Bishop John together with the clergy, religious and people of the Diocese of Paisley, are deeply saddened at the passing of Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, who died suddenly at home on the Feast of Saint Mungo a few days after celebrating his seventieth birthday.
It was a great joy for our Diocese when Pope Benedict XVI nominated him Bishop of Paisley on 13 September 2005 and when, before a full congregation on 20 November 2005, he was ordained Bishop in our St Mirin's Cathedral by Archbishop Mario Conti.
As our Fourth Bishop of Paisley, Bishop Philip served us faithfully, building on the good pastoral care of his predecessor, Bishop John Mone. He renewed the celebration of First Sacraments, presiding personally over the Confirmation of our young people in joyful Cathedral Liturgies. He developed our Curial structures with the appointment of Vicars Episcopal, involving the wider clergy in a share of his pastoral care. Above all, his priests and people found in him a true Pastor who made himself available to them at a personal level and they came to know him as a man with great love for the Church.
Philip Tartaglia was born in Glasgow on 11 January 1951, the eldest son of Guido and Anita Tartaglia and sibling of three brothers and five sisters. After attending St. Thomas’ Primary in Riddrie, he took up his secondary education at St. Mungo’s Academy in Glasgow, before entering the national junior seminary at St. Vincent’s College, Langbank, from where he graduated to St. Mary’s College, Blairs in Aberdeen. He completed his seminary formation at the Pontifical Scots College and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, before being ordained Priest by Archbishop Thomas Winning in Our Lady of Good Counsel in Dennistoun on the Memorial of the First Martyrs of Rome, 30 June 1975. He returned to Rome to take up doctoral studies in Sacred Theology, completing them in 1980. He was appointed assistant priest in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Cardonald and as visiting lecturer at St. Peter’s Seminary in Glasgow. He progressed to Lecturer and then Director of Studies and, when its successor Chesters College opened in Bearsden in 1985, he was appointed Vice-Rector and then Rector in 1987. In 1993 he returned to parish life in St. Patrick’s in Dumbarton before being appointed Parish Priest of St. Mary’s, Duntocher in 1995. In 2004 he returned to seminary formation with his appointment as Rector of the Pontifical Scots College, Rome. On 13 September 2005, Pope Benedict XVI nominated him Bishop of Paisley and on 20 November that year he was ordained Bishop in St Mirin's Cathedral by Archbishop Mario Conti. On the Memorial of the Nativity of Our Lady, 8 September 2012 he was installed as Archbishop of Glasgow. He died on 13 January 2021, the Feast of St Mungo, the Patron Saint of Glasgow.
As we remember him with fondness and gratitude, we pray for the repose of his soul and the consolation of the priests and people of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and for the comfort of his family.