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Posted on 08/25/2006 7:57:16 PM PDT by Rodney King
he Catholic church has blasted a decision by the Procurator Fiscal to issue Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc with a caution for blessing himself.
Polish star Boruc was rapped for making the sign of the cross at Ibrox in an Old Firm match last season.
The caution was issued after a six-month police investigation into the incident, which is said to have angered a section of the Rangers support.
Boruc is reported to have been completely baffled by the decision to issue him with the warning But the move has angered the church and prominent Scottish Catholics including outspoken composer James McMillan and Celtic author Dr Joe Bradley.
Last night Peter Kearney spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, slammed the move. He said: "It is quite worrying that firstly some spectators saw fit to complain, but even more so that police felt that the act merited investigation.
"Incitement to religious hatred normally involves demeaning the signs and symbols of a person's faith "So, it would be interesting to know how a gesture of reverence falls into any of these categories.
"This decision could lead us down a very intolerant road.
"What if a family in a restaurant say grace and make the sign of the cross, would they be deemed as having inflamed the sensibilities of non-Catholics?" Renowned composer and Celtic fan James MacMillan, who's spoken out in the past about sectarianism, said the fuss over Boruc's act was a 'disgrace'.
He added: "It is completely ridiculous but then cases like these always are.
"It's a disgrace that in this day and age, such a fuss is being made over an incident like this. "It is a mark of shame that people cannot express their faith in a certain manner."
Dr Joe Bradley, editor of two books about Celtic and lecturer at Stirling University, said Boruc should be free to bless himself anywhere he likes.
He said: "This seems to tie in with the police report on Boruc who had apparently upset a section of the Rangers support.
"Only when people like Artur Boruc can bless themselves wherever and whenever they want will Scotland's sectarian problem be on its way to being solved." A Crown Office spokesman said that following careful consideration it was decided to use an alternative to prosecution in Boruc's case.
Options open to the fiscal included a straight warning or a warning plus payment of a monetary penalty known as a fiscal's fine.
Celtic have refused to comment ever since the caution was issued to their Polish keeper last week.
But last night Eddie Toner former General Secretary of the Celtic Supporters' Association said the club had "hung Boruc out to dry". He said: "It is sad that Celtic as a club appear to have made no objection to or comment on the caution.
"They seem to have hung Artur Boruc out to dry. "Celtic have a responsibility to protect the community from which they derive support, especially when that community come under attack.
"Perhaps those who made the complaint to the police should have a look at themselves, as it seems that it is they who have the sectarian problem.
"This gesture is one which is made by sportsmen and women all over the world, but bizarrely it only seems to cause offence here in Scotland." Boruc is not the first footballer in Scotland to have caused controversy by making the sign of the cross.
In 1999 Rangers fans complained after Celtic's former Croatian striker Mark Viduka blessed himself during an Old firm game.
Rod McDonald of Partick Thistle received a caution for blessing himself in a match against Rangers in 1996.
The yellow-card led to him being sent off for two bookable offences.
coming soon to a republic near you
So what do they have against Christianity?
Ah ha....may I suggest that all the fans begin doing a sign of the cross whenever a particularly important move on the field is about to take place. Will they arrest all the fans?
From Luther's Small Catechism:
"Daily Prayers
How the head of the family should teach his household to pray morning and evening
Morning Prayer.
1] In the morning, when you rise, you shall bless yourself with the holy cross and say:
In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen."
This incident = Rangers complaining.
1999 incident = Rangers complaining.
1996 incident = Rangers complaining.
So, are the Rangers simply non-Catholic trouble makers; or are they totally non-Christian?
I was about to suggest the same thing! Let all believers make the sign of the cross ----again and again!
I know during the World Cup games I saw a few players making the sign of the cross, and also during NBA games, and the Olympics..
That said, I always make the sign of the cross, and say grace before meals whether I'm at home or out to eat. It drives my one boss crazy, but she has finally stopped throwing tantrums when I do it.
It's not about hatred, it's about power.
The opposing team finds it has the power to harass the other team and create disruption therefore it will use this power.
ok correct me if im wrong but isnt scotland like 95 percent catholic? why the hell would the catholic signing of the cross cause offence in a predominite catholic country? i really am confused here
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Wow, I wish I had something more meaningful to say, but all I can come up with is that is pretty friken stupid.
They have been ISLAMICIZED.
..."Incitement to religious hatred normally involves demeaning the signs and symbols of a person's faith ...
Seems to me that the folks registering this complaint are the perpetrators of this crime!
That secularism is ITSELF a kind of faith.
And a devouedly intolerant one.
However, if in the middle of the game, some player named Abdul had tossed down a prayer rug and faced mecca...that would be OK.
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