FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Thursday 17th September : St. Robert Bellarmine
Jesuit, Cardinal Bishop of Capua, involved in theological controversies of the time. Patron of catechists.
Thursday 17th September : St. Hildegard
Founder of the monastery of Bingen (Germany) around 1150, she know the natural sciences, was a musician and composer, a writer and mystic. Worked for the reform of religious life and the Church, she was canonised and declared a doctor of the Church in 2012.
17th September is the anniversary of the death in 1918 of Cardinal John Murphy Farley, 4th Archbishop of New York. Native of Newtownhamilton (Lower Creggan Parish)
Saturday 19th September : St. Januarius
Bishop of Benevento, was martyred at Naples in 305 with six companions.
Sunday 20th September : 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Gospel of St. Matthew, directed to Jewish Christians, stresses that the pagans have also come to God's mercy and are to be accepted. As Christ came to call sinners, so the Church must accept them. God's thoughts of justice are beyond ours, his mercy cannot be measured. That is the point of the Gospel story today, whatever about the details. No one can be content with his own state of sanctity and despise or judge others. God's judgement may be quite different.
Monday 21st September : St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
He is said to have been a missionary in Persia and Ethiopia. Patron of accountants, book-keepers, tax-collectors, customs officers and security guards.
Wednesday 23rd September : St. Eunan
He was born in Donegal around the year 624 and died in 704. He became a monk in Iona and was chosen abbot there in 679. One of his writings is the Life of Colum Cille.
Wednesday 23rd September : St. Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
Born 25 May 1887, died 23 September 1968. He was a Capuchin friar, stigmatist, confessor, friend of all who suffer. Canonised in Rome by Pope St. John Paul II on 16/06/2002.
Friday 25th September : St. Finbarr
He came to Loch Irce (Gougane Barra) and lived there as a hermit. When disciples gathered round him he moved to Cork at the mouth of the Lee where he founded a monastery that became a famous centre of learning.
Saturday 26th September : Ss Cosmas and Damian
They were twins, born in Arabia, who practised the art of healing and attained a great reputation. Known as the Anargyri (the holy moneyless ones) in the East, since they never took money for their medical services. Patrons of physicians.
They are invoked in the Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer I) and in the Litany of the Saints.