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

March 2025

06Mar

“Missionaries of hope”: Pope chooses theme for World Refugee Day 2025 - Vatican News

06 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The Vatican announces the theme for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2025. “Migrants are missionaries of hope”, the Dicastery for Promoting ...

06Mar

A post from Bishops' Conference of Scotland

06 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

06Mar

Pope Francis has another good night at the hospital - Vatican News

06 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-03/pope-francis-has-another-good-night-at-the-hospital.html

Pope Francis has another good night at Rome's Gemelli hospital where he is being treated for bilateral pneumonia and is resting, the Holy See Press ...

05Mar

Pope: Ashes ‘bring us back to reality’ - Vatican News

05 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-03/pope-ash-wednesday-ashes-bring-us-back-to-reality.html

In his homily prepared for Mass on Ash Wednesday, read out by Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Pope Francis says that the imposition of ashes reminds us to ...

05Mar

As we celebrate Ash Wednesday during this Holy Year I pray that you will journey through Lent filled with hope in God’s mercy

05 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

As we celebrate Ash Wednesday during this Holy Year I pray that you will journey through Lent filled with hope in God’s mercy.
+Brian

05Mar

☮️INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR DISARMAMENT AWARENESS

05 Mar, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

☮️INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR DISARMAMENT AWARENESS

March 5th marks the International Day for Disarmament Awareness which seeks to promote better awareness and understanding of disarmament issues among the public.

🎬Watch Archbishop Nolan's powerful reflection at Faslane, recorded at our last Christian Peace Vigil held there in August 2024, as he calls on the nine nuclear powers to stop mistakenly viewing weapons of mass destruction as comfort blankets and co-operate to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

✝️Today is also Ash Wednesday, so to mark both the holy day when we are called to repentance through turning away from sin and being faithful to the gospel and the International Day of Disarmament Awareness, Justice & Peace Scotland will join Glasgow Catholic Worker and Pax Christi Scotland this afternoon for an Ash Wednesday liturgy at Faslane, the home of the UK's weapons of mass destruction. Our guest of honour will be life-long Catholic peace activist, Martha Ines Romero, who is the Secretary General of Pax Christi International and is currently visiting Scotland on a Catholic peacebuilding and non-violence speaking tour.

05Mar

A message from Bishop Toal as we begin the Season of Lent

05 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

A message from Bishop Toal as we begin the Season of Lent

05Mar

Ash Wednesday Message.mp4

05 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

05Mar

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent!

05 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent!

05Mar

Pope's March prayer intention: 'for families in crisis' - Vatican News

05 Mar, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-03/pope-march-prayer-intention-for-families-in-crisis-2025.html

Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for the month of March 2025, and invites everyone to pray for "families in crisis," as he acknowledges that ...