The structure of John’s gospel, from which virtually all our gospel readings are taken in the Easter season, is mostly built around specific feasts of the Jewish liturgical year, celebrated in Jerusalem (in John Jesus doesn’t simply go to Jerusalem before his arrest, but at various points in his teaching
Continue readingToday’s first reading from Acts (11:19-26) describes how, because of the persecution which broke out after the stoning of St Stephen many of the earliest disciples move away from Jerusalem and the surrounding area – various parts of the eastern Mediterranean. This is seen as providential, a sign of God’s
Continue readingIn this country today is kept as the feast of the Martyrs of England and Wales, incorporating two formerly separate feast days (today and in October) for those who had been canonised (forty) and those beatified respectively. They include St Margaret Clitheroe (shown here), although she and some others also
Continue readingThe Fourth Sunday of Easter is always observed as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The Holy Father’s message for today can be read on the Vatican website: CLICK HERE. This is because each year the gospel reading for today from John depicts Our Lord using the imagery of
Continue readingToday the Church honours one of the most important theologians of the early Church, St Athanasius. He was bishop of Alexandria in Egypt for much of the fourth century, in the decades following the end of persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. He was a resolute defender of the
Continue readingCAFOD launched its coronavirus emergency appeal on 30 April. The effects of coronavirus on developing countries where CAFOD works are likely to be devastating. Families without enough to eat and without access to clean water and healthcare are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. The poorest and most marginalised communities will be
Continue readingThe feast of St Joseph the Worker was established on 1 May by Pope Pius XII after the Second World War to associate the Catholic Church with Labour day, which had become an important celebration of workers’ rights throughout the world (and still is). The Church is conscious that Our
Continue readingToday the Church in its calendar honours St Pius V, who was pope from 1566 until 1572. He had been a Dominican friar, and unlike many popes of this period had an exemplary private life: indeed he was very austere and disapproved, for example, of naked statues among the Holy
Continue readingI reflected last week on St George’s day that one of the purposes of patron saints is to inspire us by their teachings and example and give us coherence and a sense of identity. Today is the feast of St Catherine (Caterina) of Siena, one of the six patron saints
Continue readingIn the narrative we hear from the book of Acts at Mass this week about St Stephen, the first deacon and the first martyr, we don’t hear the speech he makes before the Sanhedrin, but move today to his closing words (7:51 – 8:1). Stephen doesn’t compromise – he accusers
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