Teas and Coffees available after Mass on Sunday and Thursday.

Thank You:  The collection last weekend for Justice & Peace Scotland raised  £527.15.

Funeral Mass of Mrs Helen Campbell Hewson: Saturday 18^th January at 10.00am, St Marie’s, Kirkcaldy.

Deanery Holy Year Gatherings: During the Jubilee Year there will be Eucharistic Adoration, Evening Prayer and Reflection on different themes on the last Sunday of every month at 4.30pm ending by 5.30pm at the Carmelite Monastery, Dysart. The first, on the theme of Jubilee, will take place on Sunday January 26^th.

Property Surveyor: The Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh is seeking to appoint a Property Management Surveyor. To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter detailing how your skills and experience make you suitable for the role to recruitment@staned.org.uk. Deadline: Friday 17 January 2025. The job description can be found on the Archdiocesan website in the news-events section.

Synodal event 2025: The Archdiocese welcomes Fr Matthew Nunes from the Archdiocese of Liverpool who will lead an event titled Conversations in the Spirit, to help guide us on how to lead and participate in parish Synodality. It takes place on Saturday 1 February at The Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh EH9 1BB, from 11am-3pm (optional Mass at 10am). Details and registration at bit.ly/inthespirit25

Valentine’s retreat for couples: The Archdiocese has organised a Valentine’s mini-retreat for married and engaged couples from 2-5pm on Saturday 15 February at St Kentigern’s Church, 26 Parkgrove Avenue, Edinburgh, EH4 7QR. The speaker is Fr Andrew Garden (St David’s, Dalkeith) and the event is free. Register at bit.ly/valretreat25

World Day for Consecrated Life: Join Religious brothers and sisters at St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday 2 February to celebrate the World Day of Consecrated Life with midday Mass. It is a chance to meet some of those who live and work in the Archdiocese and to pray for more vocations to the Religious Life.

Lourdes 2025: The Archdiocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes for the Holy Year 2025 takes place from 11-18 July. For more details please visit www.edinburgh-lourdes.com/lourdes25

Diploma in Catechetics: This is the last week to register for the Diploma in Catechetics 2025. It is a year-long course beginning on Thursday 23 January at 7:30pm. It consists of a weekly lecture on Zoom, readings from the Catechism and regular one-to-one support. Holy Year discount: £125 (normally £200). Register at bit.ly/diploma2025

Anecdote: “What if you threw yourself out of that window?” A young man once described his experience of sinking into insanity. He was a very bright university student, but he had abandoned his studies in favour of nightclubs and pornography. One night he retired to a hotel room. As he lay in bed, the window appeared to expand until it reached the floor. He heard a mocking voice in his mind saying, “What if you threw yourself out of that window?” The young man wrote: “Now my life was dominated by something I had never known before: fear. It was humiliating, this strange self-conscious watchfulness. It was a humiliation I had deserved more than I knew. I had refused to pay attention to the moral laws upon which all vitality and sanity depend.” Well, this young man did begin to pay attention to the moral law. He began to put his life in order – and to experience inner peace. He eventually entered the Catholic Church and went on to become one of the most famous monks of the twentieth century. His name is Thomas Merton.  — Today’s Gospel on Jesus’ baptism should challenge us, too, to examine whether we are keeping our Baptismal promises. (Fr. Phil Bloom)

Keep safe and well.  Father James