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Bishop of Cloyne to Ordain Six New Permanent Deacons

No nukes is good nukes with the adoption of UN Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Ploughing offers encounters and time for pause

“It is an occasion where hundreds of thousands of people gather. Wherever people gather is the place to be and it is what Pope Francis wants us to do – to get out and be out among the people,” says Bishop Fintan Monahan.

World Meeting of Families recruits volunteers at Ploughing

The most asked question at the Ploughing was “Is Pope Francis coming to Ireland?” That has not been confirmed yet – not even by Bishops Denis Nulty and Fintan Monahan who visited the World Meeting of Families 2018 stand on the first day.

Pope’s Astronomer to Visit Kerry Next Month

Mercy Day celebration marks anniversary

"On the 24th (September) we always have Mercy Day celebrations. But this year on our 190th anniversary of the founding of the house, we will live stream to the ‘Mercy family’, so to speak. We are in 44 countries of the world.. "

Thought for today Saint of the day Today's Readings Sunday's Readings

Thought for today

A Fruitful Day.

The sun is slowly sinking
On what was a fruitful day,
For you helped a needy brother
Along his burdened way.

You perceived the silent message
Often hidden from one’s view,
And followed heartfelt instincts
That brought hope and faith anew.

You made a grateful soulmate
For you took the time to care,
While being reminiscent
Of your own times of despair.

Author: Catherine Janssen Irwin.

Saint of the day

Sep 22 - St Adomnán (Eunan) (624-704) 9th abbot of Iona

Adomnán or Eunan was born in Donegal. He became a monk in Iona and was its ninth abbot in 679. He is the author a life of his kinsman St Colmcille. He intervened to liberate war captives and to claim safety during war for women, children and clerics. His open-mindedness also led to the ending of the conflict between the Roman and Celtic Churches. The image is of a statue of St Eunan outside his titular cathedral in Letterkenny. Patrick Duffy tells his story.

Of the Uí Chonaill family
Born into the Uí Chonaill family, Adomnán, or Eunan, as he is more commonly today, may have spent some time at the Columban monastery in Durrow before joining the Iona community where he was chosen as its ninth abbot in 679.

His Life of Columba
He wrote a Life of Columba, to whom he was related. Although its purpose is not strict history, but to highlight the saint's virtues, and is modelled on the Lives of the Desert Fathers especially Antony and Evagrius, it is full of memorable descriptions. It stresses Columba's relationship with God and his fight against exploitation, carelessness, falsehood, and murder. Adomnan upholds Columba as an Irish saint whose faith transcends petty divisions.

De locis sanctis
Adomnán also wrote a book on the "holy places" - Jerusalem, Damascus, Constantinople and Alexandria - called De locis sanctis. It is based on descriptions given him by word of mouth by a French bishop Arculfus, who had been shipwrecked in western Britain and took refuge in Iona.

St Adamnan (Eunan) - Born Ireland c628, died Iona 704. Ninth abbot of Iona

St Adamnan (Eunan) - Born Ireland c628, died Iona 704. Ninth abbot of Iona

Conflict between Celtic and Roman usage in the Church
As the ultimate superior of the Ionan monastery of Lindisfarne, Adomnán made a number of visits to Northumbria. The first was in 686. While he was there, he became aware of the unresolved conflict and tensions in the years after the Synod of Whitby (664) between Celtic observances and the Roman observances. Celtic monasteries had a different method for calculating the date of Easter, a different tonsure, and the abbot held administrative superiority to a bishop.

Reconciliation
In visiting the monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow, Adomnán held long discussions with the Abbot Ceolfrith of Wearmouth. Eventually he became convinced that, whatever about the equally sacred origins of the differing customs - the Celtic way was based on St John and had long been the custom in the Eastern Church - it was better for the universality of the Church for the Celts to adopt the Roman usage. Over the next eighteen years he tirelessly worked to convince Iona and other Celtic monasteries to do so.

Setting captives free
Another reason for Adomnán's visit to Northumbria in 686 was to persuade King Aldfrith to release sixty Irish prisoners and in this he was successful. When later he attended the Synod of Birr in 697, he convinced the participants that women, children and clerics should be exempt from war and not be taken prisoners or slaughtered. This came to be known as The Law of the Innocents or Adamnan's law (Cain Adomhnáin) - and is a kind of preview of the present-day Geneva Convention.

[caption id="attachment_50931" align="alignright" width="210"]

St. Eunan's Cathedral, Letterkenny,
Co. Donegal.[/caption]

Patron of Raphoe diocese
Adomnán or Eunan, as he is now more commonly called in Ireland, is the principal patron of the diocese and the cathedral in Letterkenny is called after him. His feast is on 23rd September.

Today's Readings

English
Gaelige

The First Reading 1Timothy 6:2-12
As a man dedicated to God, you must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love.

[caption id="attachment_85307" align="alignright" width="251"]

Following in the footsteps of Jesus[/caption]

This is what you are to teach the brothers to believe and persuade them to do. Anyone who teaches anything different, and does not keep to the sound teaching which is that of our Lord Jesus Christ, the doctrine which is in accordance with true religion, is simply ignorant and must be full of self-conceit - with a craze for questioning everything and arguing about words. All that can come of this is jealousy, contention, abuse and wicked mistrust of one another; and unending disputes by people who are neither rational nor informed and imagine that religion is a way of making a profit. Religion, of course, does bring large profits, but only to those who are content with what they have. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it; but as long as we have food and clothing, let us be content with that. People who long to be rich are a prey to temptation; they get trapped into all sorts of foolish and dangerous ambitions which eventually plunge them into ruin and destruction. 'The love of money is the root of all evils' and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so given their souls any number of fatal wounds.

But, as a man dedicated to God, you must avoid all that. You must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 48
Response : How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1. Why should I fear in evil days
the malice of the foes who surround me,
men who trust in their wealth,
and boast of the vastness of their riches? Response

2. For no man can buy his own ransom,
or pay a price to God for his life.
The ransom of his soul is beyond him.
He cannot buy life without end,
nor avoid coming to the grave. Response

3. Then do not fear when a man grows rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
He takes nothing with him when he dies,
his glory does not follow him below. Response

4. Though he flattered himself while he lived:
'Men will praise me for doing well for myself,'
yet he will go to join his fathers,
who will never see the light any more. Response

Gospel Acclamation Ps 94: 8
Alleluia, alleluia!
Harden not your hearts today
but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Alleluia!

or Mt 11: 25
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children .
Alleluia!

The Gospel Luke 8:1-3
With Jesus went several women who provided for him out of their own resources.

Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna,
and several others who provided for them out of their own resources.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Gospel Reflection Friday, Twenty Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Luke 8:1-3

We generally think of Jesus as the servant of all, and, indeed, that is how he presented himself. According to the gospels, he declared that he came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Yet, even Jesus needed to be served at times. He was dependent at times on the service that others gave him. This morning’s gospel reading draws attention to the ways that some women served him. Luke states that, as Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, several women provided for him out of their own resources. Their service of him enabled him to serve others. If Jesus was in need of the service of others at times, we his followers certainly are. We are called to serve, but we are also called to receive the service of others, because we need their service. Serving others calls for generosity; allowing ourselves to be served by others calls for humility, the recognition that we are limited and that others can bring to us what we do not have within ourselves. As Paul saw so clearly, within the church, the body of Christ, we are all interdependent. The Spirit is at work in all our lives in different ways. We need the service of others and others need our service. We all have something to give and something to receive. This morning’s gospel encourages us to be open to receive the service of the Lord as it comes to us in and through those who journey with us and cross our path in life.

__________________________________

The scripture readings are taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers.
The Gospel reflection comes from WEEKDAY REFLECTIONS: To know the love of Christ 2016/2017 by Martin Hogan published by The Messenger c/f www.messenger.ie
__________________

An Chéad Léacht   1 Timóteas 6: 2-12
Déan na nithe sin a theagasc agus a fhógairt.

A bhráithre ionúin, déan na nithe sin a theagasc agus a fhógairt. Duine ar bith a thugann a mhalairt de theagasc agus nach réitíonn le briathra fónta ár dTiarna Íosa Críost, leis an teagasc atá de réir na cráifeachta, is ag borradh le bród atá sé agus gan aon tuiscint aige ach cíocras air chun aighnis agus conspóide, nithe nach dtagann dá mbarr ach éad agus achrann, achasáin agus drochamhras agus an iomarbhá úd a bhíonn ag daoine a bhfuil a n-intinn ag meathlú agus an fhírinne caillte acu. Is dóigh leo gurb údar saibhris an chráifeacht. Ismór an t-údar saibhris í an chráifeacht go deimhin, an té a bhíonn sásta lena chuid. Mar níor thugamar aon ní isteach sa saol ná ní féidir dúinn aon ní a thógáil as. Dá réir sin má bhíonn bia agus éadach againn, beimid sásta. Iad sin a mbíonn dúil sa saibhreas acu titeann siad i gcathú agus gabhtar sa líon iad ag na hainmhianta iomadúla baotha díobhálacha úd a tharraingíonn daoine ar bhealach a millte agus a mbascaithe. Dúil san airgead is bun do gach olc, agus le barr dúile ann tá daoine áirithe imithe ar fán ón gcreideamh agus is iomaí arraing atá curtha trína gcroí féin acu.

Ach ós óglach Dé tusa, seachain na nithe sin. Bíodh tóir agat ar an bhfíréantacht, ar
an gcráifeacht, ar an gcreideamh, ar an ngrá, ar an bhfoighne agus ar an láchas. Fear
cath an chreidimh go calma agus bain amach an bheatha shíoraí, mar is chun na beatha
sin a fuair tú an glaoch nuair a rinne tú an dea-admháil chreidimh i láthair mórán
finnéithe.

An Briathar Dé.

Salm le freagra   Sm 48
Freagra Is méanar dóibh seo atá bocht ó spiorad, óir is leo ríocht na bhflaitheas.

Cén fáth a mbeadh eagla orm lá an oilc
agus mioscais lucht ceilge i mo thimpeall
dream a mbíonn a ndóchas ina saibhreas
agus a mhaíonn as méid a maoine?                     Freagra

2. Ní thig le haon duine é féin a fhuascailt
ná éiric a anama a dhíol le Dia
is ródhaor aige éiric a anama.
Ní thig leis síorbheatha a cheannach
le súil nach bhfeice sé an uaigh.                              Freagra

3. Ná bíodh eagla ort má éiríonn duine saibhir:
má mhéadaíonn ar mhaoin a theaghlaigh.
Nuair a éagfaidh sé ní bhéarfaidh sé dada leis,
ná ní rachaidh a rachmas chun na huaighe leis. Freagra

4. Cé gur bhreá leis a shaol fad a mhair sé
“maífidh gach aon neach mo shéanmhaireacht”
rachaidh sé i bhfochair a shinsear
nach bhfeicfidh an solas go brách.                         Freagra

An Soiscéal    Lúcás 8:1-3
Súsanna, agus mórán nárbh iad, a bhíodh ag freastal ar Íosa agus orthu as a maoin.

San am sin thaistil Íosa cathracha agus bailte ag seanmóir agus ag fógairt dea-scéal ríocht Dé, agus an dáréag á thionlacan 2chomh maith le mná áirithe a bhí leigheasta ó dhrochspioraid agus ó éagruais: Máire ar a nglaotar an Mhaigdiléanach – a raibh seacht ndeamhain imithe aisti agus Ióanna bean Chúsa, maor Héaróid, agus Súsanna, agus mórán nárbh iad, a bhíodh ag freastal orthu as a maoin.

An Soiscéal Dé

AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart

Sunday's Readings

English
Gaelige

Scripture Theme

The Gospel of St Matthew, directed Jewish Christians, stressing that the pagans have also come to God’s mercy and are to be accepted. As Christ came to call sinners, so the Church must accept them. God’s thoughts of justice are beyond ours, his mercy cannot be measured. That is the point of the Gospel story today, whatever about the details. No one can be content with his own state of sanctity and despise or judge others. God’s judgement may be quite different.

FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Isaiah 55:6-9
My thoughts are not your thoughts.

Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,
call to him while he is still near.
Let the wicked man abandon his way,
the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him,
to our God who is rich in forgiving;
for my thoughts are not your thoughts,
my ways not your ways - it is the Lord who speaks.
Yes, the heavens are as high above earth
as my ways are above your ways,
my thoughts above your thoughts.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 144:2-3.8-9. 17-18. Rv 18
Response : The Lord is close to all who call him.

1. I will bless you day after day
and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,
his greatness cannot be measured. Response

2. The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures. Response

3. The Lord is just in all his ways
and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him,
who call on him from their hearts. Response

SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians 1:20-24.27
Life to me is Christ.

Christ will be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. dear Jesus

Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results- I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake.

Avoid anything in your everyday lives that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Lk 19: 38
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens!
Alleluia!

or Acts 16: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son.
Alleluia!

THE GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 20:1-16
Why be envious because I am generous?

Now the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place and said to them, "You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage". So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same.Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round, and he said to them, "Why have you been standing here idle all day?" "Because no one has hired us" they answered. He said to them, "You go into my vineyard too".

workers-parable

In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, "Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first". So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner. "The men who came last" they said "have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day's work in all the heat." He answered one of them and said, "My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?"

Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.'

The Gospel of the Lord.

Taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published and copyright 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.

AN CHÉAD LÉACHT
Sliocht as leabhar Íseáia 55:6-9
Ní hiad mo bhearta bhur mbearta.

[caption id="attachment_50642" align="alignright" width="300"]

God at work[/caption]

Lorgaigí an Tiarna, fad a chuireann sé é féin air fáil;
glaoigí air, fad atá sé i ngar.
Fágadh an coirpeach a dhrochnós
agus fear na hurchóide a bhearta.
Filleadh sé ar an Tiarna, a ghlacfaidh trua dó,
agus ar ár nDia, atá fial faoi mhaithiúnas.
Óir ní hiad mo bhearta bhur mbearta,
ná ní hiad bhur mbealaíse mo bhealaíse, briathar an Tiarna.
Is ard iad na spéartha os cionn na talún,
agus is comh-ard mo bhealaí os cionn bhur mbealaí
agus mo bhearta os cionn bhur mbearta.

An Briathar Dé.

Salm le Freagra              Sm 144
Freagra                                      Is gairid an Tiarna dá ngaireann air.

1. Beannóidh mé thú gach uile lá
agus molfaidh mé thú dé shíor.
Is mór é an Tiarna, is is ionmholta go mór é,
ní féidir a mhórgacht a mheas. Freagra

2. Is ceansa trócaireach é an Tiarna,
mall chun feirge agus lán de chineáltas.
Is maith é an Tiarna don uile ní,
is is trócaireach é dá oibreacha uile. Freagra

3. Is fíréanta an Tiarna ina shlite uile
is is naofa é ina oibreacha go léir.
Is gairid an Tiarna dá ngaireann air,
dá ngaireann air go fírinneach. Freagra

AN DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as litir N.Pól chuig naFilipigh 1:20-24.27
Mar is é Críost is beatha domsa

A bhráithre, nglóireofar Críost i mo chorp, cibé acu beatha nó bás atá i ndán dom. Mar is é Críost is beatha domsa agus ba shochar dom an bás. Ar an taobh eile, áfach, má bhíonn rath ar mo shaothar fad a mhairim sa cholainn, ní fheadar cé acu rogha a dhéanfaidh mé. Táim i gcás idir dhá chomhairle: tá fonn orm síothlú liom agus bheith fara Críost, mar ba é ba fhearr go mór. Ach is riachtanaí go bhfanfainn sa cholainn ar mhaithe libhse.

Ní mór daoibh, áfach, bhur saol a thabhairt go fiúntach de réir dea-scéal Chríost.

An Briathar Dé.

Alleluia Véarsa   Lc 19: 38
Alleluia, alleluia!
Is beannaithe an té atá ag teacht ina rí, in ainm an Tiarna!
Síocháin sna flaithis, agus glóire in uachtar
Alleluia!

AN SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Matha 20:1-16
Nó an ea go bhfuil do shúilse éadmhar de bhrí go bhfuilim féin maith?’

San am sin dúirt Íosa lena dheisceabail: “Óir is iad dála ríocht na bhflaitheas mar a bhí ag fear tí a ghabh amach go moch ar maidin chun lucht oibre a fhostú i gcomhair a fhíonghoirt. Réitigh sé leis na fir oibre ar dhéanar sa lá agus sheol sé isteach ina fhíonghort iad. Nuair a chuaigh sé amach timpeall an tríú huair, chonaic sé daoine eile ina seasamh díomhaoin in áit an mhargaidh agus dúirt sé leo: ‘Isteach i m’fhíonghort libhse freisin, agus díolfaidh mé libh an pá ceart.’ Agus isteach leo. Chuaigh sé amach arís timpeall an séú agus an naoú huair agus rinne sé an rud céanna. Ach nuair a chuaigh sé amach timpeall an aonú huair déag, fuair sé tuilleadh acu ann agus dúirt leo: ‘Cad a d’fhág anseo ar feadh an lae sibh agus sibh díomhaoin?’ Dúirt siad: ‘Mar nár fhostaigh aon duine sinn.’ Dúirt sé leo: ‘Sibhse freisin, isteach san fhíonghort libh.’

workers-parable

Nuair a bhí an tráthnóna ann, dúirt úinéir an fhíonghoirt leis an mbainisteoir: ‘Glaoigh ar na fir oibre agus tabhair dóibh a dtuarastal, siar ón dream déanach go dtí an dream is túisce a tháinig.’ Nuair a tháinig muintir an aonú huair déag, fuair siad déanar an duine. Agus shíl an chéad dream nuair a tháinig siad go bhfaighidís níos mó. Ach is déanar an duine a fuair siad sin féin. Agus nuair a fuair siad é, bhí siad ag monabhar ar fhear an tí: ‘An dream déanach seo,’ deiridís, ‘níor thug siad ach an t-aon uair amháin, agus chuir tú ar aon dul iad féin agus sinne a d’fhulaing ualach an lae agus an brothall.’ D’fhreagair sé duine acu á rá: ‘Nílim ag déanamh aon éagóra ort, a chara: nach ar dhéanar a réitigh tú liom? Tóg a bhfuil ag dul duit agus imigh. Ach is áil liomsa oiread a thabhairt don fhear deireanach seo agus a thugaim duit. An ea nach bhfuil cead agam mo rogha ní a dhéanamh le mo chuid féin? Nó an ea go bhfuil do shúilse éadmhar de bhrí go bhfuilim féin maith?’

Sin mar a bheidh a bhfuil ar deireadh ar tosach agus a bhfuil ar tosach ar deireadh.”

An Soiscéal Dé.

AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart