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.

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

Bishops’ Conference of Scotland announces Luisa Campbell as the next General Secretary

The Bishops of Scotland welcome Luisa Campbell to the office of General Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland from February 2026, when Fr. Gerry Maguiness completes his second term of office.

In parallel with her working career, Luisa has been actively involved in the life of the Church in Scotland at both parish and diocesan level in the areas of youth work, parish administration, liturgy, evangelisation, RCIA and finance.

Luisa retired early from work in 2020 to pursue her passion for voluntary work in the Catholic Church.

After gaining Master’s degrees in both Engineering and Business Administration, she worked for almost forty years in industry, ultimately as chief executive of a Scottish business which she led for over two decades. Her roles involved leadership, governance, strategy, commercial finance, mergers and acquisitions and organisational development.

During that time, she also acted as a trustee of several charities, served as a non-executive director and as trustee of a large pension scheme.

Luisa grew up in the diocese of Galloway and has lived in both the archdiocese of Glasgow and the diocese of Aberdeen. Her work has taken her to every diocese in Scotland.

She will be the first member of the lay faithful and first woman to take on the role of General Secretary.

Responding to her invitation from the bishops, Luisa said, ‘I look forward to serving the Bishops of Scotland in my new role as General Secretary, bringing together my experience in the Church and in the world of business.’

Bishop Keenan, President of the Bishops’ Conference said, ‘The bishops are delighted that Luisa has accepted this post and will continue the good work carried on by Fr. Gerry Maguiness over the past years. Luisa brings a wealth of experience both as a committed laywoman in the Church who has served our parishes and dioceses loyally over the years and who also has vast experience of life in the world and where she has made a fruitful contribution. We look forward to working with her in the service of the Church in Scotland in the years ahead’.

The Bishops of Scotland would like to take the opportunity of commending and thanking Fr. Gerry Maguiness for his wise, effective and tireless stewardship of the General Secretariat over the past six years. We wish him similar blessings as he takes up the office of parish priest of St. Bride’s in Cambuslang.

Bishop John Keenan
President, Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.

News from the Commissions and Agencies

December 2024

28Dec

Pray for all victims of abortion children mothers and fathers on this Feast if the Holy Innocents 🙏

28 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Pray for all victims of abortion children mothers and fathers on this Feast if the Holy Innocents 🙏

The Holy Innocents: The First Martyrs for Christ - The Holy Innocents are the patron saints of foundlings, babies, and children's choirs. Unofficially, they are often invoked in pro-life issues. Read about the biblical story of these child martyrs-->> https://www.scross.co.za/2024/12/the-holy-innocents-the-first-martyrs-for-christ/

28Dec

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19cbD4qfBw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

28 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19cbD4qfBw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The Holy Year which began in Rome on Christmas eve will leave its mark on St Andrew’s Cathedral … as the sanctuary area will play host to a newly commissioned cross for the next 12 months
The Jubilee Year will open in every Cathedral of the world on Sunday December 29. The Vatican has drawn up a liturgical celebration which will see a special ‘Jubilee Year Cross’ placed in each Cathedral.
In Glasgow a new cross has been created which will be placed above the Archbishop’s ‘cathedra’ or chair on the rear wall of the sanctuary behind the altar throughout the Holy Year.
It will be a Greek cross (each arm of equal length) made of wood with the traditional symbols of St Mungo (bird, fish, bell and tree) represented at the extremities of the cross while at the centre the symbol of the 2025 Jubilee will feature bearing the image of ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
All welcome at the Cathedral on Sunday at 12 noon Mass with the Archbishop to mark the start of our Holy Year.

27Dec

A post from Bishops' Conference of Scotland

27 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

27Dec

This Sunday I will inaugurate the Holy Year within Argyll and the Isles during the 10.30am Mass in St Columba’s Cathedral, Oban

27 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

This Sunday I will inaugurate the Holy Year within Argyll and the Isles during the 10.30am Mass in St Columba’s Cathedral, Oban. We will gather around the outdoor Crib - facing outwards across our beautiful diocese, process into the Cathedral behind the Cross, be sprinkled with Holy Water at the baptismal font before celebrating the Eucharist. Everyone is most welcome. If you live in or near Oban or are visiting the area please join us. Let us be ‘pilgrims of hope’.
+Brian

27Dec

😇 Today, December 27, is the feast of St

27 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

😇 Today, December 27, is the feast of St. John the Apostle, the "beloved disciple" was the only one of the 12 who did not forsake the Savior during His Passion. He stood at the cross when Christ made him the guardian of His Mother.⁣ Pray for us. 🙏

Learn more: 👉 https://hubs.la/Q0302pyZ0

27Dec

Advent Pro-Life Reflection - Archbishop Leo Cushley

27 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Thanks to all who prayed for life at the recent Advent Rosary, hosted by the Bishops' Conference of Scotland's Marriage, Family & Life Office. Here is the final reflection from Archbishop Leo Cushley (2 min watch).

Archbishop Leo Cushley gives his reflection at the Advent Rosary for Life. Event organised by the Bishops' Conference of Scotland's Marriage, Family & Life O...

26Dec

Yesterday, Pope Francis delivered his traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' message from St Peter's, Rome, in which he invited us all: "Let...

26 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Yesterday, Pope Francis delivered his traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' message from St Peter's, Rome, in which he invited us all: "Let us be reconciled with God, and then we will be reconciled with ourselves and able to be reconciled with one another, even our enemies." Let us seek to be people of forgiveness and reconciliation in our lives. You can read his full message here: https://buff.ly/3VUXpdk

26Dec

A post from Bishops' Conference of Scotland

26 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

26Dec

Saint Stephen | Franciscan Media

26 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-stephen/

If it weren’t for Saint Luke telling us about the selection and martyrdom of Saint Stephen in Acts of the Apostles, we would know nothing about him at all. The little we do know, however, speaks volumes about what kind of man he was, his love for Jesus, and the early Church community.

25Dec

Gospel of the Day (John 1,1-18)

25 Dec, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel of the Day (John 1,1-18)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.

John testified to him and cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'" From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed him.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/word-of-the-day/2024/12/25.html