16 Oct 2023 – Monday of Week 28 Optional Memorials: St Hedwig, 1174-1243; St Margaret Mary Alacoque, 1647-1690, famous for devotion to the Sacred Heart; St Gall, companion of Columbanus, set up monastery of St Gallen, died around 630. 1st Reading: Romans 1:1-7 Jesus, descendant of David is recognised as Son of God by the…
15 Oct 2023 – 28th Sunday, (A) By baptism we have been called to salvation, and to take our place in the future kingdom of God. Somehow, we must get a wedding garment, so as to take our place at the wedding feast. Our eucharist recalls that invitation and prompts us to reflect on how…
Presider’s Page for 15 October (28th Sunday in Ordinary Time) We gather as fellow-pilgrims at this Sunday’s Eucharist, all journeying to the great banquet of heaven. In our Communion today, we get a taste of what is to come. Penitential Rite The Lord feeds us in this Sacrament: let us call to mind his gracious help,…
14 Oct 2023 – Saturday of Week 27 Optional Memorial: St Callistus 1, became Pope in 217, opposed by Hippolytus, died at teh hands of a mob in 222. 1st Reading: Joel 4:12-21 A time of peace and prosperity will come to God’s holy mountain The Lord says: “Let the nations rouse themselves, and come…
13 Oct 2023 – Friday of Week 27 1st Reading: Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2 A call to fasting and prayer, for the day of the Lord is near Priests, put on sackcloth and lament; wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, pass the night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God! Grain offering and drink offering…
12 Oct 2023 – Thursday of Week 27 1st Reading: Malachi 3:13-18 Religion seems to brings no benefit. Yet on the day of the Lord all will be revealed You have spoken harsh words against me, says the Lord. Yet you say, “How have we spoken against you?” You have said, “It is vain to…
11 Oct 2023 – Wednesday of Week 27 Optional Memorials: St John XX111, 1881-1963, elected Pope 28 Oct 1958. Called the Second Vatican Council. St Canice, born in Derry c527, died in 603. Friend of Columba, set up churches, most notably Aghaboe, Ossory, replaced centuries later by his church in Kilkenny. 1st Reading: Jonah 4:1-11 Jonah…
10 Oct 2023 – Tuesday of Week 27 1st Reading: Jonah 3:1-10 At Jonah’s preaching, the Ninevites and their king repent and so their city is spared The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I…
09 Oct 2023 – Monday of Week 27 Optional Memorials: St John Henry Newman, canonised 13 Oct 2019, received into the Catholic Church on 9 Oct 1845, associated with the Catholic University of Ireland where he was Rector 1854-58. St Denis and Companions Rusticus and Eleutherius martyred in 258 in Paris. Kings of France are…
08 Oct 2023 – 27th Sunday, (A) The church is the choice vineyard of the Lord, planted for a noble and productive purpose. Here we can grow to maturity in the sunshine of God’s grace. But the vineyard can fall into disuse, or fail to produce the expected fruits of loving mercy. We pray that…
Presider’s Page for 8 October (27th Sunday in Ordinary Time) There are reassuring sentiments for us in God’s Word, with Paul reminding us that there is no need for us to worry. If there is anything we need, we can pray for it and God’s peace will be ours. Penitential Rite Confident in this divine…
07 Oct 2023 – Our Lady of the Rosary This feast commemorates the Christian naval victory over the Turks (at Lepanto 1571). Our Lady is daily honoured in the Rosary, which invites us to meditate the mysteries of the life, death and resurrection of Christ her son. 1st Reading: Acts 1:12-14 Our Lady with the…
06 Oct 2023 – Friday of Week 26 Optional Memorial: St Bruno, 1032-1101, founded the Carthusians at La Grande Chartreuse. 1st Reading: Baruch 1:15-22 From our time in Egypt until now, we have disregarded the voice of the Lord The Lord our God is in the right, but there is open shame on us today,…
05 Oct 2023 – Thursday of Week 26 Optional Memorial: St Faustina, Polish, 1903-38, Sister of Our Lady of Mercy. Inspired the worldwide Divine Mercy movement. 1st Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7-12 Ezra gets his people to renew their loyalty to God and to share their gifts In the seventh month all the people gathered…
04 Oct 2023 – Wednesday of Week 26 SYNOD LAUNCHES IN ROME TODAY… Memorial: St Francis 1181-1226, founded the Friars Minor, and with St Clare, The Poor Clares. Patron of ecologists. 1st Reading: Nehemiah 2:1-8 King Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem, to restore its walls and graves In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth…
03 Oct 2023 – Tuesday of Week 26 Optional Memorial: Bl Columba Marmion, born in Dublin 1858, ordained in Rome 1881, CC Dundrum, Prof in Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, entered Abbey of Maredsous, Belgium 1886, Abbatial blessing 3 Oct 1909, died 30 Jan 1923. Beatified 3 Sept 2000. Wrote Christ, the Life of the Soul; Christ…
02 Oct 2023 – The Holy Guardian Angels 1st Reading: Exodus 23:20-23 I am going to send an angel in front of you, to guard you on the way The Lord spoke to Moses and the people during their journey across the desert desert: ‘I am going to send an angel in front of you,…
01 Oct 2023 – 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…
30 Sept 2023 – Saturday of Week 25 Memorial: St Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church, 340-420, translated the Bible into Latin, (the Vulgate) and wrote commentaries of Sacred Scripture. Patron of librarians. 1st Reading: Zechariah 2:1-4, 10-11 Jerusalem will be a centre of peace where many will come to dwell I looked up…
29 September 2023 – 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…
