The annual Mass for Married and Engaged Couples is on Wednesday 29 May 2024, 7.15pm, at Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh.
Come and celebrate the gift of marriage, renew your commitment and receive God's blessing upon your love.
Enquiries and requests for special invitations to be posted to couples celebrating significant anniversaries may be sent to vemarriage@staned.org.uk or by calling 0131 334 1693.
The Archdiocese invites married couples (and those preparing for marriage) to a free Valentine's retreat this Saturday (10 February).
The free event takes place at St Kentigern's Church, Parkgrove Avenue, Barnton, Edinburgh, EH4 7QR from 2pm to 5pm.
It is hosted by Stephen and Martha Milne, who have long experience in running retreats, catechesis and marriage/family events.
There will be a crèche available for children of primary school age and older. Registration closes Thursday 8 Feb at 2pm.
Stephen said, "The Valentine's Retreat is an ideal way for couples to spend time together in quiet reflection and prayer, in thanksgiving to God for each other and all the positive things that spring from your relationship.
"We’ll provide some inspiring stories and practical advice from our own background and what we’ve learned over the years through delivering catechesis about and for the family and from working with families.
"We hope it will help you look afresh in appreciation of each other ahead of Valentine’s Day in the relaxed and friendly environment of St Kentigern’s Parish in Edinburgh. We look forward to welcoming you."
Register for this free event here.
About Stephen and Martha Milne
Stephen and Martha were married in 1989 in Baltimore, USA.
They have six grown up children, four grandchildren and another on the way.
They currently reside in Dalmally, Argyll and Bute, recently joining the Craig Lodge Family House of Prayer Community.
Stephen is a retired English teacher and taught in schools in Kent, London and Lincolnshire.
He taught at the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham for several years as an Associate Lecturer on the MA for Catholic Pastoral Studies programme, running a course on Marriage and Family in the teaching of the Church.
He has a BA (Hons) in Developmental Psychology University of Sussex, an MA in English Literature and Language from King’s College London, and a PhD from the University of Nottingham.
Martha spent nine years as a primary school teacher at The Lamb of God Community School in Baltimore, Maryland.
She is the Director of the Machine Quilter Company Ltd and currently runs social media for the Juki Sewing Machine Corporation Europe.
The couple have been involved in helping organise and run family retreats at Craig Lodge Family House of Prayer Community in the last year.
She has a B.S. in Speech and Language Pathology M.Ed Literacy (Dyslexia), Catechesis Certificate from Maryvale Institute
The Valentine's Retreat is a free event organised by the Marriage & Families Commission of the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh. The registration address is bit.ly/valretreat. The event includes talks, time for coples to talk, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Guided prayer with readings and prayers relevant to the vocation of marriage. There will be a crèche available for children of primary school age and older. Doors open from 1:30pm. Questions? Contact matthew.meade@staned.org.uk
And Saturday (online/Gillis Centre). Full details of our Marriage Preparation Courses and how to register can be found in the resources section at archedinburgh.org/pastoral-governance/marriage-families/
And Saturday. Full details of our Marriage Preparation Courses and how to register can be found in the resources section at archedinburgh.org/pastoral-governance/marriage-families/
Couples from across the Archdiocese got together at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh last night for a celebration of marriage.
Archbishop Cushley was the principal celebrant at Mass and gave a blessing to married couples and to engaged couples.
He said: "It is always a lovely, happy occasion when we thank God for the many blessings received through the great gift of marriage.
"It warms my heart to see so many people here to celebrate that and to pray for God's blessing upon their lives."
After the Mass a reception was held in Coffee Saints cafe.
The longest married couple at the event were Margaret & Bill Mawdsley (below).
They are parishioners at St John the Baptist Church in Corstorphine and have been married for 68 years.
They were wed at St Mary's, Star of the Sea, Leith, in 1955, and have three daughters and five grandchildren.
They cut the celebration cake alongside the most recent married couple, Eilish & Callum Lloyd (below left), who have been married for just a few months.
The annual event was organised by Fr Jeremy Milne and the Archdiocesan commission for Marriage & Family Life.
Archbishop Cushley will celebrate a special Mass for Married and Engaged Couples at St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, on Wednesday 31 May at 7.15pm.
All married and engaged couples are very welcome to come on the night and celebrate the gift of marriage.
After the Mass there will be a celebratory reception in Coffee Saints to which everyone attending the Mass is invited.
If you are celebrating a significant anniversary this year, or know couples who are, do let us know so that we can send a personal invitation. Please submit names, address and number of years being celebrated to Fr Jeremy Milne, vemarriage@staned.org.uk, 0131 334 1693.
Archbishop Cushley will celebrate a special Mass for Married and Engaged Couples at St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, on Wednesday 31 May at 7.15pm.
All married and engaged couples are very welcome to come on the night and celebrate the gift of marriage.
After the Mass there will be a celebratory reception in Coffee Saints to which everyone attending the Mass is invited.
If you are celebrating a significant anniversary this year, or know couples who are, do let us know so that we can send a personal invitation. Please submit names, address and number of years being celebrated to Fr Jeremy Milne, vemarriage@staned.org.uk, 0131 334 1693.
Valentine’s Day is a special opportunity to celebrate our married life, to open our hearts to each other, to respond with affection and joy.
Mid-February is a cold time of year, when we need to spread warmth. Our half-day retreat offers us a perfect opportunity to rekindle the embers of our romance and affection for each other and will look at how couples may respond warmly to each other, to God and to their community, with joy each day.
During the afternoon we will pray, we will listen, we will talk as couples, and try some couple discussion exercises in private.
We will have the opportunity to take home a particular question to consider at home in the evening, along with a recommended format. So, keep the evening free!
The retreat will be led by Annette and Paul O’Beirne, who will share some of the stories and tools that they have gathered over their 42 years together. They met in Aberdeen and now live on the south coast of England.
They have international responsibility in an organisation - Equipes Notre-Dame or Teams of Our Lady– which supports married couples and priests in their vocations. Register at bit.ly/valentineretreat
Two couples clebrating an impressive 60 years of marriage were among those who gathered at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh last night.
Helen & Vincent Robinson and Maureen & Robert Mochrie helped cut the cake following the Mass, which included a blessing of engaged and married couples.
Archbishop Leo said in his homily: "Let me congratulate all of you on the happy occasion of your various anniversaries, great and small, and ask you to pray with me for those contemplating marriage, and for those who misrepresent it and misunderstand it.
"May we learn again as a society to value marriage, and to promote it to the greater good of everyone."
Lovely to meet those who attended the Mass for Married & Engaged couples last night at St Mary’s Cathedral. Special mention to Vincent & Helen Robinson and Robert & Maureen Mochrie, who are celebrating 60 years of marriage. pic.twitter.com/V9KaF6lBdD
— Archbishop Leo Cushley (@leocushley) May 19, 2022
Those attending wore badges showing how long they have been married and woman received a rose from members of the Archdiocesan Marriage & Families Commission. Afterwards, people gathered in Coffee Saints for refreshments and cake.
The event was organised organised by Fr Jeremy Milne and the Marriage & Families Commission.
The Mass for Married & Engaged Couples was organised by the Fr Jeremy Milne VE and the Commission for Marriage & Family Life.
A leading Scottish businessman and his wife will discuss the "pivotal" role their Catholic faith has played in their marriage at a special event in Edinburgh.
Anton and Angela Colella lead a testimony and reflection on the spirituality of marriage at 4:00pm-5:30pm on Sunday 3 April, Gillis Centre, Edinburgh. Register here.
Anton is a well-known figure in the business world as the chief executive of Moore Global, one of the world's leading accountancy firms.
Angela, who began her career as a dietician, said: "Our faith has been pivotal for us. We met through our participation in Catholic lay movements so it has been a central component of our life together, as well as in our family life."
Anton added: "Marriage, and even an imperfect and not always easy one like ours, can have the power to profoundly effect one’s life for good. We hope to highlight the powerful impact that can have not just on children and grandchildren but people beyond that."
The couple, who have been married for 34 years, have four children and five grandchildren and live near Glasgow.
Anton said: "The key thing for us is maintaining our unity, being united in front of our children and others. Angela added: " We look forward to the opportunity of sharing reflections and insights from our marriage with other married couples at this event.
Anton began his career as an RE teacher before being appointed the chief executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority in 2003. In 2006 he became chief executive of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, helping transform it, before joining Moore Global.
Among his other roles he is chairman of the executive board of the Scottish Catholic Education Service.
Anton and Angela's event is one in a series organised by the Archdiocesan Marriage & Family Commission ahead of the World Meeting of Families in Rome 22-26 June 2022.
The programme was launched with a Holy Hour and reflection from Archbishop Cushley on 6 March at St Margaret's Chapel in the Gillis Centre.
Fr Jeremy Milne, who leads the commission, said: "Our events are for married and engaged couples to come before the Lord together in reflection on the beautiful Catholic vision of marriage and family life, thanksgiving for the gift of this calling and prayer for the blessing of their love.
"We look forward to welcoming Anton and Angela and couples from across the Archdiocese to this and the other two events we have scheduled."
Register now at: bit.ly/ArchEventbrite.