Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunkeld
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunkeld is a diocese
of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Scotland
, forming an episcopal hierarchy distinct from that of England
and Wales
.
The Diocese of Dunkeld is currently led by Bishop
Vincent Paul Logan
who was appointed in 1981; it is a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh.
was then known. This bishop was also styled Abbot of Dunkeld, perhaps holding jurisdiction, formerly enjoyed by Iona
, over the other Columba
n monasteries in Scotland.
The new bishopric appears to have included a great part of what afterwards became the Diocese of Argyll
, 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
hierarchy during the Protestant Reformation
in the sixteenth century.
The pre-Reformation cathedral
, situated in the Perthshire
town of Dunkeld
, was erected between 1220 and 1500. After the Reformation the cathedral fell partly into ruins, although the choir is used for Presbyterian worship.
The Catholic Church restored the diocese on 4 March 1878, by decree of Pope Leo XIII
. Dunkeld is one of the suffragan sees in the archiepiscopal province of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, and includes the counties of Perth
, Angus
, Clackmannan
, Kinross
, and the northern part of Fife
. The diocesan cathedral is dedicated to Saint Andrew
and is located in Dundee
rather than Dunkeld, Dundee being the residence of the majority of the Catholics of the diocese and the largest centre of population. The cathedral chapter, erected in 1895, consists of a provost and eight canons.
The present bishop is the Right Reverend Vincent Paul Logan
who assumed office on 26 February 1981. In 2010 the diocese comprised 35 parishes of 43,000 Catholics from a total population of 400,000 (10.8%) served by 48 priests and 9 deacons. In area the diocese is 8495 square kilometres (3,279.9 sq mi).
during the 19th century, the see city of Dundee
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 6 secondary schools: two in Dundee (St. John's and St. Paul's), two in Fife
(St. Columba's in Dunfermline
and St. Andrew's in Kirkaldy) and finally St. John's in Perth
and Kilgraston School
(an independent school) in Bridge of Earn
some few miles south-east of Perth.
in Perth; the Servites in the parish of St. Vincent de Paul
; the Pallotines at St. Francis of Assisi
who serve the Polish community in Dundee; the Congregation of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
(an Oriental rite foundation from India
) in the parish of St. Clement of Rome; the SMA Fathers (Society of African Missions
) in Dunblane
and the Marist Brothers
who teach. The diocese website lists 8 institutes of religious life for women: the Columban Sisters, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood
, the Little Sisters of the Poor
, the Religious Sisters of Charity
, the Servite Sisters, the Sisters of Mercy
, the Society of the Sacred Heart
and the Ursulines
. 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
as well as a day care centre attached to the home.
:
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, forming an episcopal hierarchy distinct from that of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
The Diocese of Dunkeld is currently led by Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Vincent Paul Logan
Vincent Paul Logan
Vincent Paul Logan is the ninth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunkeld, which was restored by Pope Leo XIII on 4 March 1878. Bishop Logan is one of eight Catholic bishops in Scotland.Vincent Logan was born in Bathgate, West Lothian on 30 June 1941, the second youngest of five brothers...
who was appointed in 1981; it is a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh.
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 PictsPicts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
was then known. This bishop was also styled Abbot of Dunkeld, perhaps holding jurisdiction, formerly enjoyed by Iona
Iona
Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Irish monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. It is a popular tourist destination and a place for retreats...
, over the other Columba
Columba
Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...
n monasteries in Scotland.
The new bishopric appears to have included a great part of what afterwards became the Diocese of Argyll
Diocese of Argyll
The Diocese of Argyll was an ecclesiastical territory or diocese in Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Diocese was led by the Bishop of Argyll, and was based at Lismore....
, 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
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
hierarchy during the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in the sixteenth century.
The pre-Reformation cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, situated in the Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
town of Dunkeld
Dunkeld
Dunkeld is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is about 15 miles north of Perth on the eastern side of the A9 road into the Scottish Highlands and on the opposite side of the Tay from the Victorian village of Birnam. Dunkeld and Birnam share a railway station, on the...
, was erected between 1220 and 1500. After the Reformation the cathedral fell partly into ruins, although the choir is used for Presbyterian worship.
The Catholic Church restored the diocese on 4 March 1878, by decree of Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. Dunkeld is one of the suffragan sees in the archiepiscopal province of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, and includes the counties of Perth
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, Clackmannan
Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire, often abbreviated to Clacks is a local government council area in Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife.As Scotland's smallest historic county, it is often nicknamed 'The Wee County'....
, Kinross
Kinross-shire
Kinross-shire or the County of Kinross is a registration county, electoral ward and historic county in the Perth and Kinross council area in the east central Lowlands of Scotland...
, and the northern part of Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. The diocesan cathedral is dedicated to Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
and is located in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
rather than Dunkeld, Dundee being the residence of the majority of the Catholics of the diocese and the largest centre of population. The cathedral chapter, erected in 1895, consists of a provost and eight canons.
The present bishop is the Right Reverend Vincent Paul Logan
Vincent Paul Logan
Vincent Paul Logan is the ninth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunkeld, which was restored by Pope Leo XIII on 4 March 1878. Bishop Logan is one of eight Catholic bishops in Scotland.Vincent Logan was born in Bathgate, West Lothian on 30 June 1941, the second youngest of five brothers...
who assumed office on 26 February 1981. In 2010 the diocese comprised 35 parishes of 43,000 Catholics from a total population of 400,000 (10.8%) served by 48 priests and 9 deacons. In area the diocese is 8495 square kilometres (3,279.9 sq mi).
Education
Due to the number of immigrants from IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
during the 19th century, the see city of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
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 6 secondary schools: two in Dundee (St. John's and St. Paul's), two in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
(St. Columba's in Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
and St. Andrew's in Kirkaldy) and finally St. John's in Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
and Kilgraston School
Kilgraston School
Kilgraston School is a British independent school, founded in 1930. It is a Roman Catholic boarding and day school for girls aged 2½–18 and day boys aged 2½–9. Currently more than 340 pupils attend Kilgraston, of which 158 live at Kilgraston for either week-nights or for entire half terms...
(an independent school) in Bridge of Earn
Bridge of Earn
Bridge of Earn is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland.Often referred to simply as 'The Brig' by its inhabitants...
some few miles south-east of Perth.
Religious communities
There are 6 institutes of religious life for men: the Redemptorists who run a retreat centre at KinnoullKinnoull
Kinnoull is a residential area of Perth, Scotland, approximately half a mile east of the centre of Perth.The main access roads to Kinnoull from the centre of Perth are Strathmore Street and Muirhall Road, both in Bridgend....
in Perth; the Servites in the parish of St. Vincent de Paul
Vincent de Paul
Vincent de Paul was a priest of the Catholic Church who became dedicated to serving the poor. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He was canonized in 1737....
; the Pallotines at St. Francis of Assisi
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
who serve the Polish community in Dundee; the Congregation of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
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 and the first congregation in the name of St. Thérèse of Lisieux in India...
(an Oriental rite foundation from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) in the parish of St. Clement of Rome; the SMA Fathers (Society of African Missions
Society of African Missions
The Society of African Missions is a Roman Catholic missionary organization. Its members come from around the world with a commitment to serve the people of Africa and those of African descent....
) in Dunblane
Dunblane
Dunblane is a small cathedral city and former burgh north of Stirling in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The town is situated off the A9 road, on the way north to Perth. Its main landmark is Dunblane Cathedral and the Allan Water runs through the town centre, with the Cathedral and the High...
and the Marist Brothers
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
who teach. The diocese website lists 8 institutes of religious life for women: the Columban Sisters, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood
Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood
The Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood , founded in 1947, is an international congregation which serves in 11 countries, both in the developed and developing world. It serves in various schools, prisons, and hospitals.-History:...
, the Little Sisters of the Poor
Little Sisters of the Poor
The Little Sisters of the Poor is a Roman Catholic religious order for women. It was founded in the 19th century by Saint Jeanne Jugan near Rennes, France. Jugan felt the need to care for the many impoverished elderly who lined the streets of French towns and cities.This led her to welcome an...
, the Religious Sisters of Charity
Religious Sisters of Charity
The Religious Sisters of Charity or Irish Sisters of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Mary Aikenhead in Ireland in 1815.Its motto is "Caritas Christi urget nos" ....
, the Servite Sisters, the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
, the Society of the Sacred Heart
Society of the Sacred Heart
The Society of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established in France by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1800. It has presence in 45 countries. Membership to the Society is restricted to women only. Its members do many works, but focus on education, particularly girls'...
and the Ursulines
Ursulines
The Ursulines are a Roman Catholic religious order for women founded at Brescia, Italy, by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is Saint Ursula.-History:St Angela de Merici spent 17 years leading a...
. 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
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...
as well as a day care centre attached to the home.
Past and present ordinaries
The following is a list of the modern Bishops of Dunkeld- George RiggGeorge RiggGeorge Rigg was a Scottish Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld from 1878 to 1887.Born in Groghmore, Scotland on 19 July 1814, he was ordained to the priesthood on 25 July 1838. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Dunkeld by the Holy See on 22 March 1878, and...
(appointed 22 March 1878 – died 18 January 1887) - James August SmithJames August SmithJames August Smith was a Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh in Scotland from 1900 to 1928....
(appointed 14 August 1890 – translated to the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh on 30 August 1900) - Angus MacFarlaneAngus MacFarlane (bishop)Angus MacFarlane was a Scottish Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld from 1901 to 1912.Born in Spean Bridge, Lochaber, Scotland on 10 January 1843, he was ordained to the priesthood on 26 April 1868. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Dunkeld by the Holy See on...
(appointed 21 February 1901 – died 24 September 1912) - Robert FraserRobert Fraser (bishop)Robert Fraser was a Scottish Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld from 1913 to 1914.Born in Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 10 August 1858, he was ordained to the priesthood on 13 August 1882. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Dunkeld by the Holy See on...
(appointed 14 May 1913 – died 28 March 1914) - John TonerJohn Toner (bishop)John Toner was a Scottish Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld from 1914 to 1949.Born in Glasgow, Scotland on 14 March 1857, he was ordained to the priesthood on 25 March 1882. He was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Dunkeld by the Holy See on 8 September 1914, and...
(appointed 8 September 1914 – died 31 May 1949) - James Donald ScanlanJames Donald ScanlanJames Donald Scanlan was a Roman Catholic prelate who served firstly as the Bishop of Dunkeld, then Bishop of Motherwell, and ultimately Archbishop of Glasgow....
(succeeded 31 May 1949 – translated to the Diocese of Motherwell on 23 May 1955) - William Andrew HartWilliam Andrew HartWilliam Andrew Hart was a Scottish Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld from 1955 to 1981.Born in Dumbarton, Scotland on 9 September 1904, he was ordained to the priesthood on 25 May 1929. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Dunkeld by the Holy See on 27 May 1955,...
(appointed 27 May 1955 – retired 26 January 1981) - Vincent Paul Logan (current bishop, appointed 26 January 1981)