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

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

At Christmas, Christians across Scotland gathered around the crib to contemplate the life of a vulnerable child; God entering our world as a baby in need of care, protection and love. Christmas places fragile human life at the centre of everything.

It is therefore unsettling that this season saw the first person in Scotland charged under the new so-called “buffer zone” law in Scotland; a law the Church believes curtails Scotland’s commitment to freedom of expression and conscience, and restricts critical voices from democratic debate in the public square.

The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024 establishes “buffer zones” of up to 200 metres around abortion facilities — currently around 30 locations across Scotland. Within those zones, any conduct deemed to “influence” a decision about abortion may be criminalised. That vague description should trouble anyone who values legal clarity or free expression.

The Catholic Church does not condone harassment or intimidation, but that was not the intention of this law. The Church has been clear: harassment, intimidation and obstruction are wrong and unacceptable. But Scotland already has robust laws to deal with harassment, public disorder and threatening behaviour and it is telling that, when consulted on the proposed new law, Police Scotland did not ask for more powers, and went as far to state in written evidence to Parliament that, “existing powers and offences are sufficient to address any unlawful behaviour in the vicinity of healthcare premises.” When parliaments introduce criminal offences where existing law is already sufficient, questions should be raised and alarm bells ring.

We oppose this law because it is disproportionate and undemocratic. It represents state overreach and curtails basic freedoms. The Church would similarly oppose legislation mandating buffer zones outside nuclear weapons facilities or refugee detention centres. This should concern every Scottish citizen, regardless of their views on abortion.

As the Parliamentary Officer for the Catholic Church in Scotland pointed out, women experiencing crisis pregnancies may be “denied the opportunity to freely speak to people and organisations who may be able to help them.” A law supposedly designed to protect choice risks doing the opposite — eliminating one side of a conversation and one set of choices altogether.

Even more troubling is what the legislation anticipates. Official documentation accompanying the Act acknowledges that the law envisages criminalising “praying audibly” and “silent vigils."

This is unprecedented in modern Scotland, and it is no wonder it has raised eyebrows around the world, with concerns raised around Scotland’s commitment to human rights and freedom of expression and religion.

The implications go further. The Act extends to private homes within designated zones. A pro-life poster displayed in a window, a conversation overheard, a prayer said by a window; all could, in principle, fall within the scope of criminal sanction. When asked directly whether praying by a window in your own home could constitute an offence, Gillian Mackay, the Scottish Green Party MSP, who spearheaded the legislation, replied: “That depends on who’s passing the window.” That sends a chill down the spine of anyone who cares about civil liberties. Criminal law that depends on the perception of a passer-by is certainly not the hallmark of a free Scottish society.

The law also potentially criminalises a person standing alone in a buffer zone without any visible expression of protest, but who is deemed by others to be offering a silent pro-life inspired prayer. Even Police Scotland expressed unease. Superintendent Gerry Corrigan told Parliament that policing thought is an area they “would stay clear of,” adding: “I do not think we could go down the road of asking people what they are thinking or what their thoughts are. That feels really uncomfortable.” Yet, this is the territory into which Scottish law now ventures. Bishop John Keenan, President of the Bishops’ Conference, noted that “none of the arguments made were able to get around the basic premise that Police Scotland had never asked for more powers.” and that the law is “draconian” and “unnecessary,” particularly considering its impact on people of faith.

Some parliamentarians attempted to mitigate the effects of the law— proposing a reasonableness defence, or exemptions for chaplains who might be criminalised for pastoral conversations. All amendments were rejected or withdrawn.

We support all those who, motivated by conscience and compassion, stand up for the right to life. It cannot be a crime to give our voice and our prayers to the unborn.

Christmas is the message that every human life has infinite dignity from its beginning. That truth is not confined to private thoughts. A society confident in its values does not fear opposing voices. It does not criminalise silent prayer. It does not ask its police or judges to peer into the minds of its citizens.

Scotland’s buffer zones law represents a profound shift in the relationship between the State and the individual — one that restricts free speech, free expression and freedom of religion in ways that should concern us all.

As we look to the child in the manger this Christmas and Epiphany, we are reminded that babies do not have a voice of their own. It is a shame that the State has now also curtailed the voices of ordinary citizens who advocate for them within its borders.

The Catholic Bishops of Scotland
6th January 2026

News from the Commissions and Agencies

October 2025

07Oct

Pope on Oct 7 anniversary: We must learn to dialogue again - Vatican News

07 Oct, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Pope Leo XIV discusses Hamas’ attack on Israel two years ago, and what has happened since, saying that his upcoming trip to Turkey and Lebanon aims to ...

07Oct

Pope Leo to make Apostolic Journey to Türkiye and Lebanon - Vatican News

07 Oct, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The Holy See Press Office announces Pope Leo XIV's first Apostolic Journeys abroad, which will take him to Türkiye on November 27-30 and to Lebanon ...

07Oct

🕊️"Blessed are the peacemakers."

07 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

🕊️"Blessed are the peacemakers."
The Bishops' Conference of Scotland have asked that we keep today, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, as a day to pray for peace in the Holy Land and wherever there is violence or conflict in our world.

🕯️Justice & Peace Scotland are also asking you to "Light a Prayer for Peace" at some point today too - light a candle as a symbol of your prayer and as a sign of hope shining in the darkness.

⛪Many churches across Scotland are opening their doors in response to the Bishops' request, if you are able to, please visit and light a candle there. If this is not possible, take a moment in your day to light a candle at home and pray for peace throughout the world. Here is a prayer we invite you to say:

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of the Holy Land:
Israeli and Palestinian; Jew, Christian, and Muslim.
We pray for an end to acts of violence and terror.
We lift to you all who are fearful and hurting.
We ask for wisdom and compassion for those in leadership.
Above all, we ask that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, establish lasting reconciliation and justice for the Holy Land and for all nations.

🙏Our Lady of the Rosary, Queen of Peace, Pray For Us.

📸 - This photograph was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem.

07Oct

The feast of the Holy Rosary was instituted by Pope Pius V to celebrate the anniversary of the defeat of the Turkish fleet at th...

07 Oct, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The feast of the Holy Rosary was instituted by Pope Pius V to celebrate the anniversary of the defeat of the Turkish fleet at the battle of Lepanto on the first Sunday in October 1571, which ended the threat of Muslim domination of the Mediterranean and was ascribed in part to the prayers and processions of the Rosary confraternity in Rome. Later the feast was moved to the fixed date of 7 October.

________

Collect

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

06Oct

Parolin on October 7, Gaza: Human beings are not collateral damage - Vatican News

06 Oct, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The Holy See Secretary of State speaks to Vatican Media on the second anniversary of Hamas's “inhuman” attack on Israel, which unleashed the ...

06Oct

Pope calls on world leaders to commit to Gaza peace deal - Vatican News

06 Oct, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Speaking at the close of Mass in St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo condemns both the “immense suffering” of Gazans and the rise of “antisemitic hatred” ...

06Oct

Day of Prayer.mp4

06 Oct, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

06Oct

🚨 TOMORROW: Pray and Act for Gaza 🕊️

06 Oct, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

🚨 TOMORROW: Pray and Act for Gaza 🕊️

As we approach two years of war in Gaza, the Bishops' Conference of Scotland have asked Catholics across the country to dedicate 7th October to praying for peace in the Holy Land and wherever there is violence and conflict in our world.

Justice & Peace Scotland is inviting everyone to take part in two simple but powerful steps:

🕯️Step 1: Light a Prayer for Peace
Join us by visiting a Church tomorrow if you can, and lighting a candle for all those affected by the war in Gaza. Pray for an immediate end to violence, for any ceasefires or peace agreements to hold, for families to be reunited with loved ones taken hostage, and for a just and lasting peace to be achieved for all Palestinians and Israelis.

✍️ Step 2: Write to Your MP
A template letter is available on our website for you to download and personalise. Use it to urge the UK Government to do all in its power to help end the suffering, ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need, and support genuine peace where both Palestinians and Israelis have agency in shaping their own futures.

Even as the situation continues to change rapidly, these actions remain vital. Together, through prayer and advocacy, we can shine a light in the darkness and be a voice for justice and peace.

06Oct

🚨 TOMORROW: Pray and Act for Gaza 🕊️

06 Oct, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

05Oct

A post from Bishops' Conference of Scotland

05 Oct, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |