Leo Cushley

Leo William Cushley (born 18 June 1961) is a Scottish Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh since 2013. He previously served as head of the English language section of the Vatican Secretariat of State.

Leo Cushley was born on 18 June 1961 in Wester Moffat Hospital, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, the first child of Bill and Eileen Cushley; he has a younger brother and a younger sister.

He attended All Saints' Primary School, Coatdyke (1966–1967), before finishing his primary education at St John the Baptist's Primary School, Uddingston (1967–1973). He went on to attend Holy Cross High School, Hamilton (1973–1975), and St Mary's College, Blairs, Aberdeen (1975–1979).

Cushley first began studying for the priesthood at St Mary's College, Blairs, Aberdeen. From 1980 to 1985 he studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Motherwell on 7 July 1985 at the Church of St John the Baptist, Uddingston, by Bishop Joseph Devine. From 1979 to 1987 he attended Pontifical Scots College, Rome. He continued his studies in Rome being granted a Licentiate of Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Liturgy in 1987.

He returned to the Diocese of Motherwell that year as an assistant priest at the Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Good Aid, where he remained until he was appointed curate at St Serf's Parish, Airdrie and concurrently chaplain to St Margaret's High School in 1988. He remained there until 1992 when he was sent to St Aidan's Parish, Wishaw as well as serving as chaplain to St Aidan's High School, Wishaw and chaplain to Our Lady's High School, Motherwell.

In 1994 Cushley was summoned to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, studying diplomacy at the same time as studying for a doctorate in canon law (JCD) at the Pontifical Gregorian University, which he earned in 1997. He formally entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See on 1 July 1997. Cushley has served in the nunciatures of Egypt, Burundi, Portugal and the United Nations in New York and South Africa.

From 2009 until 2013, Cushley was head of the English-language section of the Vatican Secretariat of State. In that capacity, he was responsible for accompanying the pope during all his visits to English speaking countries, such as the visits by Benedict XVI to Malta, Cyprus and the United Kingdom in 2010. In 2012, he took on an additional role in the Vatican when he was appointed to the ceremonial position of "prelate of the anticamera", with duties that include assisting when the pope receives visits from prominent dignitaries such as heads of state.

On 24 July 2013 Cushley was appointed as the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, less than a year after Cardinal O'Brien resigned over sexual misconduct. On appointment, Cushley stated: