Presider’s Page for 8 February (5th Sun. Ordinary Time) International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking Opening Comment Over these Sundays, we listen to what Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount. In today’s liturgy, we hear that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Rejoicing…
07 Feb 2026 – Saturday of Week 4 Optional Memorial: St Mel (Feast in Ardagh & Clonmacnois), died in 488, a Brit who came to Ireland with Patrick, ordained in Ardagh. Gave the religious veil to St Brigid. 1st Reading: 1 Kings 3:4-13 Solomon prays for understanding, to distinguish right from wrong The king went…
06 Feb 2026 – Friday of Week 4 Memorial: St Paul Miki and Companions, – six Franciscans, seventeen Franciscan tertiaries and three Jesuits, – martyred suspended on crosses at Nagasaki, Japan in 1597. 1st Reading: Sirach 47:2-11 David was defender of Israel, psalmist, penitent sinner, blessed by God As the fat is set apart from…
05 Feb 2026 – Thursday of Week 4 Memorial: St Agatha died a martyr at Catania, Sicily in the 3rd century. Patron of bell-founders. 1st Reading: 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12 The dying David urges Solomon to have courage and stay faithful to God in every way When David’s time to die drew near, he charged…
04 Feb 2026 – Wednesday of Week 4 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17 Having sinned by counting the people, David wants to pay the price himself The king said to Joab and the army commanders who were with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census…
03 Feb 2026 – Tuesday of Week 4 Optional Memorials: St Ansgar, born in France, AB of Hamburg in the 9th century, preached in Denmark and Sweden. Apostle of Scandinavia, patron of Denmark. St Blaise, died 315, a physician before he became Bishop of Sebaste, martyred in Armenia. Venerated as patron of people who suffer…
02 Feb 2026 – The Presentation of Our Lord 1st Reading: Malachi 3:1-4 When God’s Messenger arrives, he will refine the people See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight…
01 Feb 2026 – 4th Sunday, (A) – Feast of St Brigid St Brigid: Born in at Faughart, near Dundalk, County Louth, in the middle of the 5th century, probably in the latter years of Saint Patrick’s ministry in Ireland, Brigid refused several offers of marriage, in order to become a nun in the service…
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…
