Bishop Dorsey arrives in Aberdeen to start new role as Acting Bishop

Bishop Dorsey McConnell has spoken of his hope that people will come together and take forward the mission of the Gospel in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney.

The former Bishop of Pittsburgh, who has been Assisting Bishop in Aberdeen & Orkney since last year, started in his new role as Acting Bishop on 1 November.

He will be resident in Aberdeen from now on, having previously been based on Orkney, and was at the Diocesan office in the city centre last week.

“It is in a spirit of hope that I have accepted the appointment as Acting Bishop of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney,” says Bishop Dorsey.

“Since my commissioning as Assisting Bishop, I have shared in your troubles, frustration and grief, all of which weighs daily on my heart.  And yet my hope – our hope – must surely be stronger than any of this, because wherever Christ is, along with faith and love, there is hope.

“For nine years as Bishop of Pittsburgh, I saw how God’s hope for the Church, that we become one people marked by the fruits of the Spirit, was repeatedly fulfilled. I confess this often happened when my own hope had nearly run out, but I have no doubt that God desires the same for the people of Aberdeen and Orkney.

“During my ministry in the United States, I might have learned a few things that may be useful here, but I have no answer except the Cross of Christ, and our call to be reconciled through the power of His grace and His truth, the answer and call that we all share by virtue of our baptism.

“Can we begin to believe this here?  What will it take for this to become our common hope?  Each of us must answer this in our own way.

“To begin with, I hope to spend a lot of time in the pastoral care of the clergy and lay leadership of the parishes, and in helping us all to move forward the mission of the Gospel to a hurting world.  I will be listening to you, praying for your concerns, and through all of this imagining the next steps we all may take together.  In these efforts, I pray that I may begin to gain some measure of your trust. As well as visiting many of you, I will also have my door open for those who want to visit me.

“While I am resident in Aberdeen, my wife Betsy will remain in New Hampshire until the spring.  However, you will daily be in her prayers as well, for we both have come to love the Church in Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Shetland, more than we can say.”

Bishop Dorsey can be contacted via the Diocesan office on or 01224 662247. The office hours are Monday to Thursday 9am-4:30pm and Friday 9am-3pm.