Historically, catholicism and Scottish nationalism have never been close. Twentieth-century Scottish nationalism was closer to the militant Protestantism of the 1930s, and sectarian prejudice against Irish immigrants. The modern Scottish National Party (SNP) may have left that behind, but until recently at least found it difficult to gain support among working-class Catholics in the west of Scotland.Today, Scottish nationalism presents as a civic, not an ethnic, movement. The 2007 SNP minority administration in Edinburgh invested heavily in relationships with the Scottish hierarchy. Led by Cardinals Thomas Winning and then Keith O’Brien, reassured by promises about Catholic schools and disillusioned with Labour, the bishops moved closer to SNP ministers. In 2011, the SNP had a strik