27 Nov 2023 – Monday of Week 34 Optional Memorial: St Fergal (Virgil), lived in France, then Bavaria, appointed bishop of Salzburg, c 754 and died in 784 – a reputation for learning and holiness. 1st Reading: Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20 Daniel and his companions are more respected than all magicians and counselors in Babylon In…
26 Nov 2023 – Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – 34th Sunday, (A) On this, the last Sunday in the liturgical year, we honour Christ the King. It is a feast on which to renew our loyalty to Jesus our Saviour, shown in the way that we love our neighbour. The shepherd-theme…
25 Nov 2023 – Saturday of Week 33 Optional Memorial: St Catherine of Alexandria, martyred c 310. St Clement, third successor of St Peter as bishop of Rome (88-97), exiled and martyred, his relics returned to the church of…
24 Nov 2023 – Friday of Week 33 Memorial: Ss Andrew Dūng-Lac, priest, and Companions – in 17th, 18th and 19th centuries many were martyred in Vietnam – 117 (96 native Vietnamese men and women, 11 Dominican missionaries from Spain and 10 French missionaries) were canonised in 1988 by Pope JP11. 1st Reading: 1 Maccabees…
23 Nov 2023 – Thursday of Week 33 Memorial: St Columban, aka Columbanus, c. 543-615, monk in Bangor, went to Burgundy with 12 companions in 591, established monasteries at Annagray, Luxeil and Fontaine, also Bregenz in Austria and Bobbio, near Genoa, where he died. One of the greatest of Irish missionary monks. Happy Feastday to…
22 Nov 2023 – Wednesday of Week 33 Optional Memorial: St Cecilia, patron of music…s/he who sings, prays twice! St Medb: The late twelfth-century Martyrology of Gorman notes: Medb of Ard-achad whilst at November 22 the early seventeenth-century Martyrology of Donegal lists: Medhbh of Ardachadh. Stokes identifies the locality Ard-achad, ‘high…
Presider’s Page for 26 November (Christ the King) Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. At the end of time, this king will come in glory to judge the living and the dead. He will ask how we treated the hungry and thirsty, the stranger, the naked, those sick or in prison. Penitential…
21 November 2023 – Presentation of Our Lady 1st Reading: Zechariah 2:14-17 Rejoice, O daughter Zion! For I will dwell in your midst Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and shall…
20 Nov 2023 – Monday of Week 33 1st Reading: 1 Maccabees (1:10-15 etc The Jews suffering under persecution by Antiochus Epiphanes There arose from them a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom…
19 Nov 2023 – 33rd Sunday, (A) Today’s gospel focuses on the kind of behaviour that will be tested in Final Judgment. We are here and now writing the book of evidence for that judgement on the value of lives. A key element is the use of the talents and opportunities God has given us…
18 Nov 2023 – Saturday of Week 32 Optional Memorial: The Dedication of the Basilica of Ss Peter and Paul (Readings Lect 11:1269 – Acts 28:11-16, 30, 31. Ps 97:1-6, R/v.2. Mt 14:22-33 1st Reading: Wisdom 18:14-16; 19:6-9 In the peaceful stillness of the night God’s Word came down While gentle silence enveloped all things,…
17 Nov 2023 – Friday of Week 32 Memorial: St Elizabeth of Hungary, 1207-31, Franciscan tertiary, exiled queen, a woman of prayer and service to the poor. 1st Reading: Wisdom 13:1-9 The beauty of created things can lead us to their Maker For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and…
16 Nov 2023 – Thursday of Week 32 Optional Memorials: St Margaret of Scotland, 1045-90, wife of Malcolm 111, King of Scotland, church reformer. …
15 Nov 2023 – Wednesday of Week 32 Optional Memorial: St Albert the Great, c. 1206-80, Dominican theologian who taught in Cologne, called ‘The Universal Doctor’. Patron of scientists. 1st Reading: Wisdom 6:1-11 God, as Creator of everything, provides for all alike Listen, O kings, and understand; learn, O judges of the ends of the…
Presider’s Page for 19 November (Ordinary Time 33) The beginning of the Advent season is coming closer, and the Liturgy invites us to look further into the future, towards the end of time, to be ready when the Day of the Lord comes. • Today has been designated by Pope Francis as the “WORLD DAY OF…
14 Nov 2-23 – Tuesday of Week 32 Optional Memorial: St Laurence O’Toole, 1128-80, Patron of Dublin archdiocese. Glendalough monk, Archbishop of Dublin, reformer, held many synods, died on a mission of mediation with King Henry 11 and the Irish rulers of Eu, Normandy 1st Reading: Wisdom 2:23-3:9 The dead may seem extinct, but their…
13 Nov 2023 – Monday of Week 32 1st Reading: Wisdom 1:1-7 Think of the Lord constantly, and seek his guidance truly Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord in goodness and seek him with sincerity of heart; because he is found by those who do not put him to the…
12 Nov 2023 – 32nd Sunday, (A) Underlying optimism: Everyone suffers sometime from bereavement, and some losses are especially difficult to bear. But if we hope in the resurrection we should not grieve like others who have no hope. The underlying optimism shining through today’s text from the book of Wisdom is given a personal…
11 Nov 2023 – Saturday of Week 31 Memorial: St Martin of Tours, 316-97, Bishop of Tours. Patron of France, soldiers, beggars and innkeepers. 1st Reading: Romans 16:3-9, 22-27 Greeting Paul’s co-workers, and praise of God’s unfolding plan Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus, and who risked their necks for…
10 Nov 2023 – Friday of Week 31 Memorial: St Leo the Great, died 461, taught the two natures of Christ, human and divine, at the Council of Chalcedon, 451, and teh primacy of the See of Peter. 1st Reading: Romans 15:14-21 Paul marvels at what God has done through him among the gentiles I…
