Pope meets bishops of Scotland, reconfirms his Britain visit

(February 5, 2010) For the second time this week, Pope Benedict XVI has confirmed his visit to Britain this year following his earlier confirmation to the bishops of England and Wales on Monday. “Later this year, I shall have the joy of being present with you and the Catholics of Scotland on your native soil,” the Pope told the bishops of Scotland on Friday. The bishops are on their “Ad Limina” visit to Rome which heads of dioceses are required to make every 5 years to report on the state of their jurisdiction. The Pope told the Scottish bishops to prepare for his visit by encouraging their faithful to prayer, by deepening their faith and rekindling their commitment to bear witness to the Gospel. Pope Benedict expressed satisfaction over the Scottish bishops’ emphasis on the continuing formation of their clergy, especially through the initiative “Priests for Scotland” during the current “Year for Priests.” “The witness of priests who are genuinely committed to prayer and joyful in their ministry bears fruit not only in the spiritual lives of the faithful, but also in new vocations,” the Pope observed. However, he warmed against a tendency that confuses lay apostolate with ministerial priesthood. “A renewed focus on lay apostolate” he said, “will help to clarify the roles of clergy and laity and so give a strong impetus to the task of evangelizing society. Noting an increasing tide of secularism in Scotland, Pope Benedict decried euthanasia saying it strikes at the very heart of the Christian understanding of the dignity of human life. He urged the Scottish Church not to compromise, even slightly, the teaching of the Church in moral and ethical issues such as recent developments in medical ethics and certain practices in embryology