The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

Pope Francis RIP

17th December 1936 – 21st April 2025

May he rest in peace

Message of Bishop Keenan President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

It was with deep sadness that we woke to the news that Pope Francis has died and we share in the sense of loss of millions of people across the world. It is a consolation to us that he went to the LORD on Easter Monday and the great Easter Day as a sort of first fruits of the salvation which the Risen Christ shares with His Church.

We thank GOD for the Pope’s service which was always human and humble in its informal style and with a message of GOD’s universal love and unconditional mercy that brought hope to so many.

A man of the poor who lived simply, Pope Francis was a voice for the voiceless and all those who find themselves on the margins in our world. A man of peace, he called the Church to listen to everyone, to move forward together as a family, to find a conciliatory approach to those of different beliefs and lifestyles, for an end to conflicts across the world and for the care of Creation as GOD’s precious gift to humanity.

He gave of himself to the end, offering up his final illness with serenity, his last acts being to visit Rome’s prison on Holy Thursday and to wish the crowds gathered in Saint Peter’s a Happy Easter.

We pray he will be enjoying the full fruits of the Resurrection, resting from his work, his good deeds going with him.

May he rest in peace.

Bishop John Keenan

Read the Pastoral Letter on Assisted Suicide - National Day of Prayer - April 2025

Pastoral Letter on Assisted Suicide - National Day of Prayer - April 2025 Click to open

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.

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

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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08Mar

Pope will celebrate Holy Thursday in a women’s prison

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

https://aleteia.org/2024/03/07/pope-will-celebrate-holy-thursday-in-a-womens-prison/

As he has since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis will celebrate Holy Thursday with those who are disadvantaged.

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