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

3rd September 2026

3 September 2026

Scotland Must Stand with Both Mother and Child

I note with concern the Scottish Government’s response to a recent parliamentary question on abortion law and access to later-stage abortion services. While the Government has indicated that it has no immediate plans to reform abortion law in 2026–27, it has also reaffirmed its intention to consult on the recommendations of the abortion law review advisory group and to establish a nationally commissioned later-stage abortion service in Scotland.

The advisory group, which excluded prolife voices and which adopted a principle of “non-regression” on abortion provision, lacks both legitimacy and credibility. It has made radical recommendations to the Scottish Government which, if implemented, would effectively permit abortion up to birth for any reason and remove the current requirement for two doctors to approve abortions up to 24 weeks. It is astonishing that the report also recommends that future legislation should make no reference to sex-selective abortion, paving the way for unborn babies to be aborted simply because they are deemed to be the wrong sex.

I recognise the real fear, pressure and hardship that can accompany an unexpected or crisis pregnancy. Women in such circumstances deserve compassion, practical assistance, emotional support and the assurance that neither they nor their children will be abandoned. A truly caring society must respond to vulnerability by offering hope and help, not by making abortion more readily available at later stages of pregnancy.

The establishment of later-stage abortion provision in Scotland, alongside proposals to weaken existing legal safeguards, raises grave moral and social questions. Every unborn child is a unique human life deserving of protection, and every mother should be supported in ways that uphold her dignity and the dignity of her child. I therefore make a direct appeal to all elected representatives who recognise the inherent dignity of every human life, to reject any further liberalisation of abortion provisions in Scotland and to oppose measures that would remove essential safeguards or further weaken protection for unborn children.

I urge the Scottish Government and all MSPs to prioritise policies that expand support for women and families, reduce the pressures that lead to abortion, and foster a culture in which every life is welcomed and protected from conception to natural death. Scotland should aspire to be a nation where compassion means standing with both mother and child.

Bishop John Keenan,

President of the National Office for Marriage, Family and Life, Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

...ENDS

Notes for editors

Photo of Bishop John Keenan: Photo of Bishop John Keenan

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]

21st August 2026

21 August 2026

Final appeal to Catholics ahead of Westminster assisted suicide vote

Bishop John Keenan has issued a pastoral letter urging Catholics across Scotland to contact their MPs ahead of the return of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to the House of Commons on Friday 11 September.

The Bill, reintroduced by Lauren Edwards MP, would permit eligible terminally ill adults in England and Wales to receive assistance to end their lives. A similar Bill was defeated in the Scottish Parliament last March.

Although this new legislation would apply only to England and Wales, Bishop Keenan stresses that this remains an important moment for Catholics in Scotland. The outcome at Westminster could have significant consequences north of the border and potentially reignite attempts to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland.

In his letter, Bishop Keenan describes the coming vote as a “grave moment for the protection of human life” and urges Catholics to contact their MPs “without delay” and ask them to oppose the Bill.

Bishop Keenan said:

“Our opposition to assisted suicide is rooted in compassion. Every person, from conception until natural death, possesses an inviolable dignity as one made in the image and likeness of God.”

Warning particularly of the potential consequences for vulnerable people, he added:

“Illness, frailty, disability, dependence or fear must never lead society to conclude that some lives are no longer worth living.”

The Bishop calls instead for greater investment in palliative and hospice care and better support for carers, insisting that “the proper response to suffering is care, presence, skilled palliative medicine and practical support—not the deliberate ending of life.”

Scotland’s Catholic bishops encourage all who stand on the side of life to contact their MP today and without delay, asking them to protect vulnerable people, support better palliative and hospice care, and vote against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

...ENDS

Notes to Editor

Photo of the Bishop John Keenan: https://www.bcos.org.uk/portals/0/@publications/photos/bishop%20john%20keenan.gif

Pastoral Letter from Bishop Keenan: https://www.bcos.org.uk/portals/0/@publications/letters/Pastoral Letter - Assisted Suicide Westminster - August 2026.pdf

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. Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

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 category: BCoS FacebookReturn

February 2026

06Feb

Gospel

06 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel
Mark 6:14-29
‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’

At that time: King Herod heard of Jesus, for his name had become known. Some said, ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘He is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’ For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.’ And he vowed to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.’ And she went out and said to her mother, ‘For what should I ask?’ And she said, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

05Feb

Very little is known with certainty about Saint Agatha, other than that she was martyred in Sicily during the persecution of Emp...

05 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Very little is known with certainty about Saint Agatha, other than that she was martyred in Sicily during the persecution of Emperor Decius around the year 251. Like other virgin martyrs of the early Church, her witness was marked by courage and steadfast faith.

According to ancient tradition, Agatha was arrested for being a Christian and subjected to severe suffering. Despite attempts to break her resolve, she remained faithful to Christ and was ultimately put to death for her belief.

Saint Agatha is honoured as the patron saint of Catania and Palermo. In the years following her martyrdom, her intercession was credited with protecting the city of Catania during an eruption of Mount Etna. Because of this, she has long been invoked for protection against fire and natural disasters.

Saint Agatha, pray for us.

05Feb

Gospel

05 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel
Mark 6:7-13
‘He began to send them out.’

At that time: Jesus called the Twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff — no bread, no bag, no money in their belts — but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, ‘Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

04Feb

There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them

04 Feb, 2026 | Missio Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them

#MissiosWednesdayWisdom

04Feb

Gospel

04 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel
Mark 6:1-6
‘A prophet is not without honour, except in his home town.’

At that time: Jesus came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour, except in his home town and among his relatives and in his own household.’ And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

03Feb

Very little is known about the life of Saint Blaise, yet devotion to him has spread widely throughout the Church

03 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Very little is known about the life of Saint Blaise, yet devotion to him has spread widely throughout the Church. His feast has long been observed with great reverence, especially in Eastern Christian traditions, and for centuries the blessing of throats has been associated with his memory.

Saint Blaise was Bishop of Sebastea in Armenia and was martyred around the year 316 during a time of continued persecution in the region. Later accounts describe him as a devoted shepherd who cared deeply for the spiritual and physical wellbeing of his people. Forced to flee the city, he lived for a time in solitude, dedicating himself to prayer.

Tradition tells of his arrest after being discovered by hunters, and of a miracle attributed to him on the way to prison, when a child suffering from a fish bone lodged in his throat was healed through his prayer. This event lies behind the enduring custom of invoking Saint Blaise for protection against illnesses of the throat.

Blaise remained steadfast in his faith, refusing to renounce Christ despite severe suffering. He was eventually put to death for his witness, and is honoured as a martyr of the early Church.

03Feb

Gospel

03 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel
Mark 5:21-43
‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’

At that time: When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.’ And he went with him.
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, ‘If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.’ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my garments?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, “Who touched me?” ’ And he looked round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’
While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha cumi’, which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ And immediately the girl got up and began walking, for she was twelve years of age, and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

02Feb

Photos from Bishops' Conference of Scotland's post

02 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill is about protection and real support.

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland have written to the First Minister of Scotland expressing support for Ash Regan’s Bill, describing it as a vital step in addressing the harm linked to prostitution.

The Bill shifts the focus away from those who are exploited and onto those who create demand — criminalising buyers, not sellers — while repealing outdated offences that penalised vulnerable individuals.

It recognises the reality that many involved in prostitution face serious vulnerabilities, including trauma, abuse, grooming, and increasing risks from online and technology-facilitated exploitation.

Crucially, the Bill also establishes a statutory right to support — including accommodation, healthcare, financial assistance, and counselling — helping people exit prostitution safely and rebuild their lives.

This is about reducing harm, challenging demand, and offering real pathways to freedom and recovery.

02Feb

In the late fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and recorded what she witnessed in a remarkable...

02 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

In the late fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and recorded what she witnessed in a remarkable travel journal. Her writings give us one of the earliest insights into the Church’s liturgical life, including the celebration of Christ’s birth and the solemn procession marking His Presentation in the Temple forty days later.

This feast recalls Jesus being brought into the Temple in accordance with the Law, marking His first public appearance there. While it reflects the customs surrounding purification after childbirth, the focus of the celebration rests firmly on Christ, who is presented to the Lord.

By the fifth and sixth centuries, the feast had spread throughout the Western Church. Since Christmas was celebrated on December twenty five, the Presentation came to be observed on February two, forty days later.

In the early eighth century, a candlelight procession was introduced, followed later by the blessing and distribution of candles. From this tradition comes the feast’s familiar name, Candlemas, celebrating Christ as the light of the nations.

02Feb

Gospel

02 Feb, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel
Luke 2:22-40
‘The child grew, filled with wisdom.’

When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons’.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the Temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.’

And his father and his mother marvelled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed — and a sword will pierce through your own soul also — so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the Temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favour of God was upon him.