Mass for the 50th Anniversary of the Priestly Ordination of Mgr. Charles Burns Prot. Ap.

1. In this Golden Jubilee Mass, Mgr. Burns has chosen to honour Mary the ever-virgin Mother of the Incarnate Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. You will remember that, as he died on the cross, Jesus gave Mary his mother to us as our mother and as mother of the Church. Pope John Paul II, of blessed memory, taught us that in a special way Mary is the mother of priests, and I can well understand that our dear jubilarian has invoked the maternal care of Mary and has sensed her unfailing love and protection during his 50 years as a priest. Just as Mary was with the Apostles after the Ascension praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit, so she remains close to us as we try to serve the Lord.

2. Monsignor Burns has spent almost all his priestly life in the direct service of the Holy See and of the Successor of Peter, working from 1962-97 in the Secret Vatican Archive, where in 1969 he was promoted to Archivist. By its very nature, Monsignor Burns’ work was confidential and delicate, but what we do know is that over these years he was recognized as a distinguished scholar and respected expert in his field, and particularly in archive sources relating to the relationship of the Holy See to the United Kingdom and to the nation states of Europe, where his grasp of matters of great delicacy exhibited a sure, sensitive and balanced touch. So much so that in 1998, he was awarded the OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Mgr Burns is the only subject of the crown working in the service of a foreign state (if the Holy See can be so called) to be have been honoured in this way, and this must be considered a singular sign of the esteem in which he is held and of the service he has given in fostering good relationships between Great Britain and the Holy See, a service he continues to give as Ecclesiastical Counsellor to the British Embassy to the Holy See. It is very fitting then that the British Ambassador to the Holy See, His Excellency Mr. Francis Campbell is present this evening. And I know that it means a lot to Mgr. Burns to have with us this evening even in a private capacity a person close to the Holy Father and to the Diplomatic Mission of the Holy See, Archbishop James Harvey, the Prefect of the Apostolic Palace, whom Mgr Burns has known for very many years.

3. Mgr. Burns’ service to the Holy See has been recognized also in the ecclesiastical honours bestowed upon him over the years, Chaplain to his Holiness in 1972 and Prelate of Honour in 1987. And it has given me great satisfaction to have petitioned the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to confer upon Mgr Burns the title of Protonotary Apostolic, which is a most fitting honour in view of such devoted and distinguished service to the Holy See and to the whole Church.

4. Mgr Burns has spent almost all his priestly life here in Rome, yet he has yet he has remained steadfastly and proudly a priest of the Diocese of Paisley. A feature of that diocesan identity, I have noticed, is Mgr. Burns’ affection for the Bishops of Paisley, my predecessors Bishop James Black, Bishop Stephen McGill and Bishop John Mone. As for me, Mgr. Burns knew me as a seminarian and as a young priest. I am the first bishop of Paisley who is his junior as a priest. This is the kind of thing that can potentially cause some awkwardness, but, with Mgr. Burns, it is quite the reverse, for he has treated me with an unfailing respect and indeed affection, which is truly humbling. But I know that for Mgr. Burns, this is a reflection of his spirituality, of his own identity as a priest, and his deep instinct always to be a man of the church. In this he is a fine example in Christ Jesus to all of us, and especially to priests and seminarians.

5. You can appreciate then that I am so pleased to be here this evening as Bishop of Paisley and be able to present Mgr Charlie with the honour bestowed upon him by Pope Benedict. I happy to say that everyone I the diocese was delighted when it became known that he was to receive this title of Protonotary Apostolic. I am pleased that the Vicar General of the Diocese of Paisley, Mgr. Gerard Gallagher is here too and read the inscription. I am pleased that priests of the Diocese of Paisley are present to witness this occasion, Mgr. Victor Boyle, Fr. John Eagers, Fr. Stephen Baillie, and Fr. Paul Brady. The presence of a seminarian from the diocese, Anthony Murray, of this Pontifical Scots College, makes this a really happy family event for the Diocese of Paisley and we feel that in this singular honour God has blessed the diocese and honoured the diocese. We agree wholeheartedly with Bishop James Black who, on inviting Charlie to pursue priestly service with the Holy See, said with great wisdom, "Father Charlie, there is only one vineyard." Mgr. Burns has worked in that one vineyard of the Church all his life, sustained by union with the Lord who told us, "I am the vine, you are the branches."

6. If Mgr. Burns is well regarded in his own diocese, then that regard and respect extends to the whole of Scotland. Cardinal O’Brien has sent good wishes on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, and priests and seminarians present here this evening fittingly come from the different dioceses of Scotland. The circle could be widened further still, for the truth is that Mgr. Burns’ appeal goes well beyond national borders, a sign of which might well be his association over many years with the "Accademia", the prestigious pontifical institute which trains diplomats for the Church through which the Holy Father is represented to the universal church and to the nations of the world.

7. Yet another set of relationships which is part of Mgr. Burns priestly activity is his service of and friendship to the seminaries here in Rome, especially to this Pontifical Scots College, to the Venerable English College, the Pontifical Beda College and the Pontifical Irish College, all of whom are or will be represented here by their Rectors. The Rector of the Scots College may well say more about this later. I just want to mention this service to priestly formation as another way in which the Lord has worked through our jubilarian and in which Mgr. Burns has cooperated with the will of God.

Pontifical Scots College, Rome

Monday 21st May 2007