Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Francis has asked Catholic dioceses around the world to set up a permanent memorial of the Year of Mercy by establishing a hospital, home for the aged or school in an under-served area. The idea has been warmly received in Scotland’s two archdioceses, raising the chances of lasting memorials to the Year of Mercy in Scotland.

Celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday with an evening prayer vigil on Saturday and a morning Mass on Sunday, the Pope said the idea came to him during a meeting with a charity and he decided to mention it at the vigil with participants of the European gathering of the World Apostolic Congress of Mercy and followers of the Divine Mercy devotion.

“As a reminder, a ‘monument’ let’s say, to this Year of Mercy, how beautiful it would be if in every diocese there were a structural work of mercy: a hospital, a home for the aged or abandoned children, a school where there isn’t one, a home for recovering drug addicts—so many things could be done,” the Pope told thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square. “Let’s think about it and speak with the bishops.”

In Scotland, spokesmen for Glasgow and St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdioceses welcomed the Holy Father’s suggestion.

“The Holy Father’s idea is a powerful and positive one,” a spokesman for Glasgow Archdiocese said. “Already the archdiocese is heavily involved in reaching out to the margins, through such schemes as the St Nicholas Care Fund and the recipient organisations of the Cardinal Winning Ball fund. In addition across the Archdiocese works of mercy such as the Wayside Club run by the Legion of Mary or the Ozanam centre of the St Vincent de Paul Society are active in helping the most needy. We will consider the Pope’s call carefully and seek to respond appropriately.”

Those words were echoed on the east coast where a spokesman for St Andrews and Edinburgh said: “As is so often the case, the Holy Father’s call to mercy is both inspiring and challenging and it’s one that we will certainly be exploring during the remainder of this Holy Year as we seek to more fully live out the corporal works of mercy across our archdiocese.”

—This story ran in full in the April 8 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.