Archdiocese of Glasgow
A historic moment in the history of Christian life in Scotland happened when the King’s representative to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, was warmly received at a Catholic Mass.
Lady Elish Angiolini is this year’s Lord High Commissioner at the Kirk assembly held in Edinburgh this week, the first Catholic ever to be appointed to the role.
Indeed her nomination required an act of parliament to be revised to go ahead.
Archbishop Nolan was joined by Archbishop Leo Cushley of Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh, who is the Catholic Church’s representative at the General Assembly, the Chapter of Canons, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Provosts of neighbouring local authorities, the Lord Dean of Guild, Church leaders of various denominations, and members of the armed forces at the packed Sunday evening Mass.
Archbishop Nolan used his sermon to highlight both the positive and negative lessons to be drawn from the occasion.
He said: “How far we have come from the days when Catholics were forbidden to attend services in Protestant churches and vice versa. But we should bow our heads in shame that we ever acted like this while at the same time proclaiming ourselves to be followers of Jesus who said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
“It has taken us a long time to listen to those words and put them into practice.”
The Archbishop also went on to stress the link between public and private expressions of faith.
He said: “It is good that at this Mass, in the 850th year since Glasgow was named a Bishop’s Burgh, representatives of civil and religious institutions come together showing how we both care deeply for the common good of our people.”
Two priests from Dumbarton, Fathers Joe McAuley and Peter Gallagher, and Father David Wallace, who has Vale of Leven connections, are included in this picture. Archbishop William Nolan and Lady Elish Angolini are centre in the front row.