Welcome to St Andrew's Parish, Rothesay
The Diocese of Argyll and the Isles has many parishes in some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland. Mountains, glens, lochs, rivers, and the sea give a dramatic background to our heritage, both past and lived. Many lives continue to give witness to our faith and how it is celebrated here.
Among the Highlands and the Islands is the Isle of Bute with its main town Rothesay and just a few hundred yards from the ferry terminal, is the magnificent Catholic Church of St. Andrew’s. Now just shy of being one hundred years old, St. Andrew’s continues to be the centre of Catholic worship in Bute.
On this website we hope to introduce you to our beautiful Church and parish, showcasing our long history and highlighting some of the many things we do today.
Feel free to browse the menu and explore the site.
Click here for some useful materials from the Jesuit parish in Newcastle, to help us make the most of the season of Lent.
3rd Sunday of Lent
God’s love has been poured into our hearts
From this Sunday onwards, our Lenten Gospels come from John and focus on very personal encounters with Jesus. Today, Jesus risks scandal by approaching a Samaritan woman at a well. Seeing her deepest need for healing, he invites her to draw from the well of living water. He is the Messiah she has been waiting for, and her response is a model of Christian discipleship. She believes, and with joy-filled faith, invites others from her community to encounter Jesus (Gospel).
The First Reading stands in stark contrast to this image of faith and surrender. Moses has led God’s chosen people out of slavery from Egypt. Years of exile in the desert causes them to grumble and doubt. They are tired and thirsty. God hears their cry and provides a spring of water.
The Psalm reflects on this painful part of Israel’s history and encourages us to be joyful and faithful; always listening to the voice of God and not hardening our hearts towards him.
The Second Reading is a beautiful letter of love, reminding us that God’s love is forever poured into our hearts. Graced with so much love for us, we must never lose hope, no matter what trials we might face.
Filled with this love and sustained by living water, we, too, are called to go out beyond our comfortable boundaries to pour out God’s love on others. This week, let us pray for the grace to respond generously to this love, and like the Samaritan woman, invite others to believe and be transformed by the healing love of God.
(With thanks to St Beuno's Outreach)
ARTWORK
Pope Leo's March Prayer Intention
For disarmament and peace
Let us pray that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.
Visit the website of Pray With the Pope
Visit the website of Pray As You Go for a reflection on this month's video.
Pope Leo's Lenten Message
Abstain from harsh words and rash judgement
This season of Lent, Pope Leo XIV invites Catholics to open ourselves to listening, fasting, and community, urging us to abstain from words of hatred in order to make space for words of hope and peace.
