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

19th August 2026

19 August 2026

Church Leaders Welcome New Fund to Support Scotland’s Listed Places of Worship

Scotland’s Catholic bishops have joined other religious leaders in welcoming a new £1 million fund to cover the cost of repairs to listed buildings in Scotland.

Bishop John Keenan, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland, and Rt. Rev. Gordon Kennedy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said the money will provide much-needed support to maintain historically significant assets at the heart of community life.

The Scotland Places of Worship Fund will open this autumn to help congregations – from any faith group or denomination – recover VAT costs associated with repair works if they worship in a listed building.

The pilot scheme was developed in response to the closure of the previous UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme earlier this year, which sent shockwaves throughout faith communities.

The Scottish Churches Leaders’ Forum and the Scottish Churches Committee urged the UK and Scottish Governments to ensure that listed places of worship are not disproportionately affected by the decision to end the grant scheme in Scotland.

Church members were invited to write to their local elected representatives asking them to lobby the Scottish Government to launch a substitute scheme to ease the financial pressure on congregations.

The money will be made available through the existing Historic Environment Scotland (HES) grants budget and is a standalone scheme.

Bishop Keenan said: “We warmly welcome Historic Environment Scotland's announcement of the Places of Worship Fund pilot for Scotland, which recognises the vital contribution that churches and other places of worship make to Scotland's heritage and community life.”

“The fund will provide much-needed support for the care and conservation of these important buildings, helping to address the loss of the previous UK-wide scheme.”

“We look forward to engaging constructively with Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government as the pilot progresses and to discussions on establishing a permanent, sustainable funding arrangement for the future.”

Commenting on the announcement, the Rt. Rev. Gordon Kennedy said:

“I’m very grateful for the support of HES and the Scottish Government in recognising the importance of places of worship, which are so often cherished by people beyond members of the congregation.”

“We know how difficult it is for communities to lose their place of worship, and support for repairs and maintenance will help keep more places warm, wind and watertight, and it makes it just a wee bit easier for local volunteers to care for these historic assets.”

Religious leaders are encouraging eligible parishes and communities to consider applying when the fund opens for applications later this year. Detailed information can be found at:

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/about-us/news/hes-launches-pilot-fund-to-support-scotlands-historic-places-of-worship/

Contact:

Media Office

Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
64 Aitken Street, ML6 6LT
Tel: 01236 764061
Email: [email protected]

News from the Commissions and Agencies

June 2026

07Jun

Gospel

07 Jun, 2026 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel
John 6:51-58
‘My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.’

At that time: Jesus said to the Jews, ‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’
So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live for ever.’

06Jun

What does it mean to walk together as the Church in Scotland?

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

What does it mean to walk together as the Church in Scotland?

Today, 180 people from across the country gathered for the Festival of Synodality to reflect on listening, discernment, collaboration and the mission of the Church.

Through prayer, conversation and shared experiences, participants explored how clergy and laity can work together, share responsibility in parish life, and recognise the gifts and talents already present within our communities.

As one participant reflected:
"There is hope for the Church. The Holy Spirit is working."

Take a look at some of the voices and reflections from the day as participants share what they have learned and what they will take back to their parishes.

06Jun

Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary | 06 June 2026

06 Jun, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary | 06 June 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

06Jun

Photos from Bishops' Conference of Scotland's post

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

Pope Leo XIV has left Rome and is now en route to Madrid aboard the papal plane, marking the start of his seven-day Apostolic Journey to Spain.

📸 Vatican Media

06Jun

Gospel

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

Gospel
Mark 12:38-44
‘This poor widow has put in more than everyone.’

At that time: In his teaching Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the market-places, and have the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honour at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and, for a pretence, make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’

05Jun

Holy Mass of the Memorial of Saint Boniface | 05 June 2026

05 Jun, 2026 | Being Catholic | Being Catholic |

Holy Mass of the Memorial of Saint Boniface | 05 June 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

05Jun

Boniface, known as the apostle of the Germans, was an English Benedictine monk who gave up being elected abbot to devote his lif...

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

Boniface, known as the apostle of the Germans, was an English Benedictine monk who gave up being elected abbot to devote his life to the conversion of the Germanic tribes. Two characteristics stand out: his Christian orthodoxy and his fidelity to the pope of Rome.

How absolutely necessary this orthodoxy and fidelity were is borne out by the conditions Saint Boniface found on his first missionary journey in 719 at the request of Pope Gregory II. Paganism was a way of life. What Christianity he did find had either lapsed into paganism or was mixed with error. The clergy were mainly responsible for these latter conditions since they were in many instances uneducated, lax and questionably obedient to their bishops. In particular instances their very ordinations were questionable.

These are the conditions that Saint Boniface was to report in 722 on his first return visit to Rome. The Holy Father instructed him to reform the German Church. The pope sent letters of recommendation to religious and civil leaders. Boniface later admitted that his work would have been unsuccessful, from a human viewpoint, without a letter of safe-conduct from Charles Martel, the powerful Frankish ruler, grandfather of Charlemagne. Boniface was finally made a regional bishop and authorized to organize the whole German Church. He was eminently successful.

In the Frankish kingdom, he met great problems because of lay interference in bishops’ elections, the worldliness of the clergy and lack of papal control.

During a final mission to the Frisians, Boniface and 53 companions were massacred while he was preparing converts for confirmation.

In order to restore the Germanic Church to its fidelity to Rome and to convert the pagans, Saint Boniface had been guided by two principles. The first was to restore the obedience of the clergy to their bishops in union with the pope of Rome. The second was the establishment of many houses of prayer which took the form of Benedictine monasteries. A great number of Anglo-Saxon monks and nuns followed him to the continent, where he introduced the Benedictine nuns to the active apostolate of education.

05Jun

Gospel

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

Gospel
Mark 12:35-37
‘How can they say that the Christ is the son of David?’

At that time: As Jesus taught in the Temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.’ ” David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?’ And the great throng heard him gladly.

04Jun

Football is a universal pursuit that brings joy and happiness to millions of people throughout the world

04 Jun, 2026 | Missio Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Football is a universal pursuit that brings joy and happiness to millions of people throughout the world. In many ways, it mirrors the joy and happiness that the universal Church brings to people across the continents through our beloved faith and that's something to celebrate!

04Jun

Gospel

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

Gospel
Mark 12:28b-34
‘You shall love the Lord your God. You shall love your neighbour.’

At that time: One of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ And the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.