Reflection –
Philip (the deacon) proclaims the Good News and even works many miracles to bring the Samaritans to faith and baptising them. But it is the Apostles who confer the Holy Spirit. The Apostolic foundation of the Church and the special role they play are reinforced in Acts; this is a gift the world cannot give and flows through the channels Jesus choose.
Mass readings.
Sixth Sunday of Easter, 9th & 10th of May, 2026
1st Reading: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
Responsorial Psalm. Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia…If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him………… Alleluia
Gospel: John 14: 15-21
Important Note: Please scroll within the below window to have access to daily readings for the Holy Catholic Mass. To keep scrolling down Our Lady’s newsletter, just scroll outside the window.
PARISH UPDATES:
Fr Francis travels – Fr Francis will be away from the 19th of May till the 4th of June. Please contact Fr Malachy for any pastoral duties. Fr Francis would also like to thank parishioners for their kind and warm welcome to his Mum, Gladys. She will be going back to Nigeria next week.
Corpus Christi Procession – The Archdiocesan Corpus Christi procession, led by Archbishop Cushley, will take place from Our Lady & St Andrew’s, Stirling Street, Galashiels, at 3:00pm on Sunday 7 June 2026. Afterwards there will be Benediction in the Church followed by refreshments in the presbytery garden. This annual a beautiful, public celebration of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Pentecost event for young adults – Join young adults from across the Archdiocese to celebrate Pentecost at St Andrew’s Church, 77 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DP, on Saturday 23 May, beginning at 4:00pm. There will be a talk from Fr Daniel Magaji, Eucharistic Adoration & opportunity for Confession, Holy Mass celebrated by Archbishop Cushley and a barbecue. Organised by the Archdiocese along with the young adult ministries at Edinburgh Jesuit Church, St Mary’s Cathedral and St Albert’s Chaplaincy. Register at bit.ly/pentecost26. Come, Holy Spirit!
St Margaret Pilgrimage – This annual national Catholic event takes place on Sunday 14 June in Dunfermline. Schedule: 12:00pm Angelus at St Margaret’s Cave; 1:00pm Prayer Service at St Margaret’s tomb at Dunfermline Abbey; 2:00pm Procession from Glen Gates to St Margaret’s Memorial Church, East Port; 3:00pm Mass at St Margaret’s Memorial Church, celebrated by Archbishop Cushley
Edinburgh Seven Hills Pilgrimage – The Seven Hills of Edinburgh Pilgrimage route is approximately 26km, taking in Castle Hill, Corstorphine Hill, Craiglockhart Hill, Braid Hill, Blackford Hill, Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill. Starts at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral at 9:00am on Saturday 13 June with a dedicated reflection at each peak from Monsignor Jeremy Milne. Details and registration at bit.ly/sevenhills26
Coffee Morning – Please note there will be a coffee morning after mass this Sunday.
Mass Bookings. We are reminded that the booking of mass for our special intentions, wedding anniversaries, Birthday thanksgiving, Death anniversaries of our loved ones and general prayers is highly recommended. The mass stipends (Donations) are part of our contribution towards the good of the church and support of our priest.
May Flowers – In keeping with our tradition during the month of May, we kindly ask the children if they can sometimes bring flowers to the Sunday morning Mass to decorate Our Lady’s altar. We would be delighted to receive them.
‘Our Lady’s 60th Anniversary Celebrations – photos now showing on our parish website! Please take a look at the photos of our anniversary celebrations in the website ‘Archive Information & Gallery’ section. These are a great memento of a marvellous day. Please follow the QR code to the website.
Gift Aid – If you haven’t already done so, please pick up your Gift Aid envelopes from the back of the Church. The new tax year starts this Sunday so its important the new envelopes are used from now on.
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Our Lady’s Offertory Collections.
Last Sunday’s collection: £144
Month total collections (Bank & Cash) £144
Special Collections: £-
Bank Total (month) £778
Mass Bookings.
We are reminded that the booking of mass for our special intentions, wedding anniversaries, Birthday thanksgiving, Death anniversaries of our loved ones and general prayers is highly recommended. The mass stipends (Donations) are part of our contribution towards the good of the church and support of our priest.
MASS TIMINGS
MASS INTENTIONS
MASS DONOR
Wednesday, May 13th, 10.00am
- David Scott
- Theresa Scott
Friday May 15th, 10.00am
- Archibald - God's Healing
- Alice
Sunday, May 17th, 11.30am
- Barbara Somerville
- Ian Somerville
Blessings to you, your families and those who are dear to you in Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you love me, you will keep my commandments
John 14:15-21
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
‘I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.’
Reflection on the painting
The opening line of today’s Gospel from the Gospel of John is striking in its simplicity and its force: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jesus places love and obedience side by side: not as opposites, but as inseparable. True love is not vague or sentimental; it takes shape in being obedient. Love and obedience are two expressions of the same reality: a heart turned towards God.
And yet, in our culture, we often separate the two. Law and obedience are seen as restrictive. Love is seen as liberating. Hence hey two are considered to be opposed and excluding the other. Even when we read the Gospel, we can fall into this trap: imagining the Pharisees as rigid followers of the law without love, and Jesus as purely about love without law. But that is too simplistic. As Peter Kreeft puts it so well: “Jesus was anti-legalism, but not anti-law.” He does not abolish the commandments, He fulfils them, and shows that their deepest purpose is love.
This brings us to something essential: love is not first of all a feeling. It is a decision, an act of the will. That is why Jesus can command it. We are called to choose to love: to will the good of the other, even when it is difficult, even when it costs. And we are not left to do this alone. Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the one who stands beside us. We call the Holy Spirit the Advocate because Jesus uses the Greek word Paraklētos, meaning one who is “called alongside” to help, guide, and defend. It has a legal flavour, like a lawyer who speaks on your behalf, but it is much richer: the Holy Spirit not only defends us, but also comforts, strengthens, and leads us into truth.
In a very charming, human way, this role is echoed in the lively painting by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, where we see a village advocate, a village lawyer surrounded by people seeking help. They are bringing what little they have (eggs, fruit, poultry) in exchange for guidance and defence. They bring their offering in exchange for the services of the lawyer. But the Holy Spirit is of course infinitely more than any legal advocate such as the one depicted in our painting. He does not simply defend us; He transforms us. He teaches us how to love, how to live the commandments not as burdens, but as the path to true freedom.
