Bishop John was born on 19th December 1964 in Glasgow. He was educated at the Salesian College, Shrigley Park, Cheshire; University of Glasgow 1984-1988 (LL.B); Gregorian University, Rome 1988-1995 (S.T.B., Ph.L).

Having studied at the Pontifical Scots College, Rome, he was ordained a priest on 9th July 1995 in St. Gregory's, Wyndford by Cardinal Thomas Winning, Archbishop of Glasgow. He was an Assistant Priest in Christ the King, Kings Park from 1995-2000 and Chaplain at Holyrood High School, Glasgow from 1997 - 2000. He was a lecturer in Philosophy at Scotus College, Glasgow from 1995-2005. He was appointed as Chaplain to the University of Glasgow from 2000-2014 and Parish Priest of St. Patrick's, Anderston from 2013-2014. He was appointed as Vocations Director of the Archdiocese of Glasgow 2013-2014.

He was nominated as Bishop of Paisley, by Pope Francis, on 8th February 2014 and was ordained as the fifth Bishop of Paisley on 19th March 2014 by Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, the Archbishop of Glasgow and his predecessor in Paisley. 

The motif of two pigeons recalls the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple by Our Lady and Saint Joseph.  When the time came Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the Law of the Lord, and to offer in sacrifice a pair of doves or two young pigeons (Luke 2:22-24). 

The Holy Family is at the centre as they come with the offering of humble workers. It recalls my own family of ordinary working class parents, my father a newsagent, my mother tending to the home, but fervent in religious devotion, raising our family to love God and the Church.  I hope to have special pastoral concern for families, for young people and for little ones.  Mary’s presence expresses my totus tuus devotion to Her: the one who, through body and suffering, gave the world the Messiah. 

The offering of pigeons represents my poverty in character and talent.  In the Book of Judges a lowly bramble bush is chosen to rule and at Murrayfield Pope Saint John Paul told the Scottish youth: to give Jesus all we had available, our five loaves and fishes, and he would do what was needed: to place our lives in the hands of Jesus who will accept us, bless us and make such use of our lives as will be beyond our greatest expectations! I give with my whole heart the little I have.  All that matters is that I hand everything over to Jesus. 
The Holy Family act according to the Law of the Lord and recall my background as a law student and seminarian, expressing my gratitude to all the teachers of my youth for their generous formation.  

The blue background recalls equally the Blessed Mother and the diocese of Paisley, my new family, and home. The Shell similarly recalls Paisley.  
The Motto, Suscepit Servum, Recordatus Misericordiae is from the Magnificat, where Mary promises God’s mercy and protection to me as his lowly servant.  With her assurance, I trust in the Lord’s care
 
Homily of the Rt. Rev. Monsignor Thomas J. Provost Monaghan on the occasion of the Presentation of the Coat of Arms to the Rt. Rev. John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley.