31 May 2024 – Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1st Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18 A hymn of joy to God my Saviour Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies….
30 May 2024 – Thursday of Week 8 1st Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-5; 9-12 Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation — if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Come…
29 May 2024 – Wednesday of Week 8 Optional Memorial: St Paul V1, 1897-1978, elected pope in 1963 and continued Vat 11. 1st Reading: 1 Peter 1:18-25 We are ransomed with the precious blood of Christ You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like…
Presider’s Page for 2 June (Corpus Christi) Today we honour the Body and Blood of Christ, the food that sustains us on our pilgrimage through life. Penitential rite: As we prepare to reflect on the mystery of the Eucharist, let us recall the power of God to lift us from our sinfulness: (pause) Lord Jesus, you…
28 May 2024 – Tuesday of Week 8 1st Reading: 1 Peter 1:10-16 The Passion of Christ was revealed, and we must share in it Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry, inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of…
27 May 2024 – Monday of Week 8 Optional Memorial: St Augustine of Canterbury, a Roman monk who set up his see at Canterbury and was successful at conversions in the south of England. 1st Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Peter praises the saving mercy of God, on the occasion of a baptism Blessed be the…
26 May 2024 – The Most Holy Trinity, Year B 1st Reading: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 The Lord himself is God in heaven above and on earth below: there is no other Moses said to the people: ‘Put this question to the ages that are past, that went before you, from the time God created man…
25 May 2024 – Saturday of Week 7 Optional Memorials: St Bede, 673-735, monk of Jarrow, historian, biblical scholar and patron of scholars. St Gregory V11, 1028-85, was hildebrand of Tuscany, a Cluniac monk in Rome who became pope, worked for reform and died in exile in Salerno. St Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi, 1566-1607, a Carmelite in Florence who…
24 May 2024 – Friday of Week 7 Day of Prayer for the Church in China 1st Reading: James 5:9-12 Take the prophets as your models in speaking the truth Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is sanding at the doors! As an example…
23 May 2024 – Thursday of Week 7 1st Reading: James 5:1-6 Those who get rich by injustice will suffer at the judgment Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and…
22 May 2024 – Wednesday of Week 7 Optional Memorial: St Rita of Cascia, 1386-1452, a widow who entered the Augustinian convent in Cascia and spent 40 years in prayer and charity, and working for peace in the region. 1st Reading: James 4:13-17 We do not know what kind of life will be ours tomorrow…
Presider’s Page for 26 May (Trinity Sunday) We celebrate Trinity Sunday today. The feast gives us an opportunity to reflect on the mystery of God, who creates, redeems and makes us holy. Penitential rite: As we gather to worship God, let us call to mind our need of divine forgiveness: (pause) I confess… Introduction to the Scripture…
21 May 2024 – Tuesday of Week 7 Optional Memorial: Ss Christopher Magallánes, priest, and Companions, martyrs. These 25 priests and laymen were executed in 1927 in Mexico. 1st Reading: James 4:1-10 Recommendation to sincerity, shunning worldliness and selfishness Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from…
20 May 2024 – Monday – The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church 1st Reading: Genesis 3:9-15, 20 Enmity between the serpent and the woman But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid,…
19 May 2024 – Pentecost Sunday 1st Reading: Acts 2:1-11 The Spirit of God gives energy to the apostles and sends them out on their mission When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind,…
18 May 2024 – Saturday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: St John 1, first Bishop of Rome to visit Constantinople, died in 526. 1st Reading: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 Paul is imprisoned in Rome, for two years, awaiting trial When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier…
17 May 2024 – Friday of Week 7 of Easter 1st Reading: Acts 25:13-21 Paul, in prison at Caesarea, explains his predicament to king Agrippa After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. Since they were staying there several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying,…
16 May 2024 – Thursday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: St Brendan (Kerry, Clonfert), abbot, Kerryman, born in 486, studied under Finnian. Founded a monastery in Clonfert in 568, died there in 578. 1st Reading: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 Paul is cross-examined by the Jewish Council, in Jerusalem The next day, wanting to find…
15 May 2024 – Wednesday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: St Carthage (Lismore), bishop born in Kerry. Set up a monastery in Rahan in 595, moved to Lismore. Died in 638. 1st Reading: Acts 20:28-38 Paul’s final advice to the church leaders: shepherd the church of God [Paul said to the leaders of…
Presider’s Page for 19 May (Pentecost Sunday) Today is Pentecost Sunday, the second climax of the Easter season. We celebrate ‘the great beginning of the Church’, the day the Holy Spirit first came to confused and frightened disciples. Alternative Opening Prayer (from 1998 ICEL Missal) Send down, O God, upon your people the flame of your Holy…
