15th Sunday of the Year – Year C

CATHEDRAL BUILDING FUND APPEAL

We’ve raised £225,000 so far which is amazing! Thank you! Can you help us to reach our target of £500,000 for this round of works to the sacristy and chancel roofs and adjacent stonework?

Summer Second Collections – On weekends during the summer we will be taking a second collection for the building fund. The dates are 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.

Donate to the building fund here

Please remember to Gift Aid if you are a UK taxpayer. You can donate through your bank or by cash or cheque sent to the Parish Office (61 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JD.

Match funding in July and August

We are so grateful to an extremely generous benefactor who has offered to match all money raised for the Cathedral roof in July and August up to £50,000. So do please give as generously as you can to the Summer Appeal and double your money!

Sea Sunday

Today, Sunday, 13th July, is Sea Sunday, on which the church remembers all those whose living comes from the sea. There will be a short talk from Anne Marie Stephen and a retiral collection for the work of Stella Maris, the official maritime charity of the Catholic Church.

Lourdes

I am away with the Archdiocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes 11th-18th July and will offer prayers for the Cathedral & St Andrew’s Parish community at the grotto. The theme for this year is ‘With Mary, Pilgrims of Hope.’ Mary, Mother of Hope, pray for us! Fr Jeremy

Polish Memorials Conservation Programme, Summer 2025

Please note that a team of Polish conservationists together with Polish scouts training in conservation, will be working within Mount Vernon Cemetery from 7th August until 16th August. They will be working on Polish memorials throughout the cemetery. This may include cleaning, re-erecting and re-gilding etc. It is very important that if you do not wish your family memorial to be included in the programme then please contact the manager of the cemetery, Anna Kulwicka, on 0131 623 8906 by 6th August, 2025.

Tuesday 12 August: “Faith in the Footlights” as part of the Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts

Musical theatre is often dismissed as trivial, shallow and essentially secular. Professor Ian Bradley challenges this, arguing in his book You’ve Got to Have a Dream that “musicals provide millions of people across the world not just with entertainment and escapism but with spiritual and theological values, a philosophy of life and an encounter with God”. On 12 August at 7:30pm, join Professor Bradley and the Cathedral’s Schola Cantorum for a special concert exploring the spiritual implications of some of our best-loved musicals. The concert is the fourth in our series of yearly partnerships with the Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts, and follows the very successful sacred jazz event last summer. Tickets are £18 (£12 concession) and are available from the Fringe Box Office, Eventbrite, or on the door. Book here: https://bit.ly/FaithFootlights

Hope Dawns: A Retreat to Prepare for Advent

You are invited to join our two-night Advent Retreat from the 14-16th November at the Schoenstatt Shrine near Milton of Campsie. The retreat, considering the Jubilee Year theme of Hope in Advent, will begin at 3pm on Friday, 14th November and conclude at 3pm on Sunday, 16th November. The retreat centre at Schoenstatt is a well-appointed house run by a welcoming community of religious sisters and staff https://www.schoenstatt.co.uk/ At this point we are looking to hear from you if you are interested in joining the retreat and if so, whether you would require coach transport to and from Schoenstatt. To register, please email cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk call the office 0131 556 1798.

Saturday Morning Mass, Confession and Eucharistic Adoration

Weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held at the Cathedral on Saturday mornings, immediately after the celebration of 10:00am Mass. Adoration is from 10:30am-12:00pm concluding with Benediction, with Confession available during that time. Come for 30 minutes, 1 hour…. or more to adore the Lord Jesus, truly present for us in the Eucharist.

“Incorporation into Christ, which is brought about by Baptism, is constantly renewed and consolidated by sharing in the Eucharistic Sacrifice…We can say not only that each of us receives Christ, but also that Christ receives each of us.” (St. John Paul II)

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.

Parish Communicators Webinar Next Saturday

The Archdiocese is hosting a webinar for those who are involved with parish communications (such as Facebook and newsletters). Colm Flynn, Vatican Correspondent for EWTN News, will feature at the webinar on Saturday 19 July, 10:00am-11:00am. The session will give guidance and inspiration to those who help with communications at their parish. Register at bit.ly/parishcomms

Assisted Suicide Bill at Stage 2

The Scottish Assisted Suicide Bill is at Stage 2 when MSPs can propose amendments which are debated and decided on by a committee. Following, this, at Stage 3, MSPs will debate and vote on whether the Bill becomes law. Defeat of the bill is possible! Please visit https://carenotkilling.scot/ to email your MSPs.

Postcards: Join the Fight Back – Every Life Matters

Get your Action Pack with details about what you can do to help defend life at this critical time: in the space of one week in June 2025, MPs voted to allow women to abort their baby up to birth for any reason. Life is under attack at every stage. But we must work to build culture of life, because every life matters. Pick up and complete a postcard available at the back of church from the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children to receive SPUC’s Action Pack.

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. Develop your theological literacy through the study of topics including biblical interpretation, Christian anthropology, the foundations of Christian spirituality, spiritual direction, Catholic social teaching and systematic theology.

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

Registration Closes 14th July: 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 for young adults aged 16-30 from 28 July - 1 August 2025, with the theme, “Christ: Our Eucharist, Earth's Light and Jubilee.” Spend a week in beautiful York with other young adults 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. Register at www.faith.co.uk/events Please be quick as registration closes tomorrow, Monday 14th July!

‘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 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

World Day for Grandparents & the Elderly

To celebrate this day, the National Marriage, Family and Life Commission of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland invites everyone to St Francis Xavier’s Church, Taylor Avenue, Carfin, ML1 5AJ, for Mass with Bishop John Keenan at 3:00pm on Sunday 27 July.

National Pilgrimage to Carfin

The National Pilgrimage takes place at Carfin Grotto, Scotland’s National Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes, on Sunday 7 September at 3:00pm. Archbishop Leo will be the principal Celebrant and Preacher. On this day Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, will be canonised so it is an ideal day for the Scottish Catholics to come together to celebrate. Learn more about Carfin Grotto at https://www.carfingrotto.org/ The grotto is in the Parish of St Francis Xavier in the village of Carfin, near Motherwell, ML1 5AJ.

Venerable Margaret Sinclair

The Centenary Pilgrimage to pray for the Beatification of the Venerable Margaret Sinclair will take place on Sunday 21 September from 12:30-6:00pm at St Patrick's Church, Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1NA. 12.30-1.30 Refreshments & sale of candles/goods; 1:30-2:30pm Holy Hour; 3:00-4:00pm Reflection; 4:30pm: Holy Mass concelebrated with Archbishop Leo. Confessions available all day. Details on Venerable Margaret Sinclair are available at https://www.margaretsinclair.scot/

Save the Dates

  • The Archdiocesan Day for Altar Servers is on Saturday 13 September 2025 at The Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh. Details to follow.

  • The National Youth Pilgrimage to Perth is on Saturday 20 September. Details to follow.

  • His Grace, the Archbishop, will celebrate the annual Red Mass at Noon on Sunday 21 September here at the Cathedral. The Mass will see members of Scotland’s legal fraternity come together for the for the Mass, marking the start of the new legal year.

Are You a Catechist?

Learn about events and resources and collaborate with the Archdiocesan Catechetics Commission by registering for the Catechist Contact List. Go to bit.ly/archcatechists This is for anyone involved in teaching the faith, such as RCIA, Children's Liturgy, First Holy Communion, Marriage prep, SPRED etc.

Carlo Acutis Relic

A relic of ‘God’s influencer’, Blessed Carlo Acutis who will be canonised by Pope Leo XIV on 7 September, will visit St Mary’s Cathedral from Saturday 13 to Monday 15 September. Save the dates!

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/

Read the newsletter for 13th July (pdf)