Scottish Catholic Observer

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, his brother, Fr Canon Gerard Tartaglia, and the Archdiocese of Glasgow Youth team invited Caritas pupils from schools across the diocese for this year’s ‘Caritas at the Cathedral’ event.

The theme of the day, from the Book of Jeremiah, was, ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to ­prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

The day began with prayers and an introduction led jointly by the RCAG youth team and Natalie Finnigan, Glasgow Archdiocese’s Secondary RE advisor.

“You are most welcome to St Andrew’s Cathedral, the mother church of the Archdiocese of Glasgow,” Ms Finnigan said.

“It’s your cathedral as you’re Catholics of Glasgow and you should feel welcome and at home here.”

She added: “Each of you has personally responded to Pope Benedict’s request to search for Christ, to know him and love him.”

After two short prayers, Canon Tartaglia, parish priest of both St Margaret’s and Our Holy Redeemer churches in Clydebank, encouraged pupils to approach the youth office if they are interested in setting up a parish youth group.

“If you want to do something in your parish and you don’t seem to be getting anywhere just contact [youth workers] Sean or Mairi-Claire or Mishal or myself and we’ll do what we can to assist you in that,” he said.

“Because this church is your church, this cathedral church, and your parish where you live, your parish church, is your ­community; and if you want to do things there then you can do them, there’s no doubt about it.”

Fr Tartaglia spoke about the cathedral’s history, and ­remembered visiting it as a boy.

“I remember as a child coming here to this Church,” he said. “My mum would bring me ­occasionally and it was a right cold, dark, miserable looking place, it really was!

“Not only that, it was filled with dampness. You can now see its improvements, and it’s really quite a magnificent space.

“But this Church really comes to life when it’s full, and it often is full because it’s the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Glasgow.”

On the importance of the pupils being there on the day, he said: “What that tells you, is that the Church is not really about bricks and mortar—it’s about the people: we are the Church.

“The church is about people. It’s people who make the church, we are the church.

He added: “All of us have a part to play, all of us are crucial, all of us belong.”

Archbishop Tartaglia later took over as speaker, and reflected on Matthew 5:1-12a.

After reading out the passage, he explained to pupils how it is often read out at funerals and weddings.

Explaining to them why, he said it is a ‘text which has great power to draw people in,’ even those who ‘may not be believers or particularly strong believers,’ as it is ‘comforting in some way or inspiring.’

The archbishop then read out the passage again, breaking down each line, and gave an explanation of the message behind it.