by Rev William Maclean

My name is Canon William Maclean. I hail from a village called Roshven, in the West Highlands. I studied Biology at St. Andrews University before going to Rome to train for the priesthood, in the Pontifical Scots College. I was ordained in Arisaig in 2003. After my Ordination I went to Salamanca to study Biblical Theology. I have been a priest for 23 years now, and I have ministered in three parishes: Lochgilphead, Skye and now Stornoway, which encompasses the island mass of Lewis and Harris. So far it has been, for the most part, an enlivening and fruitful ministry.

Ecumenism is one of the central elements of this ministry, whichever parish I have been in, and whatever the demographic I encounter. In my first parish, Lochgilphead, ecumenism was alive and well, with many shared ventures, as well as regular meetings between ministers of many denominations, whether that was Church of Scotland, Free Church, Baptist, Episcopalian and the Quakers, as well as some joint services at Christmas and Easter.

When I moved to Skye, much of that structure was absent. I did make a good friendship with the Free Church minister, Rev. Donnie G. MacDonald, and the pair of us would instruct the children in the school, not only in the Christian faith, from our different points of departure, but we were often seen wielding Allen keys and road cones as we led the Bikeability Scotland scheme for them together. We also joined forces to minister in the schools.

On my arrival in Stornoway, even that was missing… although I must give much credit to my predecessor, the much loved and highly respected Canon Roddy Johnston, for all the work he did in trying to bring the churches together. Unfortunately, my arrival here coincided with Covid, and the lockdown seemed to reset much of the work that had been done by Fr. Roddy. It felt rather as if I was arriving at a blank canvas.

I am Canon William Maclean. I grew up in a small village called Roshven, in the West Highlands of Scotland.  I have been a priest of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles for 23 years. After studying at St. Andrews, I went to Rome to train for the priesthood. I have been Parish Priest in Lochgilphead, Skye and now I am happily serving in Stornoway, where I have been since 2019.

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Image: Canon William Maclean celebrates mass at St Moluag’s Episcopal Church, Ness on the Isle of Lewis