The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

Holy Mass of End of Term with St. Augustine's Primary School | 26 June 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

MSPs Join Scotland’s Catholic Bishops for Annual Mass in Holyrood

Bishops from across Scotland gathered at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday to celebrate Mass with MSPs and parliamentary staff.

The Mass, an annual event at Holyrood, this year marked the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist. It was led by Archbishop William Nolan, Archbishop of Glasgow, and concelebrated by Bishop Brian McGee, Bishop of Argyll and The Isles; Bishop Joseph Toal, Bishop of Motherwell; Bishop Frank Dougan, Bishop of Galloway; and Father Bill Russell, Ecumenical Officer for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.

Around fifteen MSPs from across several parties attended, including First Minister John Swinney, Minister for Equalities and International Development Simita Kumar, and Mark Griffin MSP, who sponsored the Mass. Representatives of agencies and commissions of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland were also present.

In his homily, Archbishop Nolan recalled the words of Pope Francis, who said politics could be “an outstanding form of charity”. He reminded MSPs that, in their demanding public role, they are first and foremost called to serve. The Church, the Archbishop said, “sets out ideals”, but the responsibility for putting those ideals into practice rests with politicians.

Reflecting on the Gospel account of the birth of John the Baptist, Archbishop Nolan highlighted the words: “For the hand of the Lord was with him.” He told the MSPs gathered that they should “never be in any doubt”, because “the hand of the Lord is always with you, too.”

Following the Mass, Mark Griffin thanked the bishops for leading the celebration in the Parliament. Archbishop Nolan, in turn, thanked Mr Griffin and all the MSPs present, and offered his best wishes for the parliamentary session ahead.

Gospel
Matthew 7:21-29
The house built on rock and the house built on the sand.

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.’
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

This Sunday, the Church in Scotland celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. As part of this celebration, the annual Peter’s Pence collection will take place in all Parishes this weekend.

Peter’s Pence is a worldwide collection that offers Catholics an opportunity to support the Holy Father in his ministry and the mission of the Church throughout the world. Your donation is a practical expression of unity with Pope Leo XIV and helps support the Church’s charitable, pastoral and evangelising work.

Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John….” But John would have agreed completely with what Jesus added: “[Y]et the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).

John spent his time in the desert, an ascetic. He began to announce the coming of the Kingdom, and to call everyone to a fundamental reformation of life. His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. His baptism, he said, was for repentance. But one would come who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John was not worthy even to untie his sandals. His attitude toward Jesus was: “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30).

John was humbled to find among the crowd of sinners who came to be baptized the one whom he already knew to be the Messiah. “I need to be baptized by you” (Matthew 3:14b). But Jesus insisted, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15b). Jesus, true and humble human as well as eternal God, was eager to do what was required of any good Jew. Jesus thus publicly entered the community of those awaiting the Messiah. But making himself part of that community, he made it truly messianic.

The greatness of John, his pivotal place in the history of salvation, is seen in the great emphasis Luke gives to the announcement of his birth and the event itself—both made prominently parallel to the same occurrences in the life of Jesus. John attracted countless people to the banks of the Jordan, and it occurred to some people that he might be the Messiah. But he constantly deferred to Jesus, even to sending away some of his followers to become the first disciples of Jesus.

Perhaps John’s idea of the coming of the Kingdom of God was not being perfectly fulfilled in the public ministry of Jesus. For whatever reason, when he was in prison he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah. Jesus’ answer showed that the Messiah was to be a figure like that of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah. John himself would share in the pattern of messianic suffering, losing his life to the revenge of Herodias.