The Bishops of Scotland warmly welcome Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, as a timely and insightful contribution to one of the defining questions of our age. As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes human life, this important document calls us to place the dignity of the human person at the heart of every technological advance. We encourage the faithful, our schools and parish communities to read, study and pray with this landmark text. To support this, the Office of Communications and Evangelisation will soon publish a parish study guide and other resources for small groups and parish use, helping communities to reflect more deeply on the opportunities and challenges of new technologies and their impact on human life. Bishop John Keenan President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland Full text of Pope Leo XIV’s Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas: vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/e…

The Church is not a club turned in on itself. It is called to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News. In this powerful reflection for Communications Sunday, Bishop Frank reminds us that every Christian is called to be an evangeliser through our words, our witness, and the way we live our faith each day. From stained-glass windows to television and the digital world, the Church has always used every means possible to share the Gospel with those who need to hear it. This weekend, there will be a special collection at Masses across Scotland for Communications Sunday, supporting the work of the Office for Communications and Evangelisation. Please keep this mission in your prayers and, if you are able, support the collection at Mass or donate online via the link below. Donate here: bit.ly/CommsSunday

𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 The Bishops of Scotland today renew their urgent appeal to political leaders across the world to pursue peace with courage, determination, and sincerity. In a time marked by deepening conflict and human suffering, particularly in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan and South Sudan, the need for dialogue and diplomatic solutions has never been more pressing. War brings devastation, loss, and division. It leaves lasting wounds in families, communities, and nations, and it disproportionately harms the innocent. The Bishops call on all those in positions of authority to reject the path of escalation and instead commit themselves to meaningful dialogue, patient negotiation, and the difficult but necessary work of peacebuilding. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲. 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. Reflecting on the Holy Father’s recent Vigil for Peace held last Saturday, the Bishops highlight his powerful words: “Let us silence the weapons, so that the voice of humanity may be heard. Let us choose encounter over confrontation, and the courage of peace over the illusion of power.” The Bishops of Scotland invite Catholics across our country to join the Holy Father in this appeal. In parishes, homes, and communities, we continue to pray fervently for an end to violence and for the triumph of justice and reconciliation. The Bishops urge all people of goodwill to stand together in hope. Peace is not beyond reach - but it requires genuine humility, courage, and a shared commitment to the dignity of every human life. As the Holy Father begins his apostolic journey to several countries in Africa as a missionary of peace, we assure him of our continued prayers and solidarity.

Today is Good Friday, the day on which the Church remembers the Passion and Death of the Lord. Catholics are encouraged to take part in the Solemn Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, where we listen to the Passion, venerate the Cross, and receive Holy Communion. Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence. We abstain from meat, and those aged 18–59 who are in good health are obliged to fast, taking one main meal and two snacks. As we stand at the foot of the Cross, may this sacred day draw us deeper into the mystery of Christ’s love, as we await the hope of the Resurrection.

The Catholic bishops of Scotland are urging politicians to reject the proposed Assisted Suicide Bill, warning that it poses serious risks to vulnerable people. Ahead of tomorrow’s vote in the Scottish Parliament, the bishops have called for legislation that protects life and strengthens compassionate care for those who are seriously ill. Read more below. ewtnnews.com/world/europe/sc… The more we know, the more we say no.

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗦𝗣𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗲 A coalition of senior Christian leaders from across Scotland has issued an open letter to all Members of the Scottish Parliament, calling on them to vote against the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill at the upcoming Stage 3 debate. In their joint letter, the leaders warn that while the intention to relieve suffering is deeply understood, legalising assisted dying would “undermine human dignity” and place vulnerable people at risk. They argue that no set of safeguards can fully protect those who are elderly, disabled, or who may feel they are a burden to others. The letter emphasises that true compassion lies not in enabling death but in committing to high‑quality care at the end of life. The leaders call for greater investment in palliative and end-of-life services so that no one faces pain, fear, or loneliness without adequate support. They highlight international concerns, noting that courts and legislatures in Canada and Australia—countries where assisted dying has been legalised—have since faced challenges including expanded eligibility, pressure on safeguards, and reported risks of coercion and misuse. The signatories urge MSPs to “stand for the equal worth and dignity of every human life” by rejecting the legislation. Bishop John Keenan, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, said: “The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill presents a profound risk to Scotland’s most vulnerable, leaving them exposed to coercion from abusive partners, family and wider society. It offers no meaningful safeguards for the elderly, disabled, and those who feel they are a burden, and threatens trust between doctors and patients. With palliative care already underfunded and overstretched, this Bill replaces care with lethal options. I urge MSPs to defend the dignity of every human life until its natural end and to protect the vulnerable by voting against this Bill.” Signatories Rt Rev. Rosemary Frew, Moderator, Church of Scotland Bishop John Keenan, President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland Rev Alasdair Macleod, Moderator, Free Church of Scotland Rev Martin Keane, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland Major David Burns, Executive Secretary to Leadership (Scotland), Salvation Army Andy Hunter, Director for Scotland, Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches Alistair Matheson, Scottish Regional Superintendent for the Apostolic Church UK The full letter can be read below.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Scotland stands at a moment of profound moral consequence. In the coming weeks, the Scottish Parliament will cast its final vote on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill; legislation that would, for the first time in our nation’s history, permit physician-assisted suicide. As your shepherds, entrusted with the care of souls and the protection of human dignity, we write to you with deep concern. True compassion is not found in hastening death but in walking with those who suffer, ensuring they receive the medical, emotional, and spiritual care that affirms their inherent worth. Every person—regardless of age, illness, disability, or circumstance—is a gift from God. There is no such thing as a life without value. Our task as a society is not to eliminate suffering by eliminating the sufferer, but to surround every individual with love, support, and dignity until their natural end. Over recent months, several Members of the Scottish Parliament who once supported the proposal have now either withdrawn, or are seriously considering withdrawing, their backing, recognising that the risks embedded within it are too grave to ignore. Their change of heart reflects a dawning awareness that coercion, especially the subtle, hidden coercion experienced by the most vulnerable, including the elderly, the sick, the disabled and those living with domestic abuse, cannot be reliably detected, let alone prevented. Key protections that should form the very foundation of such legislation, however flawed the principle may be, have been removed or rejected. Proposals for mandatory training for doctors to recognise coercive control were voted down by the Parliament Health and Social Care Committee. Measures ensuring that patients are offered proper palliative and social care before considering assisted suicide were dismissed. An opt-out for hospices and care homes who object to assisted suicide was also rejected. Even the conscience rights of healthcare workers remain uncertain. As a result, MSPs are being asked to vote on a Bill that is incomplete and reliant on future intervention from Westminster—an arrangement that several parliamentarians have already described as unworkable and irresponsible. Experience from abroad also offers a sober warning. In countries where assisted suicide has been introduced, narrow criteria have widened over time, placing ever more people at risk—not because of unbearable physical suffering, but because they feel abandoned, isolated, or burdensome. We must not allow such a trajectory to take root here in Scotland. We therefore urge you, the Catholic faithful of Scotland, to act. Please contact your MSPs and respectfully ask them to oppose this legislation. Make your voice heard in defence of those who may not be able to speak for themselves. Resources to assist you—including Care Not Killing’s online email tool—are available and we invite you to use them prayerfully and thoughtfully. Let us also hold in prayer all those approaching the end of life, all who care for them, and all charged with shaping the laws of our land. May the Holy Spirit grant our nation the wisdom to choose the path of life, compassion, and genuine human solidarity. Yours devotedly in Christ, + John Keenan, President, Bishop of Paisley + Brian McGee, Vice-President, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles + Andrew McKenzie, Episcopal Secretary, Bishop of Dunkeld + Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh + William Nolan, Archbishop of Glasgow + Joseph Toal, Bishop of Motherwell + Hugh Gilbert, Bishop of Aberdeen + Francis Dougan, Bishop of Galloway

The Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES), on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, has issued a briefing for Members of the Scottish Parliament on proposed amendments to the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill. SCES supports the Bill’s stated aim of ensuring compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and welcomes efforts to strengthen children’s rights in Scottish law. In particular, SCES supports proposed amendments which introduce clearer age-related guidance on maturity and decision-making, helping to determine when a young person can make an informed decision about Religious Education or Religious Observance. However, SCES has raised serious concerns that a number of other amendments extend the Bill beyond its original purpose and could have unintended consequences for Scotland’s denominational schools. SCES warns that proposals to replace the long-standing legal term “Religious Instruction” with “Religious Education” could narrow interpretation towards a purely academic curriculum model, potentially limiting the ability of denominational schools to deliver faith-based education consistent with their protected religious ethos. SCES has also expressed concern about proposals that would allow young people to withdraw independently from Religious Observance, without the same level of parental involvement currently required. While such changes are often justified by reference to Article 14 of the UNCRC, SCES notes that Article 14 must be read in full, as it also affirms the rights and duties of parents to guide children in matters of religion, in accordance with the child’s evolving capacities. While welcoming the opportunity to contribute to statutory guidance, SCES has highlighted major concerns regarding proposed new reporting and information requirements. SCES believes these measures would impose disproportionate administrative burdens on schools and local authorities, duplicate existing inspection arrangements, and introduce unclear criteria requiring Religious Observance to be assessed as “objective, critical and pluralistic” and “inclusive”, without clear definitions or clarity on who would judge compliance. SCES welcomes proposals intended to safeguard the existing legal protections of denominational schools, and stresses that Scotland’s denominational education system has long held a legitimate and protected place within the wider educational framework. SCES urges Parliament to ensure that UNCRC compliance is achieved in a way that respects children’s rights, the role of parents and families, and the distinctive character and legal status of denominational schools in Scotland. SCES is grateful for the constructive communication with the Scottish Government throughout this process, and welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively on the development of future statutory guidance.