Scottish Catholic Observer

Bishop Philip Tartaglia is the new Archbishop of Glasgow. Pope Benedict XVI made the appointment on Tuesday and the archbishop-elect said he was ‘honoured and humbled to become archbishop of my own native archdiocese and city.’

The archbishop-elect (far right) will replace Archbishop Mario Conti (right) and stand down as Bishop of Paisley at his Episcopal installation at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Glasgow on September 8. He said he is preparing to take the role in full knowledge ‘of the historic place of Glasgow Archdiocese in the history of Christianity in Scotland.’

Honour and responsibility

During his first address to the press at the Glasgow Archdiocesan offices next to the River Clyde on Tuesday, the archbishop-elect thanked Pope Benedict for ‘trusting him with this responsibility’ and asked for the prayers of ‘any who pray’ as ‘I know I can only be a good bishop with help from above.’

Before later addressing archdiocesan staff, the archbishop-elect (right) reminisced about his roots in the city, growing up as one of nine children in what he called a ‘classy close’ in a Dennistoun tenement.

Despite his delight at returning to Glasgow he said he had been ‘very happy and fulfilled’ as Bishop of Paisley, where he has served since late 2005.

“I have loved my diocese,” he said. “The priests and people of the Diocese of Paisley will always be in my heart. If I can serve the Archdiocese of Glasgow with the same energy, affection and devotion as I did Paisley I will be happy. I only regret that I will be leaving it in a period of uncertainty without a bishop but that is the way the Church works.”

Pastoral mission

The new archbishop said that Catholics in Glasgow should not expect major changes, as he was proud to be following on from Archbishop Conti.

“This is not year zero,” he said. “We all walk in the footsteps of others. I would pay tribute to the job Archbishop Conti has done both in terms of the day- to-day running of the diocese and the promotion of other areas, such as arts and culture.”

Archbishop Conti returned the compliment saying he was ‘delighted’ at who the Pope had chosen to succeed him.

“I have known him for more than 30 years and I have the greatest admiration for his gifts of leadership, intelligence and pastoral sensitivity,” he said. “The archdiocese will be in very good hands. I hope to remain of service to the people of the archdiocese and I will place myself at the service of my successor to assist him in whatever way he may wish in the life of the Church in Glasgow.”

Archbishop Conti also said that he looked back at his time as archbishop with ‘a sense of satisfaction’ at ‘doing a job that needed to be done.’

“Some of the jobs were hard, such as the closure and amalgamation of parishes,” he said. “But some, such as the archdiocesan arts project, have gone better than I ever would have hoped.”

Issues

Archbishop-elect Tartaglia said he intended to confront issues of injustice in wider society but remain focused on the essential message of the Church.

“Obviously same-sex ‘marriage’ is a concern and that will be a challenge for the Church but ultimately pastoral concerns will outweigh the political as we focus on the core mission of the Church, to preach the Gospel of Christ while ensuring we remain in communion with the Holy See and the rest of the Church,” he said this week.

The new archbishop has already shown he is not afraid to speak out on controversial and difficult issues. He faced criticism this week for appearing to suggest at a religious freedom and equality conference at Oxford University earlier this year that the late MP David Cairns’s death may have been connected to his sexual orientation.

A spokesman for Glasgow Archdiocese defended the remarks. “Responding to a question from an audience member, Bishop Tartaglia agreed that the health risks of same sex behaviour were largely unreported,” the spokesman said. “He mentioned the premature death of a young high-profile gay MP in this context. There was no intention to cause offence and he regrets that anyone may have been upset.”

He added: “In the case of the MP concerned, his funeral was conducted in the Catholic Church and pastoral support offered to his family and friends.”

Support

Cardinal Keith O’Brien paid tribute this week to the new archbishop and to Archbishop Conti, saying he was sure the retiring archbishop would continue to serve the Church in Scotland.

“He will indeed be missed in his own archdiocese, and beyond,” he said. “However, alert as always, I am sure that he will be available to add to any discussion about ways forward for the Catholic Church in Scotland and will continue to show himself as an ardent pastor in our country.”

Cardinal O’Brien added that he was certain the new archbishop-elect would do a grand job for Glasgow.

“The successor appointed to Archbishop Conti—Bishop Philip Tartaglia, Bishop of Paisley—has greatly endeared himself to the priests and people of his own diocese,” he said. “I am sure that while they deeply regret his move from Paisley, they will also be happy to know that he will be able to continue his heavy responsibilities in the larger archdiocese.”

Praise for the archbishop-elect was also forthcoming from his brother, Canon Gerry Tartaglia, parish priest of St Margaret’s and Our Holy Redeemer parishes in Clydebank.

“ Of course it is a proud day for the family, I’ve not spoken to them yet, but I think it is safe to say that!” he said. “As a priest of the archdiocese, I think I have some idea of the task in front of him and of course there is a wee bit of worry when a family member goes into a high profile position but I think in Paisley he showed he was capable of handling an Episcopal appointment and I think he knows what needs to be done.”

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Pic: Paul McSherry

To read more on Bishop Tartaglia, click here.