Scottish Catholic Observer

Cardinal Raymond Burke, one of the world’s most senior Catholic figures, visited a Glasgow parish last weekend, where he warned of ‘widespread and poisonous materialism, secularism, and practical atheism.’

Hundreds of people from all over Scotland gathered at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Balornock, on Saturday September 2 as the cardinal offered a Pontifical High Mass.

The cardinal was visiting at the request of Una Voce Scotland, a traditionalist religious group dedicated to the heritage of the Latin rite, who described the visit as a ‘triumph.’

The Mass was held a day ahead of the consecration of Scotland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Carfin.

“I’m offering the Holy Mass for the intention of the Church in Scotland—especially as the bishops of Scotland prepare to consecrate your beloved homeland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary tomorrow at the Scottish national shrine of Our Lady,” Cardinal Burke said ahead of the consecration.

“Celebrating the centennial of the apparitions of Our Lady to three shepherd children at Cova da Iria in Fatima in Portugal, we are deeply conscious of her maternal concern for the Church, who carries out her divine mission in a society and culture marked by widespread and poisonous materialism, secularism, and practical atheism.”

Following the Pontifical High Mass, Cardinal Burke said he would pray for Scotland in light of its consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

“Great blessings will come to your country as a result of the consecration, and I pray in a very particular way that the consecration will bring about a renewed Catholic life in Scotland,” he told Sancta Familia Media.

Cardinal Burke is seen as a traditionalist and has clashed with Pope Francis over his Amoris laetitia apostolic exhortation and its teaching on Communion for divorced and civilly remarried individuals.

He has praised Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s Summorum Pontificum Apostolic Letter on the traditional Latin Mass and recently said there ‘is no question in my mind that the most splendid contribution of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI was in the area of restoring the correct order and beauty to the Sacred Liturgy.’

Fred Stone, chairman of Una Voce Scotland, said the group had invited the cardinal last year but he was unable to pay a visit.

“Last year when we were inviting the cardinal, our intention was to invite him to come here as a boost to Fr Morris and the parish, because they are so good in accommodating the Traditional Mass—it’s a show of gratitude to them as well,” he said. “We’re very honoured and privileged to have [Cardinal Burke] here and very delighted at the event.

I think that, in conclusion, I would say it’s been a triumph for Catholic tradition.”