The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland announced that it is considering diocesan mergers at the Holy See’s request.
“Following a request from the Holy See, the Bishops of Scotland have been invited to reflect on how the structures of the Church in our country can best serve her mission in the years ahead, specifically whether the present situation of eight dioceses is suitable,” the bishops said in a statement.
“Two possible pathways are being proposed for careful discernment: developing deeper cooperation and the sharing of resources across dioceses within our present structures, or the merging of some dioceses,” the bishops continued. “In order to best inform ourselves and the Holy See, each bishop will engage with his diocese over the coming months for the first part of this process.”