Dear Friends,
Today is the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Saint of the Week – Saint Thomas Aquinas – Wednesday, 28th January
Thomas was born of a noble family near Aquino, Italy in 1225. He was educated by the Benedictines at Monte Cassino and at the University of Naples. In 1244, he joined the Dominican Order. That he should be a mendicant friar was shocking to his noble relatives, so his brothers kidnapped him and shut him up for a year. Thomas would not change his mind and, on his release, he went to study under the Dominican, St. Albert the Great at Paris and Cologne and, in 1256 he took the degree of Master in Theology. The rest of his relatively short life was devoted to teaching, preaching and, above all, writing. Thomas taught in Parisand in Italy, especially in Naples. It was said of Thomas that ‘his wonderful learning owes far less to his genius than to the effectiveness of his prayer’. He left behind his great Summa Theologica, a classic exposition of theology. At the end of his life, he declared: “All I have written seems to me like straw compared with what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.” He was the incarnation of the Dominican ideal of handing on the fruits of contemplation to others – ‘afar greater thing,’ he said, ‘than simply contemplating’. Thomas fell ill on his way to the Council of Lyons and died at the Abbey of Fossanova, near Terracina, Italy in 1274. He was canonised in 1323 by Pope John XXII and, in1567, was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope St. Pius V, himself a Dominican.
Reading Club
Our next meeting will be tomorrow, Monday, 26th January 2026 from 10.00am – 12 Noon. We will be reviewing The Return of the Prodigal by Henri Nouwen. The next book will be The Sign – Reading the Gospel of John by Seán Goan. You are welcome to join.
Fr. Brendan
ANNUAL BL. JOHNSULLIVAN MASS
You are invited to attend the Annual Mass in honour of Bl. John Sullivan on Saturday, 21stFebruary at 11am. The Mass will be presided over by Archbishop Dermot Farrell, with Church of Ireland Archbishop Michael Jackson preaching.
NOTE this Mass is at 11am, NOT at 1pm. It replaces the usual monthly Mass.
RE-IMAGINIG MOUNTJOY SQUARE PARK
An information evening will take place on Tuesday 27th January, from 5-7 pm, in Ozana House, Mountjoy Square.
Members of the Dublin City Council will be in attendance to provide information on theproposed works and answer any questions.
SINCEREGRATITUDE TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED CHRISTMAS OFFERINGS Your generous supportgreatly assists with covering the Church's operating expenses. Mass at 11 am on Thursday 29th of January will be offered for the intentions of the donors.
CHURCHCOLLECTIONS
For Church:€828
Share: €146
Card reader:€376
IDonate: €50
All contributions are gratefully accepted, and the donors are remembered in our prayers.
UNIVERSITYCHURCH
will celebrate Saint Brigid’s Day a few days early on Tuesday, January 27, at 6pm. Come to the Taizé service at 6pm and stay after to learn to make a Saint Brigid's cross(and bring it home!), listen to some trad, and have refreshments. All are welcome.
STUDY THEOLOGYONLINE, is this for you? The Priory Institute provides online Theology courses to degree level. Attend Saturday lectures in Tallaght or from the comfort ofyour own home. Register before February 10. Find out more on our website,prioryinstitute.com Click here to see a 2 minute introductory film.