Mario Conti (1934-2022)

It is with deep sadness that Glasgow Caledonian University has learned of the passing of our honorary graduate, Emeritus Archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti.

A longstanding donor to the University, Mario was awarded a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) in November 2015, in recognition of his continued support and important part in the life of the City of Glasgow, and for his strong relationships with GCU through the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland’s support of our Magnusson Awards.

Mario was born in Elgin and studied for the priesthood at The Pontifical Scots College in Rome. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Aberdeen in 1958, serving as an assistant priest at St Mary’s Cathedral in the city, before being sent to Caithness in 1962 as parish priest in Wick and Thurso.

Fifteen years later he was appointed Bishop of Aberdeen. He holds many honours, including that of Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

He became Archbishop in 2002, when he was transferred to the archdiocese of Glasgow. Bishops tend their resignation at 75, which Mario did in 2009. He was asked to stay on until 2012, making him the second longest serving bishop of the Latin Rite in Europe upon retirement. He was succeeded by Philip Tartaglia.

Mario was a founder member of the Catholic Bishops’ Joint Committee for Bio-Ethics (Britain and Ireland). He is noted for his work within the ecumenical movement, having been appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity by Pope John Paul II. During his time as a member, he led the Roman Catholic Delegation at the eighth General Assembly of the World Council of Churches at Harare, Zimbabwe, when he had the privilege of reading the Pope’s letter to the Assembly.

Mario was the first Convenor of ACTS (Action of Churches Together in Scotland) and a President of CTBI (Churches Together in Britain and Ireland). He was formerly also a member of the Pontifical Council for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, and in the Archdiocese founded its Arts Project (AGAP).

He oversaw the fundraising and building work of a major renovation of St Andrew’s Cathedral in Glasgow between 2009 and 2011. The £5m programme has been described as the most significant renovation of a Catholic church in Scotland since the Reformation. Within the Cloister Garden, he erected a monument to victims of the sinking of the Arandora Star.

He was President-Treasurer of SCIAF (Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund) during his period in Aberdeen and, in coming to Glasgow, established on the foundations laid by his predecessor Cardinal Winning, the Mungo Foundation serving in excess of 40 social welfare projects.

In 2013, he was named Grand Prior of the Scottish Lieutenancy of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, which seeks to support the charitable work of the Church in the Holy Land, and offers educational and medical help to the inhabitants of the occupied territories.

Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Pamela Gillies CBE said: “Mario was a wise, warm and compassionate man with such a good sense of humour. He will be deeply missed.”