The Archbishop of Glasgow has vowed to lead mass on Sunday just weeks after suffering a heart attack.

 

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, 64, was taken to hospital after falling ill in the Spanish city of Salamanca, where Scottish bishops have gathered for their annual winter meeting in Royal Scots College.

Scotland's most senior Catholic cleric suffered the heart attack in January.

Today he said: "I am very thankful that I am making a good recovery from a heart attack and that I can now resume my duties as Archbishop and begin to lead a normal life again.

"For the next six to 10 weeks, I will participate in a twice-weekly cardiac rehabilitation class, which, as well as being good for my health, is also good fun.

"As my medical care continues, I want to thank God for the skills and professionalism and human support of medical staff both in Salamanca, where I had the heart attack, and here at home.

"In a word, the treatment I have received has been superb."

The Archbishop will take his first public mass since his illness at St Andrew's Cathedral on Sunday.

He also plans to attend events next week, which will commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of St John Ogilvie

The Archbishop added: "I am really glad that my recovery allows me to do that.

"It wouldn't be right for the Archbishop of Glasgow to miss out on such a historic occasion for the Church in Scotland and for the city of Glasgow.

"I am very grateful for all the letters, messages, cards and expressions of good wishes and prayers - to say nothing of baskets of fresh fruit - that I have received over these weeks.

"It will be impossible for me to answer them all.

"But I am very grateful for every prayer and every good wish and every apple, orange or pear.

"I am grateful too for the prayers which were offered across the Archdiocese and beyond, in parishes and schools and convents and monasteries.

"My recovery suggests that the prayers were heard."

Archbishop Tartaglia is President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland.

He has been Archbishop of Glasgow since 2013, having been the Bishop of Paisley since 2005.

The Archbishop was installed as Archbishop of Glasgow in September 2012 following the retirement of Archbishop Mario Conti.