Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Visitation Luca della Robbio [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales; Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 1:39-45  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,   and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.   And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,   and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!   And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?   For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.   And bl...

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] . And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves . . .  (Luke 21:25; today’s gospel). We begin Year C, which highlights St Luke's Gospel. From this weekend the Church in England & Wales and in Scotland will be using a new lectionary based on the English Standard Version of the Bible. Readings   (English Standard Version: England & Wales, Scotland) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 21:25-28, 34-36  (English Standard Version Anglicised) Jesus said to his disciples: 'There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,   people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is c...

The Archangel Michael Unknown Italian Goldsmith [ Web Gallery of Art ] At that time shall arise  Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time  (Daniel 12:1. First Reading).  Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 13:24-32  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    Jesus said to his disciples: “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,   and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.   And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.   And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the fou...

SHEMA YISRAEL ADONAI ELOHEINU ADONAI ECHAD [ U'SHEMO ECHAD ] V'AHAVTA ET HASHEM ELOHEICHA B'CHOL LEVAVCHA U'VCHOL NAFSHECHA U'VCHOL MEODECHA [YAIDA DAI YADA DAI YAIDADAI . . .] Hear, O Israel: The  Lord  our God, the  Lord  is one.   You shall love the  Lord  your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.   And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) . [First Reading; quoted by Jesus in the Gospel]. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 12:28b-34 (shorter form: 10:42-45)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    One of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”   Jesus answered,...

Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo (9 January 1984 - 13 June 2012) [Photo from  official website ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 10:2-16 or 10:2-12   (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”   He answered them,  “What did Moses command you?”   They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.”   And Jesus said to them,  “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.   But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’   ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,     and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one...

Lala  with Jordan who died last November 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 posted last year and the year before. +++ 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 posted the last two years and also five years ago, with a couple of updates on ages. As I post this it is already  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 met...

Pentecost El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] All [the apostles]  with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers . . .  When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.   (Acts 1:14; 2:1). Pentecost Sunday,  at the Vigil Mass  (Saturday evening), Years ABC 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 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, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA Gospel   John ...

The Red Vineyard Vincent van Gogh [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   John 15:1-8     (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser.   Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.   Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.   Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.   I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.   If anyone does not abide in me he is t...