Angus MacDonald

Angus MacDonald (1844–1900) was a Scottish Roman Catholic priest, who later served as the first Bishop of Argyll and the Isles from 1878 to 1892 and as the third Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh from 1892 to 1900. Early life Born in Borrodale on the Isle of Skye on 18 September 1844, he was the third son of Angus MacDonald and Mary MacDonald (née Watson). His elder brother was Hugh MacDonald, Bishop of Aberdeen. Angus MacDonald was educated at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw. Afterwards, he graduated from the University of London with a Bachelor of Arts. Priestly career After his ordination to the priesthood on 7 July 1872, he was first stationed at St Patrick's Church, Anderston, Glasgow, then sent to Arisaig, Inverness-shire to help the aged Father William Mackintosh, at whose death he took charge of that parish. There he laboured among the people he had known from childhood, his knowledge of Gaelic enabling him to instruct and help those and there were a great many of them who neither understood nor spoke English. Episcopal career Just after the Scottish Hierarchy was restored on 15 March 1878, he was appointed the first bishop of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles by the Holy See on 22 March 1878. He was consecrated to the episcopate by Archbishop Charles Petre Eyre of Glasgow on 23 May 1878, with Bishop James Chadwick of Hexham & Newcastle and Bishop John MacDonald of Aberdeen serving as co-consecrators. He took up his residence at St Columba's Cathedral in Oban, where he devoted himself to rebuilding the Catholic Church after centuries of religious persecution throughout his new and scattered diocese, which he regularly visited in all seasons and in all kinds of weather.