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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

30th July 2026


30 July 2026

Bishop Welcomes Prime Minister’s Call to Prioritise Care Reforms Before Westminster Assisted Suicide Vote

Bishop John Keenan, the Bishop with responsibility for Marriage, Family and Life for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, has welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s call for the serious gaps in palliative and social care to be addressed before the Westminster Parliament considers assisted suicide legislation.

Bishop Keenan said:

“The Prime Minister’s intervention is both timely and welcome. We have a duty to ensure that every person approaching the end of life has access to the compassionate palliative and social care they deserve. No one should ever feel driven towards assisted suicide because they lack the care, support or dignity they need.

“We were grateful that the Scottish Parliament resolutely rejected assisted suicide only recently. We hope this latest intervention will encourage Members of the Westminster Parliament to reflect carefully before taking a step that would fundamentally change the way our society cares for the sick and vulnerable.

“As our Catholic Parliamentary Officer, Anthony Horan, has rightly said: ‘The last thing the country needs is another divisive debate about assisted suicide. We need to make progress in improving palliative and social care, not offering vulnerable people state support to end their lives.’ I share that conviction wholeheartedly.

“This is an opportunity to rethink the whole approach to assisted suicide. The compassionate response to suffering is never to help people end their lives, but to ensure they receive the high-quality care, love and accompaniment they need. Let us pray for all who are seriously ill, for their families and carers, and for those in public office, that they may always uphold the dignity of every human life and work to build a society that truly cares for its most vulnerable members.”

Bishop John Keenan

President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

Contact:

Media Office

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

News from the Commissions and Agencies

April 2026
St John the Baptist Church in Uddingston will host a Divine Renovation Open Day on 25 April.

Fr James Mallon, author of Divine Renovation: Bringing Your Parish from Maintenance to Mission, will travel from Canada to take part in the day.

The event runs from 9:30am to 5:00pm and includes Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Toal.

The event is free and open to all.
Register using the link below:


The St John the Baptist Parish invites you to DR Open House Scotland, featuring Fr. James Mallon as keynote speaker, a chance to get inspired by priests and parishioners as they share stories of transformation. Hear their learnings and dream about the change that could happen in your own parish. If....
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Holy Mass of Wedneday of the Third Week of Easter | 22 April 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

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𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗙𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

The Bishops of Scotland are delighted to announce that Fr Stuart Chalmers, the Spiritual Director of the Royal Scots College Salamanca, will soon take up a new position as Lecturer in Theology at the Fremantle Campus of the University of Notre Dame Australia. This is a prestigious appointment and reflects Fr Stuart’s expertise in the area of Moral Theology for which he holds a doctorate from the Pontifical University of St Patrick’s, Maynooth. With his usual humility, Fr Stuart would suggest that he deserves no great praise for this, and so the Bishops and staff of the College want to put on record their deep thanks for the years he has given to the seminary in Spain and offer him our deepest congratulations, best wishes and prayers.

Fr Stuart has been Spiritual Director and a teacher at the propaedeutic seminary for the past eight and a half years, working with two rectors, Fr Tom Kilbride and Fr John Carroll. During that time, he has also been an Associate Professor at the Pontifical University of Salamanca, teaching courses in Moral Theology, Professional Ethics, Christian Anthropology and Catholic Social Teaching.

A priest of the Diocese of Aberdeen, Fr Stuart has previously served in parishes in the City of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and in the Highlands, as well as Vicar General of the Diocese. Fr Stuart says that he is “delighted to have been offered the post” and is “most grateful for the support of Bishop Hugh and of the Bishops’ Conference in encouraging him to undertake this exciting, new role.” He is also grateful for his time in Spain as Spiritual Director at the Scots College. He said, “It has been a joy and privilege to have been involved in the formation of seminarians for Scotland and Ireland in the beautiful surroundings of Salamanca.”

Upon completion of the term in Spain, Fr Stuart will travel to Fremantle, Perth, at the beginning of July to commence teaching later that month.

Please keep him in your prayers.

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Gospel
John 6:35-40
‘This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son should have eternal life.’

At that time: Jesus said to the crowd, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.’

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✝️ “I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:36)

SSVP Scotland, in collaboration with the Scottish Prison Service and Prison Fellowship Scotland, are hosting “Where Is The Hope?” — an information and discussion day exploring how we can better support people affected by imprisonment.

Imprisonment impacts not only those in custody, but also families, children, and communities. This event offers an opportunity to understand these realities more deeply and to reflect on how individuals, parishes, and organisations can respond with compassion, accompaniment, and hope.

Key details:
🗓 Saturday 25 April 2026
🕥 10:30am – 3:30pm
📍 Stirling Court Hotel
📝 Free to attend (booking required)

📧 To register: [email protected]

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Holy Mass of Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter | 21 April 2026
This music is licensed under one license number: A-623356

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Pope Leo XIV boards the papal plane as he concludes his Apostolic Journey to Angola, departing for Equatorial Guinea, the final stop of his 11-day visit across four African nations.

📸 Vatican Media





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First anniversary of Pope Francis.

Let us remember Pope Francis, who returned to the Father’s house one year ago today.

He served the Church with humility, tenderness, and a deep concern for those on the margins. Throughout his pontificate, he called us to encounter Christ, to live the joy of the Gospel, and to be a Church close to all.

He will be remembered as a shepherd who walked with his people, guiding the Church with compassion and faith.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.

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Gospel
John 6:30-35
‘It was not Moses but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.’

At that time: The crowd said to Jesus, ‘Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Jesus then said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’
Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’

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Pope Leo departing Luanda this morning, flying to Saurimo.

There, he will visit a care home for the elderly and celebrate Mass with the local community.

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