Bishop of Paisley John Keenan steps back from duties on medical advice

The Bishop of Paisley, John Keenan, is stepping back from his daily duties until further notice on medical advice.

In a statement, the Bishops' Conference of Scotland said Bishop Keenan has been undergoing medical investigations and will need further tests and examinations over the coming weeks. No details of his condition have been given.

While he is away, the Vicar General, Monsignor Joe Burke, will oversee the day-to-day running of the Diocese of Paisley, which covers Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

The statement said Bishop Keenan hopes to give a further update once the investigations are finished and is grateful for people's prayers. The diocese has also asked parishioners to keep him in their prayers and to pray for a full and speedy recovery.

Bishop Keenan has led the diocese since 2014. He was ordained as its fifth bishop at St Mirin's Cathedral in Paisley in March that year, and he is also president of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland.

We send him our best wishes for a quick recovery.

Photo: St Mirin's Cathedral, Paisley © WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.