POPE FRANCIS has appointed Bishop William Nolan (68) as the new Archbishop of Glasgow.
The 68-year-old, appointed on February 4, will succeed Archbishop Philip Tartaglia who died in January 2021.
Bishop Nolan has served in the Diocese of Galloway, in southwest Scotland, since 2015.
He also serves as president of Justice and Peace Scotland, a national body that advocates on a variety of social issues from climate change to nuclear weapons.
Bishop Nolan said: "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.”
On his appointment he said: “As I overcome my initial shock at being appointed Archbishop my thoughts now turn to the challenges that lie 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.”
Around a quarter of Scotland’s 800,000 Catholics live in the Archdiocese of Glasgow, a significant proportion of them the families of Irish immigrants.
William Nolan was the fourth of eleven children born to William and Catherine Nolan. He was baptised an in St Patrick’s Church, Craigneuk, Lanarkshire.
It is widely believed that Archbishop Nolan’s elevation is a pointer to his eventually becoming a cardinal during Pope Francis’ papacy, particularly as he shares the same social concerns as the Pontiff.
See More: Archbishop Of Glasgow, Bishop Nolan, Pope Francis
