I’m sure you will have heard the news that the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has sadly died today.

As Episcopalians, we of course do not fall under the authority of the pope. But today, it is important for us to mark the loss of a dear brother in Christ and to pray for our sisters and brothers in the Roman Catholic Church as their beloved leader has died.

As I have been thinking about Pope Francis today, I consider his death as a loss not only to the christian world, but to our wider global family. Ever an advocate for peace and persistent in his call for justice for the poor, Pope Francis never wavered in his willingness to speak out against political regimes and systems that persecuted the most vulnerable in our society. We pray that he may now rest in peace, and rise in glory.

I know that my redeemer lives,

And on that final day of days,

His voice shall bid me rise again:

Unending joy, unceasing praise!

This hope I cherish in my heart

To stand on earth, my flesh restored

And, not a stranger but a friend,

Behold my Saviour and my Lord.

We would like to thank everyone who has helped out over Holy week and Easter – preparing, leading, decorating and most importantly being present to worship and walk together! Although it’s NEVER all about numbers, it was great to learn that across our four Easter Day Services, we welcomed over 140 people to celebrate the joy of the resurrection!

Dying He destroyed our death,

Rising He restored our life.

Lord Jesus, come in glory.

(Pictured: Provost Sarah Murray, Canon Tembu Rongong, Bishop Mark Strange, Canon Simon Scott and Dean Alison Simpson)

Along with the Reverend Tembu Rongong (Holy Trinity, Elgin and St Margaret’s, Lossiemouth), Fr Simon was installed as a Canon of the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of St Andrew, Inverness during a service of Choral Evensong yesterday evening. Thank you to all who made the long journey south to attend, to all who watched online and to all who held us all in prayer. Cathedral Canons play an important part in the life of our diocese, supporting the Bishop, Provost and Dean in their work to build God’s kingdom in our part of the world. God bless us and watch over us!

“I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God.”

– St Dominic Savio

Many of you will know that as well as an Episcopal Priest, I am also an anglican Benedictine Monk – a member of the Order of Saint Benedict (OSB) belonging to the particular community of the House of Initia Nova. Most of you know me as Simon, but my given Benedictine name is Br Nicholas. We are a religious community that are scattered ‘on mission’ across the globe with members in the UK, US, Australia, Singapore and Puerto Rico. You can imagine how overjoyed I was when a member of the same religious community was installed as Rector of The Black Isle at a service in St Andrew’s Fortrose last Saturday. Rev Alex Lane (aka Br John-Aelred) has moved north from a parish in Twickenham. To add to my delight, our dear Sr Margaret-Thomas (also in the same community) came to stay with Peter, the boys and I for a long weekend.

Here are a few pics from the weekend!

We hope to see our dear sister again very soon! The Anglican Benedictines are Back in the Highlands!