SCIAF pays tribute to Archbishop Mario Conti

Archbishop Conte (centre) with Alistair Dutton and Bishop Joseph Toal calling for tougher action on climate change in 2018

Source: SCIAF

With profound sadness and gratitude, SCIAF mourns the death of Archbishop Mario Conti.

Archbishop Conti made an enormous contribution to SCIAF throughout his decades as Bishops of Aberdeen and subsequently Glasgow, and particularly during his time as SCIAF's Bishop President from 1978-1985.

Archbishop Conti was profoundly committed to social justice and was a great champion and supporter of SCIAF. He helped shape and drive our work in so many ways:

- approved the development of a small staff which led to the continued professionalism of SCIAF today

- greatly improved our relationships with schools and parishes by setting education and prayer materials in their liturgical context.

- encouraged SCIAF to focus on funding long-term projects, to make positive changes for generations to come.

- displayed his passion for educating supporters at home about development work, so we made this a priority.

- involved lobbying MPs at Westminster to protest aid cuts.

- played a key part in the decision to move SCIAF Sunday from September to the 4th Sunday in Lent.

Director Alistair Dutton said: "Archbishop Mario was a colossal character in the church in Scotland and a great friend to SCIAF.

"He supported us as a priest and as a bishop before going on to be our Bishop President and even in retirement was a great ambassador for our work.

"He was a major figure in Scottish public life, who had a fierce intellect and was a great raconteur - he was warm and engaging when meeting supporters at SCIAF events, and represented the Church, SCIAF and our issues of concern with statesmanlike dignity, diplomacy and gravitas.

"As the eyes of the world concentrate on the UN global climate negotiations at COP27, we remember with gratitude Archbishop Mario's commitment to climate justice, and his active engagement with both Westminster and Holyrood on this and many other important issues.

"Archbishop Mario leapt at every opportunity to support the work of SCIAF and we have lost a great friend. He will be sorely missed."

Dr Duncan MacLaren KCSG was SCIAF's first Director and worked directly with Archbishop Conti for many years.

"I owe Archbishop Mario my career in SCIAF and Caritas as he hired me as the first full-time staff member in SCIAF in 1983 to take forward the task of educating the Catholic community in Scotland about development as a way of reducing the dehumanising poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

"We quickly became friends and he was so supportive of the new initiatives which were undertaken by SCIAF to benefit the poorest in the Global South. And he was immensely proud of the contemporary SCIAF as a leader in development and humanitarian work from a Scottish base.

"In later life, we renewed our friendship when I was asked to join the Bishops' Committee on Inter-religious Dialogue, of which the Archbishop was President, until his handing over the baton to Bishop Brian McGee of Argyll and the Isles a few years ago.

"I know how popular Archbishop Mario was among people of other faiths in Scotland because he had a real commitment to building fraternity through inter-religious dialogue, as Pope Francis encourages us all to do.

"I will miss his smile and his chats which ranged over all Church matters, and his beloved Italy through to culture. The restored St Andrew's Cathedral in Glasgow is testimony to his love for beauty in the Church. May Archbishop Mario rest in God's peace."