Scottish Catholic Observer

Tina Beattie, the professor of Catholic thought at Roehampton University in London, was due to speak this month at an event at St Catherine’s Convent, Edinburgh, organised by the Edinburgh Circle of the Newman Association.

At the behest of the CDF, Archbishop Cushley (above) intervened by writing a letter to the Newman Association questioning previous comments by Ms Beattie on Catholic teaching. In his letter to the association, Archbishop Cushley says that ‘Professor Beattie is known to have frequently called into question the Church’s teaching.’

“I would therefore ask you to cancel this event, as it may not proceed or be publicised on any Church property in this archdiocese,” he writes.

The association cancelled the lecture saying is was ‘most certainly not in the business of undermining the Catholic Faith.’

A spokesman for the Archbishop told the SCO: “While the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh must respect the requests of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Archbishop has offered to assist the parties concerned in contacting the CDF in the hope of reaching a fair resolution.”

In a letter to the archbishop, Ms Beattie, a regular contributor to The Tablet religious weekly, said: “Never in my published writings or talks have [I] questioned any of the doctrinal mysteries of the Catholic faith.”

—Read the full version of this story in October 3 edition of the SCO in parishes from Friday.