Return to Normal Sunday Mass Schedule as of Next Weekend!
We will be back to our normal Mass schedule from next weekend 15th-16th May. The normal Sunday Mass times are 6:00pm (Vigil), 9:00am, 10.30am (Polish), 12noon, 6:00pm (Polish) and 7:30pm.
Pray for Young People to be Confirmed Next Sunday, 16th May
Young people in our Cathedral parish will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next Sunday afternoon. Archbishop Cushley will administer the sacrament to them following their completion of a time of spiritual preparation and study. Please pray for them that they will “share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit” (Catechism of Catholic Church, 1294).
In St Andrew’s, Ravelston, please pray for all the young people who have taken part in our first ever online Confirmation course with Sister Anna Marie and Fr Jamie. Archbishop Cushley will confirm them at St. Andrew’s next Saturday morning. May each of them be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and be strengthened in the service of the Church!
Congratulations Deacon Joshua Moir!
Congratulations to Deacon Joshua Moir, 27, a seminarian in Rome studying for our Archdiocese, who was ordained Deacon on Sunday last by Archbishop Arthur Roche in the Scots College Chapel, Rome. God willing, he will be ordained a priest next year. Deacon Joshua will be arriving here at the Cathedral for a summer placement on Monday, 17th May! We look forwarding to welcoming him next week!
Booking for Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Thursday, 13th May and Sunday Masses for Weekend of 15th-16th May
Thursday, 13th May is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. In ordinary times, this feast would be a holiday of obligation – please make every attempt to attend Mass, if you can. In addition to our usual Mass times of 10am, 12:45 and 6pm (Ravelston), there will be an additional 7pm at the Cathedral. To save time at the door, please book online in advance in the usual way (https://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/reserve). If you need to cancel a booking for a Mass, you can do so from your email receipt. Scroll to the bottom and click on “View and manage your order online.”
Bookings may also be done by calling the parish office, 0131 556 1798. For Extraordinary Form (Old Rite) liturgies, contact Fr. John Emerson, 0131 332 3750 or jfe1@mac.com. For Polish Mass booking, visit: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/polishcatholicchurchedinburgh
In St Andrew’s, Ravelston, Please pray for all the young people who have taken part in our first ever online Confirmation course with Sister Anna Marie and Fr Jamie. Archbishop Cushley will confirm them at St. Andrew’s next Saturday morning. May each of them be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and be strengthened in the service of the Church!
Parish Bible Study – Mondays at 7.00pm on Zoom
Our Parish Bible Study resumed last Monday – it was great to see some new faces and old friends! Still space for more: email frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk to sign up. Each week, you will receive a short and accessible commentary for the coming Sunday’s Gospel in preparation for the Bible study, which takes place online on Zoom at 7pm every Monday and involves discussion, prayer and reflection. Do join!
Young Adults Group - Tuesdays at 7.30pm
For the Tuesdays of May, there will be a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration for young people, with guided meditations on the mysteries of the Rosary. This Tuesday, we'll pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. The Holy Hour will conclude with Benediction and a trip to the pub (weather permitting!). All young adults aged 18-35 will be very welcome.
Degrees in Theology or Education at St. Mary's University Edinburgh
This September, St Mary’s University in Twickenham, a leading Catholic university in the UK, will open a campus at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh in conjunction with the Archdiocese. This is an excellent opportunity with post-graduate MA courses in Theology and Education offered, giving you the flexibility to study in the evening and at weekends. Register at www.stmarys.ac.uk/edinburgh
Marriage Preparation
Are you planning to get married next year? Please contact Fr Jamie (frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk) as soon as possible to make arrangements for Marriage Preparation. The Archdiocesan Marriage Preparation Course for May is now fully booked, but we hope to run our own, regular parish-based courses after the summer.
Special Collection Next Sunday, 16th May for World Communications Day
Next Sunday, 16th May, the Catholic Church celebrates World Communications day in which we highlight the importance of communications media in spreading the Good News of the Gospel. There will be a second collection to support the Church’s communications work in Scotland.
Are you interested in becoming Catholic? Or do you know someone who is?
It was great to welcome 16 adults into the fulness of the Catholic faith last Sunday at Mass. If you – or someone you know – was inspired by their example, this would be a great time to sign up for the Cathedral’s RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) group, for adults who are interested in learning more about the Catholic faith, with a view to becoming members of the Church. For more information, contact the parish office at 0131 556 1798 or cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Laudato Si’ Event Monday, 24th May, 7pm: `Everything and Everyone is Connected’
Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) and Justice & Peace Scotland host an online event titled ‘Everything and Everyone is Connected’ at 7pm on Monday 24 May, “an evening of reflection on Laudato Si’ and the climate crisis”. Laudato Si’ Week takes place 16-24 May as part of the anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on caring for our common home.
Sign Petition to Protect Freedom to Pray
City of Edinburgh Council is petitioning COSLA, the Scottish local authorities’ organisation, in favour of ‘buffer zones’ at all Scottish abortion facilities. It means peaceful pro-life prayer vigils, a lifeline to vulnerable women considering abortion, are under threat. To protect the freedom to pray you can sign the SPUC (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children) online petition: https://citizengo.org/en-gb/201800-protect-freedom-pray-scotland It takes 30 seconds!
Many Options Available to Support St. Mary’s 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 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 which has the added advantage of allowing you to ‘gift aid’ any donations you make at the time that you make them.
Music for the 12noon Mass at the Cathedral
Schubert Ave Maria
This Joyful Eastertide
Organ voluntary: Herbert Howells Paean