Latest news with #ScottishCatholics
The National
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Pope's comments about the genocide in Gaza did not go far enough
On February 25, Francis said 'there should be an investigation into whether Israel's actions in Gaza constitute genocide.' Was he unaware that the United Nations had already investigated and called what Israel was doing a genocide, or that 15 months ago the International Court of Justice said Israel was committing a plausible genocide, or that the International Criminal Court indicted Netanyahu for war crimes? READ MORE: Bishop to represent Scottish Catholics at Pope Francis funeral Although he was in poor health these past few months, Francis could have gone to Gaza last year to tell Israel to stop. Imagine the impact this would have had. Archbishop Oscar Romero took such a stand 45 year ago, and in 2018 Francis made him a saint. Romero was assassinated by a US-backed Salvadoran death squad in March 1980 while celebrating mass in San Salvador. The day before he was murdered, he addressed members of the military: 'It is time to regain your conscience. In the name of God and the name of the suffering people, I implore you, I beg you, I order you, stop the repression!' Another disaster is looming. Netanyahu has been begging the US to attack Iran for years – not because it's on the brink of developing a nuclear bomb (it isn't, although Israel has the bomb), but because, other than Yemen which the US is mercilessly bombing, it opposes Israel's genocide and domination of the Middle East. READ MORE: Israeli police officers aimed guns at two British MPs in West Bank The George W Bush administration planned a series of wars on Israel's targets in the Middle East (Iraq, Lebanon, Iran, Syria) and Islamic East Africa (Libya, Somalia and Sudan). All these countries, apart from Iran, are in ruins. Will church leaders condemn this and the other horrors? These 'moral leaders' should remember what Archbishop Oscar Romero said in 1979: 'A church that doesn't provoke any crisis, a gospel that doesn't unsettle, a word of God that doesn't get under anyone's skin, a word of God that doesn't touch the real sin in the society in which it is being proclaimed, what kind of gospel is that?' Leah Gunn Barrett Edinburgh A FEDERAL judge has threatened the Trump administration with contempt of court over its failure to comply with an instruction not to deport alleged gang members to El Salvador. You can almost hear the laughter in the White House from here. The US Supreme Court previously ruled that a president cannot be charged for any action carried out while in office. In addition, the president has the power to pardon any and all of his various henchmen at will. This power has been wielded increasingly corruptly in favour of cronies, friends and family members in recent years, even apparently for unnamed future indictments. READ MORE: Mike Small: US history is being rewritten as we enter Orwell's endless present Combined with Trump's predilection for declaring states of emergency to justify government by executive order, elsewhere called presidential decree, this does not bode well for the survival of US democracy. This calculated bypass of Congressional authority is not only dubious in its legality, its performative implementation is deliberately provocative. He has already demonstrated he is prepared to interfere in the election process and to incite a mob of his gullible supporters to attack the seat of government in an attempt to overthrow the result when he lost. Upholding the much-vaunted but clearly fragile constitution has not proved to be one of his strong suits. In a country where there are estimated to be 20 to 30 million assault rifles in civilian hands, a large proportion of them in the possession of Trump's most devoted followers, there is potential for the widespread breakdown of public order, particularly if Trump starts to make moves to run for an unconstitutional third term. The first real test may come in the run-up to the midterm elections next year. Let's hope the constitution prevails. Cameron Crawford Rothesay STEPH Brawn's article of April 22 highlights the SNP's Nibelung love affair with the EU (with Alyn Smith in the starring role). Given that three-eighths of Scotland's electorate voted for Brexit, I reckon this SNP dogma harms the cause of indy. The EU-sceptic Alba has positioned itself wisely but, deprived of Alex, is unlikely to make any significant headway at Holyrood. READ MORE: How campaigners are fighting for Scotland to get back into EU A further reason to be sceptical is the EU's by now blatant militarism, risking a disastrous confrontation with Russia. An independent Scotland should keep a neutral stance, lest we land in the line of fire as Poland well could, perhaps even Germany and France if their courts stymie the revolt led by the 'Putin-understanders' Marine Le Pen and the AfD. The UK was always a net contributor to the EU, latterly to the tune of some £9 billion annually (the equivalent of circa £150 per adult!). Scotland back in would be liable for at least that, especially if Ukraine is granted accession. George Morton Rosyth
The National
24-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Scottish Highland castle put on sale again amid 'transphobia' row
Carbisdale Castle, located near Ardgay in Sutherland, is on the market for around £5 million. The property, which dates back to the early 20th century, was previously bought by barrister Samantha Kane in 2022 for £1.2 million. Kane previously told BBC Scotland that she had finished the job of saving the property from going to ruin and was selling up as she needs to be in London for her work. READ MORE: Bishop to represent Scottish Catholics at funeral of Pope Francis But she went on to remove the castle from the market after holding talks to transfer the property to a community interest company with a pledge to benefit local residents. The transfer was set to be concluded on Friday, however a row between Kane and Ardgay and District Community Council (A&DCC) of which she is a member, is understood to have led to the castle being placed back on the market. Kane, a barrister from London, said: 'I have now halted that and decided to put the castle back on the market as a direct result of the discrimination I have suffered. 'Obviously the big loser is the community but the hatred and discrimination I have endured is too much. 'One option now could be to have shared ownership with a boutique hotel of 14 of the rooms involved. I was close to selling the castle last time and a hotel group were among the interested parties." Members of the A&DCC are set to host an extraordinary general meeting to dissolve the body after claiming Kane was "disruptive" and "intimidating". The claims come after Sutherland councillor Michael Baird, a LibDem, was suspended after he was found to have been 'disrespectful towards the chair and committee". Baird accepted he breached the code of conduct and has since 'apologised unequivocally". A statement from members said: 'Following six months of very difficult operating conditions in between meetings the chair and vice chair took the view that the intimidation of members of the public at the meeting on April 17 made the continuation of A&DCC, in its current form, untenable given our duty of care to the many members of the public who attend." Kane also said she is exploring a "judicial review" and denied the allegations made, claiming she faced transphobic abuse. Kane said: 'I am also going to launch a judicial review of the community council's decision to hold an EGM as its sole purpose is to get rid of me, which is discriminatory in its nature, is unfair and bias and nothing to do with democracy. 'This is fundamentally an attack on my female identity and not receiving the respect of a woman of my age. 'The allegations are seriously offensive in nature and will have a direct effect on my private life. READ MORE: Reform UK names Tory defector as candidate for Holyrood by-election 'Allegations about my alleged behaviour are entirely untrue – totally false. 'If anything it is the other way around and I have evidence to support that. 'I am considering claiming damages from the community council or individual members for the harm they have caused me.' She added: 'I came here, really driven, with a vision of seeing the castle renovated and back to its former glory, really serving the community, and really being where it should be; one of the most iconic landmarks in Scotland." The castle was previously built for the Duchess of Sutherland, Mary Caroline, with the property dubbed the 'castle of spite' as she was embroiled in a feud with her in-laws. Over the years, it has been used as a war-time sanctuary for members of the Norwegian royal family and a youth hostel, operating as the latter for 60 years from 1945. There is also currently a planning application for 12 one-bedroom lodges around the loch area.
The National
23-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Scottish Highland castle up for sale for fifth time in a decade
Clifftop Carbisdale Castle, located near Ardgay in Sutherland, is on the market for around £5 million. The property, which dates back to the early 20th century was previously bought by barrister Samantha Kane. Kane, who bought the clifftop castle in 2022 for £1.2 million, previously told BBC Scotland that she had finished the job of saving the property from going to ruin and was selling up as she needs to be in London for her work. READ MORE: Bishop to represent Scottish Catholics at funeral of Pope Francis But she went on to remove the castle from the market after holding talks to transfer the property to a community interest company with a pledge to benefit local residents. The transfer was set to be concluded on Friday, however a row between Kane and Ardgay and District Community Council (A&DCC) of which she is a member, is understood to have led to the castle being placed back on the market. Members of the group are set to host an extraordinary general meeting to dissolve the body after claiming Kane was "disruptive" and "intimidating". The claims come after Sutherland councillor Michael Baird, a LibDem, was suspended after he was found to have been 'disrespectful towards the chair and committee". Baird accepted he breached the code of conduct and has since 'apologised unequivocally". A statement from members said: 'Following six months of very difficult operating conditions in between meetings the chair and vice chair took the view that the intimidation of members of the public at the meeting on April 17 made the continuation of A&DCC, in its current form, untenable given our duty of care to the many members of the public who attend." Kane, a barrister from London, said: 'I have now halted that and decided to put the castle back on the market as a direct result of the discrimination I have suffered. 'Obviously the big loser is the community but the hatred and discrimination I have endured is too much. 'One option now could be to have shared ownership with a boutique hotel of 14 of the rooms involved. I was close to selling the castle last time and a hotel group were among the interested parties.' She also said she is exploring a "judicial review" and denied the allegations made, claiming she faced transphobic abuse. READ MORE: Reform UK names Tory defector as candidate for Holyrood by-election Kane said: 'I am also going to launch a judicial review of the community council's decision to hold an EGM as its sole purpose is to get rid of me, which is discriminatory in its nature, is unfair and bias and nothing to do with democracy. 'This is fundamentally an attack on my female identity and not receiving the respect of a woman of my age. 'The allegations are seriously offensive in nature and will have a direct effect on my private life. 'Allegations about my alleged behaviour are entirely untrue – totally false. 'If anything it is the other way around and I have evidence to support that. 'I am considering claiming damages from the community council or individual members for the harm they have caused me.' She added: 'I came here, really driven, with a vision of seeing the castle renovated and back to its former glory, really serving the community, and really being where it should be; one of the most iconic landmarks in Scotland." The castle was previously built for the Duchess of Sutherland, Mary Caroline, with the property dubbed the 'castle of spite' as she was embroiled in a feud with her in-laws. Over the years, it has been used as a war-time sanctuary for members of the Norwegian royal family and a youth hostel, operating as the latter for 60 years from 1945. There is also currently a planning application for 12 one-bedroom lodges around the loch area.
The National
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Bishop to represent Scottish Catholics at Pope Francis funeral
Bishop John Keenan will travel to Rome for the funeral to represent Scottish Catholics. The service will also be attended by Prince William and Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the UK, as well as world leaders, including US president Donald Trump and French president Emmanuel Macron. The Archdiocese of Glasgow confirmed the Bishop's attendance and said there are no plans for any events in the city to mark the funeral taking place. A spokesperson said that all planned services and events at churches, like weddings or first communions, will go ahead as planned on Saturday. (Image: Gordon Terris) A spokesperson said: 'All services will go ahead as planned. Bishop John Keenan of Paisley will travel to Rome to represent Scottish Catholics at the funeral.' Bishop Keenan met Pope Francis on a number of occasions. He paid tribute to the late Pope after his death on Easter Monday. He said: 'With deep sorrow we heard of the death of Pope Francis this morning. 'We thank God for his tireless service to the church to the end, dedicated to the Gospel and reaching out to bring GOD's universal love to everyone, especially those on the margins, offering them reason for hope." Pope Francis is lying in state in the Vatican until the day of the funeral. The funeral will be held outside St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican before his body is moved to St Mary Major Basilica nearby for burial. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service. At the end of the funeral, Re will deliver the final commendation – a concluding prayer where the Pope will be formally entrusted to God – and the body moved to St Mary Major.
Glasgow Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Paisley Bishop to attend Pope Francis funeral at the Vatican
Bishop John Keenan will travel to Rome for the funeral to represent Scottish Catholics. The service will also be attended by Prince William and Prime Minister, Keir Starmer for the UK, as well as world leaders, including US President, Donald Trump and France President, Emmanuel Macron. The Archdiocese of Glasgow confirmed the Bishop's attendance and said there are no plans for any events in the city to mark the funeral taking place. READ NEXT: Mass held in Glasgow for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis A spokesperson said that all planned services and events at churches, like weddings or first communions, will go ahead as planned on Saturday. (Image: Gordon Terris) A spokesperson said: 'All services will go ahead as planned. Bishop John Keenan of Paisley will travel to Rome to represent Scottish Catholics at the funeral.' Bishop Keenan met Pope Francis on a number of occasions. He paid tribute to the late Pope after his death on Easter Monday. He said: 'With deep sorrow we heard of the death of Pope Francis this morning. 'We thank God for his tireless service to the church to the end, dedicated to the Gospel and reaching out to bring GOD's universal love to everyone, especially those on the margins, offering them reason for hope." READ NEXT:Plan on booking a hotel in Glasgow? This is the tax everyone will pay Pope Francis is lying in state in the Vatican until the day of the funeral. The funeral will be held outside St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican before his body is moved to St Mary Major Basilica nearby for burial. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service At the end of the funeral, Re will deliver the final commendation - a concluding prayer where the Pope will be formally entrusted to God - and the body moved to St Mary Major.
