The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has published its Second Annual Report, reaffirming the Church’s commitment to placing victims and survivors of abuse at the centre of its safeguarding mission and expanding the evidence base that guides reform. CLICK HERE: https://www.tutelaminorum.org/annual-report/

The Liturgical Commission of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland has organised a Day Conference on "The Psalms and a Life of Prayer" on 28 October (Stirling Univeristy) and 29 October (Christ the King Church, Glasgow) for laity and clergy (10.30 am – 4 pm). A workshop for parish musicians takes place in Glasgow on Wednesday evening at 7 pm. The presenter, Abbot Gregory Polan OSB, is a Benedictine of Conception Abbey, Missouri, and a Scripture scholar, liturgist and musician. Abbot Gregory led the translation project of the Abbey Psalms which have been used in the new Lectionary for Mass in Scotland, England and Wales. If you would like to attend, please register by emailing liturgycommission@bcos.org.uk by Friday 24 October.

From Universalis today
Prayer
Luke 18:1-8
‘God will give justice to his elect, who cry to him.’

At that time: Jesus told his disciples a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.” For a while he refused, but afterwards he said to himself, “Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.” ’
And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

Commentary

We often think of prayer as mere asking, and this parable encourages us to pester God as the wronged widow pestered the Unjust Judge. Luke’s parables are always lively, and the characters like to talk and explain themselves! The judge’s fear of the widow can be translated that she will come and ‘outface me’, but it could also be translated ‘hit me in the face’. But such persistence is only one aspect of Luke’s teaching on prayer. He also shows us what our attitude in prayer should be, by the parable immediately following in the gospel, the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector: the tax-collector wins approval because he just stands there, admitting his sins. Most instructive, however, is Luke’s teaching on Jesus at prayer: he reminds us that Jesus is always quietly at prayer to his Father. He needs to slip away to spend the night in prayer. Especially he prays at the most important moments of his life, at his Baptism, when he chooses his team, before he teaches them to pray, at the approach of his Passion, finally forgiving and comforting others at his death. Paul tells us we should pray continually. The prayer of asking must be built on a relationship of love and dependence, just as the request of child to parents is built on that loving relationship. It does not matter if the child is naughty, as long as the relationship is one of love; so we do not need to be perfect to make our requests to our Father.
HW

St Luke 18th October
He was a Greek doctor who converted to Christianity. He was a companion of the Apostle Paul, and wrote his Gospel in accordance with Paul’s teaching. He also wrote the Acts of the Apostles, which narrates the early history of the Church up to Paul’s first stay in Rome. As a Greek, he takes care to explain to Gentile readers Jewish customs and the meaning of Hebrew words.

________

Collect

Lord God, who chose Saint Luke
to reveal by his preaching and writings
the mystery of your love for the poor,
grant that those who already glory in your name
may persevere as one heart and one soul
and that all nations may merit to see your salvation.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

— Detail from "St Luke Drawing the Virgin" (1435) by Roger van der Weyden (1400-1464).
From universalis today

Archbishop Cushley will represent the Catholic Church in Scotland at next week's Royal pilgrimage for the Jubilee/Holy Year


The King will become the first British monarch to pray in a church service with a pope since the Reformation.