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

25th October 2026

25 October 2026

Archbishop Cushley welcomes honour for Pope Leo

Archbishop Leo Cushley has welcomed the announcement that Pope Leo XIV has accepted an invitation to become Papal Confrater of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Archbishop Cushley is the Bishop President for Ecumenical Relations of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.

This honour follows The King’s own appointment as Royal Confrater of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome during his State Visit to the Vatican in October last year.

Welcoming the announcement, Archbishop Cushley said:

“I warmly welcome the news that His Majesty The King has approved the nomination of Pope Leo as Papal Confrater of the College of St George at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. By this gesture, both His Majesty and the Holy Father have shown their clear wish to promote Christian unity through emphasis on all that we treasure in common, not least our respect and friendship for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.”

...ENDS

Notes for editors

Photo of Bishops’ Conference of Scotland: Photo of Bishops' Conference of Scotland
The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland (BCoS) is the assembly of the Catholic bishops of Scotland, working together on national pastoral, social and legislative matters on behalf of the Church. www.bcos.org.uk
For further information, contact Fr Michael Kane, Director of the Communications and Evangelisation Office. Email: [email protected]

Contact:

Media Office

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

23rd October 2026

23 October 2026

The UK Budget, to be delivered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 28 October, will set out the UK Government’s plans for taxation and public spending alongside an independent assessment of the economic and fiscal outlook from the Office for Budget Responsibility. Its decisions will shape the resources available for public services, devolved governments and support for households and communities across the country.

The Catholic Parliamentary Office of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland urges the Chancellor to put human dignity and the common good at the heart of the Budget.

That means tackling poverty in all its forms, protecting people who need care, sustaining families and community services, and reversing international aid cuts. Poverty, inadequate housing and healthcare, family breakdown, unemployment and environmental neglect all undermine the dignity of individuals and the wellbeing of society.

For households struggling with living costs, this must include targeted energy support for those unable to afford adequate heating, alongside sustained investment in affordable housing and warmer homes. The Budget must address the cost-of-living crisis head on and provide the support people need to meet essential costs, keep their homes warm and live with dignity.

The welfare system must also provide adequate support for those in need and practical routes into employment for those able to work.

Alongside these commitments, the Budget must provide sustainable funding settlements that enable devolved governments to support all these key areas.

Our responsibility to those in need also extends beyond our borders. We urge the UK Government to reverse the planned cut in Official Development Assistance from 0.5% to 0.3% of national income by 2027 and work towards restoring 0.7%. This would support low-income countries and protect essential humanitarian and development programmes from further disruption.

The same commitment to human dignity must guide our response to refugees and people seeking asylum. We urge the UK Government to provide safe, legal routes to protection, including resettlement and family reunion, backed by adequate funding. The Budget should also support local authorities and community organisations to welcome people seeking safety and help them rebuild their lives.

Community organisations also play a vital role in supporting people in need. They require fair, sustainable and predictable funding, and their experience must help shape policy.

Finally, care for the environment must go hand in hand with care for those most affected by change. The Chancellor must provide predictable international climate finance for communities in greatest need and protect low-income households from disproportionate costs in the transition to cleaner energy.

..ENDS

Notes for editors

Photo of Bishops’ Conference of Scotland: Photo of Bishops' Conference of Scotland
The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland (BCoS) is the assembly of the Catholic bishops of Scotland, working together on national pastoral, social and legislative matters on behalf of the Church. www.bcos.org.uk
For further information, contact Fr Michael Kane, Director of the Communications and Evangelisation Office. Email: [email protected]

Contact:

Media Office

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

22nd October 2026

22 October 2026

Statement from the Bishops' Conference of Scotland

Bishop John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, has announced that he is stepping back from his daily duties until further notice, following medical advice.

Bishop Keenan has been undergoing medical investigations and will require further tests and examinations over the coming weeks.

During this time, Vicar General Monsignor Joe Burke will oversee the day-to-day running of the Diocese of Paisley.

Bishop Keenan hopes to provide a further update once these investigations are concluded and is grateful for your prayers at this time.

...ENDS

Notes for editors

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland (BCoS) is the assembly of the Catholic bishops of Scotland, working together on national pastoral, social and legislative matters on behalf of the Church. www.bcos.org.uk
For further information, contact Fr Michael Kane, Director of the Communications and Evangelisation Office. Email: [email protected]

Contact:

Media Office

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

News from the Commissions and Agencies

February 2026

02Feb

Holy Mass of the Feast of the Presentation | 02 February 2026

02 Feb, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Holy Mass of the Feast of the Presentation | 02 February 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

02Feb

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland is pleased to announce the appointment of Fr Matthew Carlin as Vice Rector of the Pontifical...

02 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | Being Catholic |

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland is pleased to announce the appointment of Fr Matthew Carlin as Vice Rector of the Pontifical Scots College in Rome.

Fr Matthew, a priest of the Diocese of Paisley, will take up this important role in the coming months, assisting the Rector in the formation of Scottish seminarians preparing for priestly ministry. He succeeds Fr Nick Welsh, whose dedicated service to the College is warmly acknowledged by the Bishops.

Fr Matthew studied at the Pontifical Scots College in Rome from 2009 to 2017. He was ordained to the priesthood on 30 June 2016 at St John’s Church, Barrhead.
Following ordination, he served as curate at St Mirin’s Cathedral, Paisley, from 2017 to 2019. He was appointed Parish Priest of St Francis, Port Glasgow, in 2019, serving there until 2024. Since then, he has been Parish Priest of St Aidan’s, Johnstone, and since 2025 has also served Christ the King, Howwood.

In addition to parish ministry, Fr Matthew currently serves as Vicar Episcopal for Education in the Diocese of Paisley and as Defender of the Bond at the Scottish Catholic Inter-diocesan Tribunal.

Commenting on the appointment, Bishop John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, said:
"I want to thank Father Matthew for his generosity of spirit in accepting this important role in the formation of our future priests. He has been happy and thriving in his parish work, in his commitments in the diocese regarding our schools as well as in his national work at our Tribunal. We will miss him from our diocese both personally and pastorally for the time when he is away. I know he will now accept this latest appointment by the bishops of Scotland with his same characteristic faithfulness, dedication and zeal. We assure him of our prayers and wish him a joyful and fruitful ministry in Rome."

Fr Matthew said:
“I was privileged to spend eight years at the Scots College in Rome, studying, praying, and preparing to serve God's people. I am immensely grateful for everything I received during that time, and I look forward to assisting others in their formation for the diocesan priesthood. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Bishop John Keenan for his guidance and encouragement, and to all the Bishops of Scotland for their trust in appointing me as Vice Rector. I ask everyone to keep me, and all those involved in priestly formation, in their prayers.”

The Rector of the Pontifical Scots College, Fr Mark Cassidy, said:
"I am delighted that Fr Matthew will be joining the College as vice rector in succession to Fr Nick Welsh. Bringing his own talents and gifts to the role, I am sure that Fr Matthew will build on the good work done by his predecessor in helping to develop the formation programme here at the College. I know that Fr Matthew will be a great example and mentor to our men studying for the priesthood."

The Bishops of Scotland commend Fr Matthew to the prayers of the faithful as he prepares to take up this important role in the life of the Church in Scotland.

02Feb

In the late fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and recorded what she witnessed in a remarkable...

02 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

In the late fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and recorded what she witnessed in a remarkable travel journal. Her writings give us one of the earliest insights into the Church’s liturgical life, including the celebration of Christ’s birth and the solemn procession marking His Presentation in the Temple forty days later.

This feast recalls Jesus being brought into the Temple in accordance with the Law, marking His first public appearance there. While it reflects the customs surrounding purification after childbirth, the focus of the celebration rests firmly on Christ, who is presented to the Lord.

By the fifth and sixth centuries, the feast had spread throughout the Western Church. Since Christmas was celebrated on December twenty five, the Presentation came to be observed on February two, forty days later.

In the early eighth century, a candlelight procession was introduced, followed later by the blessing and distribution of candles. From this tradition comes the feast’s familiar name, Candlemas, celebrating Christ as the light of the nations.

02Feb

Gospel

02 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel
Luke 2:22-40
‘The child grew, filled with wisdom.’

When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons’.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the Temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.’

And his father and his mother marvelled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed — and a sword will pierce through your own soul also — so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the Temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favour of God was upon him.

01Feb

Bishop Toal's Sunday Reflection for Sunday, 1st February

01 Feb, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Bishop Toal's Sunday Reflection for Sunday, 1st February

01Feb

Bishop Toal's Sunday Reflection for Sunday, 1st February

01 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Bishop Toal's Sunday Reflection for Sunday, 1st February

01Feb

Holy Mass of the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time | 01 February 2026

01 Feb, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Holy Mass of the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time | 01 February 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

01Feb

Pope Leo's prayer intention for February 2026

01 Feb, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Pope Leo's prayer intention for February 2026

For children with incurable diseases
Let us pray that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families receive the necessary medical care and support, never losing strength and hope.

01Feb

Pope Leo's prayer intention for February 2026

01 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

01Feb

Gospel of the day (Matthew 5:1-12a)

01 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel of the day (Matthew 5:1-12a)

At that time: Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.’