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 May 2026

25 May 2026

First Encyclical of Pope Leo XIV: Magnifica Humanitas

The Bishops of Scotland warmly welcome Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, as a timely and insightful contribution to one of the defining questions of our age. As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes human life, this important document calls us to place the dignity of the human person at the heart of every technological advance.

We encourage the faithful, our schools and parish communities to read, study and pray with this landmark text.

To support this, the Office of Communications and Evangelisation will soon publish a parish study guide and other resources for small groups and parish use, helping communities to reflect more deeply on the opportunities and challenges of new technologies and their impact on human life.

Bishop John Keenan
President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

Full text of Pope Leo XIV’s Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas:
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html

News from the Commissions and Agencies

Archive by tag: Bishops' Conference of ScotlandReturn

January 2025

17Jan

Fantastic film by @sciaf_insta and great words from Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue!

17 Jan, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Fantastic film by @sciaf_insta and great words from Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue!

17Jan

A post from Bishops' Conference of Scotland

17 Jan, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

17Jan

Together with the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, we pray that the proposed ceasefire deal ends the violence t...

17 Jan, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Together with the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, we pray that the proposed ceasefire deal ends the violence that has caused immeasurable suffering.

Read the full statement on our website: https://www.sciaf.org.uk/about-us/news/736-declaration-of-the-catholic-ordinaries-on-the-ceasefire-in-gaza

17Jan

St. Anthony Abbot: The Tradition of Blessing Animals

17 Jan, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.ewtnvatican.com/articles/st-anthony-abbot-the-tradition-of-blessing-animals-2096

Each year on February 17th, Pope Pius XII’s Square outside of St. Peter’s Basilica turns into a farm for the Feast of St. Anthony the Abbot.

17Jan

Saint Anthony of Egypt | Franciscan Media

17 Jan, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

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

Saint Anthony was a solitary ascetic who practiced great mortification yet drew many people to himself. He responded by founding an early form of monastic life. He lived until age 105.

17Jan

A family’s journey of Faith - The Irish Catholic

17 Jan, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.irishcatholic.com/a-familys-journey-of-faith/
What’s your story?

When a relative asked me to write about my family’s Catholic background, it felt like an adventure into the unknown. I’ve always been curious about our past, and this seemed like the perfect excuse to dig into the stories that shaped us. What I found was a tapestry of faith, family, and history ...

16Jan

Final Document of the XVI Assembly

16 Jan, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Yesterday the Bishops' Conference Synodality Committee met under the guidance of Bishop McGee, to discuss the final document of the Oct 2023/4 Synod. The Committee which includes lay members from all the Scottish dioceses, prayed and shared their hopes for the implementation of synodality at all levels within the Church in Scotland. Its recommendations will be submitted to the next Conference meeting at the end of January.