Sunday, January 29, 2012

Glasgow priest appointed to Vatican's UN office

The Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, Monsignor Peter Smith, has been appointed to the Vatican's United Nations Embassy.

Mgr Smith will become Attache at the New York office where the Holy See has UN Permanent Observer Status. 

The appointment becomes effective on  1 March.

Fr Tom White will succeed Monsignor Smith as Chancellor and as Parish Priest of St Mary's Calton and as Archdiocesan Master of Ceremonies.

Commenting on the appointments, Archbishop Conti said: "Mgr Smith has served with great dedication as Vice Chancellor and then Chancellor of the Archdiocese for almost 25 years. I have benefited greatly from his support. We cannot do better than to agree to the appointment of Mgr Peter as Attache, even if it means losing him for a while from the active service of the Archdiocese."

Mgr Smith said: "I am very much looking forward to taking up the new role, though it will be a wrench to leave the Parish of St Mary's and my friends and colleagues at the Archdiocese. I am delighted that Fr Tom has been appointed to succeed me in the various roles I vacate and am grateful to the Archbishop for releasing me from the Archdiocese for a while to take up this new post."