For some reason, the Scottish Church just keeps jumping on the radar of late.

Today, it’s this:

THE leaders of the Catholic Church in Scotland have descended into an extraordinary public spat over claims by a "rogue bishop" that they do not speak out enough against homosexuality.

In an unprecedented move, the Church’s two most senior clerics, Cardinal Keith O’Brien and Archbishop Mario Conti, have moved publicly to rebuff a third bishop, Joseph Devine of Motherwell, after he claimed the Church was embarking on "a policy of appeasement".

Devine wrote in a letter last week that he condemned the actions of a senior Church aide who, he claimed, had failed to express opposition to plans to allow gay couples to adopt.

The new laws mean that homosexual men and women who have entered a civil partnership can now adopt as a couple. Previously, they were only allowed to adopt on their own.

Devine claimed that John Deighan, the Church’s liaison officer at Holyrood, and his fellow Catholic leaders had been effectively bought off by the Scottish Executive on the matter. "They feared there would be a serious risk of the Executive reneging on its intimation to exempt the two Scottish Catholic adoption agencies from the requirements of the Adoption bill, should the Church put the Executive on the rack in the media," he said. "But I was not prepared to be part of this policy of appeasement."

The letter triggered open turmoil in the Church last week, with Church leaders expressing fury at both Devine and his spokesman Gerry O’Brien.

Aides to Cardinal O’Brien and Conti have privately voiced increasing concern over the tone of Devine’s public pronouncements in recent months. He described the Labour-led Scottish Executive as "moral vandals" and "politically correct zealots", prompting complaints from Labour MSPs that he and Gerry O’Brien, a former Tory spin doctor, have been mounting a politically motivated campaign.

Cardinal O’Brien and Conti have kept their silence up until this week, but Devine’s new letter appears to have snapped their patience. They and Bishop Ian Murray of Argyll and the Isles issued a public statement, backing Deighan and effectively cutting off Devine.

It is thought to represent the first time that the Church’s bishops have ever openly fallen out. The "Bishops’ Conference" – which heads the Church in Scotland – is usually renowned for its unanimity.

The statement declares: "Mr John Deighan enjoys the full support of the [Bishops’] Conference to whom he continues to provide an informed and valuable service. This work, together with the efforts of individual bishops, has ensured that relations with the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Parliament remain constructive and cordial."

It added: "While differences exist between Scotland’s Catholic bishops and the Scottish Executive on a number of policy areas it is the intention of the Bishops’ Conference to maintain a position of constructive engagement with Scotland’s political institutions at every level."

Thanks to the blogger at "Dust I Am" for sending this to me, and blogging about it.