A HIGH-FLYING Scots priest has landed the job as the official interpreter for the Pope.

Monsignor Leo Cushley, 48, a former curate at Motherwell Cathedral, is now a papal diplomat.

He has taken up a new assignment within the Vatican which will see him work in close collaboration with Pope Benedict XVI after being promoted to head of the English Language Section in the Vatican.

In his new role, Mgr Cushley will act as the official English language interpreter for the Pope.

In his new job Mgr Cushley can expect to be included in the Pope's most important meetings and audiences with world leaders including President Obama.

Father Gerard Tartaglia, of St Margaret's and of Our Holy Redeemer, Clydebank, said: "Leo is an altogether decent and fair minded man, a brilliant priest with a great love for the Church and its mission of bringing the peace and love of Christ to all.

"Personally, I'm delighted he's going to be in Rome as it means I can see him a bit more often."

Father Dominic Towey of St John the Baptist Church in Leo's hometown of Uddingston, Lanarkshire, added: "I would like to send the congratulations of the entire parish to Mgr Leo and wish him all the best as he begins his new work in personal service to the Holy Father.

"I can assure him of the assistance of the prayers of all in the Parish."

Mgr Cushley entered the priesthood 21 years ago and his career has taken him from Lanarkshire via Rome and Africa to the heart of the United Nations headquarters in New York.

He held posts in Egypt, war-torn Burundi and Portugal before joining the church's diplomatic team at the UN.

As a Vatican diplomat, his job was to promote the policy of the Holy See.

The former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected as pontiff in 2005.