25 Sept 2023 – Monday of Week 25 Optional Memorial: St Finbarr, bishop, lived in Gougane Barra as a hermit, later moved to Cork. 1st Reading: Ezra 1:1-6 Cyrus lets the Jews return home and makes their neighbours help them rebuild the temple In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, so that the…
24 Sept 2023 – 25th Sunday, (A) This Sunday is the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Link to resources: https://migrants-refugees.va/resource-center/world-day-of-migrants-refugees-2023/ “Seek the Lord while he may be found.” But on the other hand, God’s mercy is beyond measure, so that even those who come late to his vineyard will be welcomed by his infinite…
23 Sept 2023 – Saturday of Week 24 Memorial: St Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), d 23 Sept 1968, Capuchin friar, stigmatist, confessor, friend of all who suffer. 1st Reading: 1 Timothy 6:13-16 Live without reproach until Jesus Christ returns in glory In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of…
22 Sept 2023 – Friday of Week 24 1st Reading: 1 Timothy 6:2-12 The value of good order, detachment from wealth and living one’s faith These are the duties you must teach and urge the community to follow. Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and…
21 September 2023 – Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist 1st Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 The Church is one body, under the leadership of the apostles I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience,…
20 Sept 2023 – Wednesday of Week 24 Memorial: Ss Andrew Kim Tae-gôn, priests, Paul ChôngHa-sang and Companions, martyrs – the first Korean priest and a catechist, and 101 others were martyred 1839-67. 1st Reading: 1 Timothy 3:14-16 The church is entrusted with the mystery of salvation, meant for the whole world I hope to…
19 Sept 2023 – Tuesday of Week 24 Optional Memorial: St Januarius, bishop and martyr. 1st Reading: 1 Timothy 3:1-13 Qualities needed in church officials–hospitable, respected, truthful, skilled managers The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate,…
Presiders Page for 24 September (25th Sunday in Ordinary Time). God’s ways are not our ways. God’s love and generosity are beyond our understanding. We acknowledge all God has done for us, and ask for the grace to grow into God’s likeness. Penitential Rite To prepare ourselves to celebrate the generosity of God, let us…
18 Sept 2023 – Monday of Week 24 1st Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-8 Prayers for the civil authorities, for peaceful governance First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable…
17 Sept 2023 – 24th Sunday, (A) It is inconsistent to celebrate our God as the Lord of compassion and love, unless we show mercy to those who have wronged us. Today’s Gospel calls us to forgive as Christ forgives us. Some of the finer minds among the Old Testament writers already perceived this connection:…
Presider’s Page for 17 September (24th Sunday in Ordinary Time) Forgiveness is one of the great qualities of Christianity. We are challenged to forgive each other as readily as God forgives us. We celebrate God’s mercy, and ask for the grace to pass it on to those who hurt us. Penitential Rite Remembering that God’s…
16 Sept 2023 – Saturday of Week 23 Memorial: St Cornelius, pope (in 251) – patron of cattle and domestic animals. Also St Cyprian, 210-58, bishop of Carthage – martyred. 1st Reading: 1 Timothy 1:15-17 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. All are called The saying is sure and worthy of full…
15 September 2023 – Our Lady of Sorrows 1st Reading: Hebrews 5:7-9 Even Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his…
14 September 2023 – The Exaltation of the Holy Cross 1st Reading: Numbers 21:5-9 When the serpents bit the people, the statue of a bronze serpent brought them healing The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? For there is no…
13 Sept 2023 – Wednesday of Week 23 Memorial: St John Chrysostom 347-407, Greek, the ‘Golden Mouthed Preacher’, was AB of Constantinople. Die din exile. Patron saint of preachers. 1st Reading: Colossians 3:1-11 You have been raised with Christ, so set your heart where Christ is If you have been raised with Christ, seek the…
12 Sept 2023 – Tuesday of Week 23 Optional Memorials: The Most Holy Name of Mary – use Gal 4:4-7 or Eph 1:3-6; Ps Lk 1:46-55; Lk 1: 39-47 – Lect 11:1438, 1432, 1444. St Ailbe, died in 528, founded monastery at Emly. A 9th century Rule bears his name. 1st Reading: Colossians 2:6-15 Spiritually, baptism…
11 Sept 2023 – Monday of Week 23 1st Reading: Colossians 1:24-2:3 To spread the faith, Paul suffers on behalf of the Church I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the…
10 Sept 2023 – 23rd Sunday, (A) We have a moral obligation to correct blatant wrongdoing, whether in the family, the workplace or society. But it is incumbent on those who have others in their care to offer correction with love and respect. The old dictum, “hate the sin but love the sinner” is a…
Presider’s Page for 10 September (23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time) We gather as God’s family, concerned for each other, supporting one another in sadness and joy. The challenge of living as part of the Christian family is laid out for us in today’s readings. Penitential Rite At times we fail to show love, so as…
09 Sept 2023 – Saturday of Week 22 Memorial: St Ciarán, abbot, born c 512 in Roscommon, founded Clonmacnoise monastery, died aged 33 during its construction. 1st Reading: Colossians 1:21-23 Hold the faith firmly, to come before God free of all blame You who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he…
