Mercy Bus visits Scottish Parliament
MSPs and staff have welcomed the Mercy Bus to the Scottish Parliament building for the first time since 2018.
The double decker bus, used by Friends of Divine Mercy as a means of Catholic outreach, parked up outside Holyrood on Wednesday, where it was visited by MSPs and staff. Canon Stephen Baillie was also on hand to provide pastoral support and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Earlier in the summer the bus toured a number of Scottish cities and towns with volunteers handing out thousands of Miraculous Medals and Divine Mercy Chaplets.
Anthony Horan, Director of the Catholic Parliamentary Office, said: “The Mercy Bus is an excellent initiative, and I am delighted that Helen and the team at Friends of Divine Mercy have brought it back to the Scottish Parliament.
“I was both delighted and humbled by the positive response of MSPs, some of whom aren’t Catholic, to the presence of the bus at Holyrood. They recognise that this initiative is fundamentally about giving people hope and joy; to let people know that, whatever their difficulties and circumstances, they are loved by God. I know from testimonies I have heard that an encounter with the Mercy Bus can change lives for the better. It is wonderful to be part of it.”
The Mercy Bus visit to the Scottish Parliament was sponsored by Meghan Gallacher, Conservative MSP for Central Scotland, and was visited by the following MSPs:
- Kaukab Stewart, Minister for Equalities and SNP member for Glasgow Kelvin
- Jeremy Balfour, Conservative member for Lothian
- Tim Eagle, Conservative member for Highlands and Islands
- John Mason, independent member for Glasgow Shettleston
- Alex Rowley, Labour member for Mid-Scotland and Fife
- Michael Marra, Labour member for North-East Scotland
- Murdo Fraser, Conservative member for Mid-Scotland and Fife
- Sharon Dowey, Conservative member for South Scotland
- Michael Matheson, SNP member for Falkirk West
