Scottish Catholic Observer

Frank Cassidy was chancellor of Motherwell Diocese from 1997 until his retirement in December of 2014.

Bishop Joseph Toal of Motherwell invested Mr Cassidy with the insignia of The Order of St Gregory the Great at his home parish of St John the Baptist, Uddingston, on Saturday December 5. Bishop Emeritus Joseph Devine, who appointed Mr Cassidy to the role of chancellor in 1997, was also present, alongside parish priest Fr Dominic Towey, Vicar General Mgr Thomas Millar, Fr James Grant, the current Motherwell chancellor, and other priests and staff of the diocese.

A chancellor manages a diocese’s office and administration, with exact duties varying from diocese to diocese. Mr Cassidy was 63 years old and retired when then Bishop of Motherwell Joseph Devine asked him to become chancellor, the first layperson in Scotland to be offered the position.

Born in Flemington, Motherwell, in 1934 within the parish of St Patrick’s, Shieldmuir, Mr Cassidy was educated in St Patrick’s Primary School and Our Lady’s High School, Motherwell, before leaving for two years National Service in the Royal Artillery.

After leaving the army he spent 32 years with Caterpillar Tractor Company in its Uddingston Plant, until its closure, and as a director of Hussmann Refrigeration, Glasgow, for 8 years after which he retired.

In 1958 he married Mary Hamilton in St Bridget’s Church, Baillieston where they continued to live following their marriage and had two children, Marie Therese and Paul. In 1997 Mary died of cancer, nine years after they moved to live in Uddingston.

From an early age he was active in the Church, particularly the Catholic Young Men’s Society, becoming the president of their Scottish National Council in 1966 and remaining involved to this day.

Mr Cassidy’s 18 years in the position spanned a number of important events in the life of the Church, with the former chancellor highlighting the visit of Pope Benedict XVI as a particular highlight, but he said he knew it was time to retire last year.

“I’m 81 years of age and although I don’t feel it and most people say I don’t look it, it really was time to go,” he said. Receiving the papal award was a great experience he said and everything went exceptionally well.

Reflecting on his time as the country’s first lay chancellor, Mr Cassidy said there was a need for an increased role for laity going forward, and said that a lack of people willing to take up such roles could be addressed with the provision of more training.

Fr Grant paid tribute to his predecessor.

“Frank carried a wealth of worldly experience to the chancellor’s job,” he said. “As a layman with a family, he brought a new dimension to what had always been the role of an ordained priest. When he undertook the role of chancellor, he had already given a lifetime of voluntary service to the Church in a variety of capacities.

“His experience of serving the Church as a committed layman gave him the ability to evaluate diocesan decisions and policies from the viewpoint of the ordinary man and woman in the church pews. This proved to be one of the bonuses of having a layperson in such a central role in the day-to-day administration of the diocese.”

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Pic: Tom Eadie

—This story ran in full in the December 11 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.