15 October 2009

Reverend James G Tracey
St Patrick’s
30 Low Craigends
Kilsyth
GLASGOW
G65 0PF

Dear James and people of St Patrick’s

My prayers and sympathy are with you all.

I was horrified when on return from Rome I received a series of pictures from you, Father James, outlining something of the devastation which had taken place when your church was broken into last Sunday night, 11 October 2009.

The pictures portray something of the devastation which occurred.  However, I fully understand how each one of you must have felt in some way ‘defiled’ by the horrific attack on your church which, of course, for us is not so much just a building, but a really ‘sacred place’, containing within it what is also the most sacred of things which we can possess here on earth, namely the Most Blessed Sacrament.

I have learned, of course, from you, Father James, of the way in which your people rallied in a magnificent way to clean up something of the devastation and restored order again to the beautiful building.

However, there must still be within you a great feeling of upset which, of course, I share, having known and loved you all so well, as well as the magnificent building of St Patrick’s itself.

My thoughts and my prayers will continue to be with you and I promise to keep you in my prayers at this sad time, as you come to terms with what has happened and continue in a spirit of forgiveness to the person or persons responsible for this horrific act.

Yours sincerely in Christ

+ Keith Patrick Cardinal O’Brien

Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh