31 Jan 2026 – Saturday of Week 3 Memorial: St John Bosco, 1815-88, born in Piedmont, founded the Salesians to educate boys for life. Involved in publishing, patron saint of youth and Catholic publishers. 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 12:1-7, 10-17 Nathan warns David; his sin with Bathsheba will be punished within his own family The…
30 Jan 2026 – Friday of Week 3 Optional Memorials: St Aidan (Feast in Ferns), also known as Maedoc (Mogue), born c 550 probably in Co Cavan, studied under David in Wales, returned to Ferns and founded a monastery, became bishop, died in 626. Bl Margaret Ball and Francis Taylor, martyrs. Margaret Ball was imprisoned…
29 Jan 2026 – Thursday of Week 3 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 17:18-19, 24-29 David gives thanks for God’s everlasting faithfulness King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a…
28 Jan 2026 – Wednesday of Week 3 Memorial: St Thomas Aquinas, 1224-74, born in Italy, one of the Church’s great theologians. Taught that Christian revelation and human knowledge are aspects of a single truth and cannot be in conflict with each other. Patron of schools, universities, students and booksellers. 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 7:4-17…
Presider’s Page for 1st Feb – St Brigid’s Day (4th Sun. Ordinary Time) Opening Comment We gather to celebrate the resurrection of our Saviour and to remember his beautiful teachings. We celebrate St Brigid today – the Matron Saint of Ireland. In doing so, we welcome the new beginnings of Spring. In the Beatitudes, which…
27 Jan 2026 – Tuesday of Week 3 Optional Memorial: St Angela Merici, 1474-1540, founder of the Ursulines. 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19 David dances before the ark being brought into Jerusalem. The celebration ends with a sacred banquet King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that…
26 Jan 2026 – Ss Timothy and Titus, Bishops Both died toward the end of the first century. Disciples and associates of Saint Paul the apostle, who seem to have attended the Council of Jerusalem with him. Timothy represented Saint Paul to various communities and, according to tradition, was eventually placed in charge of the…
25 Jan 2026 – 3rd Sunday, (A) (1) Isaiah 9:1-3 (Also Is. 8:23-9:3) Isaiah foretells a Saviour for the people who walked in darkness In the former time God brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the…
24 Jan 2026 – Saturday of Week 2 Memorial: St Francis de Sales, 1567-1622, bishop of Geneva, founder fo the Visitation Sisters. Patron saint of writers, editors and journalists. 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 1:1-4 etc David’s grief at the death of Saul and Jonathan After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating…
23 Jan 2026 – Friday of Week 2 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 24:3-21 David refrains from killing Saul and gains the moral high ground He came to the sheepfolds beside the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts…
22 Jan 2026 – Thursday of Week 2 Optional Memorial: St Vincent, deacon of Saragossa, Spain and martyred in Valencia in 304 after prolonged torture. 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 18:6-9, 19:1-7 Saul’s jealousy threatens David, but Jonathan helps to reconcile them As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women…
21 Jan 2026 – Wednesday of Week 2 Memorial: St Agnes, martyred for her virginity in the last persecutions in Rome in the early 4th century. Patron of betrothed couples, gardeners and girls. 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 40-51 David kills Goliath, and saves his people David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail…
Presider’s Page for 25 January 2026 (Third Sunday in Ordinary Time) The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light: Jesus, the light of the world, walks among us, preaching a message of repentance. We gather to listen to him, to share the bread of life and to prepare to go out and…
20 Jan 2026 – Tuesday of Week 2 Optional Memorials: St Fabian, pope and martyred under Decius in 250; St Sebastian, martyred under Diocletian. 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 In Bethlehem Samuel anoints David (Jesse’s youngest son) as king The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from…
19 Jan 2026 – Monday of Week 2 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 15:16-23 For disobeying the prophet Samuel, Saul is deposed as king Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” He replied, “Speak.” Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are…
18 Jan 2026 – 2nd Sunday, (A) (1) Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 God is preparing his people Israel to become a light for all nations The Lord said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant,…
17 Jan 2026 – Saturday of Week 1 Memorial: St Anthony, died 356, Father of monasticism, lived a life of solitude yet attracted people to form communities of hermits. 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 12-19; 10:1 Saul is anointed by Samuel as king of Israel, at God’s inspiration There was a man of Benjamin whose…
16 Jan 2026 – Friday of Week 1 Optional Memorial: St Fursa, Irish born missionary who went abroad, first with his brothers Foillan and Ultan to East Anglia; France circa 644 where he was given a hermitage at Lagny on the Marne. Died c 650 at Mézerolles, buried in Péronne, which became a centre of…
15 Jan 2026 – Thursday of Week 1 Memorial: St Ita, born in Waterford, of Christian nobility. Founded a monastery in Killeedy, CO Limerick. Called ‘the foster-mother of the Saints of Ireland’. She died in 570. 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 4:1-11 Misusing the Ark of the Covenant, the people are defeated in battle The word…
14 Jan 2026 – Wednesday of Week 1 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 etc From the sanctuary God calls Samuel, and sends him as a prophet Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli,…
