The Third Sunday of Lent - Year A
Rite of Enrolment for Confirmation
Today at 10:30am Mass at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston, we welcome the children who are preparing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation, along with their families, as they are formally enrolled for the sacrament. Please keep them in your prayers. Enrolment for children attending St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School will take place at the Cathedral on Sunday, 22 March at 9:00am Mass.
Lent at St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral & St. Andrew’s, Ravelston
Confession at St. Mary’s Cathedral
Weekdays
Monday - Friday 1.15-2.00pm
Monday – Friday 5.00-5.45pm (Polish)
Saturdays
Saturday 10:30-12:00pm & 5-5.45pm
Saturday 8.00-9.00am (Polish)
Confession at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston
Wednesdays 5.00-5.45pm
Eucharistic Adoration
Fridays (Lent only) 10:30am-12:30pm
Please sign up for Friday morning Adoration on the sheets at the passkeepers’ table. It is essential that we have people present in the Cathedral during this period of Adoration.
Devotions at St. Mary’s Cathedral
Saturdays (following 10:00am Mass)
10:30am-12:00pm, concluding with Benediction
Stations of the Cross
Fridays during Lent 1:15-1:45pm
Fridays during Lent 6:00pm (Polish)
Devotions at St. Andrew's, Ravelston
Eucharistic Adoration
Wednesdays 5:00pm-5:45pm
Stations of the Cross
Fridays during Lent 6:30-7:00pm
Polish Lenten Retreat at the Cathedral (Sunday 22 March – Wednesday 25 March)
Begins Sunday, 22 March at Masses (10:30am and 6:00pm) and continues each evening with
5:00pm Eucharistic Adoration and Confessions, followed by 7:00pm Mass and meditation.
Assisted Suicide Final Vote Next Week: How to Contact MSPs
With Scottish Parliament’s final vote on proposed assisted suicide legislation set for Tuesday 17 March, all are urged to write to your MSPs today using Care Not Killing’s online email tool, accessible via the QR code, below, or at https://carenotkilling.scot
Be sure to read the email carefully before sending it to ensure you are happy with the wording. Please remember to always be courteous and respectful when engaging with your MSPs. Many resources are also online from the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children’s Lives Worth Living website: https://spuc.org.uk/campaign/livesworthliving/
Young Adults Talk on WEDNESDAY: “Jesus: The Answer to the Ache”
Please note that the Young Adults Talk this week is on WEDNESDAY, 11 March (not on Tuesday). Students (and all aged 18-40) are welcome to join the Young Adults Group for the talk on “Jesus: The Answer to the Ache” by Fr. Andrew Brookes, OP, from the Catholic chaplaincy at the University of Edinburgh. Meet at 63 York Place at 7:00pm for teas/coffees, with the talk at 7.30pm, followed by a short group discussion. We conclude with Night Prayer and meet up at a local pub.
Monthly Enquirers Group
This monthly meeting is for adults who are at the early stage of enquiring about the Catholic faith. The next meeting will be on Thursday 19th March at 7.00-8.30pm at Cathedral House, 61 York Place, EH1 3JD. There will be some input on an aspect of the faith and plenty of opportunity for asking questions. Register your interest by email to cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk or feel free to turn up on the day if you wish.
Next meetings will be held on the following Thursdays: 16 April, 21 May, 18 June, 23 July and 20 August.
Cathedral Building Fund Appeal
I am very pleased to announce that we have now raised just over £419,500 for our Building Fund Appeal! This is a fantastic achievement and we are so grateful to you all for your support! So many of you have also elected to Gift Aid your donations, which has significantly helped us in reaching this total. Donations are gratefully received at any time and can be made through our website or by cash/cheque sent to the Parish Office (61 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JD). Cheques should be made payable to ‘St Mary’s Cathedral’. Do please remember to Gift Aid it if you can, if you are a UK taxpayer. Blue Building Fund envelopes are available at the back of the church if you wish to Gift Aid your cash or cheque donation. Thank you!
Leave a Legacy That Speaks of Your Faith
Have you ever thought about leaving a legacy for the Cathedral Parish? Perhaps a lasting legacy by contributing to a particular project, such as the Cathedral roof repairs, for example, or simply to be put towards wherever the need is greatest. Legacies can benefit the parish in so many ways, helping our churches to continue being a home of prayer and worship for future generations. Leaving a legacy can be arranged quickly and easily, it does not have to involve a lot of paperwork. The leaflet available at the back of the churches provides more details and if you would like to explore this further, please contact our Finance officer, Caroline Reid, in the first instance at: finance@stmaryscathedral.co.uk
Today: St. Andrew’s Lenten Run for Parish Project
Join us today and every Sunday of Lent for our Lenten Run from St Andrew’s, Ravelston to the Cathedral and back - approx 5 km - from 11.30am. The run will raise funds for the Parish Project, Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa. See Fergus Christie for details or email ferguschristie7@gmail.com
Friendship Group: Coffee Afternoon
The Friendship Group Coffee Afternoon is on Tuesday 10 March at 2:00pm-3:30pm in Coffee Saints. Open to all over 60; enjoy a 20% discount during the Friendship Group meet up. Please note that the discount is valid during the session time only, and other discounts are not applied during the session.
First Holy Communion and Confirmation Registration
Registration is open for catechism classes for baptised children who have received the Sacrament of First Reconciliation to receive the Sacraments of First Holy Communion (P4) and Confirmation (P7). No registration is needed for those attending St Mary’s Primary School because sacramental preparation takes place through the school and information will come from St Mary’s separately. For all other pupils, at St. Andrew’s Church, Ravelston preparation classes for First Holy Communion begin on Sunday, 1st March at 9:30am and classes for Confirmation begin on Sunday, 15th March at 4;30pm.
Please register children online at the following links:
First Holy Communion: https://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/first-communion
Confirmation: https://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/confirmation
Questions? Contact Fr. Joshua at frjoshua@stmaryscathedral.co.uk Registration deadlines are Confirmation: 22 March 2026 and
First Holy Communion: 5 April 2026. Bookshop: Lenten Reading, First Holy Communion & Confirmation Gifts
A beautiful selection of gifts for First Holy Communion and Confirmation are available at our St Pauls Bookshop. You can also find many good books for your spiritual reading during Lent including Daily Reflections for Lent, Rooted in Love: Lent reflections on life in Christ, The Way of the Cross with the Book of Isaiah, and children’s books including The Way of the Cross for Children. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, closed on Mondays. 0131 510 4260, edinburgh@stpauls.org.uk
Next Sunday: Easter Knitted Goods on Sale at Ravelston
Easter-themed knitted gift items will be on sale next Sunday, 15 March, before and after 10:30am Mass at St. Andrew’s, Ravelston, and the following Sunday, 22 March, before and after the 9am and Noon Masses at the Cathedral. All the profits from sales are generously donated to the parish by Joanna Kopystynska. Support the parish and give a lovely Easter gift! Purchase online at https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KathedralKnits
Tomorrow: Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood
All are welcome to a Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration 6:30pm-7:30pm to pray for Vocations to the Priesthood tomorrow Monday, 9 March in the convent chapel of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, next to St. Andrew’s Church, Ravelston. The Holy Hour will begin immediately following 6:00pm Mass. Holy Hours will be on the 2nd Monday of the month thereafter.
Pray the Pro-Life Stations of the Cross Online
The Archdiocese hosts online Stations of the Cross each Monday in Lent. On Monday 9 March at 7:45pm the event will feature a reflection from Anthony Horan, Director of the Scottish Catholic Parliamentary Office. The annual online Stations of the Cross is to pray for unborn children, their mothers and all pro-life intentions. Register at bit.ly/stations26
Guest Speaker: Dr Calum MacKellar, Scottish Council on Human Bioethics
The next meeting of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children’s Edinburgh West Branch will be on Wednesday, 11 March at 7:00pm in the parish rooms at St. Andrew's, Ravelston, with guest speaker Dr Calum MacKellar from the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics to give us a talk on the Dangers of the New Eugenics. The talk is open to everyone. Meeting on a monthly basis, the Branch presents the opportunity to be with likeminded pro-lifers. For details contact Sam Ho, at marcolino_ho@hotmail.com
Next Weekend: Special Collection for SCIAF & Episcopal Charities
On Sunday 15 March there will be a special collection for Papal & Episcopal Charities (including SCIAF). 75 per cent of the collection goes to SCIAF and 25 per cent to the Archdiocesan Care Fund, which supports various good causes. Last year £32,067 was raised from this collection in the Archdiocese.
Spiritual Exercises Retreats Following the Method of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Silent retreats following the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola are offered by the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word at the Benedictine Monastery, 5 Mackerston Place, Largs, KA30 8BY. Retreat for Men: 12th-15th March, Retreat for Women: 1st-4th May.