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…
28 Sept 2023 – Thursday of Week 25 Optional Memorials; Ss Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, martyred in Nagasaki, Japan 1633-7. Also St Wenceslaus, 907-29, prince of Bohemia, killed by his brother. Patron of brewers. 1st Reading: Haggai 1:1-8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the temple In the second year of…
27 Sept 2023 – Wednesday of Week 25 Memorial: St Vincent de Paul, 1581-1660, priest and founder of the Vincentians and the Daughters of Charity (1633). Patron of all charitable works. 1st Reading: Ezra 9:5-9 At the time of the evening sacrifice, Ezra declares God’s mercy At the evening sacrifice I, Ezra, got up from…
26 Sept 2023 – Tuesday of Week 25 Optional Memorial: Ss Cosmos and Damian, early Syrian martyrs, patrons of physicians. 1st Reading: Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20 How the Jews rebuilt and rededicated their temple King Darius decreed: “Do not impede the work on this house of God; let the governor of the Jews and the…
Presider’s Page for 1 October (26th Sunday in Ordinary Time) God’s love is displayed for us in the life and death of Jesus. We rejoice in this love, and celebrate the victory over sin and death won for us. As a community, we praise God’s holy name. Penitential Rite Sometimes our words and actions do…
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:…
