New Booking System for Sunday Mass
As we begin a new year, we’re moving to a new platform for booking for Sunday Mass. You can now book for Mass directly on the Cathedral website at www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/reserve or on our Eventbrite page https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/st-marys-cathedral-32121770367 You can continue to reserve places for Mass by calling the parish office on 0131 5561798. Reservations open at 9am on Monday mornings.
Daily Mass at 10am
In order to ease the pressure on the numbers attending the 12.45 Mass we have decided to move the 8am daily Mass at the Cathedral to 10am. From Monday, therefore, there will be no 8am Mass at the Cathedral.
“Do you want to learn how to pray…” Seminar
As I said to those of you who tuned in to my talks on prayer before Christmas – I feel that we are being given time during this Pandemic to deepen in our relationship with the Lord. If you would like to learn how to pray more deeply I am inviting you to participate is an on-going seminar on “How to Pray”. My idea will be to divide those who are interested into small zoom groups – which can meet with me at various times during the day or the evening – over the next weeks. If you would like to participate – please send an email to Sr. Miriam Fidelis at the Cathedral House email and we will send you a link where you can register for whichever group you would like to join.
Talk on the Sacraments by Sr. Anna Marie – Monday 18th at 7.30pm
Rediscover the power of the Sacraments in a new online talk on Zoom titled “Fire & Water” by Sr. Anna Marie McGuan, on Monday 18th Jan 7:30pm. Sign up by emailing sranna.marie@staned.org.uk
Have You Received the Sacrament of Confirmation?
If you are an adult who has never received the Sacrament of Confirmation, do consider joining the Cathedral’s preparation course during Lent this year with a view to Confirmation at the Easter Vigil on Saturday, 3rd April 2021. To register, please contact the Parish Office at cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Take Action and Ask your MP to Oppose Introducing Assisted Suicide
The assisted suicide lobby have launched a large campaign to put pressure on the Government to reconsider the legalisation of assisted suicide. Right To Life UK have set up and easy to use tool which will enable you to email your MP asking them to make it clear to the Government that it should not give into demands from the assisted suicide lobby to reconsider the legalisation of assisted suicide. It only takes 30 seconds to email your MP by visiting https://righttolife.org.uk/StopAssistedSuicide
Telephone Apostolate Update
Our telephone apostolate volunteers have continued to reach out to the lonely and the vulnerable throughout the pandemic. If, at this time of increasing isolation and fear, you know of anyone who would benefit from a call from one of our volunteers then please contact Deacon Peter at the Cathedral Parish Office with the details.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
The presence of our SSVP Conference during these COVID restricted times has not been as visible as usual. In spite of this we have been able to continue our work through telephone calls and by the Conference meeting virtually. We are always here to help, supporting individuals and families as we would support a friend. Please let us know if you become aware of ways in which our support would be welcome or needed by contacting the Parish Office, cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk. Donations we have received during recent months have been very welcome—a grateful and heartfelt thank you to all for remembering the Conference.
360 Degree Virtual Tour of the Cathedral
To see a 360-degree virtual tour of our beautiful Cathedral visit https://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/gallery
Cathedral and Archdiocesan Updates by E-mail
Cathedral News: Stay in touch with the Cathedral through the weekly e-newsletter. Sign up at the ‘Stay in Touch’ section on the bottom of any page of www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Archdiocesan News: To receive a monthly e-mail update from the Archdiocese, subscribe at https://archedinburgh.org/news-events (scroll to bottom of page) or email matthew.meade@staned.org.uk and put ‘subscribe me’ in the subject bar.
There will be a Second Collection this weekend for Church’s Justice and Peace Work
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.
Gift Aid: Gift Aid 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.
Cathedral Website ‘Donate’ Button: The Cathedral website has a ‘donate’ button in our website navigation bar. Using the ‘donate’ button has the added advantage of allowing you to select ‘I would like to Gift Aid this donation,’ thereby the Government will give an additional 25% of the value of your donation.
Easyfundraising: Turn everyday shopping into free donations!: We have reactivated our page on the ‘easyfundraising’ website www.easyfundraising.org.uk through which you can shop online at various retailers while simultaneously raising a small percentage for your chosen charity at no additional cost to you! Just register as a supporter of St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral, search for your chosen retailer and shop on their website as normal.
Did you know… It costs £1000 a day to run the Cathedral, which our weekly collections don't quite cover. If you wish to give regularly, you could contact the finance office finance@stmaryscathedral.co.uk to set up a standing order to the Cathedral. Others who have a standing order have increased the amount in response to the challenging times the Cathedral faces with no weekly collections at Mass.
Catechism Classes for First Confession, First Holy Communion and Confirmation
In light of recently re-introduced Level 4 restrictions, we are currently reviewing the children’s Catechism Class at St Andrew’s, Ravelston. Parents of children already registered will be contacted directly – watch this space! In the meantime, it seems sensible that we postpone the Rite of Illumination scheduled for First Reconciliation children on 10th of January.
Thanks from Fr. Binu!
Fr. Binu sent the following message in gratitude for the donation received for the Rosminian Mission:
Dear Mgr. P Burke,
Hope you are keeping well and having a blessed time regardless of Covid pandemic! Thanks for the letter dated 8/12/2020, which I have received via email. I am really grateful to receive the generous gift of £2,100 from the parish of St Andrew’s, Ravelston towards the Rosminian Mission in India. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the parishioners of Ravelston, and especially to you dear father for your constant encouragement and support to me personally and to our little Religious Congregation. The Ravelston parish is in our constant prayer and once in a month we celebrate a Mass for them and their needs here in our community. Please do convey our thanks to parish at Ravelston and if it is possible via their Newsletter! We take this hopeful season of Advent and Christmas, amidst the Covid-19 uncertainties, to wish all of you peace and joy beyond our human reckoning. May the ‘Light of the World’ dispel all the darkness of doubts and fears from our lives and may He grant all of us a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!
With love and prayers, Fr. Binu Palakapally IC, The Rector, Rosmini Nikethan
St Andrew’s Online
Have you seen the new Ravelston section on the Cathedral website? Have a look here: www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/st-andrews-church You can also find regular updates on our (long-dormant) Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/standrewsravelston. Do check these out and spread the word!