Stephen Robson

For the British artist and printmaker, see Stephen Robson (artist).
The Right Reverend
Stephen Robson
Bishop of Dunkeld
Diocese Dunkeld
Appointed 11 December 2013
Installed 9 January 2014
Predecessor Vincent Paul Logan
Orders
Ordination 17 March 1979
by Gordon Joseph Gray
Consecration 9 June 2012
by Keith Patrick O'Brien
Personal details
Birth name Stephen Robson
Born 1 April 1951
Carlisle, Cumbria, England[1]
Denomination Roman Catholic
Parents Leslie and Margery Robson
Alma mater
Motto
  • Peregrinator pro Christo
  • (Pilgrim for Christ)
Styles of
Stephen Robson
Reference style The Right Reverend
Spoken style Your Lordship
Religious style Bishop

Stephen Robson (born 1 April 1951) is the current Bishop of Dunkeld.[2]

From 2012 to 2014 he served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.

Early life

Stephen Robson was born in Carlisle, in the Diocese of Lancaster, on 1 April 1951. Baptised in the Anglican tradition on 15 May 1951,[3] he became a Roman Catholic while a teenager.[4] After secondary school he attended the University of Edinburgh where he obtained a degree in biological sciences with a specialisation in medical technology at Napier College of Science in Edinburgh. He was heavily influenced by the local Jesuit community while studying in Edinburgh.[2]

Formation and further studies

Robson completed his studies for ordination at St Andrew's College, Drygrange. During his ministry at the Pontifical Scots College in Rome he gained a Licentiate and Doctorate in Spiritual Theology and a Licentiate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University. In 2004, his doctoral thesis, which was entitled "With the Spirit and Power of Elijah: The Prophetic-reforming Spirituality of Bernard of Clairvaux as Evidenced Particularly in His Letters", was awarded the Gregorian University's Bellarmine Medal (Theology),[2] which is awarded to recognise the best theses submitted each year in both theology and philosophy respectively.

Priesthood

Robson was ordained priest on 17 March 1979 for the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, having previously been ordained deacon on 12 February 1978.[3]

He subsequently held the following pastoral assignments:

Following his period at St Mary's College, Blairs, he spent over a year living at Ampleforth Abbey while discerning a vocation to monastic life[4]

From 1998 to 2006 he was the spiritual director of the Pontifical Scots College in Rome.

On returning to Scotland he became Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh as well as pastor of the united parishes of Our Lady's in North Berwick and Dunbar. He also served as a judge of the Scottish National Tribunal.

Episcopal career

Auxiliary bishop

Robson's appointment was announced on 8 May 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI and he received episcopal consecration on 9 June 2012, the Feast of St Columba, from Keith Patrick Cardinal O'Brien with Archbishops Antonio Mennini and Mario Conti serving as co-consecrators.[5] He was assigned the titular see of Tunnuna in Tunisia.[6]

Immediately following his episcopal ordination he served as the representative of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland at the 50th International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin from 10–17 June 2012.[7]

As auxiliary bishop, Robson became a member of the bishops' conference. Following his consecration, he continued in his role as chancellor of the archdiocese and served as parish priest at Ss John Cantius and Nicholas, Broxburn, beginning in September 2012.[8]

Following the resignation of Cardinal O'Brien in February 2013 and the appointment of Archbishop Philip Tartaglia as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese, Robson was named as Archibishop Tartaglia's delegate in the day-to-day running of the archdiocese.[9]

Bishop of Dunkeld

On 11 December 2013, Robson was appointed as Bishop of Dunkeld by Pope Francis. He was enthroned in St Andrew's Cathedral, Dundee, on 9 January 2014.

In March 2013, Robson was appointed as one of the twelve members of the McLellan Commission, the external review group tasked with investigating how the Scottish Church deals with abuse allegations, due to report in summer 2015.[10]

References

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Vincent Logan		 Bishop of Dunkeld
2014–present 		Incumbent