St. Columba's Cathedral Oban

27/05/2024

27/03/2024

Requiem Mass for The Reverend Canon Roddy Johnston R.I.P. St. Columba’s Cathedral, Oban Wednesday 3rd April 2024 at 10am For those unable to attend in person a live stream will be made available to join Father Roddy’s Requiem Mass online. Please scan the QR Code provided below or use the following link to access this: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8118222000?pwd=bFpkWXRzM1VjbEVqWGdDN2dpWHY2UT09 This link will be accessible from 9:45am on Wednesday (3rd April) morning. With thanks on behalf of Jane, Hamish, Michael, David and families.

30/11/2023

01/09/2023

To register for the Diocesan Safeguarding Day click on https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMscuGhrTwvGNTtX4F0UjIrDlhzZrlg5RfD

14/07/2022

Argyll and the Isles Independent Safeguarding Report
Dear sisters and brothers,
I am pleased to commend to you the recently published Independent Report on Safeguarding in our Diocese of Argyll and the Isles. The Report was carried out by SCIE who have now audited all 8 Scottish dioceses. I am pleased that the Catholic Church in Scotland has opened itself up to public scrutiny which I hope will bring some healing and reassurance to those who have been hurt by abuse or by an inadequate response from the Church.

I thank our clergy and our many volunteers, both at parish and diocesan level, for all that you do in developing a Safeguarding Culture within Argyll and the Isles. Much has been done but we cannot become complacent and there is always room for improvement. Protecting the vulnerable is a Gospel value and so as a diocese we will take time to study and reflect on the Report and use it as a tool for moving forward.

As a Parish Priest I was always committed to Safeguarding and I have grown in my understanding since becoming your bishop. I remain committed to growing a Culture of Safeguarding throughout our diocese. Please know that I am always ready to listen to anyone who has suffered from abuse. Likewise I am also happy to discuss any aspect of safeguarding with anyone at any time.https://www.rcdai.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Diocese-of-Argyll-and-the-Isles-Independent-Safeguarding-Audit.pdf
God bless,
+Brian

09/07/2022

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF OUR LADY OF ABERDEEN
Devotion to Our Lady of Aberdeen is centred on a statue made of wood in the Flemish style that dates from the late fifteenth century. This statue, which was originally venerated in St Machar's Cathedral, Aberdeen, is now kept in the Church of Notre Dame de Finistère in Brussels, Belgium and is known in that place as “Notre Dame du Bon Succès”. It was hidden after the Scottish Reformation in 1560 for sixty-five years by the Gordon family of Huntly until it appeared in Brussels in 1625.

Prayer to Our Lady of Aberdeen
Our Lady of Aberdeen, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, we thank you for your intercession on our behalf in the past. With renewed confidence we turn to you again, asking that you may, through your Son, help to strengthen our faith and guide us in our resolve to carry out his will.
We commend to you our Holy Father, Pope Francis, our Bishops, and Priests that you may look favourably upon their intentions.
We pray for all the needs of the Church; that you may bring about unity among us in the love of your Son.
Our Lady of Aberdeen, we pray for those who rule us, we pray for our neighbours, our families and ourselves that the peace of Christ may reign among us, always.
Our Lady of Aberdeen, Our Lady of Good Success, pray for us.
Amen.

02/07/2022

Dear sisters and brothers,
I am pleased to inform you that the collated Report from our diocesan synodal stage has now been published. It is based on 15 parish submissions as well as submissions from individuals through the questionnaires. Fr Danny Convery and other volunteers collated the report. Two facilitators and one priest from each deanery were then asked to clarify if they thought the collated report was a true synthesis, which they unanimously did.

I thank Fr Danny and Marianne for their hard work and enthusiasm in leading the diocesan stage. I thank clergy and facilitators for encouraging participation at local level. I am also grateful for all the contributors from parishioners. We now have an opportunity to read and reflect on our diocesan submission and it will inform our process of planning for the future. I truly hope that listening to the Holy Spirit and one another becomes the natural way we do things in our diocese and wider Church.
Our diocesan report will be collated with the submissions from the other seven Scottish dioceses.
https://www.rcdai.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Diocese-of-Argyll-and-the-Isles-Synodal-Report.pdf
God bless,

+Brian

29/06/2022

BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF SCOTLAND STATEMENT ON ABORTION
In the light of recent public debate on the subject of abortion, Scotland’s Catholic Bishops offer this perspective to the people of Scotland:
“Whether we believe in anything spiritual or not, the life that each one of us lives is the only one we have, and to take life from the unborn, no matter how insignificant in size, cannot be right. The rights of a woman and the compassion and support due to her, and the circumstances of her pregnancy, are naturally of great concern to us, but an unborn life, once taken, can never be restored. This is what makes abortion such a profoundly important matter for all human beings.
“No matter what position we take, this belief in the profound importance of the issue is shared by us all. It is incumbent on us therefore to accept that deeply held and divergent opinions are at stake and that the conflict which arises from this should be handled with respect and civility.
“Those who do not believe human life begins at the moment of conception, invite the question: ‘when does it begin?’ while those who believe that it does, ask the question: ‘what right have we to take a unique and unrepeatable human life?’
“If we are to be the caring and compassionate society we aspire to be, upholding the sanctity and dignity of all human life must be the foundational principal upon which that aspiration rests.”
Buffer Zones:
"To remove freedoms from peaceful, law-abiding citizens sets a chilling legal precedent for everyone, including those who support abortion. We believe that calls to introduce buffer zones around abortion facilities, where there have been no reported incidents of harassment or intimidation by participants in peaceful vigils, are mistaken. Such vigils bear tangible witness to our common freedoms of expression, speech and assembly."