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Fr William's Page
As Parish Priest of the parishes of St Andrew's and St Cuthbert's, Kirkcudbright, St Peter's, Dalbeattie, Our Lady and St Ninian's, Newton Stewart, St Martin and St Ninian's, Whithorn, (with The Church of the Sacred Heart, Wigtown), and with pastoral resonsibility for Gatehouse of Fleet and Castle Douglas, I am delighted to welcome you to the website of the Catholic community in this part of South West Scotland. 

It was in October 2009 that I took up pastoral responsibility for Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas and Gatehouse of Fleet. Then in September 2012, I was also appointed as Parish Priest of St Peter's, Dalbeattie. In June 2105 my pastoral responsibilities were extended to include the communities in Whithorn, Wigtown and Newton Stewart. It is a sign of the current situation regarding clergy in the diocese that whereas a number of years ago there would have been five or six parish priests covering the Stewartry and the Machars, now I am the only one. 

However, these circumstances have ensured that the different communities are now working very closely together, and not only do they all share a priest, but they also share much more. In this task of bringing the different communities together to work as one Catholic community covering various parish boundaries, I am fully supported by a Joint Parishes Pastoral Council and by Parish Pastoral Committees and Parish Finance Committees in the different parishes.  

One of the great strengths of the Catholic community here is the commitment to ecumenical initiatives, and I am delighted that ecumenism plays such a large part in our pastoral activities. It is a particular source of encouragement to me that the congregation of St Ninian's, Scottish Episcopal Church, in Castle Douglas, have allowed us the use of their church building for the celebration of Mass, and for any funerals or weddings of those in the Castle Douglas area. On behalf of the Catholic community I express our deep gratitude to them. The commitment to ecumenical activities, and the fostering of an ecumenical mindset, is integral to being a Christian today, and it is an obvious sign of the Spirit working actively among us that ecumenical activity is being warmly embraced .

As the Catholic community in the Stewartry and the Machars, it is good that we are aware of our connection to the Diocese of Galloway, and of our link with the neighbouring parishes in our deanery of St Andrew's. Kirkcudbright is a central venue for the deanery, and is the ideal locus for the regular meetings of the priests in the deanery, as well as for any meetings bringing together the laity from the other parishes in the deanery, namely those in Annan, Lockerbie, Moffat, Dumfries and Stranraer.

I hope that you find our website both informative and interesting, and that it brings out the fact that we are a vibrant and active community. It is indeed a privilege for me to be the Parish Priest in this area, and I am very grateful for this opportunity which has been given to me.

Reading the Bull from Pope Francis at the Installation in the Cathedral of Bishop Francis Dougan, our new Bishop of Galloway, on 10th March 2024.

(Picture by Paul McSherry)


Celebrating Mass at Carfin Grotto with the Relics of St Bernadette.

SWIECONKA - Polish Food Blessing on Holy Saturday 2022









             






                The traditional Polish food blessing took place once                          again on Holy Saturday, 16th  April 2022, in St Andrew's

                and St Cuthbert's, Kirkcudbright.

                      GOOD FRIDAY WALK OF WITNESS 2022 IN

                                   GATEHOUSE OF FLEET


The annual Good Friday Walk of Witness took place through the streets of Gatehouse of Fleet, with the participants stopping at different venues to pray and sing the verses of a hymn. The four ministers associated with the village led the procession and prayers. 

Archbishop Nolan joined the priests of the diocese for a meal before the Chrism Mass in St Margaret's Cathedral, Ayr, during Holy Week 2022. The priests presented him with a specially commissioned wooden bowl inscribed with the image of the Kirkmadrine Cross. The artist was Jane Fraser, whose studio is located close to the Kirkmadrine stones in the Rhins of Galloway.












     On 28th February 2022 I was elected by the College of                     Consultors of the diocese as the Diocesan Administrator of             Galloway Diocese until a new Bishop is appointed by Rome.

     Please pray for the appointment of a new bishop soon.

EASTER 2021


The sanctuary of St Andrew's and St Cuthbert's as we celebrated the 50 days of Easter.



Sunday of the Word of God was celebrated on Sunday 24th January 2021. This day is a pastoral initiative of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, with the aim of reviving the responsibility that believers have in knowing Sacred Scripture and keeping it alive through prayer and reflection. To mark this day I led an online Lectio Divina.

Living our faith in a time of Covid


Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick has put together a few suggestions for helping us as we journey during this time of pandemic. Click on the link below to see his ten tips.



10 Tips for Living our Faith






Preparing St Andrew's and St Cuthbert's for social distancing after the lockdown - July 2020



Covid-19 Pandemic
During the Covid-19 pandemic I have been working as a member of the Spiritual Care Team for NHS Dumfries and Galloway. It has been a wonderful opportunity to work with dedicated health care professionals, and to experience first hand the commitment of all involved in responding to the crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected every single person, and I am delighted that I have been able to contribute in some small way to the spiritual care response.
With my Castle Douglas clergy colleagues at the Carol Service in the Castle Douglas Market on the Sunday before Christmas 2018. It was a great sadness that Rev. Sally Russell (2nd from the right) died suddenly in November 2020. I shall miss her ecumenical support and friendship.
    Tongland Abbey Ecumenical Service - 
    9th September 2018
Wedding Photos of my niece Emily and her husband Tom's wedding on 29th December 2017 in St John of Beverley, Beverley. 
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017 in St Ninian's, Castle Douglas, with colleagues from the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Canon Patrick McGovern RIP

My uncle Canon Patrick McGovern died on 17th January 2017. His Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Columbkille's, Rutherglen, on 23rd January. It was a wonderful celebration for a man who had been ordained for 69 years. 

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