Annual Scottish Event

It has been about a week since my last blog entry, but fear not this week I have a lot to catch you up on. 

Since last week, we at ACN Scotland have held our Annual Event and visited and helped out at the ACN UK Westminster event. Check back tomorrow for a debrief on the ACN Westminster event. 

a HUGE Success

Aid to the Church in Need Scotland had a very successful annual event this year. The event took place last Thursday 9th October. I mentioned last week that the event was not to be missed and I can suavely say the evening did not disappoint.  

Our speakers were Archbishop Elias Nassar (Maronite Archbishop of Saida in Lebanon) and Neville Kyrke-Smith (ACN UK National Director). 

Both speakers were received extremely well and Lorraine McMahon (Head of Operations in Scotland) received excellent feedback for both the speakers and the event as a whole.

Being the Scottish Annual Event...

Guests were piped into the church by Michael (no not me!) - a local school student. The music and choir were provided by Our Lady’s High School and Stephanie Reid. 

The service began with a procession of 24 High School students who either carried a poster portraying images of extremism, hope or faith, or a single thistle. The procession was preceded by ACN Volunteer Erin who led the students with the candle of hope and waited at the altar as the students walked with their posters towards the light. The posters were displayed on each altar step, with a single thistle of Scotland placed at the foot of each poster, as a mark of solidarity. The procession was accompanied by a violin solo from Stephanie Reid. I must say witnessing this was, in the words of one of our benefactors: "Truly beautiful and moving".   

At the Mass we were very blessed to have Bishop Toal 
as Primary Celebrant with 6 local priests to con-celebrate

A busy Cathedral for Mass

A full St Bride's Hall, listening to our wonderful gust speakers

The talks...

Archbishop Nassar provided the audience with his first-hand experience of life in Lebanon, whose population has swelled following the vast number of refugees arriving from war-torn Iraq and Syria - with two million refugees from Syria alone. 

The necessity for UK Christians and non-Christians alike to stand in solidarity with persecuted and oppressed Christians throughout the world was the key message from Archbishop Nassar. 

Neville Kyrke-Smith provided guests with an account of the projects ACN is currently involved with in the Middle East and thanked benefactors for their continued support. 

The all important numbers...

• 9 local high schools attended totalling 170 students  
• 400 benefactors attended the Mass
• 250 benefactors attended the talks in the hall 
• 5 other Catholic groups and charities attended: Focolare, Union of Catholic Mothers, St Vincent De Paul, SCIAF and The Knights of St Columba 
• 1 Member of the Scottish Parliament  

Weekly challenge...

Please after reading this blog entry can YOU 'recycle it' and share with at least one friend or family member?

Yours,

Michael