Here is an update from the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland on the continuing Diocesan Structures Consultation:

At the request of the Holy See, we the Bishops of Scotland have been considering how our diocesan structures can best serve our shared mission in the years ahead.

This is not simply a question of boundaries, administrative adjustments or the sharing of resources more effectively. Primarily it is about how we can better proclaim the Gospel, support our clergy, religious and lay people, and strengthen our parishes and communities for evangelisation.

As part of this discernment, and informed by the diocesan feedback summaries, we considered a range of possible configurations.

The following options are now being presented for further reflection and consultation across all our eight dioceses:

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 1. Argyll & the Isles and Paisley merge

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 2. Argyll & the Isles and Glasgow merge

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 3. Paisley and Galloway merge

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 4. Galloway and Motherwell merge

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 5. St. Andrews & Edinburgh and Dunkeld merge

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 6. Motherwell, Paisley and Galloway merge

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 7. Maintain the current diocesan structures but with greater sharing and collaboration

These are possibilities for further discernment, not decisions or an agreed map for the future.

As your bishops, we recognise that dioceses are communities of faith with their own histories, relationships and traditions. Any change must therefore be approached with prayer, sensitivity and care for the people and communities involved.

Synodal discernment also asks each of us to look beyond our own self-interests and to consider what will best serve the Catholic Church in Scotland as a whole.

Everyone in every parish is encouraged to make their voice heard when opportunities for consultation are announced locally by their diocesan bishop.

Information packs will be made available in each diocese to support this next phase. These will provide an opportunity to learn more about each of Scotland’s eight dioceses, including important statistics and demographic information, so that the consultation can be informed by a fuller picture of Catholic life across the country. The fruits of the consultation will help us to formulate a concrete proposal to the Holy See.

Finally, we encourage everyone to actively engage in this process, and to the keep this central question at the heart our prayer and reflection:

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝘾𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙘𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙚𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙’𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚?

With every blessing,

+ 𝗟𝗲𝗼 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘆

Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh

+ 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗡𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗻

Archbishop of Glasgow

+ 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵 𝗧𝗼𝗮𝗹

Bishop of Motherwell

+ 𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗢𝗦𝗕

Bishop of Aberdeen

+ 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻

Bishop of Paisley

+ 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗲𝗲

Bishop of Argyll and the Isles

+ 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗻

Bishop of Galloway

+ 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗰𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗶𝗲

Bishop of Dunkeld