The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

17th March 2026

17 March 2026

Scotland Rejects Assisted Dying and Affirms Human Dignity

MSPs can be confident that they have taken the correct and responsible course of action. Their vote serves to protect some of Scotland’s most vulnerable individuals from the risk of being pressured into a premature death.

Every human life possesses inherent value. Genuine compassion is not expressed through ending a life, but through accompanying those who suffer and ensuring they receive the medical, emotional, and spiritual support that recognises their dignity. No life is without worth.

As a society, our responsibility is not to address suffering by eliminating the sufferer, but to surround each person with care, respect, and dignity until their natural end. Today’s decision moves Scotland further in that direction, and MSPs should be commended for this.

However, we must continue to make progress. Our next priority must be to strengthen palliative care by ensuring that it is properly funded and accessible to all who require it.

I would like to express my gratitude to all MSPs for their serious engagement with this issue and for the thoughtful and considered attention they have given to the bill. I am especially grateful to those who upheld the principle of human dignity and advocated on behalf of the vulnerable. Your principled commitment has not gone unnoticed.

Bishop John Keenan

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

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

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February 2025

27Feb

Pope's letter to grieving mother: ‘Always ask for Mary’s intercession' - Vatican News

27 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-02/pope-francis-letter-to-grieving-mother-published-in-magazine.html

A monthly magazine publishes Pope Francis’ fatherly response to a letter written by a mother who lost her 21-year-old son in a car accident six years ...

27Feb

Continued improvement in Pope’s clinical condition confirmed - Vatican News

27 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-02/pope-clinical-condition-health-holy-see-press-office-thursday.html

A Holy See Press Office communiqué on Thursday evening confirms that Pope Francis’ clinical condition continues to show improvement. Additional days ...

27Feb

Our Lady of Fatima to travel to Rome for the Jubilee in October - Vatican News

27 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The famous statue of Our Lady of Fatima, venerated worldwide, will be in Rome on October 11-12, 2025 for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality.

27Feb

A post from Bishops' Conference of Scotland

27 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

27Feb

The annual Day of Prayer for those who have experienced abuse in the Church is observed in Scotland on the first Friday of Lent ...

27 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The annual Day of Prayer for those who have experienced abuse in the Church is observed in Scotland on the first Friday of Lent - Friday 7th March 2025. Resources are circulated by Diocesan offices to support the provision of specific prayers and liturgies in parish churches and faith communities across Scotland.
Bishops' Conference of Scotland Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh Archdiocese of Glasgow Motherwell Diocese Diocese of Galloway RC Diocese of Aberdeen Diocese of Paisley Diocese of Argyll & the Isles

27Feb

Statement from Bishop John Keenan,

27 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Statement from Bishop John Keenan,
President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
27th Feb 2025
Two weeks ago, I met with our Holy Father Pope Francis at the general audience. It was a joyful and prayerful encounter but also a challenge for Pope Francis because of his health. In these difficult days for our Holy Father and for the Church, we ask the Lord, our Good Shepherd, to strengthen and bless Pope Francis and to guide those who care for him. I invite everyone to continue to pray the Rosary at 8pm every evening in union with Catholics throughout the world and in St Peter’s Square, and also to recite the following prayer for our Pope.
O God you called St Peter to be the leader of your Church
and a firm foundation for our faith.
You call Pope Francis as his successor, our Pope,
to guide and inspire the Church.
Strengthen and protect our Holy Father in mind, body and soul.
Embrace Pope Francis in your healing love
and shelter him in the shadow of your grace
that he may serve you all the days of his life
through Christ Our Lord. Amen
(Photo from General Audience 12th Feb 2025)

27Feb

Pope Francis slept well during the night and continued to rest on Thursday morning, as his condition has shown a slight improvem...

27 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Pope Francis slept well during the night and continued to rest on Thursday morning, as his condition has shown a slight improvement over the past couple of days.

On Wednesday evening, the Holy See Press Office said the Pope’s health condition had slightly improved over the previous 24 hours.

“The mild kidney insufficiency observed in recent days has subsided,” read a statement. “A chest CT scan carried out [on Tuesday] night showed a normal progression of the lung inflammation. Blood tests conducted [on Wednesday] confirmed the improvement seen [Tuesday].”

Pope Francis remains on high-flow oxygen therapy, but as of Wednesday evening he had not experienced any asthma-like respiratory crises.

The Pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Friday, February 14, following a bout of bronchitis, with his doctors later diagnosing bilateral pneumonia.

27Feb

Photos from Diocese of Argyll & the Isles's post

27 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

26Feb

Pope Francis: Lent calls us to journey together in hope - Vatican News

26 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

In his Message for Lent 2025, Pope Francis invites the faithful to “journey together in hope, and to take the opportunity of the upcoming Lenten ...

26Feb

A post from Bishops' Conference of Scotland

26 Feb, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |