Short Talks on Prayer by Fr. Patrick – Every Monday at 7pm
It was great to see so many who joined in for the second instalment of Fr Patrick’s Advent talks on prayer. Please do join us for the third talk on Monday, 14th December… Just email cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk and you will receive the link for the next talk. You can listen to the first two talks at https://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/advent-prayer
‘Be Still’: Zoom Talk by Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM – Monday, 14th December, 7:30pm
Following Fr. Patrick’s talk, you can join in for Sr. Anna Marie’s talk on prayer, `Be Still’. How can we cut through the cacophony of consumerism to ensure prayer is the priority in your preparations to celebrate the birth of Christ? This Zoom event takes place at 7:30pm on Monday, 14th December. Join using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83439280614
Prepare for Christmas with Sacrament of Reconciliation
On Saturday, 19th December, two priests will be hearing confessions in the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the Cathedral, 10:30am-12:00pm and 5:00pm-5:45pm. Prepare for Christ’s coming at Christmas through this sacrament of the Lord’s healing and mercy.
Last Two Advent Candlelit Masses – 7pm Wednesday at Ravelston, 7pm Thursday at Cathedral
Do make an effort to come our beautiful candlelit Rorate Masses this week - in Ravelston on Wednesday and in the Cathedral on Thursday. They are a lovely way to prepare for Christmas and offer a little peace and quiet amidst the rush of Christmas preparations. During Advent in St Andrew’s, Ravelston ,the regular Wednesday evening Mass will be the beautiful Rorate Mass - celebrated at 7pm (rather than 6pm). There is also no Mass on Thursday as this is the day for the Rorate Mass in the Cathedral.
Christmas Masses in the Cathedral
St Andrew’s Church, Ravelston
Christmas Eve: 5pm; 6pm; 7pm
Midnight (Extraordinary Form)
Christmas Day: Friday 25th December
9am, 10am, 11am,
12noon (Extraordinary Form)
St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral
Christmas Eve: 3pm; 4pm; 5pm; 6pm; 7pm;
8pm; 9pm in Polish; 10pm; 11pm; Midnight
Christmas Day: Friday 25th December
8am; 9am; 10am in Polish;
11am; 12noon; 6pm in Polish
Only 50 people can attend each Mass. Please be sure to book your seats starting 9:00am on Monday, 14th December here or phone the Parish Office.
Light Shines in Darkness’: Bishops’ Conference of Scotland Pastoral Letter on the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has issued a pastoral letter on the Covid-19 pandemic titled ‘Light Shines in Darkness’. You can find it on the Covid-19 section of www.bcos.org.uk. Copies are available at the back of church.
Pro-Life Advent Rosary – Each Monday at 7:30pm
Join people across the Archdiocese on Zoom to pray for unborn children, their mothers and all Pro-Life intentions. Each Monday at 7:30pm in Advent. To register for each week’s event visit bit.ly/AdventRosary3
Christmas CD Sale!
Thanks to everyone who bought ‘With Angels and Archangels’, the newly released CD by our Cathedral choir. If you missed out, you can still buy the CD online here. Inspired by 800 years of sacred music, it is the perfect Christmas Gift. The CD costs a very reasonable £12.99 and all proceeds from the CD will go directly towards ensuring the future of our Cathedral music!
Warm Christmas Gifts – Knitted Goods to Support the Cathedral
Knitted goods for Christmas made by our own wonderful parishioners Joanna Kopystynska and Anne MacAulay will be available for sale in the Octagon after Masses on Sunday morning. The knitted dolls by Joanna are also available at https://www.kathedralknits.etsy.com. All the profits from all sales are very generously donated by Joanna and Anne to the Cathedral.
Friday Morning Prayer and Eucharistic Adoration with the Religious Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Sisters of Mercy pray their Friday morning prayer in the church at St Andrews and invite you to join them! They begin with the Liturgy of the Hours at 5:45 am. An hour for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins around 6:30 am. Stop in for five minutes, or for longer. Any questions contact Sr Miriam Fidelis at the parish office: cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Thank You for Donations for Fr Binu and Rosmini Seminary!
We have now collated all the donations made to Fr Binu and the Rosmini Seminary, Bangalore. A total of £2,100 has been raised which has now been transferred to the Rosminian Mission account. Thank you for your generosity!
There are many options available to Support St. Mary’s Cathedral
We are very grateful to all our parishioners who generously donate to help St. Mary’s Cathedral. We have a variety of options available for supporting the Cathedral:
Contactless: We now have two contactless donation devices in the Cathedral, which you may prefer to use instead of handling notes and loose change at this time.
Gifts: We are very grateful to you for purchasing diaries and CDs either in person or on our website, both of which have helped to raise valuable funds for the parish.
Gift Aid: Gift Aid is another way of raising money for the parish. It is a government-led initiative whereby UK taxpayers may register for gift aid with the Cathedral and/or with St Andrew’s such that the Government will give an additional 25% of the value of donations made during the year to the charity, at no additional cost to the donor. Many of you are already registered, but if not, do contact our finance officer, Caroline on finance@stmaryscathedral.co.uk if you are interested.
Online: The Cathedral website also has a ‘donate’ button on our website navigation which has the added advantage of allowing you to ‘gift aid’ any donations you make at the time that you make them.
New ways to give: We have also now reactivated our page on the ‘easyfundraising’ website which was set up a few years ago. www.easyfundraising.org.uk is a website through which you can shop at various retailers online while simultaneously raising a small percentage for your chosen charity at no additional cost to you! By registering as a supporter of a particular charity (we are listed as St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral), you can then search for your chosen retailer and, if listed, open their website and shop as normal. With Christmas just around the corner, many retailers are offering ‘double-donations’, increasing their usual percentage donation to the selected charity.