The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

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

February 2026

14Feb

Gospel

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

Gospel
Luke 10:1-9
‘Your peace will rest upon him.’

At that time: The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money bag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace be to this house!” And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the labourer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” ’

13Feb

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

Have you ever felt a quiet nudge in your heart, a sense that God might be asking something more of you?

The call to the priesthood often begins gently. It can grow through prayer, through serving others, or through a deep desire to give your life completely to Christ and His Church. If you have been wondering whether God could be calling you to become a priest, you are not alone.

The next step is simple. Speak to someone. Each diocese in Scotland has a Vocations Director who is there to listen, to guide you, and to help you discern what God is asking of you.

If you are considering this call, take that step and get in touch today.
Visit https://priestsforscotland.org.uk/diocesan-vocations-directors/ to find the contact details for your diocesan Vocations Director.

Come and see where the Lord may be leading you.
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13Feb

Holy Mass of Friday of the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time | 13 February 2026

13 Feb, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Holy Mass of Friday of the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time | 13 February 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

13Feb

Gospel

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

Gospel
Mark 7:31-37
‘He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’

At that time: Jesus returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’

12Feb

Holy Mass of Thursday of the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time | 12 February 2026

12 Feb, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Holy Mass of Thursday of the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time | 12 February 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

12Feb

Gospel

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

Gospel
Mark 7:24-30
‘The dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’

At that time: Jesus arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ And he said to her, ‘For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.’ And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

11Feb

The 2026 Cardinal Winning Lecture takes place on Saturday 7th March

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

The 2026 Cardinal Winning Lecture takes place on Saturday 7th March. This year’s lecture, “Why the Way of Beauty Matters in Catholic Education,” will be delivered by Dr Jem Sullivan, Associate Professor in the School of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

Programme for the day:
9:30 – Mass, celebrated by Bishop John Keenan (University Chapel)
10:15 – Light refreshments (Fore Hall, Room 256)
11:00 – Lecture followed by Q&A (Humanity Lecture Theatre, Room 255)
12:20 – Prayer
12:30 – Lunch (Fore Hall)

👉 Reserve your place here: https://buytickets.at/standrewsfoundation/2035593

11Feb

Did you know the Vatican Gardens have their own Lourdes Grotto?

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

Did you know the Vatican Gardens have their own Lourdes Grotto?

Tucked away within the gardens is a faithful replica of the grotto at Lourdes, standing there since 1905. It was first suggested as a gift to Pope Leo XIII in 1902, designed by architect Costantino Sneider, and later inaugurated by St Pius X on 28 March 1905, a little echo of Lourdes in the heart of the Vatican.

It was here, on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of the Sick, that Pope Leo XIV met with a group of sick pilgrims. In that quiet and prayerful setting, he reminded them that Our Lady shows us how to understand suffering through love and how love transforms even our heaviest crosses.

11Feb

Holy Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes | 11 February 2026

11 Feb, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Holy Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes | 11 February 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

11Feb

In 1854, Pope Pius IX solemnly proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception

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

In 1854, Pope Pius IX solemnly proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Just a few years later, in 1858, a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous experienced a series of apparitions at Lourdes. During one of these, on 25th March, the lady revealed her identity with the words, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Bernadette was a sickly child from a poor family with little formal education in the faith. She knew only a few basic prayers and struggled to describe what she saw, speaking simply of a beautiful young lady dressed in white, wearing a blue sash, with a rosary and golden roses on her feet. The lady treated Bernadette with great gentleness and respect, speaking to her with dignity.

Through Bernadette’s humility, Mary renewed the faith of countless people. Pilgrims soon began travelling to Lourdes from across France and beyond. In 1862, the Church officially recognised the authenticity of the apparitions, and devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes quickly spread throughout the world.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.