Parishes of Our Lady of the Assumption, Isle of Skye & St Duthac's, Dornie

19/06/2026

Parish Newsletter: Sunday, 21st June 2026

13/06/2026

The Gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the rule of Saint Anthony of Padua’s life. Over and over again, God called him to something new in his plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and self-sacrificing to serve his Lord Jesus more completely.

His journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians in Lisbon, giving up a future of wealth and power to be a servant of God. Later when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed, he was again filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself: those who die for the Good News.

So, Saint Anthony of Padua entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving that goal. He went to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks.

The call of God came again at an ordination where no one was prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer, of reading sacred Scripture and of serving him in poverty, chastity, and obedience had prepared Saint Anthony of Padua to allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthony’s sermon was astounding to those who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirit’s power to give people words.

Recognized as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar, Saint Anthony of Padua became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the Albigensians in France, using his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure those who had been misled by their denial of Christ’s divinity and of the sacraments.

After he led the friars in northern Italy for three years, he made his headquarters in the city of Padua. He resumed his preaching and began writing sermon notes to help other preachers. In the spring of 1231 Saint Anthony of Padua withdrew to a friary at Camposampiero where he had a sort of treehouse built as a hermitage. There he prayed and prepared for death.

On June 13, he became very ill and asked to be taken back to Padua, where he died after receiving the last sacraments. Saint Anthony of Padua was canonized less than a year later and named a Doctor of the Church in 1946.

12/06/2026

Parish Newsletter: Sunday, 14th June 2026

12/06/2026

Today we celebrate The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
An especially good day to pray by the picture of the Sacred Heart if you have one at home!

08/06/2026

To read our diocesan submission to the Bishops’ Conference regarding the structuring of the Scottish dioceses please click on https://www.rcdai.org.uk/diocesan-structures/ Thanks to the clergy and Diocesan Pastoral Council for their insights.
+Brian

08/06/2026

06/06/2026

180 people from across Scotland participated in today’s Festival of Synodality. The worship, keynote speakers and workshops were fabulous but most moving was the atmosphere: an invisible but tangible sign of the Spirit’s presence and people’s openness. I was delighted that our own diocese was well represented. A wonderful day full of hope and joy. Our next step needs to be decent formation to deepen the good which is occurring.
+Brian

05/06/2026

Parish Newsletter: Sunday, 7th June 2026

04/06/2026

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 25th May - 1st June 2027.
Bishop Brian will be leading our Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes next year. The itinerary is still being finalised, but price per pilgrim is likely to be approximately £1200 - £1300. To register your interest please email Fr. Ronald Campbell: [email protected] by Friday, 19th June.

03/06/2026

Seated in the middle of my small group during the October ‘23 Synod in Rome are Sandra Chaoul (Lebanon) and Bishop Alan (Belfast) who along with Fr David McCallum SJ (USA) and Jim Deeds (Belfast) will be key note speakers during this Saturday’s Festival of Synodality at Glasgow Caledonian University. For anyone who wants to participate in a Church that intentionally listens to the promptings of the Holy Spirit this day is certainly for you! If you’re not convinced then still come along and we can learn from each other! Let us know you are coming at bit.ly/synodality26