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Jul 10 - St John of Dukla (1414-84) Polish Franciscan friar

Summary: St John of Dukla: a Polish Franciscan who worked among Catholics in the Ukraine is one of 339 saints canonised by Pope John Paul II.

john of dukla

Patrick Duffy summarises what is known of his life.

Early Life
John was born in Dukla, in south-eastern Poland, in 1414. He joined the Conventual Franciscans and attended the theology faculty that Queen Hedwig had founded at Krakow. After ordination he went to preach the gospel in the city of Lviv (also called Lemberg and Lvov) in the Ukraine as well as in Moldavia and Belerus.

Work among Catholics in the Ukraine

John earned fame as a wise preacher and zealous confessor and was was appointed local superior at Lviv. Under the influence of St John of Capistrano, he may have joined the Observants at a time when efforts were being made to unite the two branches - Conventuals and Observants - of the Franciscans.

Devoted Life
j3John's life was characterized by poverty, obedience, asceticism, and devotion to Our Lady. He constantly sought to reconcile schismatics to the Church. Although he went blind when he was seventy, he continued to preach and brought many back to the Church. He died in Lviv in 1484. Pope Clement XII (Lorenzo Corsini, 1730-40) beatified him in 1733.

Canonisation
On 9 June 1997, Pope John Paul visited the shrine of St John of Dukla at Dukla and the following day canonised him during Mass at Krosno, Poland, before about a million people.

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Memorable Saying for Today


Only in Christ can men and women find answers to the ultimate questions that trouble them.


~ St Pope John Paul II ~


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Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 11th July, 2025

Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1


Because Joseph, at no charge, received plenty  from God's hand.
now he too can afford to be generous and forgiving of his brothers.


FIRST READING

A reading from the Book of Genesis      44:18-21. 23-29; 45:1-5
God sent me before you to preserve your lives.

Judah went up to Joseph and said, 'May it please my lord, let your servant have a word privately with my lord.
Do not be angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.
My lord questioned his servants, "Have you father or brother?"
And we said to my lord,
"We have an old father, and a younger brother born of his old age.
His brother is dead, so he is the only one left of his mother, and his father loves him."
Then you said to your servants, "Bring him down to me that my eyes may look on him".
But you said to your servants,
"If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not be admitted to my presence again."
When we went back to your servant my father, we repeated to him what my lord had said. So when our father said, "Go back and buy us a little food",
We said, "We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, we will go down, for we cannot be admitted to the man's presence unless our youngest brother is with us."
So your servant our father said to us, "You know that my wife bore me two children. When one left me, I said that he must have been torn to pieces. And I have not seen him to this day. If you take this one from me too and any harm comes to him, you will send me down to Sheol with my white head bowed in misery."'

josephjacob-eunitedThen Joseph could not control his feelings in front of all his retainers, and he exclaimed,
'Let everyone leave me.'
No one therefore was present with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers, but he wept so loudly that all the Egyptians heard, and the news reached Pharaoh's palace.
Joseph said to his brothers,
'I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?'
His brothers could not answer him, they were so dismayed at the sight of him.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Come closer to me'.
When they had come closer to him he said,
'I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not grieve, do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here, since God sent me before you to preserve your lives.

The Word of the Lord.        Thanks be to God.


Responsorial Psalm     Ps 104
Response                         Remember the wonders the Lord has done.
Or                                       Alleluia

1. The Lord called down a famine on the land; he broke the staff that supported them.
He had sent a man before them, Joseph, sold as a slave.                             Response

2. His feet were put in chains, his neck was bound with iron,
until what he said came to pass and the Lord's word proved him true.   Response


3. Then the king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free,
making him master of his house and ruler of all he possessed.                  Response


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


Or                                       Mk 1: 15
Alleluia, Alleluia!

The kingdom of God is close at hand, repent and believe the Good News.
Alleluia!


GOSPEL


The Lord be with you                       And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew      10:7-15           Glory to you, O Lord.
You received without charge, give without charge.

Cn givingJ
esus instructed the Twelve as follows:
'And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.

Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with a few coppers for your purses, with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the workman deserves his keep.

'Whatever town or village you go into, ask for someone trustworthy and stay with him until you leave. As you enter his house, salute it, and if the house deserves it, let your peace descend upon it;
if it does not, let your peace come back to you.

And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet.
I tell you solemnly, on the day of Judgement it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom and Gomorrah as with that town.'

The Gospel of the Lord.               Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.




 Gospel Reflection                 Thursday,               Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time                   Matthew 10:7-15

There is a very emotional scene in today’s first reading. Joseph learns from his brothers that his father Jacob, whom he had presumed to be dead, was in fact alive. When Joseph then revealed his true identity to his brothers, they were speechless when they discovered that the brother whom they had presumed dead, because they had thrown him into a pit, was alive and standing before them. Reality is often much more mysterious than we realize. Joseph’s brothers had good reason to think that he would now turn against them, as they had turned against him. However, Joseph realized that God had kept him alive for this very purpose, to preserve the lives of his brothers who were facing famine in Israel, ‘God sent me before you to preserve your lives’. Joseph recognized the purpose of God in all that had happened to him, including the terrifying experience of being left for dead by his brothers some years earlier. In retrospect he came to see that the Lord had been working through him all along.

In the gospel reading, Jesus sends out the twelve on mission so that he can work through them for the benefit of others. They are to proclaim the same message Jesus proclaimed, ‘the kingdom of heaven is at hand’, and he empowered them to do the same life-giving work he had been doing. The Lord wants to work through all of our lives. Sometimes, as in the case of Joseph, it is only looking back that we can see how the Lord was present in our lives, how he was working through our lives, even in those moments when, at the time, we thought he had abandoned us. The Lord is with us always, working for our good, even in those times when he seems to be absent. As Paul says in his letter to the Romans, ‘all things work together for good for those who love God’.

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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 Reflections on the Weekday Readings : Your word is a lamp for my feet and light for my path by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications  c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/

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Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 11th July, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHT

Sliocht as an Leabhar Genesis         44:18-21. 23-29; 45:1-5
Sheol Dia mise romhaibh chun sibh a choinneáil beo.

Chuaigh Iúdá suas chuig Iósaef agus dúirt:
A Thiarna, impím ort, lig do do shearbhónta focal a chur i do chluais le do thoil; agus ná las le fearg chun do shearbhónta, óir is cosúil le Forann féin tusa. Chuir tú ceist, a thiarna, ar do shearbhóntaí:
‘An bhfuil athair nó deartháir agaibh?’
Agus dúramar le d’onóir:
Tá athair againn, seanfhear, agus deartháir óg a rugadh dó ina sheanaois; tá a dheartháirsean tar éis bháis agus níl fágtha ach eisean de chlann a mháthar; agus tá cion ag a athair air.’
Ansin dúirt tú le do shearbhóntaí: ‘Tugaigí chugam anuas é go bhfeicfidh mé le mo shúile cinn é.’
Ansin dúirt tú le do shearbhóntaí: ‘Mura dtaga an deartháir is óige agaibh anuas in éineacht libh ní fheicfidh sibh mo ghnúis níos mó.’ Nuair a d’fhilleamar ar ár n-athair, do shearbhónta, d’insíomar dó a raibh ráite agat, a thiarna. Agus nuair a dúirt ár n-athair: ‘Imígí arís agus ceannaigí beagán bia dúinn,’
dúramar: ‘Ní féidir dúinn dul síos. Má théann an deartháir is óige againn inár dteannta, ansin rachaimid; mar ní féidir linn radharc a fháil ar ghnúis an fhir úd gan an deartháir is óige a bheith farainn.’
Ansin dúirt do shearbhónta, m’athair, linn:
‘Tá a fhios agaibh gur rug mo bhean beirt mhac dom; nuair a scar mé le duine acu, dúirt mé: Stolladh, sea agus alpadh é; agus ní fhaca mé riamh ó shin é. Má thógann sibh an ceann seo uaim chomh maith, seolfaidh sibh síos go Seól mé agus mo cheann liath faoi ualach bróin.’

josephjacob-eunitedNíor fhéad Iósaef smacht a choimeád air féin a thuilleadh os comhair a raibh ag friotháil air; ghlaoigh sé in ard a chinn agus dúirt:
Cuirigí gach aon duine chun siúil ó mo láthair.”
Ní raibh aon duine i láthair dá bhrí sin nuair a bhí Iósaef á chur féin in aithne dá dheartháireacha. Ghoil sé os ard agus chuala na hÉigiptigh é agus chuala teaghlach Fhorainn é.
“Mise Iósaef,” arsa Iósaef lena dheartháireacha, “agus an maireann m’athair fós?” Ach níor fhan focal freagra dó ag a dheartháireacha le barr uafáis ina láthair.

Dúirt Iósaef ansin lena dheartháireacha:
Druidigí i leith chugam, le bhur dtoil”; agus nuair a dhruideadar leis dúirt sé:
Mise bhur ndeartháir Iósaef a dhíol sibh le breith chun na hÉigipte. Anois, más ea, ná bíodh buaireamh ná fearg oraibh libh féin toisc mé a reic anseo, mar sheol Dia mise romhaibh chun sibh a choinneáil beo.

Briathar an Tiarna                 Buíochas le Dia  

Salm le Freagra                Sm 104
Freagra:                               Cuimhnigí ar na héachtaí a rinne an Tiarna 

1. Nuair a ghlaoigh sé gorta ar an tír sin, agus gur mhill sé an t-arán ar fad orthu,
is amhlaidh a bhí fear curtha rompu aige, mar a bhí, Iósaef, a díoladh i ndaorbhroid.     Freagra

2. Ceanglaíodh a chosa le cuibhreacha; crioslaíodh a mhuineál le hiarann,
go dtí gur comhlíonadh a fháistine; is gur dhearbhaigh briathar an Tiarna é.                    Freagra

3. Chuir an rí dá fhios agus d’fhuascail é; rinne taoiseach na gciníocha é a shaoradh.
Cheap sé ina thiarna ar a theaghlach é, ina mhaor ar a mhaoin go léir.                               Freagra

SOISCÉAL

Go raibh an Tiarna libh.          Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha  10: 7-15    Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
In aisce a fuair sibh; tugaigí uaibh in aisce.

San am sin dúirt Íosa lena Cn giving
In bhur mbóthar daoibh, bígí á fhógairt go bhfuil ríocht na bhflaitheas in achmaireacht. Leigheasaigí lucht tinnis, tógaigí na mairbh, glanaigí na lobhair, caithigí amach na deamhain. In aisce a fuair sibh; tugaigí uaibh in aisce. Ná cuirigí chugaibh ór ná airgead geal ná airgead rua in bhur gcrios, ná tiachóg chun an bhóthair, ná an dá léine, ná cuaráin ná bata; mar tá an fear oibre i dteideal a choda.

“Cibé cathair nó baile a rachaidh sibh isteach ann, cuirigí fiafraí ar dhuine geanúil ann, agus fanaigí aige sin nó go mbeidh sibh ag fágáil. Beannaígí romhaibh isteach ansin, agus más fiú an teach é tagadh bhur síocháin anuas air; mura fiú, filleadh bhur síocháin oraibh. Duine ar bith nach nglacfaidh sibh agus nach n-éistfidh le bhur mbriathra, gabhaigí amach as an teach nó as an gcathair sin agus croithigí an deannach de bhur gcosa.

Deirim libh go fírinneach, is saoire a bheidh ag talamh Shodom agus Ghomorá lá an bhreithiúnais ná ag an gcathair sin.”

Soiscéal an Tiarna.            Moladh duit, a Chriost



AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 13th July, 2025

Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C


The Good Samaritan Sunday Gospel reminds us, appeals to us calls to us, urges us, shouts to us
to be a good Samaritan to others and ourselves for God's sake and our own, like Jesus was and is.


FIRST READING           

A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy           30: 10-14
The Word is very near to you for your observance.

Moses said to the people:
 'Obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping those commandments and laws of his that are written in the Book of this Law, and you shall return to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

'For this Law that I enjoin on you today is not beyond your strength or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, "Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?"
Nor is it beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, "Who will cross the seas for us and bring it back to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?"
No, the Word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for your observance.'

The word of the Lord                Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm            Ps 68
Response                                 Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.


1. This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favour.
In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails:
Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me.                 Response

2. As for me in my poverty and pain let your help, O God, lift me up.
I will praise God's name with a song; I will glorify him with thanksgiving.                   Response

3. The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains.       Response

4. For God will bring help to Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The sons of his servants shall inherit it; those who love his name shall dwell there.    Response

SECOND READING              

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians        1: 15-20
All things were created through Christ and for him.

Christ Jesus is the image of the unseen God and the first-born of all creation,
for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth:
everything visible and everything invisible, Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers –
all things were created through him and for him.
Before anything was created, he existed, and he holds all things in unity.


Now the Church is his body, he is its head.
As he is the Beginning, he was first to be born from the dead, so that he should be first in every way; because God wanted all perfection to be found in him and all things to be reconciled through him and for him, everything in heaven and everything on earth,
when he made peace by his death on the cross.

The Word of the Lord             Thanks be to God.

Gospel  Acclamation         Jn 15: 15
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!

Or                                             Jn : 63.68
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your words are spirit and they are life: you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL

The Lord be with you.          And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke       10: 25-37        Glory to you, O Lord
Who is my neighbour?


There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, 'Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
He said to him,'What is written in the Law? What do you read there?'
He replied,
'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself'.
'You have answered right,' said Jesus 'do this and life is yours.'

But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbour?'
Jesus replied,
  'A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper.
"Look after him," he said "and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have."


Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands` hands?'  'The one who took pity on him' he replied.
Jesus said to him, 'Go, and do the same yourself.'

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.
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 13th July, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHT

Sliocht as  LeabharDeotranaimí       30:10-14
Tá an briathar an-ghar duit le comhlíonadh.

Dúirt Maois lesi an bpobal:
má ghéilleann tú do ghlór an Tiarna do Dhia agus a aitheanta a choimeád agus na reachtanna leis atá scríofa sa leabhar seo a dhlí, agus má chasann tú chun an Tiarna do Dhia ó do chroí go hiomlán agus ó d’anam go hiomlán.

ir an dlí seo a aithním duit inniu níl sé thar do chumas ná gan breith agat air. Ní ar neamh atá sé agus nár mhór duit a rá:
Cé rachaidh suas ar neamh dúinn lena bhreith anuas chugainn, chun go gcluinfimís é agus déanamh dá réir?”
Ní mó ná sin is thar lear atá agus nár mhór duit a rá:
Cé rachaidh thar lear dúinn agus é a thabhairt chugainn chun go gcluinfimís é agus déanamh dá réir?”
Ní amhlaidh atá; tá an briathar an-ghar duit; tá sé i do bhéal agus i do chroí agat le comhlíonadh.'

Briathar an Tiarna           Buíochas le Dia

Salm le Freagra            Sm 68
Freagra                           Cuardaigh an Tiarna, a dhaoine ísle, agus athbheofar bhur gcroí

1. Chugatsa a chuirim m'urnaí, a Thiarna, an uair is mian leat féin.
Éist liom de réir do bhuanghrá agus do chúnaimh chinnte.
Freagair mé as ucht do dhilghrá, a Thiarna; iompaigh chugam de réir do thrócaire.                       Freagra

2. Maidir liomsa, nuair is daibhir dobrónach mé, tógadh do chúnamh mé, a Dhia.
Molfaidh mé ainm Dé le hamhrán; déanfaidh mé é a mhóradh le haltú buíochais.                          Freagra

3. Beidh áthas ar na hísle nuair a fheicfidh siad é; athbheofar croíthe lucht cuardaithe an Tiarna.
Éisteann an Tiarna leis na daoine bochta, is ní thugann droim láimhe da bhraighdeanaigh.        Freagra

4. Óir déanfaidh Dia Síón a shaoradhagus atógfaidh sé cathracha Iúda.
Beidh siad ina n-oidhreacht ag sliocht a sheir bhíseach, ag an muintir a thugann grá dá ainm.    Freagra

DARA LÉACHT

Sliocht as céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Colosaigh          1:15-20
Is trí an Chríost a cruthaíodh an t-iomlán.

Is íomhá den Dia dofheicthe an Chríost agus céadghin gach dúile cruthaithe mar is trídsean a cruthaíodh a bhfuil ar neamh agus ar talamh
bídís sofheicthe nó dofheicthe, idir Thróin agus Thiarnais
idir Phrionsachtaí agus Chumhachtaí. Is trídsean agus dósan a cruthaíodh an t-iomlán.

Tá tosach aige orthu uile agus is ann a choinnítear ar bun iad.
Is é ceann an choirp é, ceann na hEaglaise.
Is é an tús é, an chéadghin ó mhairbh i dtreo go mbeadh an tosach aige ar gach slí.
Mar is ann ab áil le lánmhaireacht iomlán Dé a bheith ina cónaí,
agus is trídsean ab áil leis gach a bhfuil ar neamh agus ar talamh
a thabhairt chun athmhuintearais leis féin.

Briathar an Tiarna                      Buíochas le Dia

Alleluia Véarsa                         Eo 10: 27
Alleluia, alleluia!
Éisteann mo chaoirigh le mo ghlór,a deir the Tiarna agus aithním iad, agus leanann siad mé.
Alleluia!

Comhgháir an tSoiscéil          Eo 6: 63, 68
Alleluia, alleluia!
Na focail atá ráite agat, a Thiarna, is spiorad agus is beatha iad. Is agatsa atá briathra na beatha síora.í
Alleluia!

SOISCÉAL 

Go raibh an Tiarna libh.            Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh       Lúcás 10:25-37           Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Agus cé hé mo chomharsa?

San am sin d’éirigh dlíodóir ina sheasamh agus dúirt leis, á phromhadh:
A Mháistir, cad tá le déanamh agam chun go mbeinn páirteach sa bheatha shíoraí?”
Dúirt sé leis: “Cad tá scríofa sa dlí? Cad a léann tú ann?”
D’fhreagair sé agus dúirt:
“‘Gráóidh tú do Thiarna Dia ó do chroí go hiomlán agus ó d’anam go hiomlán agus ó do neart go hiomlán agus ó d’aigne go hiomlán’; agus ‘do chomharsa mar thú féin.’”
Dúirt sé leis: “Thug tú an freagra ceart: déan an méid sin agus beidh an bheatha agat.”

Ach ó b’áil leis seo a cheart a phlé, dúirt sé le Íosa: “Agus cé hé mo chomharsa?”
Thug Íosa freagra air á rá:
“Bhí fear ag dul síos ó Iarúsailéim go hIreachó, agus tharla i measc robálaithe é a rinne é lomadh agus é leadradh agus é a fhágáil ina ndiaidh leathmharbh. Ach le halt na haon uaire, bhí sagart ag dul síos an bóthar sin, agus ar a fheiceáil dó, ghabh sé don taobh thall thairis. Mar an gcéanna do Léivíteach: ar theacht chun na háite agus ar a fheiceáil dó, ghabh sé don taobh thall thairis.

Ach, Samárach a bhí ag gabháil an bóthar, tháinig sé mar a raibh sé, agus ar a fheiceáil dó, ghabh trua é, agus chuaigh sé anonn chuige agus chuir ceangal ar a chréachta, tar éis dó ola agus fíon a dhoirteadh iontu; chuir sé ar mhuin a bheithígh féin é, sheol go teach ósta é, agus rinne cúram de. Agus lá arna mhárach, thóg sé amach dhá dhéanar agus thug don óstóir iad agus dúirt: ‘Déan cúram de, agus cibé méid a chaithfidh tú thairis sin, íocfaidh mé leat é ag filleadh dom.’

Cé acu den triúr sin, do bharúil, ba chomharsa don té a tharla i líon na robálaithe?”
Dúirt sé: “An té a rinne an trócaire air.”
Dúirt Íosa leis: “Imigh leat, agus déan féin mar an gcéanna.”

Soiscéal an Tiarna.      Moladh duit, a Chriost



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