Thank you and Happy New Year!
Very many thanks for all the lovely cards and gifts that we have received in Cathedral House this Christmas. They are very warmly and gratefully received as signs of our belonging to a very wonderful parish family!
We begin this Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope. Our hope is born of our faith in Jesus Christ who has won the victory over sin and death and calls us to new life in a kingdom that will have no end. Like the star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi to the manger, the hope of eternal life is planted in us and leads us on in joyful expectation of the Lord’s promises being fulfilled. In times of darkness and turmoil, hope, ‘the anchor of our souls’, holds us fast and ever ready to move into the future with confidence, knowing that God is with us. As time marches on, so do we! The hope within strengthens us to face the challenges and encourages us to proclaim Christ as the light that every poor soul longs for. May this year be one of true and lasting blessing for us all as we recommit ourselves to following Jesus as his faithful disciples.
Mary, Mother of Hope, pray for us!
Jubilee Volunteers
It takes a lot of people to keep the Cathedral and St Andrew’s running smoothly and well, and we are constantly in need of volunteers to help with all manner of things. In particular at this time, we are looking for more volunteers to join the regular Cathedral cleaning rota so that we can keep our beautiful churches beautiful. So why not take this Jubilee Year as an inspiration to set aside some of your time and energy to serve in the parish? If you are interested in volunteering in any way – in either the Cathedral or St. Andrew’s during this Holy Year – please contact Elizabeth Andrews at Elizabeth@rhandrews.plus.com or telephone 0131 553 1510.
Parish Pastoral Council
The next meeting of the Parish Council is on Thursday, 9th January. To contact the Parish Council you can e-mail parishcouncil@stmarycathedral.co.uk.
January Big Clean
We need your help! The Cathedral is cleaned every week by a dedicated team of volunteers but, once a year the church gets a deep clean. This year, that will take place on Saturday, 18 January from 12:00pm-4:00pm. Please consider signing up to help carry out the annual Big Clean of the Cathedral. You can volunteer 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!
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!
Bookshop Reopens Tuesday, 7th January
St Pauls Bookshop has been closed for annual stock taking since 1st January and will reopen at 10:00am on Tuesday, 7th January. The shop is open 10am-5:30pm daily. Contact the bookshop at edinburgh@stpauls.org.uk 0131 510 4260.
Legion of Mary – Students & Professionals Group
The Legion of Mary is a lay association of Catholics which seeks to help its members grow in holiness through devotion to Our Lady and by carrying out works of mercy. All are welcome to join. Our presidium name is Our Lady Cause of our Joy. We meet every Monday at 7:00 pm at 63 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3JD. We are a group of mixed male and female members, students and professionals and from different countries, cultures. For more information contact phone number: Monika – 07751213612, Emmy – 07879074240.
Kathedral Knits Thank You
A big thank you to everyone who contributed at the Kathedral Knits stall during Advent – either in St Mary’s Cathedral or St Andrew’s, Ravelston. The total figure raised from sales during December was £1,769.48. A very special thanks to Joanna Kopystynska and her family for their hard work during Advent.
Children’s Catechism Classes: Dates for your 2025 Diary
For children registered for First Reconciliation in 2025:
Sunday, 12 Jan - First Reconciliation Classes at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston recommence
Sunday, 19 Jan - Rite of Illumination: 9am Mass (Cathedral)
Sunday, 26 Jan - Rite of Illumination: 10:30am Mass (St. Andrew’s, Ravelston)
Monday, 27 Jan, 7pm - Final Parents’ Meeting on Zoom
Sacrament of First Reconciliation services:
Monday, 3 Feb after 6pm evening Mass (St Andrew’s, Ravelston)
Tuesday, 4 Feb (Cathedral)
For children registered for First Holy Communion in 2025:
Monday, 3 March, 7pm - Initial Parents Meeting on Zoom
Sunday, 9 March, 9:30am - First Holy Communion Classes start at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston
Enrolment Mass: 9am Mass (Cathedral)
10:30am Mass (St. Andrew’s, Ravelston)
Monday, 2 June, 7pm – Final Parents’ Meeting on Zoom
Sacrament of First Holy Communion Masses:
Saturday, 21 June - 11:00am Mass, St. Andrew’s, Ravelston
Sunday, 22 June - 11:00am Mass, Cathedral
For children registered for the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2025:
Monday, 17 February, 7pm – Initial Parents’ Meeting on Zoom
Sunday, 23 February - Enrolment Mass: 9am Mass (Cathedral)
10:30am Mass (St. Andrew’s, Ravelston)
Sunday, 16 March, 4:30pm-5:30pm – Confirmation classes start at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston
Monday, 2 June, 7pm – Final Parents’ Meeting on Zoom
Sacrament of Confirmation Mass:
Sunday, 8 June – 9am Mass, Cathedral
Registration is open for First Holy Communion classes and Confirmation classes. Please register online at
Confirmation registration (P7): www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/confirmation
First Communion registration (P4): www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/first-communion
For more details, please contact Fr. Robert at frrobert@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Ravelston Mass Times Return to Normal
Following the Christmas break, the daily 6pm Mass will return to St Andrew’s tomorrow (Monday 6th) evening. This also means that Eucharistic Adoration with Confessions will be back on Wednesdays from 5:00pm-5:45pm. Why not take that time every week to come to Christ in peace and prayer?
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, 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.
Reserving the Ravelston Rooms
If you would like to reserve the parish rooms at Ravelston for a meeting or event, please contact the parish office at cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk Thank you!
Justice and Peace
The annual Justice and Peace collection will be taken up after Mass this weekend. Archbishop William Nolan of Glasgow, the President of Justice and Peace Scotland, has written a letter which you can find copies of at the back of the church today. Justice and Peace Scotland works in campaigns around social justice, care for creation, human rights and others on behalf of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Parishes are encouraged to form their own Justice and Peace groups to put into action the social teaching of the Catholic Church. If you are interested in this, please e-mail cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Diploma 2025: The Catholic Faith – Examined, Enriched, Alive
Join the 500+ people who have taken the Diploma in Catechetics course since it began in 2021. As 2025 is a Holy Year, the cost is reduced from £200 to £125. Register today for this systematic and rich walk through the Catholic faith. Sessions are on a Zoom webinar and take place each Thursday at 7:30pm (1hr max), or catch-up on Youtube. The course begins on Thursday 23 January 2025 and ends Thursday 11 December, with July-August summer break. Details and registration available at bit.ly/diploma2025 People of all denominations and faiths welcome! Questions? Contact Sr. Miram Ruth Ryan, RSM at srmiriam.ruth@staned.org.uk
Disabled Parking for Blue Badge Holders
If you have a Blue Badge for disabled parking, drive to Mass and would like to use the St. James’ Car Park for Sunday morning Mass, please fill out a form at the back of Church and return it to the Office, or email your details to cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk The Car Park offers free disabled parking on Sundays, 8:30am-1:30pm. Outside of those hours, normal parking fees will apply.
EXPLORE: Discussion and Prayer on Women's Religious Life
The Archdiocese is running EXPLORE for young women interested in finding out more about the religious life. Join us for talks, discussion, prayer and socialising on the Sunday of every month at St Columba's,
9 Upper Gray Street, Edinburgh, EH9 1SN: 26 Jan, 23 Feb, 30 Mar, 25 May. To register, email Sr Mirjam Hugens FSO at religiousvocations@staned.org.uk EXPLORE includes a retreat from Friday, 4 April – Monday, 7 April.
Evangelisation & Culture: Bishop Barron Conference on the Bible
Join Bishop Barron, N.T. Wright, Tracey Rowland, and other renowned speakers at the Evangelisation & Culture Conference on the Bible at Excel London, in the heart of London’s historic Royal Docks, Friday, 20 February-Saturday, 21 February 2025. Gain a deeper appreciation of the Sacred Scriptures and grow in your evangelisation efforts. Full event details at https://events.wordonfire.org/the-bible-event