SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA,\r\nVIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH\r\nPATRON OF EUROPE<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSt Catherine (1347-1380) was born in Siena, one of twenty-five children. At a young age she decided to dedicate herself to the Lord and resist the attempts of her family to find her a suitable husband. She became a Dominican Tertiary and both her writings and her stigmata reveal her intimate union with God. Despite her retired life, St Catherine was actively involved in public affairs and persuaded the Pope, Gregory XI, to return to Rome from Avignon. She later tried to unite the Church during the Great Schism and moved to Rome, where she died aged thirty-three. She was proclaimed patroness of Italy in 1939, Doctor of the Church in 1970 and a patron of Europe in 1999.<\/em>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 8: 1-8<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n They went from place to place preaching the Good News.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThat day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles fled to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSaul then worked for the total destruction of the Church; he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThose who had escaped went from place to place preaching the Good News. One of them was Philip who went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. There was great rejoicing in that town as a result.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe word of the Lord.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Psalm 65: 1-7. R. v.1<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCry out with joy to God all the earth.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCry out with joy to God all the earth,\r\nO sing to the glory of his name.\r\nO render him glorious praise.\r\nSay to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds!’ R.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n‘Before you all the earth shall bow;\r\nshall sing to you, sing to your name.’\r\nCome and see the works of God,\r\ntremendous his deeds among men. R.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHe turned the sea into dry land,\r\nthey passed through the river dry-shod.\r\nLet our joy then be in him;\r\nhe rules for ever by his might. R.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 6: 35-40<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It is my Father’s will that whoever sees the Son shall have eternal life.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nJesus said to the crowd:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n‘I am the bread of life.\r\nHe who comes to me will never be hungry;\r\nhe who believes in me will never thrust.\r\nBut, as I have told you,\r\nyou can see me and still you do not believe.\r\nAll that the Father gives me will come to me,\r\nand whoever comes to me\r\nI shall not turn him away;\r\nbecause I have come from heaven,\r\nnot to do my own will,\r\nbut to do the will of the one who sent me.\r\nNow the will of him who sent me\r\nis that I should lose nothing\r\nof all that he has given to me,\r\nand that I should raise it up on the last day.\r\nYes, it is my Father’s will\r\nthat whoever sees the Son and believes in him\r\nshall have eternal life,\r\nand that I shall raise him up on the last day.’\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Gospel of the Lord.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Apostles’ Creed<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI believe in God,\r\nthe Father almighty,\r\nCreator of heaven and earth,\r\nand in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,\r\nwho was conceived by the Holy Spirit,\r\nborn of the Virgin Mary,\r\nsuffered under Pontius Pilate,\r\nwas crucified, died, and was buried;\r\nhe descended into hell;\r\non the third day he rose again from the dead;\r\nhe ascended into heaven,\r\nand is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;\r\nfrom there he will come to judge the living and the dead.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI believe in the Holy Spirit,\r\nthe holy catholic Church,\r\nthe communion of saints,\r\nthe forgiveness of sins,\r\nthe resurrection of the body,\r\nand life everlasting. Amen,\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n WEDNESDAY WITHIN THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTER SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH PATRON OF EUROPE St Catherine (1347-1380) was born in Siena, one of twenty-five children. At a young age she decided to dedicate herself… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1181,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1187"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1187"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1202,"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1187\/revisions\/1202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stmargaretclitherowdulwich.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSign of the Cross<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.\r\nAmen.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Examen<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBefore listening to the Word of God take a moment to reflect.\u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor what am I grateful to God for today? Where did I stray from God: through words, actions or things I did not do. How might I do better tomorrow? What grace do I ask from God in order to live more closely in his love?\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou may wish to conclude by saying:\u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father:\r\nLord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth:\r\nChrist, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal life:\r\nLord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Gloria<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGlory to God in the highest,\r\nand on earth peace to people of good will.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWe praise you,\r\nwe bless you,\r\nwe adore you,\r\nwe glorify you,\r\nwe give you thanks for your great glory,\r\nLord God, heavenly King,\r\nO God, almighty Father.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,\r\nLord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,\r\nyou take away the sins of the world,\r\nhave mercy on us;\r\nyou take away the sins of the world.\r\nreceive our prayer;\r\nyou are seated at the right hand of the Father,\r\nhave mercy on us.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor you alone are the Holy One,\r\nyou alone are the Lord,\r\nyou alone are the Most High,\r\nJesus Christ,\r\nwith the Holy Spirit,\r\nin the glory of God the Father.\r\nAmen.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Collect<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBe present to your family, O Lord, we pray,\r\nand graciously ensure\r\nthose you have endowed with the grace of faith\r\nan eternal share in the Resurrection of your Only Begotten Son.\r\nWho lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,\r\none God, for ever and ever.\r\nAmen.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
First Reading<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Responsorial Psalm<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Gospel Acclamation<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAlleluia, Alleluia!<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,\r\nsays the Lord;\r\nI know them and they follow me.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAlleluia!<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Gospel<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Profession of Faith<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Prayers<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Intercessions<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPray for family and loved ones so that they may be held in God\u2019s compassionate care. Pray for other countries who are struggling with the effects of the COVID 19 virus.\u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor those in authority: may they offer advice with care and integrity, may they seek to protect the poor and vulnerable.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor all who work in healthcare: give strength to all who look after the sick so that they may bring comfort and relief to the suffering.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor the Church: may she offer prayers and consolation for all those affected.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor our local community and all for those in need: may those who are isolated know the support and service of their neighbours.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Lord\u2019s Prayer<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOur Father, who art in heaven,\r\nhallowed by thy name;\r\nthey kingdom come,\r\nthy will be done\r\non earth as it is in heaven.\r\nGive us this day our daily bread,\r\nand forgive us our trespasses,\r\nas we forgive those who trespass against us;\r\nand lead us not into temptation,\r\nbut deliver us from evil.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Prayer for Spiritual communion<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI prostrate myself at your feet, O my Jesus, and I offer you the repentance of my contrite heart, which abases itself in its nothingness in Your Holy Presence. I adore you in the Sacrament of Your Love; I desire to receive You in the poor abode that my heart offers You. While waiting for the happiness of a Sacramental Communion, I want to possess You in spirit. Come to me, O my Jesus, that I may come to You. May Your love inflame my whole being, in life and in death. I believe in You. I hope in You. I love You.\r\nAmen.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Daily Prayer<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLord God,\r\nstand by your people\r\non whom you have bestowed the gift of faith.\r\nGrant them their eternal heritage\r\nin the resurrection of your Son.\r\nWe make our prayer through our Lord.\r\nThrough Christ our Lord.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Memorare<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRemember O most gracious Virgin Mary,\r\nthat never was it known that anyone\r\nwho fled to thy protection, implored thy help,\r\nor sought thy intercession was left unaided.\r\nInspired by this confidence, we fly unto thee,\r\nO Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do we come,\r\nbefore thee do we stand sinful and sorrowful.\r\nO Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not our petitions,\r\nbut in thy mercy hear and answer us.\r\nAmen.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Prayer for the Year of the Word<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLiving God, you walk alongside us and speak to us throughout the Scriptures.\r\nYour Son, Jesus Christ, listens to our hopes and fears and shows us how to live for one another.\r\nSend us the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds, so that we may be your witnesses throughout the world.\r\nAmen.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYour word is our path and your truth is our light.\r\nThis day and every day.\r\nOur Lady of the Annunciation. Pray for us.\r\nSt Matthew. Pray for us.\r\nSt. Jerome. Pray for us.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A Prayer for protection in times of pandemic<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nO Mary,\r\nyou always brighten our path\r\n<\/em>as a sign of salvation and of hope.\r\nWe entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the Cross,\r\ntook part in Jesus\u2019 pain while remaining steadfast in faith.\r\nO loving Mother,\r\nyou know what we need,\r\nand we are confident you will provide for us as at Cana in Galilee.\r\nIntercede for us with your Son Jesus,\r\nthe Divine Physician,\r\nfor those who have fallen ill,\r\nfor those who are vulnerable,\r\nand for those who have died.\r\nIntercede also for those charged with protecting the health and safety of others\u00a0and for those who are tending to the sick and seeking a cure.\r\nHelp us, O Mother of Divine Love,\r\nto conform to the will of the Father\r\nand to do as we are told by Jesus,\r\nwho took upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows,\r\nso as to lead us, through the Cross,\r\nto the glory of the Resurrection.\r\nAmen.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nUnder thy protection, we seek refuge, O Holy Mother of God.\r\nIn our needs, despise not our petitions, but deliver us always from all dangers,\u00a0O glorious and blessed Virgin.\r\nAmen.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Conclusion<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.\r\nAmen.\u00a0<\/strong>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"