Holy Mass
Welcome to St John Ogilvie's.
This Sunday we celebrate
the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
Mass is celebrated at St John Ogilvie's each weekend at 6.30pm on Saturday (Vigil Mass) and 10.00 am on Sunday. However, the need for social distancing means that only a limited number of "places" is available, and these have to be booked in advance.
To book a place for next weekend, 15th and 16th August, please contact Father Tony by phone or email by Wednesday 12th August - see main menu for contact details (click/tap the "Contact" button).
If you have not already supplied your conatct details, would you please do so now by completing the form immediately below.
You will see that the form has a section to enable you to volunteer to help ensure that the church complies with all the necessary hygiene measures that we have put in place for your protection. If you can volunteer as stewards and cleaners that would be much appreciated.
Please Note
The form does not go direct to Father Tony. It is forwarded to him through me, John Rafferty, so that I can filter out bogus submissions.
Here is some guidance specific to St John Ogilvie's
- the church kitchen will be closed, if you need a drink bring some bottled water with you (and take the bottle home with you);
- arrive at church in good time;
- enter church by the main door (wheelchair access through side door but please see a steward at front door first);
- face coverings – bring your own - must be worn inside the church (except “exempt categories” and children under 5 years);
- keep 2 metres away from other parishioners not in your household (“social distancing”);
- sanitise your hands in porch before entering main chapel (sanitiser available in porch);
- a steward will escort you to your seat; please do not move to another seat unless requested to do so by a steward;
- Holy Communion comes at the very end of the Mass. You will be directed by a steward. If you are not going to Communion, please come out with other parishioners and go directly out of the church by the side door;
- Communicants should leave the church by the side door immediately after receiving Communion;
- a basket for weekly collections is available at side door;
- sanitise your hands before leaving the church, sanitiser available in porch;
- please remember social distancing applies in the church grounds.
- If you intend to come to Mass any weekend, please contact Fr Tony by email or phone by the Wednesday beforehand.
Please also note that the only toilet available will be the one in the porch at the side door. Please wipe the toilet down after use with the wipes available; sanitise your hands with sanitiser in the porch before re-entering the main chapel.
A Christian Response to Coronavirus
The first is the move from "I" to "we". This is a frightening situation that we face together. The common good — the good of us all — must be given first place; within the common good, we will find our own good. That is a very Christian virtue.
The second is an attitude of concern and compassion. Even if we must be isolated in our own homes or workplaces, modern communications allow us to stay in touch in a way impossible before. This is a great benefit. But, we need to choose to stay in contact, perhaps with a greater frequency so that people don’t feel abandoned.
The third is a respect for truth. In recent years, the truth has suffered in public discourse, giving rise to a horrible expression, the post-truth era. In these days, we need to pay attention to science and medicine and less attention to opinion-makers and rumours. A society without truth cannot last. Today, right now, we need truth more than ever before.
Lastly, as Christians, we can pray. We can pray in particular for scientists, medical personnel and politicians. These are wonderful people with a huge job of work before them. As we pray for ourselves and our families and friends, we pray too for all who look after the common good.
Prayer
We pray for all those in our country and throughout the world suffering from the Coronavirus. May its victims and their families be strengthened by the support of our community of faith and restored soon to full health. We also pray for our leaders and medical personnel who deal with the virus. May we keep calm and may we join together in solidarity with care and compassion to tackle this scare. This we ask in confidence though Christ our Lord.
And we are asked to pray The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known
that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help,
or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother;
to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.
This weekend, 8th and 9th August, Father Tony will once again deliver his homily in person from the church. If you managed to get a "place" for one of the Masses you may not want to read the homily here on the website. You may prefer to wait for the live version. But it's here anyway for those of you who didn't manage to get a "place" or who don't yet feel ready to return to Mass. The readings for the Sunday Mass (19th Sunday of Ordinary time) are below in the usual place (scroll down to Sunday Readings panel) and Fr Tony's written homily follows the readings.
And just in case you've forgotten what Fr Tony looks like, here is a picture of him.
Fr Frank Gormley
Last Wednesday we received the sad news of the death of Fr. Frank Gormley. Frank ministered here in St. John Ogilvie’s in the late nineties. Due to onset of early dementia Frank retired from active ministry in 2014. He spent his final years in Wales and Dublin where he passed away aged 78.
Requiem Mass took place on Saturday 8th August at 2pm in St Patrick’s Church, Drumquin, Co. Tyrone. Burial was immediately after Mass in Drumquin Cemetery.
May he Rest in Peace.
Offertory Collection
The Offertory collection last weekend came to £1,338. Many parishioners were very thoughtful, they accumulated their offertory gift over the past few months, and presented it in cheques or cash after Mass. While many shops don’t accept cash at this time, we are able to handle donations in any way that suits the individual.
A number of parishioners who are not yet ready to join in gatherings of large numbers, have asked how they could support the parish coffers at this time. Bank transfer is a simple and safe way if you wish to avail of it.
Bank details are:
Sort code: 80:02:27
Account: 00126337
Name: St John Ogilvie’s Church
Bank: Bank of Scotland, Corstorphine.
Parishioners can set up details themselves whether it’s a one-off payment or a monthly standing order. The standing Order can be cancelled at any time.
FRESH START
Our publicity on behalf of fresh Start must have work as they have been inundated with donations, so much so that they have stopped accepting donations of goods for the time being.
But you can still make a cash donation through Fresh Start's Just Giving page by clicking the Donate button.
As ever, a huge thank you to everyone who has and continues to support Fresh Start.
Mount Vernon Cemetry:
Mount Vernon Cemetery in Edinburgh has now fully reopened. Hours are 9am- 8pm on weekdays and 8am-8pm at weekends. The team at the cemetery would like to thank everybody for their understanding and patience whilst hours were restricted due to Covid-19.
A Message from Police Scotland:
Cyber criminals are trying to scam users of video communications platforms by sending out Phishing emails and Smishing texts, claiming to be from a video communications platform provider. These message formats claim to inform the recipient that they have a voicemail with relevant information about their account and to reply on an associated telephone number to retrieve the voicemail and alleged account information.
What the recipient is not aware of is that the voicemail number is a premium rate number costing "£6 plus standard net rate".
Another Phishing email pretends to be a conference call invitation asking the recipient to click a link to "review invitation" to a meeting. Once the recipient has clicked on the link they are unwittingly taken by the scammer to a Fake manufactured but genuine looking login page which invites the recipient to upload their username and password. As they populate and submit their details they are actually sending their personal login information directly to the scammers. Login information asked for to verify your details can include your customer account number, date of birth, email account details – very personal information to you and of value to a Scammer.
"Lockdowns from Lauriston"
Our friends at Lauriston are taking a break for a few weeks. Watch this space for their return when there will be more events in the "Lockdowns from Lauriston" series.
STRONG IN THE FACE OF TRIBULATION
The Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See has made available a free booklet "Strong in the Face of Tribulation", which contains prayers, supplications and the Holy Father’s homilies. Its purpose is to offer "a support in a time of trial". You may find it helpful. The free booklet comes in PDF format and it can be downloaded by clicking here. In case you want to print it, please be aware that the booklet is 192 pages long.
An Important Message from Fr Oliver Barry OMI
Dear friends,
We hope this message finds you safe and well. We invite you to take a few moments to view a video message of hope and support from Fr Oliver Barry OMI, provincial of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate here in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
You can view the message on our website by clicking here.
We would like to assure you that the Oblates are here to support and accompany you, and to pray with you and for you at this time. We invite you to join us online over the coming days and weeks in prayer, community and solidarity.
God bless,
The Oblate Communications Team
St John Ogilvie's Bonus Ball suspended from 29th March. If you have paid in advance your credit will be carried forward in the Parish Account until the reinstatement of the Bonus Ball after Scotland has been declared free of coronavirus.
Special Prayers to use
when you cannot attend a funeral
These Special Prayers can dowloaded as a PDF document by - clicking here.
Streaming Live from Various Churches
Holy Mass for Sunday, 9th August 2020,
the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A.
Mass celebrated by the Archbishop: 9.00am
and Polish Mass: 10.00am, both on Facebook
St Mary's Star of the Sea: 10.30am
St Francis Xavier, Falkirk: 10.00am, 12 noon and 1.30pm (Polish Mass)
St Andrew's Cathedral, Glasgow: 10.00am, 12 noon and 5.15pm
St Mary's, Ballyhea, Cork: 8.30am, 11.00am
Alternatively, you may wish to join a recorded Mass. Click a button to find a recorded Masses.
First, a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Cushley,
and second, a Polish Mass.
Mass Readings for the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
(9 August 2020)
1st Reading
1 Kings 19:9,11-13 - The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire.
2nd Reading
Romans 9:1-5 - I would willingly be condemned if it could help my brothers.
Gospel
Matthew 14:22-33 - Jesus walks on the water.
We cannot publish the readings here for copyright reasons but they can be found in full on Universalis.
Click button to go to Universalis.
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time
A Homily from Fr Tony
Matthew 14:22 – 33
A hand to be held
During the past four months of Lockdown how often have you heard people speak through tears of grief, I so longed to hold the hand of my dying father or mother or loved one in their final hours in the care home. No looking through a window or using the technology of Zoom could substitute for the human touch. Apart from those sacred, special final hours shared with a loved one, the current statutory distance regulation of no hugs from grandparents has created a great void in that special relationship between grandparent and grandchild.
In the Gospel today when Peter took fright and began to sink in the stormy sea. He cried out "Lord! Save me!". Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. Jesus said: "Man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, "Truly, you are the Son of God.". John Donne’s verse, "No man is an Island" highlights this human need for touch and to touch others at moments of mystery in our lives be it in sorrow or joy. "Ask not for whom the bell tolls it tolls for thee.
What Jesus does is very human. He doesn’t give a lecture or say a prayer, he just holds hands. I remember a grieving husband some years back telling me that after the death of his wife a counsellor gave him a book on bereavement – he said what he needed was a hand to be held, or his tears to be heard. In today’s Gospel what did Jesus do? Jesus had planned a night in comfortable prayer on the mountain, but he left his prayer and went across the lake to take away fear in his disciples and to hold the hand of this strong fisherman.<
Matthew is writing his Gospel some 55 years after the completion of Jesus’ mission. He expressed the Christian belief that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God. Matthew is facing a real problem: many of his Jewish converts feel estranged from their former partners in the faith. Some of them are wavering, some renounce their faith when they are excluded from the synagogue. Matthew writes his Gospel to support them in their new faith in Jesus. The doubts that Matthew’s church is experiencing are expressed movingly in today’s Gospel. Jesus is praying to his Father. His disciples are separated from him. It is night. They are in a boat which is battling against heavy sea and strong winds. All seems lost. The boat clearly represents the Church, while the night storm represents the opposition the Church is facing. Jesus calls to them and tells them not to be afraid, and then he comes to them over the water. When Peter tries to do the same as Jesus, even he is seen to begin to doubt Jesus’ power and to panic. But Jesus supports him, and asks, “Man of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Last Wednesday John Hume the key architect of the Good Friday Agreement in the North of Ireland was laid to rest in his native Derry. Of all those engaged in forging the Peace after 400 years, he was surely the cornerstone. He put aside the "Them and us" mentality, and held out his hand to all sides of the conflict - Catholic and Protestant, Nationalist and Unionist, North and South. He shared his philosophy for peace on the base of ALL OUR PEOPLE. A daily Mass goer in his native parish. Honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize. His wife and family were threatened from all sides of the divide, IRA and UVF. He had his house burned, and slogans of traitor daubed on the walls. His wife Pat, a teacher, received rough personal bodily treatment from both sides of the divide. But John Hume in his non-violence philosophy held out his hand to include them all in the Good Friday Agreement.
We may never be faced with life and death issues like St Matthew or John Hume, but we can learn from them the importance of holding out our hand to family members or neighbours. Filling our hearts with hatred towards any human being is not the way to live our life. The hatred won't harm them, but it will surely destroy us.
We have a wonderful world and we have discovered so much, learned so much and invented so much. And yet, often we are incapable of doing much that really matters. We can put a man on the moon, but we cannot put food into empty stomachs. We can communicate through satellites but so often we fail to communicate with those nearest to us. We can make powerful machines of war, but nobody has yet found one that will make peace. Peace, love, happiness are the values we all want. But we will not achieve them through science or money. We will never get there by ourselves. But, just as Jesus came to his disciples in their distress, our God is there for all of us, though sometimes we can fail to see our need of God or try to do it alone.
There are times when, like Peter, we just need to hold onto God in trust. Peter would also have been asked not just to hold a hand, but to be the hand that would reach out to others. Peter was prepared for his mission in many ways. As Pope Francis says "When the Lord wants to give us a mission, wants to give us a task, He prepares us to do it well."
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