13 Jan 2026 – Tuesday of Week 1 Optional Memorial: St Hilary, c. 315-c. 367, elected Bishop of Potiers (353) and stood against Arianism. Exiled (356-59) by Emperor Constantius, he used his time to write. Works include De Trinitate. 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 1:9-20 Eli promises that Hannah will give birth to a son After…
13 Jan 2026 – Tuesday of Week 1 Optional memorial: St Hilary, c 315- c 367, bishop of Potiers, stood up against Arianism, exiled, wrote books, most notably De Trinitate. 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 1:9-20 Eli promises that Hannah will give birth to a son After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and…
12 Jan 2026 – Monday of Week 1 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1-8 Hannah’s grief at being childless; her husband tries to comfort her There was a man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an…
11 Jan 2026 – The Baptism of the Lord – 1st Sunday (1) Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 A courageous servant of God will help others to keep the Covenant Thus says the Lord: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will…
10 January 2026 1st Reading: 1 John 4:19 – 5:4 Whoever loves God should love Jesus, and all of our fellow-Christians Beloved, we love God because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a sister or brother whom he…
09 January 2026 1st Reading: 1 John 4:11-18 God abides in those who recognise Jesus as the Son of God Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in…
Presider’s Page for the Baptism of Our Lord – 11 Jan 2026 This feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the last day of Christmas. At his baptism Jesus sees how much he is loved by God and is given the power to go out and spread the news. We share that power through…
08 January 2026 1st Reading: 1 John 4:7-10 Love’s divine origin and its influence on our lives Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among…
07 January 2026 Optional memorial: St Raymond of Penyafort, 1175-1275, a brilliant lawyer who became a Dominican, later Master General of the Doms and Bishop of Terragona. 1st Reading: 1 John 3:22 – 4:6 Distinguishing the spirit of truth from the spirit of error Beloved, we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey…
06 January 2025 – The Epiphany of the Lord (or the Sunday between 2 January and 8 January) 1st Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6 In those days the Messiah will reveal his glory to all the nations Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall…
05 January 2026 Optional Memorial: Saint Charles of Mount Argus, John Andrew Houben (1821-1893) from Munstergeleen, Holland, was briefly in the Dutch army before being called to religious life with the Passionists in 1845, in Belgium, taking the name Charles. After ordination he was sent to England in 1852, where he met Irish emigrants fleeing…
04 Jan 2026 – 2nd Sunday after Christmas 1st Reading: Sirach 24:1-2, 8-12 Lyrical praise of the wisdom God has revealed to us Wisdom praises herself and tells of her glory in the midst of her people. In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, and in the presence of his hosts…
03 January 2026 Optional Memorials: The Holy Name of Jesus, and St Munchin (Mainchin) (Feast in Limerick), patron of Limerick. His traditional birthplace is Dal Cais, location of Cill Mainchin (Kilmanaheen). 1st Reading: 1 John 2:29 – 3:6 We are God’s children now; when he is revealed, we will be like him If you know that he is righteous,…
Presider’s Page for Sunday 4 Jan 2026 We gather to celebrate the first Sunday of 2026, with thankfulness for the year and the decade just finished. We ask God for continuing care and protection as face this New Year, not knowing what it will bring. Penitential Rite Confident that God’s mercy has no end, we…
02 January 2026 Optional memorials: St Basil the Great, 330-79, Bishop of Caesarea, ascetic life and theologian. St Gregory, 329-89, a friend of Basil, Bishop of Sasima and later of Constantinople, retired to a monastic life. 1st Reading: 1 John 2:22-28 The Holy Spirit received from Jesus, teaches you all things Who is the liar but the…
01 January 2026 – Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God 1st Reading: Numbers 6:22-27 A new-year prayer for God to bless and protect his people The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, The Lord bless you and…
31 December 2025 – 7th Day in the Octave of Christmas Optional memorial: Saint Sylvester, pope. Sylvester (250-325) was born in Rome in the mid-3rd century and served as a priest under pope Marcellinus before the persecution under Diocletian (303). After the victory of emperor Constantine in 312 he succeeded Melchiades as bishop of Rome…
30 December 2025 – 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas 1st Reading: 1 John 2:12-17 Do not be absorbed by the world or the things in the world I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know…
29 Dec 2025 – 5th Day in the Octave of Christmas Optional Memorial: Saint Thomas a Becket, (1118-1170) from Cheapside in London, was appointed first as chancellor and then archbishop (1162) by order of his friend, King Henry II. As archbishop he sided with the pope on the respective authority of church and state and was…
28 Dec 2025 – Sunday after Christmas – The Holy Family Today we celebrate the domestic life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, an an inspiration for all families everywhere. 1st Reading: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 A practical application of the fourth commandment, to honour our parents The Lord honours a father above his children, and he…
