New president of Scottish bishops’ conference joins ‘railway mission’

London, England, Nov 17, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The new president of the bishops of Scotland is taking the Church’s message to “the streets” by joining in the evangelistic efforts of a Scottish railway mission. 

Bishop John Keenan, who was announced as the new leader of the Church in Scotland on Nov. 4, recently participated in the mission of Rail Pastors in Inverclyde, Scotland. He told CNA: “It is the Church on the streets where the Spirit wants us to be and where we feel his unique presence in almost every encounter.”

Keenan defined the Rail Pastors’ mission as “creating a little bit of community and warmth” at train stations where he shared “the joy of the Gospel,” using the phrase popularized by Pope Francis in his 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. 

The Rail Pastors are familiar to many Scots, as they have been active in Scotland for a number of years and operate at train stations in Fife, Inverclyde, and Paisley. 

The group’s mission is “to listen, care, and help travelers who otherwise might feel a little unsafe, or needing a helpful person to chat to.” Easily recognizable in bright sky-blue uniforms, Rail Pastors send people to relevant agencies for further support and are urged to be on the lookout for people contemplating suicide. 

One Friday evening last month, Keenan, who is also the bishop of Paisley, joined an ecumenical team of Rail Pastors as an observer on the trains and stations from Port Glasgow to Wemyss Bay, and then Paisley to Greenock in the west of Scotland. 

Reflecting on the mission, he said: “Uniformed as Rail Pastors, they engaged passengers of all ages from teenagers to seniors creating a little bit of community and warmth on a dark and wet Scottish autumn night.” 

Mental health statistics among Scotland’s young people are concerning, with 1 in 6 young adults aged 18–34 having self-harmed. In addition, 76% of parents have reported that their child’s mental health deteriorated while waiting for professional mental health support.  

Keenan explained that he sees the Rail Pastors as offering “a safe and reassuring presence to the young people who appreciate this pastoral care even while they are making merry.” He was able to reach out to some young people who were “amazed” to see him operating as part of the Rail Pastors team.

“A group of teenage girls recognized me from my visit to their Catholic primary school, while they were preparing for the sacrament of confirmation, and we had a nice conversation,” the bishop recalled. “Another asked me to pray for her mum. They were amazed to see me engaging with them in this role.”

He added: “In the station bar, a young man recognized me and, as we got on the train and shared his journey home, he opened up about his faith and his parents’ deep Catholic convictions. Our meeting made his day, and he got off the train renewed in faith and spirit.”  

During the evening mission, Keenan also spoke to retired police officers, transport police officers, and rail safety officers. “By midnight we had been six hours out and about as salt, leaven, and light and, where the occasion allowed, sharing the joy of the Gospel,” he said. 

Rail Pastors team leader Chris Jewell said the team was “delighted” to be joined by the bishop. 

In Scotland, Keenan has emerged as a proponent of the new evangelization, which was championed by St. John Paul II and subsequent popes. Keenan is also well known for promoting the rosary and supporting Pope Francis’ rosary “marathon” for an end to the pandemic in 2021.