William Nolan (bishop)


William Nolan is the current Roman Catholic Bishop of Galloway.

Early life

William Nolan was born in January 1954 and baptised in St Patrick’s Church, Craigneuk. He was the fourth of eleven children born to William and Catherine Nolan and has five brothers and five sisters. He attended Cathedral Primary School, Motherwell, St Patrick’s Primary School, Craigneuk, St Vincent’s College, Langbank, and, from 1967 to 1971, St Mary’s College, Blairs.

Priesthood

Nolan completed his studies for ordination at the Pontifical Scots College, Rome, from 1971 to 1978, earning a Licence in Sacred Theology from the Gregorian University in June 1978.
Nolan was ordained priest for the Diocese of Motherwell on 30 June 1977 in St Bernadette's Church, Motherwell. He subsequently held the following pastoral assignments:
He served as Vice-Rector of the Scots College in Rome from 1983 to 1990. He was appointed Administrator of St John Ogilvie parish, Blantyre in November 2013 and Vicar General of the Motherwell Diocese in June 2014.

Episcopate

Nolan's appointment was announced on 22 November 2014 by Pope Francis to succeed Bishop John Cunningham and he received episcopal consecration on 14 February 2015 from Archbishop Leo Cushley. The Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Mennini and Bishop Emeritus Maurice Taylor served as principal co-consecrators.