THE
P RTAL
September 2015
Page 6
The next generation
During their visit to Scotland ‘The Portal’ met
with Bishop Hugh Gilbert, Bishop of Aberdeen
B
ishop Hugh Gilbert explained to us that he was born in the south of England, into a family
that was not particularly religious. His father was baptised in the CofE, but was not a church-goer, and
his mother was not christened. But, he told us, “I went to Anglican schools, and the first grace in my life was
to be baptised as a baby.
“At prep school, we read the Bible and learnt prayers.
The vicar’s son was a great friend. At public school
I became more interested and was confirmed in the
CofE in St Paul’s Cathedral in London, aged seventeen.
A year later, between school and university, I became
a Roman Catholic.
Pluscarden Abbey
After university I entered the Benedictine Monastery
of Pluscarden here in the North of Scotland. I’ve been
in Scotland ever since, 41 years now. I was professed
as a monk in 1976, ordained priest in 1982 and in 1992
elected Abbot. I was Abbot until appointed Bishop of
Aberdeen by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. I came here
in August of that year.
“My father died in 1989. At first he was opposed to
my becoming a monk, but he changed his attitude,
especially as he came to know the community. My
parents became regular visitors. His ashes are in the
Abbey cemetery, as are my mother’s. At the age of 70,
she had asked to be baptised and to become a Catholic.
By then I was a priest and so was able to baptise my
own mother. 6