look back on the events of 22nd May,
His Grace explains that he wishes he “could turn the clock back, freeze time
and stop the massacre, bring back to life those who have died, restore those
who have been injured,” adding, “I can’t do that and it breaks my heart to see
such suffering.”
Reflecting on the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, the
archbishop insisted that “Jesus has not gone from us but remains with us to
comfort us, to strengthen us and to assure us of eternal life.” He added, “We
can be sure that Jesus is with us and suffers with those who suffer… Today’s
feast reinforces our hope that the Manchester Arena bereaved, so sorely
bereaved, so deeply suffering, will see their loved ones again.”
Elsewhere, Bishop John Keenan from the Diocese of Paisley is
inviting people to a Mass on Friday 26th May for those affected
by the attack. In a post on the diocesan website, people are told that they can
support the people in Manchester in several ways: “There will be a book of
condolences and the opportunity to make a donation supporting the victims’
families. Both will stay in [St Mirin's] Cathedral for a few days to give
people the opportunity to come in and sign the book. It will then be sent to
the Lord Mayor’s office in Greater Manchester.”
Earlier in the week, Archbishop Tartaglia condemned the
bombing, responsibility for which has been claimed by the militant group known
as the Islamic State.
“What makes it even more chilling is that there may be
some twisted religious motive behind it; some totally erroneous and madcap idea
that somehow God’s purpose is served by this kind of senseless atrocity; some
crazy notion that God will reward in the afterlife the cowardly suicide of a
demented individual who believes it is his sacred duty to murder other human
beings; some diabolical madness that makes it virtuous to murder random human
beings, carefree young people, and innocent children.”
He insisted that people must remember that to take the lives
of human beings “in this cruel and vicious way” is “totally abhorrent to God
and to man.”
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