Scottish Catholic Observer

Scotland’s Faithful paid tribute to the founder of an international Catholic charity at a memorial Mass at St Bride’s Church, Cambuslang, on Monday evening.

This year marks the centenary of the birth of Dutch Norbertine priest Fr Werenfried van Straaten (above), who founded Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) charity in 1947.

Bishop Emeritus Maurice Taylor of Galloway presided at Monday’s Mass in Motherwell Diocese, an occasion that also marked the tenth anniversary of Fr van Straaten’s death.

Lorraine McMahon, ACN’s head of operations in Scotland, paid tribute to the charity’s founder and described this year’s memorial Mass, the eleventh to have taken place in Scotland, as ‘a milestone.’

“Through the work and inspiration of this one man countless Christians have been helped around the world,” Ms McMahon said.

Ms McMahon thanked Bishop Taylor for presiding at the Mass and made special mention of ‘a very memorable sermon,’ delivered by the bishop.

“Bishop Taylor’s homily touched on so many different aspects of Fr Werenfried’s life,” she said.

“He spoke about the Beatitudes, the need to help the less fortunate and the poor, and how we are all welcome at the feast of God.”

Concelebrating with Bishop Taylor were Fr Paul Morton, parish priest of St Bride’s and a trustee of Aid to the Church in Need, Fr James Morris, Fr Krzysztof Garwolinski, Fr Gerard Chromy, Fr William McMahon and Fr Francis Ferriggi.

At the end of the Mass Neville Kyrke-Smith, national director of ACN (UK), spoke about the charity’s work. ACN also recently launched an appeal to help the hundreds of thousands of people affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

—[email protected]

—Visit charity’s website at www.acnuk.org