1) Smithstone in turn has been Seminary, Hostel, Novitiate (it is still the Novitiate House for the Province) and small Retreat Centre. It is well- maintained and provides a good resource. It is presently self-sufficient financially and well-received by the Bishop.

2) Smithstone provides a service to the Church in Galloway, a diocese with one male Religious Congregation besides ourselves. It forms part of the west of Scotland, where the highest percentage of Catholics live.

3) It can form the base for outreach if we can put another priest there as part of the team. This outreach could seek possibility of teaching at Scotus College, the National Seminary of Scotland, Counseling and Retreat work, and explore other possibilities.

4) This probably means providing only one priest for the parish of Bourtreehill. The Bishop says himself that he would be only able to appoint one priest to it. He too accepts our need to look to our own future, and that by placing the emphasis on Smithstone we may create a better base for this.

As we face a certain diminishment in numbers, our response to our changing realities must be to seek more authentic ways of living the Gospel, and to create a sense of presence which bears witness. A necessary part of such witness must be community.

With the appointment of another priest to Scotland it would mean part of his brief being some input to the Parish.

Again here too, it will be important to continue to draw others into collaboration with the work at Smithstone and the community in Scotland are to be encouraged in this.