Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Farmer in a Field Vincent van Gogh [ Web Gallery of Art ] ‘Will any one of you who has a servant ploughing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, “Come at once and recline at table”'?  (Luke 17:7; Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 17:5-10  (English Standard Version, Anglicised) At that time: The Apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ And the Lord said, ‘If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you. ‘Will any one of you who has a servant ploughing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, “Come at once and recline at table”? Will he not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve...

Dives and Lazarus Leandro Bassano [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 16:19-31  (English Standard Version, Anglicised) At that time: Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.  The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finge...

Lala  with Jordan who died in November 2023 I try to mark Lala's birthday every year. Fewer and fewer persons with Down Syndrome  are being born in European countries.  This is because more and more children with Down Syndrome are being aborted. Below, with some minor changes, is what I have posted over the last three years. +++ I first wrote this post in October 2008 and used it again in 2011 under the title  Lala and Queen Elizabeth II . I have re-posted it a number of times, with variations, because Lala's story is one that should be told over and over again.  This year I am re-posting what I have posted over the last three years, with a couple of updates on ages. I am posting the day before  Lala's birthday in the Philippines, 27 September, the feast of St Vincent de Paul. No doubt, the occasion will be marked at  Punla, Ang Arko, where Lala lives, the only  L'Arche community  in the Philippines, in Cainta, Rizal, part of the metropolitan...

St Francis and Brother Leo Meditating on Death El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 12:32-48  (English Standard Version, Anglicised) At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ‘Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed...

Sts Peter and Paul  Guido Reni  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Solemnities take precedence over Sundays in Ordinary Time. At the Vigil Mass (Saturday evening) NB: The Vigil Mass has its own prayers and readings. Those for the Mass During the Day on Sunday should not be used – though some priests seem to be unaware of this. It is incorrect to refer to the Vigil Mass as an ‘anticipated Mass’. It is a celebration proper to the evening before. The Vigil Mass also fulfills the Sunday obligation. Vigil Mass Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings  (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Mass During the Day Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings  (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (...

  Blessed Carlo Acutis 3 May 1991 - 12 October 2006 Beatified 10 October 2020; to be canonized 7 September 2025 [ Wikipedia ;  photo ] In the countries where this blog is read the Solemnity of Corpus Christi is celebrated on Sunday 22 June rather than on Thursday 19 June, the Thursday after Trinity Sunday being the traditional day. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings  (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 9:11-17  (English Standard Version, Anglicised) At that time: Jesus spoke to the crowd of the kingdom of God and cured those who needed healing. Now the day began to wear away, and the Twelve came and said to him, ‘Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.’ But he said to them, ‘You give them...

Pentecost El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] Pentecost Sunday, at the Vigil Mass  (Saturday evening), Years ABC NB: The Vigil Mass has its own prayers and readings which should be used at the Vigil Mass. The prayers and readings for the Mass During the Day on Sunday should not be used only on Sunday, not at the Vigil Mass, though some priests seem to be unaware of this. It is incorrect to refer to this Vigil Mass as an ‘anticipated Mass’. It is a celebration proper to the evening before Pentecost Sunday and may be celebrated in an extended form. It also fulfils the Sunday obligation. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   John 7:37-39  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)  On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out,  “If...

The Ascension of Christ Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Ascension, Year C The Ascension is celebrated on Ascension Thursday, 26 May, in England & Wales, Scotland. In the USA it is celebrated on Ascension Thursday in the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha, Philadelphia, elsewhere on Sunday 29 May. In all of these areas Ascension Thursday is a Holyday of Obligation. The Ascension is observed on Sunday, 29 May, in Aotearoa-New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Philippines. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 24:46-53 ( English Standard Version Anglicised)    At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the for...