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

17th May 2026

17 May 2026

Pastoral Letter - Communications Sunday 2026

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.’

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I want to share with you an encounter I had recently before Sunday Mass. A young man appeared outside the Cathedral as the regulars were entering. He had never been inside, and he asked if it was ok for him to go in even though he was a stranger. Obviously, the answer was yes, and the Adminstrator of the Cathedral asked one of the parishioners to sit with him so he wasn’t on his own. After Mass, he came out, happy to have been there and said he would be back. And he did come back.

The next time, after Mass, I asked him to tell me what brought him here. In short, he said he had grown up with no particular faith and, in his adulthood, decided to investigate Christianity online so he could disprove it. But things went in an entirely different direction, and he began to see the truth of the Christian faith, and he determined to come to a Catholic church. When I asked him why he came to this specific church, he said he had checked it out online first and felt it was the right place for him.

I don’t know where his story will end, but I do know this looks like a story of evangelisation, one where the Lord has spoken in his heart and somehow steered him in our direction. And a large part of that was through the digital world. It was there that he made his first connection with the Church and, from there, that he decided to make the next step. However, that’s just the start. It’s not the end point: that comes through the personal encounter with Christ face-to-face in the Church. But it can be one important contact that starts the journey of faith.

Don’t get me wrong, we will never get away from the fact that the principal evangelisers in the Church are those who have already heard the Word of God and answered his call to discipleship: that’s you I’m talking about. We all have a role to play in witnessing to our faith; in loving God and our neighbour openly and with courage; in reflecting the joy of the Gospel.

But as a Church we have always supported this universal duty to be evangelisers by using all the means at our disposal to reach out to our brothers and sisters in all places. And as part of our mission, the National Office for Communications and Evangelisation is at your service and Christ’s service.

Over the past year, among other things,

we have expanded our digital footprint on social media;
we have supported the Church’s prophetic voice most notably in the lead-up to the Holyrood vote on assisted suicide;
we have worked with other partners in the Church to advance their missions;
and we have sought to communicate more clearly the work of the Catholic Church in Scotland.

It is still early days, and we are just getting started. And inevitably, I am going to ask some things of you:

Pray! As missionaries, we work with and for the Lord, so we start by asking him to be with us and the Spirit to enliven us;
Be a public Catholic! Don’t be shy and be happy to let others know what your faith means to you. Do not underestimate the value of your personal witness;
And yes, I am going to ask for financial support. If we are to use the means of communications at our disposal then the bare fact is that it costs money, so I ask you to give what you can to the collection.

The Good News is that the story of that young man who appeared at the door of the Cathedral is one repeated in churches across the country. There is a hunger amongst many people that can only be satisfied by the love of God made present in Jesus Christ. Let us all play our part in communicating that love of God and welcoming our brothers and sisters into the family of God.

Yours in Christ,

Bishop Frank Dougan
Bishop of Galloway

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

January 2026

21Jan

Gospel of the day (Mark 3:1-6)

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

Gospel of the day (Mark 3:1-6)

At that time: Again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Come here.’ And he said to them, ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?’ But they were silent. And he looked round at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

20Jan

Soaring Bible sales prove the young are looking for meaning in our soulless culture

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

Recent data shows that sales of the Bible have reached unprecedented levels in the United Kingdom, with numbers up significantly compared to recent years. What’s especially striking is the growing interest among younger generations, many of whom are seeking meaning, purpose, and spiritual grounding in a culture that often feels empty or directionless.

Amid a culture that often feels empty, today’s young people are seeking spiritual meaning and rediscovering the power of the Scriptures. This trend suggests a deep desire for connection and truth in a rapidly changing world.

Let’s pray for continued openness to faith and that this renewed interest leads to deeper encounters with Christ. 🙏

Religious education is not what it once was. Today’s youth are now having to seek out spiritual experiences

20Jan

A Catholic charity worker has recently become an author of a children’s book, which explores how communities flourish

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

A Catholic charity worker has recently become an author of a children’s book, which explores how communities flourish.

Mum of one Elaine McGinlay has worked for the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund for 12 years and is their Education Officer. She has written a children’s book drawing on more than a decade of work in development education.

Elaine was inspired to write the book The Wisdom of the River after she visited SCIAF’S partner communities and witnessed how they supported one another to flourish in the face of challenges such as severe droughts.

Every Catholic primary school in Scotland will now receive a free copy.

Elaine said: “My wee boy Matthew thinks it’s really cool that his mum wrote his new favourite bedtime story, although he is a wee bit young for it. It’s mainly aimed at 7-10 year olds.

“Matthew goes to the same primary school I went to – St Timothy’s. My mum used to be known affectionately in the school as “the SCIAF lady” for her long-term commitment to fundraising! He loves choosing different paths through the story and is looking forward to sharing with his teacher.”

The book follows the story of a community which lives on the banks of a wide, flowing river and the choices they face as they work together to help their town flourish and ‘sing again’. On each page, readers choose what happens next and which characters they wish to speak to, creating an interactive, choose-your-own-story adventure.

The book is a gentle introduction to Integral Human Development — the Catholic Church’s holistic vision of human flourishing, which considers the whole person and whole community. This vision shapes SCIAF’s work around the world.

The Wisdom of the River has been written for families and classrooms and explores the themes of faith, sustainable development and human flourishing.

The book allows readers to navigate challenges drawn from the real experiences of SCIAF’s partner communities around the world, such as collecting rainwater.

There is also a Gaelic version of the book.

Elaine added: “The Wisdom of the River brings SCIAF’s work to life in a gentle way, and I think it is a wonderful addition to any school or home library.

“My hope is that families enjoy reading this book aloud together and learn how flourishing isn’t only about material needs or simple solutions to complex global issues, including poverty and hunger, but about many connected solutions.”

20Jan

Gospel of the day (Mark 2:23-28)

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

Gospel of the day (Mark 2:23-28)

One Sabbath the Lord was going through the cornfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck ears of corn. And the Pharisees were saying to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?’ And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.’

19Jan

SNP MSP drops assisted dying support over coercion concerns

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

MSP withdraws support for Holyrood Assisted Suicide Bill.

The SNP’s Audrey Nicoll cites significant concerns around coercion, the risk of a slippery slope and rejection of reasonable safeguards by Holyrood’s Heath Committee as the reasons why she has changed her mind.

SNP parliamentarian Audrey Nicoll, convenor of Holyrood’s criminal justice committee, had backed Liam McArthur’s members bill at its first stage…

19Jan

Gospel of the day (Mark 2:18-22)

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

Gospel of the day (Mark 2:18-22)

At that time: John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to Jesus, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins — and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.’

18Jan

Photos from Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh's post

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

18Jan

Gospel of the day (John 1:29-34)

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

Gospel of the day (John 1:29-34)

At that time: John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.” I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptising with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John bore witness: ‘I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptise with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptises with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.’

17Jan

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites Christians across Scotland to pause, pray, and reflect on Christ’s call to unity ...

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

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites Christians across Scotland to pause, pray, and reflect on Christ’s call to unity among His followers. Christian unity Week is observed from 18 to 25 January. This week invites Christians to reflect prayerfully on Christ’s call to unity and to place this intention before Him.

Reflecting on the theme One Body, One Spirit, Archbishop Leo reminds us:

"In Scotland we are blessed to share friendships with Christians of other traditions, friendships rooted not in convenience but in a genuine desire to follow Christ more faithfully. The Catholic Church in Scotland has officially acknowledged friendship with the Scottish Episcopal Church; The St Ninian Declaration reminds us of our shared witness, charity and service. The St Margaret Declaration, meanwhile, encourages honest and warm dialogue grounded in truth with our friends in the Church of Scotland. These commitments do not gloss over sincerely held differences of the past or the present. Rather, we endeavour to see in each other a fellow disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, and to grow together in charity as brothers and sisters in Christ. We acknowledge real differences between our Churches, and we do so without fear, because friendship among Christians is not a threat to faith but a fruit of it. So we pray for unity by placing ourselves before Christ, asking that He deepen our love for His Church, strengthen our respect for one another, and lead us, in His time and by His grace, closer to the unity He desires.”

17Jan

Saint Anthony, abbot, often called the father of Christian monasticism, lived a life of radical Gospel simplicity

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

Saint Anthony, abbot, often called the father of Christian monasticism, lived a life of radical Gospel simplicity. As a young man, he was deeply moved by Christ’s words to sell what one has and give to the poor, and he freely gave away his inheritance to live a life of prayer, fasting and solitude.

Unlike Saint Francis of Assisi, with whom he is often compared, Anthony spent most of his life as a hermit in the desert. There, through asceticism and constant prayer, he became a powerful witness to spiritual freedom. Yet his solitude was never selfish. Many sought him out for counsel, healing and guidance, and his holiness drew others to the same way of life.

Later in life, Anthony helped organise a loose community of hermits, laying foundations for monastic life in the Church. He also stood firmly for the faith, supporting persecuted Christians and later opposing the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ.

Saint Anthony died in solitude at a great age, having spent his life in prayer and spiritual battle. His witness continues to inspire those seeking a life rooted in simplicity, faith and total trust in God.