Francis Thomson (bishop) explained

Francis Thomson
Honorific Prefix:The Right Reverend
Bishop Emeritus of Motherwell
Church:Roman Catholic Church
Diocese:Motherwell
Appointed:8 December 1964
Term End:14 December 1982
Predecessor:James Donald Scanlan
Successor:Joseph Devine
Ordination:15 June 1946
Consecration:24 February 1965
Consecrated By:James Donald Scanlan
Birth Name:Francis Alexander Spalding Warden Thomson
Birth Date:15 May 1917
Birth Place:Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Death Date:6 December 1987 (aged 70)
Death Place:Partick, Glasgow
Buried:Motherwell Cathedral
Nationality:Scottish
Motto:Sperans in Domino[1]

Francis Alexander Spalding Warden Thomson (15 May 1917 – 6 December 1987) was a Scottish Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Bishop of Motherwell from 1964 to 1982.

Biography

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 15 May 1917 and was educated at George Watson's College. He received a Master of Arts from University of Edinburgh (1938) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Cambridge (1940). He received a licentiate of Sacred Theology from the Angelicum in Rome and was ordained to the priesthood on 15 June 1946 for the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh. He served as a curate at St Patrick's, Kilsyth (1946–48); St James', St Andrews (1949–52) and St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh (1952–53). He was a staff member at St Andrew's College, Drygrange (1953–60) and was rector of St Mary's College, Blairs (1960–64).[2] In 1961, he was named honorary canon of St Andrews and Edinburgh.[3]

He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Motherwell by the Holy See on 8 December 1964, and consecrated to the Episcopate on 24 February 1965. The principal consecrator was Archbishop James Donald Scanlan of Glasgow, and the principal co-consecrators were Bishop James Black of Paisley and Bishop Stephen McGill of Argyll and the Isles (later Bishop of Paisley). He attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council in 1965.

He resigned on 14 December 1982 and assumed the title Bishop Emeritus of Motherwell. He retired to Biggar as parish priest and died on 6 December 1987, aged 70.

References

Notes and References

  1. https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/moth1.htm?tab=bishops
  2. Book: Johnson, Christine . Scottish Catholic Secular Clergy 1879-1989 . John Donald Publishers Ltd . 1991 . 0 85976345 5 . Edinburgh . 64 . English.
  3. Book: The Catholic Directory for Scotland 1975 . John S. Burns & Sons . 1975 . Glasgow . 235.