Noticeboard

NOTICES
for SUNDAY 29 JUNE 2025

Peter’s Pence
Today, there is a special collection to support the Holy Father in his mission at the service of the universal Church.  Your contribution is an expression of support for the needs of the Catholic Church around the world and the charitable works it carries out.  Thank you for your generosity.

Taizé Prayer
Taizé Prayer continues this Tuesday and every Tuesday at 7pm in the Manresa Room for an hour – a weekly time of prayer in the style of the Taizé community with scripture, music, prayer, silence and reflection.  All are welcome.

華人天主教團體彌撒 | Mass for the Chinese Catholic Community
will next be celebrated on Sunday 13 July at 2pm.  All welcome.

Music at 10.30am Mass Today
Before Mass: Improvisation on two hymn tunes
Communion: Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643) Ricercare from Messa degli Apostoli
Recessional: Théodore Salomé (1834-96) Grand Choeur

Day for Life
The Day for Life special collection raised £192.  Thank you.

Bookshop
Cards and gifts for first communion and confirmation are available in the bookshop which is open after Sunday Masses.  We also have new Sunday Missals (£19.95) and ESV Bibles (£20) – the new translation being used for readings at Mass.

Renovations
Work begins this week to replace the old boilers which service the church, the residence and the Lauriston Hall.  Five boilers, two of which have failed, will be replaced with two energy efficient boilers and new condenser flues will be installed in an existing chimney.  Work will then begin to install underfloor piping for the new radiators in the church.  This pipework employs new technology with flexible pipes that have no joins, meaning that the floor does not need to be lifted to effect repairs.  New radiators should improve heating in the winter and be aesthetically more pleasing.

New pews, in American white oak, are currently under construction in Liverpool – broadly following the prototype which you can see in the church but with some modifications made at the suggestion by parishioners.  The new pews will arrive in batches to replace the old pews over the summer (what can be salvaged of the wood will be recycled in other projects by the firm making the benches). 

In September, we expect to start work on the floor itself – removing the old carpet and installing ceramic terracotta tiles.  Four different tile patterns will be used in the four distinct areas of the church: the narthex, the areas of congregational seating, the processional and side aisles, and the “solea” (the area immediately in front of the sanctuary).  The four traditional “rivers” flowing from the font (in its new location at the back/entrance to the church) will be incorporated into the floor tile patterns.  The “rivers”, flowing north, south, east and west, represent the rivers of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:10-14) and, as they meet the base of the sanctuary, the river of life flowing from the foundations of the Temple (Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22).  More details of the tile designs are on display in the narthex.

Brickwork from around 1900 which closed up the original windows in the apse above the sanctuary has now been removed and work to make the new stained-glass windows will begin shortly at the Derix Glasstudios in Germany (the oldest stained-glass workshop in Europe) under the guidance of glass artist, Sarah Galloway.  The two 3½ metre high windows will feature six local saints: Ninian, Columba, Cuthbert, John Duns Scotus, Queen Margret of Scotland and King David of Scotland.  Each saint will be represented by an emblem from his or her life story.  The curtains above the sanctuary will be removed, opening up a large space which will be filled with light from the west-facing windows.  More information about the new windows is on display in the narthex.

RCIA – The Journey to Becoming Catholic
Over the summer months we run monthly sessions for those preparing to join the RCIA programme (the journey to becoming a Roman Catholic by baptism or reception into the Church at Easter 2026) in September.  Please bring this to the attention of anyone who might be interested.  To find out more and register a place, contact Andrew Cassidy (Parish Pastoral Associate) at ejcpastoral@jesuit.org.uk

RCIA – Sponsors Needed
At Easter, twenty-two people were either baptized or received into the Catholic Church as they completed the RCIA programme – the journey to becoming Catholics.  We need volunteers to be sponsors for those beginning the journey this September.  If you can help or would like to find out more, please contact Andrew Cassidy at ejcpastoral@jesuit.org.uk

Study Catholic Theology in Edinburgh
Registration is now open for the MA in Applied Catholic Theology at St Mary's University campus in Edinburgh.  Details at bit.ly/catholictheology. Watch the preview webinar on the YouTube channel of the archdiocese.  Queries: stephen.dolan@stmarys.ac.uk

Life before Death: The Psychology of Flourishing
Friday 4 - Sunday 6 July 2025 at St Mary’s Retreat Centre, Kinnoull, Perth
Too often the Christian life and spirituality seems more concerned with life after death than with life before death and living life to the full.  Recent psychological research into flourishing has found five dimensions: positive emotions; positive relationships; engagement; meaning; and accomplishment.  All of this is underpinned by character.  Fr Dawson will explain this approach and show the links with our faith and Ignatian spirituality.  Roger Dawson is a Jesuit priest, spiritual director, psychologist and Superior of the Jesuits in Scotland.  More at kinnoullmonastery.co.uk/courses/life-before-death-the-psychology

Recruiting Stewards for Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts 2025
Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts is recruiting stewards for concerts, events and exhibitions from 10 to 16 August.  Allocation of hours is flexible with a minimum of 10-12 hours over the course of the week.  Remuneration £12 per hour.  See full programme at edinburghsacredartsfestival.org  Contact gordon.graham@ptsem.edu

What is God? Philosophical, Christian and Islamic Approaches
The Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst College offers its annual course in partnership with CEPHAS looking at the nature and knowledge of God from a pre-religious, philosophical understanding, before comparing the Islamic concept of God with the Christian, leaning on St Thomas Aquinas’ elaboration of the Trinity and the Incarnation.  22-25 August.  More at christianheritagecentre.com/events/what-is-god

Blessed Antonio Rosmini: Priest, Philosopher & Prophet
A talk by Fr Antonio Bellsito IC at St Kentigern's Church, 26-28 Parkgrove Avenue, EH4 7QR, on Tuesday 1 July at 6pm. Mass will follow the talk. Refreshments served.

Choral Scholarships
We offer eight choral scholarships (two each SATB) singing at the Sunday 10.30am Mass during term time and, for those who are resident in Edinburgh, at Christmas and Easter.  Choral scholarships are open to anyone in full time education from 16+ to postgraduate studies.  The scholarships are funded by a bequest and pay £36 for each Sunday.  Auditions for the next university year (September 2025 to May 2026) take place in September.  We would generally expect applicants to be at Grade 7 or above in classical singing or equivalent.  Please draw this opportunity to the notice of any talented young singer who might be interested.  More details on the parish website and in a leaflet in the narthex and online here. 

Supporting Music at Edinburgh Jesuit Church
Our choral scholarships are funded by a generous bequest.  But we have to buy sheet music and pay royalties on some music we use.  The cost of each new piece we introduce to our repertoire is around £35.  Your support is greatly appreciated, especially if you attend the Sunday 10.30am Mass.   You can make cash donations to the “music” box in the narthex or more a contactless donation in the bookshop after Sunday Mass.

Ministries
A great many people help to keep the Sacred Heart Church open and fulfilling its mission as a Jesuit city church.  We always need more help.  As the summer approaches, please give some thought to whether you are able to lend a hand, however limited your time or energy.  Among the many ministries are:

• Readers for Sunday and weekday Masses

• Eucharistic ministers (Sunday Masses)

• Visitors to the sick and housebound

• Cleaners

• Hospitality (coffee after Sunday Masses)

• Collection counters (Mondays monthly 10am)

• Welcomers (at Sunday Masses)

• Voluntary choir

• Singers/instrumentalists at Sunday 7pm Mass

• Flower arrangers

• Help with the bookshop (after Sunday Masses)

• Altar servers

  Please get in touch if you are interested in finding out more: ejc@jesuit.org.uk

Please remember in your prayers all those of our parish who are sick or housebound including Anna Campli, Mary Cherry, Patrick Conboy, Sandra Fleming, Benedicte Gasparde, John McManus, Phyllis Reid, Betty Saria and Anthony Strachan.

Edinburgh Jesuit Centre Mailing List
Each Friday afternoon, we send out a short email reminder of concerts, talks, retreats and other events at Sacred Heart Church.  Join the mailing list by emailing ejcpastoral@jesuit.org.uk  You can unsubscribe at any time.

Events in the Archdiocese
Click here for a full list of forthcoming events in the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.