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]

20th October 2026

20 October 2026

Scottish Theologian Appointed to Vatican’s International Theological Commission

Dr Sara Parvis of the University of Edinburgh has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to the International Theological Commission for its new five-year term (2026–2031).

The Commission brings together theologians from around the world to advise the Holy See on important questions of Catholic theology and doctrine.

Born in Aberdeen and raised in Edinburgh, Dr Parvis is an Associate Professor at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Divinity, specialising in early Christianity, Church history and patristic theology.

Welcoming the appointment, Bishop John Keenan, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, said:

“On behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Scotland, I warmly congratulate Sara on her appointment by Pope Leo to this important Commission.

“This appointment is a recognition of her distinguished theological scholarship and of the contribution Scottish scholars continue to make to the life of the universal Church.

“We wish Sara every blessing as she takes up this important responsibility and assure her of our prayers.”

Commenting on her appointment, Dr Parvis said:

“It’s a great honour to be appointed to the International Theological Commission, and I’m very pleased to be bringing a Scottish perspective to the conversations the group will be having over the next few years.”

...ENDS

Notes to Editor

Photo of Dr Sara Parvis: Photo of Dr Sara Parvis
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

Archive by tag: Justice & Peace ScotlandReturn

October 2025

22Oct

🇻🇦On the Feast Day of St John Paul II, his teaching from the encyclical Centesimus Annus reminds us that our faith is not a priv...

22 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

🇻🇦On the Feast Day of St John Paul II, his teaching from the encyclical Centesimus Annus reminds us that our faith is not a private matter; it must be lived out by concrete action in our communities and throughout the world.

✝️Jesus calls us to this way of living in the Gospels: in the Sermon on the Mount, He instructs us to be peacemakers and to hunger and thirst for what is right. And in the Parable of the Last Judgment, Christ identifies Himself with the most vulnerable, declaring that we are close to Him when we respond to their needs: “whatever you did for one of the least of these… you did for me.”

🙏May St John Paul II inspire us to take up active discipleship by living the Gospel not only in word, but in deeds of compassion, courage, justice and hope. St John Paul II, pray for us!

21Oct

📢SCOTLAND DEMANDS BETTER

21 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

📢SCOTLAND DEMANDS BETTER

If you believe in a Scotland built on dignity, community, and solidarity we are calling on you to join us and thousands of others in Edinburgh this weekend as we demand better jobs, better investment in life’s essentials, and better social security for all.

We will be marching alongside the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and fellow Christian denominations - meeting point info at the end of this post. ⬇️

In a time when division and uncertainty can so easily take hold, this is a march for all of us. Lasting change comes when we stand together in a positive and united call for fairness, compassion, and the common good for each and every person - not when we are a society fragmented.

KEY DETAILS:
📅 Saturday 25th October.
🕥 Gathering from 10:30am at Scottish Churches' Meeting Point | March sets off at 11am.
📍 Scottish Churches' Meeting Point - beside the Scottish Water Top-Up Tap, outside the Scottish Parliament Visitors' Entrance.
🪧Look out for the J&P Scotland banner and "Scottish Churches Demand Better" placards at the meeting point.
👣For details about the March route or accessibility information, head to the Scotland Demands Better website.
🎵The March ends with a rally and family friendly mini-festival in The Meadows, which will include speeches and a headline set from Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5.

March with us for a Scotland where everyone can thrive!

09Oct

Justice & Peace Scotland welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza

09 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

Justice & Peace Scotland welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza. This development brings much-needed hope and respite to the Palestinian people after unimaginable suffering, grief and loss.

We recognise the anxious longing of Israeli families who have continued to wait for the safe return of loved ones taken hostage and the hope that this announcement brings to them.

When Fr Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza, visited Scotland last year he spoke clearly about what all people of the Holy Land need: a sustainable, authentic, and just peace, grounded in equal rights, dignity, and security for all.

This ceasefire must mark not an end point, but the beginning of a genuine peace process rooted in justice, accountability, and respect for human life. Only such a peace can bring lasting security for both peoples and a future where all can live in freedom and safety.

08Oct

📢JOIN US AT SCOTLAND DEMANDS BETTER – The March for All of Us

08 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

📢JOIN US AT SCOTLAND DEMANDS BETTER – The March for All of Us

🗓️ Saturday 25th October
🕥10:30am–12:30pm
📍 Scottish Churches Meeting Point: at the Scottish Water Top-Up Tap, outside the Scottish Parliament Visitors’ Entrance - (What3Words: wiping.small.chief)

We envision a future for Scotland built on unity, solidarity, and inclusion, not on division and intolerance.

That’s why Justice & Peace Scotland is proud to stand alongside The Poverty Alliance, the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and over 200 organisations and faith groups for the Scotland Demands Better March in Edinburgh.

We are uniting this October to call for:
1️⃣Fair jobs and wages.
2️⃣Decent social security.
3️⃣Investment in essentials so that every household can thrive.

We know that the challenges facing our communities – poverty, low pay, homelessness, lack of resources – are leaving many frustrated and angry. We also know a better way is possible: one that rejects division and the scapegoating of minority groups and instead is rooted in solidarity and hope.

✝️ We need YOU to join us in Edinburgh as we come together as people of faith against poverty, against division, and demanding better for all people in Scotland.

🚶‍♀️The march will set off from the Scottish Parliament at 11am, travel up the Royal Mile to The Meadows, and conclude with a family-friendly rally full of music, speeches, and community spirit.

🪧Look out for the J&P Scotland banner and placards at the meeting point - bring your family, bring your friends, and let's demand better for Scotland.

07Oct

🕊️"Blessed are the peacemakers."

07 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

🕊️"Blessed are the peacemakers."
The Bishops' Conference of Scotland have asked that we keep today, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, as a day to pray for peace in the Holy Land and wherever there is violence or conflict in our world.

🕯️Justice & Peace Scotland are also asking you to "Light a Prayer for Peace" at some point today too - light a candle as a symbol of your prayer and as a sign of hope shining in the darkness.

⛪Many churches across Scotland are opening their doors in response to the Bishops' request, if you are able to, please visit and light a candle there. If this is not possible, take a moment in your day to light a candle at home and pray for peace throughout the world. Here is a prayer we invite you to say:

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of the Holy Land:
Israeli and Palestinian; Jew, Christian, and Muslim.
We pray for an end to acts of violence and terror.
We lift to you all who are fearful and hurting.
We ask for wisdom and compassion for those in leadership.
Above all, we ask that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, establish lasting reconciliation and justice for the Holy Land and for all nations.

🙏Our Lady of the Rosary, Queen of Peace, Pray For Us.

📸 - This photograph was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem.

06Oct

🚨 TOMORROW: Pray and Act for Gaza 🕊️

06 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

🚨 TOMORROW: Pray and Act for Gaza 🕊️

As we approach two years of war in Gaza, the Bishops' Conference of Scotland have asked Catholics across the country to dedicate 7th October to praying for peace in the Holy Land and wherever there is violence and conflict in our world.

Justice & Peace Scotland is inviting everyone to take part in two simple but powerful steps:

🕯️Step 1: Light a Prayer for Peace
Join us by visiting a Church tomorrow if you can, and lighting a candle for all those affected by the war in Gaza. Pray for an immediate end to violence, for any ceasefires or peace agreements to hold, for families to be reunited with loved ones taken hostage, and for a just and lasting peace to be achieved for all Palestinians and Israelis.

✍️ Step 2: Write to Your MP
A template letter is available on our website for you to download and personalise. Use it to urge the UK Government to do all in its power to help end the suffering, ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need, and support genuine peace where both Palestinians and Israelis have agency in shaping their own futures.

Even as the situation continues to change rapidly, these actions remain vital. Together, through prayer and advocacy, we can shine a light in the darkness and be a voice for justice and peace.

04Oct

🕯️PRAYERS FOR THE WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES

04 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

🕯️PRAYERS FOR THE WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES

This weekend, as we mark the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, coinciding with the Jubilee of Migrants in Rome, we are inviting you to pray with us in a spirit of solidarity and hope for all people who are on a journey seeking safety, security and refuge.

Pope Leo XIV, in his message for the occasion, has called us to see migrants as missionaries of hope: as men, women, and children whose presence challenges us to live our faith in a deeper, more authentic and more inclusive way.

The intercessions below from Jesuit Refugee Service UK are offered to help you pray for migrants, refugees, and displaced persons around the world. They are especially suited for use during this special Jubilee weekend but can be prayed at any time, as a reflection of the Gospel call to welcome the stranger and to work for justice and peace.

✝️“I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35)
For all migrants and refugees around the world, that they may find safety, welcome, and dignity in their journey, and that we may open our hearts and communities to receive them with love.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

✝️“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” (Ps 9:9)
For all people forced to flee their homes due to war and persecution, that they may find safety, and find hope through the compassion of others.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

✝️“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ” (Ga 6:2)
For all people working to give a warm welcome to refugees, in thanksgiving for their effort and generosity. We pray for organisations like the Jesuit Refugee Service, and for all who accompany, serve, and advocate for refugees.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

✝️“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Heb 13:2)
For our local communities, that we may be moved by the Gospel call to welcome the stranger and act in solidarity with those on the margins.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

✝️“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression” (Is 1:17)
For political leaders and decision-makers: that they may uphold the dignity and rights of migrants and refugees, and work for peace and justice in our world.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

✝️“You shall love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Dt 10:19)
We remember the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt, and all the stories of migration in Scripture. We pray for children and families displaced by conflict, that they may be protected, reunited, and given the opportunity to flourish in safety.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

✝️“He will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Rv 21:4)
For all who have died on their journey seeking refuge, that they may rest in God’s eternal peace, and that we may honour their memory by working for change.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

03Oct

Archbishop Nolan has expressed his horror at the terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue

03 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

Archbishop Nolan has expressed his horror at the terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue.
He said: "The attack on innocent people taking part in a religious event in broad daylight is an act of evil which should be condemned by all right-thinking people. The Jewish community was memorably defined by Saint John Paul II as ‘our older brothers in the faith’ and we feel a special closeness to them in this hour of sorrow and fear.
"My prayers, and those of the Catholic community are for those who have died, the bereaved, the injured, and those who feel anxious and afraid. Leaders of all faiths must unite in times like this to make it clear that killing and destruction in the name of religion is abhorrent. Violence and inhumanity have no place in the tenets of the great world faiths.”

02Oct

This Sunday we have been invited to speak at an urgent and vital public meeting: "Conflict in the Holy Land: What do we need to ...

02 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

This Sunday we have been invited to speak at an urgent and vital public meeting: "Conflict in the Holy Land: What do we need to know and what can we do?"

As the urgency for true peace in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel intensifies, this is a crucial opportunity to gain deeper understanding and explore meaningful actions.

🗓️ Sunday 5th October 2025
🕒 3 PM
📍 St Mary's Hall, Saltcoats, KA21 5BW

If you are in the RC Diocese of Galloway, or simply moved by the call for justice and peace in the Holy Land, please join us on Sunday in Saltcoats.

01Oct

URGENT - Pray and Act for Gaza - Update

01 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

🚨UPDATE: Pray And Act For Gaza
We recognise that the situation in Gaza and Israel is changing rapidly, and in the coming days there may be announcements about possible peace agreements.

🕯️Whatever happens, we continue to invite everyone to join us in prayer for peace on 7th October and if agreements are reached, that they may hold and bring lasting justice for all. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland have asked Catholic in Scotland to dedicate this day to praying for peace.

📝Alongside this, we are still encouraging people to write to their MPs even if a peace plan is agreed: please ask your MP to do all they can to support its implementation, to ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need, and to work for a future of genuine peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis.