Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Philip Tartaglia, until now the Bishop of Paisley, as Archbishop of Glasgow.
He will succeed Mario Joseph Conti, who has been Archbishop since February, 2002.
The new Archbishop-Elect said today: “I am conscious of the historic place of the Archdiocese of Glasgow in the history of Christianity in Scotland and of its importance for the Catholic community in particular. It is a great honour for me to be appointed Archbishop of my native city and diocese.”
Bishop Tartaglia said he had been “very happy and fulfilled” as Bishop of Paisley, where he has served since late 2005. He added: “I have loved my diocese. The priests and people of the Diocese of Paisley will always be in my heart. And I would want to serve the Archdiocese of Glasgow with the same affection and devotion.”
The Archbishop-elect said: “I know I can only be a good bishop with help from above, so I ask everyone to pray for me.”
Archbishop Conti said: “I am delighted that the Holy Father has appointed Bishop Philip as my successor. I have known him for more than 30 years and I have the greatest admiration for his gifts of leadership, intelligence and pastoral sensitivity.
"The Archdiocese will be in very good hands. I hope to remain of service to the people of the Archdiocese and I will place myself at the service of my successor to assist him in whatever way he may wish in the life of the church in Glasgow.”
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the Catholic leader in Scotland, also offered his appreciation for the outgoing Archbishop Conti, saying: “He will indeed be missed in his own archdiocese, and beyond. However, alert as always, I am sure that he will be available to add to any discussion about ways forward for the Catholic Church in Scotland and will continue to show himself as an ardent pastor in our country.”
Cardinal O’Brien added: “The successor appointed to Archbishop Conti – Bishop Philip Tartaglia, Bishop of Paisley – has greatly endeared himself to the priests and people of his own diocese and I am sure that while they deeply regret his move from Paisley, they will also be happy to know that he will be able to continue his heavy responsibilities in the larger archdiocese.”
Archbishop-elect Tartaglia was born in Glasgow on in 1951. He is the eldest son of Guido and Annita Tartaglia and has three brothers and five sisters.
After his primary schooling at St. Thomas’, Riddrie, he began his secondary education at St. Mungo’s Academy, Glasgow, before moving to the national junior seminary at St. Vincent’s College, Langbank and, later, St. Mary’s College, Blairs, Aberdeen.
His ecclesiastical studies were completed at the Pontifical Scots College, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He was ordained as a priest by the late Archbishop Thomas Winning in the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Dennistoun, in 1975. He then returned to Rome where he completed his ordinary course of studies in 1976 before beginning his research for his Doctorate in Sacred Theology.
In 1978 he was additionally appointed as Dean of Studies at the College in Rome, and was also acting Vice-Rector at that time. On completing his doctorate in 1980, on the Council of Trent’s teaching on the Eucharist, he was appointed assistant priest at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardonald, while at the same time becoming visiting lecturer at St. Peter’s College, Newlands, Glasgow.
A year later, he was appointed Lecturer at St. Peter’s College, Newlands, becoming Director of Studies in 1983. When Chesters College, Bearsden, opened in 1985 he was made Vice-Rector. In 1987 he was appointed Rector.
He served as Rector until 1993 when he was sent to St. Patrick’s, Dumbarton, as Assistant Priest before being appointed Parish Priest of St. Mary’s, Duntocher in 1995. In 2004, the Bishops’ Conference asked him to return to seminary as Rector of the Pontifical Scots College, Rome.
He was ordained as Bishop of Paisley in November 2005 by Archbishop Conti.
He has a brother who is a priest of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, Canon Gerry Tartaglia, who is parish Priest of St Margaret’s and Our Holy Redeemer Parishes in Clydebank.
The installation of the new archbishop will take place in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Glasgow, at 11.30am on Saturday September 8.
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