Anniversaries of Ordination
Coinciding with the start of the Year of the Priest a number of our priests have anniversaries of ordination at this time of year. We wish every blessing and happiness in their priesthood to Fr. Noel Colford (45 years), Fr. Joe Calleja (30 years) and Fr. John Paul Mackinnon (10 years). Congratulations also to Fr. Eddie Higgins, a frequent visitor to the diocese, who recently celebrated his Golden Jubilee. I encourage everyone to pray for our priests and for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Priests' Assembly
The Annual Assembly of Priests will take place in Oban on Tuesday 1 September. Bishop Joe will give a reflection on his visits around the diocese and there will be a review of the Diocesan Curia and its various structures.
The Bishops of Scotland are planning to launch a new national marriage preparation programme and Fr. Paul Murray and others from Scottish Marriage Care will give a presentation on the new programme.
Ongoing Formation of Priests
Following the Priests' Assembly, on 2 and 3 September, there will be a short course for diocesan clergy on Biblical Wisdom, offered by Fr. Luca Mazzinghi, Professor of Old Testament Studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. The course is a response to last year's Synod on the Word of God which called for clergy to be renewed and invigorated in their preaching ministry.