Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Sept 2 - Bl Frederick Ozanam (1813-53) founder
Summary: Bl Frederick Ozanam died on 8th September 1853, but as that is also the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we have brought him forward to 2nd. An accomplished linguist and Dante scholar, Frederick also found time to care for the poor. The society he started has today over a million members in 32 countries.
Early Life
Frederick-Antoine Ozanam was one of fourteen children in his family to survive infancy. His father was an officer in Napoleon's army. He was born in Milan, but the family moved back to Lyon in France.
Patrick Duffy continues his story.
Frederick Forms a Lay Institute
He studied at the Collège Royal in Lyon and was interested in both law and literature. He became involved with a group of liberal Catholic intellectuals - Emmanuel Bailly, historians Montalambert and Chateaubriand, the Romantic poet Lamartine and the Dominican preacher Pere Lacordaire. This group along with a Daughter of Charity named Rosalie Rendu began the lay institute dedicated to caring for the physical and spiritual well-being of the poor.
Frederick was 20 years old when he began the Society with a number of friends in Paris on April 23, 1833.
He made this defining statement a year later. It still encompasses the spiritual ethos of the Society and its focus on working for social justice.
"The question which is agitating the world today is a social one. It is a struggle between those who have nothing and those who have too much. It is a violent clash of opulence and poverty which is shaking the ground under our feet. Our duty as Christians is to throw ourselves between these two camps in order to accomplish by love what justice alone cannot do".
Frederick, the Founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul made these words, spoken in 1834, and still remain accurate in today’s world. He took his doctorate in law in 1836 and although his father died around this time, he went on to gain a doctorate in literature with a thesis on Dante's philosophy.
A Dante scholar and Accomplished linguist
In 1845 Frederick moved from Lyon to Paris and married Amalie, who soon gave birth to a daughter. He combined an academic career with lecturing to the Cercle catholique and visiting the poor.
An accomplished linguist, he was promoted to professor in 1846 and began a project on the literary history of the Middle Ages from the 5th century to Dante. But he contracted tuberculosis and his health began to fail.
Christian Socialism
With Pere Lacordaire he started a journal expounding Christian socialist principles. He went to Italy in 1853 partly for health reasons but also to collect a prestigious award for his work on Dante.
Declining Health
On the return journey Frederick collapsed and died at Marseilles on 8th September 1853.
Beatification
Pope John Paul II beatified him in August 1997, expressing the hope that more married people would be canonised.
The Society of St Vincent de Paul now has over a million members in 32 countries.
“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver. ... ~ Maya Angelou ~
“Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting. ... ~ Brian Tracey ~
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself
in the service of others... ~ Mahatma Ghandi ~
“Giving does not only precede receiving; it is the reason for it. ...
~ Israelmore Ayivor ~
“No one has ever become poor from giving.
~ Anne Frank ~
Early Life
Frederick-Antoine Ozanam was one of fourteen children in his family to survive infancy. His father was an officer in Napoleon's army. He was born in Milan, but the family moved back to Lyon in France.Patrick Duffy continues his story.
Frederick Forms a Lay Institute
He studied at the Collège Royal in Lyon and was interested in both law and literature. He became involved with a group of liberal Catholic intellectuals - Emmanuel Bailly, historians Montalambert and Chateaubriand, the Romantic poet Lamartine and the Dominican preacher Pere Lacordaire. This group along with a Daughter of Charity named Rosalie Rendu began the lay institute dedicated to caring for the physical and spiritual well-being of the poor.
Frederick was 20 years old when he began the Society with a number of friends in Paris on April 23, 1833.
He made this defining statement a year later. It still encompasses the spiritual ethos of the Society and its focus on working for social justice.
"The question which is agitating the world today is a social one. It is a struggle between those who have nothing and those who have too much. It is a violent clash of opulence and poverty which is shaking the ground under our feet. Our duty as Christians is to throw ourselves between these two camps in order to accomplish by love what justice alone cannot do".
Frederick, the Founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul made these words, spoken in 1834, and still remain accurate in today’s world. He took his doctorate in law in 1836 and although his father died around this time, he went on to gain a doctorate in literature with a thesis on Dante's philosophy.
A Dante scholar and Accomplished linguist
In 1845 Frederick moved from Lyon to Paris and married Amalie, who soon gave birth to a daughter. He combined an academic career with lecturing to the Cercle catholique and visiting the poor.
An accomplished linguist, he was promoted to professor in 1846 and began a project on the literary history of the Middle Ages from the 5th century to Dante. But he contracted tuberculosis and his health began to fail.Christian Socialism
With Pere Lacordaire he started a journal expounding Christian socialist principles. He went to Italy in 1853 partly for health reasons but also to collect a prestigious award for his work on Dante.
Declining Health
On the return journey Frederick collapsed and died at Marseilles on 8th September 1853.
Beatification
Pope John Paul II beatified him in August 1997, expressing the hope that more married people would be canonised.
The Society of St Vincent de Paul now has over a million members in 32 countries.
____________________________
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Memorable Sayings for Today
“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver. ... ~ Maya Angelou ~
“Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting. ... ~ Brian Tracey ~
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself
in the service of others... ~ Mahatma Ghandi ~
“Giving does not only precede receiving; it is the reason for it. ...
~ Israelmore Ayivor ~
“No one has ever become poor from giving.
~ Anne Frank ~
******************************
Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 2nd September, 2026
Wednesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2
FIRST READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 3:1-9
We are fellow workers with God; you are God's farm, God's building
Brothers, I myself was unable to speak to you as people of the Spirit: I treated you as sensual men, still infants in Christ. What I fed you with was milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it; and indeed, you are still not ready for it since you are still unspiritual.
Isn't that obvious from all the jealousy and wrangling that there is among you, from the way that you go on behaving like ordinary people? What could be more unspiritual than your slogans,
'I am for Paul' and 'I am for Apollos'?
After all, what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to them by the Lord.
I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow. It is all one who does the planting and who does the watering, and each will duly be paid according to his share in the work. We are fellow workers with God; you are God's farm, God's building.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32: 12-15. 20-21. R/v 12
Response Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
1. They are happy, whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen as his own.
From the heavens the Lord looks forth, he sees all the children of men. Response
2. From the place where he dwells, he gazes on all the dwellers on the earth,
he who shapes the heart of them all and considers all their deeds. Response
3. Our soul is waiting for the Lord. The Lord is our help and our shield.
In him do our hearts find joy. We trust in his holy name. Response
Gospel Acclamation 1 Pt 1: 25
Alleluia, alleluia!
The word of the Lord remains for ever: What is this word?
It is the Good News that has been brought to you.
Alleluia !
Or Lk 4: 18
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord has sent me to bring the Good News to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 4:38-44
I must proclaim the Good News to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.
Leaving the synagogue he went to Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked him to do something for her. Leaning over her he rebuked the fever and it left her. And she immediately got up and began to wait on them.At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying his hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, 'You are the Son of God.'
But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.
When daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place. The crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered,
'I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.'
And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Wednesday Twenty Second Week in Ordinary Time Luke4:38-44
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus brings healing to many people in Capernaum. Understandably, the people of Capernaum wanted to hold on to him. When Jesus went off to a lonely place just outside Capernaum to pray they caught up with him and tried to prevent him leaving them. However, Jesus was very clear that he had to move on, ‘I must proclaim the kingdom of God in the other towns too’. The people of Capernaum had to let him go; Jesus was at the disposal of God’s purpose and that took priority over what the people of Capernaum wanted.
We began reading from the gospel of Luke last Monday; Luke consistently portrays Jesus as someone who was totally at the service of God’s purpose. That often brought him into conflict with human purposes that were opposed to God’s purpose. We are all called to live our lives in accordance with God’s purpose. We try to do what we think God wants of us. That will often bring us into conflict with what other people want of us and want from us. In our struggle to do what God wants, however, we have the risen Lord to help us to walk that way. He can empower us to take the path he took, through his presence to us in his word, in the Eucharist and in each other.
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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
The Scripture Reflection is made available with our thanks from his book Reflections on the Weekday Readings : The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
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Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 2nd September, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Coirintigh 3:1--9
Comhoibrithe le Dia atá ionainne agus gort Dé, foirgneamh Dé, is ea sibhse.
I dtaca liom féin de, a bhráithre, níorbh fhéidir liom labhairt libh mar dhaoine spioradálta ach mar dhaoine collaí, mar naíonáin i gCríost. Is bainne a thug mé daoibh le hól in áit an bhia thirim toisc nach raibh sibh in inmhe; go deimhin níl sibh in inmhe fós féin de bhrí go bhfuil sibh collaí go fóill. Fad atá éad agus achrann eadraibh nach daoine collaí atá ionaibh agus sibh do bhur n-iompar féin de réir ghnás an tsaoil? Nuair a bhíonn “leanaimse Pól” ag duine agus “leanaimse Apollós” ag duine eile nach de ghnáthmhuintir an tsaoil sibh?
Céard é Apollós nó céard é Pól? Níl iontu ach na seirbhísigh trínar chreid sibh, gach duine acu mar a dháil an Tiarna air: mise a chuir an síol, Apollós a chuir an t-uisce leis ach is é Dia a chuir ag fás é. Ní hiad an síoladóir, mar sin, ná an t-uiscitheoir, ar fiú iad aon ní ach Dia amháin, a chuireann an síol ag fás. Is é an dá mhar a chéile iad an síoladóir agus an t-uiscitheoir ach cúiteofar a shaothar féin le gach duine acu. Comhoibrithe le Dia atá ionainne agus gort Dé, foirgneamh Dé, is ea sibhse.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 32: 12-15. 20-21. R/v 12
Freagra Is méanar don chine a roghnaigh sé mar oidhreacht dó féin.
1. Is méanar don chine arb é an Tiarna a nDia: an cine a roghnaigh sé mar oidhreacht dó féin.
Bíonn an Tiarna ag féachaint anuas ó neamh a
gus breathnaíonn sé an Ádhamhchlann go léir. Freagra
2. Féachann an Tiarna ar an dream lenarb eagal é agus a chuireann a ndóchas ina bhuanghrá,
chun a n-anam a shaoradh ón mbas agus iad a bheathú le linn gorta. Freagra
3. Bíonn ár n-anam ag feitheamh leis an Tiarna;is é siúd ar gcabhair agus ár sciath;
Is ann a ghairdíonn ár gcroí,is iontaoibh linn a ainm naofa. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcás 4:38-44 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Ní foláir dom dea-scéal ríocht Dé a fhógairt do na cathracha eile, óir is chuige sin a cuireadh amach mé.
San am sin ar fhágáil na sionagóige dó, chuaigh sé isteach i dteach Shíomóin. Bhí máthair chéile Shíomóin gafa ag taom trom fiabhrais, agus rinne siad achainí air ar a son. Agus ina sheasamh dó os a cionn thug sé ordú géar don fhiabhras, agus d’fhág an fiabhras í; agus d’éirigh sí ar an mball agus thosaigh ag freastal orthu.Ar dhul faoi don ghrian, cách a raibh daoine acu a bhí tinn ó aon sort galair, thug siad chuige iad; chuir sé a lámha ar gach duine acu agus leigheas iad. Agus bhí mórán freisin, a n-imíodh na deamhain amach astu, ag screadach agus ag rá: “Is tú Mac Dé.” Agus labhair sé leo go bagrach agus níor lig dóibh labhairt, óir bhí a fhios acu gurbh é an Críost é.
Nuair a bhí ina lá, ar dhul amach dó, chuaigh sé go dtí áit uaigneach. Ach bhí na sluaite á lorg agus tháinig siad mar a raibh sé, agus bhí á choinneáil le heagla go n-imeodh sé uathu. Ach dúirt sé leo:
“Ní foláir dom dea-scéal ríocht Dé a fhógairt do na cathracha eile, óir is chuige sin a cuireadh amach mé.”
Agus bhíodh sé ag seanmóir i sionagóga Iúdáia.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 6th September, 2026
The Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
The three readings today deal with the same theme - neighbourly correction. This is a difficult art and can only be exercised through genuine love, the purest of motives and diplomatic skill. We have to learn to help and to heal each other. In this we have to avoid attitudes of prying, denunciation, jealousy and informing. The spirit of the Gospel lays down a procedure that must be our guide- The Jesus way
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Ezekiel 33:7-9
If you do not speak to warn the wicked man I will hold you responsible for his death.
The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows:'Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, warn them in my name.
If I say to a wicked man:
Wicked wretch, you are to die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked man to renounce his ways, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death.
If, however, you do warn a wicked man to renounce his ways and repent, and he does not repent, then he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 94: 1-2. 6-9. R: v8
Response O that today you would listen to his voice!
Harden not your hearts.
1. Come, ring out our joy to the Lord; hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks, with songs let us hail the Lord. Response
2. Come in; let us bow and bend low; let us kneel before the God who made us
for he is our God and we the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand. Response
3. O that today you would listen to his voice! 'Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert when your fathers put me to the test;
when they tried me, though they saw my work.' Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 13:8-10
Love is the answer to every one of the commandments.
Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love.
If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations.
All the commandments:
You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself.
Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation Jn 17: 17
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your word is truth, O Lord, consecrate us in the truth.
Alleluia!
Or 2 Cor 5:19
Alleluia, alleluia!
God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 18:15-20
If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
Jesus said to his disciples:
'If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you:
the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.
'I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.
'I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.'
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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For homily resources for this Sunday's Gospel click here: https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/
Taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published and copyrighted 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 6th September, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an Leabhar Ezícéal, Fáidh. 33:7-9
Nach dtugtann tusa rabhadh dó iompú ó bhealach a aimhleasa, cuirfidh mé an fhreagracht ortsa.
Tháinig briatar an Tiarna chugam:“A mhic an duine, tá tusa ceaptha agam mar gharda do mhuintir Iosrael; aon uair a chluineann tú focal uaimse cuir ar a bhfaichill iad thar mo cheannsa.
Má deirim le drochdhuine:
'A dhrochdhuine, éagfaidh tú gan teip'; agus nach dtugtann tusa rabhadh dó iompú ó bhealach a aimhleasa, gheobhaidh an drochdhuine sin bás de bharr a pheaca ach cuirfidh mé an fhreagracht ortsa.
Ach má thugann tú rabhadh don drochdhuine iompú óna aimhleas agus nach n-iompaíonn sé, gheobhaidh sé bás de bharr a pheaca ach tabharfaidh tusa do bheatha slán.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 94: 1-2. 6-9. R: v8
Freagra Á, dá n-éistfeadh sibh lena ghuth inniu: 'Ná calcaigí bhur gcroí.'
I. Tagaigí, déanaimis gairdéas don Tiarna, tógaimis gartha áthais do Charraig ;ar slánaithe.
Tagaimis ina láthair le moltaí, déanaimis gairdéas dó le laoithe. Freagra
2. Tagaigí, adhraimis agus sléachtaimis, feacaimis ár nglúine don Tiarna a rinne sinn.
Óir is é ár nDia é, agus is sinne pobal a aoireachta agus caoirigh a lámh. Freagra
3. Á, dá n-eistfeadh sibh lena ghuth innÍu:'Na calcaigí bhur gcroí mar a tharla i Meríba,
mar a tharla an lá úd ag Masa san fhásach mar ar chuir bhur n-aithreacha cath orm,
mar ar thriail siad mé cé go bhfaca siad m'obair.' Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Rómhánaigh 13:8-10
Is é an grá comhlíonadh an dlí.
A bhráithre, ná bíodh fiacha ar bith ag aon duine oraibh ach amháin fiacha an ghrá a thabhairt dá chéile. Mar an té a thugann grá dá chomharsa tá an dlí comhlíonta aige. Na haitheanta
“Ná déan drúise,” “ná déan marú,” “ná déan goid,” “ná santaigh,” agus aon aithne eile dá bhfuil ann, tá coimriú déanta orthu go léir san abairt seo: “Gráigh do chomharsa mar thú féin.”
Ní dhéanann an grá aon olc ar an gcomharsa, agus, dá bhrí sin, is é an grá comhlíonadh an dlí.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa Eo 17: 17
Alleluia, alleluia!
Is fírinne do bhriathar A Thiarna. Déan sinn a naomhú san fhírinne.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha 18:15-20
Má éisteann sé leat, tá tú tar éis do bhráthair a thabhairt leat.
San am sin dúirt Íosa lena dheisceabail“Má dhéanann do bhráthair peaca i d’aghaidh, gabh chuige á áiteamh air is gan ann ach é agus tú.
Má éisteann sé leat, tá tú tar éis do bhráthair a thabhairt leat; ach mura n-éisteann, beir leat duine nó beirt eile, chun go mbeadh focal a dó nó a trí d’fhinnéithe ag deimhniú gach scéil.
Má dhiúltaíonn sé éisteacht leo sin, inis don eaglais é; agus má dhiúltaíonn éisteacht leis an eaglais féin, bíodh sé ina phágánach agus ina phoibleacánach agat.
“Deirim libh go fírinneach, gach uile ní a cheanglaíonn sibh ar talamh beidh siad ceangailte ar neamh, agus nithe ar bith a scaoilfidh sibh ar talamh beidh siad scaoilte ar neamh.
Agus deirim go fírinneach rud eile libh má bhíonn beirt agaibh ar talamh ar aon aigne faoi rud ar bith a bhíonn le hiarraidh acu, beidh sé le fáil acu ó m’Athair atá ar neamh. Óir, mar a mbíonn beirt nó triúr tagtha i gceann a chéile i m’ainmse, bím féin ansin ina measc.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
