The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

24th February 2026

24 February 2026

Statement on the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill

The Bishops thank the Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES) and the Scottish Catholic Parliamentary Office (SCPO) for the considerable work undertaken to present the Church’s strongly held views on this issue.

We recognise a number of important protections which have been secured. Religious Education remains a central part of the curriculum and will continue to be an entitlement for all pupils. In Catholic schools, Religious Education will remain within the authority of the Bishops’ Conference. The Scottish Government has acknowledged the intrinsic nature of Religious Education and Religious Observance in Catholic schools and, despite these being de-coupled in law, has committed to respecting and continuing both. The Government has also committed to involving SCES in drafting the statutory guidance. Furthermore, the retention of the term “Religious Instruction” in law ensures that the Religious Character of Catholic schools is not reduced solely to classroom learning.

However, we are deeply concerned by the decision to grant Scottish Ministers the power to introduce regulations that would permit young people to withdraw from religious observance without parental involvement. Article 14 of the UNCRC is often quoted selectively, overlooking its clear emphasis on the essential role of parents in a child’s religious upbringing. This narrative risks creating a false divide between children’s rights and parental responsibilities. Any future legislation must uphold the UNCRC’s intention to support families, not diminish their role.

We remain deeply concerned at the official policy of the Scottish Greens to impose a fully secular model of state education – an approach that would strip away Scotland’s denominational schools entirely.

We will work firmly and constructively with the Scottish Government to ensure that Catholic schools continue to be protected in law and safeguarded for the communities they serve.

ENDS

Contact:
Media Office

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

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

Click here to visit the Jubilee 2025 website

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

News from the Commissions and Agencies

Archive by category: BCoS FacebookReturn

March 2024

12Mar

Pakistan’s Christians still ‘living in fear’ after 2023 Punjab violence - Vatican News

12 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2024-03/christians-pakistan-punjab-zafar-iqbal-interview.html

As Pope Francis invites the Church to pray during March for Christian martyrs, Fr. Zafar Iqbal highlights the difficulties facing Christians in ...

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12Mar

Pope Francis: Put God’s forgiveness at the centre of the Church - Vatican News

12 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2024-03/pope-francis-put-god-s-forgiveness-at-the-centre-of-the-church.html

Pope Francis presides over a penitential liturgy at Rome's St. Pius V Parish to open the "24 Hours for the Lord" initiative, and says confession puts ...

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12Mar

Pope calls for respect of the dignity of all women - Vatican News

12 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-03/pope-calls-for-respect-of-the-dignity-of-all-women.html

Remembering Friday's annual International Women's Day, Pope Francis expressed his nearness to all women, especially to those whose dignity is not ...

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12Mar

African Bishops: 'Stop plundering mineral and natural resources in Africa' - Vatican News

12 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2024-03/secam-stop-plundering-mineral-and-natural-resources-in-africa.html

A seminar organized by the Symposium of the Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), in collaboration with the Vatican Dicastery for ...

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10Mar

Living in the Light: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Fourth Sunday of Lent

10 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://stpaulcenter.com/audio/sunday-bible-reflections/living-in-the-light-scott-hahn-reflects-on-the-fourth-sunday-of-lent/

The Sunday readings in Lent have been showing us the high points of salvation history—God’s covenant with creation in the time of Noah; His promises to Abraham; the law He gave to Israel at Sinai.In today’s First Reading, we hear of the destruction of the kingdom established by God’s fin

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09Mar

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Euthanasia: a warning from Canada. After registering, you will receive a confirmatio...

09 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Alex Schadenberg is a Catholic from Canada and a world expert on the dangers of euthanasia. On Wednesday 13th March he’s going to explain why mistakes in Canada could easily happen in Scotland. Register here:

Alex Schadenberg is one of the world’s premier opponents of euthanasia and assisted suicide. With Liam McArthur MSP planning to publish his proposed Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill imminently, Alex will warn of the dangers of Scotland following the example of Canada in leg...

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09Mar

The ninth Bishop of Galloway, the Right Reverend Francis Dougan, has been ordained in the Church of St-Peter-in-Chains, Ardrossa...

09 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The ninth Bishop of Galloway, the Right Reverend Francis Dougan, has been ordained in the Church of St-Peter-in-Chains, Ardrossan on Saturday 9th March

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08Mar

Ordination of new Bishop of Galloway The Episcopal Ordination Mass of Fr Frank Dougan as the ninth Bishop of Galloway will take ...

08 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Ordination of new Bishop of Galloway
The Episcopal Ordination Mass of Fr Frank Dougan as the ninth Bishop of Galloway will take place on Saturday 9th March at the parish of St Peter in Chains, Ardrossan at 11,00am.

Fr. Dougan was appointed on 22 December 2023, by Pope Francis as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Galloway. He succeeds Archbishop William Nolan who was Bishop of Galloway from 2014 to 2022 when he became Archbishop of Glasgow.
The bishops ordaining Fr. Frank on 9th March are Archbishop Leo Cushley, Archbishop William Nolan, and Bishop Joseph Toal. Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía the Apostolic Nuncio will be present both at the ordination and at the Mass of Reception in St Margaret's Cathedral in Ayr on Sunday 10th March at 15.00 when Fr. Frank will take possession of his cathedral.
The ordination will be livestreamed on YouTube (@RCGalloway) and Facebook (/GallowayDiocese). The stream will begin at 10.30 am, with the Mass beginning at 11.00 am. To watch the livestream online, click here or use the embedded player.

Bishop Dougan will formally be received into St Margaret's Cathedral on Sunday 10th March. The Mass of Reception will be livestreamed on YouTube (@RCGalloway) and Facebook (/GallowayDiocese). The stream will begin at 2.30 pm, with the Mass beginning at 3.00 pm.

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08Mar

Do You Want To Die Today? Inside Canada’s Euthanasia Program

08 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/program/fault-lines/2023/11/17
As our country considers assisted suicide what has happened elsewhere?

The number of Canadians receiving euthanasia is the highest in the world as the country expands access to the procedure.

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08Mar

Why is Canada euthanising the poor?

08 Mar, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-is-canada-euthanising-the-poor-/

There is an endlessly repeated witticism by the poet Anatole France that ‘the law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.’ What France certainly did not foresee is that an entire country – and an ostent....

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