Archbishop Leo meets Pope Leo in Rome

Archbishop Leo offered the "prayers and affection" of everyone in the Archdiocese when he met Pope Leo XIV in Rome this week.

The happy encounter took place at St Peter's Basilica on Tuesday after a Mass for digital missionaries and Catholic influencers.

He said: "It was a great honour to meet the Holy Father.

"He thanked me for the affection and prayers of the Catholics of the Archdiocese, and especially our young people who are on pilgrimage with me to Rome in this Jubilee Year."

Archbishop Leo chats with Pope Leo after Holy Mass in St Peter's (@Vatican Media).

Archbishop Cushley is currently leading a Jubilee Year pilgrimage in the city for young adults, along with Fr Robert Taylor of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh.

Archbishop Leo and Fr Robert Taylor (left) with young adult pilgrims from the Archdiocese.

St Peter’s Basilica was filled with young people from across the world for the Mass as part of the Jubilee for Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers.

Around 1,400 pilgrims attended Mass for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries/Catholic Influencers (@Vatican Media).

At the end of the Mass, Pope Leo urged digital missionaries to create encounters among hearts.

Archbishop Leo said: "He urged Christians, especially young ones, to promote honesty and reality in our online presence, based on Christian Humanism.

"This is already becoming a strong theme in his speeches.  

Archbishop Leo and Fr Robert Taylor with pilgrims outside the Pantheon.

"When I had a chance to speak to him afterwards, I thanked him and assured him of the affection and prayers of the young Catholics of Scotland in Rome these days.

"With everyone he was kind, attentive and in no rush. It was also the first time I’ve spoken to a pope in my own language, a nice feeling!"

Read more about the Mass for digital influencers here. Interested in evangelising online? Visit the Effective Parish Communications playlist on our YouTube channel.

Theresa honoured as Dame of St Gregory the Great

Congratulations to Theresa Muldoon, who has been made a Papal Dame in recognition of her service and dedication to the Archdiocese for over 40 years.

Theresa, a parishioner of St Catherine’s in Gracemount, received the insignia of St Gregory the Great at St Bennet's in Edinburgh on Saturday, where she works as housekeeper.

Archbishop Cushley said: “This recognition is richly deserved.

“Theresa has served the Church with quiet dedication and tireless generosity.

“Her presence at St Bennet's over four decades has been a source of strength, support and service to all who have passed through these doors, including Pope Benedict.

“Her service has been invaluable, and I am very grateful for all she continues to give.”

Theresa has worked at St Bennet’s since 1985, first for then-Archbishop Keith Patrick O’Brien, and continued in the role when Archbishop Cushley arrived in 2013.

She has also been a helper at the annual Archdiocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes for around 40 years.

Theresa has been married to George (in title photo with Archbishop Cushley) for 54 years and he joined her on Saturday for the presentation, along with her two daughters and their husbands, and four grandchildren.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it, it was a big surprise.”

When asked for the highlight of her work she said: “Serving Pope Benedict when he visited St Bennet’s as part of his visit in 2010.

“We served haggis, neeps & tatties, then roast beef, followed by cranachan. He loved freshly squeezed orange juice, so we had that as well.

"He was here for a few hours, and had a wee lie down to rest after dinner.”

The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great was established by Pope Gregory XVI in 1831.

It is one of five categories of papal knighthood of the Holy See, in which recipients are made either knights or dames.

The honour is bestowed upon lay people in recognition of their personal service to the Holy See and to the Church, through their good work and the good example they set in their communities and their countries.

Life story of 'Hibs priest' set for launch

The life story of the Edinburgh priest who helped found Hibernian FC and who helped the poor and destitute in the city will be released next month

Edinburgh’s First Hibernian is the first biography of Edward Hannan, who rose from poverty in rural Ireland to become one of the most influential figures in 19th-century Edinburgh.

While parish priest at St Patrick's in the Cowgate, he worked tirelessly in the medieval Old Town to provide Catholic boys with an education and a sense of fulfilment that could save them from falling into a life of crime.

The book has received plaudits from Charlie Reid of The Proclaimers who said: "This book is a moving and meticulously researched tribute to the Club’s founder… Canon Hannan’s lifetime’s work among the impoverished people of Edinburgh’s ‘Little Ireland’ is as good a case of a life well lived as anything I know of."

Pat Nevin, former international footballer and Hibs fan, said: "This is a stunningly researched piece of work that gives an intimate insight into an era as well as the genesis of a great football club.

"Through the deep back story of a founding father, it is a serious historical piece but also a very readable one."

Edinburgh’s First Hibernian is released on 6 August and can be bought online from Thirsty Books. Signed copies will be available from St Patrick's Church in The Cowgate, which will receive proceeds from those sales.

Archbishop celebrates Mass for trainee Deacons

Archbishop Cushley visited St Mary's Monastery in Kinnoull, Perth, to offer support and encouragement for men training to become deacons.

He celebrated Mass with permanent deacons, trainees and aspirants (those who have expressed an interest in joining the training programme).

Deacon Peter Traynor, of St Mary's Catholic Cathedral, Edinburgh, said: "It's an opportunity to gather as a band of men, all with one faith and one purpose - to prepare for the diaconate and to serve the Church of God.

"It's a wonderful thing to get a group of men who all sing together, who all give praise to God and you can hear it in the timbre of their voices - it's wonderful."

Archbishop Cushley said: "There's was a great spirit among the brethern at the celebration of Mass."

A permanent deacon in the Catholic Church is an ordained minister who assists the bishop and priests in service, liturgy, and charity.

He can preach, baptise, witness marriages, and perform funerals, but does not consecrate the Eucharist or hear confessions. Often married, a permanent deacon bridges the Church and the community through both spiritual and practical service.

There are nine permanent deacons serving in the Archdiocese (two retired).

The training and formation of Permanent Deacons within Scotland is overseen by the Diaconate Commission for Scotland, part of The Bishops' Conference of Scotland.

Intellectual formation is carried out in conjunction with St Mary’s University, (SMU), Twickenham, and the other pillars of formation i.e. Spiritual, Human and Liturgical formation sessions are carried out in St Mary’s Monastery, by students attending Summer Schools and residential weekends

If you want to find out more about becoming a permanent deacon please contact Deacon Ronnie Macaulay at St Joseph's in Whitburn at macaulay_ronnie@yahoo.co.uk

Historic city churches walking trail unveiled

A walking trail celebrating some of Edinburgh’s best-loved and most historic churches has been launched.

Ten of the city’s architectural jewels and spiritual havens feature in the Edinburgh City Centre Historic Churches Walking Trail, which leads from the Royal Mile to the New Town and the West End.

The trail includes two Catholic Churches: St Patrick's Church in The Cowgate and St Mary's Cathedral in the city centre (pictured below).

The Trail is an ecumenical venture involving the Church of Scotland, the Diocese of Edinburgh (Scottish Episcopal Church), and the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.

"It is a well-chosen sample of Christian history, culture and worship which offers rich reward to those who set out along its path.

Monsignor Jeremy Milne, Administrator of St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, Edinburgh, said: “The ecumenical Walking Trail takes you through the heart of the city and is a brilliant exploration of Edinburgh's rich Christian heritage and living communities. It is a well-chosen sample of Christian history, culture and worship which offers rich reward to those who set out along its path.”

From left: The Revd Fiona Reynolds, Episcopalian Church; Monsignor Jeremy Milne, St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral; Anne Martin, who edited the Trail leaflet; The Revd Dr Scott Rennie, Minister of St Giles’ Cathedral and The Very Revd John Conway, Provost of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral.

The Very Revd John Conway, Provost of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, said: “This lovely initiative provides a route to walk between the landmark churches of our beautiful city. Our hope is that the Trail not only shows people how to make their way from one church to another, but also helps reveal the long shared history and deepening friendship between us all as church communities.”

Anne Martin, who edited the Trail leaflet and is a congregant in the Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh, said: “Setting up the Walking Trail has given an ecumenical opportunity for three Edinburgh church communities to work together to welcome visitors, and I hope it will lead to many more.”

List of all 10 churches on the Walking Trail. View the trail online here.

St Giles’ Cathedral (Church of Scotland)
Founded in 1124. John Knox’s parish church; has played an important role in Scottish history. Arrival of Bonnie Prince Charlie announced here in 1745. Used today for civic services. Organ built in 1992 by the Austrian firm of Rieger Orgelbau. Open Monday to Friday, 10.00–18.00, Saturday 09.00–17.00, Sunday 13.00–17.00.

Greyfriars Kirk (Church of Scotland)
Completed in 1620; first church built in Scotland after The Reformation; second church was built in 1722, joined together in 1929. The National Covenant was signed here in 1638. Peter Collins organ built in 1990. Open April to September, Monday to Friday, 10.30–16.30, Saturday 11.00–14.00.

St Patrick’s Church (Catholic)
Originally an Episcopalian Chapel opened in 1774, known as the ‘English Chapel’, inspired by London’s St Martin-in-the-Fields. Apse paintings by Alexander Runciman. After a short ownership by the Presbyterian Relief Church, purchased for the growing Irish Catholic Community in 1856. Open Monday to Saturday 08.00–19.00, Sunday 08.00–18.00.

Canongate Kirk (Church of Scotland)
James VII/II ordered the construction of Canongate to replace Holyrood Abbey. It was completed in 1690 and James VII/II’s coat of arms were altered to be those of William of Orange. The 1989 organ is the 1000th instrument built by the Danish firm Frobenius & Sons. Open most weekends; please check website.

Old St Paul’s (Scottish Episcopal Church)
On the site of the oldest episcopal church in Scotland. Present church 1883, designed by pupil of George Gilbert Scott. Willis Organ 1888; renovated 1960. Open Monday to Friday, 08.00–17.00, Saturday 09.00–17.00, Sunday 09.30–19.30.

St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, York Place (Catholic)
Opened as the RC Chapel of St Mary in 1814; pro-cathedral for the new RC Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh from 1878. Enlarged in 1896; roof raised in 1932. Matthew Copley organ built in 2007 using pipes from 1882 Wilkinson organ. Café. Open Monday to Friday, 08.30–18.30, Saturday 08.30–19.30, Sunday 08.30–20.30.

The New Town Church (Church of Scotland)
First church built in Edinburgh’s New Town in 1784. The tower was added in 1787 making it then the tallest building in the city. Wells Kennedy organ installed in 1984. Café. Open Monday to Friday, 10.30–14.00, Saturday 11.00–13.00.

St John’s Church (Scottish Episcopal Church)
Neo-gothic church consecrated 1818; architect William Burn. Built by congregation founded in 1792. Plaster ceiling based on Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey. Willis organ built in 1900. Café. Open Monday to Saturday (excluding Wednesday) 10.00–16.00, Wednesday 12.00–16.00

Parish Church of St Cuthbert (Church of Scotland)
Ancient site. A new church opened in 1775 with a steeple added 1789. A second new church completed in 1894 retaining previous tower and steeple. Interior includes Tiffany stained glass. Ring of 10 bells. Robert Hope-Jones organ built 1899. Open Tuesday to Friday 10.30–15.00.

St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Palmerston Place (Scottish Episcopal Church)
Consecrated in 1879; spire added 1913–1917. Architect George Gilbert Scott. Willis organ built 1879. Song School built in 1885; murals by Phoebe Anna Traquair (open by appointment). Open Monday to Friday, 08.00–18.00, Saturday to Sunday, 08.00–17.00.

Congratulations to theology graduates!

Congratulations to the graduates of the Applied Catholic Theology MA of St Mary's University, Twickenham (SMU).

They gathered with friends and family at St Margaret's Chapel at The Gillis Centre, Edinburgh, yesterday (Tuesday 22 July) for a ceremony and prayer service led by Monsignor Jeremy Milne.

Graduates included Fr Isaac Oshoma (priest at Our Lady & St Margaret, Duns), Michelle Greenidge (Sacred Heart, Lauriston), Valerie Lawrie (Our Lady's, Currie), Martin Cassels (St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh), pictured above.

Joining them from SMU was Richard Solomon, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jeremy Pilch and Dr Stephen Dolan, pictured below.

Graduates studied for two years attending classes at the university's Scottish Campus at The Gillis Centre.

The MA in Applied Catholic Theology is delivered by St Mary's University in partnership with the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh. The 2025 course begins September. See here for details or email stephen.dolan@stmarys.ac.uk. Find out about the 2025 course by watching the information webinar on YouTube or below.

WATCH: Vatican reporter shares comms tips

The Vatican Correspondent for EWTN News joined us for our Effective Parish Communications webinar on Saturday.

Colm Flynn shared his thoughts on the importance of media in evangelisation, drawing on his extensive experience. Watch below or on YouTube.

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You can watch brief highlight videos on our playlist below. Full playlist available on YouTube.

Colm Flynn is a renowned, professional broadcaster and contributor to the BBC World Service and Irish broadcaster RTÉ.

The webinar also featured Elaine Furmage of Being Catholic TV and Bishop Frank Dougan (Galloway Diocese) who has launched a communications commission for the Bishops' Conference of Scotland.

If you need assitance or guidance with communications in your parish please contact Matthew Meade, our Director of Communications: matthew.meade@staned.org.uk

Cathedral marks Archbishop Leo's anniversary

Archbishop Leo Cushley celebrated Mass today at St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, in thanksgiving for his 40th anniversary of priesthood.

In his homily he said: "Being a priest has been a wonderful, unexpected adventure that has brought me, to my great and contented surprise, to here and now.

"I’m very grateful to all of you who have been part of the journey, and I ask you to continue your affection and support for me and my brother priests here.

"Help us to continue to seek the will of God, and to embrace it wholeheartedly and cheerfully, wherever the Lord wishes to take us."

A reception was held after Mass in Coffee Saints where Archbishop Leo was joined by family, friends and wellwishers.

Cathedral Administrator Mgr Jeremy Milne said: "We thank you for responding to the call so generously, for your long years of service to the Church, and for your dedicated leadership of the Archdiocese.

"We pray that God may grant you many years to come."

The Archbishop was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Motherwell on 7 July, 1985.

After serving as a priest for several years he was invited to join the diplomatic service of the Holy See.

He has worked in Burundi, Portugal, South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana.

He was First Secretary for the Holy See’s Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York from 2004 to 2007. From 2009 to 2013 he served in the Vatican and was head of the English-language section of the Secretariat of State.

He was installed as the 8th Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh in 2013.

Archbishop Cushley's homily

My dear friends,

A good Sunday and a warm welcome to you all on the day set aside to celebrate 40 years since my ordination to the priesthood.

The actual date was the 7th of July, but today is more convenient for most of us, so here we are.  A particular welcome to my family and friends, to those who have travelled from across the country, and even across the Pond to be here. It’s lovely to have you all here.

The priesthood for me has been a bit of an adventure, and an unexpected one.  I was ordained for Motherwell Diocese in 1985, and I was very happy working and living in Lanarkshire.

The furthest I had been sent was to our parish in Biggar, but that all changed on 1 December 1992, when I was asked to leave all that and go back to Rome and retrain, this time as a diplomat.

I spent the next twenty years at the service of the Holy See, including six years in Africa, five years in the Vatican, four years in a civil war, three years in the United Nations in New York, and three years in Portugal.  None of this was in my plans.

Coming to Edinburgh wasn’t part of my plans either, and yet, apart from my time in Rome, Edinburgh is now the place I’ve lived the longest, and before you ask, yes, I am very, very happy here.

And these are perhaps the first lessons I might to pass on to the next generation of priests and leaders in the Church: first, the Lord has plans for you, and they may be very different to the ones you had in mind.  And you have to learn that and accept that at some point.

And, related to that, learn to be obedient and be trusting, and you will happy.  Doing your duty gets a bad rap these days, and I am mystified by this.

Keeping your promises, doing your duty, embracing obedience, is one of the most liberating and fulfilling things I can think of.  To place your will in the hands of your superiors might seems scary out there in the world, but in the Church, it is a liberation.

Once you give up careerism, or the drive to make more money, the greed, the pride, the rat race, you are free.  You are free to give yourself with trust and confidence and an open heart.

By putting my will at the disposal of the Pope and my superiors in the Holy See, I’ve travelled all over the world, met wonderful people, seen our brothers and sisters in the Church serve their neighbours and overcome adversity, and learned what a loving, welcoming world-wide family we all belong to in the Church.  It's difficult to describe briefly, but you know it when you see it, whether you’re in Cairo or the Kalahari.

I saw a lot and, I hope, I learned a lot.  Pope Francis made much of us learning again to listen to each other.  If we talk all the time, we stop listening; if we stop listening, we stop learning; if we’ve already made up our mind, that mind will perforce be more limited.

And maybe that’s the second thing I would pass on to future priests and leaders: learn to be open, to listen, to learn.  One of our friends loves to say, “Every day’s a school day”, and he’s usually right.

There are the eternal, wonderful truths of our faith, and of nature, and of the cosmos around us.  There is also so much to learn, or see again, and see afresh. The Church proposes the truths of Jesus Christ to the ages, but that doesn’t mean that we, her members, have got all the answers, all of the time.  New problems require fresh thinking.

Thinking that is true and faithful to our divine Master, Jesus of Nazareth, thinking that is an authentic and therefore helpful development of the faith passed down to us, and that we strive to pass down faithfully to the next generation.  We need to be both prudent and open as well.

And to do that we must keep Jesus Christ at the centre of our vision.

And at the centre of that vision, we need to keep the Sunday Eucharist, the constant, sure focal point that binds us all together in communion with our living Lord, and, through the successor of Peter in the See of Rome, with all our brothers and sisters, both alive and asleep in the Lord.

It should also be fairly obvious that the priesthood is a life of service.  And for the avoidance of doubt, it is a service of other people, not oneself.

Too often those of us who have promised a celibate life become withdrawn, shrivelled up, enclosed within themselves.  Celibacy is intended to encourage the gift of ourselves fully to others: a gift of our time, our talents, even our lives.

But if we don’t nourish that gift-of-self within us and keep that spirit alive, consciously and unconsciously, over the years, that space that we ought to fill with service of others, can be easily filled instead with self-regard, self-pity, self-serving.

Of course, you don’t have to promise to be celibate for this to happen to you; plenty of people are only interested in Number One; but it’s a greater tragedy when it’s a man or a woman who has promised to serve others through celibacy, and instead ends up serving only themself.

Like consecrated virginity, celibacy should be liberating, it should be filled with joyful and contented service of God’s people; again, something for us all to notice and to better in ourselves from time to time.

Priesthood is also about knowledge, respect and promotion of the sacred mysteries of our faith, and in passing – as we say in the Ordination rites - about conforming ourselves to the mystery of the Lord’s Cross.  We are to have a heart for action and a soul for prayer.  As it happens, this very point arises in today’s gospel: are we to be like Martha or like Mary?  Should priests give priority to a heart for action, like Martha, or a soul for stillness, like Mary?

It’s a good question for all the Lord’s disciples, so it’s also a question for us priests.

Are you a Martha or a Mary kind of disciple?

Are you a Martha or a Mary kind of priest?

First of all, it’s curious to me that in the history of the Church, it is Martha, not Mary, who is the one who has become by far the more celebrated of the two sisters.  And yet our Lord gently directs us, and Martha, to the example of her sister Mary, apparently doing nothing.  But, as our new translation has it, the Lord says that Mary is the one with the ”good portion”.  Mary’s got the good bit.  It’s not a criticism of Martha’s service, but more of a gentle reminder to get things in the right order.

We are first to give patient attention to the Lord; if not, what kind of service are we going to give?  Our service risks being empty or, at least, more remote than it need be from the mind of the Lord, and how He wants us to serve.  And the Lord never says, “Look, it’s one the other, either the heart of Martha or the soul of Mary”.

Disciples need both heart and soul.  Without the heart of Martha, nothing would get done. Without the soul of Mary, we would have little relation to God.  We ought to embrace action; but it’s better if it’s informed first by stillness before God, learning of His will for us, and embracing it lovingly and willingly. Then acting.

My friends, I didn’t set out today to give you a synthesis of what it’s like to be a priest, or what it has been like to be this priest.  These are just a few preliminary notes, a couple of insights.

But briefly, for my part, being a priest has been a wonderful, unexpected adventure that has brought me, to my great and contented surprise, to here and now.

I’m very, very grateful to all of you who have been part of the journey, and I ask you to continue your affection and support for me and my brother priests here.  Help us to continue to seek the will of God, and to embrace it wholeheartedly and cheerfully, wherever the Lord wishes to take us.

Please pray for us, as we pray for you, that we will all be good and faithful brothers and sisters to each other, and that the good Lord will bring us all one day together, to be happy with Him forever.

Thanks for listening and God bless you all!

Day for grandparents & elderly

This Sunday is the annual World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

Bishop John Keenan, President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, will celebrate Mass at St Francis Xavier's at Carfin Grotto at 3:00pm.

In his Message for the Day, Pope Leo offers a scriptural meditation on old age, beginning with biblical figures such as Abraham and Sarah, Zechariah and Elizabeth, as well as Moses, all of whom were called in old age to be part of God’s saving plan.

Message of the Holy Father for the World Day for Grandparents & The Elderly

Dear brothers and sisters,

The Jubilee we are now celebrating helps us to realize that hope is a constant source of joy, whatever our age. When that hope has also been tempered by fire over the course of a long life, it proves a source of deep happiness.

Sacred Scripture offers us many examples of men and women whom the Lord called late in life to play a part in his saving plan. We can think of Abraham and Sarah, who, advanced in years, found it hard to believe when God promised them a child. Their childlessness seemed to prevent them from any hope for the future.

Zechariah’s reaction to the news of John the Baptist’s birth was no different: “How can this be? I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years” (Lk 1:18). Old age, barrenness and physical decline apparently blocked any hope for life and fertility in these men and women.

The question that Nicodemus asked Jesus when the Master spoke to him of being “born again” also seems purely rhetorical: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (Jn 3:4). Yet whenever we think that things cannot change, the Lord surprises us with an act of saving power.

The elderly as signs of hope

In the Bible, God repeatedly demonstrates his providential care by turning to people in their later years. This was the case not only with Abraham, Sarah, Zechariah and Elizabeth, but also with Moses, who was called to set his people free when he was already eighty years old (cf. Ex 7:7).

God thus teaches us that, in his eyes, old age is a time of blessing and grace, and that the elderly are, for him, the first witnesses of hope. Augustine asks, “What do we mean by old age?”

He tells us that God himself answers the question: “Let your strength fail, so that my strength may abide within you, and you can say with the Apostle, ‘When I am weak, then I am strong’” (Super Ps. 70,11). The increasing number of elderly people is a sign of the times that we are called to discern, in order to interpret properly this moment of history.

The life of the Church and the world can only be understood in light of the passage of generations. Embracing the elderly helps us to understand that life is more than just the present moment, and should not be wasted in superficial encounters and fleeting relationships.

Instead, life is constantly pointing us toward the future. In the book of Genesis, we find the moving episode of the blessing given by the aged Jacob to his grandchildren, the sons of Joseph; his words are an appeal to look to the future with hope, as the time when God’s promises will be fulfilled (cf. Gen 48:8-20).

If it is true that the weakness of the elderly needs the strength of the young, it is equally true that the inexperience of the young needs the witness of the elderly in order to build the future with wisdom.

How often our grandparents have been for us examples of faith and devotion, civic virtue and social commitment, memory and perseverance amid trials!

The precious legacy that they have handed down to us with hope and love will always be a source of gratitude and a summons to perseverance.

Signs of hope for the elderly

From biblical times, the Jubilee has been understood as a time of liberation. Slaves were freed, debts were forgiven and land was returned to its original owners.

The Jubilee was a time when the social order willed by God was restored, and inequalities and injustices accumulated over the years were remedied. Jesus evoked those moments of liberation when, in the synagogue of Nazareth, he proclaimed good news to the poor, sight to the blind and freedom for prisoners and the oppressed (cf. Lk 4:16-21).

Looking at the elderly in the spirit of this Jubilee, we are called to help them experience liberation, especially from loneliness and abandonment.

This year is a fitting time to do so. God’s fidelity to his promises teaches us that there is a blessedness in old age, an authentic evangelical joy inspiring us to break through the barriers of indifference in which the elderly often find themselves enclosed.

Our societies, everywhere in the world, are growing all too accustomed to letting this significant and enriching part of their life be marginalized and forgotten.

Given this situation, a change of pace is needed that would be readily seen in an assumption of responsibility on the part of the whole Church.

Every parish, association and ecclesial group is called to become a protagonist in a “revolution” of gratitude and care, to be brought about by regular visits to the elderly, the creation of networks of support and prayer for them and with them, and the forging of relationships that can restore hope and dignity to those who feel forgotten.

Christian hope always urges us to be more daring, to think big, to be dissatisfied with things the way they are. In this case, it urges us to work for a change that can restore the esteem and affection to which the elderly are entitled

That is why Pope Francis wanted the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly to be celebrated primarily through an effort to seek out elderly persons who are living alone.

For this reason, those who are unable to come to Rome on pilgrimage during this Holy Year may “obtain the Jubilee Indulgence if they visit, for an appropriate amount of time, the elderly who are alone... making, in a sense, a pilgrimage to Christ present in them (cf. Mt 25:34-36)” (APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY, Norms for the Granting of the Jubilee Indulgence, III). Visiting an elderly person is a way of encountering Jesus, who frees us from indifference and loneliness.

As elderly persons, we can hope

The Book of Sirach calls blessed those who have not lost hope (cf. 14:2). Perhaps, especially if our lives are long, we may be tempted to look not to the future but to the past.

Yet, as Pope Francis wrote during his last hospitalization, “our bodies are weak, but even so, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being there for one another, in faith, as shining signs of hope” (Angelus, 16 March 2025). We possess a freedom that no difficulty can rob us of: it is the freedom to love and to pray. Everyone, always, can love and pray.

Our affection for our loved ones – for the wife or husband with whom we have spent so much of our lives, for our children, for our grandchildren who brighten our days – does not fade when our strength wanes. Indeed, their own affection often revives our energy and brings us hope and comfort.

These signs of living love, which have their roots in God himself, give us courage and remind us that “even if our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor 4:16). Especially as we grow older, let us press forward with confidence in the Lord. May we be renewed each day by our encounter with him in prayer and in Holy Mass.

Let us lovingly pass on the faith we have lived for so many years, in our families and in our daily encounter with others. May we always praise God for his goodness, cultivate unity with our loved ones, open our hearts to those who are far away and, in particular, to all those in need.

In this way, we will be signs of hope, whatever our age.

Volunteers all set for Lourdes!

The Archdiocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes begins on Friday, led by Archbishop Cushley. We spoke to Scott Johnston, 52, a volunteer nurse on this year’s Archdiocesan Lourdes pilgrimage, to find out more about the brilliant care and support that the sick and infirm assisted pilgrims receive.

What is the main role of a volunteer nurse in Lourdes?
Pilgrimage nurses undertake a variety of roles across the year. All of our team are primarily focused on providing 24-hour nursing care whilst we are in Lourdes. We are also involved in meeting with assisted pilgrims and their families before travelling to discuss care needs and how this will be provided in the St Frai (the accommodation for assisted pilgrims). The Nursing Team deliver training sessions to support existing and new volunteers. I usually travel independently to Lourdes and help to set up our section of the St Frai before our pilgrimage group arrive. I then provide nursing care to pilgrims during the pilgrimage.

What is the best part of being a volunteer nurse?
I really enjoy being able to spend time with the assisted pilgrims and the other volunteers. As a pilgrimage nurse I also participate in all the masses and activities during the week. Lourdes allows me to use my clinical nursing skills in a way that I no longer do regularly in my day job in the NHS (National Maternity Improvement Advisor).

And the most challenging?
The week is very tiring, but it is also very enjoyable, so that makes up for it!

What kind of professional care do assisted pilgrims get?
The care we provide varies depending on the need of the pilgrim. This can include personal care, medication administration and assisting with eating and drinking. The nursing team are also responsible for dealing with any emergency situations that may occur (this is not very often).

From your experience, what parts of the pilgrimage do assisted pilgrims enjoy the most?
When I speak with pilgrims, they all speak of the spiritual side of Lourdes, the activities and the companionship as the parts they enjoy the most.

What support do volunteer nurses get in their role?
We have preparation meetings and training sessions. As a team we are very conscious of the variety of skills that we all have and we work very closely to support each other before and during the pilgrimage.

What feedback have you had from the families of assisted pilgrims about their experience in Lourdes?
 The feedback from families that I have had is very positive. Many families end up joining the pilgrimage in future years!

How do I find out more about this year’s pilgrimage?
Go to the www.edinburgh-lourdes.com which has all the info on this year’s pilgrimage.

This interview was originally published in February 2025.  www.edinburgh-lourdes.com/lourdes25