Young Adults Group Meets on 14th January
The Young Adults Group will meet again on Tuesday, 14th January for our new series of talks ‘A Year of Hope.’ Join us as our own Fr. Jeremy speaks about ‘The Holy Year of Hope.’ All those aged 18+ are welcome to the weekly meetings. As usual, we meet at 63 York Place at 7:00pm for teas/coffees and for the talk at 7.30pm, followed by a short group discussion. Each session concludes with Night Prayer and the chance to meet up at a local pub. Come along!
Next Saturday – Cathedral’s Big Clean!
Please sign-up to join us next Saturday, 18 January for our annual Big Clean at the Cathedral. Anyone is welcome to come along from 12:00pm-4:00pm to help us keep our Cathedral beautiful as our team of volunteers sweeps, dusts, mops and polishes and more.....there will be plenty of work to do! (Those age 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.) Many hands will make light work and will prepare our Cathedral for many weeks of prayerful Masses and celebration of the sacraments. Please consider signing up to help by contacting Darlene at complexmanager@stmaryscathedral.co.uk Thank you!
2025 Archdiocesan Directories on Sale
The new Archdiocesan directories are on sale after Mass this weekend. They cost £3 and include up-to-date Mass times from across the city, some pictures of events from throughout the past year and, of course, your chance to play ‘where has the priest moved to now’? Every Catholic dinner party is not complete until you’ve played that game at least once!
Jubilee Cross and Plenary Indulgence
The Jubilee Cross at the National Shrine of St Andrew here at the Cathedral is a destination and a focus for pilgrims in the Archdiocese and beyond during this Jubilee Year of Hope. The Holy See has granted permission for the Jubilee Cross to carry a plenary indulgence, which is a remission of the temporal punishment for sins already forgiven and can be gained by visiting the Jubilee Cross through this Holy Year with the following conditions: a detachment from sin, going to Confession, receiving Holy Communion and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father. All are encouraged to visit the cross in this Jubilee Year. Prayer cards are available at the cross.
From Pope Francis’ Message for the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025
“SPES NON CONFUNDIT. ‘Hope does not disappoint’ (Rom 5:5). In the spirit of hope, the Apostle Paul addressed these words of encouragement to the Christian community of Rome. Hope is also the central message of the … Jubilee that, in accordance with an ancient tradition, the Pope proclaims every twenty-five years. My thoughts turn to all those pilgrims of hope who will travel to Rome in order to experience the Holy Year and to all those others who, though unable to visit the City of the Apostles Peter and Paul, will celebrate it in their local Churches. For everyone, may the Jubilee be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the ‘door’ (cf. Jn 10:7.9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere and to all as ‘our hope’ (1 Tim 1:1).’ (Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025, Spes Non Confuduit, 1)
Registration Open: Children’s First Holy Communion & Confirmation
Registration is open for First Holy Communion classes and Confirmation classes. Please register online at
First Communion registration (P4): www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/first-communion
Confirmation registration (P7): www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/confirmation
All classes held at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston (EH4 3DS). First Holy Communion Classes will begin on Sunday, 9 March, 9:30am and Confirmation classes on Sunday, Sunday, 16 March, 4:30pm-5:30pm. For more details, please contact Fr. Robert at frrobert@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Marriage Preparation Courses
The next parish Marriage Preparation Courses are Saturday 1st March and Saturday 31st May, both at St Andrew’s, Ravelston (EH4 3DS), with presentations by married couples. Please email cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk to register.
White Flower Appeal Next Weekend: Society for the Protection of Unborn Children
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) will hold a White Flower Appeal after all Masses next weekend, 11th-12th January. The White Flower Appeal is dedicated to protecting unborn children and promoting the right to life in society. The donations allow SPUC to continue its work to build a culture of life through its pro-life activities and efforts in the community and providing support to students facing crisis pregnancies. Visit https://spuc.org.uk/white-flower-2025/ for information.
Wednesday Adoration, Confession and Mass
Every Wednesday at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston we have Eucharistic Adoration with Confessions 5:00pm-5:45pm, followed by 6:00pm Mass. Especially in this Jubilee Year of Hope, all are encouraged to come for Adoration and begin a regular practice of coming to Confession, a sacrament of healing in which we are reconciled to God, our relationship with Jesus Christ is deepened, and we receive grace and strength to live our spiritual life. Learn more about Confession at https://goodconfession.com/
Tickets Available Today: Burns Supper – Friday 24th January
The annual Burns Supper takes place on Friday 24th January so put the date in your diary and line up for tickets which go on sale next Sunday, 12th January at a bargain price of £20 per person. The ticket includes a three-course meal and the entertainment on the night. The supper will take place in the hall at St Margaret’s, Davidson Mains. Doors open from 6:00pm, for a 6.30pm start.
Coming Back in the New Year
The Youth Group will return on the first Sunday of February (2nd February) and thereafter on the 2nd March, 6th April and 4th May, between 2.30pm and 4pm. Please keep the dates in your diary! All P3-P7’s are welcome. The St Andrew’s Talks will resume on Monday 24th February with Peter Diamond talking about the work of Aid to the Church in Need as it supports the Catholic faithful and other Christians facing oppression, persecution or pastoral need. Learn more at https://acnuk.org/. All St Andrew’s Talks begin after the 6pm Mass in the Ravelston rooms.
Bacon Roll Thank You from Sister Aelred
Sister Aelred of the Sisters of Mercy St. Catherine’s Homeless Project at Lauriston Gardens sent a thank you to Caroline to be shared with the parish: “Dear Caroline, I write to thank you for your Christmas greetings and the extremely generous donation of £628.05 which you all raised at your bacon roll sale on Sunday, 8 Dec. and which you sent to us on behalf of the parishioners at St. Andrew’s Church, Ravelston for the homeless this Christmas. We deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and great goodness! Please extend my gratitude to all involved. At this present time, we are working with the vulnerable and needy in different ways. We pray daily for all our very generous benefactors. Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a good New Year. Yours sincerely, Sister Aelred”
Property Surveyor
The Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh is seeking to appoint a Property Management Surveyor. To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter detailing how your skills and experience make you suitable for the role to recruitment@staned.org.uk. Deadline: Friday 17 January 2025. The job description can be found on the Archdiocesan website(https://archedinburgh.org) in the News-Events section.
Synodal Event 2025
All parishioners are welcome to attend a FREE Archdiocesan event with Fr Matthew Nunes from the Archdiocese of Liverpool titled Conversations in the Spirit, to help guide us on how to lead and participate in parish Synodality. Learn the practical steps of being synodal in the parish, with speaker input, workshops and a chance to have your say. It takes place on Saturday 1 February, (optional Mass at 10am) 11:00am-3:00pm at The Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh EH9 1BB. Details and registration for this event at bit.ly/inthespirit25 Please bring a packed lunch. Local cafes/shops available.
Valentine’s Retreat for Couples
The Archdiocese has organised a Valentine’s mini-retreat for married and engaged couples from 2-5pm on Saturday 15 February at St Kentigern’s Church, 26 Parkgrove Avenue, Edinburgh, EH4. The speaker is Fr Andrew Garden (St David’s, Dalkeith) and the event is free. Register at bit.ly/valretreat25
World Day for Consecrated Life
Join religious Brothers and Sisters at St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday 2 February to celebrate the World Day for Consecrated Life with midday Mass. It is a chance to meet some of those who live and work in the Archdiocese and to pray for more vocations to the religious life.
Diploma in Catechetics
This is the last week to register for the Diploma in Catechetics 2025. It is a year-long course beginning on Thursday 23 January at 7:30pm. It consists of a weekly lecture on Zoom, readings from the Catechism and regular one-to-one support. Holy Year discount: £125 (normally £200). Register at bit.ly/diploma2025
Choose Jesus for Your Child: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for Ages 3-9
There are still spots available in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium at The Gillis Centre in Edinburgh. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd teaches children to pray, wonder, and work while nurturing their relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church. Sessions are Fridays 1:30-3:00pm for 3-6 year-olds & Tuesdays 4:00-5:30pm for 6-9 year-olds. Contact brodie.douglas-young@staned.org.uk for registration
Order of Malta Annual Fundraising Ball 17th May
The Order of Malta, the Catholic Church's largest and oldest charity, supports the disadvantaged in Scotland and 120 other countries. On Saturday 17th May, the Order will host a fundraising Ball at Prestonfield House (EH16 5UT. Enjoy a three-course dinner, as well as reels, a live band and piping, and live and silent auctions to support the charity’s work in Scotland and the Middle East. Tickets cost £140 per person (£125 for students). Book online at https://www.orderofmaltaball.com/
Marriage, Family and Life
Support for engaged couples, married couples and families, and information on marriage counselling are available at https://marriagefamilyandlife.org.uk/ as well as the online Catholic Families for Life Newsletter.
Cyrenians’ Malaysian Supper Night in Coffee Saints
Local charity Cyrenians will be hosting a Malaysian Supper Club in Coffee Saints, 2a Little King Street at 7:00pm on Thursday, 21 February. This regular community event offers the opportunity to try delicious Malaysian food and all money raised through ticket sales supports Cyrenians work to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness. Tickets are £35 (£17.50 children) and can be purchased online at www.cyrenians.scot/events