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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

30th July 2026


30 July 2026

Bishop Welcomes Prime Minister’s Call to Prioritise Care Reforms Before Westminster Assisted Suicide Vote

Bishop John Keenan, the Bishop with responsibility for Marriage, Family and Life for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, has welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s call for the serious gaps in palliative and social care to be addressed before the Westminster Parliament considers assisted suicide legislation.

Bishop Keenan said:

“The Prime Minister’s intervention is both timely and welcome. We have a duty to ensure that every person approaching the end of life has access to the compassionate palliative and social care they deserve. No one should ever feel driven towards assisted suicide because they lack the care, support or dignity they need.

“We were grateful that the Scottish Parliament resolutely rejected assisted suicide only recently. We hope this latest intervention will encourage Members of the Westminster Parliament to reflect carefully before taking a step that would fundamentally change the way our society cares for the sick and vulnerable.

“As our Catholic Parliamentary Officer, Anthony Horan, has rightly said: ‘The last thing the country needs is another divisive debate about assisted suicide. We need to make progress in improving palliative and social care, not offering vulnerable people state support to end their lives.’ I share that conviction wholeheartedly.

“This is an opportunity to rethink the whole approach to assisted suicide. The compassionate response to suffering is never to help people end their lives, but to ensure they receive the high-quality care, love and accompaniment they need. Let us pray for all who are seriously ill, for their families and carers, and for those in public office, that they may always uphold the dignity of every human life and work to build a society that truly cares for its most vulnerable members.”

Bishop John Keenan

President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

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 category: BCoS FacebookReturn
April 2026
“Trust in God still…”

Join us this June for a Festival of Synodality — a day of encounter, listening, and renewal in the life of the Church in Scotland.

📅 Saturday 6th June
📍 Glasgow Caledonian University

Book your place today.
http://bit.ly/synodality26

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Moments from Bamenda as Pope Leo XIV gathered with the local community for a Meeting for Peace. 🇨🇲

With thousands coming together in prayer, the Holy Father’s presence was a clear call for reconciliation, unity, and a renewed path forward.













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Your support for Missio Scotland, and our PMS partners, ensures that children in countries such as Senegal are provided with the highest standard of love and care

#MissiosFridayFacts

@followers

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In Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV reminded the world that peace is not just a hope, but something we are called to live out each day.

Amid conflict and suffering, he urged us to reject division and choose a path rooted in love, justice, and unity because true peace must be lived, not just spoken. 

“Let us walk together in love, searching always for peace.”

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St John the Baptist Church in Uddingston is hosting a Divine Renovation Open Day on 25 April. This is a free event.

Father James Mallon, the author of ‘Divine Renovation: Bringing Your Parish from Maintenance to Mission' and the founder of Divine Renovation, is travelling from Canada for the event.

Parishioners from St John the Baptist, who have organised a series of Alpha courses as part of the Wellspring initiative, will share their experience of how the parish is striving to evangelise, to be a missionary church, and to be a beacon of hope for God’s love.

The event, which runs from 9:30pm to 5pm at St John the Baptist, Uddingston will include a Mass celebrated by Bishop Toal.

All are welcome, and you can register at https://divinerenovation.org/calendar/open-house-scotland/

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Archbishop Richard Moth of Diocese of Westminster, Archbishop John Wilson of Archdiocese of Southwark, and the Bishops' Conference of Scotland are standing firmly with Pope Leo XIV — highlighting the Church’s call to peace and reconciliation in times of conflict.

Read Edward Pentin’s report: https://ewtn.co.uk/article-church-leaders-worldwide-including-in-the-uk-defend-pope-leo-xiv-after-trump-criticism/
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Gospel
John 3:7-15
‘No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.’

At that time: Jesus said to Nicodemus, ‘ Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born anew.” The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’
Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.’

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Gospel
John 3:1-8
‘Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born anew.” The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’

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Abbie from Group 116 caught up with from Archbishop Leo Cushley, President of HCPT, as he joined us in Lourdes earlier this week.

He reminded us why we are here with Our Lady, supporting the children, and walking together as one HCPT family.

Lourdes is a place of prayer, a place of encounter, but also a place where we can enjoy one another’s company and build lasting friendships.

As we celebrated 70 years, we gave thanks for all that has been… and all that is still to come.

Happy 70th birthday, HCPT.

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Gospel
John 20:19-31
‘Eight days later, Jesus came.’

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.’
Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord’. But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

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