Pope Francis appoints Bishop Joseph Toal to new diocese 6/5/14
Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Joseph Toal - currently Bishop of Argyll and the
Isles - as the new Bishop of Motherwell.
Bishop Toal, 57, has been temporarily overseeing the Diocese of Motherwell for the
past year which has been vacant since Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop
Joseph Devine.
Bishop Toal said: “Over the past 11 months, I have come to know the Diocese of Motherwell
and appreciate the warmth and generosity of the clergy and laity, I look forward
to deepening that relationship with them.
“While I am sad to be leaving my home diocese of Argyll and the Isles, I know the
deep faith of the people there will sustain them as they await a new Bishop and I
ask them to pray for me as I prepare to translate to the Diocese of Motherwell.”
Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland,
said: “While sympathising with the priests and people of the Diocese of Argyll and
the Isles on the transfer of their much loved and respected bishop, I welcome the
nomination of Bishop Joseph Toal as the new Bishop of Motherwell and I wish him every
blessing in his new appointment.”
Bishop Toal was born in Inverness and brought up in Lochabar. His first clerical
appointment was as assistant priest in St Peter’s in Daliburgh.
He later serviced as the priest at Ardkenneth and also at St Mary’s Benbecula.
He served in the Royal Scots College in Spain from 1999 to 2008, latterly as vice-rector,
before being appointed as Bishop of Argyll and the Isles by Pope Benedict.