Seventeenth Sunday of the Year - Year A

What is Different at Mass?

We are very happy to welcome you back to Mass again, but please keep the following in mind:

1. Face coverings must be worn during Mass. Exceptions: The priest, and children under the age of 5.

2. 2m physical distancing must be observed between households at all times.

3. There will be no congregational singing.

4. Sunday Masses will be shorter than usual, to minimize the time an extended group spend together.

5. For track and trace purposes, everyone is asked to leave their contact details.

6. The congregation is restricted to 50 people. Therefore, you must reserve a place for Sunday Mass.

Our Online System to Reserve Places for Sunday Mass

Due to the Government’s restrictions on congregation size, tickets must be reserved beforehand for Sunday Mass and other popular events. Please visit this page for tickets for Mass in English, or this page for the Polish Masses.

For the 12noon Mass in Ravelston, please phone Fr. Emerson at 0131 332 3750. Tickets are available from Monday at 8am until 5pm on Saturday. Or call the Parish Office at 0131 556 1798. Reservation is not needed for weekday Masses.

Congratulations to Father Samuel Burke, O.P.

This weekend, the Archbishop will ordain Samuel Burke, O.P. to the priesthood here in the Cathedral. Father Samuel has been in Edinburgh for the past year as a deacon at St Albert the Great and serving as Chaplain for the University of Edinburgh. Please keep him in your prayers as he begins to serve Christ and his Church as a priest!

Confirmations this Week

On Thursday the 30th of July, His Grace the Archbishop will come to the Cathedral to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmations for the adults who were scheduled to be confirmed during the Easter Vigil. Please keep them in your prayers in a special way this week!

Our RCIA Candidates can finally be received into the Church!

And next week, the participants in our RCIA program will be received into the Church during a special Mass. They have waited very patiently for this day, so keep them in your prayers as well!

“Rediscovering Catholicism” – A Short Course in Theology on Zoom - Wednesdays at 7pm

Our very successful theology course over Zoom continues. If you would like to join in next Wednesday contact Fr. Jamie as soon as possible on frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk.

Cathedral Podcasts

You can now listen to sermons, talks and messages from the Cathedral as you jog, drive or do the dishes with our new podcast. You can download mp3 files here. You can also subscribe to receive updates automatically on Apple podcasts. Do you get your podcasts from another source? Let us know and we'll try to make ours available there too.

Gift Aid Envelopes - 2020/21

Now that we are able to celebrate mass in our churches once again, we will be putting out the 2020/21 gift aid envelope sets for collection this weekend. For simplicity, we have allocated sets to all parishioners who regularly used envelopes during 2019/20. However, I know that many of you have set up standing orders during the lockdown period and may therefore no longer wish to have a set of envelopes for the current year. In this case, please do not pick up your named set and, if possible, let us know that you no longer require envelopes. You can do this by calling the parish office, or sending a short email to our finance officer, Caroline Reid, on finance@stmaryscathedral.co.uk. This will allow us to reallocate your set to another parishioner as appropriate. Thank you!

Music for the 12noon Mass

Sunday 26th July

Bach 'Quia Respexit' from the Magnificat

Franck Panis Angelicus

Buxtehude Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne in C BuxWV 137 - Buxtehude

Passkeepers needed for St Andrew’s, Ravelston

Due to the Government’s restrictions, we need two pass-keepers in attendance every time the church is open for Mass. We currently have only 11 volunteers left to fill 14 duties per week. We try to not ask anyone to volunteer more than once a week, so would anyone in the parish be able to join the current volunteering list? Please contact the Parish Office if so, you would be most welcome. 

Cathedral Fabric Update

The heavy rains this week have caused some problems at the Cathedral. Unfortunately, the recent repairs to the roof of the Sacristy proved inadequate to keep the rain out (!), and our Fabric Team is now looking into other options together with the roofer. There is a risk that we will have to remove all of the slates above Sacristy 1, which of course will be very expensive. However, during sunnier days we have been able to use the scaffolding at the back of Cathedral House to repair and paint the windows there, which will secure them for the future.

Read the newsletter for 26th July (pdf)

Read the newsletter for 26th July (doc)

Sixteenth Sunday Of The Year – Year A

Welcome Back – Extra Masses

Due to the very large requests for tickets for Sunday Masses, we will be adding extra Masses from next Sunday, the 26th of July, and onwards. Masses at the Cathedral next Sunday will be at:

6pm – Vigil
9am
10am (Polish)
11am
12noon
4pm
5.45pm (Polish)
7.30pm

Baptisms and Weddings Resume Again

In addition to Masses, we can now also resume baptisms (with up to 50 guests) and weddings (with a maximum of 20 guests). For more information or to book, please contact the Parish Office.

What is Different at Mass?

We are very happy to welcome you back to Mass again, but please keep the following in mind:

1. Facemasks must be worn during Mass. Exceptions: The priest and children under the age of 5.

2. 2m physical distancing must be observed between households at all times.

3. There will be no congregational singing.

4. Sunday Masses will be shorter than usual, to minimize the time an extended group spend together.

5. For track and trace purposes, everyone is asked to leave their contact details.

6. The congregation is restricted to 50 people. Therefore, you must reserve a place for Sunday Mass.

Our Online System to Reserve Places for Sunday Mass

Due to the Government’s restrictions on congregation size, tickets must be reserved beforehand for Sunday Mass and other popular events. Please visit here to book a place for Sunday Mass in English or click here for the Polish Masses. For the 12noon Mass in Ravelston, please phone Fr. Emerson at 0131 332 3750. Tickets are available from Monday at 8am until 5pm on Saturday. Or call the Parish Office at 0131 556 1798. Reservation is not needed for weekday Masses.

Chrism Mass – Friday at 10am

One of many things which was cancelled due to the lockdown was the annual Chrism Mass. It has now been rescheduled to Friday the 24th of July at 10am. If you would like to attend, please make sure to reserve a seat here.

Our RCIA Candidates can finally be received into the Church!

We are very happy to announce that we are now finally able to receive our RCIA candidates into the Church! Since the Easter Vigil had to be celebrated privately, they have waited very patiently during these months and will now be received into the Church on Thursday the 6th of August during a special Mass. Please keep all of them in your prayers as they prepare for this big step in their faith journey.

…and the Confirmandi can be Confirmed

In addition to our RCIA group, all who attended our confirmation class for adults during Lent have also had a long wait to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. With the lockdown, the confirmation classes moved online, and it seemed to have worked quite well. On Thursday the 30th of July they will now finally be confirmed by the Archbishop. Please keep them in your prayers as well!

“Rediscovering Catholicism” – A Short Course in Theology on Zoom - Wednesdays at 7pm

Our very successful theology course over Zoom continues. If you would like to join in next Wednesday contact Fr. Jamie as soon as possible on frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk.

Cathedral Podcasts

You can now listen to sermons, talks and messages from the Cathedral as you jog, drive or do the dishes with our new podcast. You can download mp3 files here: https://stmaryscathedral.podbean.com/. You can also subscribe to receive updates automatically on Apple podcasts. Do you get your podcasts from another source? Let us know and we'll try to make ours available there too.

Thank you to Sister Maria Guadalupe

After a year here in Edinburgh, Sister Maria Guadalupe returned to the United States earlier this week for her profession of first vows and to begin nursing studies in Toledo, Ohio. We are so grateful for everything Sister has contributed to the life of the Parish during her time here, and we wish her all the best in the future!

Welcome to Our New Organist

This weekend we welcome our new Cathedral Organist, Tom Wilkinson. Tom is University Organist and Associate Lecturer at the University of St Andrews. In 2015 he founded the Kellie Consort baroque ensemble, and from 2009 to 2018 he was Director of Chapel Choirs at the University of St Andrews. He comes to us with a First Class degree in Music from the University of Oxford and a Masters degree in Early Keyboard Performance from the University of Edinburgh. A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Tom is former Organ Scholar of Truro Cathedral, and of the Queen’s College, Oxford. We’re delighted to welcome him to the St Mary's music team, and we look forward to hearing him play our wonderful organ on a regular basis!

Organ Music for Mass

Vigil Mass Organ Postlude: Allegro maestoso from Sonata No. 2 - Mendelssohn

12noon Mass Organ Postlude: Carillon from 24 Pieces in Free Style - Vierne

Cathedral Fabric Update

This week, the renovations of the stained-glass windows in Sacristy 2 were completed. See the difference here or on our Facebook page – it’s quite remarkable! Thank you so much to all who contribute financially to enable us to care for our beautiful Cathedral.

Read the newsletter for 19th July (pdf)

Read the newsletter for 19th July (doc)

Fifteenth Sunday of the Year - Year A

Public Masses Resume on Wednesday the 15th of July

After months of waiting, we are finally permitted to resume Public Masses again – but obviously with restrictions and no more than 50 people in any one congregation. We are very happy to welcome you back again, but please keep the following in mind:

1. Everyone except the priest must wear a face covering during Mass.

2. 2m physical distancing must be observed at all times.

3. There will be no congregational singing.

4. Sunday Masses will be shorter than usual, to minimize the time an extended group spend together.

5. Everyone attending Mass must leave their contact details, which will be shared with the Scottish Government’s contact tracers upon request.

6. For Sunday Masses, it will be mandatory to reserve a place online (please see below). Those who do not have internet access, please phone the Parish Office at 0131 556 1798.

New Online System to Reserve Places for Sunday Mass

Due to the Government’s restrictions no more than 50 people may attend any one Mass and we need to keep a record of contact details of all who attend Mass. We have therefore introduced an online booking system to facilitate this. From Monday at 8am – Saturday at 5pm you can reserve a seat for Sunday Mass in both the Cathedral and Ravelston. Simply choose the Mass you would like to attend and reserve seats for the members of your household who wish to attend Mass. After you have filled in your details, you will receive a confirmation by email. If you have any problems, or do not have access to the internet, please phone the Parish Office at 0131 556 1798 and we will be happy to help you. Please note that registration is mandatory for Sunday Mass. No registration is required for weekday Masses.

Extended Opening Times for the Cathedral

From Wednesday the 15th of July, the Cathedral will be open for personal prayer all day. As previously, we will open in time for the 8am Mass, and then close after the Polish Mass in the evening.

Daily Confessions in the Cathedral

Confessions in English are Monday-Friday at after the 12.45 pm Mass and on Saturdays from 10.30-12noon. There are also confessions in Polish from 5pm-6pm every weekday. To provide better ventilation, the Sacristy has been set up as a confessional with a screen to ensure anonymity

Cathedral Fabric Update

As you will see, this week was busy at the Cathedral! The floor in the Café was replaced following the flooding earlier in the year, and the joiners at the same time repaired the main doors between the Café and the porch, which have not been able to be opened for a while. In addition, they also replaced the floor between the Café and the toilets. The scaffolding has been moved from the front of Cathedral House to the back so that the windows can be renovated at the back of the house. Some roof leaks in 65 York Place were repaired and the renovation of the stained glass window in Sacristy 2 is also underway and is looking very good! Thank you so much to all who have contributed financially to enable these repairs!

Daily Evening Masses in Ravelston

From Wednesday the 15th of July, we will introduce evening Masses in Ravelston Monday-Friday at 6pm.

Changes to the Opening Times of the St Andrew’s, Ravelston

As a consequence of the new evening Masses, we will also stop having the church open during the day in order to free up the volunteers. Thank you so much to all of you who have so generously volunteered during these past weeks!

Young Adults Group’s Midnight Mass

The Young Adults’ Group will have a Mass of Thanksgiving for the resumption of Public Masses in Scotland at midnight between the 14th/15th July. We are also trying out our new ticket reservation for this Mass, so if you would like to attend, please register www.tickettailor.com/events/stmaryscathedraledinburgh/393997/.

“Rediscovering Catholicism” – A Short Course in Theology on Zoom - Wednesdays at 7pm

Our very successful theology course over Zoom continues. If you would like to join in next Wednesday contact Fr. Jamie as soon as possible on frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk

Cathedral Podcasts

You can now listen to sermons, talks and messages from the Cathedral as you jog, drive or do the dishes with our new podcast. You can download mp3 files here. You can also subscribe to receive updates automatically on Apple podcasts. Do you get your podcasts from another source? Let us know and we'll try to make ours available there too.

Sea Sunday, 12th July

In a normal year this would have been Sea Sunday when the parish has given generously to the Apostleship of the Sea. It is important that parishioners should know what their generosity achieves. Around Britain seafarers are confined to their ships, unable to travel home at the end of their contracts and even worse some have been abandoned. The Apostleship of the Sea (Stella Maris) is delivering welfare parcels of food and toiletries to ships and importantly providing phone top ups so that seafarers can contact their families. In Scotland there is particular concern for the Philippino crews of fishing boats. Please pray for the seafarers and for AoS chaplains. For more information, and to donate please see the Apostleship of the Sea website: www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk.

Lockdown Research Project

A research team at Edinburgh University is investigating the impact the COVID-19 lockdown has had on people in the city and across the Lothians. Participants are asked to express their views in the form of audio/video diaries, using their smartphone, and also to complete a short survey. Each participant is given £15 which they can request to be paid to a charity (you may wish to donate it to the upkeep of our Cathedral!). To find out more about the project, visit: www.lothianlockdown.org.

4 O’clock Prayer for Vocations

Priests for Scotland is promoting a new initiative to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, called the 4 O’clock Prayer, with inspiration from the hour when Jesus called St Andrew in the Gospel:

“Lord Jesus, at this hour, you called Andrew, our patron, and his companion to be your disciples. We pray that the men and women of our country may hear your call to discipleship at this same hour. May they respond to your call with generosity, confidence and enthusiasm. Inspired by the example of Mary Immaculate may they say ‘yes’ to service in the priesthood, the consecrated life and the diaconate.”

Read the newsletter for 12th July (pdf)

Read the newsletter for 12th July (doc)

Fourteenth Sunday Of The Year – Year A

Some Thoughts For Sunday

“In today’s Gospel Christ says that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. But how can this be true? Doesn’t each Christian among us have a heavy burden to carry?

Nobody needs me to list what things make a person’s burden heavy. Everyone can look at his own life and make that list. And even if there is some person who has no worries or sadness for himself, he must be a very lonely person if he is not carrying a burden for someone else whom he loves.

So, in what sense is Christ’s yoke easy and his burden light?

To see why Christ’s saying really is true after all, consider the condition Christ sets for getting the gift he offers to us, the easy yoke and the light burden: “Come to me,” he says.

To come to someone is to be willing to be united with that person. It is to be open to him, to let his will make a difference to what you yourself will and do. This isn’t safe, generally speaking.

But when the person to whom you come is Christ himself, the vulnerability which openness brings with it is more than matched by the love Christ gives. In the gift of that love, everything that might be loss is turned into gift given and gift received, to be returned again in love.

Even death is like this. You do not have to face death as if it were a depredation. Within the love of Christ, what might be only irrevocable loss of your life can become a sharing with Christ too. You can offer your life as gift to Christ, with Christ, for Christ, as you go through death to arrive at life in love in Christ.

And if even the heavy load of death can be lightened in this way, then what Christ says is true about every other heavy burden, too: in coming to him, in shared love with him, we will find that his yoke is easy and his burden is light.”

-Eleonore Stump

The Church is Open!!

The Cathedral will continue to be open every day this week from 12noon-6pm, and St Andrew’s Church in Ravelston will open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10am-12noon. Welcome back!

Daily Confessions in the Cathedral

Confessions in English are Monday-Friday at 1pm-2pm, and on Saturdays from 12noon-2pm. There are also confessions in Polish from 5pm-6pm. To provide better ventilation, the Sacristy has been set up as a confessional with a screen to ensure anonymity

Petition to the Government to Allow Public Worship Sooner

The current plan for lifting of lockdown measures places the return to public worship well after the reopening of cinemas, pubs, and other clearly non-essential leisure activities. People of Faith are able to gather to worship responsibly and safely, following physical distancing measures. And our Faith is much more important to us than entertainment. If you would like to try to get public worship allowed sooner – please sign this petition. All you need to do is click on the link below. There is no just reason to delay this return for so long, especially not when entertainment venues will be allowed to open sooner. Sign the petition here

Cathedral Fabric – Part of the Ceiling Fell In!

The heavy rains this week caused issues in the Cathedral – on Monday part of the ceiling collapsed in Sacristy One! Andy, our Complex Manager, is already working together with our roofer and our joiner to repair the damage. Work has also started on the floor in the Hall and on the stained-glass windows in the Cathedral. Thank you to all who have contributed financially to enable these repairs.

“Rediscovering Catholicism” – A Short Course in Theology on Zoom - Wednesdays at 7pm

Over 80 people join us for these sessions on Wednesdays. They’re a great success. If you would like to join in next Wednesday contact Fr. Jamie as soon as possible on frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk

Cathedral Podcasts

You can now listen to sermons, talks and messages from the Cathedral as you jog, drive or do the dishes with our new podcast. You can download mp3 files here: https://stmaryscathedral.podbean.com/. You can also subscribe to receive updates automatically on Apple podcasts. Do you get your podcasts from another source? Let us know and we'll try to make ours available there too.

Online Safeguarding Training Sessions

On Monday, 6th July, we will offer safeguarding training via Zoom for current volunteers who need to have a training update. There will be a maximum of 10 volunteers at each session - all you need to take part is access to the internet. To register, please email Chris McCabe at Chris.mccabe@staned.org.uk

Lockdown Research Project

A research team at Edinburgh University is investigating the impact the COVID-19 lockdown has had on people in the city and across the Lothians. Participants are asked to express their views in the form of audio/video diaries, using their smartphone, and also to complete a short survey. Each participant is given £15 which they can request to be paid to a charity (you may wish to donate it to the upkeep of our Cathedral!). To find out more about the project, visit: www.lothianlockdown.org

4 O’clock Prayer for Vocations

Priests for Scotland is promoting a new initiative to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, called the 4 O’clock Prayer, with inspiration from the hour when Jesus called St Andrew in the Gospel:

“Lord Jesus, at this hour, you called Andrew, our patron, and his companion to be your disciples. We pray that the men and women of our country may hear your call to discipleship at this same hour. May they respond to your call with generosity, confidence and enthusiasm. Inspired by the example of Mary Immaculate may they say ‘yes’ to service in the priesthood, the consecrated life and the diaconate.”

Free Online Dental Health Workshop for Children

LINKnet Mentoring will be offering a Zoom workshop with bilingual support to help promote dental care for children during the summer vacation by giving tips and advice to parents. The workshop will be held on Friday the 10th July from 3pm-5pm. To register, please visit: www.edinburghsmile.org/event.

Read the newsletter for Sunday, 5th July (pdf)

Read the newsletter for Sunday, 5th July (doc)

Solemnity Of Saints Peter And Paul – Year A

Some thoughts for Sunday

"The major themes of the passage from today’s Gospel are rooted in the belief of a Messiah coming from the House of David. Here Jesus is confessed as both Christ and Son of God; he builds a church or temple, and he gives to Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven. These are all Davidic motifs. The giving of the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter has its closest parallel in Isaiah 22:22, where God will place on Eliakim’s shoulder “the key” to “the house of David”, a term with messianic associations. With it he will open and none will shut, and he will shut and none will open. This text, which is applied to Jesus in Revelation 3:7, and here lies behind Jesus’ promise to Peter, is about the activity of a man second only to the king. When Peter confesses that Jesus is more than a prophet, that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus pronounces over him (not the disciples as a group) a blessing. The new name, “Peter”, which he is given, meaning rock, marks him as a man with a unique role. His significance is like that of Abraham, who was also given a new name, whose faith is the means by which God brings a people into being. In Isaiah 51, Abraham is called a rock from which the people of God are quarried. This lends significance to Peter’s new name. But Peter has to learn the hard lesson that Jesus will suffer – the very next passage will speak of Jesus going to Jerusalem, where he will suffer – and that anyone following him will have to “renounce himself and take up his cross and follow [him]”. Peter is given a new authority and the role of leadership, but that will come at a price, as Peter will learn in due course. "

- Sr Margaret Shepherd

The Church is Open!!

The Cathedral will continue to be open every day this week from 12noon-6pm, and St Andrew’s Church in Ravelston will open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10am-12noon. Find out what changes to expect in the church on the website. Welcome back!

Daily Confessions in the Cathedral

Confessions in English are Monday-Friday at 1pm-2pm, and on Saturdays from 12noon-2pm. There are also confessions in Polish from 5pm-6pm. To provide better ventilation, the Sacristy has been set up as a confessional with a screen to ensure anonymity.

“Rediscovering Catholicism” – A Short Course in Theology on Zoom - Wednesdays at 7pm

Over 80 people joined us for the first session in this series on Wednesday. It was a great success. If you would like to join in next Wednesday contact Fr. Jamie as soon as possible on frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk.

Ongoing Repairs in the Cathedral

Just to let you know that we are continuing our efforts to maintain and improve the fabric of the Cathedral. The installation of the new Fire Protection System continues in both the Cathedral and the Cathedral House. The railings outside the Cathedral will be re-painted next week. And work on the floor in the Hall (which was ruined when someone left a tap on in the loos over night!) will finally begin next week beginning 6th July. Many thanks to all of you who have made donations to help with these works – either by cheque or by using the electronic giving devices in the Cathedral and on the website. We could not maintain the Cathedral without your generosity.

Cathedral Podcasts

You can now listen to sermons, talks and messages from the Cathedral as you jog, drive or do the dishes with our new podcast. You can download mp3 files here: https://stmaryscathedral.podbean.com/. You can also subscribe to receive updates automatically on Apple podcasts. Do you get your podcasts from another source? Let us know and we'll try to make ours available there too.

Online Safeguarding Training Sessions

We will be offering safeguarding training via Zoom for new volunteers (part 1 training) on Monday the 29th June and for existing volunteers that need to have a training update (part 2 training) on Monday the 6th July. All you need to take part in the training session is access to the internet and there will be a maximum of 10 volunteers at each session. To register, please email Chris McCabe at Chris.mccabe@staned.org.uk.

4 O’clock Prayer for Vocations

Priests for Scotland is promoting a new initiative to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, called the 4 O’clock Prayer, with inspiration from the hour when Jesus called St Andrew in the Gospel:

Lord Jesus, at this hour, you called Andrew, our patron, and his companion to be your disciples. We pray that the men and women of our country may hear your call to discipleship at this same hour. May they respond to your call with generosity, confidence and enthusiasm. Inspired by the example of Mary Immaculate may they say ‘yes’ to service in the priesthood, the consecrated life and the diaconate.

Mary, Star of the New Evangelisation, pray for us.

Andrew, Patron Saint of Scotland, pray for us.

All Saints of our land, pray for us.

Read the newsletter for 28th June (pdf)

Read the newsletter for 28 June (doc)

The Twelfth Sunday of the Year - Year A

SOME THOUGHTS FOR SUNDAY

“The Gospel reading this week is focused on death. In it, Jesus tells his disciples not to be afraid of those who can kill them. Those people are not to be feared, because death itself is not to be feared.

No doubt, there is always something sorrowful about dying, because death separates the dying person from his family and his friends; and they still have to slog through their lives in this world without their companion. But Jesus is not telling people to accept death without sorrow. He is telling them not to fear death.

If you were walking alone down a dark street late at night, and you saw a small knot of strangers gathered menacingly at a corner, wouldn’t you be afraid? Shouldn’t you be afraid? If the cancer doctor tells you that you have only months to live, wouldn’t you—shouldn’t you—be afraid?

How can Jesus tell us—actually, command us—not to be afraid of death?

Well, think about it this way. If you are surprised when you discover that you are dying, you just haven’t been paying attention. None of us is getting out of this alive. Everyone of us will die. It is just a question of when. Or maybe better: it is just a question of how.

Here is how it will be if you love the Lord. In dying, you will move through the veil that separates you, in this world of sorrow and suffering, from the Lord’s own presence. There, on the other side, you will find all tears wiped away—the tears you have already wept and the ones that are stuck in your heart right now. All those tears will be wiped away by your Creator with a tenderness so great that you will think you must be dreaming. The beauty and the goodness of that new world will surpass your every desire. And you yourself will be something lovelier than you ever imagined you could be. Surrounded by beauty and goodness, bathed in the love of the Lord, transformed, yourself, in the beauty of holiness, you will join the angels in singing for joy at what the Lord has done.

Are you afraid now? Is this scary to you?

What is worth fearing is losing all of this beauty and goodness on the other side of death because you will not now surrender to the love of the Lord who calls you to himself. But this is a kind of death that comes only from sin, as the Second Reading says. No one else can force it on you; only you can cause this death in yourself.

And that is why the Lord tells his disciples not to fear those who can kill the body.”

- Eleonore Stump

Our Churches are Re-Opening for Private Prayer

Following the First Minister’s announcement on Thursday, both our churches will open for private prayer this week. From Monday, the Cathedral will be open every day from 12noon-6pm. St Andrew’s Church in Ravelston will open on Tuesday the 23rd, and will then be open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10am-12noon. Welcome back!

Resuming Daily Confessions in the Cathedral

Beginning on Monday, we will once again resume regular times for confessions in the Cathedral. To provide better ventilation, the Sacristy has been set up as a confessional with a screen to ensure anonymity. Confessions will be available in English Monday-Friday at 1pm-2pm, and on Saturdays from 12noon-2pm. There will also be confessions in Polish from 5pm-6pm.

What will look different when we come back to Church?

Because of the coronavirus, some things will look different when you come back to Church again:

1. Facemasks: Everyone over the age of 5 must wear a face covering while in the Church.

2. Hand Sanitising Stations: We ask everyone to please sanitise their hands upon entering and before leaving the Church.

3. One-Way-System: There will be a one-way-system in place in both Churches. Please enter the Cathedral through the porch and leave through the main doors at the back on the Church. In Ravelston, please enter through the main doors and leave through the fire exit by the Sacristy.

4. Physical Distancing: You will note that some pews have been corded off. This is to help everyone to ensure 2m physical distancing at all times.

5. Volunteers: We will have volunteers in the Church during the opening hours to help ensure that the Church is not filled beyond the new maximum capacity. Please talk to them if you have any questions and concerns.

6. No toilets: Since it is impossible for us to disinfect the toilets between each visit, please note that there will be no toilet facilities available.

Click here for more information or for pictures of what this will look like.

Volunteers can now be over the age of 70

The Government have changed their regulations and we are very happy to now also be able to register our parishioners who are over the age of 70 (and in good health) as volunteers to help keep the churches open.

As you know, one of the things that is mandated by the guidelines for reopening the Churches are volunteers to act as Church Attendants during the opening hours. The role of these attendants will just be to ensure that people are wearing a face mask before entering the Churches, that they maintain physical distancing while in the Church and that they observe the “one-way system” in and out of the Church.

If you would like to help, please contact Sr. Mary Simone at the Parish Office either by phone (Mon-Fri 11am-4pm) or by email cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk. Thank you!

“Rediscovering Catholicism” – A Short Course in Theology on Zoom, Wednesdays at 7pm

There has been a huge response to this initiative – so I look forward to “seeing” you on Zoom on Wednesday. Find out more here. There is an upper limit to the numbers attending – so if you want to participate you need to contact Fr. Jamie as soon as possible on frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk.

New - Cathedral Podcasts!

You can now listen to sermons, talks and messages from the Cathedral as you jog, drive or do the dishes with our new podcast. You can download mp3 files here: https://stmaryscathedral.podbean.com/. You can also subscribe to receive updates automatically on Apple podcasts. Do you get your podcasts from another source? Let us know and we'll try to make ours available there too.

Young Adults’ Reading Group

The lockdown reading group is now coming to the end of our three month journey through Introduction to Christianity, and next week will move on to our next challenge: 'The Splendour of the Church' by Ratzinger's friend and collaborator Henri de Lubac, who was one of the architects of the Second Vatican Council. If you'd like to join, please email frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk.

Daily Mass livestreamed from Cathedral House

Each day, we publish one of the private Masses in Cathedral House, where we pray for our parishioners, mass intentions and an end to the spread of coronavirus. To please visit our Facebook page, or watch a recording of the Mass at www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/filming.

Why Faith and Science Belong Together - Faraday Institute Summer Course June 2020

Faith and science are often seen as uncomfortable bed-fellows. However, this has not always been so. In this series of webinars we examine the ways in which Faith and Science speak to each other in contemporary society and explore the theological and ethical issues which this dialogue raises. We aim to show that there is a better story to be told about faith and science than the prevalent one of conflict and mutual distrust.

Each day, from Monday 29th June to Friday to 3rd July we shall be hosting two or three webinars each day given by an array of international speakers highly qualified in their individual fields. There will also be some opportunity for on-line discussion.

It is completely free to attend and open to anyone, anywhere, who is interested. You are free to join us for as much or as little of our programme as you wish. Book here.

Download the newsletter for 21st June (pdf)

Download the newsletter for 21st June (doc)

Corpus Christi - Year A

Some Thoughts For Corpus Christi

“When the Israelites came out of Egypt, God did one miracle after another for them. He got water from a rock when they were thirsty; and, when they were hungry, he fed them with bread from heaven. 

“Mah nah? —what is this?” the Israelites asked when they saw it; and ‘manna’ has been its name ever since.

Why didn’t God just miraculously produce real, ordinary bread for them?

Moses answers this question in his speech to the people: God fed them with manna so that they might know one does not live by bread alone. If God had fed them ordinary bread, they wouldn’t have learned the lesson. As it was, first they hungered, and then they were fed miraculously with the who-knows-what-this-is bread from heaven. And so, they learned to trust in God, who fed them with what they needed to live.

But this is only half the lesson, as Moses explains it: one does not live by bread alone; what else is needed is the word of God.

And so, when the time was right, the only begotten Word of God came so that people might not perish but have ever-lasting life (John 3:16).

That is why Christ said that he was the true bread from heaven. One does not live by bread alone but by this true Word of God.

 And, by a miracle which completes the lesson of the manna, this Word is the bread of life for all the faithful. The Word of God and the bread from heaven are present in one here.

In the Eucharist, then, there is everything that one needs to live, if one will only learn the lesson and trust in Christ, who feeds his people with himself, the living bread from heaven and the Word of God.”

 - Eleonore Stump

Preparing for Reopening our Churches – Volunteers Needed

As you know, the First Minister has announced that in Phase II of the relaxation of lockdown churches will reopen for private prayer, as well as for baptisms, weddings and funerals. It seems like the First Minister will announce the beginning of Phase II of the relaxation on Thursday, probably coming into effect the following Monday, 22nd June. We are, therefore, preparing to open both churches that week.

One of the things that is mandated by the guidelines for reopening the churches are volunteers to act as church attendants during the opening hours. The role of these attendants will just be to ensure that people are wearing a face mask before entering the churches, that they maintain physical distancing while in the Cathedral and that they observe the “one way system” in and out of the Cathedral.

We are planning, at least initially, to open the Cathedral from 12-6pm daily and Ravelston from 10-12noon Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. But to do so, we need more volunteers.

If you are between 18 and 70 and in good health, would you be able to help?

If so – please contact Sr. Mary Simone at the Parish Office either by phone (Mon-Fri 11am-4pm) or by email cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk. We will then put you in touch with the volunteer co-ordinator who will draw up the rotas and guidelines. You need to let us know which days and at what times you would be available to volunteer.

Here’s a summary of what the Scottish Government’s Phase 2 means for churches across the country. The information is from the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland guidelines: www.bcos.org.uk/COVID19

A Short Talk on Prayer

In response to a request from the Parish Council, I have recorded a very short talk on prayer entitled: “Journey to the Heart of our Being.” In these days when we have a bit more time to pray and given that we will be opening the Churches again soon for personal prayer, you might find the talk helpful. To listen to the it, visit the parish Facebook page or watch on the website.

“Rediscovering Catholicism” – A Short Course in Theology on Zoom, Wednesdays at 7pm

One of the things that is often said to me by our regular (older) parishioners is that they woHere’s a summary of what the Scottish Government’s Phase 2 means for churches across the country. The information is from the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland guidelines: www.bcos.org.uk/COVID19uld like to have talks and discussions like those organised for the young adults’ group!

Well now is the time! If you would like to know more about your faith, if you would like to delve a bit deeper into the theology of the Church , why not join me for a series of talks and discussions on the faith on Zoom? This course is open to parishioners of all ages. I will give a presentation on a different topic each week – which will be followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion. Meetings will take place, at least initially, via Zoom video conference on Wednesday evenings at 7pm beginning on the 24th of June. To sign up or for more information, email frjamie@stmaryscathedral.co.uk.

Daily Mass livestreamed from Cathedral House

Each day, we publish one of the private Masses in Cathedral House, where we pray for our parishioners, mass intentions and an end to the spread of coronavirus. To please visit our Facebook page, or watch a recording of the Mass at www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/filming.

Read the full newsletter for 14th June (pdf)

Read the full newsletter for 14th June (doc)

Trinity Sunday - Year A

SOME THOUGHTS FOR TRINITY SUNDAY

“No matter what you have heard, it is not so hard to understand the Trinity. Simply think back to the great story we have been celebrating for many weeks.

God the Father invited people on earth to a lasting and loving relationship with him and with each other. “I want to be your God and I want you to be my people. My love for you is tender and precious. Won’t you love me in return?”

Some understood and entered into the agreement. Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, just to begin the list. But they and the rest of us humans kept choosing things easier to grab, like money and honours—barns full of them.

Our refusal of God’s love became widespread. How did God react to such rejection?

“My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me. For your sake I scourged your captors and their first-born sons, but you brought your scourges down on me! My people, answer me.”

God tried a new and quite brilliant way. “Since I am all love and nothing but love, I will go out to them totally. As love does, I will become one of them. I will live humanity to its depths, and they will see love spelled out.”

So, God was born as a human called Jesus. He was the heart of God, now made flesh. One with the Father but different as well. And so, the world knew about two persons in one God.

Jesus told people to love God above all things and their neighbours as themselves. But many human beings had been hurt and betrayed, living with their own selfishness and greed, as well as their mixed-up motives, co-existing motives with those of others too. Love can get lost in such a world.

It was into this ocean of cruelty and loss that God the Son plunged. He plunged all the way down to death. It was a display of the most profound nature of God’s love.

To that point the disciples knew only two parts of God, Jesus and his Father. So, before he left, Christ said this to them (paraphrase):

“Philip, and the rest of you, if you know me you know the Father. He is in me fully, and after I go back I will make a home in you by sending the Holy Spirit. This Comforter will be the very love that I and the Father have for each other and for you. That way I will be with you until the end of time!”

He was talking about the third person of the Trinity, which nestles close to our souls if we let it. Only if we let it. The Holy Spirit is graceful and deep and comforting, like a blanket in cold winter. It is the love between the Father and Son.

So how can God interact with us in these three very different ways?

By being “plural,” that is, by being three “persons.” How can three be one? By not letting the number three be a divider but a plus sign. All three, in a great dynamic of love, are so close to one another that they are One God.”

John Foley, SJ

Preparing for Reopening our Churches – Volunteers Needed

As you know, the First Minister has announced that in Phase II of the relaxation of lockdown churches will reopen for private prayer, as well as for baptisms, weddings and funerals. Although we are not yet certain when Phase II of the relaxation of restrictions will begin – the First Minister has indicated that (all things going well) it will be around 18th June.

In order to prepare for the re-opening of the Churches we have purchased supplies of hand sanitiser, disinfectant wipes and face masks. We will also mark up the churches and organise a deep clean. All this we can organise from Cathedral House.

The one thing that we really do need is volunteers to act as Church Attendants when the churches are open. This is mandated by the guidelines. The role of these attendants will just be to ensure that people are wearing a face mask before entering the churches, that they maintain physical distancing while in the Cathedral and that they observe the “one way system” in and out of the Cathedral.

We are planning, at least initially, to open the Cathedral from 12-6pm daily and Ravelston from 10-12noon Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. But obviously we can only do this if we get enough volunteers – who need to be between 18 and 70 years old and in good health.

Would you be able to help?

If so – please contact Sr. Mary Simone at the parish office either by phone (Mon-Fri 11am-4pm) or by email cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk

We will then put you in touch with the volunteer co-ordinator who will draw up the rotas and guidelines. You need to let us know which days and at what times you would be available to volunteer.

Thank you so much – Fr. Patrick

Lockdown Reading List – works for Phase 1 as well!

At Sunday Mass recently I promised to make recommendations for lockdown reading. The Pastoral Team have now put together a list of the books that we have been reading recently and those that have made an impact on us to help you through these strange days. We have made some difficult choices to narrow the number down to five each and they are in no particular order – but we hope you will enjoy them! The reading list can be found at: www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/reading

Scotland’s Catholic Bishops finalise plans to reopen churches

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has finalised its proposed infection control standards which will govern the reopening of parishes and confirmed that they have sent their guidelines to the Scottish Government. Commenting on the progress being made towards parish reopening, the President of the Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Hugh Gilbert, said:

“A great deal of work has been done to provide guidance and support to clergy as they prepare for the phased reopening of our parishes. The guidelines have been prepared to reflect advice given in the Scottish Government’s Route Map on the gradual removal of restrictions. The Bishops’ Conference continue to engage with the Scottish Government and have today (Wednesday 3 June) sent a copy of the guidance document to them.”

“We would hope to be able to issue our infection control and liturgical guidelines within the coming week. They will highlight the fact that the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains dispensed until further notice and everyone is asked to consider carefully whether or not they should return in the early phases. We are mindful of our duty of care to elderly clergy and lay people, which together with social distancing reductions in capacity will mean that the availability of Mass may reduce in some areas.”

“We are asked, in the words of Pope Francis to show “wisdom, foresight, and common commitment, so that all the efforts and sacrifices made so far will not be in vain”. In the hope that this pandemic will “stimulate our creativity, our ingenuity, and our ability to respond”, in a way that helps us “on the path of praise of the Lord and service to our brothers and sisters”. The guidance is here: https://www.bcos.org.uk/COVID19/tabid/127/Default.aspx

Daily Mass livestreamed from Cathedral House

Each day, we publish one of the private Masses in Cathedral House, where we pray for our parishioners, mass intentions and an end to the spread of coronavirus. To please visit our Facebook page, or watch a recording of the Mass at www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/filming.

Be a voice for the unborn by supporting the Archdiocese’s Pro-Life team

This weekend, we are being asked to choose life and help the unborn by supporting the work of the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Office, which continues during the coronavirus crisis. The Office is still receiving calls from expectant mothers and your donations will enable our team of volunteers to support these women during and after their pregnancy. The Day for Life collection is the main source of funds for the office, and the funds are very much needed, so thank you for your support during this time!

You can donate online or send a cheque to: “Pro-Life Office, Archdiocesan Offices, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1BB” (please make cheques payable to 'Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh').

Fabric Works in the Cathedral

Thanks to the donations from very generous parishioners, we have been able to utilise this time when the churches are closed to complete the essential work of installing a fire detection system in the Cathedral. This work included installing high level smoke detection in the Cathedral upper roof spaces, for which we had to rent a mobile elevated working platform. This meant that we were also able to clean the upper nave circular window surrounds, which were very dirty from years of dust and candle smoke. The difference is quite remarkable – we look forward to showing it to you once the Cathedral opens again! Once again, thank you so much to some of our parishioners whose generous donations enabled us to continue to care for our beloved Cathedral!

Read the newsletter for 7th June (pdf)

Read the newsletter for 7th June (doc)

Pentecost Sunday - Year A

Preparing for Reopening our Churches – Volunteers Needed

We have now entered into Phase I of the relaxation of the lockdown. The First Minister has announced that Churches will reopen for private prayer in Phase II, and this will probably be around 18th June. We are doing well with preparations for seating plans, disinfection routines, etc.. However, we really do need volunteers who can help us keep both the Cathedral and Ravelston open. We will need at least one person per hour, which means that how much our churches will be open depends on the number of volunteers. If you would like to volunteer as a Church Guardian, please contact the Parish Office. Thank you!

Day for Life - 31 May

The theme for this year’s Day for Life is “Choose Life”. During the coronavirus crisis calls from pregnant women are still being received so your donations will be well used by the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Office to help them. You can donate online here.

The Monthly Vocation Mass Livestreamed – Monday 1st June at 6.30pm

The monthly Mass for Vocations will be streamed on the Facebook page of St David’s Parish, Dalkeith (@stdavidsdalkeith) on Monday 1st June at 6.30pm. You can also watch it live on the Archdiocesan Facebook page (@EdinburghRCdiocese). Please pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Daily Mass livestreamed from Cathedral House

Each day, we publish one of the private Masses in Cathedral House, where we pray for our parishioners, mass intentions and an end to the spread of coronavirus. To please visit our Facebook page, or watch a recording of the Mass on the website.

Visit the Outdoor Shrine to Our Lady in Ravelston

We are delighted that so many of you have already visited the outdoor shrine to Our Lady by St Andrew’s Church in Ravelston. Our Blessed Mother is now surrounded by beautiful flowers, and you are very welcome to bring more prayer intentions and flowers. Why not make a little pilgrimage together with your family this weekend?

Why Faith and Science Belong Together - Faraday Institute Summer Course June 2020

Faith and science are often seen as uncomfortable bed-fellows. However, this has not always been so. In this series of webinars we examine the ways in which Faith and Science speak to each other in contemporary society and explore the theological and ethical issues which this dialogue raises. We aim to show that there is a better story to be told about faith and science than the prevalent one of conflict and mutual distrust.

Each day, from Monday 29th June to Friday to 3rd July we shall be hosting two or three webinars each day given by an array of international speakers highly qualified in their individual fields. There will also be some opportunity for on-line discussion. It is completely free to attend and open to anyone, anywhere, who is interested. You are free to join us for as much or as little of our programme as you wish. Click here for more information.

Read the newsletter for 31st May (pdf)

Read the newsletter for 31st May (doc)

The Seventh Sunday Of Easter – Year A

Some Thoughts For The 7th Sunday Of Easter

Having ascended into heaven, Jesus can now say that “I am in the world no more, but these are in the world.” He is not physically present in the world the way he was in the first third of the first century. It is now up to us to deal with the world.

In the past the Church was defensive in its approach to the world, which was regarded as an occasion of sin. Vatican II heralded a new approach to the world.

The world is viewed not as the enemy but rather as the object of service. This positive approach is much closer to our biblical roots: “I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.” “Time is the unfolding of truth that already is.”

The world and its history are where we encounter the eternal God, “reaching from end to end of the universe.” We are not called to abandon the world but to remain in it and to take responsibility for its well ordering. The paschal mystery is a challenge to us to lift the world to the heavens.

Holding faithfully to the gospel and exercising her mission in the world, the Church consolidates peace among men, to God’s glory. For it is her task to uncover, cherish, and ennoble all that is true, good, and beautiful in the human community.

Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, 76

Preparing for Re-Opening our Churches

As you will have seen, the First Minister has announced that Churches will reopen for private prayer in Phase II of the relaxation of the lockdown. Phase II will probably be around 18th June. This gives us plenty of time to organise ourselves with seating plans, disinfection routines and volunteers. We are working on this at present and I will give you an update next in next week’s newsletter.

Daily Mass livestreamed from Cathedral House

Each day, we publish one of the private Masses in Cathedral House, where we pray for our parishioners, mass intentions and an end to the spread of coronavirus. To please visit our Facebook page, or watch a recording of the Mass at www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/filming.

Visit the Outdoor Shrine to Our Lady in Ravelston

We are delighted that so many of you have already visited the outdoor shrine to Our Lady by St Andrew’s Church in Ravelston. Our Blessed Mother is now surrounded by beautiful flowers, and you are very welcome to bring more prayer intentions and flowers. Why not make a little pilgrimage together with your family this weekend?

Why Faith and Science Belong Together - Faraday Institute Summer Course June 2020

Faith and science are often seen as uncomfortable bed-fellows. However, this has not always been so. In this series of webinars we examine the ways in which Faith and Science speak to each other in contemporary society and explore the theological and ethical issues which this dialogue raises. We aim to show that there is a better story to be told about faith and science than the prevalent one of conflict and mutual distrust.

Each day, from Monday 29th June to Friday to 3rd July we shall be hosting two or three webinars each day given by an array of international speakers highly qualified in their individual fields. There will also be some opportunity for on-line discussion.

It is completely free to attend and open to anyone, anywhere, who is interested. You are free to join us for as much or as little of our programme as you wish. Find more information here.

Alcoholics Anonymous Goes Online During Covid-19 Pandemic

Alcoholics Anonymous members are coping with the Covid-19 pandemic by taking their meetings online. The majority of groups have turned to Zoom, Skype and other online platforms to hold their weekly meetings. In Edinburgh and Midlothian there are currently 45 online AA meetings. These can be accessed here.

Where any meeting is shown as CLOSED only AA members and newcomers with a desire to stop drinking can join. Where a meeting is shown as OPEN anyone with a genuine interest in AA and how it works can join. These would typically be health professionals, those supporting problem drinkers in the community and family members affected by someone's drinking.

Alcoholics Anonymous runs a national telephone helpline as well as an online 'chat now' service for the suffering alcoholic to receive help and an email response service. For help contact www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk or call our 24 hour helpline on 0800 9177 650.

Read the newsletter for 24th May here (pdf)

Read the newsletter for 24th May here (doc)