30 Sept 2026 – Wednesday of Week 26 Memorial: St Jerome, 340-420, translated the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate), wrote commentaries on Scripture. Patron of librarians. 1st Reading: Job 9:1-12, 14-16 God’s omnipotent control of the universe and his mysterious guidance of life When Bildad had finished speaking Job answered: “Indeed I know that…
29 September 2026 – The holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael 1st Reading: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 The vision of the Ancient One and the Son of Man, in glorious splendour As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of…
28 Sept 2026 – Monday of Week 26 Optional Memorials: St Wenceslaus, 905-25, Prince of Bohemia, martyred by his brother. Patron of brewers. Ss Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, between 1633-37 these 16 martyrs she dtheir blood in the Nagasaki, Japan. 1st Reading: Job 1:6-22 Job’s patience is tested to the uttermost One day the heavenly…
27 Sept 2026 – 26th Sunday, (A) Jesus warns that prostitutes and tax-collectors may be closer to God than their supposed betters. Social or religious standing means little in the sight of God. The parable of the two sons, neither of whom does what he says he will do, highlights the dictum that “actions speak…
26 Sept 2026 – Saturday of Week 25 Optional Memorial: Ss Cosmas and Damian, early martyrs in Syria, patrons of physicians. Known as the Anargyri – the holy moneyless ones – as they never took money for their medical services. 1st Reading: Qohelet 11:9,12:8 A wise man’s lament about the encroachments of old age Rejoice,…
25 Sept 2026 – Friday of Week 25 Optional Memorial: St Finbarr (Feast in Cork), lived as a hermit at Loch Irce (Gougane Barra), moved to the mouth of the Lee where he founded a monastery. It became a famous centre of learning. 1st Reading: Qohelet 3:1-11 There’s a time for everything as we go…
24 Sept 2026 – Thursday of Week 25 1st Reading: Qohelet 1:2-11 There’s nothing new under the sun. Vanity of vanities Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher. Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes,…
23 Sept 2026 – Wednesday of Week 25 Memorial: St Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio). Raphoe diocese celebrates St Eunan (Adomnán), abbot born in Donegal c.624, died in 704. Became a monk of Iona and chosen abbot there in 679. One of his writings is the Life of Colm Cille. 1st Reading: Proverbs (30:5-9) In…
22 Sept 2026 – Tuesday of Week 25 1st Reading: Proverbs (21:1-6, 10-13 Advice about self-control from Solomon’s proverbs The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. All deeds are right in the sight of the doer, but the Lord weighs the heart….
21 September 2026 – Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist 1st Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 The Church is one body, under the leadership of the apostles I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience,…
20 Sept 2026 – 25th Sunday, (A) “Seek the Lord while he may be found.” But on the other hand, God’s mercy is beyond measure, so that even those who come late to his vineyard will be welcomed by his infinite love. We all can identify with those workers of the eleventh hour, whom the…
19 Sept 2026 – Saturday of Week 24 Optional Memorial: St Januarius, Bishop of Benevento, martyred at Naples in 305, with six companions. 1st Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49 What is sown and dies rises to new, incorruptible life. Our bodies will resemble the risen Jesus But some one will ask, “How are the dead…
18 Sept 2026 – Friday of Week 24 1st Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Belief in the Lord’s resurrection is not superfluous, but a vital basis for hope If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no…
17 Sept 2026 – Thursday of Week 24 Optional Memorial: St Robert Bellarmine, 1542-1621, Jesuit, cardinal bishop and doctor of the Church. Patron of catechists. St Hildegard, 1098-1179, founder of Bingen Monastery c.1150. She knew the natural sciences, was a musician, composer, writer and mystic. Also a refomer, canonised and declared a doctor of the Church in…
16 Sept 2026 – Wednesday of Week 24 Memorial: St Cornelius, pope in 251, martyred in exile at Civitavecchia in 253. Patron for cattle and domestic animals. St Cyprian, c210-258, bishop of Carthage, teacher and preacher, martyred. 1st Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 Paul’s hymn to charity, as the supreme virtue Earnestly desire the higher gifts….
15 September 2026 – Our Lady of Sorrows 1st Reading: Hebrews 5:7-9 Even Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his…
14 September 2026 – The Exaltation of the Holy Cross 1st Reading: Numbers 21:5-9 When the serpents bit the people, the statue of a bronze serpent brought them healing The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? For there is no…
13 Sept 2026 – 24th Sunday, (A) It is inconsistent to celebrate our God as the Lord of compassion and love, unless we show mercy to those who have wronged us. Today’s Gospel calls us to forgive as Christ forgives us. Some of the finer minds among the Old Testament writers already perceived this connection:…
Presider’s Page for 13 September (24th Sunday in Ordinary Time) Forgiveness is one of the great qualities of Christianity. We are challenged to forgive each other as readily as God forgives us. We celebrate God’s mercy, and ask for the grace to pass it on to those who hurt us. Penitential Rite Remembering that God’s…
12 Sept 2026 – Saturday of Week 23 Optional Memorials: The Holy Name of Mary, use Lect 11:1438, included in the Roman Calendar in 1684 to celebrate victory over the Turks at Vienna in 1683, suppressed in the Calendar Revision of 1969, restored in 2002. St Ailbe (Feast in Cashel & Emly), some say pre-Patrician but annals not…
