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Francis Thomson (bishop)

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Francis Thomson
Bishop Emeritus of Motherwell
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
DioceseMotherwell
Appointed8 December 1964
Term ended14 December 1982
PredecessorJames Donald Scanlan
SuccessorJoseph Devine
Orders
Ordination15 June 1946
Consecration24 February 1965
by James Donald Scanlan
Personal details
Born
Francis Alexander Spalding Warden Thomson

15 May 1917
Died6 December 1987 (aged 70)
Partick, Glasgow
BuriedMotherwell Cathedral
NationalityScottish
MottoSperans 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.[2]

Biography

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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).[3] In 1961, he was named honorary canon of St Andrews and Edinburgh.[4]

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).[2] He attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council in 1965.[2]

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.[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/moth1.htm?tab=bishops
  2. ^ a b c d "Bishop Francis Alexander Spalding Warden Thomson". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  3. ^ a b Johnson, Christine (1991). Scottish Catholic Secular Clergy 1879-1989. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers Ltd. p. 64. ISBN 0 85976345 5.
  4. ^ The Catholic Directory for Scotland 1975. Glasgow: John S. Burns & Sons. 1975. p. 235.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Motherwell
1964–1982
Succeeded by