Scotland Held a Funeral for its Archbishop

The Most Reverend Philip Tartaglia

In 2021 we lost one of the best bishops in the Catholic Church. I repeat this blog as a tribute to him. May he rest in peace. He is sorely missed by friends, family and Scots.

Scotland held a funeral for its Archbishop today. It was beautiful but it was painful. The Most Reverend Philip Tartaglia was one of the Good Guys. Not just of Bishops, but of humankind. That is what made it so painful for us all to say goodbye.

Philip was the oldest of eleven children. His parents came to Scotland from Italy (hence the surname) and with hard work, started a chain of very successful Fish and Chip shops in Glasgow. Bishop Philip was the oldest of the Tartaglia children. I came to know him through his brother, Father Gerard Tartaglia, a Canon Lawyer and close friend of mine (third youngest). My heart cries for Gerry. Thank God he is so much like Philip. His faith will get him through this. My Dad was the oldest of seventeen children in faith-filled family so I know a little bit about big families. There are struggles in big families, but my Dad would never have changed a thing. That is probably why Philip had such a common touch. That is why Philip was so beloved. His parents and his family.

I have a lot of observations and stories to remember here, but I picked my favorite one to share. Philip was an avid fan of the Celtic Football Club. The Club was founded by a Marist priest more than a hundred years ago. Gerry and Philip each had one of the very scarce season tickets. Because they were so scarce, their seats were not together, but they were in the same row and just across a narrow aisle from each other. On one of my trips to Glasgow, Gerry wheeled and dealed a ticket to a game for me too. That is where I first met Philip. He came on his own and I watched out for him looking forward to meeting him. His arrival was a complete and fabulous disappointment. He came in quietly, alone, with a winter coat collar up around his neck against the damp and cold. He was smiling and happy to be there, just like everyone else there. No one in that crowded section had any idea who he was, and he liked it like that. He got totally into the game, cheering and waving his arms, just like everyone else there. He fit in with these fans, commenting on the players and the game with everyone around him. Both he and Gerry hoped they were never found out by their seatmates, as that might have caused them to cheer less, or, God forbid, un-salt their language. Philip relished those games. They were a kind of staycation for him, a respite and rare chance to just hang out with his fellow-Glaswegians. It was a joy and a privilege to see that side of him. They never outed him by the way. Even today I think they might not know who their fellow fan really was.

At Philip’s funeral Mass, Bishop Gilbert, the President of the Scottish Conference of Bishops, delivered a wonderful and heartfelt homily. And like every other epitaph, he talked of the Timber of the Man, sound and a tool against the rottenness that is in society today. He noted that Philip had a gift for reading people and for friendship. He related that on their ad limina trip to Rome, Philip told the Holy Father that he missed parish life as a priest and the Pope responded with an eager thumbs up. Bishop Gilbert attested to the fact that Philip did everything in a heartfelt way. In so many tragedies, it was Philip’s love and understanding that took away so much of the pain the tragedies wrought. In other words, Philip was one of the Good Guys and one of the God Guys.

Rest in Peace, Philip.

Open the Gates of Paradise to him, Oh Lord.

You can watch the “Funeral Mass for Archbishop Philip Tartaglia” on You Tube. But get out the Kleenex when you do.