The attack occurred as parishioners left the Saturday Vigil Mass on 7 July.

The parishioners and Canon Tom White were treated to a barrage of anti-Catholic taunts as the marchers passed by and the priest was spat on twice and menaced by a young man carrying a pole.

Orange Marches, or Walks, are annual expressions of British Protestant pride in their culture.

In Britain they are a feature of life in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Not all Scots agree with the sentiment behind the marches.

They think the marches link with an "anti-Catholic triumphalism that has no place in 21st century Scotland."

After the attack on White, for which the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland refused to accept responsibility, more than 75,000 people signed a petition asking the Glasgow municipal government to ban Orange Walks.

The government refused. Instead, Council leader Susan Aiken told Orange Lodge leaders to take responsibility for anti-Catholic behaviour at their parades.

She told them that, if they didn't voluntarily change the route of Orange Walks, the government would "insist."

Police are still investigating the attack on White.

Source

• Lifesite
• Catholic Herald
• Image: The Scottish Sun