Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Jul 27 - Pope St Celestine I (422-432 AD): who sent St Patrick to Ireland?
Summary: St Celestine was born and became a deacon in Rome around the time of Pope Innocent I (401-417). Later he himself became Pope 422-432 AD and continued the fight against the Pelagian heresy, which was now waning. He had the satisfaction of seeing it die away in Britain, where its founder came from.
The tradition in Ireland is that Celestine was the pope who sent St Patrick to Ireland. He condemned the Nestorian heresy. And he is also credited as the pope who introduced the responsorial psalm into the Mass in Rome.
Patrick Duffy tells his story.
Influenced by St Ambrose at Milan, acquainted with St Augustine
A Campanian, Celestine is said to have lived for a while with St. Ambrose at Milan. He was certainly a deacon at Rome in the time of Pope Innocent I (401-417). In contrast to the stormy election of his predecessor Pope Boniface (418-422), Celestine's election seems to have been quiet and harmonious.
Against Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism
Once he became pope, St Celestine continued the fight against the Pelagian heresy, which was now waning. He had the satisfaction of seeing it die away in Britain, where its founder came from. When the heresy in the diluted form known as Semi-Pelagianism raised its head in Gaul, Celestine wrote against this new danger. A great friend of St. Augustine, he wrote a letter to the bishops of Gaul on the occasion of the mighty father's death (430), praising him and forbidding all attacks on his memory.
Against Nestorianism
But the new heresy of Nestorianism raised its head in the East. Nestorius was a priest from Antioch who when he became patriarch of Constantinople began to teach that in Christ there are not only two natures, which is correct, but that there are also two persons, which is incorrect. A logical consequence was that Mary was not the Mother of God (theo-tokos) but only of the human person of Christ (christo-tokos). This aroused horror even in Constantinople itself, while St. Cyril, the patriarch of Alexandria, attacked the new doctrine most vigorously. Both Nestorius and Cyril were soon clamouring to the Pope for a decision. Celestine held a synod at Rome in 430 and condemned Nestorianism. Nestorius was to be deposed and excommunicated if he persisted in teaching false doctrine. Nestorius refused to submit, all the more because Cyril, who had been made the Pope's agent in the matter, demanded more than Celestine had asked. A general council was called to meet at Ephesus in 431. The council condemned Nestorianism, to the great joy of the people.
St Patrick to Ireland?
Traditionally it was said that Pope Celestine a short time before his death personally commissioned St. Patrick to preach the gospel to the Irish. Perhaps it was Celestine who sent Palladius and it may be that Patrick came later. At any rate, St. Prosper of Aquitaine says in his Chronicle that Celestine saved the Roman island for the faith (De Paor, St Patrick's World, 154).
Churches in Rome
Celestine restored, which had been destroyed by the Goths. He also caused some interesting pictures of the saints to be painted in the Church of St. Sylvester.
Introduced the responsorial psalm into the Liturgy of the Word at Rome
The church music historian Peter Jeffrey has pointed to the tradition in the Liber Pontificalis that it was Pope Celestine who introduced the responsorial psalm into the papal Mass at Rome, having experienced that practice as a young man at Milan when he was there while Ambrose was bishop. Perhaps it was also from Milan that Augustine could also have brought the same practice to Hippo in Africa.
St. Celestine I died on 26 July 432. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Priscilla in the Via Salaria, but his body, subsequently moved, now lies in the Basilica di Santa Prassede. In art, Saint Celestine is portrayed as a Pope with a dove, dragon, and flame, and is recognized by the Church as a saint.
The tradition in Ireland is that Celestine was the pope who sent St Patrick to Ireland. He condemned the Nestorian heresy. And he is also credited as the pope who introduced the responsorial psalm into the Mass in Rome.Patrick Duffy tells his story.
Influenced by St Ambrose at Milan, acquainted with St Augustine
A Campanian, Celestine is said to have lived for a while with St. Ambrose at Milan. He was certainly a deacon at Rome in the time of Pope Innocent I (401-417). In contrast to the stormy election of his predecessor Pope Boniface (418-422), Celestine's election seems to have been quiet and harmonious.
Against Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism
Once he became pope, St Celestine continued the fight against the Pelagian heresy, which was now waning. He had the satisfaction of seeing it die away in Britain, where its founder came from. When the heresy in the diluted form known as Semi-Pelagianism raised its head in Gaul, Celestine wrote against this new danger. A great friend of St. Augustine, he wrote a letter to the bishops of Gaul on the occasion of the mighty father's death (430), praising him and forbidding all attacks on his memory.
Against Nestorianism
But the new heresy of Nestorianism raised its head in the East. Nestorius was a priest from Antioch who when he became patriarch of Constantinople began to teach that in Christ there are not only two natures, which is correct, but that there are also two persons, which is incorrect. A logical consequence was that Mary was not the Mother of God (theo-tokos) but only of the human person of Christ (christo-tokos). This aroused horror even in Constantinople itself, while St. Cyril, the patriarch of Alexandria, attacked the new doctrine most vigorously. Both Nestorius and Cyril were soon clamouring to the Pope for a decision. Celestine held a synod at Rome in 430 and condemned Nestorianism. Nestorius was to be deposed and excommunicated if he persisted in teaching false doctrine. Nestorius refused to submit, all the more because Cyril, who had been made the Pope's agent in the matter, demanded more than Celestine had asked. A general council was called to meet at Ephesus in 431. The council condemned Nestorianism, to the great joy of the people.
St Patrick to Ireland?
Traditionally it was said that Pope Celestine a short time before his death personally commissioned St. Patrick to preach the gospel to the Irish. Perhaps it was Celestine who sent Palladius and it may be that Patrick came later. At any rate, St. Prosper of Aquitaine says in his Chronicle that Celestine saved the Roman island for the faith (De Paor, St Patrick's World, 154).
Churches in Rome
Celestine restored, which had been destroyed by the Goths. He also caused some interesting pictures of the saints to be painted in the Church of St. Sylvester.
Introduced the responsorial psalm into the Liturgy of the Word at Rome
The church music historian Peter Jeffrey has pointed to the tradition in the Liber Pontificalis that it was Pope Celestine who introduced the responsorial psalm into the papal Mass at Rome, having experienced that practice as a young man at Milan when he was there while Ambrose was bishop. Perhaps it was also from Milan that Augustine could also have brought the same practice to Hippo in Africa.
St. Celestine I died on 26 July 432. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Priscilla in the Via Salaria, but his body, subsequently moved, now lies in the Basilica di Santa Prassede. In art, Saint Celestine is portrayed as a Pope with a dove, dragon, and flame, and is recognized by the Church as a saint.____________________________
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Memorable Saying for Today
All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator
for all I have not seen.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
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Liturgical Readings for: Monday, 27th July, 2026
Monday of the Seventeenth week of Ordinary Time, Year 2
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah 13:1-11
The people have become like this loincloth, good for nothing.
The Lord said this to me:'Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it round your waist. But do not dip it in water.' And so, as the Lord had ordered, I bought a loincloth and put it round my waist.
A second time the word of the Lord was spoken to me,
'Take the loincloth that you have bought and are wearing round your waist; up! Go to the Euphrates and hide it in a hole in the rock.' So I went and hid it near the Euphrates as the Lord had ordered me.
Many days afterwards the Lord said to me,
'Get up and go to the Euphrates and fetch the loincloth I ordered you to hide there'. So I went to the Euphrates, and I searched, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. The loincloth was spoilt, good for nothing.
Then the word of the Lord was addressed to me, 'Thus says the Lord:
In the same way I will spoil the arrogance of Judah and Jerusalem. This evil people who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the dictates of their own hard hearts, who have followed alien gods, and served them and worshipped them, let them become like this loincloth, good for nothing. For just as a loincloth clings to a man's waist, so I had intended the whole House of Judah to cling to me - it is the Lord who speaks - to be my people, my glory, my honour and my boast. But they have not listened.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Deut 32:18-21. R/v 18
Response You forget the God who fathered you.
1. You forget the Rock who begot you, unmindful now of the God who fathered you.
The Lord had seen this, and in his anger cast off his sons and his daughters. Response
2. 'I shall hide my face from them: he says 'and see what becomes of them.
For they are a deceitful brood, children with no loyalty in them. Response
3. 'They have roused me to jealousy with what is no god, they have angered me with their beings of nothing; I, then, will rouse them to jealousy with what is no people. I will anger them with an empty-headed nation.' Response Gospel Acclamation 2 Thess 2: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Through the Good News God called us to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!
Or Jm 1: 18
Alleluia, alleluia!
By his own choice the Father makes us his children by the message of the truth,
so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he created.
Alleluia
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 13:31-35
A mustard seed becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches.'
Jesus put a parable before the crowds,'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest shrub of all and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches.'
He told them another parable,
'The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through'.
In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. This was to fulfil the prophecy: I will speak to you in parables and expound things hidden since the foundation of the world.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Gospel Reflection Monday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Matthew 13:31-35
In today’s gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus speaks two parables, one which features a man and the other a woman, a farmer who sows mustard seed and a woman who bakes bread. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus again speaks two parables that feature a man and a woman, a shepherd who looks for his lost sheep and a woman who searches for her lost coin. The experience of men and women were important to Jesus; both sets of experiences could speak to him about the ways of God in the world. In both of today’s parables there is a focus on the power of something very small. A tiny mustard seed can produce a large shrub in which birds can make their nest. A tiny piece of leaven when mixed in with three measures of flour can produce enough bread, it has been estimated, to feed a hundred people. Jesus may have been saying to his disciples that his own ministry might seem very small and limited. Galilee was a tiny region of the vast Roman Empire. Jesus had access to only a relatively small proportion of the people of Galilee itself. Even among those he had access to, he was already beginning to encounter opposition. Such beginnings could seem very unpromising. Yet, Jesus assures his disciples that such small beginnings will bring forth something wonderful that will leave huge numbers blessed, as we can all vouch for. The two parables also speak to our own small efforts to do what is right and good. Jesus is reminding us that if we allow the Lord to work through us in even the smallest of ways, we will be surprised at the great good that will come from such small beginnings.
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The scripture readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/The Gospel reflection comes from WEEKDAY REFLECTIONS: The Word of God is Living and Active by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop
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Liturgical Readings for: Monday, 27th July, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHTSliocht as Leabhar Irimia, Fáidh. 13:1-1
Bídís ar nós an chreasa seo, gan mhaith.
San am sin dúirt an Tiarna é seo liom:“Imigh agus ceannaigh duit féin crios línéadaigh agus cuir faoi do chom é. Ach ná tum in uisce é.” Cheannaigh mé crios ansin mar a d’ordaigh an Tiarna dom agus chuir faoi mo chom é.
Tháinig briathar an Tiarna chugam an dara huair:
“Tóg an crios a cheannaigh tú agus atá faoi do chom; éirigh agus imigh leat go dtí an Eofrataes agus folaigh ansin é i bpoll sa charraig.” D’imigh mé mar sin agus d’fholaigh mé ag an Eofrataes é mar a d’ordaigh an Tiarna dom.
Tar éis mórán laethanta dúirt an Tiarna liom:
Éirigh agus imigh leat go dtí an Eofrataes agus tóg as sin an crios a d’ordaigh mé duit a fholach ann.”
D’imigh mé ansin go dtí an Eofrataes, thochail mé agus thóg an crios as an áit ar fholaigh mé é. Bhí an crios millte, gan mhaith.
Ansin tháinig briathar an Tiarna chugam: “Is mar seo a deir an Tiarna:
‘Sa chaoi chéanna millfidh mé uabhar Iúdá agus Iarúsailéim. An pobal dona seo a dhiúltaíonn mo bhriathar a éisteacht, a imíonn de réir comhairle a gcruachroí féin, a chuaigh i ndiaidh déithe eile, a dhéanamh freastail orthu agus á n-adhradh, bídís ar nós an chreasa seo, gan mhaith. Óir díreach mar a theannann an crios le com duine, is mar sin ba rún domsa teach Iúdá uile a theannadh liomsa – an Tiarna a labhraíonn – go mbeidís ina bpobal agam, ina nglóir, ina n-onóir, ina moladh agam. Ach níor éist siad.’
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Deut 32:18-21. R/v 18
Freagra Rinne tú dearmad den Dia a ba athair agat.
1. Níor chuimhin leat an Charraig a ghin thú, agus rinne tú dearmad den Dia a ba athair agat.
Chonaic an Tiarna é seo agus le barr feirge chaith sé uaidh a chlann mhac agus iníonacha. Freagra
2. “Déanfaidh mé mo ghnúis a fholach orthu,” ar sé, agus feicfidh mé cén chríoch a bheidh orthu.
Óir is ál fealltach iad, clann gan dílseacht iontu.” Freagra
3. Spreagadar chun formaid mé le ní nach Dia; ghriogadar mé lena n-íola.
Cuirfidh mise iadsan in éad le dream nach pobal, Cuirfidh mé fearg orthu trí chine gan stuaim. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Matha 13:31-3 Glóir duit a Thiarna.
Déantar crann den gráinne de shíol mustaird , a bhféadann éanlaith an aeir dul ar foscadh ina chraobhacha.”
San am sin chuir Íosa parabal eile os a gcomhair:
“Is cosúil ríocht na bhflaitheas,” ar seisean, “le gráinne de shíol mustaird a thóg duine agus a chuir sé ina ghort. Is é an gráinnín síl is lú ar bith é, ach nuair a bhíonn sé fásta, bíonn sé ar an gceann is mó de na glasraí agus déantar crann de, a bhféadann éanlaith an aeir dul ar foscadh ina chraobhacha.”
D’inis sé parabal eile dóibh: “Is cosúil ríocht na bhflaitheas le gabháil a thóg bean agus a d’fholaigh sí i dtrí pheic plúir nó go raibh sé gabháilte ar fad.”
Labhair Íosa na nithe sin uile i bparabail leis na sluaite: ní dhéanadh sé caint ar bith leo gan pharabal, agus sin mar a comhlíonadh a ndúradh tríd an bhfáidh: “Labhróidh mé i bparabail, nochtfaidh mé nithe ba rún ó thúsú an domhain.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 2nd August, 2026
18th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:1-3
Come and eat.
Thus says the Lord:Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty; though you have no money, come!
Buy corn without money, and eat, and, at no cost, wine and milk.
Why spend money on what is not bread, your wages on what fails to satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and you will have good things to eat and rich food to enjoy.
Pay attention, come to me; listen, and your soul will live.
With you I will make an everlasting covenant out of the favours promised to David.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 144: 8-9. 15-18. R/v 16
Response You open wide your hand, O Lord, you grant our desires.
1. 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
2. The eyes of all creatures look to you and you give them their food in due time.
You open wide your hand, grant the desires of all who live. Response
3. The Lord is just in all his ways and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him, call on him from their hearts. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Romans 8:35. 37-39
No created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ
Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
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 Mt 4:4
Alleluia, alleluia!
Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 14:13-21 Glory to you, O Lord
They all ate as much as they wanted.
When Jesus received this news of John the Baptist's death, he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But the people heard of this and, leaving the towns, went after him on foot. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and healed their sick.
When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, 'This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food'.
Jesus replied, 'There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves'. But they answered 'All we have with us is five loaves and two fish'.
'Bring them here to me' he said. He gave orders that the people were to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves handed them to his disciples who gave them to the crowds.
They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining; twelve baskets full. Those who ate numbered about five thousand men, to say nothing of women and children.
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 copyright 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.
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Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 2nd August, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an Leabhar Íseáia, Fáidh. 55: 1-3
Hóigh, a lucht an íota, tagaigí faoi choinne uisce
Seo mar a deir an Tiarna:
Hóigh, a lucht an íota, tagaigí faoi choinne uisce; fiú mura bhfuil airgead agaibh, tagaigí;
Ceannaigí cruithneacht agus ithigí gan díol as, agus fíon agus bainne gan íoc. Cén fáth a gcaitheann sibh airgead air rud nach arán é,agus luach bhur saothair ar rud nach bhfuil sásamh ann?
Éistigí liomsa agus beidh sólaistí le hithe agaibh
agus beidh taitneamh á bhaint agaibh as togha an bhia.
Tugaigí cluas agus tagaigí chugam, éistigí
agus beidh bhur n-anam saolach.
Déanfaidh mé conradh libh, conradh buan an uair seo,
an chomaoin cheanúil a chur oraibh a ba mhinic ag Dáiví.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 144
Freagra Osclaíonn tú do lámh, a Thiarna, is sásaíonn tú sinn.
I. 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
2. Bíonn súile cách ag feitheamh ort, agus túgann tú bia dóibh in am trátha.
Osclaíonn tú do lámh, a Thiarna, is sásaíonn tú a bhfuil beo le do chineáltas. Freagra
3. Is fíréantá 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
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Rómhánaigh 8:35. 37-39
Ná dúil chruthaithe ar bith eile sinn a scaradh ó ghrá Dé atá in Íosa Críost ár dTiarna.
A bhráithre,
cé a scarfaidh ó ghrá Chríost sinn? Trioblóid an ea? nó cruatan, nó géarleanúint, nó gorta, nó nochtacht, nó guais, nó an claíomh féin? Ach sna cúrsaí seo go léir, beirimid an bua go caithréimeach tríd an té úd a thug grá dúinn.Mar táim cinnte dearfa de nach bhféadfaidh bás ná beatha, aingil ná prionsaí ná cumhachtaí, nithe atá ann anois ná nithe atá le teacht, an domhan thuas ná an domhan thíos, ná dúil chruthaithe ar bith eile sinn a scaradh ó ghrá Dé atá in Íosa Críost ár dTiarna.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa Mth 4:4
Alleluia, alleluia!
Ní ar arán amháin a mhairfidh an duine,
ach ar an uile fhocal a thagann as béal Dé.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha 14:13-21
D’ith siad uile agus bhí siad sách.
San am sin nuair a chuala Íosa faoi bhás Eoin, , chuaigh sé i leataobh as sin i mbád go dtí áit uaigneach ar leithligh. Ach fuair na sluaite scéala air, agus tháinig siad amach as na cathracha á leanúint dá gcois. Ar theacht i dtír dó, chonaic sé slua mór agus ghlac sé trua dóibh agus leigheas na hothair a bhí leo.
Nuair a bhí an tráthnóna ann, áfach, tháinig na deisceabail chuige agus dúirt siad: “Áit uaigneach é seo agus tá sé deireanach feasta. Mar sin, scaoil uait na sluaite go dtéidís isteach sna bailte agus bia a cheannach dóibh féin.”
Ach dúirt Íosa leo: “Ní gá dóibh imeacht; tugaigí sibhse rud le hithe dóibh.”
“Ach,” ar siadsan leis, “níl anseo againne ach cúig builíní agus dhá iasc.”
“Tugaigí chugam anseo iad,” ar seisean. D’ordaigh sé do na sluaite luí fúthu ar an bhféar; thóg sé na cúig builíní agus an dá iasc, agus, ar dhearcadh suas chun na bhflaitheas dó, bheannaigh, bhris, agus thug na builíní do na deisceabail, agus thug na deisceabail do na sluaite iad. D’ith siad uile agus bhí siad sách, agus thóg siad suas an bruscar fuílligh, lán dhá chiseán déag.
Timpeall cúig mhíle fear a fuair an béile, gan mná ná páistí a áireamh.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
