Live streamed Masses here
Sisters and Brothers,
Jesus, our Good Shepherd, invites each one of us to know and to follow him more closely. Today is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Not only do we pray for vocations to priestly, religious and consecrated life, but for our own priestly ministry which we all share through baptism.
Fr. Alex
© Sieger Köder
Lockdown Liturgy:
Fourth Sunday of Easter B
Children's Liturgy:
Fourth Sunday of Easter B
How to book for a weekend Mass
On-line and telephone bookings can be made as usual from Monday mornings through to Wednesday at 5pm. You must receive a notice of confirmation in order to attend that weekend. For guidelines
go here
How to book for a weekend Mass
On-line and telephone bookings can be made as usual from Monday mornings through to Wednesday at 5pm. You must receive a notice of confirmation in order to attend that weekend. For guidelines
go here
How to book for a weekend Mass
On-line and telephone bookings can be made as usual from Monday mornings through to Wednesday at 5pm. You must receive a notice of confirmation in order to attend that weekend. For guidelines
go here
Our cluster parishes are already operating at maximum capacity.
The 50-capacity restriction on places of worship in Scotland is being changed from Monday 26 April. Capacity will be determined by the size of the building, with the continued requirement of 2 metre physical distancing. It means bigger buildings will be able to welcome more people to Mass. Since all three parishes are already operating at maximum capacity, there will be no increase in the numbers attending our weekend Masses.
From 26 April the maximum capacity at both weddings and funerals will rise to 50 (it is currently 5 for weddings and 20 for funerals). Again, this will depend on the size of the church building, and none of our parishes can safely accommodate that number. For those planning a church wedding please use the parish email address for more information: southedclust@btinternet.com and for funerals, attendance will be the responsibility of the funeral director.
Training Sessions on Safeguarding
These are available on the following days, being conducted on Zoom
- Saturday 24 April 2021 at 1.30pm
- Sunday 25 April 2021 at 1.30pm
- Saturday 15 May 2021 at 1.30pm
- Sunday 16 May 2021 at 1.30pm
All volunteers are required to attend training every 2 years and this is up for renewal for most volunteers in SJV. Can you please let me know which of these training sessions you can attend and I will book you in.
Catherine McKeen (cmmckeen@btinternet.com)
Theology and Education Courses at Gillis
This September, St Mary’s University in Twickenham, a leading Catholic university in the UK, will open a campus at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh in conjunction with the Archdiocese.
There will be a range of part-time postgraduate MA courses in Theology and Education available, giving you the flexibility to study in the evening and at weekends. To read Archbishop Cushley's pastoral letter go here
bit.ly/PastoralLetter240421
Find out more about the courses and register at
www.stmarys.ac.uk/edinburgh
Bereavement Services
The Cluster Bereavement group are pleased to announce a monthly service in St Gregory’s on the Saturday 15th May at 9.30am.
In keeping with the current guidelines, we will have to take contact details on the morning of the service. The service will have a slightly different look to it due to social distancing but there will still be the opportunity to light a candle in memory of those we have loved and lost.
Names of those who have died that month that we know about will be included in the prayers of intercession. If you would like a loved one's name mentioned for whatever reason (anniversary/ birthday) please say so when you arrive and these will also be included.
Unfortunately we are unable to serve tea and coffee for the time being.
Thereafter it is hoped that the services will continue on the second Saturday of each month.
The dates of the next 2 services after are Saturday 12th June & Saturday 10th July 9.30am in St Gregory’s. You can watch our Easter Bereavement Service by clicking on the link.
Slow roast leg of lamb with ratatouille
and Prosecco Vodka Punch
Vo Van Tu (called"Tu") attended St Catherine's over a number of weeks in 2019 and he has been reported missing by police. Please pray for his safe recovery.
The 17-year-old is Vietnamese, around 5ft 6, slim to medium build with short dark hair. He is believed to be wearing a red puffer jacket and dark trousers.
Police Scotland are concerned for his wellbeing due to the length of time he has been missing and his limited English. “If you believe you have seen him in Edinburgh, or may know his whereabouts, please contact police on 101, quoting incident 2896 of 21 April.”
Cluster Walking Group
The group was formed in 2011 and to date we have arranged over 90 walks. Last year was a bad year in more ways than one and the Covid crisis certainly curtailed our activities. With restrictions now being eased our walks have started again. Anyone who is interested in joining us and is not on my mailing list please contact me.
George McDermid Tel. 0131 666 2236 Mobile 07871 476297
Justice Matters: Spring – a time to fall in love… with the Earth
Its Easter! Its Spring! I saw a beautiful butterfly this week, first of this year! A coal tit came to the seed tray near my window. The soil of God’s earth, God’s sun and God’s holy water in the rain raises the flowers, gives song to the birds, buds to the trees, energy to creatures and a wonderful diversity once more bursts into life, echoing the resurrection.
See It was Earth Day last Thursday. The climate is disrupted to the extent that a new refugee crisis is building. The disruption is due to seasons and rainfall being unreliable, storms more intense, sea level rising,… Amos Trust quotes Rosa from from Nicaragua, “When I was a girl, I remember the rainy seasons as having more rain. You used to know when to plant, but now you don’t. We have a climate that’s changed.”
Reflect The question arose in a climate emergency workshop: “What is the most important thing we can do?” What would be your answer?
People mentioned: take the train don’t fly on holiday, draught proof and insulate your home, wear another layer so you can turn the heating down, walk not drive, eat less meat (and they didn’t even have Fr Alex’s recipes…), eat less cheese and dairy, buy food grown locally, mend things don’t buy new, use electricity rather than gas, buy electricity and gas from companies that invest in renewables (e.g. like EcoTricity, Octopus) , divest (pension funds for example) from companies selling fossil fuels, invest in new companies working for a just transition from oil and gas …..
I felt there was something more to say. I proposed: “fall in love with the earth.” I was trying to paraphrase Pope Francis’ appeal to Christians for an ecological conversion “whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship the world around them.” Laudato Si’ 217
“If we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously.” Laudato Si’ 11
From that recognition of unity, from that love, care will extend to all creatures, to all the earth, to the poor and oppressed.
Act Go for a walk and see which flower catches your eye. Approach it respectfully, taking your time. Use your senses of sight, gentle touch and smell. Ask God to help you to see it with your heart and soul as well. Let your mind go still… just look. Look closely at its shapes and form; its colours and textures. When it’s time to leave, first consider how after some 13 billion years of grace you are now in that place, with that beauty, on this amazing planet. Say thank you and goodbye to the flower. Thank God that the earth can produce such a wonder. Pray that we can also grow in love for the earth. Mike Mineter
You are held in prayer
Please remember in your prayers
those who are sick:
Vo Van Tu, Scott Fraser, Thea Maung,
Hugh Costello, Maureen McEvoy,
Helen McCann, Anne Doig,
Sr May Lewis, Jessie and George Ritchie, John Skinner, John McGinley,
Fr Eugen, Evelyn Levine,
James Duffy, Ronan Boyle,
Hazel Martin, Maureen Phillips,
Mary Boyle, Mary Dias,
Catriona McAuley, Elaine Hepburn,
Lorraine, Marie,
Sophie, Roney Fernandes,
Christopher Browne, Xaverina Rodrigues, Anne and Helen,
Sacred Heart sisters in Avigliana, Italy, in Algorta, Spain and in Dalkeith
I am the Resurrection and the Life
We remember in love
Those who have died recently;
Marie Baird, Paul Brennan,
Brian Saddler, Michael Donaghue,
Grace Boyle, Bridie Hanlon,
Helen Watt.
Anniversaries:
St Catherine Sr Mary Steedman
St. Gregory John Floyd, Larry Loy
St John Vianney Hugh Wynne, Patrick Kelly, Frances Dinse, Ann Guthrie,
Mary Adair, Owen Boyle,
Teresa Greco, Agnes McCaffrey,
James Boyle, Patricia Hartley.
We have now set up a Remembrance Gallery page on our Cluster website in memory of the loved ones we have lost during this difficult time. If you have lost a loved one in the past year and wish them to be included go here to find out how. You will also find information on what help our Cluster Bereavement Group offer for anyone who has been bereaved.
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).
United in prayer:
Tues 2.45 & Weds 7pm
Our Prayer Foundation invite us all to join in 30 min of silent prayer. For an example of an opening prayer see
here.
For prayer requests email clare.roller@icloud.com
"Compared to this time five years ago, the food banks in our network are providing 128% more emergency food parcels. This is unacceptable.
Poverty isn’t inevitable, and there is something we can all do to help build a future where no one needs a food bank." (Trussell Trust)
South Edinburgh Foodbank
The relevant food bank for the cluster is: 47 Southhouse Broadway EH17 8AS
Phone number 664 9353 Email:
edinburghfoodbank@blythswood.org
- Savoury crackers,
- Chocolate spread,
- Children's small cartons of fruit juice any flavour,
- small jelly fruit tubs any flavour.
Entitlements Page
There are many benefits and grants to which people are entitled. Please let us know of others you have come across.
Click on the picture to go there.
Scottish Child Payment: £10 a week paid monthly for each child under 6.
Thank you to the parishioner who donated £50 to St John Vianney's this week.
The cafe is open on Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 2pm. We are a Fairtrade cafe and there are a selection of Fairtrade items available to buy from the cafe. Check out our Facebook page or email kirkgatecafe@libertonkirk.net
St Catherine's Primary School News
I hope everyone had a restful Eastertime and a retrospective Happy Easter to everyone!
This week, I wanted to take a moment to think about those children, some of whom we have at St. Catherine’s, who are in care or who have been care experienced previously.
April is designated as Care Experienced Month. Some of you may know or have supported a care experienced child. We want people to see that this should not be a barrier to success in life.
John Lennon, Steve Jobs, Coco Chanel, Cher and even Pierce Brosnan are all previously care experienced children.
The City of Edinburgh have made it a mission to ensure that all children in care or who have been in care, get the best chances they can in life and a secure future.
If you would be interested in knowing more about Care Experienced Month or how you can help, look here for more information.
God Bless,
Paul (Headteacher)
Scottish Laity Network:
The lay Catholic woman who runs a parish
Thu 29 April @ 7pm. A conversation with
Elizabeth Simcoe, a lay woman appointed by her bishop to run St. Vincent de Paul parish in Albany, New York. There is a short video.
In order to make it as meaningful as possible for those who would wish to attend we would like to get a general sense of any of the areas or questions you would like to be raised in the conversation.
Please email Scottish Laity Network with your questions and to register.
© GregNJackiGarcia.com