Scottish Catholic Observer

“The past few years, with the abuse scandals, have been very hard for many Catholics,” Bishop-elect William Nolan told the SCO this week. “But Pope Francis has come in and changed the atmosphere. I’m reminded of the old saying ‘you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.’ At the same time, he’s a very challenging Pope who is asking a lot of us all to try and get back to the basic essentials of our Faith.”

Despite this new positivity, the bishop-elect, 61, admits that he was stunned to be chosen as the next Bishop of Galloway, admitting he knows there will be hard choices ahead, but saying he is happy to take his new ministry on board.

The bishop-elect maintains he was gobsmacked by the news of his appointment to Galloway and that he would be leaving Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in East Kilbride.

“I knew my name had been mentioned in connection when Bishop Devine retired, you do hear things,” he said. “But then Bishop Toal was appointed and that was fine. Galloway was not remotely on my radar when I was called down to see the nuncio [late last year].”

To say that he was surprised to be named as Bishop John Cunningham’s successor is an understatement.

“I did think ‘why not just leave me alone!’” he said. “But if this is what God is calling me to do, I’ve been called to it for a reason.”

He is also aware that he may have to make tough decisions in his new post over the future of parishes and pastoral resources.

— Watch the Episcopal ordination of Bishop-Elect Nolan on the Diocese of Galloway website starting at 11am on Saturday Feb 14

http://www.gallowaydiocese.org.uk/

—Read the full version of this story in the February 13 edition of the SCO in parishes from Friday.

—[email protected]

Pic: Paul McSherry