27 Aug 2025 – Wednesday of Week 21 Memorial: St Monica, c 332-87, mother of St Augustine. Patron saint of mothers. 1st Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 The gospel is no mere opinion but is God’s own word You remember our labour and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might…
Presider’s Page for 31 August (22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time) Who gets the places of honour in God’s house, the pushy or the humble? The Word of God this Sunday teaches us that the humble are the ones who find favour with God. • The Season of Creation is marked throughout the Christian world from…
26 Aug 2025 – Tuesday of Week 21 1st Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 How gently Paul treated the Thessalonians You yourselves know, my brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our…
25 Aug 2025 – Monday of Week 21 Optional Memorials: St Louis of France, 1214-70, king of France, father of eleven children, Franciscan tertiary, patron of French monarchy and military, and barbers. St Joseph Calasanz, 1556-1648, founded the Piarists to run free schools, patron Catholic schools. 1st Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10 Paul recalls the…
24 Aug 2025 – 21st Sunday (C) The value of a disciplined life is little mentioned in a permissive society. But the theme of the “narrow door” is there to make us think. (1) Isaiah 66:18-21 The returning Jews bring non-Jews to join in the worship of God The Lord Says: “I am coming to…
23 Aug 2025 – Saturday of Week 20 Optional Memorials: St Rose of Lima, 1586-1617, Dominican tertiary who helped the poor, seen as the originator of social service in Peru; St Eugene, 6th century, pirated to Britain, after freedom returned to Kilnamanagh, Wicklow but main foundation at Ard Sratha (Ardstraw), Tyrone. 1st Reading: Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 How…
Presider’s Page for 24 August (21st Sunday in Ordinary Time) Our God is a gracious God, who throws open the doors to the Kingdom to all of humanity. Penitential Rite We praise and worship this generous God of ours: even our sins will not deter God’s forgivensss: (pause) Lord Jesus, you came to gather the…
22 Aug 2025 – The Queenship of Mary 1st Reading: Isaiah 9:1-6 God’s promise of joy and restoration to those who sat in darkness There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the…
21 Aug 2025 – Thursday of Week 20 Memorial: St Pius X, 18135-1914, Cardinal Patriarch of Venice then pope from 1903. Encouraged frequent Communion, to which he admitted young children. 1st Reading: Judges 11:29-39 After Jephthah’s rash vow, he sacrifices his only daughter The spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through…
20 Aug 2025 – Wednesday of Week 20 Memorial: St Bernard, abbot and doctor of the Church, 1090-1153, Cistercian monk at Clairvaux, patron of Gibraltar and beekeepers. 1st Reading: Judges 9:6-15 In a riddle Jotham curses Abimelech and the people of Shechem All the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together, and they went…
19 Aug 2025 – Tuesday of Week 20 Optional Memorial: St John Eudes, 1601-80, from Normandy, France, great preacher and devotion to the Sacred Heart. 1st Reading: Judges 6:11-24 When Gideon doubts, his faith is confirmed by a sign from God The angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which…
18 Aug 2025 – Monday of Week 20 1st Reading: Judges 2:11-19 The era of the Judges alternates between falling away and being restored Then Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and worshipped the Baals; and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out…
17 Aug 2025 – 20th Sunday (C) (1) Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 Jeremiah is dropped into a well to die, but is saved by a foreigner The officials said to the king, “This Jeremiah ought to be put to death, because he is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people,…
16 Aug 2025 – Saturday of Week 19 Optional Memorial: St Stephen of Hungary, 975-1038, first king of Hungary and its patron saint. 1st Reading: Joshua 24:14-29 At the covenant ceremony at Shechem, the whole people promise loyalty to God Joshua said to all the people: “Revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and…
15 August 2025 – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1st Reading: Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10 The woman and the dragon depicted the persecuted church; but came to include the Assumption of our Lady Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there…
14 Aug 2025 – Thursday of Week 19 memorial: St Maximilian Kolbe, priests and martyr, 1894-1941, a Conventual Franciscan, died in Auschwitz. 1st Reading: Joshua 3:7-10, 11, 13-17 Carrying the Ark into the Jordan allowed the people cross safely The Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight…
13 Aug 2025 – Wednesday of Week 19 Optional Memorials: Ss Pontian, (pope in 231), and Hippolytus, priests, martyrs; St Fachtna, founder of the monastery of Ross Carbery, died c 600. 1st Reading: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 The great Moses dies within sight of the Promised Land Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount…
Presider’s Page for 17 August (20th Sunday in Ordinary Time) Following Jesus may not bring us happiness in this life, but we are challenged to follow him nevertheless. We come together to worship our gracious God and to ask for help in our Christian life this week. Penitential Rite We begin by calling to mind…
12 Aug 2025 – Tuesday of Week 19 Optional Memorials: St Lelia, baptised by St Patrick, associated with a church at Kileely, Thomond Bridge; St Attracta (Achonry), a great healer from 6-7 century, convents famous for hospitality and helping the poor; St Muredach (Killala), founder of the church in Killala; St Jane Frances de Chantel, 1572-1641, …
11 Aug 2025 – Monday of Week 19 Memorial: St Clare, born in Assisi in 1193, founded Poor Clares, died 1253. 1st Reading: Deuteronomy 10:12-22 God’s chosen people must show mercy to foreigners, the orphan and the widow And Moses said to th people, “So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require…
