We always begin the New Year by praying for peace, but we must do more than pray, we must actively work to build up peace: to seek reconciliation in our family fallout's and in our disputes with neighbours.

The beautiful Epiphany tide custom of chalking your door is coming up. What’s that all about? There is a terrific explanation of the tradition here  Put simply, you use blessed chalk to inscribe on the lintel of the door of your home a simple formula which includes the numerals for the year in question and the letters C + M + B.

Mary, Mother of God (Numbers 6:22-27 Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:16-21)   A new title...

As we welcome Christ into our hearts and homes we understand for various reasons there are those who cannot manage to visit Christ in the Crib, however we can take a moment to reflect on the Holy Birth,  Emmanuel, "God is with us". Lets spend some quiet time reading through the Gospel passage and  allowing the child Jesus to come into our hearts in a new way...

After the long watching of the Advent season and, finally, all is at last made manifest, we can now enjoy the great promise in which we dared to hope. 

We have put all of our diocesan Mass times together to help you find a Christmas Mass celebration near you! If you are not a 'regular Mass goer', please come and celebrate with us as Christ is for everyone and you will be made very welcome!!

Fourth Sunday of Advent (Isaiah 7:10-14 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-25) Taking courage from love

Looking for Christmas day family activities...? Here is one that everyone can take part in! Whoever finishes first don't have to do the dishes!!

Men’s faith formation has been a pet project of mine for the last half of my 26 years as a priest. Among many things, I ‘ve wanted us men to rediscover the treasury of Catholic devotions. If men are going to be the spiritual leaders of their own domestic church, we simply must explore these time-tested and Church approved jewels of our Catholic life. Looking for a renewed prayer life in 2020, this is it! Take up your weapons and pray or start a "COMBAT ROSARY" group!

FOR THE ATTENTION OF ALL CHURCH VOLUNTEERS WITH PVG CERTIFICATES OR PENDING PVG CERTIFICATES: volunteers doing or planning to do regulated work with children and vulnerable adults or both,  should complete the Safeguarding Training, Induction Part 1. 

My warmest regards to our brothers, sisters, friends and volunteers of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (Scotland) SSVP. As the time draws close to the end of 2019, we can reflect on the personal spiritual blessing we received during this year and humbly recall the many acts of charity delivered to those in need that we gladly serve.

I’m setting my place at this year’s Big Family Christmas dinner table! @MarysMeals feeds over 1.5 million children in their place of education, every school day.

POPE FRANCIS ON THE MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF THE NATIVITY SCENE: With this Letter, I wish to encourage the beautiful family tradition of preparing the nativity scene in the days before Christmas, but also the custom of setting it up in the workplace, in schools, hospitals, prisons and town squares.

Third Sunday of Advent (Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11) John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ coming.

Second Sunday of Advent (Isaiah 11:1-10​​​​​​​ Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12) Our prayer can be that we drop our defences, become more vulnerable and have the courage to open ourselves to be able to really listen, to share and to change.