Dear Friends,
Today is the Fourth Sunday after Easter – Vocations’ Sunday.
We rejoice at the election of Pope Leo XIV. Congratulations to the Augustinian friars and sisters! Pope Leo is a man with long administrative and pastoral experience, as Prior-General of the Augustinians for twelve years and as a bishop in Peru. In 2023, Pope Francis called him to Rome as Head of the Dicastery for Bishops. He has only been a cardinal for two years, so, I’m sure he would welcome our prayers.
It's an interesting choice of name. The last pope to have the name ‘Leo’ was obviously Leo XIII (1878-1903).Fragile in health, Leo XIII was considered to be a stop-gap appointment, but he ruled the Church for twenty-five years! He sought to bring the Church to terms with the modern age. He fostered the study of astronomy and natural sciences at the Vatican. He opened the Vatican archives to scholars regardless of creed. He devoted several encyclicals to the socio-political order. His most famous encyclical was Rerum Novarum (15 May 1891). It upheld private property, but also the just wage, workers’ rights, and trade unions; its advocacy of social justice earned him the title of ‘the Workers’ Pope”.
SAINT OF THE WEEK – Saint of the Week – 16th May - Saint Andrew Bobola, S.J. (1591-1657)
I always like to celebrate the Jesuit saints. Andrew was Polish. He studied at the Jesuit school in Vilnius, Lithuania, which was then part of Poland. He became a Jesuit. He was known to be an outstanding preacher. He liked to visit prisoners and the poor. He worked as a parish priest in various cities. Sadly, this was a time of scandalous divisions between the churches. Some Orthodox clergy and Cossacks were not happy with Andrew’s successful preaching. In May 1657, the Cossacks massacred some Roman Catholics and Jews. They captured Andrew and inflicted a horrific martyrdom on him. Andrew was canonized by Pope Pius XI on April 17th, 1938. His body lies in the Jesuit Church in Warsaw.
OUR RECENTLY DECEASED
We remember in prayer those who have died recently:
Madeline De Pree
May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen
BL. JOHN SULLIVAN SJ MONTHLY MASS
The monthly Mass in honour of Blessed John Sullivan SJ will be celebrated on Saturday 17th May at 1 pm.
VOCATIONS SUNDAY
Good Shepherd Sunday – Vocations Sunday, May 11, 2025
We give thanks that, in the Archdiocese of Dublin, there are three seminarians, as well as a greater number discerning the priesthood. Their “yes” to God’s call is a sign of great hope for our Church and our communities.
Let us pray for them, and for all those considering a vocation to the priesthood, religious life, or lay ministry that they may hear and respond to God’s call. May this Good Shepherd Sunday be a moment of encouragement and support for vocations to flourish among us.
“A vocation is a precious gift that God sows in our heart, a call to leave ourselves behind and embark on a journey of love and service.” – Pope Francis, World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2025
PRAY FOR LIFE NOVENA
The Pray for Life Novena is an invitation to join thousands of people across Ireland to pray for the protection of human life, from Friday, May 23, to the Feast of the Visitation on Saturday, May 31. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life in Ireland. Visitwww.prayforlife.ie for the daily Novena prayers and to sign up for daily reminders.
LAST WEEK COLLECTION
Church: € 615
Share collection: € 109
Card reader: € 257
Thanks for your generosity!
The blue bag is for the Church and the red bag for share.