No Masses this weekend
The Bishops Conference of Scotland announced a few days ago the news that all public Masses across the country are suspended due to coronavirus. As a consequence, there will be no further public liturgies in the Cathedral or in St. Andrews Ravelston until we have received more instructions from the Archbishop.
This means that:
All Catholics are dispensed from their Sunday obligation to go to Mass until further notice;
The clergy at the Cathedral will celebrate daily Mass privately in the Cathedral House Chapel from now on. We will each remember you all in our Masses;
As usual, the church will be open every day from 8.00am to 6.00pm. I encourage you all, while we are without the Sacrifice of the Mass, to visit the Blessed Sacrament at the Cathedral to sustain yourselves and your families spiritually;
Since the Cathedral is open, you will still be able to make the Stations of the Cross for Lent privately;
Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals can go ahead but in the presence of close family who do not display coronavirus symptoms. Please contact the Parish Office about these services;
There will be confessions at the usual times in our parish: on weekdays at 1.15pm and on Saturday mornings from 10.30-12 noon and on Saturday evenings from 5-6pm;
The sick and the dying will receive the Sacraments when necessary. Contact the parish office if you need a priest;
All families are encouraged to say the Rosary together at the time when you would usually be at Mass.
While we are unable to be together at the altar, we can still be united in our prayers. You could read the readings that we would have had at Mass. You can also access Mass online;
If possible, try to make a private visit with your family to the church on Sundays to pray for a time before Jesus in the tabernacle, even though you will not be able to receive Him in Holy Communion;
The newsletter will still be printed. It can be accessed online or collected at the back of the Cathedral, please take it away with you;
The Parish Council is working with me to coordinate a programme of parish outreach to those who are unable to leave their homes and who may need our help. In the meantime, if you need assistance or you know of someone who may need assistance, call the parish office on 0131 556 1798 to let us know.
Read the statement in full in the post below
A spiritual take on coronavirus
There are a number of ways you can continue to lead a spiritual life during these times, in addition to the points above. We have published reflections on a spiritual communion on our website, please read and reflect on these passages during your Eucharistic fast.
Prayers for a time without Mass are also available on our website, to be said whether you can visit the Cathedral or whether you are at home.
Mass intentions
Although all public Masses are currently suspended, the Cathedral Clergy continues to offer Mass for your intentions. To request a Mass intention, please put an envelope in the box at the back of the Cathedral as usual or contact the Parish Office.
Gift Aid and other donations
These are difficult and unsettling times. Under normal circumstances, we would be starting to distribute new gift aid envelope sets this coming weekend for the approaching new tax year. However, these are designed to be used for donations into the weekly offertory collections, of which there will be none over the coming weeks. In addition, many of you may be unable to visit and collect your envelope set for a while.
Unfortunately, despite the suspension of daily and weekly Masses, the running costs of our churches will continue to accrue. For those of you who have moved to give by standing order, we thank you, for this provides the parish with a continuous source of income even in these uncertain times. If you currently use weekly envelopes, please consider moving to standing order instead. Contact the Finance Office for more information.
Do You Need Help Getting Groceries Home?
Are you unable to get to the shops to buy food? Or would you like to join the team of volunteers who will be bringing groceries to our elderly and housebound parishioners? Please contact Marie McQuillan on 0131 332 6028.
A Big Thank You to Our Concerts in the Cathedral Organisers and Volunteers
The Concerts in the Cathedral weekend raised a fantastic £18,000 towards Cathedral funds and a generous donor has promised to match the income from the ticket sales! Thank you so much to Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, Barbara Dickson and Nick Holland for giving of their time and talent. And a heartfelt thank you to our organisers and all of our parishioners who volunteered during the concerts – this really would not have been possible without your generosity!