Presiderās Page for 24 May 2026 (Pentecost Sunday) Today is a Day of Prayer for the Church in China Opening CommentĀ (Mass During the Day) Today we celebrate āthe great beginning of the Church,ā the day the Holy Spirit first came to confused and frightened disciples. We praise God for this great Gift, and ask for…
22 May 2026 – Friday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial; St Rita of Cascia, 1386-1457, married for 18 years, entered a convent when widowed and spent 40 years in prayer and charity, and working for peace in the region. 1st Reading: Acts 25:13-21 Paul, in prison at Caesarea, explains his predicament to king…
21 May 2026 – Thursday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: Ss Christopher MagallĆ”nes, priest, and companions, martyrs – 25 priests and laymen execute din Mexico in 1927. 1st Reading: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 Paul is cross-examined by the Jewish Council, in Jerusalem The next day, wanting to find out what Paul was being accused…
20 May 2026 – Wednesday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: St Bernardine, born in Siena 1380, became a Franciscan, travelled through Italy, promoted devotion to the Holy Name and to St Joseph, died in 1444. 1st Reading: Acts 20:28-38 Paul’s final advice to the church leaders: shepherd the church of God [Paul said…
19 May 2026 – Tuesday of Week 7 of Easter 1st Reading: Acts 20:17-27 Paul’s testament to church leaders, on his way to Jerusalem From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. When they came to him, Paul said: “You yourselves know how I lived among…
18 May 2026 – Monday of Week 7 of Easter Optional Memorial: St John 1, pope and martyr, the first Bishop of Rome to visit Constantinople. Involved in Arian controversies and imprisoned, died in 526. 1st Reading: Acts 19:1-8 In Ephesus, followers of John the Baptist become full members of the church While Apollos was…
Presiderās Page for 24 May 2026 (Pentecost Sunday) Today is a Day of Prayer for the Church in China Opening CommentĀ (Mass During the Day) Today we celebrate āthe great beginning of the Church,ā the day the Holy Spirit first came to confused and frightened disciples. We praise God for this great Gift, and ask…
17 May 2026 – The Ascension of the Lord, (A) 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 taken up…
16 May 2026 – Saturday of Week 6 Optional memorial (Feast in Clonfert, Kerry): St Brendan – Click for details 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…
15 May 2026 – Friday of Week 6 of Easter Optional Memorial (Feast in Waterford & Lismore): St Carthage, was a Kerry herdsman who became a monk andĀ set up a monastery, first in Kerry, then at Rahan in Co Offaly, and finally at Lismore in Co Waterford. In later centuries Lismore became the seat…
14 May 2026 – 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 2026 – Wednesday of Week 6 of Easter Optional memorial: Our Lady of Fatima – optional readings, Is 61:9-11; Ps 44:11-12, 14-17, R/v11. Lk 11:27-28. Lect 11, 1431, 1426, 1448. See The Message of Fatima 1st Reading: Acts 17:15, 22-18:1 Paul’s clever sermon in the Areopagus, to lead the Greeks to the true…
12 May 2026 – Tuesday of Week 6 of Easter Optional Memorials:Ā Ss Nereus and Achilleus, martyred in 304, Roman soldiers who refused military service after conversion.Ā St Pancras martyred at 14 in Rome. 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,…
Presiderās Page for 17 May 2026 (Ascension of the Lord) World Communications Day is an annual, Church-wide celebration to reflect on the impact of modern media and its role in promoting Gospel values. Established by Pope Paul VI in 1967, it encourages the use of communication tools, including the internet and social media, as bridges…
11 May 2026 – Monday of Week 6 of Easter 1st Reading: Acts 16:11-15 When Paul reaches Philippi, Lydia becomes his first European convert We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of…
10 May 2026 – 6th Sunday of Easter, (A) 1st Reading: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Philip’s mission in Samaria shows the joy of the original Gospel faith Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and…
09 May 2026 – Saturday of Week 5 1st Reading: Acts 16:1-10 Timothy, a half-Jew, joins Paul in the missionary work Paul went on to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. He was well…
08 May 2026 – Friday of Week 5 of Easter Optional Memorial: Bl John Sullivan, born in Eccles St, Dublin 8 May 1861, baptised Church of Ireland, became a Catholic at 35 and joined the Jesuits, ordained and ministered in Clongowes Wood College, Kildare. Had a reputation for prayer and holiness, and always available to…
07 May 2026 – Thursday of Week 5 of Easter 1st Reading: Acts 15:7-21 Peter and James defend Paul’s missionary practice After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one…
06 May 2026 – Wednesday of Week 5 of Easter 1st Reading: Acts 15:1-6 The Council of Jerusalem, on what is needed for salvation Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no…
