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Catholic World News News Feature

Glasgow's New Archbishop Calls For End To Sectarianism February 22, 2002

GLASGOW, Scotland, Feb 22, 02 (CWNews.com) - The new Archbishop of Glasgow has called on the city to face up to the challenge of sectarianism. Speaking during his installation at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Glasgow, Archbishop Mario Conti, 67, said there were "no magic solutions to the problem."

He said, "Respect, friendship, dialogue, cooperation, these are some of the key words of this address. Indirectly they answer the question as to how we are to face the challenge of residual sectarianism and bigotry which unfortunately at times still mar the face of this great city."

Archbishop Conti, who succeeds the late Cardinal Thomas Winning, said: "We sense that it is going to be an uphill struggle, but we are convinced that ultimately, by all sections of the community working together, and the grace of God coming upon us, ancient animosities will give way to a civilization of love."

The new archbishop, who was formerly bishop of Aberdeen, defended the Catholic schools system which has been accused of encouraging sectarianism. He said, "This partnership has worked well and the contribution of the Catholic schools sector to Scottish education is widely acknowledged. Does anyone seriously believe that the way to foster a united community is to deprive one section of it of its hard won achievements?"

Some 750,000 Catholics, many of them tracing their roots back to Irish immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries, live in Scotland, mostly in the west coast city of Glasgow.