by Tom Magill

The 2^nd Vatican Council restored local churches (dioceses) to their previous status as full and complete churches and not just branches of the Church of Rome. Each was considered one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. A local church was seen to be the presence of the universal Catholic church in that specific place. It was through the Council’s ecclesiology of communion that all these local churches were shown to be united with each other and with the Church of Rome under the leadership of the Pope. The role of the local church emerges very strongly in the Final Document of the Synod on Synodality (FD). It’s an opportune time, then, for us in Scotland to reflect on the relationship between our local church(es) and the universal church so that we can achieve a greater clarity on what is expected of us and the contribution we can make.

Dr Tom Magill is a retired priest of Motherwell Diocese.  This article is based on a talk he gave to delegates of the European conferences of Bishops.

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