Formation & Ecumenism















Sacramental preparation

Baptism courses are held in the Greyfriars Centre every few months. Announcements are made in the Bulletin beforehand and people expecting a baby are encouraged to come. The usual length of the course is four weeks. Confirmation preparation has been carried out within the Parish and in the Schools. With the new lower age of Confirmation, the greater frequency and the simpler preparation required of this programme is under review. Preparation for the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion is undertaken completely in the parish. We have 12 Catechists who take a small group of 3 or 4 every week for 9 weeks.
As the age for First Communion being raised, the 2001 will be a 'fallow' year and we will use it for further training of Catechists. Marriage preparation is done individually by one of the Priests.

Cubs and Scouts

Both Cubs and Scouts meet in St Francis Hall every Tuesday. Cubs, 8-11 years old and Scouts, 11-15 years old. Time 7:30pm-8:45pm

St Francis Pipe Band

Founded in 1926 by the Franciscans of the Gorbals, it was just one of a wide range of cultural, educational and leisure activities that enriched the lives of the people of the Gorbals amidst the poverty and overcrowding of that time. In the 1950s there were as many as four pipe bands and a silver band all performing under the name of St. Francis.

The band concentrates on careful piping and drumming tuition to supply the Pipers and Drummers of the future.

The Pipe band is one of the very few organisations to survive the great upheavals in the Gorbals over the last decades of demolition and rebuilding. Apart from the Franciscans themselves, the Pipe Band is one of the oldest organisations in the area and is also one of the oldest civilian pipe bands in Scotland.

The year 2000 has been another busy year for the band, with many events and competitions. During the year the band achieved it's best placing in competition for over 60 years, with an 8th place in our grade at the World Pipe Band Championships on Glasgow Green in August.

Our Juvenile Drum Major Tammie McFadden deserves special mention winning a fourth place at the Scottish Championships in Arbroath. Her first season competing with a band - a very promising start.

The year 2001 marks the 75th year of the band and promises to be a special year. A series of events and activities are being organised to mark this notable anniversary

At present the band has a group of youngsters who have been practising hard and are showing great promise. We hope they will soon be ready to play their full part in what will be the continuing story of St. Francis Pipe Band as it proceeds into the fourth quarter of it's century.

Schools

We are well served by two Primary schools in Duns Scotus Parish: St John's Primary School, Head-Teacher: Mrs Marie McGee, 99 Norfolk Street (Tel:429 6017); and St Francis Primary school, Head-Teacher: Mrs Moira McGlynn, 430 Old Rutherglen Road (Tel:429 3687). For Secondary schooling pupils have to travel outside the Parish to Holyrood Secondary School, Head-teacher: Mr T.F. Moynihan, 100 Dixon Road (423 8932). One of the Friars is chaplain at each of these schools and another is chaplain at Richmond Park Special School.

Ecumenism

At the end of the year 2000, the year that closes the Second Millenium of the Christian era (on the evening of 31st December 1999), the only Churches in the Gorbals, namely the Gorbals Church of Scotland and ourselves, were moved by the Spirit to sign a statement of the common ground on which we stand. We aim to extend the work of the church in serving all God's people in this place. A signed copy of the agreement, suitably framed, with a photograph of the occasion has a prominent place in the entrance of both Churches. We pray that we will find, in joyful obedience, the path by which God will bring us to fuller unity. A special ecumenical event this year was at Pentecost when, after our respective services, we met in the Atrium, fittingly decorated, to enjoy tea & home-baking together and make cards and send them to our respective Missionaries.