Mgr Aldo reports from the International Conference of Parish Priests in Rome
Mgr Aldo Angelosanto, Parish Priest of St Bride’s, Monifieth and St Anne’s, Carnoustie, recently returned from taking part in the International Conference of Parish Priests, representing Scotland, in Rome.
Mgr Aldo told Dunkeld News, “What an honour and privilege it was for me to attend the International Conference of Parish Priests in Rome last week. There were over 200 priests from 99 different countries who attended. There were some Parish Priests, like myself, who came alone, and others had as many as five or ten other Priests with them.”
“In our conferences we were split up into language groups, with simultaneous translators, to help us understand those of another language. The atmosphere was one of great fraternity, as we got to know each other better, sat in our groups and had no seating arrangements and met so many others as we just choose where to sit at each meal.”
“Although this was a meeting for Priests, it dealt with topics concerning Bishops, Deacons and most importantly and for the longest time, of the role and gifts of you, the women and men, that is all the Baptised, in the Church. The Pope insists, your voice must be heard; you have your part to play as witnesses to Jesus Christ, you have the dignity of what the Vatican Council called “the common priesthood of the baptised”.
“The role of women in the Church was well talked about in serious terms and their role too in decision making. Also the point was made that if we truly want to be a Synodal Church in our local Parish, the Parish Priest (or Bishop) cannot be the one and only voice.”
“We need to listen to each other. We need to bare our wounds and hurts. We need the love to trust in the Holy Spirit and reveal our hearts, in a loving way as to how we experience what it means to be church in today’s world. Decisions need to be made together, each having a voice as our diverse roles and gifts (charisms) the Spirit has given us in the Church.”
“We were challenged by a noted theologian to consider the point that some questions were so dignified they did not deserve an answer immediately. And so we must give the Holy Spirit His space.”
Mgr Aldo was honoured to received an audience with the Holy Father. He also met with Sister Nathalie Becquart who, along with four other women and one man, was appointed as consultor to the general secretariat of the Synod of Bishops in the Catholic Church in 2019. She was the first women to be appointed to that position. Then in 2021, Pope Francis appointed her an under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops, making her the first woman to have the right to vote in the Catholic Synod of Bishops.
Dunkeld pays a fitting tribute to its Bishop Elect
Dunkeld’s fitting tribute to its Bishop Elect, Fr Martin Chambers, as priests and people gather together in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Dundee. In his own words – “I will make of my life a ‘yes’ to my Lord. I will follow wherever he calls.”
READ MOREOur Bishop Elect, Fr Martin Chambers
In a statement at 1pm, on Wednesday 10th April 2024, our Diocesan Administrator, Canon Kevin Golden announced the sad news:
“It is with deep regret and sorrow that I have to inform you that our Bishop Elect, Martin Chambers, died in his sleep last evening. May he rest in peace and may his family and loved ones find consolation in the Risen Lord and the love of family and friends.”
“While, of course we know nothing of the funeral arrangements yet I feel it is important that we gather together as a diocese to celebrate Mass for Fr Martin. To that end I invite you to join with me at St Andrew’s Cathedral this Friday, 12th April, at 1pm.”
“Everyone will be welcome to join in this Easter Celebration of the Eucharist.”
Eternal rest grant unto his soul, 0 Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
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About our Diocese
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. Today, 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.
Today the diocesan cathedral is dedicated to St 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 seven canons. Bishop Stephen Robson is the 9th Bishop of the Diocese of Dunkeld. We hope you find the site informative and that it will bring you up to date with all the events happening in our diocese. You will also find links to the wider Church community, not only in Scotland, but worldwide.
