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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

Archive by tag: Bishops' Conference of ScotlandReturn
October 2025



The Candlelight Procession takes place tomorrow (Thur 30 Oct) in Glasgow.

It commemorates all those lost to abortion since the 1967 Abortion Act and is a time to reflect, pray, and honour every one of those innocent lives.
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The Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh runs an online Diploma in Catechetics each year which is open to people across Scotland.

Registration and details at bit.ly/diploma2026


Register now for the Diploma in Catechetics 2026 at bit.ly/diploma2026

Feedback from the 2025 course:

▪ "Each speaker was excellent."
Sandy C, Burntisland

▪ "Deepened my knowledge of the Catechism and helped to grow my personal faith."
- Marianne S, Falkirk

▪ "Deepened my understanding of the faith in such an accessible format."
- Marco P, Aberdeen
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Simon is eleventh in the list of the twelve Apostles. He is known as Simon the Zealot, but nothing else is known about him. His other name of “Simon Cananaeus” simply adapts another Hebrew word for “zeal” and has nothing to do with the town Cana.
________
St Jude, Apostle
Jude, also called Thaddaeus, is the apostle who at the Last Supper asked the Lord why he showed himself only to the disciples and not to the world. For many centuries he was scarcely venerated because people confused him with Judas Iscariot. He is the patron saint of lost and desperate causes.


________

Collect

O God, who by the blessed Apostles
have brought us to acknowledge your name,
graciously grant,
through the intercession of Saints Simon and Jude,
that the Church may constantly grow
by increase of the peoples who believe in you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever Amen

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A new report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) covering the period between August 10 and October 26 has revealed that in just the 76 days, over 100 Christians in Nigeria were killed, and 120 others kidnapped by jihadist groups.

The report that Intersociety Founder and Leader, Emeka Umeagbalasi, shared with ACI Africa on Sunday, October 26 raises an alarm about “continuation, intensification, unchecked, untamed, widespread, coordinated and systematic attacks by Islamic Jihadists and their enablers, aiders and abettors against defenseless Christians in Nigeria.”

Of the 120 Christians abducted, at least 12 “are likely not coming back alive from the hands of their jihadist captors,” reads the Intersociety report in part.

Researchers at Intersociety base their assumption that a percentage of those abducted may never come back alive on an existing trend by the jihadists to kill their captives.

“A clear case in point is the over 1,000 abducted Christian hostages held inside Rijana Forest camps in Kaduna State, out of which estimated 120 or more than 10 percent are likely to have been killed in captivity,” the researchers say.

Findings by Intersociety also show that out of the 100 defenseless Christian deaths, Jihadist Fulani militants “hiding under Fulani herdsmen’” accounted for an estimated 80 deaths while Jihadist Boko Haram insurgents killed the other 20 Christian deaths.

Intersociety reports that on October 14, some 13 Christians from Rochas village in Nigeria’s Plateau State were massacred by Jihadist Fulani militants, during which scores were injured and abducted.

The slain 13 defenseless Christians included children and eight adults. Those killed in the attack are identified as Solomon Dung Choji (43), Sunday Gyang Chollom (29), Davou Mallam Chollom (24), Kefas Dung Sambo (29), Chollom Danjuma Chollom (37), Christina Davou Chollom (27), Marvelous Chollom (8), Japhet Solomon (14), Ntyang Chollom Danjuma (6), Mary Monday (10), Mancha Monday (12), Solomon Chung (40) and Musa Dung Bot (32).

It further reports that on October 10, no fewer than nine Christians were killed and eight others critically wounded by Jihadist Fulani militants in Kachia part of Southern Kaduna.

Intersociety further refers to a September 2 report that “no fewer than eight Christians were killed by Boko Haram jihadists on August 30” in Borno State, and three others “in another area”.

The researchers further refer to Truth-Nigeria’s report of October 22 that reports the October 20 killing of five Christians by Boko Haram in Kwakwahu village of Madagali in Adamawa State during an attack in which four other Christians were abducted.

According to Sahara Reporters, no fewer than 12 persons, all of them Christians, including a medical doctor and some patients were abducted by Fulani Jihadists on October 21 in Southern Kaduna.

“There was also another attack in Gidan Busa village in Kachia county, during which three Christians were abducted and herded into Jihadist forests,” Intersociety has reported.

Leaders of the Kwara State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who spoke to Intersociety on October 25 also reported about “numerous” Christians having been killed, abducted or displaced in recent months since August by Fulani Bandits.

The bandits, Intersociety was told, are invading Yoruba parts of Kwara, Kogi and Nasarawa States from different fronts, during which several churches have also been sacked or destroyed especially in places like Ifelodun, Irepodun, Ekiti, Kiama, Isin, Oke Ero, Pategi, Edu and Baruten.

The Kwara CAN leaders also lamented over marginalization and deprivation of access to political office and representation.

Intersociety also refers to an October 24 report by Truth-Nigeria, that shows that in addition to more than 800 Christians held by Fulani Jihadists inside Rijana forest camps in Southern Kaduna, not less than 24 more Christians were abducted on September 20.

The researchers at Intersociety say that out of more than 1,000 Christian hostages abducted and held by Fulani Jihadists from December 2024 to October 2025, an estimated 200 have been ransomed and freed and more than 800 others remain in captivity.

“It is also our estimation that 120 have died in captivity since February 2025 and no fewer than ten of the Christian hostages killed in captivity in the past 76 days or since August 10,” the intersociety report reads.

Full story: https://ow.ly/zW3z50XiQ9F
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The Vatican has released the official logos and mottos for Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journeys to Türkiye and Lebanon, scheduled for November 27-December 2, 2025. The Türkiye logo, marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, bears the motto “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” The Lebanon logo depicts Pope Leo blessing the nation beside a dove and a cedar tree, with the motto “Blessed are the Peacemakers.” Both designs capture the heart of Pope Leo’s first international journey: a mission of peace, unity, and hope in the East.

#shalomworldnews #popeleoxiv

Discover God’s goodness every day- join Shalom World News!
https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0p8x9y0
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Pope Leo XIV prepares to visit Türkiye and Lebanon next month, 27 November – 2 December 2025, which will be the first Apostolic Journey outside of the ...
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Pilgrims in Markinch and St Andrew's at the weekend national pilgrimage. Thanks to the Rev Douglas in Markinch and his volunteers, to Mgr Burke and his volunteers in St Andrew's and to Fr Syriac and his volunteers in Dunfermline.



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Comboni Missionary Father, Fr John Clark, shares with us a standout memory that he has from living and working on mission in the Amazon region of Brazil, nam...
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Speaking to members of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies, Pope Leo urges everyone to humble themselves like the tax collector in the Gospel ...
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