Scottish Catholic Observer

The Church of St Mary Magdalene in Bingham, Edinburgh, celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 21, with a special anniversary Mass giving thanks for five decades of prayer and service in the parish.

The Mass, celebrated by parish priest Fr Jock Dalrymple, saw former parish priest Mgr Tony Duffy deliver the homily, while Fr John Robinson also concelebrated Mass on the day.

Catholics across the East Edinburgh cluster gathered and enjoyed catching up with Mgr Duffy, who was held in high regard in his time as a priest.

Rev Bill Wishart, minister at the neighbouring Church of Scotland parish, was also welcomed by Fr Darymple.

Fr Dalrymple said: “Before the end of Mass, Laura Tweedie, chair of the Pastoral Council, invited everybody to continue the celebrations in the hall and porch. Flowers were presented to nonagenarian Pat Marin, a member of the parish since its foundation, as a symbolic representative of all those families whose generosity and service have made the parish what it was and is.”

It came after a special celebration just a week earlier with the boys and girls of the parish, as they came together for a beautiful Mass with their parish community. The Primary 4 children who are preparing for their First Communion joined in the ‘Do This In Memory of Me’ Mass, which is held monthly between the two churches in the shared parish of St John’s and St Mary Magdalene’s. Gathering at St Mary Magdalene’s on Sunday April 15, the children played many important roles in the Mass, with their parents getting involved too.

Fr Dalrymple, noted that they children are ‘very responsive’ and ‘imaginative in their prayers at the bidding prayers,’ as well as being ‘eager’ to take part. “It was a very joyful Mass,” he added. “We were just delighted at their response.”

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