"We talked about how we both recognised ourselves in what is happening to the ordinary people there and how we need to recognise our common humanity more openly" said Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, the Moderator of the General Assembly.

The leaders stressed the importance of Christians uniting in today's world.

Historically the Church of Scotland, a Calvinist Presbyterian denomination, and the Catholic Church had a strained relationship.

Much of the tension stemmed from the 15th-century Catholic-Protestant Reformation.

However last year, they signed the "St Margaret's Declaration" committing to friendship and cooperation.

This declaration acknowledges past grievances and the need for forgiveness and healing.

It reflects the spirit of Saint Margaret, an 11th-century Scottish queen venerated for her Christian faith and generosity.

During the meeting, the leaders discussed their commitment to ecumenical and interfaith efforts in Scotland.

They also stressed the importance of challenging the status quo, especially regarding their Gospel commitment to the poor.

They reaffirmed their dedication to being a voice for peace in today's world.

Fragility of life

During the Vatican meeting, the pope was given a print of "Throwaway People" by artist Michael McVeigh.

The artwork reflects the vulnerability of marginalised individuals, resonating with the pope's mission to prevent such circumstances.

Foster-Fulton said the work is an "expression of the fragility of life and how easy it is to fall through the cracks."

"It is a print that I have remembered forever I said to Pope Francis, who has dedicated his life to try to make sure that does not happen, that I wanted him to have that picture. He took it and turned it over and wrote something on the back in Italian so he would remember. He was very, very taken by it" she said.

Foster-Fulton also said she and Francis discussed the escalation of violence across Israel and Palestine and the war in Ukraine.

Afterwards, Foster-Fulton and her group visited Rome's Pontifical Scots College which has been educating Catholic priests since 1616.

The seminary gave the group a presentation on the Catholic Church's vision for seminary formation and the particular way that this is put into practice in the college.

Sources

Crux Now

CathNews New Zealand

Anne, Princess Royal, formally signed the St Margaret's Declaration at Dunfermline Abbey in Fife. The Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly and the Most Rev'd Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, co-signed the Declaration.

The Declaration (agreement) is a culmination of years of ecumenical relationship building between the two denominations, which recognise each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

It is named after St Margaret, an 11th-century Scottish Queen buried at the abbey and was signed on St Margaret's Day during a service to mark the abbey's 950th anniversary.

Princess Anne was among 300 invited guests from the local community, the Kirk, ecumenical partners, civic society and heritage organisations.

She was invited as the patron of St Margaret's Chapel Guild at Edinburgh Castle.

"This is St Margaret's Day, and it is an important St Margaret's message of unity and friendship that we are also celebrating here," the princess said.

"I was honoured to be asked to be present today for the signing of the Declaration of Friendship between the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland and the Church of Scotland.

"This formalises their close bonds of friendship.

"We have been able to celebrate St Margaret today and I think her legacy has helped to bring us this declaration and I thank you all for that.

"Once again, my congratulations on this significant anniversary for the abbey and for the city of Dunfermline but also underlining the importance of what you have signed today."

Greenshields also spoke, saying he is "deeply honoured and privileged to be one of the signatories of the St Margaret's Declaration at Dunfermline Abbey in its 950th year and on St Margaret's Day.

"This new friendship agreement has been many years in the making and is aptly named after a Scottish Queen who was venerated for her missionary Christian faith and her kindness and generosity to poor people.

"I would want people across Scottish society to look at this new relationship ... and take away a powerful message - there is more that unites us than divides us as we strive to be an ever more united Christian voice in this land."

Further work is needed on reconciliation, with both denominations acknowledging some divisions remain challenging.

In his sermon, Cushley said: "The Declaration is a consciously new approach to ecumenism, an attempt to re-imagine the path towards Christian unity."

It chooses to focus on what we have in common ... much that is inspiring and ancient, profound and beautiful.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder before an unbelieving world ...

"And if St Margaret and the first men who came here nearly a thousand years ago were here with us now, I would like to think that they would welcome and approve ...

"In friendship, to face the next thousand years ... as sisters and brothers and friends in Jesus Christ."

Source

• STV News

The declaration speaks of the shared faith and common ground that unites the Churches, saying "We recognise each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, and we wish to express our friendship and respect for one another as fellow Christians, citizens and partners in announcing the kingdom of God in our land.

"Since the World Missionary Conference (Edinburgh, 1910) and the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), much has been done ecumenically to repair what was broken and to restore mutual respect and friendship.

"A great deal has been achieved spiritually, practically and affectively, through joint prayer among our parishes, various joint commissions, and the growing knowledge and appreciation of each other as Christian friends and fellow pilgrims."

The declaration written by senior figures from both Churches describes the Churches' shared beliefs, ‘rooted in the Apostles, Christ's first disciples.' It acknowledges a common heritage as Christians in Scotland.

"We recall with gratitude to God the earliest missionaries, our forebears in the faith, who lived and preached the Christian faith to our land," it says. "We recall those from that time who led and formed the Church, nurturing a society inspired by Christian values, including St Ninian, St Columba and St Margaret."

The declaration also recognises the divisions of the past, apologises for the hurt and harm caused and seeks to make amends.

"We recognise the hurt and the harm that our forebears did to each other in times past, and we repent and ask forgiveness of one other," the signatories said.

"We also recognise that, even in more recent times, much could have been said between us more kindly, written more magnanimously, and done more charitably to promote pardon, healing and friendship among Christians in our land."

Most Reverend Leo Cushley, Archbishop and Metropolitan of St Andrews and Edinburgh, said: "Returning to live in Scotland after many years abroad, I was soon struck by how far the people of the Catholic Church and the Church of Scotland have come along the path of friendship in these last decades.

"We have now spent 40 years working diligently to respect and understand each other, what we have in common, what still divides us. In the meantime, through prayer together and social action, we have also become friends, and have grown to appreciate each other as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I believe this is something to acknowledge and to celebrate."

Some divisions between the Churches remain challenging and more work will be needed on reconciliation and healing. Still, the Churches say that what they hold in common is far greater than what divides them, and they commit to continue working towards greater unity.

Sources

Daily Record

Scottish Catholic Media Office

Catholic Culture

Although the general assembly voted to "recognise and affirm the declarations of the Scottish government, UK parliament and others that we are experiencing a climate and ecological emergency" on Wednesday morning, a counter-motion to disinvest from oil and gas companies by 2020 was narrowly defeated. Read more

She was awarded the honour for her ecumenical work. Read more

Dr Andrew McLellan announced the remit and membership of a new commission to investigate how the Catholic Church handles abuse.

The former Moderator of the Church of Scotland believes his own faith can offer some spiritual and practical solutions on the issue.

The former chief inspector of prisons said: "I am not here representing the Church of Scotland, but my own church has learned a lot about helping parishes to 'own' and to love safeguarding."

"That is part of the culture change, which the Catholic Church needs to learn as well."

Dr McLellan said his church has "done a fairly significant theological piece of work about balancing the responsibility of a Christian organisation to forgive against the responsibility of a Christian organisation to protect".

"We have tried to think that through. It has helped us to form policies in our church."

"And that kind of thinking is very important for the Catholic Church to do as well."

The former moderator stressed he did not expect the Catholic Church to simply copy the Church of Scotland.

Dr McLellan said: "I am hoping that they will themselves choose to change the culture and theology of their church."

The McLellan Commission is not investigating individual cases of historic or current abuse.

But it wants to hear from those who have been affected by such issues, as it tries to make protection mechanisms more robust.

The commission is one of several safeguarding-related initiatives announced by Scotland's bishops.

Commission members include a senior police officer, a journalist and an MP.

Its report is due next year.

Sources:

• The Herald
• BBC
• Scottish Catholic Media Office
• Image: Democratic Underground

"It is a most bitter, and distressing and shameful thing that in this former Abbey school there were a small number of baptised, consecrated, ordained Christian men, who physically or sexually abused those in their charge," the bishop said during a visit to the Fort Augustus Abbey School.

The bishop said he was "anxious that there be a thorough police investigation".

Five men earlier came forward to say they were raped or sexually abused by Father Aidan Duggan, an Australian Benedictine monk who taught at Fort Augustus and Carlekemp, a feeder school in East Lothian, between 1953 and 1974.

The Catholic Church initially said it was up to the Benedictine monks who ran the order to deal with the allegations.

Father Aidan Duggan is now dead.

The other, Father Denis Chrysostom Alexander, has been stripped of his priestly duties pending an investigation into the claims.

The UK's highest Benedictine monk, Dom Richard Yeo, has also apologised for the abuse.

Sources

ABC/Yahoo News

The Herald Scotland

BBC

Image: BBC

Alan Draper said an independent commission should be allowed access to the archives of each of the eight dioceses in Scotland. He dismissed plans to publish annual audits of sexual abuse allegations against priests as "window dressing."

Based on his study, Draper believes records covering the past half century could identity as many as 100 priests and individuals associated with the Church who were accused of sexual abuse.

"This organisation [the Church] now lacks all credibility. This is a step, but it is a very small step, and it is not appropriate for the Church to lead this process," he said.

The Catholic Church in the country announced this week that it will publish the audits - compiled by its National Office of Child Safety - of all allegations made against priests, staff or volunteers and how these were resolved.

The Church is also preparing a more detailed report for publication next year.

The Bishop of Aberdeen, Hugh Gilbert, earlier apologised on behalf of the Catholic Church for the sexual abuse of pupils by Benedictine monks at Fort Augustus Abbey school and its preparatory school, Carlekemp in East Lothian.

"It is a most bitter, shaming and distressing thing that in this former abbey school a small number of baptised, consecrated and ordained Christian men physically or sexually abused those in their care," the bishop said.

A BBC investigation, broadcast last week, uncovered evidence of physical violence and sexual assault, including rape by monks at the fee-paying schools, which have since been closed. The cases of abuse are now being investigated by Police Scotland.

Source

The Scotsman

Image: The Scotsman

Currently, Scotland allows for same-sex civil partnerships, but an entire "rainbow coalition" of organisations, which includes the Equality Network, Amnesty International, Unison and the Humanist Society of Scotland, wants fully recognised marriage for gay couples, the BBC reports.

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