The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

Pope Francis RIP

17th December 1936 – 21st April 2025

May he rest in peace

Message of Bishop Keenan President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

It was with deep sadness that we woke to the news that Pope Francis has died and we share in the sense of loss of millions of people across the world. It is a consolation to us that he went to the LORD on Easter Monday and the great Easter Day as a sort of first fruits of the salvation which the Risen Christ shares with His Church.

We thank GOD for the Pope’s service which was always human and humble in its informal style and with a message of GOD’s universal love and unconditional mercy that brought hope to so many.

A man of the poor who lived simply, Pope Francis was a voice for the voiceless and all those who find themselves on the margins in our world. A man of peace, he called the Church to listen to everyone, to move forward together as a family, to find a conciliatory approach to those of different beliefs and lifestyles, for an end to conflicts across the world and for the care of Creation as GOD’s precious gift to humanity.

He gave of himself to the end, offering up his final illness with serenity, his last acts being to visit Rome’s prison on Holy Thursday and to wish the crowds gathered in Saint Peter’s a Happy Easter.

We pray he will be enjoying the full fruits of the Resurrection, resting from his work, his good deeds going with him.

May he rest in peace.

Bishop John Keenan

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.

Click here to visit the Jubilee 2025 website

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

Webinar - Celebrating 10 Years of Laudato Si - Raising Hope for Climate Justice - Wednesday 23rd April, 7.30pm-9pm

News from the Commissions and Agencies

Archive by category: BCoS FacebookReturn

September 2024

24Sep

Bishop John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley and spokesperson for the Bishops’ Conference on life issues said:

24 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Bishop John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley and spokesperson for the Bishops’ Conference on life issues said:

“This is a chilling day for fundamental freedoms, including our basic right as citizens in Scotland to manifest our beliefs in public, religious or otherwise.

“None of the arguments made were able to get around the basic premise that Police Scotland had never asked for more powers and even told the Parliament they were “really uncomfortable” with the bewildering suggestion of having to police people’s thoughts under the new law.

“The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland condemns all harassment and intimidation of people but continues to note the poor case made that this sort of behaviour was in any way the ethos of Scottish vigils, and endorses the view of Police Scotland, that there are already ample laws in place to deal with such behaviour. This law is certainly unnecessary in terms of public order and will disproportionately affect citizens of faith.”

Bishop Keenan added: “While we commend the one MSP who was prepared to recognise and call out the injustice of this draconian law which now criminalises citizen’s thoughts and makes it illegal to pray in certain parts of the country, it is concerning that there was only one.”

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

23Sep

Pakistan: Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy - Vatican News

23 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2024-09/pakistan-blasphemy-death-sentence-christian-woman-whatsapp.html

According to the judges, Shagufta Kiran shared an offensive message against Islam on WhatsApp. The woman, currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi, was ...

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

23Sep

https://rcpolitics.org/ Praying to become illegal in parts of Scotland as new buffer zone law comes into force

23 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://rcpolitics.org/ Praying to become illegal in parts of Scotland as new buffer zone law comes into force

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

23Sep

We have relaunched our website

23 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

We have relaunched our website. Includes news from our commissions and agencies, Catholic Scotland info, Bishops’ roles, links to all dioceses, reports and more. Visit www.bcos.org.uk

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

23Sep

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina | Franciscan Media

23 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-pio-of-pietrelcina/

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, popularly known as Padre Pio, grew up in southern Italy. At the age of 15, he joined the Capuchins and was ordained in 1910. In 1918 he received the stigmata, the markings of the crucified Jesus, which he then bore for the next 50 years.

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

22Sep

Please pray for Mgr. Henry Docherty

22 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Please pray for Mgr. Henry Docherty, former secretary general of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, who died this morning. May he rest in peace.

It is with deep regret that we have to advise you of the death of Monsignor Henry Docherty, who passed away this morning in Summerlee Care Home in Coatbridge.

1930 Born Glasgow
Attended St.Mungo’s Academy
1949 Scots College Rome
1955 Ordained Rome
1956-1959 St. James’ Coatbridge
1959-1967 St. Patrick’s Wishaw
1967-1968 St. Bartholomew’s Coatbridge
1968-1969 St. Augustine’s Coatbridge
1969-1970 St. Brendan’s Motherwell
1970-1978 Chaplain Notre Dame College of Education
1978-1979 St. Serf’s Airdrie
1979-1987 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Rome
1987 Secretary Bishops Conference of Scotland

Further information, and details of the funeral arrangements for Monsignor Henry, will be provided in due course.

Our Lady, Queen of Priests, pray for him.

Requiescat in pace.

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

22Sep

Fewer than 50% of respondents to Scottish consultation fully support Scotland assisted suicide bill

22 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://righttolife.org.uk/news/fewer-than-50-of-respondents-to-scottish-consultation-fully-support-scotland-assisted-suicide-bill

Results of a Scottish Parliament consultation on Liam McArthur’s assisted suicide Bill show that fewer than 50% of respondents to the consultation fully

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

21Sep

Euthanasia: A Warning from Canada

21 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Euthanasia: A Warning from Canada.
Thursday 3rd October, 7.30 – 9pm, Gillis Centre, 100 Strathern Road, Edinburgh EH9 1BB

Learn how Assisted Suicide has failed in Canada, and what you can do to stop it in Scotland.

Alex Schadenberg is a Catholic from Canada and a world expert on the dangers of euthanasia. He's coming to Scotland to explain why mistakes in Canada could easily happen in here.

In Canada, as with all euthanasia laws, they started with “strict safeguards” which were then widened so that a Canadian veteran was offered euthanasia when what she really wanted was a wheelchair lift. And funding has been cut for hospices who refuse to take part in euthanasia.

This could happen in Scotland if the "Assisted Dying" Bill is passed in the Scottish Parliament.

At this in-person event, organised by the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh and Care Not Killing, Alex will tell you what went wrong in Canada, and how to stop it in Scotland.

By the end of the talk, you’ll have lots of information to put to your MSPs and others to explain why “assisted dying” proposals are so dangerous to the most vulnerable people in Scotland.

Register here: https://bit.ly/warningfromcanada

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

21Sep

Second synod session to open with penitential liturgy

21 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/second-synod-session-open-penitential-liturgy

The liturgy will include time to listen to the testimonies of three people: one who suffered from the sin of abuse, one from the sin of war and third from the sin of indifference to the plight of migrants, according to a Vatican statement announcing the liturgy.

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

21Sep

Saint Matthew | Franciscan Media

21 Sep, 2024 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-matthew/

Matthew was a Jew who worked for the Romans as a tax collector. His fellow Jews considered him a traitor and resented him. The Pharisees viewed him, and all tax collectors, as sinners. So it was a real shock to hear that Jesus called such a man to be one of his followers. But that’s the kind of th...

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)