The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

The Roman Catholic Bishops in Scotland work together to undertake nationwide initiatives through their Commissions and Agencies.

The members of the Bishops' Conference are the Bishops of the eight Scottish Dioceses. Where appropriate the Bishops Emeriti (retired) provide a much welcomed contribution to the work of the conference. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland is a permanently constituted assembly which meets regularly throughout the year to address relevant business matters.

Members of The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

30th July 2026

30 July 2026

Bishop Welcomes Prime Minister’s Call to Prioritise Care Reforms Before Westminster Assisted Suicide Vote

Bishop John Keenan, the Bishop with responsibility for Marriage, Family and Life for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, has welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s call for the serious gaps in palliative and social care to be addressed before the Westminster Parliament considers assisted suicide legislation.

Bishop Keenan said:

“The Prime Minister’s intervention is both timely and welcome. We have a duty to ensure that every person approaching the end of life has access to the compassionate palliative and social care they deserve. No one should ever feel driven towards assisted suicide because they lack the care, support or dignity they need.

“We were grateful that the Scottish Parliament resolutely rejected assisted suicide only recently. We hope this latest intervention will encourage Members of the Westminster Parliament to reflect carefully before taking a step that would fundamentally change the way our society cares for the sick and vulnerable.

“As our Catholic Parliamentary Officer, Anthony Horan, has rightly said: ‘The last thing the country needs is another divisive debate about assisted suicide. We need to make progress in improving palliative and social care, not offering vulnerable people state support to end their lives.’ I share that conviction wholeheartedly.

“This is an opportunity to rethink the whole approach to assisted suicide. The compassionate response to suffering is never to help people end their lives, but to ensure they receive the high-quality care, love and accompaniment they need. Let us pray for all who are seriously ill, for their families and carers, and for those in public office, that they may always uphold the dignity of every human life and work to build a society that truly cares for its most vulnerable members.”

Bishop John Keenan

President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

Contact:

Media Office

Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
64 Aitken Street, ML6 6LT
Tel: 01236 764061
Email: [email protected]

News from the Commissions and Agencies

Archive by tag: RC Diocese of GallowayReturn

June 2026

27Jun

Photos from RC Diocese of Galloway's post

27 Jun, 2026 | RC Diocese of Galloway | BCoS Facebook |

Today, Bishop Frank, Bishop of Galloway, celebrates 25 years since his ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. To mark the occasion, last night he was joined by his brother priests and faithful from across the Diocese for Mass in St Margaret's Cathedral, Ayr, with Fr Stephen Reilly from the Diocese of Motherwell, a long time friend of Bishop Frank, preaching the homily.

At the end of Mass, Bishop Frank was presented with a quaich by the Revd David R Gemmell, the local Church of Scotland minister, marking their strong friendship and shared ministry.

A short biography of Bishop Frank:

Bishop Frank was born on 8th December 1972 and baptised in St Aidan’s, Wishaw. After attending St Aidan’s Primary, St Mary’s College, Blairs and St Aidan’s High School, Wishaw, he studied at the Scots College in Rome and at Glasgow University. He is a graduate in Law (LLB) and holds a Licentiate in Canon Law. He received priestly ordination on 27th June 2001 and was incardinated in the Diocese of Motherwell.

Bishop Frank served as assistant priest at Our Lady and St Anne’s, Hamilton and as parish priest St Mark’s, Rutherglen, St Anthony’s, Rutherglen, St Anthony’s and St Mark’s and Our Lady of Lourdes. He was Vice-rector of the Scots College, Rome from 2006 to 2012, assistant Judicial Vicar, Scottish Inter-diocesan Tribunal and Judicial vicar for the Diocese of Motherwell from 2017.

On 22nd December 2023, Pope Francis nominated Bishop Frank Dougan as the new Bishop of Galloway. He was ordained Bishop on Saturday 9th March 2024 at St-Peter-in-Chains, Ardrossan, and was received into his Cathedral Church of St Margaret in Ayr the following day. His episcopal motto is: “Quench not the wavering flame”.