Scottish Catholic Observer

Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews & Edinburgh has paid tribute to the ‘dedicated priest,’ who died suddenly on Sunday April 8.

“Canon Mike Bagan was a dedicated priest who served the people of God for nearly 40 years in various roles and in numerous parishes across the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh,” Archbishop Cushley said. “He was a well known figure across the diocese but was particularly at home in Stirlingshire where he spent the majority of his priestly ministry.

“Canon Bagan was responsible for the building of the new church of St Margaret in the Raploch and, more recently, was rightfully proud of the beautiful restoration of the church of Our Lady & St Ninian in Bannockburn, which he oversaw and which will perhaps come to be a fitting memorial to him. May he rest in peace.”

Canon Michael Bagan was born in Edinburgh on April 14, 1953, and hailed from the parish of St Peter’s Church in Morningside. He was educated at the city’s Holy Cross Primary School, Holy Cross Academy and St Augustine’s High School.

He studied for the priesthood at St Andrew’s College in Drygrange, Roxburghshire before being ordained a priest back in his home parish on December 12, 1978. Canon Bagan subsequently served in parishes in Roxburghshire, East Lothian and Stirlingshire – including, for the past six years, the parishes of Bannockburn and Cowie.

During his 39 years as a priest, Canon Bagan also served as a priestly vocations director at both national and diocesan level, as well as a chaplain to St Modan’s High School in Stirling, Stirling University, and the Territorial Army in Stirling. He was installed as a canon of St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral Chapter in 2016.

Canon Bagan’s funeral details will be announced later.