2nd Sunday of the Year - Year A

Divine Mercy Devotions – Sunday at 3pm

The monthly Divine Mercy Devotions will be held in the Cathedral on Sunday the 19th January at 3pm. All are welcome to join us for a time of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with readings from the writings of Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. There will also be an opportunity for Confessions and to venerate the relic of Saint Faustina.

Joint Evensong with St Mary’s Cathedral at Palmerston Place – Tuesday, 21st January

To celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we will be participating in a joint Evensong between our two Cathedrals on Tuesday the 21st January at 5.30pm. It will be held in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral on Palmerston Place and the Evensong will be followed by a reception with coffee, teas and biscuits. Please do come along to this very special occasion to pray for the unity of the Church.

A few tickets left for the Quiz Night – Friday, 24th January at 7.30pm

Come join us for our Cathedral Quiz Night on Friday the 24th January at 7:30pm in the Cathedral Hall. Bring a group of your friends or come and join a group on the night! Tickets are available after all Masses (including Ravelston) and are £10 each. Children under 16 are free. There will be a bar, snacks and raffle prizes! Last year we sold out so don't wait to get your tickets, everyone is welcome!

The Gospel of Matthew – Talk by Fr. Patrick Monday, 27th January at 7.30pm

As we will be reading through Matthew’s Gospel this year, Fr Patrick will give a short introductory talk on Matthew in the Cathedral Café on the evening of Monday 27th January, 7.30pm, all are welcome.

Barbara Dickson and Aly & Phil Concerts in the Cathedral, 6-7 march

The Cathedral will be hosting two fantastic concerts in the spring. On Friday the 6th March, Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham will perform at 7.30pm and on Saturday the 7th March our own Barbara Dickson will be singing.

Both of these concerts will be lovely occasions to attend, please also invite family and friends to come to our beautiful Cathedral. Your support will also help raise much needed funds.

Tickets are a giveaway at £25 per person and can be bought through Eventbrite or through the Parish Office. Do not miss this very special occasion!

Download the newsletter for 19th January (pdf)

Download the newsletter for 19th January (doc)

The Baptism of the Lord - Year A

Joint Evensong with St Mary’s Cathedral at Palmerston Place – Tuesday, 21st January

To celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we will be participating in a joint Evensong between our two Cathedrals on Tuesday the 21st January at 5.30pm. It will be held in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral on Palmerston Place and the Evensong will be followed by a reception with coffee, teas and biscuits. Please do come along to this very special occasion to pray for the unity of the Church.

Cathedral Quiz Night – Friday, 24th January at 7.30pm

Come join us for our Cathedral Quiz Night on Friday the 24th January at 7:30pm in the Cathedral Hall. Bring a group of your friends or come and join a group on the night! Tickets are available after all Masses (including Ravelston) and are £10 each. Children under 16 are free. There will be a bar, snacks and raffle prizes! Last year we sold out so don't wait to get your tickets, everyone is welcome!

The Gospel of Matthew – Talk by Fr. Patrick Monday, 27th January

As we will be reading through Matthew’s Gospel this year, Fr Patrick will give a short introductory talk on Matthew in the Cathedral Café on the evening of Monday 27th January, 7.30pm, all are welcome.

Junior Youth Group – Sunday, 12th January at 6pm

After the Christmas break, the Youth Group will begin again this Sunday (12th January) at 6pm in St Andrew's, Ravelston. The youth group is aimed at children in P4 and above. Each week there is a short talk, prayers, group games, tuck shop and individual activities. The cost each evening is £1 per child, which also subsidises occasional outings. New members very welcome.

Rite of Illumination (P4) – Sunday, 19th January at 9am & 10.30am

On Sunday the 19th of January we welcome the children preparing for their First Holy Communion for the Rite of Illumination, which will take place at 9am in the Cathedral and at 10.30am in Ravelston.

Concerts in the Cathedral – March 2020

We will host two fantastic concerts in the Cathedral on Friday 6 March with Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham and Saturday 7 March with our own Barbara Dickson. These will be lovely occasions and will also help to raise funds for the Cathedral. Tickets are a giveaway at £25 per person, get them on Eventbrite.

Download the newsletter for 12th January (pdf)

Download the newsletter for 12th January (doc)

The Epiphany of the Lord - Year A

Cathedral Quiz Night – Friday 24th January at 7.30pm

Come join us for our Cathedral Quiz Night on Friday the 24th January at 7:30pm in the Cathedral Hall. Bring a group of your friends or come and join a group on the night! Tickets are available after all Masses (including Ravelston) and are £10 each. Children under 16 are free. There will be a bar, snacks and raffle prizes! Last year we sold out so don't wait to get your tickets, everyone is welcome!

Have you been Confirmed?

For many and various reasons, sometimes people never actually get confirmed. If you are an adult who has never been confirmed, the Cathedral will be running a course for you during Lent this year with a view to Confirmation at the Easter Vigil on the 11th April. Meetings will take place on Monday nights at 7pm in the Cathedral Café. To register, please contact the Parish Office.

Junior Youth Group – Sunday 12th January at 6pm

After the Christmas break, the Youth Group will begin again on Sunday 12th January at 6pm in St Andrew's, Ravelston. The youth group is aimed at children in P4 and above. Each week there is a short talk, prayers, group games, tuck shop and individual activities. The cost each evening is £1 per child, which also subsidises occasional outings. New members very welcome.

Concerts in the Cathedral – March 2020

We will host two fantastic concerts in the Cathedral on Friday 6 March with Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham and Saturday 7 March with our own Barbara Dickson. These will be lovely occasions and will also help to raise funds for the Cathedral. Tickets are a giveaway at £25 per person, get them on Eventbrite.

Download the newsletter for 5th January (pdf)

Download the newsletter for 5th January (doc)

The Feast of the Holy Family - Year A

Mary, Mother of God - 1st January 2020, Mass at 11am

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God will be celebrated in the Cathedral and in St Andrew’s Church, Ravelston on Wednesday, 1st January at 11am. This is a lovely way to mark the beginning of the new year with your family and the parish community and we hope to see you there.

Download the newsletter for 29th December 2019 (pdf)

Download the newsletter for 29th December 2019 (doc)

Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year A

Christmas 2019

As we approach the great feast of Christmas, I am very conscious that many of our regular parishioners will be departing Edinburgh today or tomorrow to spend time with their families. I would like, therefore, to take this opportunity to wish all of you who will be going away a truly happy and holy Christmas. I would also like to thank the many people who have handed in cards and gifts at Cathedral House over the last few days. Your generosity and kindness are, as ever, overwhelming and much appreciated. It has been a lovely Advent. We have been very impressed by the huge numbers who have turned out each week to attend our special Advent Rorate Masses and by the large numbers who have been at confession. I am sure that this spiritual preparation will bear fruit in a joyful and peaceful Christmas. Check the Christmas Mass times on the website.

Thank You!

A warm thank you to Sir Tom Farmer who very generously donated the Christmas trees in the Cathedral.

Concerts in the Cathedral, March 2020 – Last Minute Christmas Gifts

As you know, we will be hosting two fantastic concerts in the Cathedral on Friday 6 March with Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham, and Saturday 7 March with our own Barbara Dickson. These will be lovely occasions and will also help to raise funds for the Cathedral. Tickets are a giveaway at £25 per person and can be bought through Eventbrite bit.ly/concertsinthecathedral-alyandphil and bit.ly/concertsinthecathedral-barbaradickson. If you are stuck for a last minute Christmas present – why not buy someone a great night out with some of Scotland’s finest musicians?

Receive the New Newsletter Straight into Your Inbox

Whether you are a regular parishioner or here for the holidays, you can stay in touch with the Cathedral through the weekly e-newsletter. Sign up at the bottom of any page of this website and the latest parish news will be delivered straight to your inbox every weekend.

Download the newsletter for 22nd December (pdf)

Download the newsletter for 22nd December (doc)

Third Sunday of Advent - Year A

Concerts in the Cathedral – 6 and 7 March 2020

We are delighted to announce that we will be hosting two fantastic fundraising evening concerts to be held uniquely in the Cathedral on Friday 6 March and Saturday 7 March 2020.

We are extremely fortunate to have secured the musical talents of some very special singers and musicians. On the Friday evening, we have Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham, two of Scotland’s acclaimed traditional musicians who have been delighting audiences across Scotland with their masterful, versatile and amusing performances. ‘Aly & Phil' are recipients of The Sunday Mail Great Scots’ “Lifetime Achievement” Award.

The Saturday evening will see our very own parishioner and Scotland’s bestselling female album artist Barbara Dickson OBE perform along with Nick Holland and supported by Anthony Toner. Barbara has earned 6 platinum, 11 gold and 7 silver albums for her recordings and it will be a privilege to have her perform.

Tickets are keenly priced at £25 per person and can be bought through Eventbrite: Aly & Phil and Barbara Dickson.

We anticipate tickets will sell fast, so we have ensured our parishioners have advance notice of their release. They would make excellent Christmas presents for your family and friends.

Sick Visitation on Friday 20 December

The clergy will visit the sick and housebound in both parishes this coming Friday (those who are on our Sick List). If you know any of the housebound, perhaps you could let them know that we will be visiting. If you know of anyone who is sick and is not receiving regular visits from the clergy and from Eucharistic Ministers, please let us know by contacting the Parish Office.

Special Candlelit Rorate Masses

Ravelston, Monday at 7pm
The Cathedral, Thursday at 7pm

This week, we will have the last two of our beautiful candlelit Advent Rorate Masses. If you have not yet had the opportunity to come along, we look forward to seeing you on Monday night at 7pm in Ravelston or on Thursday night at 7pm in the Cathedral. And if you already have been, we look forward to seeing you again for this very special opportunity to prepare your family spiritually for Christmas.

Download the newsletter for 15th December (pdf)

Download the newsletter for 15th December (doc)

Second Sunday Of Advent – Year A

Advent 2019

As we go deeper into the season of Advent, John the Baptist calls us to a renewed spirit of conversion. There are lots of ways of doing this: perhaps by setting aside a little more time for prayer and spiritual reading, by trying to get to Mass more often and especially by going to confession in preparation for the great feast. Please think today about how you and your family are going to prepare spiritually for Christmas this year.

Special Candlelit Rorate Masses

St Andrew’s, Ravelston, every Monday at 7pm; The Cathedral, every Thursday at 7pm

Thanks to all those who came along to our first Advent Rorate Masses, in spite of the inclement weather. Our churches looked especially beautiful by candlelight. They continue this coming week in Ravelston on Monday night at 7pm and in the Cathedral on Thursday night at 7pm. These are lovely occasions – do bring your children and come along to prepare well for Christmas.

Ordination to the Priesthood – Sunday at 12 noon

On Sunday we welcome in a very special way David Edwardson together with his friends and family. The Archbishop will ordain Deacon David Edwardson (a former Anglican clergyman) to the priesthood during the 12 noon Mass. We are very honoured by the presence at this Mass of Bishop Nicholas Chamberlain, the Anglican Bishop of Grantham. Please keep David and his family in your prayers as he takes this new step in his journey with the Lord.

Divine Mercy Devotions – Sunday at 3pm

There will be Divine Mercy Devotions with Adoration and opportunity for confessions and veneration of the relics of St Faustina will be held in the Cathedral at 3pm on Sunday.

Chapter Mass on Tuesday at 12.45pm

On Tuesday, the Archbishop will come to the Cathedral to celebrate the Chapter Mass together with the Chapter of Canons. All are welcome!

Download the newsletter for the 8th December (doc)

Download the newsletter for the 8th December (pdf)

First Sunday Of Advent - Year A

Advent 2019

Advent is once again upon us. This Sunday we begin our annual period of preparation for the great feast of Christmas. Although it is difficult to be recollected during this period, the Church asks us to try. We do this by trying to set aside a little more time for prayer and spiritual reading, by trying to get to Mass more often and especially by going to confession in preparation for the great feast. Please think today about how you and your family are going to prepare spiritually for Christmas this year.

Special Candlelit Rorate Masses

Ravelston- every Monday at 7pm – The Cathedral – Every Thursday at 7pm

This week we will begin our beautiful and popular candlelit Advent Masses. They will be in Ravelston on Monday nights at 7pm and in the Cathedral on Thursday nights at 7pm. These are lovely occasions – do bring your children and come along to prepare well for Christmas.

Ordination to the Priesthood – Next Sunday at 12 noon

On Sunday 8th December during the 12noon Mass the Archbishop will ordain David Edwardson (a former Anglican clergyman) to the priesthood. Obviously, all parishioners are warmly invited to the ordination.

Archbishop’s Advent Catechesis

The Archbishop is again inviting all young Adults in the Archdiocese to join him at 5pm on the Sundays of Advent at the Gillis Centre. The theme this year is about getting to know ‘The Real Jesus’. All young adults aged 16-30 are welcome.

New Newsletter Format

The newsletter has a new format that combines St Mary’s Cathedral and St Andrew’s, Ravelston parish news and contains the readings and the hymns for the Sunday Mass. We hope you like it!

Download the newsletter for the 1st December (doc)

Download the newsletter for the 1st December (pdf)

Solemnity Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King Of The Universe – Year C

Advent Begins Next Sunday!

Beginning on Thursday the 5th December, we will have our beautiful and popular candlelit masses every Thursday of Advent at 7pm. These are lovely occasions – do put them in your diary now and come along to prepare well for Christmas. The Rorate Masses in St Andrew’s Ravelston are on Mondays at 7pm.

St. Andrews Day – 30th November

The Archbishop will celebrate Mass in the Cathedral at 10am in honour of our National Patron. All are welcome!

Ordination to the Priesthood – 8th December at 12 noon

On Sunday 8th December during the 12 noon Mass the Archbishop will ordain David Edwardson (a former Anglican clergyman) to the priesthood. Obviously, all parishioners are warmly invited to the ordination.

Collection of Christmas Gifts for Prisoners’ Children

If you would like to donate gifts for children of prisoners in Edinburgh Prison, please wrap a new gift in Christmas Gift wrap and put on a label stating if the gift is suitable for a boy or a girl and for what age of the child. Gifts for older children from 11 years onwards would be most appreciated.

Scots College Magazine

The annual ‘Scots College Magazine’ is for sale in the porch. A bargain at only £5, which supports the College!

God bless you all,

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

Download the newsletter for the 24th November (doc)

Download the newsletter for the 24th November (pdf)

28th Sunday of the Year - Year C

Young Adults Group – Tuesday 7pm

This Tuesday, Fr Patrick will lead the Young Adults’ Group in ‘A Meditation on John 6’, exploring what this key passage of St John’s Gospel can teach us about the Church’s Eucharistic faith. It should be a great night! Don’t forget also that this will be one of the last chances to buy tickets for the Italian Night on 22nd October.

New Parish Youth Group – Sunday 27th October 6pm

We’re putting the finishing touches on plans for our new parish youth group and will be ready to start after the October holidays, on Sunday 27th October at 6pm at Ravelston! Speak to Fr Jamie for more information.

Register Your Child for St Mary’s RC Primary School

If your child will be five years of age before 28th February 2021, he or she is due to start school in August 2020. Parents who wish to enroll their child in St Mary’s RC Primary are asked to attend (if possible) the drop-in enrolment sessions at 9.45am-10.30am on Wednesday the 6th November and Thursday the 7th November. You will need to bring your child’s birth certificate, baptismal certificate, council tax letter/book, a utility bill (gas, electricity, passport) and your passport/work permit/visa if you are not from the EEC. For questions or concerns, please contact the Head Teacher Mrs Nicola Kehoe on 0131 556 7128.

Cathedral Team for Sleep in the Park

To raise more funds to reduce homelessness in Scotland, Social Bite, the Edinburgh-based charity, have organised a Sleep Out in Princes Street Gardens (Sleep in the Park) during the night of Saturday 7th December. The Cathedral is planning to have its own team – please speak to James Walker if you would like to join in or email him at cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk

God bless you all,

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

Download the newsletter for the 13th October (doc)

Download the newsletter for the 13th October (pdf)