O’brien did a lot of good, says Pope’s aide
Friday 31 May 2013 and Paisley by the end of August. The bishop of the diocese of Galloway has passed retirement age but is still in place.
The Catholic Church currently has only three bishops in
“Catholics in Scotland are still in a state of semi-bewilderment” Professor Tom Devine
place, serving its eight dioceses.
The Nuncio’s visit to Motherwell diocese has been described by Church figures as unprecedented and a sign that the Vati- can wanted to start “a new chapter” in scotland.
A Church spokesman said the visit “was to show a gesture of solidarity with the Catholic Church in scotland and remind them that, just as he said with the cardinal, recent difficulties are not being seen as a judgment on the Church”.
Next month, Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who guards the orthodoxy of the Catholic Church, is also to visit scotland.
he will speak to the priests of the diocese of Motherwell at Motherwell Cathedral on 14 June where he is expected to offer support during the current difficulties in the Church.
The diocese has been the focus of further controversy in recent days concerning the position of Bishop Devine, who had tendered his resignation last year upon reaching retirement age of 75.
he had been expected to remain at his post until a permanent replacement was found, but, according to Church sourc- es, an “outpouring of discontent” from local clergy over the bishop’s leadership had prompted the Papal Nuncio to accept Bishop Devine’s resignation early.
The historian Professor Tom Devine said the events of the past year could lead the Catholic Church of scotland to look on 2013 as its own “annus horribilis”, but added the Nuncio’s comments showed the Vatican was determined to address the crisis.
however, he added: “The Catholic people of scotland are still in a state of semi-bewilderment and clear leadership is required.”