| Jurisdiction: | Diocese |
| Paisley | |
| Latin: | Dioecesis Pasletana |
| Coat: | Logo_of_the_Diocese_of_Paisley.jpeg |
| Territory: | Most of the council areas of Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire |
| Province: | Glasgow |
| Coordinates: | 55.847°N -4.416°W |
| Area Km2: | 580 |
| Population: | 381,480 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Catholics: | 87,940 |
| Catholics Percent: | 23.1 |
| Parishes: | 33 |
| Denomination: | Catholic |
| Sui Iuris Church: | Latin Church |
| Rite: | Roman Rite |
| Established: | 25 May 1947 |
| Cathedral: | St Mirin's Cathedral, Paisley |
| Priests: | 30 |
| Bishop: | John Keenan |
| Metro Archbishop: | William Nolan |
The Diocese of Paisley (Latin: Dioecesis Pasletana) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Erected on 25 May 1947 from the Archdiocese of Glasgow, the diocese covers the historic county of Renfrewshire (now the local government areas of Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde) and is 580km2 in area making it the smallest diocese by area in Scotland.
In 2004 the Catholic population of the diocese was 79,400 out of a total population of 342,000 (23.2%). By 2016 membership increased to 88,600 (23,8%)[1] out of a total population of 372,800.
The diocese comprises 33 parishes served by 30 priests (2021 figures). The diocese is divided into three deaneries namely St Mirin's Deanery (Renfrewshire), St Mary's Deanery (Inverclyde) and St John's Deanery (East Renfrewshire).
The mother house of the religious society the Jericho Benedictines is in the village of Kilbarchan, near the town of Johnstone within the diocese.
The Diocese is led by the Bishop of Paisley, currently the Right Reverend John Keenan, the fifth bishop of the diocese. The mother church of the diocese and seat of the bishop is St Mirin's Cathedral in the town of Paisley. The motto of the diocese is "For the Good of Souls".[2]
On 15 September 2008, the feast day of its patron saint St Mirin, the Diocese of Paisley celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. To mark the occasion a Mass concelebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St. James Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz, the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the Archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti, the Bishop of Motherwell Joseph Devine, the Bishop of Aberdeen Peter Moran, the Bishop of Galloway John Cunningham, the Emeritus Bishop of Paisley John Mone, the Bishop of Paisley Philip Tartaglia and many priests of the diocese took place in St Mirin's Cathedral. Present at the Mass were a large number of civic dignitaries and representatives of other churches in Paisley. Representing Queen Elizabeth II were the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire Guy Clark and his deputy James Wardrop.
On 16 September 2010 Pope Benedict XVI made a brief visit to the Diocese of Paisley when he departed from Glasgow Airport, which lies within the diocese to the north of the town of Paisley, for London Heathrow Airport after celebrating Mass at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.[3] There to wish him farewell from Scotland were the Provost of Renfrewshire Councillor Celia Lawson and the Bishop of Paisley Philip Tartaglia.
See main article: Bishop of Paisley. The following is a list of the Bishops of Paisley: