5th Sunday of the Year (b)
5th week of the year. (b)
Times of Mass and Confession:
Sundays:
Vigil Mass (Saturday) 6.00 p.m. & 10.00 a.m.
Weekday:
9.00 a.m. (Monday, Wednesday)
11.30 a.m. (Tuesday – Funeral Mass)
No Mass or Service on Thursday, Friday or Saturday mornings.
Confessions: After Mass on Saturday morning.
Please remember the following parishioners, relatives and friends in your prayers:
Sick: John McPartland, Veronica Allan, Irene Callan, Elizabeth Brown, Patricia Allison, Bridget Ferry, Margaret Bowen, Biddy Bonner, Nora Wood, Eddie Mulligan.
Anniv: John McParlane, Ellen Sweeney, Peter Allan.
Died: Matthew Coll, Annie O’Donnell.
Sunday: The Coffee morning takes place in the Hall after 10.00 a.m. Mass with the Fair Trade group in charge. All welcome.
Sunday: There will be a meeting of the social committee in the Hall after Mass. New members welcome to come along with ideas and enthusiasm to create a programme for the months ahead.
Diary Dates:
18th February: Annual Mass in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes at 3.00 p.m. in the Church. All welcome. Refreshments will be served in the Hall afterwards.
19th February: The first in a series of Lenten Reflections at the Lauriston Centre. This one is on the theme “Who Is My Neighbour? Their Story is Our Story – Immigrants in the Bible” and will be led by the renowned Scripture Scholar, Father Nicholas King S.J. He will be reflecting at what the Bible teaches about looking after foreigners and the marginalised: turning refugees into friends made in God’s image and likeness; the traps to avoid, the secret of getting it right. It begins at 7.30 p.m.
21st February: Safeguarding Training Level 1: a training session will take place in Our Lady’s Church Hall at 7.00p.m. All newly approved volunteers are required to attend Level 1 training and some of you did it at St. Cuthbert’s last year. There are some who could not make that session so must now come to a session. Other volunteers are very welcome to attend. The implications of not taking part in a training session are serious in that it means you would not be able to carry out the work for which you have volunteered. If you cannot manage this one there are other opportunities through February, (10th February at the Cathedral Hall from 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. or 20th February from 7.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.) If in doubt please ask.
6th – 13th July: The annual Archdiocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, led by Archbishop Cushley, will take place. 2018 marks the 160th anniversary of the apparitions. Booking is now open and I have some forms and information if you are interested. I have a limited supply in the sacristy. You can also find information at www.edinburgh-lourdes.com. You can also contact the travel agents direct at Tangney Tours, Pilgrim House, Station Court, Borough Green, Kent TN15 8AF (Tel. 0131.564.0644 or 0800.917.357) ) or email to info@tangney-tours.com). Booking for the Saint-Frai Centre must be done through the Hospital Booking Secretary, 61 Hailes Gardens, Edinburgh EH13 0JN – Tel 0131.441.1939.
Emergency Cover: I will be attending the meeting of European Pilgrimage Directors in Lourdes from Thursday of this week until Tuesday 13th February. In the event of an emergency please contact Father Tom on 449.2372 or Father Tony Quinlan (St. John Ogilvie’s) on 453.5035 who have kindly agreed to provide cover.
My thanks go to them and to those parishioners who will be looking after the Church and house in my absence. I will be remembering all of you and your intentions in my prayers at the Grotto in Lourdes.
Church Cleaning: The Church cleaning teams urgently require new members. The Church, at the moment, is cleaned fortnightly but unless new recruits come forward the current teams may have to be amalgamated and clean every three/four weeks. The commitment is to 2 hours maximum every eight weeks. If you would like to help or wish further information please contact Jean O’Rourke on 443.4651. Following on the success of the ‘Big Clean’ just before Christmas a similar event will be held before Easter. Watch this space for more details in due course. Please check, before you leave the Church, that you have not left anything behind especially food, crumbs etc. This will deter unwanted four legged visitors.
Lighting of Votive Candles: I have noticed a couple of things with regard to the Votive Candle stand and the lighting of candle. In the interest of safety please note the following. Please do not use candles to light other candles. If the candle lighter needs refilled either bring it to the sacristy yourself or ask one of the Passkeepers to do so. Unaccompanied children should not be lighting candles. There must be an adult with them. Please do not lean over into the area behind the candle stand. This could cause you to overbalance and hurt yourself.
With every best wish and Blessing
To you, your families
and those who are dear to you,
Monsignor Tony
