Resources
1. Aberdeen Diocese
Shetland belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen. The Diocesan Offices, and residence of Bishop Hugh Gilbert, OSB, are now situated in Old Aberdeen, immediately opposite St Machar's Cathedral.
Address:
St Mary's House, 14, Chanonry, ABERDEEN, AB24 1RP.
Tel: 01224 319154
2. Aberdeen Cathedral
20, Huntly Street, ABERDEEN, AB10 1SH
Cathedral Administrator: Fr Keith Herrera. Tel: 01224 640160.
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Chaplain: Fr Emmet O'Dowd (University Chaplaincy).
3. St Margaret and the Sacred Heart Parish, Lerwick.
Parish Priest: Fr Ambrose Flavell
Fr Ambrose is a priest working in the diocese of Aberdeen. He has been in charge of the Shetland Parish since June 2017.
Office Holders in the Parish
Chair of the Parish Pastoral Committee - Lesley McEvoy
Members of the Parish Pastoral Committee - Lesley McEvoy, Marsali Taylor, Andrea Lavery, Yannick Harpe, Neil Work, Ann Longmuir, Hilde Bardell, Pat Loynd, Ritva Reid, Margaret Nugent.
Parish Treasurer - Margaret Nugent.
Members of the Parish Finance Committee - Margaret Nugent (Chair), Yannick Harpe, Simon Lavery, John Rowan, Lesley McEvoy, Marsali Taylor, Neil Work, Pat Loynd.
Eucharistic Ministers - Marsali Taylor, John Rowan, Katie Hatfield, Patricia Loynd, Margaret Nugent, Yannick Harpe, Jenny Atkinson.
Catechists - Neil Work, Donna Grogan, Elaine Maguire, Sarah Maguire, Yannick Harpe.
Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator - Barbara Sandison.
Tel: 01595-692233 (parish). Email: lerwickPSC@rcd-abdn.org
The Diocesan Safeguarding Officer is Mrs Josephine Martin. Dedicated phone number: 07579768178.
For Scottish Catholic Safeguarding click on hyperlink. The current Safeguarding Document entitled "In God's Image, Version 2" is available for download from this website. www.bcos.org.uk/InGodsImageV2
For Aberdeen diocesan safeguarding policy see: www.rcda.scot>safeguarding
Safeguarding Audit leaflet, 2019:
safeguarding-audit-leaflet-2019.pdf
Youth Group Co-ordinator - Elaine Maguire.
Marriage Preparation
Please give at least six months notice of your intention to marry. Details of the documentation required will be found on the website of St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen.
If you have been resident in Shetland for more than six months the marriage documentation must be completed in the Diocese of Aberdeen, even if you intend to celebrate the marriage abroad.
Marriage preparation team - John and Linda Rowan, Peter and Hilde Bardell.
Amoris Laetitia
Following the teaching of Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation entitled “Amoris Laetitia”, Bishop Hugh has invited certain priests to be available to help those in what the Church calls “irregular marital situations.” This is not a Relationship or Marriage Counselling Service, which already exists, but is for those who may wish to discuss their situation and are wondering how they might participate more fully in the life of the Church. Any individual or couple who would appreciate confidential conversations in this area are invited to approach any of the following priests: Fr Mark Impson (Stonehaven; Fr Giles Conacher, OSB (Pluscarden); Fr Richard Reece (Tain).
Parish Finance
St Margaret's is a parish of the R.C. Diocese of Aberdeen Charitable Trust, a registered Scottish Charity, SC number 005122. The parish has a heavy outlay for maintenance of buildings. Current projects include the repair of damp in the presbytery and parish rooms. Major work also has to be done to repair broken gutters outside the church (and consequent damage to the window surrounds). We still have a substantial debt to the diocese for earlier renovation work carried out on the presbytery and parish rooms.
You can assist us by Gift Aiding your donations. The parish can recover 27 pence in the pound tax from the Inland Revenue if you pay UK income tax at least equivalent to the money being claimed back. Forms are available from the Parish Office. We would also be happy to discuss monthly standing orders through the bank and the Envelope scheme with anyone who would like to consider these options.
Donations by cheque should be made payable to "St Margaret's Church, Lerwick". If they are for the building appeal please mark them on the back "Fabric Fund".
Catholic Education
There are no Catholic schools in Shetland. Preparation for First Holy Communion, First Confession, and Confirmation are led by the catechists and normally take place in Lerwick after the 10.30 Sunday Mass.
4. Support Groups
Lerwick Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Friday in the Parish Room, 87 St Olaf Street, Lerwick, from 6.30 - 8.15 p.m. For further details please contact John on 01595 693063.
Shetland Food Bank
Emergency food and support for people in crisis. There is a collection point for food in the church porch; you can also make cash donations in the porch wall-safe above the plastic box. Volunteers are welcomed to work in the food bank on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
Contact: David Grieve (Project Manager), 20A St Magnus Street, Lerwick, ZE1 0JT. Tel: 01595 741263.