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	(1951-04-01) 1 April 1951 Carlisle, Cumbria, England
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	Leslie and Margery Robson
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh (BSc 1974; MTh 1986) St Andrew's College, Drygrange Pontifical Gregorian University (STL 2000; STD 2003; JCL 2006)
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 a prelate of the Catholic Church. As of 2015, he is the Bishop of Dunkeld.

From 2012 to 2014 he was 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, he became a Roman Catholic while a teenager. 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.

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, 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), awarded to recognise the best thesis submitted each year in theology.

Priesthood

Robson was ordained deacon on 12 February 1978, and priest on 17 March 1979 for the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.

He subsequently held the following pastoral assignments:

• Parochial Vicar at St. Mary's, Kirkcaldy (1979–1981)
• Tutor at St Mary's College, Blairs (1980–1986)
• Assistant at the Department for Religious Education in Edinburgh then Episcopal Vicar and Director of the same (1987–1993)
• Pastor at Our Lady and St Margaret's, Duns (1988–1989)
• Pastor at Our Lady of the Waves', Dunbar (1990–1993)
• Pastor at St John Vianney's, Gilmerton. Edinburgh (1993–1997)

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

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 and pastor of the united parishes of Our Lady's in North Berwick and Dunbar. He also served as a judge of the Scottish National Catholic 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. He was assigned the titular see of Tunnuna in Tunisia.

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

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.

Following the resignation as bishop in response to misconduct of 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.

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 and making recommendations to prevent recurrence of abuses, which reported in August 2015.

Apostleship of the Sea

In February 2015, Robson was appointed Bishop Promoter and a Trustee of Catholic seafarers' charity Apostleship of the Sea.

References

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