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

July 2025

03Jul

Gospel of the Day (John 17,1-11a)

03 Jul, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Gospel of the Day (John 17,1-11a)

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.

Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.

I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are."

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/word-of-the-day/2025/07/03.html

02Jul

🕊️As conflict and hostility continue to rise across the world, it's clear the arms race isn’t making us safer

02 Jul, 2025 | Justice & Peace Scotland | Justice & Peace Scotland Facebook |

🕊️As conflict and hostility continue to rise across the world, it's clear the arms race isn’t making us safer.

💬“These weapons, in actual fact, do not make the world more secure: they make the world feel more insecure. So much so that we are spending more money on 'deterrents'... more money on these weapons of mass destruction.” - Archbishop William Nolan, Faslane Naval Base - Christian Peace Vigil 2024

✝️Will you join us at Faslane this year in an act of Christian public witness in opposition to nuclear weapons? Free transport is provided from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

🗓Sat 2nd August
🕥10.30am
📍HMNB Clyde, South Gate, Maidstone Road

🚌FREE bus provided by Justice & Peace Scotland and the Church of Scotland.
🔹Edinburgh pick-up: Waterloo Place (beside Waverley Station), departing 7.45am
🔹Glasgow pick-up: Gordon Street (outside Central Station), departing 9.15am
📩Message us today to reserve your spot!

02Jul

Saint Oliver Plunkett | Franciscan Media

02 Jul, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-oliver-plunkett/

Saint Oliver Plunkett may not be a household name in the United States but he certainly is well known in the British Isles. The Archbishop of Armagh, Plunkett led his archdiocese through the rough days of persecution of Catholics.

June 2025

30Jun

Crucifix set alight and headstones demolished in 'senseless' cemetery attack

30 Jun, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The Diocese of Paisley reported that after entering the cemetery grounds those responsible attacked around 40 headstones.

30Jun

The Bishop of Paisley, Bishop John Keenan has condemned a series of vicious acts of vandalism carried out in the last 24 hours a...

30 Jun, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

The Bishop of Paisley, Bishop John Keenan has condemned a series of vicious acts of vandalism carried out in the last 24 hours at the diocesan cemetery, St. Conval’s on Glasgow Road, Barrhead.

Vandals are believed to have entered the grounds of the cemetery in the early hours of 29 June and attacked around 40 headstones, some of which have been demolished. They also attacked a large wooden crucifix some 5 meters in height which was set on fire.

Bishops Keenan said:

“I am saddened and dismayed by this senseless vandalism and the destructive violence behind it. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have had headstones attacked, as well as with the whole community of relatives and friends who visit St. Conval’s and care for the graves of their loved ones so tenderly.”

Bishop Keenan added:

“My gratitude goes to the St. Conval’s staff who maintain the grounds and administer the cemetery and who now face the distressing task of repairing and making safe damaged graves while comforting distraught families.”

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Paisley said:

“Anyone with any information relating to these attacks is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 1089 of 29 June. Anyone wishing to contact the cemetery staff can do so on: 0141 881 1058
Or stconvalscemeteryrcdop.org.uk.”

30Jun

No to Nuclear Weapons: Christian Peace Vigil at Faslane - Saturday 2nd August, 10.30am–12 noon | HM Naval Base Clyde, South Gate...

30 Jun, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

No to Nuclear Weapons: Christian Peace Vigil at Faslane - Saturday 2nd August, 10.30am–12 noon | HM Naval Base Clyde, South Gate (Maidstone Road)
No to Nuclear Weapons Faslane Christian Witness Aug 2025

In the week marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Christians from across Scotland will gather at Faslane Naval Base for an ecumenical peace vigil to witness against the continued presence and threat of nuclear weapons.

Organised by Justice & Peace Scotland, this gathering will be a time of prayer, reflection, readings, and song led by senior Church leaders:
• Most Rev. William Nolan, Archbishop of Glasgow and President of Justice & Peace Scotland
• Rt Rev. Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
• Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church

Members of the Iona Community will also join us as together we call for nuclear disarmament and peace. As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers and to uphold the dignity of every human life. Nuclear weapons are fundamentally incompatible with this call as their existence threatens indiscriminate destruction and a future built on fear and power-wielding rather than on fraternity amongst nations.

The vigil is an opportunity for Christians to stand in faith and solidarity on the site where the UK’s weapons of mass destruction are housed and to renew our shared commitment to the common good and the flourishing of creation.

Free Transport Available
A free Lothian Buses coach will depart from:
• Edinburgh - Waterloo Place (beside Waverley Station), leaving at 7.45am
• Glasgow - Gordon Street (outside Central Station), leaving at 9.15am
To secure a seat, please email: [email protected]

All are welcome. Help us spread the word by sharing with your family, friends and networks.

30Jun

Tenth anniversary of Holy See's recognition of State of Palestine - Vatican News

30 Jun, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

Ten years after the Holy See formally recognized the State of Palestine, Palestine's new Foreign Minister, Varsen Aghabekian, says the 2015 agreement ...

30Jun

With your support, SCIAF offers long-term solutions and tangible hope for people that need it the most

30 Jun, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

With your support, SCIAF offers long-term solutions and tangible hope for people that need it the most.

Support our Dignity for All Appeal to help people with disabilities around the world today: https://pulse.ly/jw9fgy8xiy

30Jun

First Martyrs of the Church of Rome | Franciscan Media

30 Jun, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/first-martyrs-of-the-church-of-rome/

Around the year 64, the city of Rome experienced a devastating fire. Emperor Nero blamed it on the Christians, and a severe persecution followed. Included in the mass murder of Christians were the First Martyrs of Rome. We don’t know their names, but their witness to the faith is certain.

29Jun

Don’t press the button: A peaceful protest against Gaza bombings - Vatican News

29 Jun, 2025 | Bishops' Conference of Scotland | BCoS Facebook |

An Israeli pacifist network launches a silent and powerful initiative aimed at raising awareness among Israeli Air Force pilots about the human cost ...