FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Thursday 1st October : St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Born Marie François Thérèse Martin in Alençon, France in 1873. She was the youngest of nine children, 4 of whom died young. From an early age prayer and friendship with God were very important to her. After her mother Zélie died when Thérèse was only 4, her father Louis moved the family to Lisieux to be near his wife's family. Thérèse and her sisters Marie and Pauline entered Carmelite community. Celine and Léonie cared for their father and after his death Celine entered the Carmelites and Léonie the Visitation community. Marie François Thérèse Martin died at the Carmel in Lisieux on 30 September 1897 having lived as a cloistered Carmelite for less than 10 years. Patron of missions, florists, aviators and France.
Friday 2nd October : Guardian Angels
We venerate the Guardian Angels, seeking their constant protection.
Saturday 3rd October : Bl Columba Marmion
Joseph, his baptismal name, was born in Dublin 1 April 1858 and ordained priest in Rome in 1881. He served as Curate in Dundrum Parish and then as professor in Holy Cross College Clonliffe, before entering the Abbey of Maredsous, Belgium in 1886. Elected Abbot of Maredsous in 1909, he remained in office up to the time of his death on 30 January 1923. His trilogy, Christ, the Life of the Soul; Christ, in HIs Mysteries and Christ, the Ideal of the Monk have been some of the most influential spiritual writings of the twentieth century, nourishing the lives of generations of seminarians, priests, religious sisters and monks. His writings, letters and retreats fulfilled his aim in life: to bring people to God and to bring God to people. He was beatified in Rome 3 September 2000.
Sunday 4th October : 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Israel, God's first chosen people, did not produce the fruit expected of them. God found fault with them and the promised inheritance passed from them. The Church today must prove itself worthy of God's call by bringing forth the fruit of love and good works.
Monday 5th October : St. Faustina
Born Helene Kowalska in Glogowiec, Poland in 1905. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. She inspired the movement dedicated to proclaiming and imploring Divine Mercy throughout the world. She died in Karków in 1938.
In 1965, the then Archbishop of Kraków, Karol Wojtyla (who became Pope John Paul II) opened up the first investigations into her life and virtues. He submitted documents on her life to the Vatican and requested the official beatification process to start.
She was canonised on 30th April 2000 by Pope St. John Paul II.
Tuesday 6th October : St. Bruno
Born in Cologne in 1033. He became Professor of Theology in Rheims University and later its head. But his desire was to found a monastery where poverty, manual work, silence and worship would be the basics. He founded the Carthusians at La Grande Chartreusse, where he died in 1101.
Wednesday 7th October : Our Lady of the Rosary
Today's celebration urges all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was in a special manner associated the with incarnation, Passion and glorious Resurrection of the Son of God.
Friday 9th October : St. John Henry Newman
Born in London on 21 February 1801, the noted theologian and poet was first an Anglican priest and later a Catholic priest and Cardinal. His memorial marks the anniversary of his reception into the Catholic Church on 9th October 1845. He was one of the leading figures of the Oxford Movement that originated at Oxford University in 1833, that sought to link the Anglican Church more closely to the Roman Catholic Church. The Church in Ireland is deeply aware of his gentle scholarship, deep human wisdom and profound love for the Lord. He was instrumental in the founding of Catholic University of Ireland, which evolved into University College Dublin. Invited to Ireland in 1850, he became Rector of the Catholic University of Ireland in 1854 until his resignation in 1858. He died in Edgbaston, England on 11 August 1890.
He was Beatified by Pope Benedict XVI at Cofton Park, Birmingham 19/09/2010; Canonised by Pope Francis on 13 October 2019.
Pope Leo named his as Patron of Catholic education in 2025.