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.
One place I will never take my family. Sheesh.
Scotland isn't very Catholic at all. Presbyterian, Anglican, Methodist. I think England is more Catholic nowadays, but I may well be wrong.
ping
It's a good thing the Irish succeeded with their war for independence. For centuries the British had laws in Ireland - one for Irish Catholics and another for everyone else.
These forbid Irish Catholics from voting and holding office. They even had a law that forbid an Irish father from willing his farm to one son. This required that farms had to be broken up. No such law applied to others.
Moving up economically was simple in English-controlled Ireland - simply renounce your faith and Join the Church of Ireland (Anglican).
Perhaps it's more about getting the opposing teams players off the field so they can win. If that's the case, it's pretty pathetic to have to resort to those kind of tactics to win.
I just want to meet that kid when he's grown up. Sheesh. Beyond that, I'm speechless.
Rangers are the Protestant team and Celtic are the Catholic team in Glasgow. There is plenty of strife between their supporters. I wouldn't think either side has a monopoly on making trouble. A bunch of hooligans like pretty much all footie fans. Give me cricket or rugby any day.
-ccm
If he had sawed off the opposing goalie's head while screaming "Alahu Akbar!," he'd have gotten a Nike contract.
How does he have a criminal record? Is that what a 'caution' is?
Your wrong.
Oh, its just europe continuing down the road to oblivion.Its only ok if your a muzzie.Nobody will say anything then. pathetic.
Very different to England, where no-one cares about the Protestant/Catholic thing any more.
Although it was the English in the 18th century who brought most of the Irish Catholics to Scotland and shipped Scot Protestants to Northern Ireland in order to pacify both the Irish and the Scots.
Many of the Scots Irish couldn't stand life in Northern Ireland and emigrated to America.
You wouldn't want to be sitting in the wrong stands in Celtic-Rangers matches in Glasgow.
Hi JJ, how the hell are you?
You're dead right on that one!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.