Sale of Crux Magazine Today
Pick up your copy of the new issue of Crux today at only £5, with all proceeds going to our Cathedral! Crux is the magazine for all friends of the Cathedral where you can learn about the interesting stories affecting the life of our vibrant parish. In this issue, you can follow our Pilgrimage to Spain last October; hear from Dana, a winner of Eurovision; read about the time one of our parishioners met Pope Francis in Rome – and much more! In this bumper issue, we lead with Archbishop Cushley’s Requiem Mass for the late Pope Francis at the Cathedral. Friends receive every issue of Crux mailed directly to them. Join Friends at www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/friends
CATHEDRAL BUILDING FUND APPEAL
We’ve raised £225,000 so far which is amazing! Thank you! Can you help us to reach our target for this round of works to the sacristy and chancel roofs and adjacent stonework?
Summer Second Collections – On four weekends during the summer we will be taking a second collection for the building fund. The dates are 5/6 July, 19/20 July, 2/3 August and 16/17 August. There will be some Building Fund envelopes for you to use if you wish to Gift Aid your donation. You can pick these up at the back of the church.
Donations are gratefully received at any time and can be made:
through our website: www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/donate
by cash/cheque sent to the Parish Office (61 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JD).
Remember to Gift Aid it if you are a UK taxpayer.
Fundraising Team – If you have any fundraising ideas for this project or you think you could help us to coordinate our fundraising campaign by joining the team, please do let us know. Speak to one of the clergy after Mass or contact the office cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk We would love to hear from you!
Save the Date: Quiz Night Friday, 4th July
Our quiz team has been busy and have prepared a popcorn-fuelled night of brainteasing revelry to be celebrated of Friday 4th of July from 6.30pm. There will be popcorn and Budweiser along with our usual selection of drinks from our ever-friendly quiz team behind the bar (Leo’s Lions). There will be a cash prize for the winning team and something for the runners up with all proceeds going to “Raise the Roof” of the Cathedral. Tickets will be £10 per head. You may form your own team (up to 6 persons) or join a team on the night. We will take email bookings at catherdralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk with hard copy tickets being sold after the Masses over the last two weekends in June. If you would like to volunteer to help with the running of the event, please contact Deacon Peter at deacon@stmaryscathedral.co.uk Thank you!
St Pauls Bookshop: Pope Leo XIV Framed Photos, Cathedral Gifts
Visit our St. Pauls Bookshop for framed photos of Pope Leo XIV, A4 (£18.50) & A3 (£29.95). Pick up a Cathedral notebook, water bottle or notecards or a copy of the History of the Cathedral, Little Ireland and books on Venerable Margaret Sinclair or the Song of the Poor about Fr. Tommy Greenan. Visit the second-hand bookshelf and discover a treasure to enjoy for your spiritual reading this summer. Donations of used Catholic books in good condition are welcome! Open daily 10am-5pm. Contact the shop at 0131 510 4260, edinburgh@stpauls.org.uk
Save the Date: Archbishop Leo's 40th Anniversary of Priesthood
Join us on Sunday, 20th July at Noon Mass celebrated by His Grace, Archbishop Leo Cushley, as we pray with him in thanksgiving for his 40th anniversary of priesthood, with a reception to follow in Coffee Saints. Please mark your diary for this special occasion as we celebrate the Lord's blessings in the priestly life and ministry of the shepherd of our Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.
Save the Date: Festival Mass
Sunday, 10 August: His Grace, Archbishop Cushley, will celebrate the annual Festival Mass at Noon at the Cathedral. Join us at the start of the week of our Cathedral’s patronal feast - the Assumption, which falls on 15th August – during Edinburgh’s International Festival.
Special Collection, Peter's Pence
The Vatican is encouraging Catholics to participate in today's special collection to support the Holy Father in his mission at the service of the universal Church. Your contribution is an expression of support for the needs of the Catholic Church around the world and the charitable works it carries out.
Saturday Morning Eucharistic Adoration
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament offers us a time for peaceful prayer and quiet before Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. You are welcome to join us every Saturday from 10:30am-12:00pm for this beautiful time of adoration. Saturday Confessions are from 10:30am-12:00pm. Come for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour…. or more to adore the Lord Jesus, fully present for us in the Eucharist.
“The Lord, having loved those who were his own, loved them to the end....In order to leave them a pledge of this love, in order never to depart from his own and to make them sharers in his Passover, he instituted the Eucharist as the memorial of his death and Resurrection....” (CCC 1337)
Mass Intentions
“Having a Mass said” for others is an ancient practice in the Church. A Mass can be offered for a specific intention, such as for the death anniversary of a family member or friend, for a wedding anniversary, for someone who is sick or another special intention. The offering of Mass in this way is a beautiful act of prayer that expresses our communion with others, living and dead, asking that the infinite grace of Christ’s redemptive sacrifice be applied to their particular needs. It is also a form of almsgiving in that offerings (donations) for Mass intentions are part of our contribution towards the good of the church and support of our priests. Intentions for the current week are already published in the newsletter, so please remember to make requests for Mass dates with at least 2 weeks’ notice. You may use the Mass Intention envelopes at the back of church (place in the Sunday collection or hand to one of the priests) or online at https://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/intentions and bank details will be sent to you.
Talk on Blessed Antonio Rosmini: Priest, Philosopher & Prophet
Talk by Fr Antonio Bellsito IC at St Kentigern's Church, 26-28 Parkgrove Avenue, Edinburgh, EH4 7QR, on Tuesday 1 July at 6:00pm. Mass will follow the talk. Refreshments served.
Study Catholic Theology in Edinburgh
Registration is now open for the MA in Applied Catholic Theology at St Mary's University Scottish campus in Edinburgh. Details at bit.ly/catholictheology. Watch the preview webinar on the YouTube channel of the Archdiocese. Queries: stephen.dolan@stmarys.ac.uk
Scottish Polish Cultural Association Concert The Warsaw Concerto
The Scottish Polish Cultural Association is honoured to host for the third time Steinway Artist, Rafael A. Luszczewski, who will perform "The Warsaw Concerto" in his own arrangement for piano solo. Rafael is a superb Polish pianist, regarded as one of the best interpreters of Chopin’s works. The concert is on Saturday 13th July at 7pm. It is limited to 40 seats only so please book early. You will be treated to a fantastic musical performance in the beautiful intimate surroundings of the Edinburgh Society of Musicians in Edinburgh, a rare appearance of Rafael Luszczewski in Scotland. Tickets only £15.00 per person (including a glass of wine)B ook online at www.scotpoles.co.uk
Faith Movement Summer Session for Young Adults at Ampleforth Abbey
The Faith Movement is back at Ampleforth Abbey this summer for our 49th annual summer session from 28 July - 1 August 2025. The theme of our five-day Catholic conference for young adults is Christ: Our Eucharist, Earth's Light and Jubilee. Spend a week in beautiful York with other young adults aged 16-30 exploring the faith with a variety of social, spiritual and catechetical activities. The focus of the week will be the series of talks, each building on one another to develop a coherent, dynamic vision of the faith. Each day there will be Mass, Morning and Night prayer and, on one of the evenings, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions. There will also be plenty of time for recreation and socialising each night. Please register at www.faith.co.uk/events
‘Stories of Belief’ Exhibition in Edinburgh
As Edinburgh celebrates its 900th anniversary, take a journey through 900 years of faith and belief in an exciting audio-visual exhibition, sponsored by the Edinburgh Interfaith Association, on display in June and July in three locations throughout the city. The National Shrine of St. Andrew at St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral will be featured in the exhibition, with historical photos and copies of Vatican documents. The exhibit invites visitors to add their own stories, is free to enter and will be held 23rd June to 29th June – New College, University of Edinburgh EH1 2LX; 1st July-15th July – St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral EH12 5AW; 16th July – 23rd July –St James Quarter EH1 3AD. On the first date of each venue showing, the exhibition will open at midday, and on the last day of each venue showing, the exhibition will close at midday. More information at https://bit.ly/StoriesofBelief
August: Monastic Experience Weekend for Men at Pluscarden Abbey
The community of Benedictine monks at Pluscarden offer a special opportunity for men to experience what monastic life is all about Friday 22nd-Monday 25th August. This opportunity is suitable for single men who are Catholic, practise their faith, are aged 18-40, and at least open to the possibility of considering a monastic vocation. Participants will join the monks in their daily prayer and work. No charge for the weekend. Register at https://www.pluscardenabbey.org/monastic-experience-weekend
Pray Daily with the Monks of Pluscarden Abbey
The monks of Pluscarden Abbey welcome you to join with them in prayer on livestream. Tune in daily to pray at https://www.pluscardenabbey.org/live A timetable of the monks’ scheduled prayers each day is at https://www.pluscardenabbey.org/services Prayer texts are available online: https://universalis.com/. Pluscarden Abbey is a Catholic Benedictine monastery near Elgin, Scotland.
Church Representative for City of Edinburgh Council
The Archdiocese is seeking to appoint an individual to represent the views of Roman Catholic Churches in Education to the Local Councils on their behalf for a fixed three year term. This is a supported voluntary role, any travel expenses occurred in the role are reimbursed by the Archdiocese. For further information please speak to one of the clergy after mass or email cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Parish Communicators
The Archdiocese is hosting a webinar for those who are involved with parish communications (such as Facebook and newsletters). It takes place on Saturday 19 July, 10:00am-11:00am. The session will give tips and guidance on parish social media and more. Register at bit.ly/parishcomms
Save the Date
The Venerable Margaret Sinclair Pilgrimage Day is on Saturday 21 September 2025 at St Patricks in The Cowgate, Edinburgh. More details coming soon.
Carmelite Pilgrimage in October
The Carmelites in London are offering a 7-day pilgrimage to Spain ‘Walk in St. Teresa's Footsteps’ from 10th – 16th October 2025, led by Fr Matt Blake, OCD and Fr Kelvin Ekhoegbe, OCD. Join in this adventure with St Teresa in her transformative journey of the soul to God through prayer. Walk in her footsteps as she lived and taught. To book and to see full details visit https://www.carmelite.uk.net/pilgrimage/avila-retreat-pilgrimage-2025/
Shalom World Free Catholic Movies, News, Shows and More
Shalom World is a Catholic, commercial-free, 24/7, HD family entertainment channel. “Change what you watch and watch the world change!” https://www.shalomworld.org/
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is the shared responsibility of everyone to ensure the safety and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults. It is also about ensuring the safe behaviour of everyone who has a duty of care within our Catholic communities, whether they are ordained or lay, and whether they work in a paid or voluntary role. Safeguarding is not only a way to respond to harm but must be proactive in the prevention of any form of abuse or harm. You can find more information on the posters at church, online (https://www.scssa.org.uk/Safeguarding) or contact Chris McCabe or Elizabeth Andrews, Parish Safeguarding Convenors (Chris.McCabe@staned.org.uk, Elizabeth.Andrews@staned.org.uk phone: 0131 556 1798). All volunteers must follow the approved recruitment process before they can start their volunteer role. If you have not completed and obtained written approval as part of your volunteer role then please contact Chris McCabe or Elizabeth Andrews. The Bishop’s Conference of Scotland has a mandatory Reporting Policy which requires all safeguarding allegations to be reported to Police Scotland, whether the accused is alive or deceased.