The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

5th May 2026

05 May 2026

Pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Scotland on the Scottish Parliament Election

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election approaches, we find ourselves at another important moment in our nation’s life. Elections are not only political events but opportunities to reflect prayerfully on our responsibilities as citizens and disciples of Jesus Christ. Our participation in public life expresses our love of neighbour and our desire to build a society that honours God through truth, justice, and charity.

The Church and the political community have distinct roles, yet both serve the good of every person. The Church forms consciences through the light of the Gospel, while politics shapes society’s structures. When these work together respectfully, society flourishes, especially in its care for the weakest. It is therefore vital that Catholics approach this election with faith‑formed minds and hearts moved by charity.

Many in Scotland today face deep vulnerability: unborn children; the elderly; families in poverty; the disabled; those with poor mental health; people suffering addiction; victims of modern slavery; migrants seeking safety; people considering suicide; and victims of crime. They deserve not only compassion but public policies that protect their dignity. We need representatives who act with integrity, value every human life, and prioritise the poorest. Public service is noble when rooted in humility and the common good.

Our elected officials must also defend fundamental freedoms—thought, conscience, and religion—so Scotland remains a place where people can express beliefs openly and respectfully. Public discourse thrives when diverse voices can speak without fear and disagreements are handled with civility. Silencing religious expression deprives society of moral and spiritual richness.

We affirm the rights of parents, who have the God‑given responsibility to educate their children, including choosing schools that reflect their convictions. Authorities must safeguard this right and protect Catholic schools, which serve families of all backgrounds and help form young people in faith, virtue, and service. Attempts to marginalise, or remove, these schools would weaken Scotland’s educational diversity.

As you prepare to vote, reflect on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching - human dignity, the common good, solidarity, and subsidiarity - which illuminate the key moral issues of our time:

the protection of life from conception to natural death;
care for the poor and vulnerable;
fair and sustainable economic conditions;
accessible healthcare;
the elimination of modern slavery;
the strengthening of marriage and family life;
care for creation;
the promotion of peace and support for poorer nations; and
the defence of religious freedom and conscience.

These are not merely political issues, but moral ones rooted in the Gospel and the Church’s commitment to every person’s dignity. Study and pray with these principles as you discern your vote. Resources from the Scottish Catholic Parliamentary Office ( rcpolitics.org) can help form your conscience, enabling you to seek truth, weigh moral implications, and consider the impact on the vulnerable. Above all, we urge you to use your right to vote.

We pray for respectful and honest conversation throughout this election. Political life must not be poisoned by anger, division, or populist rhetoric. May all debates reflect concern for human dignity and the common good.

We entrust Scotland—its people, leaders, and future—to the care of Our Lady, Queen of Peace. May her intercession guide us toward justice, compassion, and unity. May the Holy Spirit inspire candidates with integrity and humility, and voters with responsibility, prayerfulness, and love of neighbour.

Yours devotedly in Christ,

+ John Keenan, President, Bishop of Paisley

+ Brian McGee, Vice President, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles

+ Andrew McKenzie, Episcopal Secretary, Bishop of Dunkeld

+ Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh

+ William Nolan, Archbishop of Glasgow

+ Joseph Toal, Bishop of Motherwell

+ Hugh Gilbert, Bishop of Aberdeen

+ Francis Dougan, Bishop of Galloway

20th March 2026

20 March 2026

Statement from the Bishops' Conference of Scotland

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Following a request from the Holy See, the Bishops of Scotland have been invited to reflect on how the structures of the Church in our country can best serve her mission in the years ahead, specifically whether the present situation of eight dioceses is suitable.

We are all aware of the challenges before us — fewer clergy, changing patterns of practice, and increasing pressures on our diocesan resources, among other things. Yet our mission remains unchanged: to proclaim the Gospel and to lead our people to Christ.

Two possible pathways are being proposed for careful discernment: developing deeper cooperation and the sharing of resources across dioceses within our present structures, or the merging of some dioceses.

In order to best inform ourselves and the Holy See, each bishop will engage with his diocese over the coming months for the first part of this process. Everyone will be given the opportunity to pray, reflect, and contribute.

Following-on from the presentation of a discussion paper, responses from each diocese will contribute to the initial findings which will be given to the Holy See in the Autumn.

This is not simply an administrative exercise. It is a pastoral and missionary response to our changing landscape. This process will ensure our Church in Scotland will continue to grow ever more missionary, more Christ-centred, and more collaborative in the service of God’s people.

Entrusting this work to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to the intercession of Our Lady, we move forward together with confidence and renewed hope.

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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News from the Commissions and Agencies

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January 2026

28Jan

Bishops’ Conference Calls for Action on Exploitation with Support for New Prostitution Bill

28 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Bishops’ Conference Calls for Action on Exploitation with Support for New Prostitution Bill

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has written to the First Minister of Scotland to express the Church’s support for the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill, currently before the Scottish Parliament.

In the letter, the Bishops’ Conference describes the Bill, tabled by independent MSP, Ash Regan, as “a vital step toward protecting some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society and addressing the systemic harms associated with prostitution in Scotland.”

Protecting Victims and Challenging Demand

The Bill’s central purpose—to reduce prostitution and tackle exploitation, coercion, and harm—is described as both compelling and necessary.
It proposes a new offence for the purchase of sexual acts, while repealing outdated laws that historically penalised those who were themselves victims. The Bill would also quash previous convictions under section 46 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, removing what Bishop Keenan calls a “significant barrier” to rebuilding lives.

The Bishops’ Conference supports the Bill’s adoption of a “challenging demand” model, shifting criminal responsibility away from individuals exploited through prostitution—overwhelmingly women and girls—and onto the buyers who fuel the commercial sex market. This model reflects international best practice and aligns with Scotland’s wider commitments to tackling violence against women and girls.

Addressing Vulnerability and Trauma

The letter highlights the deep vulnerabilities that underpin involvement in prostitution. Many affected individuals have experienced childhood abuse, care experience, grooming, and trauma, with young people—particularly those leaving care—at high risk of exploitation. Technology has intensified these risks, expanding opportunities for manipulation.

Human Trafficking Concerns

The Bishops’ Conference also emphasises the Bill’s relevance to combatting human trafficking for sexual exploitation, a significant and documented issue in Scotland. International evidence links reductions in trafficking to demand-reduction legislation. Bishop Brian McGee, Vice-President of the Bishops’ Conference, has contributed insight from his work with the Santa Marta Group, an international alliance dedicated to ending human trafficking. He believes the Bill reflects “the realities identified by trafficked people, law enforcement, and Church agencies around the world.”

Right to Support

A key component of the proposed legislation is the creation of a statutory right to support for anyone currently or previously involved in prostitution. This includes access to accommodation, financial aid, healthcare, and counselling—supports deemed essential for enabling safe and sustainable exits from prostitution.

Call for Political Leadership

Acknowledging differing political opinions, and expecting Parliament to provide considerable scrutiny from which the Bill can benefit, the letter urges the Scottish Government to show leadership by backing the Bill, underscoring its potential to protect vulnerable women and girls, prevent trafficking, and advance equality.

28Jan

Gospel of the day (Mark 4:1-20)

28 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel of the day (Mark 4:1-20)

At that time: Again Jesus began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ‘Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’

And when he was alone, those around him with the Twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, ‘To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.” ’

And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns: they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.’

27Jan

Gospel of the day (Mark 3:31-35)

27 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel of the day (Mark 3:31-35)

At that time: The mother of Jesus and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.’ And he answered them, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.’

26Jan

One in Christ, united in mission

26 Jan, 2026 | Missio Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

In his message for World Mission Sunday 2026, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV invites us to be 'one in Christ, united in mission!'

DEAR brothers and sisters, for World Mission Day 2026, which marks the centenary of a celebration established by Pope Pius XI that is very dear to the Church, I have chosen the theme 'One in Christ, united in mission.'

26Jan

Join people from across Scotland for the Stations of the Cross each Monday in Lent at 7:45pm

26 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Join people from across Scotland for the Stations of the Cross each Monday in Lent at 7:45pm. Includes a brief reflection from a guest speaker.

Register at bit.ly/stations26

26Jan

Saints Timothy and Titus were close companions of Saint Paul and among his most trusted co workers in spreading the Gospel

26 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Saints Timothy and Titus were close companions of Saint Paul and among his most trusted co workers in spreading the Gospel. Their lives, as recorded in the New Testament, show the early Church being built amid hardship, opposition and constant travel.

Saint Timothy was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother, Eunice, and was brought to faith through the witness of his family and Saint Paul himself. Converted around the year 47, he became one of Paul’s closest collaborators, assisting him in founding churches and carrying out difficult missions. Though young and naturally timid, Timothy was entrusted with great responsibility, eventually representing Paul in Ephesus. Paul’s letters to him reveal both deep affection and practical pastoral guidance.

Saint Titus was a Gentile convert and a valued missionary partner of Paul. Known for his wisdom and calm leadership, he was often sent to resolve tensions within troubled communities. Paul relied on him during a particularly difficult period in Corinth, where Titus helped restore peace and unity. Later, he was placed in charge of the Church on Crete, tasked with organising the community and appointing leaders.

Together, Timothy and Titus stand as examples of faithful service, pastoral courage and trust in God amid the challenges of the early Church.

Saints Timothy and Titus, pray for us.

26Jan

Gospel of the day (Mark 3:22-30)

26 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel of the day (Mark 3:22-30)

At that time: The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul,’ and ‘By the prince of demons he casts out the demons.’ And he called them to him and said to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

‘Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’ — for they were saying, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’

25Jan

Gospel of the day (Matthew 4:12-23)

25 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel of the day (Matthew 4:12-23)

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

24Jan

Saint Francis de Sales was born into a noble family in Savoy and was originally destined for a career in law and public life

24 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Saint Francis de Sales was born into a noble family in Savoy and was originally destined for a career in law and public life. After studying law at Padua and earning his doctorate, he surprised his family by choosing the priesthood instead. Though his father strongly opposed this decision, Francis won him over through patience, humility and gentle persistence.

Ordained a priest, Francis was sent to minister in Geneva, a region deeply affected by Calvinism. Through preaching and the simple pamphlets he wrote to explain the Catholic faith, he helped bring many people back to the Church. His approach was marked not by argument, but by kindness and clarity.

At thirty five, he became Bishop of Geneva. He remained close to his people, preaching often, hearing confessions and teaching the faith, especially to children. His gentleness became his hallmark, summed up in his famous insight that kindness wins hearts more effectively than harshness.

Saint Francis de Sales is best known for his spiritual writings, especially Introduction to the Devout Life, in which he insists that holiness is not reserved for monks and nuns, but is possible in every state of life. For this reason, he is honoured as the patron saint of the Catholic press.

Alongside Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, he also founded the Order of the Visitation, whose charism continues to shape the Church today.

Saint Francis de Sales, pray for us.

24Jan

Gospel of the day (Mark 3:20-21)

24 Jan, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel of the day (Mark 3:20-21)

At that time: Jesus went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.’