Dear Friends,
Today is The Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)
I am anxious to find two members of our church community who would be willing to serve on the Parish Pastoral Council. This Council serves the united parishes of the Cathedral, Berkeley Road and Gardiner Street. This would involve, maybe, one evening meeting every 4/6 weeks. If you think that you could help in discerning the way forward for our church at this challenging time, please give this some thought. Please feel free to approach me on this urgent matter or to leave your email address at the reception office. You would be representing St. Francis Xavier Church, Gardiner Street on this Council. The meetings would take place in the John Sullivan Room here in Gardiner St.
Saint of the Week - Saint Robert Bellarmine SJ (1542 – 1621) – Thursday 17th September
Robert was born in Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy. His uncle was Pope Marcellus II. Together with his brother, Ricardo, he entered the Jesuits in 1560. Robert was ordained in 1570. He was the first Jesuit professor of theology at Louvain, Belgium. He spent seven years teaching in Louvain and became familiar with the writings of Martin Luther and John Calvin. He then moved to Rome in 1567 as professor at the Jesuit Roman College. He published his famous Catechism which was subsequently translated into sixty-two languages. He was made Archbishop of Capua in 1602,having been already made a cardinal in 1599. His life was largely devoted to theological scholarship at a time of controversy, especially between the Roman Catholics and the Lutherans. He was sympathetic to the ideas of Galileo. Robert was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930 and declared a Doctor of the Church in1931.
Proposed Course in the Autumn
The introductory course on the Early Years of Christian Theology and Spirituality (33 AD – 1,000 AD ) will take place on Saturday mornings from 10.00 am. to 12 noon in the John Sullivan Room. There will be a break for tea/coffee. The first talk in this series will be on Saturday, 26th September. The number of attendees who have booked a place now stands at around 40. Such a number is very encouraging and all will be welcome.
Volunteers to read at Mass and forthe Choir
Margaret (our soloist) and Seamus(our organist) always welcome new members to join the choir. Rehearsals are on a Sunday morningat 10.30am in the John Sullivan Room, before the 11.00am Mass.
Reading Club
We will begin our autumn session on Monday, 28th September. We will be reading Consider Jesus – Waves of Renewal in Christology by Elizabeth A. Johnson.
Fr. Brendan
CHURCH COLLECTIONS
For Church: € 1030. Share: € 182 Card reader: €247
All contributions are gratefully accepted, and the donors are remembered in our prayers.
OUR RECENTLY DECEASED
Weremember in prayer those who have died recently:
Sonia Bradshaw
May her soul andthe souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace
COURSE ON THE EARLY YEARS OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY
The course is fully booked. Admission on the day will be limited to those who have registered in advance; however, a waiting list is available should a place open up. Thank you for your understanding.
BLESSED JON SULLIVAN MONTHLY MASS
The monthly Mass in honour of Blessed John SullivanSJ will be celebrated on Saturday 19th September at 1 pm.
THELITTLE 11 -TODAY
Special activities for children every second Sunday at 11 am Mass. Children are led in special faith formation activities, such as guided prayer, storytelling, drawing, etc. by a group of safeguarded volunteers These activities take 15-20minutes in the Coffee Room, opposite the door leading to Pope Francis corridor. Parents are also welcome.
RCIA PROGRAMME 2026-2027
Starting Sunday 20th September at 2 pm.
For adults who seek to be baptised, confirmed, or received into full communion with the Catholic Church. 2-hour session, 2 Sundays every month. Mentors: Sr. MarieDominique Treacy and Fr. Teodor Avram SJ For details contact Fr. Teodor Avram, SJ at fravramsj@gmail.com / 087 3313676
ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL is temporarily closed for essential conservation, accessibility and renewal works. Parish administration will continue as normal, although some initial delays may occur during the move to St Joseph’s Church, Berkeley Road, Dublin 7, D07 F592.
Full details are available on thediocesan website.
POPE LEO XIV’s PRAYER INTENTION FOR SEPTEMBER 2026
For the care of water.
Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.