Cluster News
14/15 November

Dear parishioner,

"Use it or loose it." A phrase I am sure you are very familiar with and so true. I remember 'back in the day' I used to be a very good portrait artist. People actually payed money for me to draw them and I loved it. Unfortunately life and growing up got in the way and I did fewer and fewer portraits. Now I would be embarrassed if someone was to see my efforts these day. So true, if you don't use it be sure you'll loose it.

Many people.would love to draw and draw well. I would.love to play guitar just like Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest but I cannot. I have a friend who plays guitar and could have been a professional musician, how jealous was I growing up? But one day he stopped practising and now can hardly string two chords together. What a waste ! Funny how I didn't say that about my portrait drawing.

Often you can take talents and gifts for granted and forget how lucky you are. When you are blessed with a gift and others tell you how lucky you are you are faced with two choices: use it, or loose it. What a waste to disregard a gift, particularly when that gift can do so.much not for yourself but for others.

We have the gift of love in abundance - how shy are we in sharing that gift with others? Can you imagine your life without love in it?

Just remember as our gospel points out today: Use it or Loose it.

Take Care and Stay Safe

Fr. Alex

Prayer resources for adults:

33rd Sunday A

Children's resources:

33rd Sunday A

St Gregory's Sat. 6pm

Booking form

Phone: 07401 071 732

St John Vianney's Sun. 9.30am

Booking form

Phone: 07898 170 282

St Catherine's Sun. 11am

Booking form

Phone: 07869 473 068

Cleaning Group 3

On-line and telephone bookings can be made from Monday mornings through to Wednesday at 5pm. You must receive a notice of confirmation in order to attend that weekend. We have prepared some guidelines about this and they can be found here .

We would encourage you to share this information with anyone you know or suspect may not have internet access. Let's stay connected!

Services for our deceased relatives and friends

Our Bereavement Group with Fr Alex and others put together two very beautiful Remembrance videos. The links for them are All Souls Day and Remembrance Day.

They are truly prayerful experiences and you may want to have a candle ready to light as they suggest - and not a few tissues...

Centenary celebrations for Eileen Kelly!

Eileen will be 100 years young on 19th November and the cluster would like to wish her our warmest congratulations. Eileen has been a long time parishioner of SJV and now lives in Gilmerton Nursing Home. Our prayers and blessings go out to you for your big day!

Views from the pews

Kathleen Thomson writes:
Thank you once again for another meaningful Sunday Liturgy and may I take this opportunity, to thank all the members of the Cluster who work so hard, to bring us the Readings, Gospel, Prayers of the faithful and the closing Hymn, it is greatly appreciated by myself, and I am sure all of the parishioners, who are able to join in this celebration. May God bless you all, and I hope that we may be able to all be together soon.

Suzanne Blair writes:
Wow .... I wish to say a huge heartfelt “Thank you” to the bereavement group for a deeply meaningful service. The readings, poems, psalms and Fr Alex’s reflections all heart touching but most of all comforting. With grateful thanks, God Bless.

Thank you to a surprisingly normal IT Crowd...

This week we want to thank the techie guys and gals who work away behind the scenes. You've no doubt enjoyed the wonderful videos produced each week which is expertly assembled from our various parishioners (and we include Fr Alex in that!)

Each week too, you receive an email (if you don't, let us know and we'll put you on the list!) with links to our website for more details of how our wonderful cluster has not only kept going but is "divinely renovating" itself in new and unforeseen ways. We have begun to print off some monthly summaries of our activities for those without an internet connection.

Lastly, there are those who are compiling a database of the registers of all three parishes so that as many of us as possible are contactable and can feel connected given the difficulties of social distancing. Technology at your service - thanks to all involved!

During Advent there is a plan to hold weekly sessions which might be available to watch later if you can't manage then.
Jeff Bagnall (former RE lecturer at Craiglockhart) has agreed again this year to help us benefit from his extensive Scriptural knowledge. More details to follow. If you would like to be there on zoom, please contact cluster.alpha@outlook.com with the heading “Advent”.

Thanks to the St Gregory parishioner for the donation towards the postage cost of our monthly newsletter that we posted at the start of November.

Still there for another week:

One pot wonder: Sausage Casserole

washed down with Cider Gingerade

Justice matters

The Gospel parable speaks of the servants being called to account to their master after a few years’ stewardship of property in their care. Pope Francis calls humanity to account for our stewardship of the Earth. In our case we are accounting for the many years since the industrial revolution; the century since climate change was predicted, and the 40 years since the oil industry knew it was happening.

See: the young as well as the Pope are among the growing number calling for change – personally, locally and internationally in business and economics. Governments are recognising the crises that call them to action

Reflect: it can be said that we are living in a parable – our own story in recent years calls us to change our understanding of what it is to be human, so we see ourselves as a part of the earth (not living on it, not misusing it to consume and destroy). It calls us to think in the long term…. The greenhouse gases we put into the atmosphere today will continue to warm the earth for decades to come. The plastics that reach the sea similarly last for years. Governments plan nuclear power – but I’ve yet to hear discussed, “How are these to be decommissioned by future generations?”

What might Jesus’ parable have been, had he written one for today? If you wish to write one, to share with us all, then email jp.seecat@gmail.com

Act: Changing our habits to reduce the load on the earth does matter – using less plastic, reducing use of fossil fuels…. But Pope Francis says the most crucial thing is to change how we see the earth and ourselves as part of it. He asks us to pray that the Spirit lets our conversion to Jesus affect our relationship with all Creation. With this in mind, our eco-group has been praying with the videos such as this. Do join us here.

You are held in prayer

Please remember in your prayers those who are sick:

Hazel Martin
Paul Brennan
Irene McKay
Maureen McMahon
Jacinta Flockhart
Maureen Phillips
Colin Johnston
Dermot Homan
Liz Price
Mary Boyle
Rachel Witte
Mary Dias
Catriona McAuley
Elaine Hepburn
Annette Sibbald
Lorraine
Roney Fernandes
Christopher Browne
Xaverina Rodrigues
Anne and Helen

I am the Resurrection and the Life

We remember in love:
William (Billy) Alges
Frank Cronin
Rodger Leggatt
Sr Ethel
Carmel McKeever
Mary Meehan
Kathleen Jones
Danny Byrne

Anniversaries

St Gregory's

Denis Charleston, Sheila Mullen,

St Catherine’s

Flora and Robert Hendrie
Jim, Brian and Marie Hendrie

Tully, Kate, John and Owen Coll,
Alex Davie (Fr Alex's Dad)

St John Vianney's

Mary Phillips, Yvonne Finlay,

Sr Elizabeth (Betty) Howat, Benny Haynes, Margaret Kerr, James Kelly,

Mabel Jane Scott, James Scally,

Matthias Smith, Catherine Pressland,

Sister Hannah Leahy, Patricia Geater,

John Berrick, Connel Joseph McFadden,

Catherine Gannon Stanton, Ann Mellon, John McCarron, Margaret McDonald, Thomas Phillips, James Devers

For those without internet access

If you know a parishioner without internet access please tell them about our podcast. For the cost of a local call, 0131 357 6463 they can hear our Lockdown Liturgy (available on Sunday) and how to phone to make a booking to attend Mass.

United in prayer: Tues 2.45 & Weds 7pm
Our Prayer Foundation invite us all to join in 30 min of silent prayer. For prayer requests email clare.roller@icloud.com

For Christmas read "Crisis"

Today is the 4th World Day of the Poor started by Pope Francis in 2017. The Trussell Trust wants to end food banks - people should not have to rely on them in a civilised society - but so many do. Watch (again) the cluster visit to our local one.

Louise & Maureen visit our local Food Bank

The relevant food bank for the cluster is: 47 Southhouse Broadway EH17 8AS

Phone number 664 9353
Email edinburghfoodbank@blythswood.org

Items needed this week

Eggs, beans, rice, corned beef, fruit, jars of baby food, pot noodles
disposable nappies size 4,5,6.
Tinned items: Tuna, veg., peas, carrots, mince, fruit, custard.
Tubs/packets of Smash, chocolate spread.
Jars of jam any flavour, jars of mayonnaise, packets of super noodles, packets of pasta sauce, tomato ketchup, diluting juice (1 litre).
Chocolate treats, crisps, snacks, biscuits, hot chocolate.
Women's and men's shampoo, toothpaste, shower gel

Rosie and the team

Donation box at St Catherine's

There will be a box in the porch at St Catherine’s for donations for the Food Bank in Southhouse. This will be collected weekly and taken to the shop.

The Alpha guests met this morning (Saturday) for two and a half hours on Zoom on their "Away Day". They have two Mondays to go. Please pray for them as they seek to take the next steps on their faith journey.

Email: Cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Mobile: 079 4766 0766

Twitter: @ClusterAlpha

If anyone would like to give a gift then there are three ways this can be done:

Use Online Banking:

Account name - R.Arch of St A St Cath 2

Account Number - 00693806

Sort Code - 80 02 73

Reference - Father Fallon

Use a special collection offertory envelope and leave in collection box - marked, Father Fallon
Use any envelope and leave in collection box - marked, Father Fallon
If none of these are suitable for you then please contact Fred McConnell - fredmcconnell@btinternet.com or 07901 964 100 for alternatives.

Please make sure that it is clearly marked, Father Fallon.

Food bank poem

I sit so downhearted on that old wooden chair

My hair is unwashed and my youngest in care.

The flat feels so cold and a draught chills my feet

As I gaze at the bills I know I can’t meet.

How did I get here, does anyone care?

So many have plenty, it’s all so unfair.

Childcare’s so expensive and wages so low

So what shall I do? I really don’t know!

My eldest is hungry, there’s little to eat

And help from the Social expenses won’t meet.

My eyes fill with tears, but then I think ‘Soap!’

For a friend’s little gift had given me hope.

She’d been to the food bank where people were kind

And whatever your background a welcome you’ll find.

The food that’s donated will help you get through

And if you need some advice that’s available too.

Now – I’ve talked to my doctor who quickly agreed,

That a voucher for food bank would help with my need.

So while life is still hard, I know others do care

And give thanks to them all for the love that they share.

Gill* who was referred to Redbridge Foodbank

(* Not her real name.)

Cluster News 14/15 November

Cluster News
14/15 November