Open House Scotland

13/02/2023

11/02/2023

Details of our World Day of Prayer Service on 3rd March. Please join us for an afternoon of fellowship.

22/11/2022

Scottish Laity Network

We are delighted to be able to confirm details of our Advent Journey 2022 ~ Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees

Our theme is taken from Pope Francis' Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

Thursday 1st December
The Extreme Suffering of the People of Tigray
Companion ~ Alistair Dutton: Chief Executive of SCIAF
Alistair will explain the background to the conflict in Tigray and SCIAF’s response to the letter of + Abune Tesfaselassie Medhin, Bishop of Adigrat Eparchy, Tigray-Ethiopia. He will also share on the recent agreement on a ‘permanent cessation of hostilities’ and the role the church can play in peace building.

Thursday 8thDecember
People from the Border
Companion ~ Fiona Kendall: Mission co-worker with Mediterranean Hope
Fiona will share with us on Mediterranean Hope, a project based in Italy, and how it has developed since 2013 when it began welcoming migrants who landed at Lampedusa. It will be an opportunity to hear the stories of migrants and refugees and those who have sought to welcome and integrate them into their country and the challenges in doing this.

Thursday 15th December Forced to Flee
Companion ~ Alison Phipps: Co-Convener of Glasgow Refugee, Asylum and Migration Network
Alison will share stories of those who are forced to flee - their journey, their challenges, their hopes and how with people and networks of solidarity they are together building the future.

Thursday 22nd December
Liturgy of Solidarity and Hope
Companions ~ Alison Phipps and Friends
An opportunity to pray and reflect together as we seek to welcome the Christ-child by being a people who Build the Future with Migrants and Refugees.

To register please complete Registration Form:
https://forms.gle/b7t2iK2z76GS4KTJ6

The Scottish Laity Network (SLN) seeks to enable Scottish laity to come together as disciples of Jesus and through prayer, dialogue and discernment to find ‘new ways’ of being Church in Scotland in the 21st Century.

21/11/2022

Join this webinar at which we will launch a new Operation Noah report on Church investment in climate solutions, such as renewable energy.

12/10/2022

'RenAIssance? Challenges of Artificial Intelligences to education and formation' Dr Paolo Benanti T.O.R

10/10/2022

Archbishop Nolan has called for the UK Government to end the delay that is causing so many people so much anxiety and stress, and give an assurance that benefits will go up in line with inflation.
He said: “For many decades the UK prided itself on providing a reasonable measure of social security to its citizens who had fallen on rough times – be that through illness, old age, unemployment or poverty.
“Guaranteeing security for the most vulnerable in society is a sign of a civilized country.
“The proposal that the poorest people in our midst – those relying on benefits – may see a real terms cut in their already meagre support seems so immoral.
“It is essential that Government commit to upgrading benefits to at least keep pace with inflation. The poor must not be sacrificed in an attempt to shore up the Government’s credibility with the markets. Making the poor poorer is not an act of fiscal prudence, it is an act of injustice”.

05/10/2022

🚨 Joseph Rowntree Foundation

NEW: our latest report on poverty in Scotland paints a bleak picture of a society in crisis, with urgent action needed from all levels of Government to prevent a winter defined by hunger, cold and trauma.

Read our latest research now jrf.org.uk/report/poverty…

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04/10/2022

The Laudato Si Movement has produced a documentary about climate change - The Letter. It has been released this evening and can be found on Youtube at

In 2015, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ (The Letter); an encyclical letter about the environmental crisis to every single person in the world. A few years l...

28/09/2022

We are delighted to be hosting the first of our SCIAF Lectures, a new series of talks on the issues and topics at the heart of our work. In this series, we will bring experts and faith leaders from around the world to talk about the subjects that matter to them.

This lecture will focus on one of SCIAF's beloved patrons, Saint Óscar Romero, and will be presented by Fr Martin Maier, an author and Director of Adveniat, a German development charity working in Latin America.

About Oscar Romero

Saint Óscar Romero, or simply ‘Romero’ as he is popularly known, was a 20th century Latin American Archbishop who stood up for the poor and marginalized people of El Salvador.In this insightful and thought-provoking lecture, we will hear how the assassination of Romero’s great friend Blessed Rutillio Grande motivated Romero’s work to speak out against the injustices facing the poor of El Salvador – work that would ultimately lead to his own assassination in 1980.

Fittingly, this SCIAF Lecture will be held on the anniversary of the canonisation of Romero, and will take place at the Jesuit Church of the Sacred Heart which hosts a shrine to both Saint Óscar Romero and Blessed Rutilio Grande, including relics of each.

Event Programme

Join us for a special Mass celebrated by Archbishop of Glasgow Bill Nolan, who is also lead Bishop for Justice & Peace and the National J&P Commission at 6pm, followed by the lecture at 7pm.

For this event SCIAF is partnering with Edinburgh Jesuit Centre, The Archbishop Romero Trust, BCoS Justice and Peace Commission.

When - 14th October 2022
Where - Edinburgh Jesuit Centre, 28 Lauriston Street, Edinburgh EH3 9DJ
Time - 6pm-8pm
Price - Free

Please note your interest via Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/romero-lecture-and-mass-tickets-

Our inaugural lecture will focus on one of SCIAF's beloved patrons, Saint Óscar Romero.

22/09/2022

Scottish Catholic Historical Association
Conference 2022
Enslavement, Scotland and the Catholic Church

The Scottish Catholic Historical Association is holding a symposium at the Greyfriars Charteris Centre, Edinburgh on Saturday 22 October 2022.

Speakers:
Eric Graham, University of Edinburgh; Stephen Mullen, University of Glasgow; Karly Kehoe, St Mary’s University, Nova Scotia

Panellists
Shantel George, University of Glasgow; Helen Kilburn, University of Notre Dame, London; Miles Greenwood, Glasgow Life

Tickets are £5.00 (including lunch and tea/coffee).
Book your place via EventBrite today!

22/09/2022

Open House is an independent Scottish Catholic journal of comment and reflection. It is published 6 times per year. Letters and contributins are welcome. All correpondence should be sent to the editor at: [email protected]

22/09/2022

Next Sunday, September 25th, is World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

Pope Francis has written a powerful letter to the whole Church on this occasion. The Holy Father is asking us: What decisions must be made right away in order to build here and now a better and more inclusive future for everyone?

He writes: "No one must be excluded. God’s plan is essentially inclusive and gives priority to those living on the existential peripheries. Among them are many migrants and refugees, displaced persons, and victims of trafficking.

"The Kingdom of God is to be built with them, for without them it would not be the Kingdom that God wants."

You can read an easy summary of the Pope's letter in this month's Flourish at www.flourishnewspaper.co.uk