By Bill Heaney
Pope Francis has today (Friday 4 February 2022) appointed Bishop William Nolan as Archbishop of Glasgow. The new Archbishop will succeed Archbishop Philip Tartaglia who died in January 2021. Bishop Nolan is currently the Bishop of Galloway.
A delighted Bishop Nolan, pictured above, said: “I feel overwhelmed by the trust Pope Francis is putting in me by appointing me as Archbishop of Glasgow.
“It will be wrench for me to leave Galloway Diocese where for seven years I have experienced the kindness and friendship of so many people, particularly the clergy. God truly blessed me by sending me to Galloway and I hope that my successor there will be similarly blessed.
“As I overcome my initial shock at being appointed Archbishop my thoughts now turn to the challenges that lies ahead.
“I look forward to working with everyone in the Archdiocese, laity and clergy, to carry out the mission that we share of proclaiming God’s good news and of bringing the joy of the gospel into the lives of the people of today.”
Bishop Nolan, added: “I am well aware of my own inadequacies and of the difficulties the Church faces today. Thank God therefore that we can sure of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the Church.
“As I leave the Diocese of Galloway behind, from now on I belong to Glasgow. And I assure the people of Glasgow of my commitment and dedication to them. Please remember me in your prayers.”
Welcoming the appointment Monsignor Hugh Bradley, who has been Administrator of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, since the death of Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, pictured left with Pope Francis, said: “I am delighted with the appointment of Bishop Nolan.
Welcoming the appointment Monsignor Hugh Bradley, who has been Administrator of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, since the death of Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, pictured left with Pope Francis, said: “I am delighted with the appointment of Bishop Nolan.“I offer him a warm welcome to the Archdiocese of Glasgow and a promise of prayers on behalf of all the clergy, religious and laity. May our good God bless him with health and strength to lead us in faith.”
Fr. William McFadden, Vicar General of the diocese of Galloway, which includes all of Ayrshire, said: “As Bishop of Galloway, Bishop Nolan presented a pastoral vision with a genuinely collaborative approach.
Fr. William McFadden, Vicar General of the diocese of Galloway, which includes all of Ayrshire, said: “As Bishop of Galloway, Bishop Nolan presented a pastoral vision with a genuinely collaborative approach.
“He led with humility and determination, inspired by the initiatives of Pope Francis, and focusing on the needs of the Church for the 21st century.
“This appointment will allow him to serve both the people of Glasgow and the wider Church with the same abilities with which he served us in Galloway for seven valuable years.
“We will miss him, but appreciate greatly the contribution which he made, and the legacy which he leaves.”
Biography
Bishop William Nolan: Born: 26th January 1954.
Baptised: St Patrick s Craigneuk
Schools: Cathedral Primary, Motherwell
St Patrick’ s Primary, Craigneuk
St Vincent’ s College, Langbank, 1965 – 1967
St Mary’ s College, Blairs, 1967 – 1971
Senior Seminary: Scots College, Rome, 1971 – 1978
Ordained Priest for Diocese of Motherwell, 30th June 1977, St Bernadette’ s,Motherwell
S.T.L. (Licence in Sacred Theology): Gregorian University, Rome, June 1978
Schools: Cathedral Primary, Motherwell
St Patrick’ s Primary, Craigneuk
St Vincent’ s College, Langbank, 1965 – 1967
St Mary’ s College, Blairs, 1967 – 1971
Senior Seminary: Scots College, Rome, 1971 – 1978
Ordained Priest for Diocese of Motherwell, 30th June 1977, St Bernadette’ s,Motherwell
S.T.L. (Licence in Sacred Theology): Gregorian University, Rome, June 1978
Priestly Ministry:
Assistant Priest, Our Lady of Lourdes, East Kilbride, 1978 – 1980
Assistant Priest, St. David’s, Plains, 1980 “ 1983
Vice-Rector, Scots College, Rome, 1983 “ 1990
Assistant Priest, St Bridget’s, Baillieston, 1990 – 1994
Parish Priest, Our Lady of Lourdes, East Kilbride, 1994 to 2014
Chairman Council of Priests, 1992 – 1998
Chairman Committee for Ongoing Formation of Priests, 1993-2004
Administrator, St John Ogilvie, Blantyre, November 2013 to 2014
Vicar General, Motherwell Diocese, 2014
Assistant Priest, St. David’s, Plains, 1980 “ 1983
Vice-Rector, Scots College, Rome, 1983 “ 1990
Assistant Priest, St Bridget’s, Baillieston, 1990 – 1994
Parish Priest, Our Lady of Lourdes, East Kilbride, 1994 to 2014
Chairman Council of Priests, 1992 – 1998
Chairman Committee for Ongoing Formation of Priests, 1993-2004
Administrator, St John Ogilvie, Blantyre, November 2013 to 2014
Vicar General, Motherwell Diocese, 2014
Appointed Bishop of Galloway by Pope Francis on 22 November 2014
Episcopal ordination on 14th February 2015
Fourth of 11 children born to William and Catherine Nolan (both deceased) – five girls and six boys.Baptised in same church as the late Cardinal Thomas Joseph Winning, pictured right, St Patrick s, Craigneuk, Wishaw.
The Mass of Installation of the new Archbishop will take place in St Andrew s Cathedral, Glasgow, on Saturday, 26 February 26 , 2022.
Archbishop Nolan will be the ninth Archbishop to hold office since the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy to Scotland in 1878. The Diocese was vacant following the Reformation from the death in Paris on 24 April 1603 of Archbishop James Beaton until the appointment of Archbishop Charles Eyre on 15 March 1878.
- The Archdiocese of Glasgow is the largest of Scotland’s eight Dioceses with an estimated Catholic population of 189,000. It comprises 89 parishes, which include St Patrick’s, St Michael’s and St Peter’s in Dumbarton and St Joseph’s in Helensburgh, and is served by 163 priests.
Warmest Congratulations to our new Archbishop, he is a lovely man.