Cathedral Advent Appeal Begins This Weekend
There will be a second collection at the end of all Masses this weekend for the Roof Appeal. Remember a very generous donor has offered to double everything that is given for this appeal – so please be generous.
If you would like to donate online please visit https://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/roof or contact our Finance Office, finance@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Cathedral Calendars
As part of the Roof Appeal, we will be selling Cathedral Calendars after all masses this weekend. These are really beautiful and are an IDEAL Christmas gift for that difficult aunt (!) – or for students to take home to their mums to show they have been at Mass!! Priced at only £10 they are a bargain and should be purchased quickly while stocks last…
Rorate Masses
Our beautiful Advent Rorate Masses begin this week on Monday at 7pm at Ravelston and on Thursday at 7pm at the Cathedral. These are candlelit masses and are the perfect way to prepare spiritually f or Christmas. At the end of this Thursday’s Rorate Mass, the Archbishop will bless our outdoor crib. This is a beautiful and important occasion – do please make the effort to come along. The Cathedral bookshop will also stay open until 8pm on the evenings of the Rorate Masses at the Cathedral
Kathedral Knits on Sale Today
Joanna Kopystynska’s beautiful, knitted goods will be on sale in the Octagon after all masses today. The items are also available at www.kathedralknits.etsy.com
Cathedral Schola Candlelit Advent Concert at Ravelston 8th December
The Cathedral's Schola Cantorum’s special candlelit concert will be on this Friday 8 December at 8:00pm, in the warmth and intimacy of St Andrew's Church in Ravelston. Tickets are £6 standard or £12 family and are available from Eventbrite or on the door. Space is limited in St Andrew's Church, and tickets have been selling well, so advanced booking is advised! Book here: https://bit.ly/ScholaAdvent2023
2024 Marriage Preparation Courses
Our next Marriage Preparation courses will be in 2024 on the following Saturdays 2nd March, 1st June 24th August and 23rd November at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston, 10am-5pm, with presentations by married couples from the parish. Please email cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk to register.
Friendship Group Coffee Afternoon
Join us for our Coffee Afternoon, old and new friends welcome, Tuesdays 2.00pm till 3.30pm at Coffee Saints, with 20% discount on food and drink bought during the meeting time. Cinema outing, Wednesday 6th December, Saltburn 2pm showing, meet upstairs at Omni 5 minutes before. Please note cheapest tickets appear to now be £7.99, this includes online ticket purchases.
Volunteers Needed!
Cathedral Flower Arranging
We ask that you please consider volunteering to assist with arranging of flower displays around the Cathedral. We are very much in need of additional volunteers. Four two-person teams meet once every four weeks, mid-morning on a Friday. Lack of experience is not a barrier if you are interested, as one of the two-person team is an experienced volunteer. To join a team of flower arrangers, or find out more, please contact Elizabeth Andrews at Elizabeth@rhandrews.plus.com telephone: 0131 553 1510.
Cathedral Rorate Masses
Volunteers are needed to assist in preparing the Cathedral (laying out candles, welcoming people, etc) prior to the candlelit Rorate Masses and tidying up afterwards. The Rorate Masses will be celebrated on Thursdays 7th, 14th and 21st December. The Masses start at 7pm. You would need to be available from 6pm. If you can assist, then please e-mail Elizabeth Andrews at Elizabeth@rhandrews.plus.com with a note of your availability.
This Sunday After Ravelston Mass: Children to Help with the Manger
After Mass today, the children are invited to help us place the statues of Mary, Joseph, the shepherd and the empty manger in the crib. Adults and children will be singing “Away in the Manger”, so hopefully you all practiced!
Bacon Rolls on sunday!!
Come along to our bacon roll morning after today in aid of the homeless at Christmas. Donations for a charity that feeds them will be collected. Please support this effort for a vulnerable group of people.
Christmas Run Today: From the Pew to the Track - for All Ages!
Join us for the St. Andrew’s, Ravelston Christmas Run today at 11:30am – for all ages! Come along after Mass and choose from three options: 1) Walk round the grounds, 2) Dean Gallery circuit or 3) Ultimo – Cathedral and back (approx. 5 km) Funds raised will be divided equally between Marie Curie and Bethany Christian Trust. Donations sought (£20 suggested). St Andrews Church, Sort code 83-06-08, Account number 10402444. Thank you in advance for your generous participation!
Helpers Needed: Setup and Cleanup for Ravelston Rorate Masses
Please consider helping us to setup and cleanup for the beautiful candlelit Rorate Masses at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston, scheduled for 7pm on Mondays, starting 4 December and concluding 18th December. We need helpers for each Mass to set up the candles around the church and to tidy them up after the Mass! If you can assist for any of these Masses, please contact cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Become an Altar Server
We have a dedicated group of servers in St Andrew’s, but we are always looking for more to join our ranks. If you have made your First Holy Communion, please speak to Father Robert about serving at the altar during Mass. Adults as well as children are welcome!
St Andrew’s, Ravelston, Parish Project
As most of you will know, our current ‘Parish Project’ is the Rosminian Mission, Fr Binu’s seminary in India. It is, however, time for this to be reviewed such that either Fr Binu’s seminary will continue as our Parish Project for three more years (commencing 1st Jan 2024) or that another charity will take its place after the end of this year.
As before, the Parish Council would like the parish to vote on this and therefore, next weekend, voting forms will be handed out at Sunday Mass allowing you, our parishioners, to vote. Brief details of the charities that have been put forward by members of the Parish Council that you may consider voting for will be on the noticeboard in the Parish Rooms. These will be listed on the voting slip next week, along with Fr Binu’s seminary if you would like to vote to continue the seminary as our Parish Project for a further three years.
Diploma in Catechetics 2024
Explore the richness and depth of our Catholic faith – all from home – with the Diploma in Catechetics from the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh, led by Sr Miriam Ruth Ryan RSM. Tune in each Thursday at 7:30pm for an expert-led Zoom Webinar (or watch the recording at your convenience), and further enjoy guided readings, regular one-to-one support, and an in-person retreat. The Diploma in Catechetics begins on Thursday 25 January 2024. Concessions available. Registration and info at bit.ly/archdiploma2024. Questions? Email srmiriam.ruth@staned.org.uk
Faith Winter Conference for Young Adults: ‘The God Who Speaks’
This new year Fr. Robert will be taking a group of young adults to the Faith Winter Conference from Tuesday 2nd January to Thursday, 4th January. The conference will be held at the Emmaus Youth Village, Consett, and the theme is “The God Who Speaks: ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.’” Fr. Patrick will also be going, as will Sr. Miriam Fidelis, RSM. The conference is open to anyone between the ages of 16 and 25 and attracts scores of young Catholics from all over Britain with a unique blend of catechetical, spiritual and social activities in a relaxed holiday atmosphere. The cost of the conference for students is £110. If you are interested – please speak to Fr. Robert or Fr. Patrick.
Stop the 14-day Limit on Experimenting on Embryos Being Removed
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is pushing to remove the 14-day limit for experimenting on embryos, despite 97% of submissions from the general public to their consultation objecting to these plans. Right To Life UK has launched an easy-to-use tool on its website that makes it easy for you to email your MP asking them to oppose a change to legislation that, if passed, would pave the way for the removal of the 14-day limit. Please visit www.righttolife.org.uk/14days to contact your MP now. It only takes 30 seconds.
Mary’s Meals: Your Donations to Help Hungry Children Doubled!
From now until 22 January 2024, donations made to Mary’s Meals will be doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £1 million. Thanks to Double the Love, your donations bring hope to desperately hungry children and their families around the world. There are many ways to give, including gift cards and e-cards. Donate or find out more at www.marysmeals.org.uk
Read the newsletter for 3rd December (pdf)