Message on the Feast of St. Eymard
Dear Brothers, Greetings and best wishes on the Feast of our Holy Founder. We are now entering a time of opportunity for Eucharistic evangelisation,in the midst of a triple preparation: preparation for our Provincial Chapter in February 2010; preparation for our General Chapter in May 2011; and preparation for the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 2012, all linked through the Eucharist. This Eucharistic period was heralded by the theme that emerged from last September’s Amplified General Council in Madrid, which was based on Fr. E;ymard’s words: “ This is the beautiful and amiable mission of every religious of the Blessed Sacrament: disciple and apostle of Eucharistic love; this is his true name, his grace, his life.” Discipleship and apostleship, community and apostolate – the two aspects of mission. In his recent letter convoking the General Chapter, Fr. General...
read moreSeventeenth Sunday – 26 July 2009
Gospel: John 6: 1-15 Year B You, Lord Jesus, are the Prophet announced by Moses: I will raise up a prophet like you, from the midst of My people (Deut. 18:15). The “details” of the multiplication of the loaves reveal that You are the promised Prophet. There is the mountain. It is the place of meeting with God. Up there, more so than Moses on Sinai, You are at home: You are seated. Then You invite Your disciples to do the same, thus unveiling for us the Father’s plan: He sent You to make us share His divine life. It is a little before Passover, the great feast of the Jews. The Passover celebrated the end of enslavement, the departure for the Promised Land … More so than Moses, You are the Good Shepherd guiding the whole of humanity...
read moreSixteenth Sunday – 19 July 2009
Gospel: Mark 6:30-34 Year B The Apostles reported to Jesus all that they had done and taught … One can imagine their joy on returning from their first mission. You share this joy in listening to them, in perhaps asking them questions. Is this not what You want from us on Sunday? How can we return to You after an often hectic week? Yes, Lord, give us the simplicity of Your Apostles to come to Mass with all that we have done to bring You all that has happened to us: joys, sorrows, successes and failures, to offer You all this … then to rest a moment near You, because You also say to us: Come away to some lonely place and rest a while! In the reality of our world where silence can no longer find a little...
read moreFifteenth Sunday – 12 July 2009
Gospel: Mark 6: 7-13 Year B Jesus called the twelve and sent them out…. It’s the first mission of Your Apostles. A Good Educator, You make them experience a little bit of what their life will be like. You send them two by two: they will have to help each other, mutual support…. They will most importantly of all have to proclaim Your message of love by example of their lives: They will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another…(Jn. 13:35). You give them power over evil spirits… The mission You entrust to them is not easy. It is Your mission. It involves liberating people from the clutches of the devil, and restoring them to life as children of God…. You pointed this out from the start of Your ministry: I came to liberate captives,...
read moreYear of Evangelization
“On the weekend of the 27th and 28th of June, we will launch a new programme of evangelisation, of bringing the name, the message and the love of Jesus with renewed vigour into our own lives and into the world in which we live.” “The Church constantly needs to renew itself. It must draw on the authentic biblical revelation of how God’s love was revealed by Jesus Christ. I ask your prayers that this programme of evangelisation will truly open the lives of each of us to be embraced by God’s love and thus to become witnesses of that love to our world.” Archbishop Dirmuid Martin, D.D. Archbishop of...
read moreFourteenth Sunday – 5 July 2009
Gospel: Mark 6: 1-6 Year B Many who heard were astonished…. You have often been a target for interrogation for those who met You, Jesus …. and You will be again until the end of the world. Even Mary and Joseph asked questions about You … right from Your birth. Similarly at your presentation in the Temple (you were 40 days old!), they were astonished at what Simeon and Anna said of You (Luke 2:48). How often Your Apostles also were stunned by Your words and Your actions! After the storm on the lake they said among themselves: So Who is He? (Lk. 8:25). With good reason will the crowd often ask the same question! Isn’t this the carpenter? …. The question can lead to two opposing attitudes: faith like Mary who ponders these things in her heart (Lk....
read more10 Filipino Postulants to start formation
“…Tomorrow will be too late.” A maxim as old as Eymard, yet ever new and truthful to anyone, whose search for meaning of life has gone a long way, before coming to know that in emptying oneself, life starts telling untold and unexpected prayers of becoming. Often silent search for truth ends to sweet surrender of life to the Author of Truth. The same when ten restless hearts of men dared unlocking the chance, to see the face of truth by responding to the call of Religious Life, particularly through the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Impressed by the spirit of the SSS to feed the hungers of humanity, all of them, despite diverse in personalities and differences in stories, resolved to submit heart and soul for the sake of God’s call to Religious Life. There is much to...
read moreFeeling the Pinch?
We turn to the Lord in prayer for those who are suffering as a result of the economic recession. On Sunday 5th July 2009, our Life In The Eucharist Team will lead us in an hour of prayer for those who are suffering the effects of the recession. Come along and join...
read morePilgrimage Raffle
Tickets for our Pilgrimage Raffle continue on sale in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel Lobby, 2 Euro each, or 10 Euro for a book of six. 1st Prize: Pilgrimage to Lourdes for two with Joe Walsh Tours 2nd Prize: Pilgrimage to Fatima for two with Laurie Duffy Travel 3rd Prize: Pilgrimage to Medjugorje for two with Marian Pilgrimages Draw will take place in the Blessed Sacrament Hall on Thursday 16th July 2009 at 11.30...
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