12 Dec 2022 – Monday of Advent, Week 3 Optional Memorials: Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron of the Americas; St Finnian: established a famous school in Clonard, Meath c 520. Tutor of Canice, Colm Cille and Brendan. Died in 549. Monday of Advent, Week 3 1st Reading: Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17 Balaam predicts the glorious future,…
11 Dec 2022 – 3rd Sunday in Advent, A Theme: Society finds it so hard to tolerate dissent that those who step out of line are often harshly treated. John the Baptist dared to castigate King Herod for his immoral example, and paid for it with his life. 1st Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 What God…
10 Dec 2022 – Saturday of Advent, Week 2 Optional Memorial: Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto See link to decree from the Congregation for Divine Worship: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2019/10/31/191031e.html 1st Reading: Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 Lyrical praise of Elijah, whose prophetic word burned like a torch Then Elijah arose, a prophet like fire, and his word burned like…
Bidding Prayers 11 Dec 2022 (Third Sunday of Advent) BIDDING PRAYERS for Sunday Mass Introduction (by the Presider) Let us bring our prayers to God, who raises up those who are bowed down. That all may realise the beauty and truth of the Gospel (pause for a moment). Lord, hear us That Christians may be joyful at the Lord’s…
9 Dec 2022 – Friday of Advent, Week 2 Optional Memorial: St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, 1474-1548, saw the vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531. 1st Reading: Isaiah 48:17-19 If you kept my commandments, your name would last forever Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord…
8 December 2022 – The Immaculate Conception 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, because I was naked; and I hid…
7 Dec – Wednesday of Advent, Week 2 Memorial: St Ambrose, 339-397, patron of Milan, beekeepers and domestic animals. 1st Reading: Isaiah 40:25-31 Encouragement for the weary people, from God, who strengthens the powerless To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on…
6 Dec 2022 – Tuesday of Advent, Week 2 Optional Memorial: St Nicholas – Feast in Galway, Solemnity in City of Galway. Fourth century Bishop of Myra. Patron of Russia, sailors, pawnbrokers and children. 1st Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11 Comfort ye my people! — the promised return of the exiles from Babylon. “Comfort, O comfort my…
5 Dec 2022 – Monday of Advent, Week 2 1st Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10 They shall see the glory of the Lord, and the ransomed exiles shall return to Zion The desert and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy…
4 Dec 2022 – 2nd Sunday in Advent, A Theme: John the Baptist’s life work was preparing the way for our Messiah. Once Christ came, it only remained for John to disappear gracefully. Like John, we should make way for Christ in the lives of others. 1st Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10 The living branch from Jesse’s…
Presider’s Page for 4 December (Second Sunday of Advent A) John the Baptist is the focus of the Gospel reading on the Second Sunday of Advent each year. His words challenge and inspire. We worship God who uses many messengers to call us from darkness to light. Penitential Rite As we prepare to listen to…
3 Dec 2022 – Saturday of Advent, Week 1 1st Reading: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 Future days of blessed enlightenment, when the people turn aside from idolatry. Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears…
2 Dec 2022 – Friday of Advent, Week 1 1st Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24 A promise of good times, when deaf shall hear and blind shall see Shall not Lebanon in a very little while become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be regarded as a forest? On that day the deaf shall hear the…
1 Dec 2022 – Thursday of Advent, Week 1 1st Reading: Isaiah 26:1-6 A hymn of confidence in the Lord God, our everlasting rock On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; he sets up victory like walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, so that…
30 Nov 2022 – Wednesday of Advent, Week 1 1st Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10 “God will wipe away the tears from all faces.” — a Messianic vision of the final age. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food…
Bidding Prayers 4 Dec 2022 (Second Sunday of Advent) BIDDING PRAYERS for Sunday Mass Introduction (by the Presider) Let us bring our prayers before God, who has pity on the weak. For a spirit of repentance among us, we pray … (pause for a moment). Lord, hear us For peace in our world, we pray… (pause for a…
29 Nov 2022 – Tuesday of Advent, Week 1 1st Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of…
28 Nov 2022 – Monday of Advent, Week 1 1st Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5 In the Messiah’s day, they shall beat their swords into ploughshares The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains,…
Presider’s Page for 27 November (First Sunday of Advent, Year A) The season of Advent begins today. During the next four full weeks we will look forward in hope. We will watch for the end times, when Christ will come in glory, Christ whose birthday we will celebrate very soon. Penitential Rite Entering this time…
27 Nov 2022 – 1st Sunday in Advent, A 1st Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5 A happy future for all who seek the truth and work for peace The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of…
