Live streamed Masses here
Dear parishioner,
An action packed newsletter this week. I hope that this edition finds you all well. On behalf of everyone who has been involved in its evolution and production we wish you a Holy and peaceful Sunday.
When we think of afterlife it is usually death that concerns us. Is not the Christian message that what matters most is living well in the prelude to it? A thought often overlooked, that Christians believe in life before death, as well as life after it...
So the message in our gospel today of 'Stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour' is an invitation into a life lived for God and others. It’s an invitation, a summons rather than a warning, a call to examine how we are living in the present.
Today as we take another step on our month of remembrance and on this Remembrance Sunday, may we be a living memory of Christ and his message as well as a living memory of the many Saints that have gone before us showing us through their example the way to the Kingdom.
Fr. Alex
Prayer resources for adults:
32nd Sunday A
Children's resources:
32nd Sunday A
Mass available in our three parishes
We would encourage you to make use of the phone option only if you are unable to book online. This will make things easier for those who are managing the booking system.
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
This is an invitation to a second service for All Souls designed for use on 11th November, Remembrance Day. The link for this service is now active. We suggest you have a candle ready to light - and some tissues...
The first service, for the Feast of All Souls, was widely praised (see "Sincere thanks") and rightly so. Our Bereavement Group together with Fr Alex have created two very special and moving tributes to our deceased relatives and friends. The Strategy Group (comprising the Leadership team and the Chairs of the PPCs) send their warmest congratulations and sincere thanks to the Bereavement Group and all those involved! The link for the first service is here.
A big thank you to all who prepared, put together & took part in the beautiful Holy Souls service. It was a very deeply moving & powerful service. We are truly blessed to have so many talented & committed people in our cluster.
The readings, music & illustrations were just perfect & appropriate. Well done & a heartfelt thanks to everyone who obviously put their hearts & souls into making & producing such a wonderful service in these difficult times. I hope & pray all those who watched it found it as comforting as I did. Thank you for including 2 of my relatives who died very suddenly recently. I was very touched by this gesture as neither of them belong to any of the cluster parishes. May God bless you all & keep you safe.
Maureen Martin (SJV)
Children's Liturgy on Zoom Unfortunately, there has not been sufficient interest in a zoom meeting for the children to gather as they did every Sunday. However, it will soon be Christmas, and we are hoping that our children will want to get involved in our Nativity activities. More details soon but make sure you watch this space!
Thank you time...
For those of us who are missing our weekly Eucharist - and even for those who have returned - one big miss must be the hymn singing and the wonderful uplifting music that we probably took for granted at times...
Thankfully - and we mean that! - our instrumentalists and cantors have not lost a beat in the pandemic. In true Titanic style, they have produced psalms and hymns of superb quality and have continued to play on through it all - their commitment and virtuosity undiminished. We say "thank you" and "Encore!"
200 Club October winner was number 86
During Advent there is a plan to hold weekly sessions in the run-up to Christmas. The sessions will probably run on
Monday evenings but, if people agree to them being recorded, then they will be available at any time with the appropriate link.
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”.
One pot wonder: Sausage Casserole
washed down with Cider Gingerade
Double the love
In this year of so many challenges for us all, there is also some good news. From today until 31 Jan 2021 public donations made to our Double The Love appeal will be matched by the UK government, up to £2 million. A basket will be in the front porch or at the back of St Gregory's Church for this very needy cause.
Justice matters: Autumn/Advent, Seasons of Preparation
It’s autumn. A season which can feel a little overlooked, an in–between period. It hasn’t the pull of its younger siblings’ spring or summer; with their calls to new life and later to holiday and excitement. Its older sibling winter boasts of snow, Christmas and celebration. Autumn however has its quieter purpose. It’s the time, animals prepare for hibernation. Storing food and creating their nests. Farmers use autumn to prepare their land for the following year. People retreat inside and focus on preparing a cosy space.
See: An important ingredient of autumn is preparation and looking forward with hope. We see many people who looking forward, can see little hope. We see the people who are harmed by the lockdown that despite its necessity has a brutal effect on lives both here in Edinburgh and abroad. We see many with no home to prepare due to homelessness caused by climate change, war and poverty.
Reflect: The readings today speak of wisdom, preparation and hope. They seem to complement each other. Perhaps we need to reflect whether we are being wise in our preparations. Is it all about me or are we interconnected? Am I only responsible for myself or will I be asked whether I helped others to prepare? The gospel tells us that the wise handmaidens did not simply refuse to give away their oil but explained that they had only sufficient. Do I have more than is sufficient? Does that give me greater responsibility?
Act: Food poverty is real in this country as it is abroad. Does our food system help or hinder food poverty? Find out more at nourishscotland.org. The Trussel trust runs the SE Edinburgh food bank and two parishioners visited it this week. You can watch their report here. November sees action by SCIAF and others to push for a just and green recovery. Find out more here
You are held in prayer
Please remember in your prayers those who are sick:
Irene McKay
Paul Brennan
Maureen McMahon
Gerrard Salvona
Avril McSorley
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
Maureen McMahon
Gerrard Salvona
Avril McSorley
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:
Carmel McKeever
Ethel
Rodger Leggatt
Mary Meehan
Kathleen Jones
Danny Byrne
Mrs. Catriona McKinnon
Mary Meehan
Kathleen Jones
Danny Byrne
Mrs. Catriona McKinnon
Anniversaries
Sr Gregory's
Maria Stewart
St Catherine’sMary Love
St John Vianney'sBetty McGinley
Peter Finney
Craig Wilkie
Betty Forbes,
Francis Geoghegan
Ann Watson
Nora Dennison
Maria Elisa Stewart
David B Marshall
Rose Walker
Anthony Milligan.
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
Visiting the SE Edinburgh Food Bank
Louise Ford and Maureen Wallbanks visited the local food bank which features every week in our news. We see inside and hear from Rosie the manager about its work.
Not to be missed!
The relevant food bank for the cluster is:
47 Southhouse Broadway EH17 8AS
Phone number 664 9353Email edinburghfoodbank@blythswood.org
Items needed this week
- Eggs, beans, rice, corned beef, fruit, jars of baby food.
- 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
would like to say a huge thanks for all the items delivered and for the three generous cash donation from our Cluster parishioners.
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.
7. How does God guide us?
Mondays 7pm on Zoom. Please pray for them as they seek to take the next steps on their faith journey. Send them a message of encouragement.
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.
Scottish Catholic Safeguarding Service
Safeguarding in a pandemic: How virtual lives create more challenges for the Church
Sat 14 Nov, 11am - 1.30pm. The webinar will focus on safeguarding and online risks in the pandemic both internationally and locally here in Scotland.
For details email Tina Campbell, National Safeguarding Coordinator