Sixth Sunday of Easter - Year C

Thursday is the Feast of the Ascension – Holy Day of Obligation

Please remember that Thursday is a Holy Day of Obligation. That means that all Catholics are obliged to attend Mass on Thursday. Mass times in the Cathedral are 8am, 10am, 12.45pm, 6pm (Polish) and 7.30pm. And in Ravelston Masses are at 9.30am and 6.15pm (Extraordinary Form)

First Holy Communions on Saturday 1st June

Please keep our P4 children in your prayers as they prepare to receive their First Holy Communions on Saturday. Please note that there will be no 10am Mass in the Cathedral or Ravelston next Saturday.

Young Adult’s Group – Tuesday at 7pm

This week we are very happy to welcome Sister Mary Simone who will talk about discerning a vocation to religious life. There will be tea, coffee and cake at 6.45, with the talk beginning at 7pm. We will meet in the Cathedral Café and we look forward to seeing all of you there!

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Sr. Mary Simone and Deacon Peter

Read the newsletter for 26th May (doc)

Read the newsletter for 26th May (pdf)

Fifth Sunday of Easter - Year C

Daily Confessions

From this week onwards, there will be confessions after the 12.45 Mass every day. Please pass it on. 

40 Hours

Please remember that the “40 Hours” at the Cathedral will take place this year on 10th-12th June. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed all day for adoration and each day will finish with a Holy Hour and Benediction at 7pm. We need to have at least two people to watch with the Blessed Sacrament at all times – so please think about when you might be able to spend some time with the Lord and sign up on the sheets at the back.  

“The Eucharist” – Talk by Fr. Jamie – This Monday at 7pm

In preparation for the “40 Hours” Father Jamie will be giving a talk about the “Eucharist as a Supper” in the Parish Rooms in St Andrew’s, Ravelston (77 Belford Road) on Monday at 7pm. This will be a great way to grow in your understanding of the faith. The talk will be followed by soup and sandwiches!

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Sr. Mary Simone and Deacon Peter

Read the newsletter for 19th May (doc)

Read the newsletter for 19th May (pdf)

Fourth Sunday of Easter - Year C

Changes to the Weekly Schedule

While we have a number of visiting priests here, I have decided to expand our weekly schedule to include daily confessions at in the Cathedral after the 12.45pm Mass and daily Mass at Ravelston at 9.30am. This new schedule will start next Monday, 20th May.

Today is World Day for Prayer for Vocations

Today the Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday, when we are encouraged to pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. Let us pray that many more young people will respond to the call of the Lord by dedicating their lives to the service of the Gospel.

Meeting About Sunday Parking Charges – Today at 2.30pm

Two years ago, you may remember, Edinburgh City Council put forward proposals to introduce all day parking restrictions on Sundays in the city centre. Such proposal would have had a disastrous impact on City Centre Churches and so all the Churches got together and successfully campaigned to get the proposals dropped. Unfortunately, the Council has now re-introduced proposals for Sunday parking charges and restrictions. A meeting has been called of all the city centre churches to discuss this issue and address what action needs to be taken by the churches working together. The meeting will take place at the Lauriston Hall at 2.30pm today.

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Sr. Mary Simone and Deacon Peter

Read the newsletter for 12th May (doc)

Read the newsletter for 12th May (pdf)

Third Sunday of Easter - Year C

40 Hours Devotion – 10th-12th June

Please remember to put in your diaries that “40 Hours” at the Cathedral will take place this year on 10th-12th June. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed all day for adoration and each day will finish with a Holy Hour and Benediction at 7pm. This is a lovely devotion and something to bring your children and grandchildren to experience.

Talks on the Eucharist

In preparation for the “40 Hours” we will have a series of talks on the Eucharist on 20th and 27th May and 3rd June which will explore the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist. Each talk will begin at 7pm at the Parish Rooms in St. Andrew’s Ravelston and will be followed by soup and sandwiches.

Interested in helping fellow parishioners attend Mass?

The SVDP is looking for volunteers to take housebound or disabled parishioners to Mass. You would be part of a Rota with Cathedral conference members and other volunteers. Please contact Nicola on 07943 691517 if interested or email ssvpedinburgh@gmail.com. You don’t have to join the SSVP conference to do this, but you would of course be very welcome if you wanted to!

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Deacon Peter and Sister Mary Simone. 

Read the newsletter for Sunday 5th May (.doc)

Read the newsletter for Sunday 5th May (.pdf)

Second Sunday of Easter - Year C

Divine Mercy Devotions – Today at 3pm

There will be a celebration of the Feast of the Divine Mercy today in the Cathedral at 3-5.30pm. The celebration will be led by the Cathedral’s Divine Mercy Group and will include Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Confessions and Divine Mercy devotions. All are welcome!

Faith Summertime Youth Camp

Forms are now available for the annual Summer Camp at Ampleforth Abbey from 16-19 July for our 9 to 15 year olds. It promises to be a great few days of fun as well as learning more about the faith. The price of £165 includes transport to Ampleforth, full board, all activities and entrance to Flamingo Land Theme Park. Speak to Fr Jamie for more details.

Scone Palace Trip – Some Places Still Available!

Due to the high demand for tickets, we have managed to get some more places for our parish trip to Scone Palace on Saturday the 11th of May. If you would like a ticket (priced at £20 for adults and only £5 for children – including lunch!), please contact the Parish Office at cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk.

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Deacon Peter and Sister Mary Simone. 

Read the newsletter for Sunday 28th April (.doc)

Read the newsletter for Sunday 28th April (.pdf)

Easter Sunday -Year C

Thank you…

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped to make the Sacred Triduum so lovely this year, especially the choir, the alter servers, the pass keepers and the Flower Arrangers. Special mention goes particularly to Fr. Jamie and Wojtek for organizing and choreographing everything so beautifully. Thank you also to all of you for participating so whole-heartedly in all the services. I wish you and your loved ones a happy and a peaceful Easter.

Lunch Concert with Barbara Dickson

The Cathedral Fundraising Group will be hosting a lunch concert at the New Club on Monday the 30th September at 12.30pm. Besides a spectacular three course lunch, there will also be a performance by Barbara Dickson and an opportunity to talk to Barbara afterwards. For more information, please see Valerie Ball or Oliver Cookson, or contact the Parish Office. There is only a limited amount of tickets (£45/person) available, so first come, first served!

Scone Palace Trip – Some Places Still Available!

Due to the high demand for tickets, we have managed to get some more places for our parish trip to Scone Palace on Saturday the 11th of May. If you would like a ticket (priced at £20 for adults and only £5 for children – including lunch!), please contact the Parish Office at cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk.

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Deacon Peter and Sister Mary Simone. 

Read the newsletter for Sunday 21st April (.doc)

Read the newsletter for Sunday 21st April (.pdf)

Palm Sunday - Year C

Confession Times during Holy Week

Remember that it is a Precept of the Church that all Catholics should go to confession at least once a year, at Easter or thereabouts. In order to help you to make your “Easter Duties” there will confessions this week on Monday-Thursday from 12noon-2.00pm and from 4.00pm-6.00pm. And then on Good Friday, there will be confessions from 4.30pm-7.00pm.

Good Friday is a Day of Fasting and Abstinence

Remember that Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence which means that all Catholics are obliged to abstain from meat, and all adults between 16 and 65 are obliged to fast.

RCIA

At the Easter Vigil this year we will receive ten people into the Church: Rowena, Jolanda, Carmen, Timothy, Justin, Tom, Laura, Jonathan, Elizabeth and John. This is the end of a long journey of faith for them and I ask you to keep them all in your prayers this week as they prepare to make this important step in their lives. I encourage you also to try to attend the Easter Vigil which is a beautiful celebration.

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Deacon Peter and Sister Mary Simone. 

Read the newsletter for Sunday 14th April (.doc)

Read the newsletter for Sunday 14th April (.pdf)

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

Visitation of the Housebound

We are trying to compile a comprehensive list of all the sick and housebound in the Parish in order to ensure that they are visited on a regular basis. If you know of, or are currently visiting, any Catholic in the parish who is housebound can you please ensure that we have the name and address of that person. Also, if you know of any Catholic in the parish who is sick and housebound and who does not receive regular visitations from the parish can you please (with their permission) let us know their contact details. The idea will be to set up regular monthly vitiations by the clergy to all those who are housebound in the parish. Thank you for your help with this.

Polish Retreat 7th – 10th April

The Polish Community will have their annual time of retreat this week. See the Poster for more details.

How to Grow Your Parish – Information Day at Gillis on Saturday 27th April

The Catechetical Commission invites all who are interested in learning more about adult formation and resources to an information day at the Gillis Centre (100 Strathearn Road, EH9 1BB) on Saturday 27th April. Registration runs from 11am-11.30am and the day concludes with Holy Mass at 2.30pm. The hall can only hold 90 people, so please contact Joan Forster on 0131 623 8900 or catecheticscommissionbooking@gmail.com as soon as possible to book a place.

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Deacon Peter and Sister Mary Simone. 

Read the newsletter for Sunday 7th April (.doc)

Read the newsletter for Sunday 7th April (.pdf)

Fourth Sunday in Lent - Year C

Welcome to Fr. Jinse and Fr. Ephraim

This week we welcome the arrival of two new priests to the parish Community. Fr. Jinse is an Indian priest who has come to Edinburgh to minister to the growing Syro-Melabar Community here in the city. He will be living at the Cathedral and helping out during the week while ministering to the Syro-Malabar Catholics at the weekend. Fr. Ephraim is a Nigerian priest who has just completed his Doctorate in Canon Law and is coming to work at our Diocesan Chancery to gain Chancery experience before returning home. He will be working during the week at the Chancery and living at Cathedral House. Both priests will be staying for a few years. I know that you will make them very welcome.

Mass for Married Couples – Wednesday 1st May in the Cathedral 

The Archbishop will say a special mass in the Cathedral to celebrate married couples on Wednesday 1st of May at 7.30pm. All married couples from around the Archdiocese are invited to attend and to renew their wedding vows. The Mass will be followed by a reception in the Cathedral Hall.

Gift Aid

Would those of you already registered for Gift Aid please pick up your new sets of weekly gift aid envelopes from the back of the Cathedral after mass. And if you are a UK taxpayer and have not already signed up for gift aid in the parish, now would be a very opportune moment to do so!  Over the next two weeks, we will have registration forms, new envelope sets and standing order sign-up sheets available after mass. If you are expecting a set of gift aid envelopes for 2019/20 but are unable to find them in the box at the back of the church, please contact our finance officer, Caroline Reid, by email on finance@stmaryscathedral.co.uk  so that she can make sure you receive them.

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Deacon Peter and Sister Mary Simone. 

Read the newsletter for Sunday 31st of March (.doc)

Read the newsletter for Sunday 31st of March (.pdf)

Third Sunday in Lent - Year C

Rite of the Presentation of Our Father for P4 Children

Today at the 9am Mass we welcome the children of P4, who are preparing for their First Holy Communion this year, with their parents and families. Please keep them in your prayers as they prepare for this important event in their spiritual lives.

Gift Aid

With the start of a new tax year in less than a fortnight, I am pleased to tell you that for those of you already registered for the weekly gift aid envelopes, your new sets for the 2019/20 tax year are now available for collection from the back of the Cathedral after mass. If you are a UK taxpayer and have not already signed up for gift aid in the parish, now is a very opportune moment to do so!  Gift aid is a government initiative whereby amounts you donate to the Cathedral can be uplifted by a further 25% at no additional cost to you.  So, if you give £10 today and gift aid your donation, the Cathedral will receive £12.50, ie: £10 from you, plus an additional £2.50 from the Government. Gift aid registration forms will be available after mass today for you to complete and return.  To help us keep a record of your donations, you can either request a set of weekly donation envelopes to use in the offertory collections, or, you could set up a standing order with the Cathedral.  Over the next two weeks, we will have registration forms, new envelope sets and standing order sign-up sheets available after mass. So if you haven’t already done so, why don’t you sign up today?

Catholic Speed Dating

Would you like to meet someone special? Let’s Meet is sort of like speed dating and is a very friendly, relaxed way to meet fellow single Catholics (Aged 21-40). We need good, strong Catholic couples and families for the future of our Church. So please, give the next Catholic Speed Dating event a go in Glasgow at 7pm, Saturday 6th April. To buy a £10 ticket email letsmeetscotland@gmail.com.

God bless you all,

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, Deacon Peter and Sister Mary Simone. 

Read the newsletter for Sunday 24th of March (.doc)

Read the newsletter for Sunday 24th of March (.pdf)