Cluster News

30/31 January

Live streamed Masses here

Dear parishioner,

The power of his miracles drew many to Jesus, but it was the commitment to the Father in his teaching that transformed their hearts. His authority sprang from utter conviction about the love of the Father for us. Today, he teaches us the same truth with the same love-filled authority. Do we have the wisdom to listen with joy in our hearts? Truth is not always easy to ascertain, for it is at the core of every human being.

Fr. Alex

Weekend Liturgy:

Fourth Sunday of the Year B

Children's Liturgy:

Fourth Sunday of the Year B

Level 4 Restrictions

Closure of Places of Worship

except for Funerals or Weddings

see cluster email of 6th January

St Gregory's

Phone: 07401 071 732

St John Vianney's

Phone: 07898 170 282

St Catherine's

Phone: 07869 473 068

All phones lines are closed for booking inquiries but we will continue to monitor them.

Opportunities for Missionary Discipleship

Click on any of the links to find out more.

Hymn of the week: 10,000 Reasons

"I came across it recently and I absolutely love it. It just reminds me I have so much to be thankful for." Mary Morrison



(Got a favourite? alisa.winter@gmail.com)

There will be a Bible Study course starting on Saturday 13th February - and run on a monthly basis on Saturday mornings. Click on the link for more details.

There will also be a series of 6 Lenten Sessions running weekly on Monday evenings starting on 15th February.

There will be yet another opportunity to take part in an Alpha course. This is often the best way to do a bit of “spring cleaning” on your faith life but it’s also a great way to meet new cluster friends online. This is scheduled to start just after Easter.

St Catherine's Primary School

It’s hard to believe that January is almost over.

As we reflect on the old year and look into this new one, many of us will now have a completely new set of words in our vocabulary that we didn’t have this time last year.

Now words and phrases like Zoom Quiz, Teams, SWAY, blended learning and the infamous ‘you’re on mute’ are firmly entrenched in our everyday use.

At St. Catherine’s, we have had to adapt to these new ways of working too. We hope that, rather than leaving all these initiatives behind in the ‘new normal’, we can see them as a legacy and use them to enhance our pupils and how they learn for the future. Maybe we all can?

Keep up the thoughts and prayers for us.

God Bless you all,

Paul (Hunter) Headteacher

Still time to get your chicken angry...

(arrabbiata!) and make your brandy sour...

The Strategy Group (PPC chairs or representative, Parish co-ordinator and leadership team) meets weekly to discuss items and issues relating to the work of the cluster. From time to time, as appropriate, we will publish decisions made by the Strategy Group

1. Local need. The group is alert to the growing hardship experienced by many in the cluster as the pandemic continues. The SSVP conferences from all three parishes will work together to respond to identified needs in various ways arising via parishioners or our local primary schools. We are hoping for a generous response from our parishioners to any appeals for support.

2. Plans for Lent (17 Feb – 26 Mar). Given the uncertainty surrounding when church buildings will re-open, these plans may need modification. There will be a digital Ash Wednesday service (17 Feb). Details nearer the time. The cluster is offering 6 Lenten Sessions on Monday evenings starting on 15th Feb. (See details in the Cluster News). Other opportunities in Lent will be published in the News. Arrangements for the popular Good Friday service are ongoing and we hope to finalise them soon. There are plans to hold a cluster Stations of the Cross on zoom on the previous Wednesday evening (31st Mar).

3. Easter Weekend. If church buildings are open then we would re-run the model used at Christmas, with people booking to attend just one service over the weekend starting with Maundy Thursday. Details nearer the time.

4. Advent Charity. The Strategy Group approved support of Pregnancy Counselling and Care Scotland during its Advent Sessions and was happy to publish their chairperson’s appreciation of our support in the Cluster News.

Thank you from PCCS (Pregnancy Counselling and Care, Scotland)

Could I, on behalf of the Board of Trustees of Pregnancy Counselling and Care ( Scotland), thank you all at Alpha for giving us the opportunity of speaking about our charity during your Advent sessions. We are a small charity and getting the word out is difficult and since the pandemic we have been struggling to survive and your interest has been a lift for us at a very low time.

I would also like to thank the very generous people who have given us donations which will help us considerably. We are so grateful for the support and interest.

With thanks again,

Anthea (Chair of the Board)

Justice Matters:  Become Who God wants you to be 

Winter, no longer disguised with Christmas trees and flashing lights has it seems set in for the long haul.  For some people the pandemic, bereavement, home conditions and financial insecurity have combined to make it hugely difficult.  We are also on the cusp of change – winter will cede to spring and the days already hold testament to that, in their lengthening hours.  We too, will change and we can bring more light to ourselves and others in this world.  See the GCCM calendar of resolutions.  No.5 on this list is the title above and is “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.” (Laudato Si' 217)

See: Where are signs of people being who God wants them to be?  Where are signs of that not happening?  At the moment we are all awaiting the hope of vaccination. We see signs that the vaccine distribution is not fair. A report from Global Justice says that richer countries have bought up enough vaccine to immunise their populations 3 times over whilst developing countries will only be able to vaccinate 1 in 10 people in the next year.  We also see that our government is resisting suspending patent rules to allow more access by poorer countries.

Reflect:  When children don’t share, as adults we usually feel it is our duty to correct them.  We don’t want them to be selfish.  But is our economic system just that? Selfish.  As Christians do we have a duty to call that out even at our own expense?  Christ tells us to love our neighbour.  How far was he willing to go to do that?  How much more peace would there be if we were less selfish?

Act:  There is much we can do in lockdown to help and the calendar of resolutions gives us ideas which suggest both personal and political action. Resolution 6 is to read more or find out more. See Christian Aid website asking for debt deletion or visit the Global Justice website.  Laudato Si' is summarised in two pages here. As hopefully people already know, they are warmly welcomed at the Eco Circle or Israel/Palestinian prayer group. 
You are held in prayer

Please remember in your prayers those who are sick:

Elizabeth Salvona,

Violet and Bowie Salvona,

Paul Flockhart

David

 Margaret Martin,

Fr Eugen,

Evelyn Levine,

James Duffy,

Ronan Boyle,

John Boyle,

Binne Vries,

Hazel Martin,

Paul Brennan,

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 and Algorta, Spain

I am the Resurrection and the Life

We remember in love:


Those who have died recently

Jane Michelle Doyle,

Margaret Horyn,

Mary Malone,

Conan Murie,

Marie Ireland,

Hugh Gibbons


Anniversaries

St Gregory's

Jim Cahill, John McCole

Irene McNulty, Christopher Abbot

St John Vianney's

Catherine Cunningham, Edward Carr,

Julia Brattesani, Ellen Malone,

Harold MacMillan, Ann Nolan,

George Klimzack, James Lee,

Mary Korotkich, Michael McCabe,

Marion Mitowski, Yves Froude,

Kenny Monkhouse, Andrew Millar,

Alice Geogheghan, William Cairnie,

Helen Simpson, Mary Birdsall,

James McNulty, George Milligan,

James Carrigan.

St Catherine's

Agnes Manderson, Francis Cassidy,

Matthew Rodgers, Margaret Lewis,

Thomas McManus,

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

South Edinburgh Foodbank

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

  • Fray Bentos pies,
  • Tinned Mac Cheese,
  • Tinned Custard,
  • Tinned Rice,
  • Sponge puddings,
  • Super Noodles,
  • Ladies and gents shampoo.

Entitlements Page

There are many benefits and grants to which people are entitled  but often they are not aware of these. We are going to put all these in an entitlements page. Please let us know of others you have come across.

Click on the picture to go there.

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.

Double the love: the government will match your donations! 

This is the last day on which public donations made to our Double The Love appeal will be matched by the UK government, up to £2 million.

Human fraternity for peace and living together Catholic Bishops' Conference & Ahl Al-Bait Society

Mon 1 Feb, 5-7 pm. The conference will mark the signing of the document of Human Fraternity by Pope Francis and Sheikh Al Azhar. Keynote speakers are Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali and Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald. Register here

Light in the Darkness: John Bell
Tue 2 Feb @ 7:30pm. On the Feast of Candlemas, the Iona Community’s John Bell will stop by to explore ways of coping with the Covid crisis. Zoom details here.

Justice and Peace Planning meeting 

Come and Join Us

You are warmly welcomed to the J and P meeting on Wednesday 3rd February as we plan our actions for the next year. Among the themes the group is pursuing is poverty both local, national and international. It would be great to see you. Please register to get the link for this meeting.

A human being is a part of the whole, called by us “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

Letter of condolence from Albert Einstein to a friend.