Dear Friends,
Today is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – World Day of the Poor
Saints of the Week – Roch González, SJ; John del Castillo SJ, and Alphonsus Rodríguez,SJ
Roch González was born in Asunción in Paraguay in 1576. He was already a priest when he joined the Jesuits in 1609. For nearly twenty years he pacified the local forest-dwellers, gathered them into reductions, and taught them the Christian faith. He was betrayed and murdered on November 15th 1628, together with Alphonsus Rodríguez, a Spanish Jesuit. Two days later, in another reduction, John del Castillo suffered a cruel martyrdom. He too was a Spanish Jesuit, and had vigorously defended the local Indians against their oppressors. All three were canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1988. The film, The Mission, is based on their ministry in the reductions of Paraguay in the seventeenth century. It was a proud but sad moment for the ministry of Jesuits in Paraguay in those bygone days.
Reading Club
Our next meeting will be tomorrow, Monday, 17th November from 10.00am until 12.00pmin the John Sullivan Room. We are reading a resumé of The History of the Bible by John Barton. It is suggested that our next book will be Ronald Rolheiser’s The Holy Longing – The Search for A Christian Spirituality.
Saturday Morning Talks
Our final session in this series will be on Saturday, 22nd November. The topic forthis talk will the life and spirituality of Frère Roger of Taizé.
Fr.Brendan
IN NOVEMBER WE REMEMBER
The11 am Mass on Sunday, 30th November will be offered for all the faithful departed, with particular mention of those whose funerals were held at Gardiner Street Church between November 2024 and October 2025.
Altar list of the dead envelopes are available at the back of the church and in the shop.
PALESTRINA CHOIRCONCERT
16thNovember – Concert at 3.30pm celebrating the Bicentenary of Pro-Cathedral at Pro Cathedral. Vivaldi Gloria, Mozart Laudate Dominum, AveVerum Corpus, Handel Hallelujah Chorus and other choralfavourites. Palestrina Choir and St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral Girls’ Choir, members of Marlborough Baroque Orchestra and soloists Eva Waters and Sarah Richmond.
CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT
Operation Smile Ireland is hosting a special event, Carols by Candlelight, on Tuesday, 9th December at 7:30 PM in St. Therese Parish Church, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin. This festive evening will feature performances by The Ranelagh Singers, Gonzaga College Trad Band, Gonzaga College Jazz Band, and guests.
MANRESA RETREATS
Manresa Jesuit Centre of Spirituality (Clontarf, Dublin) is offering the following:
AdventWeekend Retreat Friday-Sunday, 5-7 December 2025.Step away from the busyness of the season and enter a time of quiet reflection- a silent weekend retreat to ready your heart for Christmas.
AdventTriduum Retreat, Monday-Friday, 1-5 December or8-12 December 2025. A silent retreat guided by the Jesuit community, offeringspace for prayer, reflection, daily Mass, adoration, and the Sacrament ofReconciliation, in preparation for Christmas.
NewYear Retreat, Monday, 29 December 2025 -Thursday, 1 January 2026. Welcome the New Year in a spirit of peace and prayer.This silent retreat offers time to reflect on the year gone by, seek God’sgrace for the year ahead, and be guided by daily prayer and liturgy.
Bookingscan be made online (manresa.ie), by email at reception@manresa.ie, or by calling 015529448. Visit www.manresa.ie for more details.
MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER FOR THE 9th WORLD DAY OF THE POOR
“The celebration of the World Day of the Poor is meant to remind our communities that the poor are at the heart of all our pastoral activity. This is true not only of the Church’s charitable work, but also of the message that she celebrates and proclaims. God took on their poverty in order to enrich us through their voices, their stories and their faces. Every form of poverty, without exception, calls us to experience the Gospel concretely and to offer effective signs of hope.”
LAST WEEK’S COLLECTION
Church: € 814 Share: € 144. Card reader: € 359
IDonate: € 30
Thank for your continued support