Scottish Catholic bishops have welcomed the results of the independence referendum and commended the huge turnout. In a statement released this morning, the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said it “recognises and respects the result of the Scottish referendum” and “commends all those who participated in what was a passionate and sometimes partisan debate.” The bishops’ conference, which represents the bishops of the eight Scottish dioceses, also looked to the future and the role the nation’s Catholic population could play in public life. It said: “The vast majority of Scots engaged with the referendum and it is our hope that we can all now cooperate for the benefit of our nation in future. “We urge the Catholic community to continue to engage in public debate and decision-making and, in doing so, to uphold the meaning and importance of the Christian message. May God bless Scotland.”