Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Fr  Seán J. McGrath (15 June 1930 - 27 April 2018) Seán Joseph McGrath was born on 15 June 1930 at Killen, Coalisland, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Educated at Aughamullan Public Elementary School and St Patrick's College, Armagh, he entered St Columban's, Dalgan Park, County Meath, Ireland, in September 1948. He was ordained priest on 21 December 1954. Main Street, Killen  [ Wikipedia ] Continue here .

Woman Sewing, Van Gogh [ Web Gallery of Art ] She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. (Proverbs 31:13, First Reading) Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel Matthew 25:14-30 [Shorter form, 14-15, 19-21] ( NRSV, Anglicised CatholicEd .)  Jesus told his disciples this parable: ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. [The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.] After a long time the master of those slaves c

Fr Charles Duster (15 September 1934 - 7 March 2017) Father Charlie was born on 15 September 1934 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA, where his parents Charles Henry Duster ['DOOster'] and Cleo Catherine Handley Duster owned and operated a supermarket. He has an older brother William C. Duster (Audrey) of Littleton, Colorado, a sister Mrs Robert Enns (Katie) of Fort Pierce, Florida, and eleven nieces and nephews and their families. His older sister, Margaret Jeanne Duster, died in 1972.

The Adoration of the Magi ,  Velázquez  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings for the Solemnity of the Epiphany Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)  The readings above are used both at the Vigil Mass and at the Mass during the Day. Each Mass has its own set of prayers and antiphons. Correction In countries where the Epiphany is observed as a Holyday of Obligation on 6 January, eg, Ireland, the  Baptism of the Lord is celebrated , not the Mass of the  Second Sunday after the Nativity  as I had posted earlier. Here is the link to the readings for Year A.  Readings   (Jerusalem Bible) Alleluia and Gospel for the Epiphany Alleluia, alleluia! Vidimus stellam eius in Oriente, We have seen his star in the East, et venimus cum muneribus adorare Dominum. and have come with gifts to adore the Lord

The Baptism of Christ , El Greco, 1596-1600  Gospel Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 (New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, Canada) As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” A friend of my brother was asked about 25 years ago if he would mind playing a round of golf on a course near Belfast with a visitor from the European Continent. He agreed and the visitor was introduced as 'Monsieur So-and-so'. N

Christ , El Greco, c.1606 Cathedral, Toledo, Spain [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23  ( New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition , Canada)      Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus,   they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them.   (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands,   thus observing the tradition of the elders;     and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it;   and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.)  So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live   according to the

St Joseph and the Christ Child , El Greco, c.1600 Museo de Santa Cruz, Toledo, Spain [ Web Gallery of Art They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.   They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.   Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit,   and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”   But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”   And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.     They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He   commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”   At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. Remains of the 4th century synagogue, Capernaum [ Wikipedi

The Calling of St Peter and St Andrew   Jacob Willemsz de Wet the Elder Private collection [ Web Gallery of Art ] Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news   of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;   repent, and believe in the good news.” As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.   And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”   And immediately they left their nets and followed him.   As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.   Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. Speaking in Rome  to members of ecclesial movements on the evening of Saturday 17 May 2013, the Vigil of Pentecost, Pope Francis told this story: One day

Jubilant crowd cheers His Holiness Pope Francis as the Papal convoy arrives for the welcome ceremony at the Kalayaan Grounds of the Malacañan Palace for the State Visit and Apostolic Journey to the Republic of the Philippines on Friday,  16 January 2015. Robert Viñas, Malacañang Photo Bureau, PD, Wikipedia Commons Papa Francisco! MAHAL NG PILIPINO! Papa Francisco! MAHAL NG PILIPINO! Papa Francisco! MAHAL NG PILIPINO! The rhythm of this energetic chant is stuck in my head. It's my own fault, really, since I keep playing videos of the Pope's visit to the Philippines last week. YouTube has hours and hours of "Pope in Philippines" footage, including a nearly  three-hour video  of Sunday Mass and a surplus of videos of joyous chanting. My friend Rena says the best translation of the chant's second part is "Love of the Filipinos."  Pope Francis, the love of the Filipinos . How beautiful, to be beloved by a country, an entire people. "I

The Baptism of Christ (detail) , Tintoretto, 1579-81 Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Venice [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)  http://www.universalis.com/20150111/mass.htm Gospel   Mark 1:7-11  ( New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition , Canada) John the Baptist proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.   I have baptized you with   water; but he will baptize you with   the Holy Spirit.” In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.   And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.   And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” The Ce