23 May 2024 – Thursday of Week 7 1st Reading: James 5:1-6 Those who get rich by injustice will suffer at the judgment Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and…
22 May 2024 – Wednesday of Week 7 Optional Memorial: St Rita of Cascia, 1386-1452, a widow who entered the Augustinian convent in Cascia and spent 40 years in prayer and charity, and working for peace in the region. 1st Reading: James 4:13-17 We do not know what kind of life will be ours tomorrow…
Presider’s Page for 26 May (Trinity Sunday) We celebrate Trinity Sunday today. The feast gives us an opportunity to reflect on the mystery of God, who creates, redeems and makes us holy. Penitential rite: As we gather to worship God, let us call to mind our need of divine forgiveness: (pause) I confess… Introduction to the Scripture…
21 May 2024 – Tuesday of Week 7 Optional Memorial: Ss Christopher Magallánes, priest, and Companions, martyrs. These 25 priests and laymen were executed in 1927 in Mexico. 1st Reading: James 4:1-10 Recommendation to sincerity, shunning worldliness and selfishness Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from…
20 May 2024 – Monday – The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church 1st Reading: Genesis 3:9-15, 20 Enmity between the serpent and the woman But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid,…
19 May 2024 – Pentecost Sunday 1st Reading: Acts 2:1-11 The Spirit of God gives energy to the apostles and sends them out on their mission When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind,…
18 May 2024 – Saturday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: St John 1, first Bishop of Rome to visit Constantinople, died in 526. 1st Reading: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 Paul is imprisoned in Rome, for two years, awaiting trial When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier…
17 May 2024 – Friday of Week 7 of Easter 1st Reading: Acts 25:13-21 Paul, in prison at Caesarea, explains his predicament to king Agrippa After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. Since they were staying there several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying,…
16 May 2024 – Thursday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: St Brendan (Kerry, Clonfert), abbot, Kerryman, born in 486, studied under Finnian. Founded a monastery in Clonfert in 568, died there in 578. 1st Reading: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 Paul is cross-examined by the Jewish Council, in Jerusalem The next day, wanting to find…
15 May 2024 – Wednesday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: St Carthage (Lismore), bishop born in Kerry. Set up a monastery in Rahan in 595, moved to Lismore. Died in 638. 1st Reading: Acts 20:28-38 Paul’s final advice to the church leaders: shepherd the church of God [Paul said to the leaders of…
Presider’s Page for 19 May (Pentecost Sunday) Today is Pentecost Sunday, the second climax of the Easter season. We celebrate ‘the great beginning of the Church’, the day the Holy Spirit first came to confused and frightened disciples. Alternative Opening Prayer (from 1998 ICEL Missal) Send down, O God, upon your people the flame of your Holy…
14 May 2024 – Saint Matthias, Apostle 1st Reading: Acts 1:15-17; 20-26 Matthias is selected to take the place of Judas Iscariot Then Peter stood up among the believers (numbering about one hundred twenty persons) and said, “Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became…
13 May 2024 – Monday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: Our Lady of Fatima – apparitions took place in 1917. 1st Reading: Acts 19:1-8 In Ephesus, followers of John the Baptist become full members of the church While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where…
12 May 2024 – The Ascension of the Lord, (A, B, C.) 1st Reading: Acts 1:1-11 Ascension concludes Jesus’ ministry on earth and prepares for the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was…
11 May 2024 – Saturday of Week 6 Easter 1st Reading: Acts 18:23-28 Aquila, a learned convert from Judaism, helps the church in southern Greece After spending some time there he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Now there came to Ephesus a…
10 May 2024 – Friday of Week 6 of Easter Optional Memorials: St Comgall born c 516 in Antrim. Studied under Finnian of Moville, priested and established a monastery at Bangor c 555-8 and Tiree in Scotland. Died c 602-5. St John of Avila, 1499-1569, priest, apostle of Andalucia, great preacher. 1st Reading: Acts 18:9-18 Paul’s trial by…
09 May 2024 – Thursday of Week 6 of Easter 1st Reading: Acts 18:1-8 The early days of Paul’s mission in Corinth, and the friends he found there After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with…
08 May 2024 – Wednesday of Week 6 of Easter Optional Memorial: Bl John Sullivan, convert, born in Dublin 1861, ordained SJ 1907 then to Clongowes Wood College, Kildare, a man of prayer. Died 19 Feb 1933, declared blessed on 13 May 2017 in St Francis Xavier Church, Gardiner St, Dublin – the first ever…
Presider’s Page for 12 May (Ascension of the Lord) The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated today, ‘World Communications Day’. As he left his disciples, Jesus sent them out to spread the Good News. This is our task too. We ask for the grace we need. Alternative Opening Prayer (from the 1998 ICEL Missal) God of power…
07 May 2024 – Tuesday of Week 6 of Easter 1st Reading: Acts 16:22-34 By their courage, Paul and Barnabas win new converts, in the Philippi jail The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had given them…
