RC Diocese of Argyll & the Isles

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

 I hope this finds you all well. I hope this letter brings everybody up-to-date with what is happening at present and the plans for the coming months.

 Retirement of Canon Angus John MacQueen

Canon Angus announced his plan to retire on Easter Sunday (April 8^th) to his parishioners last Sunday. As a Diocese we are grateful for his many years of service as a priest in all the parishes he has been in, and we wish him a very happy and peaceful retirement. It has been agreed that Canon Angus will continue to live in the chapel house at Northbay, but without any parochial responsibilities. Fr John Paul MacKinnon will become parish priest of Northbay Parish along with his present charge at Castlebay, so we are grateful also to Fr John Paul for taking on this extra responsibility. I will be continuing discussions with Fr John Paul about his ministry as Parish Priest of the whole of Barra and will let the parishioners know in due course the agreed arrangements, particularly in regard to Sunday Masses.

 Recent Death

Among those who have died in recent times was Hector MacPhee of Liniclate, Benbecula. Hector was the undertaker in Benbecula for many years, as well as being a faithful parishioner of St. Mary’s. We remember him fondly and express our sympathy to his family. May he and all who have passed away in recent times rest in God’s peace.

 Lent 2012

Lent will soon be here, and as always it is a time for renewed spiritual effort both personally and as parish and religious communities. I attach with this letter the papers I sent out recently which include a number of suggestions to be worked upon through this Lent in the parishes. I draw your attention also to some important dates during Lent:

a)    Lenten Station Mass: This will take place in the St. Margaret’s Deanery in St. Mary’s Portree on Wednesday 13^th March. The time is not yet decided.

b)   Mass of Chrism: This will be in the Cathedral on Wednesday March 28^th at 7pm.

 SCIAF Lenten Appeal

I commend to you the Annual Lenten Appeal for the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, especially through the Lenten Boxes and the special collection on 4^th Sunday of lent. Our Lenten efforts for SCIAF should not be displaced at parish level by collections for other charities, however worthy. SCIAF continues to bring help to many needy communities in different world in the name of the Catholics of Scotland, and it is proper that we should all make our contribution to this effort.

Parish Visitations

I intend to make the Bishop’s parish visitation to all the parishes in the St. Andrew’s Deanery in the coming months. Could the parish priests please let me know a suitable weekend to visit your parish, preferably during Eastertide but possibly during the first weeks of Lent. I will be happy to hear what is best for you before setting out the dates. During the visit I will cover the points I made in the paper I issued last year, and I look forward very much to spending a few days in each parish.

Meetings of the Diocesan Council of Priests/Diocesan Consultors

The Meetings will take place the day after the Mass of Chrism – on Thursday March 29^th . The  Meeting of the Council of Priests will begin at 11am in the Cathedral Hall, followed by lunch, with the Consultors’ Meeting after lunch in the Bishop’s House.

 Mass for Catholic Education – Diocesan Launch of “This is Our Faith”:

We have been encouraged to have a Diocesan launch of the “This is Our Faith” Document on Catholic Religious Education. Trying to find a date to bring teachers together has been difficult, so I thought we should look at doing this in another way. The idea is to have a special Mass in the Cathedral, near the Feast of St. Columba, to which the Catholic Schools in the Diocese and the parishes will be invited to send some of their children (e.g. Primary 7) along with teachers and parents. The Prayers of the Mass will be for Catholic Education in its widest sense, and during the Mass we will have the presentation of and introduction to “This is Our Faith”. The date I have set for the Mass is Thursday June 7^th at 12 Noon in the Cathedral.

You are asked to advertise the Mass and to think about arranging for some of your young parishioners, parents and teachers to come and participate. This will also be the Deanery Station Mass for the St. Andrew’s Deanery, so I expect the priests of that Deanery, and any others who can, to attend.

 Deanery Station Mass in St. Michael’s Deanery – Diocesan Mass for Vocations:

The Station Mass in St. Michael’s Deanery will take place sometime in May – we will fix a place and date at the Council of Priests’ Meeting. That will be the Diocesan Mass for Vocations.

 Mass to Mark the Anniversary of the Holy Father’s Election – St. Mary’s Cathedral Edinburgh on Sunday 25^th March:

We celebrate this Mass each year, and an invitation is sent mainly to those in public office – Members of Government of House of Lords, MPs, MSPs, MEPs, Lord Provosts, Lord Lieutenants, Provosts, Leaders of Councils and Local Authorities, other civic officials, University and College Principals, members of the Judiciary, the emergency services etc. If you can think of anybody from our Diocese who you think should be invited could you please give me their name and address. It is good that we have some representation at national gatherings, and those in public service do appreciate the recognition given by the Church.

 50^th International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin from 10^th-17^th June:

I have registered to attend the Eucharistic Congress, along with some of the other Scottish Bishops. It would be good for some people from the Diocese, and perhaps clergy, to come also. I think it will be an excellent celebration to participate in, and important for the Irish Church to regain confidence through the support of its neighbours. For our Diocese too it would be good to have contact with Ireland this year with a view to the celebration in 2013 of the 1450^th anniversary of St. Columba’s arrival on Iona. Could I ask that the Congress be advertised again in our parishes with the information that Bishop Toal will be accompanying the pilgrims from the Diocese.

Another suggestion is that we join with the Congress in our own parishes by having a time of Eucharistic Adoration in our parishes during that week.

Preparing Children to Receive Holy Communion:

Since I have asked that we encourage communicants to bow before receiving Holy Communion this is something children should now be taught to do in the preparation for First Holy Communion. It would be good also to teach them to genuflect properly towards the tabernacle, thus setting an example for the adults.

Bishop’s Diary:

 February 11^th – 20^th: ICEL Bishops’ Meeting in New Jersey, USA

February 21^st – Meeting of National Liturgy Commission, Scotus College, 11am

February 22^nd – Ash Wednesday Mass – Oban 7pm

February 27^th – Argyll and the Isles Safeguarding Advisory Group Meeting, Bishop’s House, 6pm

February 28^th -  Diocesan Trustees Meeting – 11am; Finance Board Meeting – 1.30am

March 13^th - Lenten Station Mass – St. Mary’s, Portree, Isle of Skye

March 24^th – Consular Corps Reception for Apostolic Nuncio , Edinburgh, 6pm

March 25^th – Mass to Mark Anniversary of Holy Father’s Election, Edinburgh, 11.30am

March 26^th – 28^th: Meeting of Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, Gillis College, Edinburgh

March 28^th – Mass of Chrism, St. Columba’s Cathedral. Oban, 7pm

March 29^th – Council of Priests, 11am; Diocesan Consultors, 2pm

With my prayers and good wishes,

Yours in the Lord,

+Rt Rev Joseph Toal

Bishop of Argyll and the Isles.