In September 2002, Bishop Devine said, "Denominational education is an enabler of sectarianism", also "Roman Catholic schooling is divisive - sometimes it's a price worth paying".
[2] He justified the remarks by saying "The Catholic community believes that with denominational schooling comes the creation of a common set of values - a coherent system that has the academic curriculum and moral and spiritual life in tandem".
[3] In March 2008, as part of a public lecture on Sectarianism and Secularism, Devine drew controversy when he denounced the "gay lobby" for attending Holocaust memorials "to create for themselves the image of a group of people under persecution."
"[4][5] Devine harshly criticised the decision to honour Sir Ian McKellen for his work for equality and, by way of illustrating the advances made by gays, pointed out that Oscar Wilde had been incarcerated following conviction for violating the gross indecency statute.
"[4][5] Critics of Bishop Devine replied that between 5,000 and 15,000 gay men were held in concentration camps by the Nazis as members of an "anti-social group."
In November 2008, Bishop Devine attracted controversy when he demolished his home in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, in order to build a new residence at an estimated cost of £650,000.
His purchase of the now demolished house also caused controversy in the tabloid press, who claimed that he had considered the acquisition of a property with a swimming pool.
In April 2013, The Observer alleged that as Bishop of Motherwell, Devine had protected priests who had sexually abused children and tried to silence or discredit their victims.
John B. Farrell, a retired priest of the Diocese of Motherwell, the last headteacher at St Ninian's Orphanage, Falkland, Fife, was sentenced to five years imprisonment.