What is in Kelvin's Head?

The Hope of my Roman Catholic Friends

25/02/2013

I know so many Roman Catholics. I minister to a lot of Roman Catholics. A number of Roman Catholics minister to me, bringing me life and joy and love.

Those relationships mean that I live with their hope.

The news that the pope was going to retire brought that hope out into the open. It is an extraordinary moment where a conservative pope has, in his last major act, redefined the papacy as we know it for our lifetimes. From now on, those who select a pope will not presume that person must go on through the weariness of old age to death. They have new expectations that could well lead to younger popes and that makes the hopes of those I love rise.

And that hope is almost unbearable to behold.

I’ve just heard that Keith Patrick O’Brien has resigned in the wake of a number of allegations being made against him by three priests and an ex-priest. (Such talk has been doing the round privately for some time). I understand that he disputes these allegations.

The Roman Catholic Church needs now to say how these allegations will be investigated. The now ex-Cardinal’s resignation doesn’t remove the need for those who have brought these allegations to hear the truth spoken, whatever that truth may be.

Though I am not immediately with Roman Catholic friends, I can feel their hope rising for a different kind of leadership.

The opposition that the Roman Catholic Church has made to gay couples being able to be married has been pretty vile and some things that have been said have come from the mouth of Keith Patrick O’Brien who was named a Stonewall’s Bigot of the Year in 2012. If these allegations are proved to be true, people will call him worse than that this time. If not, then he has been unjustly and horribly accused.

I take no pleasure from his departure and I don’t think I know anyone in any of the churches who will. This brings none of us any good.

Today I bind my prayers with the aching hopes of so many Roman Catholics I love. And I leave all I say and think about these things there.

hope, Keith Patrick O’Brien, Pope, Roman Catholics

7 responses to “Pollokshields – These are our neighbours”

Marjorie Wilson

14/05/2021

Local people foiled yesterday’s attempt by immigration enforcers; next time they will come at night in an unmarked van. We have no chance of improving the immigration system in what you call “this country”, meaning the UK. When Scotland becomes independent, we will be able to have our own immigration policy, which will be fair, just and compassionate, in line with Christian values, and with the views of most Scottish people. Don’t you agree?

Reply
1. Kelvin
  
  14/05/2021
  
  No, I don’t agree. I think that the current policy is unjust and unfair and is just as unjust if it is applied in Carlisle as in Glasgow. The whole country needs a better system, not just Scotland.
  
  I find the idea of a country set up on “Christian” values quite chilling.
  
  If we do have a new country, it needs to have a secular constitution not a Christian one.
  
  Reply
  1. Revd Kenny Macaulay
    
    14/05/2021
    
    However, the people south of Carlisle have already indicated what sort of government they want and it is very different to what the majority of Scottish people consistently vote for. The only way we will get a fairer system is in an independent Scotland with your secular constitution.
    
    Reply
    1. Kelvin
      
      14/05/2021
      
      We have no idea what the immigration policy of a Tory government would be in an independent Scotland.
      
      Reply
    2. Keith Barber
      
      15/05/2021
      
      On the contrary, us folk south of Carlisle have been saddled with a government the majority of us don’t like by the defects of our electoral system and the machinations of a far-right anti-EU obsessive so-called politician.
      
      Reply
Sue Matthew

14/05/2021

thank you Kelvin for your comments. The scenes were heartening, that a community valued the men and were determined that they should be treated fairly and heard from. Gave me a little glimmer of hope, but then thats Scotland, here in Blue heaven, may not go that way, I am 84 now and have never felt so despondent, maybe the lockdown, I am not confident so a real ray of light from Pollockshields

Reply
Catherine

15/05/2021

Hurrah for Pollokshields. We need more of that sort of thing- all over the UK.

Reply