Scottish Catholic Observer

In spite of again reassuring the Church that the public consultation on same-sex ‘marriage’ is not a sham, the Deputy First Minister this week revealed that the Scottish Government has already looked into how to bring the matter before the Scottish Parliament. In a meeting with Bishop Philip Tartaglia of Paisley... read more

Two senior members of the Scottish hierarchy have added their voices this week to growing opposition to the Scottish Government’s plans to legalise same-sex ‘marriage’ as the Church backed calls for a referendum on the issue. Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow and Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell both released powerful statements... read more

Bishop Philip Tartaglia of Paisley has cast doubt on the direction in which Alex Salmond is taking Scotland and warns the First Minister that he is losing ‘the confidence of the Catholic community.’ In a personal letter to Mr Salmond this week, Bishop Tartaglia writes that the SNP Government’s support for... read more

Pope Benedict XVI has told Catholics to bear joyful witness to the Gospel ‘which liberates our minds and enlightens our efforts to live wisely and well, both as individuals and as members of society’ a year on from his historic visit to Scotland and England. The Holy Father’s message came as... read more

Cardinal Keith O’Brien has told the Catholic community in Scotland that ‘we are better for the Papal visit’ a year to the day from Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the country. The cardinal highlighted that, on the first anniversary of the visit, ‘it is important for us all to remember the... read more

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has questioned the validity of the Scottish Government’s public consultation on marriage between homosexuals. The bishops expressed concern that the decision to legalise marriage between homosexuals had already been taken and the public consultation would not be taken seriously by the government. The 14-week public consultation on... read more

Bishop Joseph Toal and Archbishop Mario Conti have told Scottish Catholics to embrace the ‘marvellous opportunity, challenge and necessity’ of the new English translation of the Roman Missal ahead of the first Scottish parishes adopting it this weekend. The changes to the Liturgy, which will be applied in all Scottish parishes... read more

Catholics in Aberdeen Diocese welcomed their eleventh bishop with genuine warmth at St Mary of the Assumption Cathedral on Monday. “I could not imagine a warmer welcome than the one I have received here,” Bishop Hugh Gilbert told the 700 plus strong congregation attending his Episcopal Ordination in Aberdeen on the... read more

IN AN historic first for Scotland, an Episcopal minister has been ordained to the Catholic priesthood under the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham at a Mass in Greenock. Bishop Philip Tartaglia of Paisley, the bishop-delegate in Scotland for the ordinariate, presided at Sunday’s ordination of Fr Len Black, former... read more

The Scottish Church this week rallied to defend Catholic education after a Conservative MSP claimed denominational education fuelled the problem of sectarianism in Scotland. At last Thursday’s Holyrood debate on the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill, John Lamont, the Conservative Party’s justice spokesman in Scotland, accused the education... read more