Ordination of Peter and Paul
As you know Fr. Robert and I are away in Rome this week with 52 parishioners to attend the ordination of our two seminarians. Please keep them in your prayers on Wednesday and please keep us in your prayers as well that we have a safe trip. There is no 10am Mass this week while we are away.
Voting Rights for Church Representatives
Edinburgh City Council is to vote on a motion (addendum) which proposes the removal of voting rights of Church Representatives on its Education, Children and Families Committee. If this motion is carried it will pose a serious threat to the capacity of the Church to influence decisions regarding Catholic education and Catholic schools. Postcards are available at the back of the church so you can send to your councillor(s) to make your feelings known. Template letters are also available (an editable Word version of the letter is available at https://bit.ly/edinletterdownload
Find out who your councillor is at https://bit.ly/edinburghcouncillors Please act quickly to ensure councillors know your viewpoint before they vote on Thursday 22 June.
Get to Know Jesus Better: ‘Searching for Jesus in the Gospel of Mark’
October Mini Course Tickets Available Now!
Tickets are on sale now for our ‘Searching for Jesus in the Gospel of Mark’ mini course with Prof. James Edwards from the USA to be held each evening of the week 23-27th October here in the Cathedral 7-9pm. It is open to all and will be a wonderful opportunity to get to know the Scriptures better, but also to get to know Jesus better. Ticket options include weeklong tickets, either £50 with tea/coffee or £75 with a glass of wine at the interval, a single night ticket at £10 with tea/coffee and a pre-event light supper deal for £50 for one supper each evening for all 5 nights provided by Coffee Saints. Visit https://bit.ly/Jesus-in-GospelofMark book your place today!
Fabric Update from Alice
Having struggled to get tradesmen here, we have now had a busy period when they have all wanted to come at the same time! The Sanctuary window is being repaired and due for return the week of 7th August, when the smaller windows will also receive attention. As I write, the Cathedral roof survey is taking place and engineers are here attempting to get the fire alarm in the Café and Bookshop fully up and running following the replacement of a failed element of the system. In Sacristy 1, the worn lock on the door to the Sanctuary has been repaired and a quadrant of the ceiling where there had been a small fall has been removed and is awaiting replacement. Some of you may have noticed that the Processional Cross we normally use has been absent the last couple of weeks as this had become extremely wobbly and is in for repair. A quote for the replacement of the taps in the toilets has been accepted and we are awaiting a date for the work to occur. Outside, a loose step is being reseated and, while the better weather lasts, the front of the Cathedral is being sprayed with algicide to remove the green tinge. The effects should become apparent over the next few weeks, although the building will remain grimy. Roof works to a number of leaks at Cathedral House are also in train and due to take place in July/August. Finally, we have set the date for the next special cleaning day in the Cathedral which will be the Saturday 30th September. Please put the date in your diary and I will be asking for volunteers closer to the time. Thank you for your help!
Parent & Baby Group: Wednesday 12.45pm Mass, Then Coffee Saints
Are you a new parent looking to meet fellow Catholic parents to socialize and share our faith? Join us for 12.45pm Mass on Wednesday, followed by coffee and a chat at Coffee Saints next door. All parents and babies welcome, particularly those on maternity or paternity leave. If you would like to be involved, email Angus Hawkins (angus.f.hawkins@gmail.com) or Antonia Shack (afmshack@gmail.com).
Summer Sacraments Classes for Adults Begin 16th August
Are you an adult who has not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation, or have you been baptised but have not received First Confession, First Holy Communion or Confirmation in the Catholic Church? Consider joining us this August, when the Cathedral will be offering a sacraments course for adults. Meetings will be held weekly in Cathedral House on Wednesdays at 7:00pm from 16th August to 27th September (Zoom meetings on 30th August and 20th September). Those participating will be prepared to receive the sacraments they need. Adult Confirmation will take place at Mass on Saturday, 30th September at 10am Mass in the Cathedral. To register or for more information, contact cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Over Sixties Coffee Afternoon
Our over Sixties Club Coffee Afternoon will be Tuesday 13th June, 2.30pm - 4pm at Coffee Saints. Newcomers are very welcome! Come along and join us!
Young Adults Day Trips to Abbotsford, St Andrews
Come along on a day trip to places of significance for the Catholic faith in Scotland. Both trips will be by train from Edinburgh Waverley. Join us for our trip to Melrose and Abbotsford on Saturday 24th June. On the day, meet at the top of platforms 5 and 6 for 9.30am. Then we will walk from Tweedbank station to Melrose Abbey, Abbotsford – where we will celebrate Mass in the chapel used by St John Henry Newman, and then onto Galashiels. Please bring sensible footwear and a rain jacket- it is Scotland after all! Train departs Waverley at 9.43am, returns to Waverley for 5.15pm. For more information and to register, please contact Fr. Robert Taylor, FrRobert.Taylor@stan.ed.org.uk
Parish Retreat 22-24 September 2023 at St Mary’s Monastery, Kinnoull
We will have a Parish retreat in September and many have already signed up. Spaces are still available! The Friends of St Mary’s Cathedral have organised the retreat for the whole parish on 22-24 September this year in the idyllic St Mary’s Monastery in Kinnoull (near Perth). The theme of the retreat is Allowing Jesus to Love You, and it will be led by Fr Charlie Corrigan CSsR. Places are limited so please book now. The all-inclusive price is £200 (this includes a £50 non-returnable deposit). To book please email ppccathedral@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Save the Dates: Festival Mass and Sacred Arts Concert
Sunday, 13 August: His Grace, Archbishop Cushley, will celebrate the annual Festival Mass at Noon at the Cathedral. Join us for this beautiful celebration of our Sunday Liturgy at the start of the week of our Cathedral’s patronal feast of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 15th August in the season of Edinburgh’s International Festival.
Monday, 14 August: Acclaimed composer Paul Mealor will join us at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral for a special performance of his music by the Schola Cantorum, in partnership with Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts. As one of the world’s most performed living composers, Paul will talk to director of music Michael Ferguson about the sources of inspiration for his music, and the process of composing his works. It’ll be a unique opportunity to hear not only Paul’s stunning choral music, but also from the man himself.
Weekly Cathedral Updates By E-Mail
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Each Wednesdays 5:00pm Adoration & Confession
On Wednesday evenings Eucharistic Adoration and Confessions are available at St Andrew’s. Adoration begins at 5:00pm, concluding at 5:45pm, with Mass at 6:00pm.
Save the Date: Ravelston Parish Barbecue
The annual St Andrews parish barbecue will take place on Sunday September 3rd this year, 12:30pm.
It's always a very enjoyable afternoon and a great opportunity to get involved and meet fellow parishioners both old and new. We will of course need volunteers on the day. More details will follow over the summer, but in the meantime.....save the date!
St Margaret’s Pilgrimage to Dunfermline – 18th June
St Margaret’s Pilgrimage returns to Dunfermline on Sunday 18 June. Mass is at 2:30pm in St Margaret’s Memorial Church in East Port, with Archbishop Cushley as principal celebrant. Ecumenical service at 12:30pm in Dunfermline Abbey, followed by prayers at the tomb of St Margaret.
St. Dominic and His Preachers of Grace: Friday 23 June – Saturday 24 June
Come and explore what lies at the heart of being a Dominican! The Dominicans will host a two-day conference in Edinburgh in June to share what they have done, are doing and could do in the future. Speakers include Fr Timothy Radcliffe, OP as well as other Friars, Sisters and Lay Dominicans. The event includes a Noon Mass on Saturday 24 June at the Cathedral, celebrated by His Grace, Archbishop Cushley. Book at https://scotland.op.org/preachersofgrace/
Compassion to Hope: Celebrating Migrants, Refugees & Asylum Seekers
An event to celebrate the lives of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland, with ‘music, poetry, silence and celebration’. This event takes place in the hall of Sacred Heart Church, 28 Lauriston Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DJ on Tuesday 20 June at 4:30pm.
YouCAN Summer BBQ in the Lake District, 14th-16th July
All young Catholic aged 18+ are very welcome to spend a weekend networking with other young Catholic adults from all across the UK, July 14 - July 16, cost £110. What’s included? Walks, BBQ, live band of talented YouCAN musicians, Mass, picnic, swimming and more! We are also very privileged to have with us for the weekend the Bishop of Lancaster who will be leading us on one of the hikes! To book or for more information, contact rina@youngcatholicadultnetwork.uk
Applications Open for New ‘Public Bioethics Fellow’
The Anscombe Centre, an Oxford-based research institute serving the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland, has opened applications for a new position: Public Bioethics Fellow. The principal responsibility of the person taking this role will be to facilitate the effective communication of the Catholic Church’s moral teaching as it bears on bioethics to a healthcare professionals, biomedical scientists, those training for the medical and nursing professions and other university students, the Catholic and wider Christian community, and the general public. Closing date is 15th June. Full details available at https://bioethics.org.uk/news-events/news-from-the-centre/new-anscombe-job-advertisement-public-bioethics-fellow/
Shalom World Free Catholic Movies, News, Shows and More
Shalom World is a Catholic, commercial-free, 24/7, HD family entertainment channel. “Change what you watch and watch the world change!” https://www.shalomworld.org/
Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat: Spiritual and Emotional Healing After Abortion
Rachel's Vineyard retreats for spiritual and emotional healing after abortion will be held on 28-30 July 2023 in Midlands and 6-8 October 2023 in Glasgow area. This confidential, supportive retreat is powerful for anyone who has been affected by their own or someone else’s abortion experience. For more information in the Midlands retreat, please call or email Rachel at 07734 059 080 or rachelmackenzie1@hotmail.co.uk, and for the Glasgow retreat please call or email Sr. Andrea at 07816 942 824 or sisterandrea@rachelsvineyard.org.uk Further details at https://rachelsvineyard.org.uk
Summer Retreat at Pluscarden Abbey
This summer, why not plan a time of prayerful retreat at beautiful, historic Pluscarden Abbey? Reservations available for individuals or groups. The normal monastic day provides an excellent framework, with the 8 services of praying the Office and the daily Mass open to all. All of the services at Pluscarden Abbey are sung in Latin using Gregorian Chant. The monastery is surrounded by forest, hills, moors and fields, and enjoys a natural environment for prayer. Women retreatants are accommodated in St. Scholastica's Retreat. Men are accommodated in St Benedict’s guest house. No charge is made to retreatants; but if you wish to make a donation, this will be gratefully received. For details and online booking visit https://www.pluscardenabbey.org/retreats Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin IV30 8UA