Staff and pupils of St John’s RC High School in Dundee joined with the Catholic community across Scotland, and the wider Jesuit community around the world, to mark the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of St John Ogilvie.
In the weeks leading up to the anniversary pupils learned about Scotland’s only reformation martyr in their Religious Education classes. They had the opportunity to reflect upon the life of this brave Scotsman who was received into the Catholic Faith at a similar age to themselves (17) during a time of great persecution for the Faith in Scotland.
They learned about his travels through Europe during this time of religious upheaval and about his studies in the Scots College in Rome, culminating in his ordination and his joining of the Society of Jesus. They considered his mission back to Scotland and the dangers that he faced to preach the Apostolic Faith in the country of his birth. They learned about his betrayal, torture and martyrdom and reflected upon the value of religious tolerance in Scotland today.
On the afternoon of the 10th March a packed assembly hall was the venue for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in honour of St John Ogilvie. School Chaplain, the Very Reverend Father Steven Mulholland, preached upon the life and death of this great saint. Fr. Steven reminded the staff and pupils that we are the custodians of the Faith passed on to us, sometimes at great expense, by our forebears such as St John Ogilvie. He recalled the words of St John Paul II on his apostolic visit to Scotland in 1982.
“You are the heirs to the sacred heritage. Your forefathers have handed on to you the only inheritance they really prized, our holy Catholic faith! From heaven their heartfelt appeal to you would be this: “Set your hearts on his Kingdom” (Luc. 12, 31). With grateful hearts turn to God and thank him that tranquil days have been restored to the Catholic community in Scotland.”
He reminded us that sacrifice for the Faith is not a thing of the past, but our calling in every age. Again quoting St John Paul he said,
You originate in a glorious past, but you do not live in the past. You belong to the present and your generation must not be content simply to rest on the laurels won by your grandparents and great-grandparents. You must give your response to Christ’s call to follow him and enter with him as co-heirs into his Father’s heavenly Kingdom.
To that end the pupils are now learning about Christians in the Middle East and across the world who are being persecuted for their faith today. They have been learning about the plight of Christians in northern Iraq, displaced from their homes and into refugee camps by ISIS. They have also learned of the Egyptian Copts murdered for their Christian faith.
On the 11th June pupils from St John’s will join with other young people from across Scotland at Carfin Grotto to take part in an event to raise awareness about the persecution of Christians in the modern world. Whilst we enjoy the freedom to practise our faith in the country of our birth, we will join in solidarity with those who do not enjoy this fundamental freedom.
As Pope Francis says, “the blood of our Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard… It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. They are Christians! Their blood is one and the same. Their blood confesses Christ. This is not to minimise differences, nor to turn a blind eye to them. However, in dying for Christ do such divisions among Christians retain real relevance? In dying for Christ one has become the perfect disciple, and enters a real communion with Christ’s Body in heaven.”
John Paul Cecil
PT Religious Education
St John’s High School, Dundee