The Catholic Church and the Church of Scotland are hosting a conference commemorating the 450th anniversary of the Reformation.
National News Archives
Churches join forces on Reformation event
The event takes place November 3 in Edinburgh’s Storytelling Centre with an ecumenical service at St Giles Cathedral that night. The Church of Scotland praised the development, describing how it ‘would have been difficult to conceive even some 30 years ago.’ The conference, Scottish Reformation—Marking the Legacy, Imagining the Future, will be... read more
Footballer’s home target of sectarian attack
Celtic footballer Anthony Stokes fell victim to a sectarian attack in the aftermath of Sunday’s Old Firm derby, as a gang of 15 men gathered outside his home in the town of Broxburn shouting sectarian abuse and making death threats.
Although the Celtic player, above, wasn’t home, both his parents were trapped inside throughout the ordeal, which saw a bin thrown at a ground floor window and death threats made against the Irish internationalist. Mr Stokes has only recently moved to the area from Edinburgh, but is now said to be... read more
Palliative care bill progresses at Scottish Parliament
New legislation offers alternative to assisted suicide.
A prospective law that seeks to ensure high quality end of life care for all Scots has reached a vital stage of its passage through the Scottish parliament. The Palliative Care (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Gil Paterson MSP (above right), today went before the Health and Sport Committee for scrutiny... read more
High Court finds diocese liable for abuse
Middlesbrough diocese faces eight million pound payout to abuse victims.
An English Catholic diocese faces paying £8m in compensation after three high court judges ruled today it owned and ran an institution where 142 former pupils are suing for abuse. The abuse is said to have taken place between 1960 and 1992 at St William’s in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire. The... read more
Catholic school girl murdered in Wales
Rural community shocked by brutal crime.
Two 15-year-old boys have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of a Catholic school girl was found in woodland in South Wales. The body of Rebecca Aylward, 15, from Maesteg, near Bridgend, was found in woodland just outside Aberkenfig at about 9am yesterday. She was reported missing when she... read more
Weakest at serious risk from assisted suicide
A new report for the Centre for Policy Studies has found that a change in the law on assisted suicide would place the weakest and most vulnerable members of society at serious risk.
Assisted Suicide—How the Chattering Classes Have Got it Wrong, by Cristina Odone, warns that the legalisation of such a process, as is being proposed in Scotland through Margo MacDonald’s End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill, would place an obligation on the dying, ill and disabled to end their lives. Ms Odone’s... read more
Maritime charity finds familiar port for anniversary
Last night a maritime charity historically close to the heart of Scots found safe harbour in the parish where its work began 90 years ago.
Bishop Peter Moran, Scotland’s bishop promoter of the Apostleship of the Sea, presided at the 90th anniversary Mass for the charity at St Aloysius Church, Garnethill—the parish where AoS was founded at a time when shipbuilding on the Clyde and seafaring had its greatest influence on Scottish society. The organisation, often... read more
Anglican priest and parish to convert to Catholic Church
An Anglican bishop and a small parish in Kent are set to convert to Catholicisim under the new ordinariate offered by Pope Benedict XVI
Bishop John Broadhurst, of Fulham Diocese, and leader of the traditionalist group Forward in Faith, and St Peter’s Church in Folkestone have decided to convert because they object to moves in the Church of England to allow women bishops. Bishop Broadhurst accused the Church of England’s governing body, the General Synod,... read more
Excitement grows as Canonisation draws closer
Thousands of Australians and many Scots descend on Rome for Sunday’s Canonisation of Blessed Mary MacKillop
Amongst thousand of pilgrims who will gather in Rome for Sunday's Canonisation Mass for Blessed Mary MacKillop will be a 140-strong group from Lochaber and various other parts of Scotland. Although born in Australia, Mary MacKillop, who on Sunday will be made Australia's first saint by Pope Benedict XVI, has a... read more
Papal gift on display in Edinburgh
The Holy Father’s Gospel Book gift, presented to the Queen on the first day of his state visit to the UK, has gone on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
A 1200-year-old Gospel Book collection presented by Pope Benedict XVI to the Queen during his recent state visit to the UK has gone on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. The rare manuscript, known as the Lorsch Gospels, is a magnificent illuminated Gospel Book collection, which includes more than... read more
Social media
Latest edition
exclusively in the paper
- Lord Advocate Frank Mullholland addresses Justice Committee on anti-hate, anti-sectarian football bill
- Scottish conservative leadership candidate Ruth Davidson speaks out in favour of faith schools in Scotland
- Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop Mario Conti at Investiture Mass for Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.
- Cardinal Keith O’Brien celebrated Mass in St Catherine’s Convent in Edinburgh for the 90th anniversary of the Legion of Mary
Previous editions
Previous editions of the Scottish Catholic Observer newspaper are only available to subscribed Members. To download previous editions of the paper, please subscribe.
note: registered members only.
RSS Feeds