Welcome to the Diocese of Argyll & the Isles
Welcome Message from Bishop Brian McGee
Welcome Message from Bishop Brian McGee
Welcome to the website of the Diocese of Argyll & the Isles, and thank you for visiting. I hope you will enjoy exploring the contents of the site, learning about our Cathedral and parishes, our Led by the Spirit discernment process, our Celtic spiritual heritage and much more.
It is a large diocese, taking in much of the western part of the Scottish Highlands & Islands. It covers over 31 thousand square kilometres and has the most beautiful scenery in Scotland! We welcome many thousands of visitors here each year and we really do WELCOME them! Visitors to the diocese enrich our lives and our liturgies.
For those resident in the diocese I hope you will find this renewed website of interest. In these pages, alongside our Facebook page, I hope you will find the information and news you require to make you an ever more active participant in the life of prayer and service that we endeavour to foster together.
To all site visitors, either local to the diocese of from further afield, I would like to ask your help in giving financial support should you be in a position to do so. You'll find a link to our donation page here and if you happen to be a tax payer in the USA then we have a dedicated donation page where you can take advantage of tax deductions when giving to the diocese.
I travel the diocese a great deal and one of the most enjoyable parts of that is meeting and greeting people! Now I am delighted to do so virtually as well, through this welcome message.
Thank you for visiting and during this Holy Year in particular may you experience the joy and hope that both Pope Francis and myself wish for you.
+Brian
Holy Land Accompaniment Follow-Up
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To learn more about Tuesday’s Day of Prayer for Peace see the QR code below ... See MoreSee Less
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As we celebrate the Feast of St Thérèse of Lisieux we remember her Little Way of trusting in God’s love and that for most it isn’t important that we do extraordinary things but rather the simple, ordinary things well and with love. The photos are a happy reminder of St Thérèse’s relics in our Cathedral in 2019. ... See MoreSee Less
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Yesterday I was pleased to participate in an Inter Faith candle lighting ceremony in Edinburgh which brought together Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders as well as representatives from civil society. When there is so much darkness in the world people of faith have an important role in forming consciences. God’s light dispels all darkness.
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I want to share with you SCIAF’s statement on genocide in Gaza gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciaf.org.uk%2Fabout-us%2Fnews%2F86...
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SCIAF statement on Genocide in Gaza: speaking the truth with courage | SCIAF
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Last week, the UN Commission of Inquiry concluded that “Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have committed and are continuing to commit acts of genocide against the Palestinians in the G...3 CommentsComment on Facebook
My brothers and sisters in Christ
Day of Prayer for Peace 7th October 2025
The Bishops of Scotland invite all Catholics to keep Tuesday 7th October as a day of prayer for peace.
It is of course two years since the terrible massacre in Israel and now the continuing atrocities in Gaza.
We invite our brother priests to open their churches on that day for as long as possible so that everyone has the possibility to visit their parish, especially the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for a moment of prayer and to light a candle.
Our world today is troubled by so many wars and conflicts; it is appropriate that we as Catholics pray individually and together on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary for the Holy Land, Gaza and Israel. Pope Leo has also asked all Catholics to pray the Rosary during the month of October for peace in our world.
Could I suggest the following prayer for your intentions on the 7th October:
God of peace and justice,
We pray for the people of the Holy Land:
Israeli and Palestinian, Jew, Christian and Muslim.
We pray for an end to acts of violence and terror.
We lift to you all who are fearful and hurting.
We ask for wisdom and compassion for those in leadership.
Above all, we ask that Jesus the Prince of Peace,
Establish lasting reconciliation and justice for the Holy Land and all nations. Amen.
With thoughts and prayers in Christ, the Prince of Peace
+John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley
President, Bishops’ Conference of Scotland ... See MoreSee Less
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We have just returned from our diocesan Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome. Sincere thanks to Fr Stan for organising an excellent pilgrimage. We remembered our diocese, families and the world in our prayers. With pilgrims descending on Rome from every corner of the world our own pilgrims recognised the Church’s universality - God has formed a single people from every nation, race and language. Sunday Mass throughout Argyll and the Isles increasingly reflects this reality and, tellingly but enjoyably, during a ceilidh we sang in Gaelic, English, Polish, Ebo and Japanese! In today’s globalised world the Synod described inter-cultural encounters as an enriching “Exchange of Gifts” for the Church.
We entered through four Holy Doors meditating upon God’s merciful love. I pray we return with deeper trust and as bearers of hope, for we are all pilgrims together until the good Lord calls us home.
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Today we walked through our final Holy Door and prayed at the tomb of St Paul. Ancient Roman sites were visited in the afternoon as well as other beautiful Churches. St Bridget of Sweden was named after St Brigid of Kildare, historically a popular saint within our diocese (Kilbride). Fr Stan is a friend of the Bridgettine Order and so some visited their Convent and prayed at St Bridget’s tomb. ... See MoreSee Less
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Today our pilgrims of hope attended the Papal Audience, entered through St Peter’s Holy Door and celebrated Mass at the Altar of St Peter’s Chair. Pope Leo continued his catechesis on hope by reflecting on Holy Saturday when Jesus descended to the realm of the dead, not in defeat, but to gloriously rise again. Today Jesus remains with us in our struggles - bringing us hope - just as, with God’s grace, persevering in those very struggles we become bearers of hope to others.
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Thirty one Argyll and the Isles pilgrims of hope walked through the Holy Doors of St Mary Major and St John Lateran Basilicas today, praying for our families, diocese and the world. ... See MoreSee Less
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