Saint Cuthbert's

Introduction

Saint Cuthbert's in Melrose, within the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, became a Catholic church in 1985 after being built in 1867 as a United Presbyterian Church.

History

The church retained the name High Cross for some years until its new patron, St Cuthbert, was chosen. In 1985, St Cuthbert's High Cross Church became the Parish Church of Melrose and the surrounding towns and villages.

Parish life

The Parish of Our Lady and Saint Andrew serves Our Lady and St Joseph, Selkirk and Saint Cuthbert's, Melrose. St Cuthbert's is one of the three churches that form part of the parish of Our Lady & St Andrew.

Many elderly and housebound parishioners receive regular visits from clergy and lay ministers to bring them Holy Communion. The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) supports the Parish Priest, providing spiritual leadership and in the development of a meaningful sense of community and sound administrative procedures. The parish enjoys strong connections with its local Catholic school, which brings many young families into parish life.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Parents must inform the priest at least 2 months before the proposed baptism date to allow time for preparation. Baptism preparation consists of two meetings: one with parents, and one involving both parents and godparents whenever possible.

The Church requires a minimum of 6 months notice for marriage preparation. In danger of death, the priest will come out immediately and administer the 'Last Rites'.

Visiting

Before becoming a Catholic church, the Catholic community in Melrose attended Mass at the Town Hall, described as 'a narrow sunless room with four or five rows of hard raked seats and a magistrate's bench out front.' In 2002, the first parish pilgrimage to Lourdes was led. Live-streaming of Masses was established during the COVID pandemic. In October 2023, a Parish administrator was appointed to serve in Our Lady and St Andrews, Galashiels, serving the churches of Our Lady and Saint Joseph, Selkirk and Saint Cuthbert's in Melrose.