Bidding Prayers for 5 February (Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time) BIDDING PRAYERS for Sunday Mass on 5 February Introduction (by the Presider) Let us bring our prayers to the Lord, in whom we place our trust: For peace in the Middle East (pause for five seconds). Lord, hear us For an end to war in Ukraine (pause for five seconds). Lord,…
2 Feb 2023 – Presentation of Our Lord World Day for Consecrated Life 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…
1 Feb 2023 – Saint Brigid of Kildare, Secondary Patron of Ireland 1st Reading: Job 31:16-20; 24-25; 31-32 Job’s generosity towards the needy is reflected in St Brigid’s works of charity I have never withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel…
31 Jan 2023 – Tuesday of Week 4 Memorial: St John Bosco 1815-88, founder of the Salesians. Patron youth and Catholic publishers. 1st Reading: Hebrews 12:1-4 Around us a cloud of witnesses, and Jesus himself, to encourage us Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside…
30 Jan 2023 – Monday of Week 4 Optional Memorial: St Aidan, aka Maedoc (Mogue), born c 550, founded a monastery at Ferns, died 626. Bl. Margaret Ball, died in Dublin Castle in 1584. Imprisoned for teaching Catholicism, harbouring priests and having Mass celebrate din her home. Bl. Francis Taylor from Swords, Dublin, became Mayor…
29 Jan 2023 – 4th Sunday, (A) Theme: The beatitudes are the basic Christian ideals, not a moral code or a set of rules to avoid God’s punishment. They aim to raise our perspective above the constraints of self-interest and gain. (1) Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 For I will leave among you a people humble and…
28 Jan 2023 – Saturday of Week 3 Memorial: St Thomas Aquinas 1224-1274, theologian of note! Patron of schools, universities, students and booksellers. 1st Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 Divine blessing on Abraham and his descendants Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received…
27 Jan 2023 – Friday of Week 3 Optional Memorial: St Angela Merici 1474-1540, founder of the Ursulines 1st Reading, Hebrews 10:32-39 Do not abandon hope, but trust in God’s promises Remember those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and…
26 January 2023 – Thursday Week 3 in Ordinary Time – Saints Timothy and Titus 1st Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-9 Use the gifts God has given us, for the service of the church Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,…
25 Jan 2023 – The Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle 1st Reading: Acts 22:3-16 Paul’s account of his conversion, to his fellow-Jews, on the steps of the Temple “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law,…
24 Jan 2023 – Tuesday of Week 3 Memorial: St Francis de Sales 1567-1622, bishop of Geneva, founder of the Visitation Sisters. Patron saint of writers, editors and journalists. 1st Reading: Hebrews 10:1-10 The temple rituals were a type of the new covenant, brought by Jesus for all Since the law has only a shadow…
PRESIDER’S PAGE FOR 29 JANUARY (FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME) We gather to celebrate the resurrection of our Saviour and to remember his beautiful teachings. In the Beatitudes, which we read at Mass today, Jesus describes the kinds of people who are blessed in God’s eyes. We hope to join the company of all these…
23 Jan 2023 – Monday of Week 3 1st Reading: Hebrews 9:15, 24-28 Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first…
22 Jan 2023 – 3rd Sunday, (A) Sunday of the Word of God Catholic Schools week starts today (1) Isaiah 9:1-3 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…
Presider’s Page for 22 January (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 build…
21 Jan 2023 – Saturday of Week 2 Memorial: St Agnes, martyred in early 4th century. Patron of engaged couples, gardeners and young girls. 1st Reading: Hebrews 9:2-3, 11-14 Jesus enters the Holy of Holies, so we can serve the living God A tent was constructed, the first one, in which were the lampstand, the…
20 Jan 2023 – Friday of Week 2 Optional Memorials: St Fabian, martyred when Pope in 250. St Sebastian: martyred under Diocletian. 1st Reading: Hebrews 8:6-13 Mediator of a new covenant Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted…
19 Jan 2023 – Thursday of Week 2 1st Reading: Hebrews 7:25-8:6 Jesus our high priest serves in the true tabernacle of heaven Jesus he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting that we should have…
18 Jan 2023 – Wednesday of Week 2 1st Reading: Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17 The priesthood of Jesus is mysterious and eternal, like Melchisedek’s King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him; and to him Abraham apportioned one-tenth of everything. His…
17 Jan 2023 – Tuesday of Week 2 Memorial: St Anthony, died 356 – ‘father of monasticism’ who lived a life of solitude. 1st Reading: Hebrews 6:10-20 Abraham’s long-delayed son. A lesson in patience God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving…
