Father Martin Xavier Vazhachira had served at St John The Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, since last year. His body was found on the beach at Dunbar on Friday afternoon. The cause of death has yet to be established. Father Vazhachira, 33, was originally from India. Archbishop of St Andrews & Edinburgh Leo Cushley led the service. About 200 people attended. The archbishop said of those attending mass: "They're bewildered and saddened by what has happened." He said they would miss their priest greatly, adding: "He was a very kind and gentle man and people here had grown very affectionate and fond of him already in this short space of time so they really don't know what to make of it.

It's a time of great joy and expectation within the Diocese of Paisley as we journey with our brother Jonathan towards his Priestly Ordination this Friday 30th June - the feast of the First Martyrs of the See of Rome. Daily, we keep Jonathan & his family in our prayers as they continue to prepare for this special day.

Q. “What can we do to save the family?” A. Home Enthronement of The Sacred Heart of Jesus and The Immaculate Heart of Mary - It is an organized campaign to restore Christ to the family and the family to Christ. Today is the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus & tomorrow we celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. How has their love entered your heart & the heart of your family? All Night Vigil in Honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary 23rd-24th June 2017 Glasgow University Turnbull Hall. Mass 8pm.

Congratulations to all the P7 pupils of St Thomas' Primary School Neilston; today they celebrated their Leavers Mass & Presentation ceremony. Fr Joe Balmer welcomed pupils, teachers and family members of the P7's class as they came together to celebrate Holy Mass & give thanks for their time together as a community of faith. We wish them all the best as they prepare to embrace their new community at St Luke's High School and will keep them in our prayers.

What makes us truly happy? When an adolescent isn’t loved or doesn’t feel loved, it can lead to violence. Behind so many forms of social hatred and hooliganism there is often a heart that hasn’t been acknowledged. There are no evil children, just as there are no wholly evil adolescents, but there are unhappy people.

Let’s not forget our spiritual fathers this Father’s Day O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart. O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;

School is out and summer break has begun. Maybe this means you’ll be binge-watching your favorite Netflix series and sleeping in until two o’clock (it’s been done…by me). Or maybe you’ve got a demanding summer job, rigorous summer classes, or exciting travels in these coming months. Whatever your story, it’s crucial that a break from school doesn’t turn into a break from God. As your schedule and your community change, it’s important to develop a plan to stay focused on the one Thing that’s not changing: your Heavenly Father.

Almost three years ago, on the Feast of Saint Margaret of Scotland, I had the joy of announcing to you, the people of Paisley diocese, the convocation of a Synod to be held in Eastertide 2016 on the Role of our Lay Faithful in the New Evangelisation and I asked you to join me in prayer for the success of our Synod as we implored the protection, guidance and intercession of the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Paisley.

The Catholic Church wants to hear from YOU! In 2018, Pope Francis and the Bishops of the world are going to gather and discuss YOU – they are going to be talking about what your life is like, the ways in which you engage with the Church and what you think of God’s plan for your life. By completing this survey, you are contributing to this discussion! Please note: by providing your email address, in addition to consenting to your diocesan youth representative contacting you about what is on in your area, you will be entered into a draw for a £100 Amazon voucher!

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved. No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already, because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.’

Many of us struggle with our faith, suffering from severe trials, but there is no faith worth having that has not been tested by fire and I have denied Christ before by my own silence when given the opportunity to witness for Him. I have been like Peter that, by my silence, I denied the Lord before others and like him, I wept over my sin of omission. It is my prayer that your struggles will not destroy your faith but instead will strengthen it. A faith that is being refined becomes more precious than gold because it lasts. Listen to what Peter says and he certainly knows from experience; “the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire.

The giving of the Spirit to the new people of God crowns the mighty acts of the Father in salvation history. The Jewish feast of Pentecost called all devout Jews to Jerusalem to celebrate their birth as God's chosen people, in the covenant Law given to Moses at Sinai (see Leviticus 23:15-21; Deuteronomy 16:9-11).

General Election - Check on where your candidate stands on ProLife Matters. You can visit the website www.wheredotheystand.org.uk to question your candidates on crucial life issues such as abortion and assisted suicide. Just fill in a few basic details and the system does the rest! Note that while abortion and assisted suicide are both matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament their importance is so significant that we ought to challenge UK Parliamentary candidates on them and ascertain their views.

Catholic seminarians and clergy drew soccer teams from the pontifical universities and colleges of Rome May 27 for the 13th annual Clericus Cup competition.

Text a Donation – Please note that the Diocese have now set up their ‘Text a Donation’ Service which allows you to send a donation to the Diocese through your mobile phone. All you have to do is text DOPF01 £5 to 70070. £5 is only a suggestion. Any amount will be very much appreciated.

Vatican City, May 24, 2017 / 02:48 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After months of anticipation, Pope Francis and U.S. President Donald Trump finally met at the Vatican Wednesday in a friendly encounter which included an emphasis on protection of life and freedom of conscience.

We all awoke this morning to the very tragic news of the Manchester explosion killing 22 people, some of them children. I'm sure everyone in the diocese of Paisley will remember the innocent victims and all affected in their prayers. Announcing that the death toll had risen overnight, Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins said: "What I can confirm is that there are children among the deceased." He said: "This has been the most horrific incident we have had to face in Greater Manchester and one that we all hoped we would never see. "Families and many young people were out to enjoy a concert at the Manchester Arena and have lost their lives."

“Be Thou My Vision” is an ancient Irish hymn that can be traced back to the 8th century. The lyrics are commonly attributed to Saint Dallán Forgaill. Audrey gives it a modern twist with ambient noise that acts as an auditory palate cleanser before her wonderful voice begins. The drums added to the second verse are a very stylish touch and give the arrangement a driven, determined feel. Assad has an exceptional voice for songs with a Celtic twist. Her voice is has an intimate quality that lightly glides through, expertly choosing which thoughts to keep gentle and which to sing brazenly.

What does that mean when we receive him into our mouths? How long does Jesus’ Real Presence remain in our bodies? It is generally assumed that the Eucharistic species of bread remains for about 15 minutes after reception. This is based on simple biology and reflects the Catechism’s statement that the presence of Christ “endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist.” This is why many saints have recommended offering 15 minutes of prayer after receiving the Eucharist as a thanksgiving to God. This allows the soul to savor the presence of God and have a true “heart-to-heart” with Jesus.