14 May – Feast of St Matthias, Apostle Apostle. As he could bear witness to the Resurrection of Jesus, he was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. Preached the Gospel for more than 30 years in Judea, Cappadocia, Egypt and Ethiopia. Remembered for preaching the need for mortification of the flesh with regard to all its [...]
3 May – Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles Saint Philip Disciple of Saint John the Baptist. Convert. One of the Twelve Apostle. Brought Saint Nathanael to Christ. Confidant of Jesus. Little is known about him, but scriptural episodes give the impression of a shy, naive, but practical individual. Preached in Greece and Asia [...]
25 Apr Feast of St Mark the Evangelist Believed to be the young man who ran away when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51-52), and the “John whose other name was Mark” (Acts 12:25). Disciple of Saint Peter the Apostle who travelled with him to Rome, and was referred to as “my son Mark” by the [...]
19 Mar - Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary Joseph is a descendant of the house of David. A layman and a carpenter, he was the earthly spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and foster and adoptive father of Jesus Christ. He was a visionary who was visited by angels, and is [...]
02 Feb – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord; World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life This feast celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Presentation is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is one of the twelve Great [...]
25 Jan – Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul St. Paul (3-65) was a Jewish Talmudic student and a Pharisee. He was a tent-maker by trade. Saul the Jew hated and persecuted Christians as heretical, even assisting at the stoning of St. Stephen the Martyr. On his way to Damascus to arrest another group [...]
13 Jan – Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord The Baptism Of The Lord The Father anointed his beloved son, Jesus, with the Holy Spirit and with power, to bring healing and peace to all the nations. – The Sunday Missal _____________________ Isaiah 42:1-4.6-7 Thus says the Lord: Here is my servant whom I [...]
01 Jan – Octave Day of Christmas; Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is celebrated on Jan 1, the Octave Day of Christmas (i.e. 8th day after Christmas). It is a celebration of Mary’s motherhood of Jesus. The title “Mother of God” is a western [...]
30 Dec – Sixth Day of the Octave of Christmas; Feast of the Holy Fmaily We celebrate the Holy Family of Nazareth which is the model for all who fear the Lord and walk in his ways. – The Sunday Missal _____________________ Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6. 12-14 The Lord honours the father in his children, and upholds [...]
28 Dec – Fourth Day of the Octave of Christmas; Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs The Holy Innocents are the children slaughtered by Herod the Great when he tried to kill the infant Christ. – Patron Saint Index The children died for Christ, though they do not know it. The parents mourned for the [...]
