The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunkeld ( la, Dioecesis Dunkeldensis) is one of eight dioceses of the

Latin Church , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. On 28 December 2022, the Diocese became

sede vacante ''Sede vacante'' ( in Latin.) is a term for the state of a diocese while without a bishop. In the canon law of the Catholic Church, the term is used to refer to the vacancy of the bishop's or Pope's authority upon his death or resignation. Hi ...

following the resignation of Bishop

Stephen Robson Stephen Robson (born 1 April 1951) is a prelate of the Catholic Church. , he is the Bishop Emeritus of Dunkeld. From 2012 to 2014 he was auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh. Early life Stephen Robson was born in C ...

due to ill health.

History

It is thought that the diocese was constituted as far back as the middle of the ninth century. The first occupant was styled Bishop of Fortriu, the name by which the kingdom of the northern

Picts The Picts were a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland (north of the Firth of Forth) during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and what their culture was like can be inferred from ea ...

was then known. This bishop was also styled

Abbot of Dunkeld The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Cormac. However, the first k ...

, perhaps holding jurisdiction, formerly enjoyed by

Iona Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: �iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...

, over the other

Columba Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is toda ...

n monasteries in Scotland.Hunter-Blair, Oswald. "Diocese of Dunkeld." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 29 January 2020 In 1127 King Alexander, who had already founded the Diocese of Moray farther north, erected Dunkeld into a cathedral church and replaced the Columban monks by a chapter of secular canons. The new bishopric appears to have included a great part of what afterwards became the

Diocese of Argyll The Diocese of Argyll was an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Diocese was led by the Bishop of Argyll, and was based at Lismore. During the Scottish Reformation, the majority of the Scottish established c ...

, and retained its jurisdiction over various churches representing old Columban foundations. There were thirty-five bishops of Dunkeld from its foundation until the suppression of the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

hierarchy during the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

in the sixteenth century. The

restored the diocese on 4 March 1878, by decree of

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

. The cathedral chapter, erected in 1895, consisted of a provost and eight canons.

Present day

Dunkeld is a suffragan see of the Archdioceese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, and includes the counties of Perth, Angus, Clackmannan, Kinross, and the northern part of Fife. In 2020 the diocese comprised 45 parishes of 43,000 Catholics from a total population of 400,000 (10.8%) served by 35 priests and 4 deacons. In area the diocese is . The diocesan cathedral is dedicated to

Saint Andrew Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Peter ...

and is located in

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

rather than Dunkeld, Dundee being the residence of the majority of the Catholics of the diocese and the largest centre of population.

Parishes

City of Dundee * St Andrew's Cathedral, Nethergate, Dundee * St Clements, Charleston * St Columba's, Kirkton, * Immaculate Conception, Lochee * St Joseph's, Wilkie's Lane, Dundee * Ss Leonard & Fergus, Ardler * Our Lady of Victories, Hilltown, Forebank * Our Lady of Good Counsel, Broughty Ferry * Our Lady of Sorrows, Fintry * St Ninian's, Menziehill * St Patrick's, Stobswell, Dundee * Ss Peter & Paul's, Coldside, Dundee * St Piux X, Douglas, Dundee Angus * St Thomas of Canterbury, Arbroath * St Ninian's, Brechin * St Anne's, Carnoustie * St Fergus’, Forfar * St Anthony's, Kirriemuir * St Bride's, Monifieth * St Margaret's, Montrose Clackmannanshire * St Mungo's, Alloa * St John Vianney's, Alva * St Bernadette's, Tullibody Fife * St Thomas's, Auchtermuchty * St Columba's, Cupar * St Serf's, High Valleyfield * St Fillan's, Newport-on-Tay * Our Lady Star of the Sea, Tayport Kinross-shire St James’, Kinross Perthshire and Stirlingshire * Our Lady of Mercy, Aberfeldy * St Luan's, Alyth * Our Lady of Perpertual Succour, Auchterarder * St Stephen's, Blairgowrie * St Joseph the Worker, Callander * St Margaret's, Comrie * St Fillan's, Crieff * St Mary's, Coupar Angus * Ss Fillan's & Alphonsus, Doune, Stirling. * The Holy Family, Dunblane, Stirling. * St Columba's, Birnam * Our Lady of Lourdes’, City of Perth * St John the Baptist's, City of Perth * St Mary's Monastery, Kinnoull * St Mary Magdalene's, City of Perth * St Bride's, Pitlochry

Education

Due to the number of immigrants from

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

during the 19th century, the see city of

has always had a higher percentage of Catholics (between 18%-20%) than other cities and towns on the East Coast. As a result, since that time, there have been a good number of primary and secondary schools in the diocese. As of 2010, the Diocese website listed 21 primary schools and 4 secondary schools: two in Dundee ( St. John's and St. Paul's), St John's Academy in

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

and

Kilgraston School Kilgraston School is an independent boarding and day school offering primary school education for boys and girls aged from five to twelve years old and girls only from five to eighteen. Boarding is available for girls only aged eight years old an ...

(an independent school) in

Bridge of Earn Bridge of Earn ( gd, Drochaid Èireann) is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland. Often referred to simply as 'The Brig' (Scots Language, Scots for 'bridge'). The village grew up on the south bank of an important crossing of the River Earn, whose ...

some few miles south-east of Perth.

Religious communities

There are 5 institutes of religious life for men: the

Redemptorists The Redemptorists officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer ( la, links=no, Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris), abbreviated CSsR,is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men (priests and brother ...

who run a retreat centre at

Kinnoull Kinnoull is a parish in Perth, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, approximately half a mile northeast of Perth city centre. Beginning at the level of the River Tay, Kinnoull's terrain continues to rise as it continues southeast, culminating in Kinno ...

in Perth; the

Pallotines The Pallottines officially named the Society of the Catholic Apostolate ( la, Societas Apostolatus Catholici), abbreviated SAC is a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right for men in the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1835 by the Roman C ...

at St. Joseph's, who serve the Polish community in Dundee; the CST Fathers (

Congregation of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux The Congregation of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux is the first religious brothers congregation founded in the Syro-Malabar Church in India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-lar ...

) (an Oriental rite foundation from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

) in the parish of St.

Clement of Rome Pope Clement I ( la, Clemens Romanus; Greek: grc, Κλήμης Ῥώμης, Klēmēs Rōmēs) ( – 99 AD) was bishop of Rome in the late first century AD. He is listed by Irenaeus and Tertullian as the bishop of Rome, holding office from 88 AD t ...

; the SMA Fathers (

Society of African Missions The Society of African Missions ( la, Societas Missionum ad Afros; ) abbreviated SMA, also known as the SMA Fathers, is a Catholic religious Society of Apostolic Life of pontifical right for men founded by Melchior de Marion Brésillac in 1856. ...

) in

Dunblane Dunblane (, gd, Dùn Bhlàthain) is a small town in the council area of Stirling in central Scotland, and inside the historic boundaries of the county of Perthshire. It is a commuter town, with many residents making use of good transport links ...

and the

Marist Brothers The Marist Brothers of the Schools, commonly known as simply the Marist Brothers, is an international community of Catholic religious institute of brothers. In 1817, St. Marcellin Champagnat, a Marist priest from France, founded the Marist Brother ...

who teach. Within the diocese there are 7 institutes of religious life for women: the Columban Sisters, the

Little Sisters of the Poor The Little Sisters of the Poor (french: Petites Sœurs des pauvres) is a Catholic religious institute for women. It was founded by Jeanne Jugan. Having felt the need to care for the many impoverished elderly who lined the streets of French towns ...

(left 2015), the

Religious Sisters of Charity The Religious Sisters of Charity or Irish Sisters of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious institute founded by Mary Aikenhead in Ireland on 15 January 1815. Its motto is ('The love Christ urges us on'; ). The institute has its headquarters in Du ...

, the

Servite The Servite Order, officially known as the Order of Servants of Mary ( la, Ordo Servorum Beatae Mariae Virginis; abbreviation: OSM), is one of the five original Catholic mendicant orders. It includes several branches of friars (priests and brothe ...

Sisters, the

Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy is a religious institute of Catholic women founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland, by Catherine McAuley. As of 2019, the institute had about 6200 sisters worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations. They a ...

, the

Society of the Sacred Heart , image = RSCJnuevo.jpg, , image_size = 150px , caption = , abbreviation = Post-nominal letters: RSCJ , formation = , founder = Saint Sr. Madeleine Sophie Barat, R.S.C.J. ...

and the

Ursulines The Ursulines, also known as the Order of Saint Ursula (post-nominals: OSU), is an enclosed religious order of consecrated women that branched off from the Angelines, also known as the Company of Saint Ursula, in 1572. Like the Angelines, they t ...

. These women are involved in a variety of ministries: teaching, administration, parish work and running a home for the elderly. The Diocese also operates its own facility for elderly people: St. Mary's Home in

Monifieth Monifieth is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated on the north bank of the Firth of Tay on the east coast. In 2016, the population of Monifieth was estimated at 8,110, making it the fifth largest ...

as well as a day care centre attached to the home. In August 2015 the Little Sisters of the Poor, who had been resident at St. Joseph's, Wellburn for more than 150 years, announced that they could no longer continue to run their care home due to diminishing numbers of Sisters. The Diocese purchased the care home from the Sisters so that the care of the elderly mission at the home may continue. In 2015 a Care Home Manager was appointed to operate the facility on behalf of the Diocese, but given the age and condition of the premises, the home was closed in 2017.

Bishops

Past and present ordinaries

(Modern Bishops are included in the above-mentioned main article, but are not the only part of post-Reformation bishops.)
The following is a list of the modern Bishops of Dunkeld: *

George Rigg George Rigg (19 July 1814 – 18 January 1887) was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld from 1878 to 1887. Born in Groghmore, Scotland, he was ordained to the priesthood on 25 July 1838. He was appointed the ...

(appointed 22 March 1878 – died 18 January 1887) *

James August Smith James Augustine Smith (1841–1928) was a Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh in Scotland from 1900 to 1928. Life Born in Edinburgh on 18 October 1841, he was educated at Blairs College and then t ...

(appointed 14 August 1890 – translated to the

Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh The Archdiocese of Saint Andrews & Edinburgh ( la, Archidioecesis Sancti Andreae et Edimburgensis) is an archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Scotland. It is the metropolitan see of the province of Saint Andrews and Edinbu ...

on 30 August 1900) * Angus MacFarlane (appointed 21 February 1901 – died 24 September 1912) * Robert Fraser (appointed 14 May 1913 – died 28 March 1914) *

John Toner John L. Toner (May 4, 1923 – September 23, 2014) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of Connecticut (UConn) from 1966 to 1970 and as the school's ...

(appointed 8 September 1914 – died 31 May 1949) *

James Donald Scanlan James Donald Scanlan (24 January 1899 – 25 March 1976) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served first as the Bishop of Dunkeld, then Bishop of Motherwell, and ultimately Archbishop of Glasgow. Born in Glasgow, Scanlan intended to study medicine ...

(succeeded 31 May 1949 – translated to the Diocese of Motherwell on 23 May 1955) * William Andrew Hart (appointed 27 May 1955 – retired 26 January 1981) * Vincent Paul Logan (appointed 26 January 1981 – resigned 30 June 2012) * (Basil O'Sullivan

apostolic administrator An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic admi ...

(appointed 6 July 2012 – resigned 11 December 2013)) *

(appointed 11 December 2013 - resigned 28 December 2022)

Coadjutor Bishops

*James Maguire (1939-1944) *

(1946-1949)

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

* Michael Foylan, appointed Bishop of Aberdeen in 1964 * Joseph Michael McGee, appointed Bishop of Galloway in 1952

References

External links

Diocese of DunkeldKilgraston School for Girls
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunkeld Christianity in Dundee Christianity in Perth and Kinross

Dunkeld Dunkeld (, sco, Dunkell, from gd, Dùn Chailleann, "fort of the Caledonians") is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The location of a historic cathedral, it lies on the north bank of the River Tay, opposite Birnam. Dunkeld lies close to t ...

Christianity in Angus, Scotland Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of St Andrews and Edinburgh