Scottish Catholic Observer

Fr Vincent Lockhart, parish priest of St Monica’s Church in Coatbridge since 2003, has been appointed as the national director of the Church’s official mission aid agency by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

Staff at Missio Scotland said they were ‘delighted’ by the news.

“All the staff at Missio Scotland are delighted to let you know that Fr Vincent Lockhart has been appointed by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples as the national director for Scotland of the Pontifical Mission Societies (Missio Scotland),” they said. “Fr Vincent has been our acting national director for some time and it is with great joy that we share with you all the news that his term of office has now been confirmed by the Holy See.”

Bishop Joseph Toal of Motherwell also said that he pleased with the appointment, and praised the work of former director Fr Tom Welsh.

“Fr Vincent has been acting director for some time and it is good that his five-year term of office has been confirmed by the Holy See,” he said. “The bishops gratefully acknowledge the dedication and commitment of Fr Tom Welsh to the work of Missio Scotland until his untimely death last year.”

Fr Lockhart said he was ‘honoured and grateful’ to have been appointed to the role, and asked for the prayers of Scotland’s Catholics.

“I look forward to serving God and the Church in this role together with the bishops, the diocesan directors and the staff of Missio,” he said. “Missio is the Pope’s personal mission charity and is an expression of the fact that the Church is a family. The work of Missio Scotland is to deepen that family bond between the Church here in Scotland and the Church in those countries where it is in need of our spiritual and material support.

“I place my trust in Pope Francis’ prayers and ask for those of the Catholic community of Scotland.”

Fr Lockhart has been parish priest at St Monica’s for 15 years, as well as being Missio’s Motherwell diocesan director.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1983 following a year working as a deacon in Cameroon, where he returned following his ordination.

He lived with the Bangwa, Mundani and Bayang people for 16 years, in a remote area in the mountains, rainforest and south west of the country.

In addition to his pastoral duties in parish work and youth ministry, he also ran 12 primary schools and was involved with road and bridge-building projects.