Sunday Missal:  The Baptism of the Lord – Year A – Page 129.

Teas and Coffees available after Mass on Sunday and Thursday.

Thank You: The second collection last week in support of the work of Justice & Peace raised £629.

Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation: If you have a child eligible to celebrate the Sacraments and would like them to participate in our parish preparation, please see Fr James as soon as possible. 

Date for the Diary: Burntisland and Kinghorn Churches Together Quiz Night, Friday 27^th February, Erskine Church Hall, 7:00pm. St Joseph’s need to get back into winning ways – time to get swotting!

Job vacancy: The Archdiocese is seeking to appoint an Administrator to provide support to the Property Director and general administrative support within the Archdiocesan offices. Job description at bit.ly/adminarchdiocese. To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter detailing how your skills and experience make you suitable for this role to recruitment@staned.org.uk by Friday 23 January 2026. 

Diploma in Catechetics: This course is run by the Archdiocese and begins on Thursday 22 January at 7:30pm on Zoom. Cost: £220. Register at bit.ly/diploma2026

Explore: Thinking about a vocation to the religious life? Join other young Catholic women to chat and explore God's will for you. Monthly gatherings will be hosted by the Archdiocese at St Columba’s Church, 9 Upper Gray Street, Edinburgh, EH9 1SN. The first one takes place from 4pm to 7pm on Sunday 25 January 2026. To register, email Sr Mirjam Hugens FSO at religiousvocations@staned.org.uk

Catholic Conversations for Women: All women are welcome to this event with the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma on Saturday 31 January, 3:45pm-4:45pm in St Andrew’s Parish rooms (77 Belford Rd, Edinburgh, EH4 3DS) for refreshments and faith-focused discussion on preparing for Lent. A Holy Hour will follow with Adoration & Vespers from 5:10pm. Register at edinburgh@almamercy.org or call 0131 343 3380.

Anecdote (1) Called to Service: The late Nelson Mandela will go down as one of the greatest leaders of this century. He was instrumental in ending apartheid and bringing about a multiracial society in South Africa. Mandela belonged to the Xhosa people and grew up in the Transkei. But how did he come to play such a crucial role in the history of his country? In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, he tells us that all the currents of his life were taking him away from the Transkei. Yet he had no epiphany, no singular revelation, no moment of truth. He says: “A steady accumulation of insights helped me to see that my duty was to the people as a whole, not to a particular section of it. The memory of a thousand indignities produced in me anger, rebelliousness, a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people. There was no particular day on which I said, ‘Henceforth, I will devote myself to the liberation of my people’; instead, I simply found myself doing so, and could not do otherwise” 

Anecdote (2) Identified with victims: When leprosy broke out among the people of the Hawaiian Islands in the middle of the 19^th century, the government authorities responded by establishing a leper colony on the remote island of Molokai. The victims were snatched by force from their families and sent to this island to perish. However, moved by their terrible plight, a young Belgian priest, Damien De Veuster, asked permission from his superiors to minister to them. Straightaway he realized that there was only one effective way to do this, and that was to go and live among them. Having got permission, he went to Molokai. At first, he tried to minister to the lepers while maintaining a certain distance. But he soon realized that he had to live among them in order to gain their trust. As a result, he contracted leprosy himself. The reaction of the lepers was immediate and wholehearted. They embraced him and took him to their hearts. He was now one of them. There was no need, no point anymore, in keeping his distance. The lepers had someone who could talk with authority about leprosy, about brokenness, about rejection and public shame.

“Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, or worn.

It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.”

Denis Waitley