BY Ryan McDougall | April 26 | 
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People affected by cancer invited to prayer service
PRAYER is of ‘great value’ when coming to terms with cancer, the founder of a charity has said ahead of a series of Scottish prayer services for those affected by the disease.
Pause for Hope is a division of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which hosts ecumenical services for those who have or know someone with cancer, and those who care for them.
The charity believes prayer is an important part of dealing with the disease, which will affect 50 per cent of people in the UK in their lifetime, according to Cancer Research UK.
Having held services in England for some years, Pause for Hope has recently begun to host services in Scotland after the appointment of a national development officer.
Scottish services
The first of their upcoming Scottish services is on Thursday May 16 at St Theresa of Liseux’s Church, Glasgow, followed by another on Sunday June 16 at St Joseph’s Church, Clarkston.
A third will be held later in the year at the Sacred Heart Church in Edinburgh on Sunday September 8 at 3PM.
Founder Professor Ray Donnelly MBE said: “Prayer is of great value in coming to terms with cancer and dealing with it.
“It helps the patient face, with a calm peace, the trials and tribulations on their journey through diagnosis, treatment and results.
“It is also consoling and of great merit to unite our sufferings to those of Christ on the Cross and to offer them for ourselves, our families or whatever intention we may have.”
A need for prayer
Prof Donnelly, who was born in Glasgow, is a retired thoracic surgeon and founder and director of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
He later founded the separate Pause for Hope initiative upon realising that there was a ‘real need’ for prayer when dealing with cancer, and the first ecumenical service was held in 1999.
Since then, services have been held annually in Liverpool, in either the Roman Catholic or Anglican cathedrals, with representatives of other denominations also taking part.
Four hundred people recently attended a service at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.
Although the services in Scotland are hosted in Catholic churches, people of all faiths are welcome to attend.
For further information, contact [email protected]
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