FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Thursday 3rd September : St. Gregory the Great
A Roman noble who was Prefect of the City before becoming a monk. As Pope he established a pattern for the papacy in years to come, calling himself "Servus servorum Dei" (servant of the servants of Christ). He sent missions to Lombardy Sardinia and England. Patron of musicians.
Friday 4th September : St. Mac Nissi
Oengus Mac Nissi took his name from his mother Cnes or Ness. It is claimed that Patrick baptised him and taught him the psalms. He chose the district of Connor for his hermitage, but later became bishop of his clan. He died early in the sixth century.
Saturday 5th September : St. Teresa of Calcutta
Anjeze Gonxhë Bojaxhiu was born 26 August 1910 in Skopje, Albania (now North Macedonia) and at 18 years of age, came to Dublin to become a Sister of Loreto with the singular desire to be a missionary in India. She went to India the following year, 1929. She taught English in Darjeeling and then for 20 years in Calcutta, working as a teacher, always with a great desire to be a missionary to the poorest of the poor. Taking the religious name Teresa, after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, patron of the missions and in the style of the Sisters of Loreto at the time she was titled Mother, and became known as Mother Teresa. Later leaving teaching and her religious congregation, she founded in 1950 the Missionaries of Charity to serve the hungry, the unwanted and the dying. Often her faith was tested, her words and actions criticised, yet she was always certain in remaining a servant of Christ who reaches out to the poor. She returned to Calcutta and spent her final weeks receiving visitors and instructing her Sisters. She died there on 5th September 1997. She was canonised o 4th September 2016 by Pope Francis.
Let every action of mine be something beautiful for God ....
Peace begins with a smile ....
St. Teresa of Calcutta
Sunday 6th September : 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
The three readings today by chance deal with the same theme of neighbourly correction. This is a difficult art and can only be exercised through genuine love and the purest of motives. We have to learn to help and to heal each other. In this we have to avoid attitudes of prying, denunciation, jealousy and informing. The spirit of the Gospel which lays down a procedure must be our guide.
Tuesday 8th September : Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
We celebrate the Birthday of Mary, who brought the dawn of hope and salvation to the world. She is the true Ark of the Covenant, the temple of God, because her body received the one Mediator.
Wednesday 9th September : St. Ciarán
He was born in Roscommon around 512. He came to Clonmacnoise in January 545 where he founded a monastery which was to become one of the most renowned in Europe. He died at the age of 33 while the monastery was still being built.
Thursday 10th September : St. Peter Claver
Born in Verdú, Catalonia in 1580, a member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). In 1610 he was sent to Cartagena in Colombia and worked for 33 years among the slaves until his death in 1654. Cartagena was a flourishing centre of the slave trade, as many as 10,000 arriving each year from Africa. During a tireless ministry he is said to have baptised more than 300,000.
Saturday 11th September : St. Ailbe
He is sometimes claimed as one of the pre-Patrician saints, but the annals note his death in 528. A tradition held that he went to Rome and was ordained bishop by the Pope. He founded the monastery of Emly, which became very important in Munster. Patron Saint of diocese of Cashel & Emly.