Dear Sisters and brothers,
As we begin the Season of Advent today, we may be tempted to focus on our material preparations for Christmas or the glitzy side of the season. The gospel asks us, instead, to stay awake and stand ready. How can we be more alert to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the Poor? To those in need of a kind word? Are we prepared for Christ when we don't expect him?
Fr Alex
Prayer Resources:
1st Sunday of Advent A
Children's Resources:
1st Sunday of Advent A
St Gregory The Great Open Meeting
Future of St John Vianney's
Saturday 3rd December after the 6pm Vigil Mass.
Parishioners of St Gregory the Great are invited to an Open Parish Meeting, as part of the formal process, to discuss a proposal from our sister parish of St John Vianney that they "remain a distinct parish and hold their 9.30 Mass on Sundays at Saint Gregory's". Teas and Coffees will be served in the hall afterwards.
Finance update
There was a new decree issued by the Archdiocese last month which means that each parish is to give a further percentage of their offertory takings towards the Aged and Infirm Fund for our priests. Please go here to find out what this additional levy will now mean for our three parishes.
In light of this, and also to provide an update on our present finances, we will have a Finance presentation at each Mass in the Cluster over the weekend of 26/27 November.
Advent and Christmas Fair Trade Stalls
Sun 27 Nov - Advent fairtrade stall with a selection of advent themed goods as well as early Christmas presents and our usual selection of food and toiletries.
Sun 11 Dec - Christmas fairtrade stall with a selection of gifts and edibles.
Both in St Catherine's hall after 11am Mass. All welcome to come and have a look.
Advent and Christmas services
As we arrive at end of the Church Year with the celebration of the Feast of Christ the King, we will then enter the season of Advent, culminating with the great feast of Christmas. Here are some important dates for your calendar:
Cluster Advent Reconciliation Service: Thu 8 Dec - 7pm, St Gregory's
Christmas Eve Mass: Sat 24 Dec - 6pm, St John Vianney's
Christmas Eve Mass: Sat 24 Dec - 8pm, St Catherine's
Christmas Day Mass: Sun 25 Dec - 10am, St Gregory's
Next Advent Evening 30 November
We had our first Advent evening last Wednesday - click on the picture to watch. Our next one is this Wednesday 30th Nov 7-8pm when we will reflect on the Word, share our thoughts and get ourselves ready to welcome the Christ child. These are produced by cluster parishioners themselves and you are very welcome to join us on this zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6114323683 or, if you need help beforehand, contact southedclust@btinternet.com
New Alpha starting in January
How’s your relationship with God doing these days? Do you find yourself wishing it was better? Or that you had more time for Him? Are you missing Him? Alpha is starting up again in the New Year. We won’t be telling you things about God or about your faith. That’s for you to discover yourself. Watch this space for further details. The Alpha Team
Quiet Time to prepare for Advent
There will be a Quiet Time at Liberton Northfield Church, Gilmerton Road, on Saturday 3 December from 11.00-12.00 in the morning, with coffee/tea beforehand from 10.30. It's an opportunity to have a moment of peace and reflection amidst the busy run-up to Christmas, shared with our friends in the other local churches. Clare Roller and Jacqui Sanger from the Contemplation Group are leading it. Do come!
Waiting in Hope
Sun 11 Dec from 2 till 4pm. You are warmly invited to a Prayer Foundation Advent prayer afternoon at St Catherine’s church It will be led by Pat Thomas. All very welcome. Please drop in for as long or as short as you wish.
Cluster Administrator working hours
Please note that Carol has changed her working hours to Monday and Friday mornings. You can contact our lovely Cluster Administrator in person, on the usual phone number 0131 563 8391 or by email. Thank you for the wonderful work you do, Carol! 👼
Next steps on the Church's synodal journey
Enlarge the Space of your Tent
Taken from Isaiah, this is the title of the First Working Document which synthesises reports from 112 bishops' conferences, different religious orders and around 150 lay groups, based on the largest consultation exercise conducted in human history, in which our Cluster also took part earlier this year. One of the main findings was that Catholics repeatedly expressed the desire for a more welcoming, inclusive Church that eradicates the misuse of power. For a summary go here.
Two main changes have been made to the synodal process in order to allow for further discussion, reflection and discernment not only by the Synod of Bishops, but by the whole Church.
Each bishop is now requested “to bring the document to the knowledge of his [diocese]” and to “arrange an ecclesial process of discernment” on it, which will be submitted to their Bishops’ Conference. The Conferences will then submit a report to inform the next continental phase of the synodal journey which involves bishops, priests, deacons, religious, as well as lay Catholics. The European Assembly will take place in the Czech Republic on 5-12 February 2023.
The syntheses of the Continental Assemblies will then inform, in a Second Working Document, the final [universal] phase of the Synod in Rome. However, that phase will now be spread over two gatherings, in October 2023 and October 2024. It underlines that Pope Francis wants synodality to become a “constitutive” part of the Church. In his words, the Synod "is not an event but a process in which the whole People of God is called to walk together toward what the Holy Spirit helps it to discern as being the Lord's will for his Church."
Cluster Christmas Lunch - Sat 17 Dec 🎅🎄
@ 12.30pm for our Cluster Seniors in St Catherine’s Church Hall. ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’ when as friends we get together to enjoy a lovely meal, good chat and an enjoyable sing song (going ahead this year!)
We will be asking shortly for your names and if you have any dietary requirements and if transport is required. We look forward to welcoming you there.
Love, the Santa Team
Cluster Christmas Carol Concert 🎄🎵
Tue 20 Dec @ 7.30pm in St Catherine’s. 🎶 Please come along and support our Cluster Christmas Choir. They have been working hard to put on a really enjoyable, fun, happy Christmas Concert (postponed from last year).
It costs £5 a ticket, which will be donated to support our Cluster Community Lunches. Refreshments afterwards in the church hall. Tickets on sale soon. Come and join the fun, why not wear your Christmas jumpers! 🎅🎵
Justice Matters: This Sunday is the first of the advent season. Advent is about waiting in hope and preparing for Christ's birth. The season reminds us that waiting is not a passive act but one which has a purpose and in which we have a part to play. The gospel today talks about how Noah waited and prepared for the flood whilst those around him carried on as normal, choosing their comfortable lifestyle and choosing to ignore the signs.
SEE: Today's gospel shouts out the importance of failing to read the signs. The signs of climate change are everywhere and we have just concluded COP 27 with mixed results. “Securing a Loss and Damage fund was a huge victory for global South countries who stood strong and united ….. On the debit side, there was no advance on agreements made in Glasgow concerning the phasing out of fossil fuels, letting countries like the UK off the hook for their ongoing expansion plans in the North Sea and elsewhere." Edinburgh Climate Coalition – System Change Not Climate Change. Other signs include inequality in our own world, also in our own country. The Big Issue says “Inequality in the UK is among the worst in the developed world, according to researchers. People in poverty, disabled people, Black and minority ethnic communities and migrants are disproportionately impacted by financial hardship and barriers to healthcare. UK inequality: What you need to know - The Big Issue
REFLECT: In a homily the Pope stressed that "we are not alone," and that "we need the Lord's help" in order to "understand the signs of the times." He went on to say, the Holy Spirit "gives us this present, a gift: the intelligence to understand." Pope Francis highlighted how "it is beautiful to ask the Lord for this grace, who sends us this spirit of intelligence, in order that we avoid weak thought, we do not have a restricted thought and we do not have a thought according to personal preference.” Pope Francis: Use intelligence to understand signs of the times | Catholic News Agency
ACT: Advent encourages us to wait with hope and prepare. Perhaps find out about the Edinburgh Climate Coalition. Perhaps join an Advent group – the cluster alpha group is holding their annual evenings which I can recommend. Also the Scottish Laity Network are doing a series of talks “Advent Journey 2022 ~ Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees." Advent calendars are all about waiting and preparing – why not sign up for the new injustice calendar from Transform Trade (as was Traidcraft)? How about a Fair Trade Advent Calendar with opportunities to win lots of lovely prizes FAIRTRADE LAUNCHES VIRTUAL ETHICAL ADVENT CALENDAR WITH EXQUISITE PRIZES WORTH OVER £2,500.
Tricia Kaminski
Please remember in your prayers
Those who are unwell
Those in need of prayer
Michael Bell, Nicola Cameron, Margaret Adams,
Christine, Grace Kay, Michael Martin,
Bridie Addison, Tracey, Rebecca,
Valerie Anderson, Maria Lucaci,
Zoila Melgarejo, Kate, Susie Hay, Anne McKain,
Joe MacDonald, Rose Ross, Camilo Rodriguez,
Edison Villabona, Gloria Camargo,
Anne-Marie Davie, Joe McConnell,
Carolyn Larter, Christine Knox,
Patrick Phelan, Ellen Salvona,
Nilsa de Rodriguez, Belén Rodriguez,
Rudy Deras, Stevie Donald, Kathy Duffy, Mary, Verdiana and Donati Kweka (Tanzania),
Eammon McKelvey, Alex McGinnity,
Patricia Simmons, Elizabeth Napier,
George Pringle, Sr. Veronica, John, Jennifer, Maureen Lawson, Bailey Bruce McCann,
Betty Dickinson, Annette, Catherine Hart,
Karen Devlin, Scott Fraser, John Skinner,
Fr Eugen, James Duffy, Ronan Boyle,
Hazel Martin, Mary Boyle, Mary Dias,
Catriona McAuley, Marie, Roney Fernandes,
Christopher Browne, Xaverina Rodrigues,
Anne and Helen,
Sacred Heart sisters in Uganda.
I am the Resurrection and the Life
We remember in love
Those who have died recently
Mary Thomson,
Sadie McCole,
Bridget Goonan,
Nancy Barta,
Miriam Rodriguez de Chanagá,
Colm O'Brien,
Molly Dobson,
Joy Ellison,
Chris Swanston,
Marlene Bonnar.
Anniversaries
George Stewart,Tress Witte,
Michael Witte, James Hughes (Snr), Leonard Twist, Michael Boylan,
James Hughes, Ellen McNeill,
Charles Clarkin, Irene Boynes, Edward Gay, Eric Innes, Betty Brock, Thomas Allan, James Grimley, Madge Hall,
Joseph O’Rourke, Mary Lightly,
Ann Blackwell, Fiona Harrold,
Patrick Sibbald, Freda Bowman,
Margaret Topping, Evelyn Robson,
Robert Robson (Jnr), Betty Curran,
Marie Williams, Father Albert Gardner, James Maxwell Ingram,
Matilde Arimbuyutan.
May they rest in peace.
Our Remembrance Gallery is in memory of the loved ones we have lost during the pandemic. If you wish a loved one 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.
Please join us in Contemplative prayer
on Tuesday afternoons 2.40 to 3.45 at Liberton Northfield 280 Gilmerton Road EH16 5TT
If you prefer you can join us on Zoom or just pray with us while you are at home. Contact
Clare Roller
Boxes for our local foodbank
Please bring items listed below to any of our church buildings or either of our Catholic Primary Schools for the foodbank - or take them to:
Items needed this week:
Thanks for the Cash Donation.
New opening hours for the Food Bank are
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10am until 1.30pm
Are you struggling? We are here to help
If you, or anyone you know, is in need of financial support or a friendly telephone chat, call our SSVP in the Cluster:
St John Vianney's 07922 675196,
St Gregory's 07455 306607
St Catherine's 07539 266411.
If you would like to make a donation go here
Parish Register – Annual Review
At this time each year, we review all the information held on our Parish Registers.
If you have changed your name, postal address, phone number or email address within the last twelve months, could you please email southedclust@btinternet.com with your new details. We can then make the changes to the Parish Register.
If you are new to our Cluster and would like to receive our weekly electronic newsletter and other important information throughout the year, we would ask you to consider registering with our parish communities. If you have internet access, the easiest way to do this is to click on this link - Parish Register Form - and complete the registration form. If you don’t have internet access, please ask one of the Welcome Team at Mass for a paper copy of the registration form. Please complete it and return it to St Catherine's Parish House, 2 Captain's Row, Edinburgh, EH16 6QP.
If nothing has changed in the last twelve months, the good news is that you don’t need to do anything.
If you aren’t sure if we hold up-to-date details for you, it is very easy for us to check. Just drop an email to southedclust@btinternet.com and we will check and get back to you.
We are very grateful to everybody for their help with this.
Gerry Mulvenna
St Catherine's Primary School News
A support to so many
Paul Hunter pays tribute to Mary Thomson:
This week, I had the absolute honour to join with so many others from near and far to celebrate the life of Mary Thomson.
Mary was one of the first Parishioners I met when a started at St. Catherine’s and I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with her over the years.
She was an ear and a shoulder to lots of us and a support to so many of our families in our school. Numerous times, a fleeting or passing comment would then result in Mary appearing at the school with the matter ‘taken care of’ and a family in need no longer.
From the many beautiful tributes said in Mary’s memory, it was clear that all who gathered to honour her will remember the amazing person she was and all she did for many, many years to come as summed up beautifully in Johns’ Gospel - "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”
May she rest in peace.
St Columba’s Justice and Peace Group
New talk: A View from Within
Sat 3 Dec @ 10.30am. The new speaker is Brian Gowans, Vicar Episcopal for Justice and Peace. As President of the International Commission of Catholic Prison Pastoral Care, he will provide some thought-provoking aspects of prisons and prisoners and their rehabilitation. St Columba’s Main Hall, Upper Gray Street EH9 1SN. Coffee from 10.00am.
Scottish Laity Network Advent Journey 2022
Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees
Series of talks on Zoom. First talk on Thu 1 Dec @ 7pm by Alistair Dutton: Chief Executive of SCIAF, on 'The Extreme Suffering of the People of Tigray'. He will explain the background to the conflict in Tigray and SCIAF’s response to the letter of +Abune Tesfaselassie Medhin, Bishop of Adigrat Eparchy, Tigray-Ethiopia. He will also share on the recent agreement on a ‘permanent cessation of hostilities’ and the role the church can play in peace building. Register here. For the full series go here.
St Gregory’s traditional Christmas raffle.
We have kindly been donated a hamper to raffle for Christmas to help us raise some funds for the parish. Any other donations of prizes would be most welcome.
Our thoughts are if you want to join in we suggest you put a donation of what you can afford in an envelope marked St Gregory’s raffle, your name and contact number on it (you could be the winner). Envelopes can be dropped of at Mass. Community has always been at the heart of what we do in St Gregory’s and we thank you in advance for any donations you can afford.
The draw will take place Saturday 17th Dec after Mass. Thank you again for your support.
Jacinta
Helping Santa – Sun 11 Dec
St Catherine’s Parish have been asked by the local SW Santa helpers to help with gifts for children in our area this year again. If you are able to donate to this, please wrap the gift marking it for a Girl or Boy and an age (0–16 yrs) and place under the Christmas tree. Date tbc by next week. It’s so important we help as much as we can, but you have never let them down. Many, many thanks in advance for this. Brian and Catherine
Annual St Catherine's
Christmas raffle
will begin on the first Sunday in December. Raffle tickets will be on sale at the back of the church - £1 a strip. All funds raised will be presented to Father Alex at Christmas.
Any questions please see Maureen Philips.
