News, Saints, Prayers and Reflections.

Easter Mass and Confession Times 2024.

The blessing of the statue of St Joseph on the Feast of St Joseph. Franciscan Friary Wexford.

St. Patrick

A “Diptych” commissioned for the Conventual Franciscans OFM Conv for St. Patrick’s Friary – Waterloo, London.

(By Wexford born Artist Judith Tutin).

The Franciscan Friary Wexford Ireland welcomes Fr.James Mary McInerney OFM Conv. to the Franciscan community Wexford. May the people of Wexford over the coming weeks offer a warm welcome and keep him in your prayers. We offer Fr James best wishes in his journey with the people of Wexford. May God bless him and guide him always.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
December 8th.

Franciscan Friary Wexford
Mass and Confessions Christmas Season.

First Sunday in Advent.

Advent reminds us of the coming of Jesus. His first coming when He was born for us. And His second coming at the end of time when He will come to judge the world. But Jesus also comes to us now—in the Eucharist, in prayer, in all the sacraments. Today, on this first Sunday of Advent, prayerfully ask the Lord to come into your life and your heart again or for the first time. And He will.

Christ the King.

Memorial of the Presentation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 21st.

Remembering Blessed Fr Solanus Casey. Beatification November 18th 2017.

O God, I adore You. I give myself to You.
May I be the person You want me to be,
and May Your will be done in my life today.
I thank You for the gifts You gave Father Solanus.
If it is Your Will, bless us with the Canonization of
Father Solanus so that others may imitate
and carry on his love for all the poor and
suffering of our world.

As he joyfully accepted Your divine plans,
I ask You, according to Your Will,
to hear my prayer for… (your intention)
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“Blessed be God in all His Designs.”

November 14th – St Laurence O’Toole (1128-80).

Blessing of the graves on All Souls’ Day. (Fr. Robert Cojoc OFM Conv. ,Fr. John Delaney OFM Conv. , Fr Brian Allen OFM.) Franciscan Friary Wexford.

On All Saints Day, we celebrate all saints who are in heaven, and we ask for their prayers and intercessions.

Remembering the Great Pope and our great saint today. Feastday October 22nd.

Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist
October 18th.

Blessing of the animals. Feast of St. Francis.

Feast of St Francis. Franciscan Friary Wexford Ireland
( Fr James Cullen, Fr Michael O’Shea, Fr Robert Cojoc OFM Conv, Fr Brendan Nolan, Fr John Delaney OFM Conv.).

St. Pio of Pietrelcina / St. Padre Pio, pray for us!
Feast Day: September 23rd.
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“Don’t worry to the point
of losing your inner peace.
Pray with perseverance, with faith,
with calmness and serenity.”
– St. Padre Pio

SEPTEMBER 17: Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis.

Saint Francis imitated Christ so perfectly that towards the end of his life our Lord wished to point him out to the world as the faithful imitator of the Crucified, by imprinting His five wounds upon his body.
Two years before his death, when, according to his custom, Saint Francis had repaired to Mt La Verna to spend the 40 days preceding the feast of St. Michael the Archangel in prayer and fasting, and there this wonderful event took place.
On the feast of the Stigmata of St Francis, 17 September 1983, St John Paul II came as a pilgrim to Mount La Verna in Tuscany. There in the holy place were Francis encountered the Crucified Christ in such a profound way, the Pope prayed this beautiful prayer:
O St Francis, stigmatized on La Verna, the world longs for you, that icon of the crucified Jesus. It has need of your heart, open to God and to others; of your bare, wounded feet, of your pierced hands raised in supplication. It longs for your voice so frail yet forceful with the power of the Gospel. Francis, help the people of this age to recognise the evil of sin and to seek purification from it in penance. Help them to become free from the very structures of sin that oppress today’s society. Rekindle in the consciousness of those in government an urgent need for peace between nations and peoples. Instil in young people your freshness of life that is capable of withstanding the snares of the many cultures of death. To those injured by every type of evil teach, O Francis, the joy of being able to forgive. To all those crucified by suffering, hunger and war, reopen the doors of hope. Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, when the world was growing cold, in order to renew in our hearts the flame of love, imprinted the sacred marks of Thy Passion on the body of our blessed father Francis, mercifully grant that by his merits and prayers we may persevere in bearing the cross and may bring forth fruits worthy of penance, Thou Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.

Lord, I ask you for two graces before I die: to experience in myself, as much as possible, the sufferings of your cruel Passion, and to feel for you the same love that drove you to sacrifice yourself for us.
My Lord Jesus Christ, I beg thee to grant me two graces before my death: first, that for the rest of my life I may experience in my soul and in my body, as much as possible, the same pain that you suffered, O sweet Jesus, during the time of thy most cruel Passion; and second, that I may feel in my heart, as much as possible, the same love which inflamed thee, the Son of God, and led thee to suffer thy passion gladly for us sinners. Amen.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

Saint Hildegard was born in 1098 and is the patroness of music, theology and medicine. Her Feast Day is September 17th.

Beautiful Heavenly Music by St. Hildegard von Bingen Honoring Our Lady “O tu suavissima virga”

Terry Mc Namee

God our Father,
you gave Robert Bellarmine
wisdom and goodness
to defend the faith of your Church.
By his prayers
may we always rejoice
in the profession of our faith.
Amen.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
Feast Day: September 15th
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Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows

V. Lord, have mercy on us.
R. Christ, have mercy on us.
V. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
R. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of the Crucified, pray for us.
Mother most sorrowful, pray for us.
Mother most tearful, pray for us.
Mother afflicted, pray for us.
Mother forsaken, pray for us.
Mother bereft of thy Son, pray for us.
Mother pierced with the sword, pray for us.
Mother consumed with grief, pray for us.
Mother filled with anguish, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Rock of constancy, pray for us.
Joy of the afflicted, pray for us.
Ark of the desolate, pray for us.
Refuge of the abandoned, pray for us.
Shield of the oppressed, pray for us.
Conqueror of the incredulous, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Medicine of the sick, pray for us.
Help of the faint, pray for us.
Strength of the weak, pray for us.
Haven of the shipwrecked, pray for us.
Calmer of tempests, pray for us.
Companion of the sorrowful, pray for us.
Treasure of the Faithful, pray for us.
Theme of Prophets, pray for us.
Staff of the Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
Light of Confessors, pray for us.
Pearl of Virgins, pray for us.
Comfort of Widows, pray for us.
Joy of all Saints, pray for us.

Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
Hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
Have mercy upon us.

Let us pray.

Imprint, O Lord, thy wounds upon our hearts, that we may read therein sorrow and love; sorrow to endure all suffering for thee; love to despise all love but thine; who lives and reigns, world without end, Amen.

O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end.

Amen.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross:
September 14th
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“Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.”
– St. John of the Cross

“He died, but He vanquished death; in Himself He put an end to what we feared; He took it upon Himself and he vanquished it, as a mighty hunter He captured and slew the lion.”
– St. Augustine

“There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us, and does not now bear with us. And on the far side of every cross we find the newness of life in the Holy Spirit, that new life which will reach its fulfillment in the resurrection. This is our faith. This is our witness before the world.”
– Pope St. John Paul II

“How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light. This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return.”
– St. Theodore the Studite

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
– St. Paul

Vatican holds beatification of Polish family of nine killed for hiding Jews.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/255332/ulma-family-beatified-on-a-day-of-joy-in-poland

The death has occurred of
Very Reverend Canon Felix Byrne
Parochial House, Monaseed, Gorey, Wexford / Camolin, Wexford
Very Reverend Canon Felix Byrne, Parochial House, Monaseed, Gorey, Co. Wexford and formerly of Ballygullen, Camolin, died peacefully at home surrounded by his family and friends on the 8th September, 2023.

Brother of Anne, Pat and the late Marie, Fr. John and Jimmy, son of the late James and Mary Catherine. Sadly missed and much loved by his sister, brother, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, grand-nieces, neighbours, parishioners and friends.

May Fr. Felix Rest In Peace

Reposing at Murphy’s Funeral Home, The Avenue, Gorey (Eircode Y25 K122) on Sunday 10th September from 2.30 p.m. with Removal at 6.15 p.m. to St. Brendan’s Church Monaseed (Eircode Y25 E544) for Reception Prayers at 7 p.m. Requiem Mass on Monday 11th September at 12 noon followed by Burial in St. Columba’s Graveyard, Ballyduff (Eircode Y21 FD73).

Family Flowers only please. Donations if desired to St. Aidan’s Day Care Centre Gorey.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

The elections for the council of the Secular Franciscan Order (Third Order) Fraternity took place in the Friary Wexford this afternoon. The newly elected members Left to right are Noel Strahan (Formation), Debbie Furlong, Terry Mc Namee ( Vice President / Secretary ), Stephen Bryan ( President ) also pictured is Margaret Deacon ( Regional President ) . Thank you to Fr John Delaney OFM Conv. for blessing the new elected council and offering prayers for their work in the years ahead and a huge thanks for his welcome and hospitality today.

Judith Tutin

‘Seek the Light’

An exhibition of spiritual and abstract paintings

Friary Hall, School St, Wexford

October 24th-November 1, 2023

www.judithtutinart.com

St. Augustine of Hippo.

Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Feast Day: August 22nd
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O God, Who made the Mother of your Son
to be our Mother and our Queen,
graciously grant that, sustained by her intercession,
we may attain in the heavenly Kingdom
the glory promised to Your children.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Apparition of Knock began on the 21st August, 1879 when, at approximately 8 o’clock in the evening, fifteen people from the village of Knock in Co. Mayo, witnessed an Apparition of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, a Lamb and cross on an altar at the gable wall of the Parish Church.

POPE ST. PIUS X (1835-1914)
Feast: August 21st.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Tuesday August 15th 2023
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Almighty ever-living God, Who assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of your Son, body and soul into heavenly glory, grant, we pray, that, always attentive to the things that are above, we may merit to be sharers of her glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us!
Feast Day: August 14th
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HOMILY AT THE CANONIZATION OF
ST. MAXIMILIAN MARY KOLBE
By Pope St. John Paul II
October 10, 1982

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

From today on, the Church desires to address as “Saint” a man who was granted the grace of carrying out these words of the Redeemer in an absolutely literal manner.

For towards the end of July, 1941, when the camp commander ordered the prisoners destined to die of starvation to fall in line, this man-Maximilian Maria Kolbe-spontaneously came forward and declared himself ready to go to death in the place of one of them. This readiness was accepted and, after more than two weeks of torment caused by starvation, Father Maximilian’s life was ended with a lethal injection on August 14, 1941.

All this happened in the concentration camp at Auschwitz where during the last war some four million people were put to death, including the Servant of God, Edith Stein (the Carmelite Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), whose cause for beatification is in progress at the competent Congregation. Disobedience to God-the Creator of life who said, “Thou shalt not kill”-caused in that place the immense holocaust of so many innocent persons. And so at the same time, our age has thus been horribly stigmatized by the slaughter of the innocent.

Father Maximilian Kolbe, himself a prisoner of the concentration camp, defended in that place of death an innocent man’s right to life. Father Kolbe defended his right to life, declaring that he was ready to go to death in the man’s place, because he was the father of a family and his life was necessary for his dear ones. Father Maximilian Maria Kolbe thus reaffirmed the Creator’s exclusive right over innocent human life. He bore witness to Christ and to love. For the Apostle John writes: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).

The Church has venerated Father Maximilian as “Blessed” since 1971. By laying down his life for a brother, he made himself like Christ.

Gathered today before the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, we wish to express the special value which Father Maximilian Kolbe’s death by martyrdom has in the eyes of God.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” These are the words we have repeated in today’s responsorial psalm. It is truly precious and inestimable! Through the death which Christ underwent on the Cross, the redemption of the world was achieved, for this death has the value of supreme love. Through the death of Father Maximilian Kolbe, a shining sign of this love was renewed in our century which is do seriously and in so many ways threatened by sin and death.

In this canonization liturgy there seems to appear before us that “martyr of love” of Oswiecim (as Paul VI called him), saying: “O Lord, I am thy servant. I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid. Thou has loosed my bonds” (Psalm 115 (116):16).

And as though gathering together in one sacrifice the whole of his life, he-a priest and a spiritual son of saint Francis-seems to say: “What shall I render to the Lord for his bounty to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord” (Psalms 115 (116):12).

These are words of gratitude. Death undergone out of love-in the place of one’s brother-is an heroic act of man. It is an act through which, together with the one already beatified, we glorify God. For from God comes the grace of such heroism, of this martyrdom.

Therefore let us today glorify God’s great work in man. Before all of us gathered here, Father Maximilian Kolbe lifts up his “cup of salvation.” In it is contained the sacrifice of his whole life, sealed with the martyr’s death “for a brother.”

Maximilian prepared for this definitive sacrifice by following Christ from the first years of his life in Poland. From these years comes the mysterious vision of two crowns-one white and one red. From these our saint does not choose. He accepts them both. From the years of his youth, in fact, Maximilian was filled with the great love of Christ and the desire for martyrdom.

This love and this desire accompanied him along the path of his Franciscan and priestly vocation, for which he prepared himself both in Poland and in Rome. This love and this desire followed him through all the places of his priestly and Franciscan service in Poland and in his missionary service in Japan.

Immaculate Virgin Inspired His Life

The inspiration of his whole life was the Immaculata. To her he entrusted his love for Christ and his desire for martyrdom. In the mystery of the Immaculate Conception there revealed itself before the eyes of his soul that marvelous and supernatural world of God’s grace offered to man.

The faith and works of the whole life of Father Maximilian show that he thought of his cooperation with divine grace as a warfare under the banner of the Immaculate Conception. This Marian characteristic is particularly expressive in the life and holiness of Father Kolbe. His whole apostolate, both in his homeland and on the missions, was similarly marked with this sign. In Poland and in Japan the centers of this apostolate were the special cities of the Immaculata-Niepokalanow in Poland and Mugenzai no Sono in Japan.

God Found Him Worthy of Himself

What happened in the starvation bunker in the concentration camp at Oswiecim (Auschwitz) on August 14, 1941?

The reply is given in today’s liturgy. “God tested” Maximilian Maria “and found him worthy of himself” (Wisdom 3:5). God tested him “like gold in the furnace and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted him” (Wisdom 3:6).Even if “in the sight of men he was punished,” yet “his hope is full of immortality.” For “the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment will ever touch them.” And when-humanly speaking-torment and death came to them, when “in the eyes of men they seemed to have died…”, when “their departure from us was thought to be an affliction…”, “they are in peace.” They experience life and glory “in the hands of God” (Wisdom 3:1-4).

This life is the fruit of death like Christ’s death. Glory is the sharing of his resurrection. So what happened in the starvation bunker, on August 14, 1941?

There were fulfilled the words spoken by Christ to the Apostles that they “should go and bear fruit and that their fruit should abide” (John 15:16).

In a marvelous way the fruit of the tragic death of Maximilian Kolbe endures in the Church and the world!

In Their Minds It Was Not “Death”

Men saw what happened in the camp at Auschwitz. And even if to their eyes it must have seemed that a companion of their torment “dies,” even if humanly speaking they could consider “his departure” as “a disaster,” nevertheless in their minds this was not simply “death.” Maximilian did not die but “gave his life…for his brother.” In that death, terrible from the human point of view, there was the whole definitive greatness of the human act and of the human choice. He spontaneously offered himself up to death out of love.

And in this human death of his there was the clear witness borne to Christ: the witness borne in Christ to the dignity of man, to the sanctity of his life, and to the saving power of death in which the power of love is made manifest.

Maximilian’s Death a Sign of Victory

Precisely for this reason the death of Maximilian Kolbe became a sign of victory. This was victory won over all systematic contempt and hate for man and for what is divine in man-a victory like that won by our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary.

“You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). The Church accepts this sign of victory-won through the power of Christ’s redemption-with reverence and gratitude. She seeks to discern its eloquence with all humility and love.

As ever when the Church proclaims the holiness of her sons and daughters, as also in the present case, she seeks to act with all due exactness and responsibility, searching into all the aspects of the life and death of the Servant of God.

Yet at the same time the Church must be careful, as she reads the sign of holiness given by God in his earthly Servant, not to allow its full eloquence and definitive meaning to go unnoticed. And so, in judging the cause of Blessed Maximilian Kolbe even after his Beatification, it was necessary to take into consideration many voices of the People of God-especially of our Brothers in the episcopate of both Poland and Germany-who asked that Maximilian Kolbe be proclaimed as a martyr saint.

Before the eloquence of the life and death of blessed Maximilian, it is impossible no to recognize what seems to constitute the main and essential element of the sign given by God to the Church and the world in his death.

Does not this death-faced spontaneously, for love of man-constitute a particular fulfillment of the words of Christ? Does not this death make Maximilian particularly like unto Christ-the Model of all Martyrs-who gives his own life on the Cross for his brethren? Does not this death possess a particular and penetrating eloquence for our age? Does not this death constitute a particularly authentic witness of the Church in the modern world?

And so, in virtue of my apostolic authority, I have decreed that Maximilian Maria Kolbe-who after his Beatification was venerated as a Confessor-shall henceforeward be venerated also as a Martyr!

“Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones!” Amen.

Saint of the Day for August 11th

(July 16, 1194 – August 11, 1253)

Saint Clare of Assisi.

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
August 6th.

Feast of Our Lady of the Angels: The Blessing of the Portiuncula

Feast of Our Lady of the Angels, the patronal feast of the Portiuncula Chapel in Assisi which St. Francis rebuilt.

Saint Thomas the Apostle.

Most Precious Blood Of Our Lord.

Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles.

The Golden Thread Magazine Summer 2023. Please click on the link below.

https://www.thegreyfriars.org/the-golden-thread-magazine

Terry Mc Namee

Feast of Mother of Perpetual Succour.

THANKSGIVING PRAYER
O Mother of Perpetual Help,
with grateful hearts we join you
in thanking God for all the wonderful things he has done for us, especially for giving us, Jesus, your Son, as our Redeemer. O God, our Creator, we thank you for the gift of life
and all the gifts of nature: our senses and faculties, our talents and abilities. We thank you for creating us
in your image and likeness and for giving us this earth to use and develop, to respect and cherish. Despite our failures,
you continue to show your love for us today
by increasing the life of your Spirit in us
at the Eucharistic table.
Finally, we thank you, loving Father, for giving us Mary, the Mother of your Son,
to be our Mother of Perpetual Help. We are grateful for all the favours
we have received through her intercession.
We pray that those past favours may inspire us to greater confidence
in your loving mercy and to seek the aid
of our Mother of Perpetual Help. Amen.

Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist,
June 24th.

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Friday, June 16th 2023.

“When I see that the burden is beyond my strength, I do not consider or analyze it or probe into it, but I run like a child to the Heart of Jesus and say only one word to Him: “You can do all things.” And then I keep silent, because I know that Jesus Himself will intervene in the matter, and as for me, instead of tormenting myself, I use that time to love Him.”
– St. Faustina

Father Antony Jukes OFM. Leading the St Anthony Novena which continues each day in Franciscan Friary Wexford Ireland.

St. Columba.

Monday 5th June 2023

Saint Boniface, Bishop, Martyr

Saint Boniface (675 – 754)

For the first forty years of his life Boniface was known as Wynfrith. He was born in Devon and educated at the monastery at Exeter, and then joined the Benedictine abbey at Nursling, near Southampton. He was a teacher and preacher, but he desired to preach the gospel in a foreign land. In 718, Pope Gregory II commissioned him to do so, at the same time changing his name from Wynfrith to Boniface.
Boniface left England, never to return, and took the gospel to the heathen tribes of Germany, where he had great success. He himself was created Bishop of Mainz, and he founded or restored dioceses in Bavaria, Thuringia, and Franconia. In his later years he worked with King Pepin the Short to reform the Frankish church, and then, over seventy years old, set out to evangelize Friesland (part of modern Holland) where he was set upon and murdered, on 5th June 754.
He is buried at Fulda, near Frankfurt, in the monastery he founded himself, and is honoured as the apostle of Germany.

St. Anthony Novena 2023.

The Feast of the Ascension.

St. Anthony Novena 2023.

St. Matthias, pray for us!
Feast: May 14th.

Saint John of Avila.

ST GEORGE PRECA, THIRD ORDER CARMELITE.
Feast Day May 9th.

Georg Preca was born in Valletta, Malta, and was ordained priest in 1906. The Carmelite Family and spirituality had always been close to his heart and he became a Carmelite Tertiary in 1918, referring to himself as a Carmelite on many occasions. From 1907 he gathered around him many young men in their twenties and taught them an awareness of God’s love for humankind and encouraged them to work for the spread of the faith. This Society of the MUSEUM is to be found in many places across the world. In 1957 he created the ‘Mysteries of Light’ which were formally incorporated into the Rosary by Pope John Paul II in 2004. Fr George died in 1962 at the age of 82 and was canonized on June 3rd 2007.

St. Joseph the Worker, pray for us!
Feast: May 1st.

ST MARK THE EVANGELIST,
FEAST DAY: APRIL 25th.

O Glorious St Mark,
through the grace of God
our Father, you became
a great Evangelist, preaching
the Good News of Christ.

May you help us to know Him
well, so that we may
faithfully live our lives
as followers of Christ.
Amen.

April 20th – St Agnes of Montepulciano OP (1268-1317).

Happy Heavenly Birthday.

Mother Angelica, April 20th 1923-March 27th 2016.

The EWTN foundress.

The Franciscan Friary Wexford Ireland welcomes Fr.John Mary Delaney OFM Conv. to the Franciscan community Wexford. May the people of Wexford over the coming weeks offer a warm welcome and keep him in your prayers. We offer Fr John best wishes in his journey with the people of Wexford. May God bless him and guide him always.

Easter Mass and Confession Times
Franciscan Friary Wexford Ireland

Remembering Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, on the seventh anniversary of her death foundress of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), who passed away on March 27th, Easter Sunday 2016, she was 92 years old.

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Saturday March 25th, 2023.

Saint Oscar Romero.

Laetare Sunday
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Sunday, March 19th 2023.
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St. Patrick,
in your humility you called yourself a sinner,
but you became a most successful missionary
and prompted countless pagans
to follow the Saviour.
Many of their descendents in turn
spread the Good News in numerous foreign lands.
Through your powerful intercession with God,
obtain the missionaries we need
to continue the work you began.
Amen.

Feast of St. Casimir.

Today is the Feast of St. Casimir.

St. Casimir was born the third of thirteen children in 1461. He felt the call of God on his life at an early age. Despite judgment and ridicule, the late Prince of Poland faithfully followed the Lord, rejecting the riches of his royal family. He slept little, spent his nights in prayer, and wore plain clothes.

Casimir even denied a marriage alliance his father attempted to form. He spent his days wholeheartedly praying, studying and helping the poor.

St. Casimir, please pray for us!

Blessed Feast of St. David of Wales.

St. David of Wales, pray for us!

St. Gabriel Possenti.

Ash Wednesday.

Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto.

Holy Communion and Confirmation gifts now available at Friary Office Wexford.

Opening hours
Monday – Saturday 9:30am – 6pm
(Closed for lunch 1pm – 2pm and Bank Holiday Mondays).

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid028kcKptCoirUYUiLsm25oFo3jaJfRBihEV3c9rgCaioPWTVmkXUyXKxCKZSDVjHDml&id=100072358749536

Terry Mc Namee

St. Valentine.

The Relic of St Charbel
Thursday 2nd February
Franciscan Friary
Wexford Town.

The Relic of St Charbel
Thursday 2nd February
Franciscan Friary
Wexford Town.

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 2nd.

February 1st, Feast of St Brigid
(451 – 525 AD).

Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.
Amen.

St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!
Feast Day: January 28th.

The Relic of St. Charbel.

Saints of the week.

January 22nd – St Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850).

Bl. Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi

Feastday: January 20th
Birth: 1903
Death: 1964
Beatified March 22nd 1998 by Pope John Paul II.

January 16th.
Today in Franciscan History
POPE PIUS XII ISSUED THE LETTER
‘EXULTA LUSITANIA FELIX’ WHICH DECLARED ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA AS DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.

After the Second World War on January 16th,1946, Pope Pius XII with the Apostolic Letter Exsulta, Lusitania felix (‘Rejoice, happy Portugal’) declared that St Anthony was a Doctor of the Church with the title “Doctor Evangelicus”.

St Anthony – Doctor of The Church

January 16th – St Fursey (d. 650) abbot, missionary.

Fursey (or Fursa), born in Ireland, was the leader of a group of monastic missionaries that went first to East Anglia and later to France.

The Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

January 4th is the memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American born Saint.

“We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives – that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him.”

On Friday, December 30th, 2022, our Vicar Provincial, Fr. Gary Johnson, OFM Conv. traveled to Liverpool, England to concelebrate the Mass and share in the celebration of the Solemn Vow Profession of Friar John Paul Banks, OFM Conv., Friar Peter George Flynn, OFM Conv. and Friar Terence Bateman, OFM Conv., at the hands of their Provincial Custos ~ Friar Maximilian Martin, OFM Conv., who also served as the celebrant for the Mass, at St. Anthony of Padua Church (Mossley Hill, Liverpool).
Read More:

https://www.olaprovince.org/2023/01/03/news-from-our-blessed-agnellus-of-pisa-custody/

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 27th.

St. John of the Cross, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 14th.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 12th.

Saints of the week.

Today is Gaudete Sunday:
The Third Sunday of Advent.

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Candlelight Procession 8th December 2022.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid09emsgaf5WkgSWscbrT2sWHbgUYT7f9CU2nXdhPdZnzyMLrtm7EpAMQbhkDAueerQl&id=100072358749536

Terry Mc Namee

St. Juan Diego, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 9th

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474 – 1548)

He was born in about 1474 in Cuauhtitlan in the kingdom of Texcoco, part of present-day Mexico. As an adult he embraced Christianity and he and his wife were baptized. In 1531 the Mother of God appeared to him, on the hill called Tepeyac near Mexico City, and told him to ask the bishop to have a church built on the spot. Through the purity of his faith, his humility and his fervour, a church was built, in honour of Our Lady of Guadalupe (whose feast is celebrated on 12th December). He left everything and devoted himself to the care of the sanctuary and the reception of pilgrims until his death in 1548.

Calendar 2023

Available Free. Friary Office.

29th November

All Saints of the Seraphic Order — Feast

The Church celebrates every November 29th, the many Franciscan saints who followed in the footsteps of St. Francis. It is a special day for all Franciscans to celebrate the feast of ‘All the Saints of the Seraphic Order.’
According to tradition, St. Francis of Assisi prayed the following prayer:
“O Lord Jesus Christ, two favors I beg of you before I die. The first is that I may, as far as it is possible, feel in my soul and in my body the suffering in which you, O gentle Jesus, sustained in your bitter passion. And the second favor is that I, as far as it is possible, may receive in my heart that excessive charity by which you, the Son of God, were inflamed, and which actuated you willingly to suffer so much for us sinners.”

In response to his earnest prayer, the Lord appeared in the form of a seraph, or a six-winged angel (They are usually considered the highest order of angelic beings, immediately above the Cherubim, and their special duty is to love God).

Then Jesus bestowed on St. Francis the wounds of his suffering. St. Francis had been marked with the love of Christ, the stigmata.
St. Francis died two years later in 1226, leaving the world the Franciscan Order, which became synonymous with the Seraphic Order. To this day, seraph wings and seraphs are symbolic of the Franciscan Order.

The final Rule of life for Franciscan friars was also approved on this day in 1223. To commemorate this, and all the saintly examples produced in the Franciscan Order, on this day all the saints of the Seraphic order are remembered at Franciscan Churches.

First Sunday Of Advent.

November 23rd – Feast of St Columbanus.

Memorial of the Presentation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 21st.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
King of the Universe
Sunday, November 20, 2022.
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Preface: Christ the King

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
For you anointed Your Only Begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ, with the oil of gladness
as eternal Priest and King of all creation,
so that, by offering Himself on the altar of the Cross
as a spotless sacrifice to bring us peace,
He might accomplish the mysteries of human redemption
and, making all created things subject to his rule,
He might present to the immensity of Your majesty
an eternal and universal kingdom,
a kingdom of truth and life,
a kingdom of holiness and grace,
a kingdom of justice, love and peace.
And so, with Angels and Archangels,
with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of Heaven,
we sing the hymn of Your glory,
as without end we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

November 14th – St Laurence O’Toole (1128-80).

NOVEMBER 10th – POPE ST. LEO THE GREAT.

The Church celebrates St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, today November 8th. Her spiritual mission is to help us pass through the difficulties of our time with a certain greatness of soul.

New Guardian Of Wexford Friary.

The new guardian of Franciscan Friary Wexford is Fr. Robert Cojoc, OFM Conv. Fr Robert replaces Fr Aquino Maliakkal, OFM Conv. We wish to take this opportunity to thank Fr Aquino for all his years of hard work, dedication and loyalty both to Wexford Friary and the people of Wexford. We pray for him and may God bless him always on his Priestly and Franciscan journey. Let us welcome our new Guardian Fr Robert and we pray for him everyday as he journeys on this new path and may God protect him and guide him always.

Saint Charles Borromeo
Feastday: November 4th
Patron of Bishops, Catechists, Cardinals and Seminarians.
Birth: October 2nd, 1538
Death: November 3rd, 1584
Beatified May 12th, 1602.
Canonized November 1st, 1610 by Pope Paul V.

On All Saints Day, we celebrate all saints who are in heaven, and we ask for their prayers and intercessions.

All Saints Party.
31/10/22

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid025qiAEAYwF7CtmLtNR8GLqkr1GGonQz1LkdsxDXVtw1twLfnhPhgksMho6iEx1ngBl&id=100072358749536

Terry Mc Namee

October 28th
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles.

Remembering the Great Pope and our great saint today. Feastday October 22nd.

Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist
October 18th.

16th October 2022

St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647 – 1690).
She joined the Visitation Sisters at Paray-le-Monial. She made rapid progress along the way of perfection and was given mystical visions as a result of which she worked hard to institute devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Church.

Blessed Carlo Acutis
Feast Day: October 12th. To always be close to Jesus that’s my life plan.

Blessing Of The Animals

Tuesday 4th October 2022.

Feast of St Francis.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02kiLa11fb3oJRXsekhF2VFozZ5BiZVC4JbfjbH6bDqUbaaUUULGqThj13QtEkPGstl&id=100072358749536

Feast Of St Francis.
Fr Robert Cojoc, OFM Conv., Tom Murphy, Fr Ryszard Stefaniuk, OFM Conv., Fr Terence Bateman, OFM Conv., John Beary and Paddy Beary.

Monday 3rd October

Franciscan Friary Wexford.

The Transitus of St. Francis.

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
Feast Day: October 4th.

Franciscan Friary Wexford.

Monday 3rd October 7.00 pm Transitus of St. Francis.

The Transitus of St. Francis.

Tuesday 4th October 10.00 am
Solemn Holy Mass Feast of St. Francis
Fr. Terence Bateman OFM Conv.,celebrant.

3.00 pm Blessing of the Animals.

News, Saints, Prayers and Reflections.

Saints Of The Week.

Wexford Parish Mission.

Men’s Retreat Saturday 1st October 2022
With the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Moyross, Limerick.
Fr Joseph Mary, Fr Berardino Maria, Fr Oisin and Fr. Robert Cojoc OFM Conv of the Friary Wexford.

St. Jerome, pray for us!
Feast Day: September 30th
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“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
– St. Jerome.

As part of Wexford Parish Mission ‘A Mission for All’. There will be a talk/presentation on ‘Handing on the Faith to our Children’ by Colette O’Doherty Director of Religious Education & Youth Ministry which takes place in the Talbot Hotel on Tuesday the 4th of October next at 7.00pm.

Franciscan Friary Wexford.

Monday 3rd October 7.00 pm Transitus of St. Francis.

The Transitus of St. Francis.

Tuesday 4th October 10.00 am
Solemn Holy Mass Feast of St. Francis
Fr. Terence Bateman OFM Conv.,celebrant.

3.00 pm Blessing of the Animals.

Tomorrow September 23rd 2022.

Mass was celebrated by Fr Aquino Maliakkal OFM Conv and Fr James Cullen last Wednesday Feast of “The Exaltation of the Holy Cross”. Blessing of the Stations by Fr Aquino Maliakkal OFM Conv, Father Robert Cojoc OFM Conv and Father James Cullen.T

Restoration of the “Stations of the Cross”
-Margaret Beary.

Photography

-Terry Mc Namee.

New Stations of the Cross in Friary Wexford.

Come visit and reflect on any of the burdens, concerns indeed crosses that are on your heart.
As we move through the stations of the cross let us become aware of Christ’s suffering, his pain, his love for us.
That this act of love breaks free our suffering as we know we are not alone—Jesus is right there with us, strengthening us.
Along the way if you feel the freedom to leave down your worries you are encouraged to do so.
Our stations of the cross are journeying with Jesus to his death and resurrection through the eyes of Mary his mother.
And so we begin our pilgrim journey, walking in an alert, quiet and reflecting way paying attention to our inner selves, the place where our God dwells.

New Stations Of The Cross.

Terry Mc Namee

SEPTEMBER 17: Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis.

Saint Francis imitated Christ so perfectly that towards the end of his life our Lord wished to point him out to the world as the faithful imitator of the Crucified, by imprinting His five wounds upon his body.
Two years before his death, when, according to his custom, Saint Francis had repaired to Mt La Verna to spend the 40 days preceding the feast of St. Michael the Archangel in prayer and fasting, and there this wonderful event took place.
On the feast of the Stigmata of St Francis, 17 September 1983, St John Paul II came as a pilgrim to Mount La Verna in Tuscany. There in the holy place were Francis encountered the Crucified Christ in such a profound way, the Pope pray this beautiful prayer:
O St Francis, stigmatized on La Verna, the world longs for you, that icon of the crucified Jesus. It has need of your heart, open to God and to others; of your bare, wounded feet, of your pierced hands raised in supplication. It longs for your voice so frail yet forceful with the power of the Gospel. Francis, help the people of this age to recognise the evil of sin and to seek purification from it in penance. Help them to become free from the very structures of sin that oppress today’s society. Rekindle in the consciousness of those in government an urgent need for peace between nations and peoples. Instil in young people your freshness of life that is capable of withstanding the snares of the many cultures of death. To those injured by every type of evil teach, O Francis, the joy of being able to forgive. To all those crucified by suffering, hunger and war, reopen the doors of hope. Amen.

Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary
Feast Day: September 12th
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Litany of the Holy Name of Mary

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Son of Mary, hear us.
Son of Mary, graciously hear us.

Heavenly Father, of Whom Mary is the Daughter, have mercy on us.
Eternal Word, of Whom Mary is the Mother, have mercy on us.
Holy Spirit, of Whom Mary is the spouse, have mercy on us.
Divine Trinity, of Whom Mary is the Handmaid, have mercy on us.

Mary, Mother of the Living God, pray for us
Mary, daughter of the Light Eternal, pray for us
Mary, our light, pray for us
Mary, our sister, pray for us
Mary, flower of Jesse, pray for us
Mary, issue of kings, pray for us
Mary, chief work of God, pray for us
Mary, the beloved of God, pray for us
Mary, Immaculate Virgin, pray for us
Mary, all fair, pray for us
Mary, light in darkness, pray for us
Mary, our sure rest, pray for us
Mary, house of God, pray for us
Mary, sanctuary of the Lord, pray for us
Mary, altar of the Divinity, pray for us
Mary, Virgin Mother, pray for us
Mary, embracing your Infant God, pray for us
Mary, reposing with Eternal Wisdom, pray for us
Mary, ocean of bitterness, pray for us
Mary, Star of the Sea, pray for us
Mary, suffering with your only Son, pray for us
Mary, pierced with a sword of sorrow, pray for us
Mary, torn with a cruel wound, pray for us
Mary, sorrowful even unto death, pray for us
Mary, bereft of all consolation, pray for us
Mary, submissive to the law of God, pray for us
Mary, standing by the Cross of Jesus, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady, pray for us
Mary, Our Queen, pray for us
Mary, Queen of glory, pray for us
Mary glory of the Church Triumphant, pray for us
Mary, Blessed Queen, pray for us
Mary, advocate of the Church Militant, pray for us
Mary, Queen of Mercy, pray for us
Mary, consoler of the Church Suffering, pray for us
Mary, exalted above the angels,
Mary, crowned with twelve stars, pray for us
Mary, fair as the moon, pray for us
Mary, bright as the sun, pray for us
Mary, distinguished above all, pray for us
Mary, seated at the right hand of Jesus, pray for us
Mary, our hope, pray for us
Mary, our sweetness, pray for us
Mary, glory of Jerusalem, pray for us
Mary, joy of Israel, pray for us
Mary, honor of our people, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Czestochowa, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Dolors, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Victory, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of La Trappe, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Divine Providence, pray for us

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord Jesus.

Son of Mary, hear us.
Son of Mary, graciously hear us.

I will declare your name unto my brethren.
I will praise you in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Us Pray

O Almighty God, Who beholds Thy servants earnestly desiring to place themselves under the shadow of the name and protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, grant, we beseech You, that by her charitable intercession, we may be delivered from all evil on earth, and may arrive at everlasting joys in Heaven, through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

It is with great sadness that we bring you the news that Fr. Florian has returned to his loving God. He died from a motor accident yesterday afternoon.
Please keep his family and the Franciscan community in Rossnowlagh Donegal in your prayers please. May he rest in peace.Funeral details to follow.

As we celebrate the feast of Our Lady’s Birthday, let us honour her with this prayer 🙏.

Saint John Eudes

Saint of the Day for August 19th.

(November 14th, 1601 – August 19th, 1680).

Happy Birthday, Saint Anthony of Padua
15th August.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Monday August 15th 2022
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Almighty ever-living God, Who assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of your Son, body and soul into heavenly glory, grant, we pray, that, always attentive to the things that are above, we may merit to be sharers of her glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

From today on, the Church desires to address as “Saint” a man who was granted the grace of carrying out these words of the Redeemer in an absolutely literal manner.

The Church has venerated Father Maximilian as “Blessed” since 1971. By laying down his life for a brother, he made himself like Christ.

Gathered today before the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, we wish to express the special value which Father Maximilian Kolbe’s death by martyrdom has in the eyes of God.

Immaculate Virgin Inspired His Life

God Found Him Worthy of Himself

What happened in the starvation bunker in the concentration camp at Oswiecim (Auschwitz) on August 14, 1941?

This life is the fruit of death like Christ’s death. Glory is the sharing of his resurrection. So what happened in the starvation bunker, on August 14, 1941?

There were fulfilled the words spoken by Christ to the Apostles that they “should go and bear fruit and that their fruit should abide” (John 15:16).

In a marvelous way the fruit of the tragic death of Maximilian Kolbe endures in the Church and the world!

In Their Minds It Was Not “Death”

Maximilian’s Death a Sign of Victory

And so, in virtue of my apostolic authority, I have decreed that Maximilian Maria Kolbe-who after his Beatification was venerated as a Confessor-shall henceforeward be venerated also as a Martyr!

“Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones!” Amen.

Saint of the Day for August 11th

(July 16, 1194 – August 11, 1253)

Saint Clare of Assisi.

Feast of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr.

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

Saint of the Day for August 9th

(October 12, 1891 – August 9, 1942)

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross was a brilliant philosopher who stopped believing in God when she was 14, Edith Stein was so captivated by reading the autobiography of Teresa of Avila that she began a spiritual journey that led to her baptism in 1922. Twelve years later she imitated St. Teresa by becoming a Carmelite, taking the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

Born into a prominent Jewish family in Breslau, Germany–now Wroclaw, Poland–Edith abandoned Judaism in her teens. As a student at the University of Göttingen, she became fascinated by phenomenology, an approach to philosophy. Excelling as a protégé of Edmund Husserl, one of the leading phenomenologists, Edith earned a doctorate in philosophy in 1916. She continued as a university teacher until 1922 when she moved to a Dominican school in Speyer; her appointment as lecturer at the Educational Institute of Munich ended under pressure from the Nazis.

After living for four years in the Cologne Carmel, Sr. Teresa Benedicta moved to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands, in 1938. The Nazis occupied that country in 1940. In retaliation for being denounced by the Dutch bishops, the Nazis arrested all Dutch Jews who had become Christians. Teresa Benedicta and her sister Rosa, also a Catholic, died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz on August 9th, 1942.

Pope John Paul II beatified Teresa Benedicta of the Cross in 1987, and canonized her 12 years later.

St Dominic.

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
August 6th.

Feast of Our Lady of the Angels: The Blessing of the Portiuncula.

Feast of Our Lady of the Angels, the patronal feast of the Portiuncula Chapel in Assisi whichSt. Francis rebuilt.

Saint Peter Julian Eymard.

July 29th: Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus.

To stress the family spirit of the home in Bethany where Jesus loved to stay, Pope Francis has established the memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, replacing the previous memorial of Saint Martha.

Memorial of Blessed Titus Brandsma, July 27th.

Saint James the Apostle

Saint of the Day for July 25th.

July 2022.

https://www.thegreyfriars.org/the-golden-thread-magazine?fbclid=IwAR3v_UEkejO7lu7Tsj7jQhp4R8b9O4LzaMtkxc4e_GtR7htNcMyi3Dpx3E0

St. Lawrence of Brindisi.

July 19th is the anniversary of Our Lady’s appearance to St. Catherine Laboure, whom she commissioned to make known the Miraculous Medal.

For a retelling of this account: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/st-catherine-laboure-and-the-miraculous-medal-5667

The sisters from Belarus visited the Friary Wexford and were selling religious items after 11am mass in the Friary Wexford,16th July 2022, to help them with their mission in Belarus, we pray for them. May God bless them all.

A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendour of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succour me in this necessity; there are none that can withstand your power.
O, show me herein you are my Mother, O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. (3 times)
Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (3 times).

Our Lady Of Mount Carmel. Pray For Us.

PRESS RELEASE

Bishop Ger Nash, Bishop of Ferns has made the following appointments within the Diocese.

Fr Jim Doyle C.C. Cathedral Enniscorthy has been appointed Chaplain, Irish College Paris and to pursue further studies at the Institut Catholique, Paris. The appointment is for a three year period.
Fr Danny McDonald, PP Marshalstown and Castledockrell to retire.

The parishes of St Aidan’s, Enniscorthy, St Senan’s Enniscorthy and the parish and curacy of Marshalstown and Castledockrell to be assigned to the pastoral care of a team of three priests. Frs Tom Dalton, Paddy Banville and Billy Caulfield.
Fr Billy Caulfield, C.C. Galbally will join the team and reside in the Manse, Enniscorthy.
Fr Paddy Banville, Adm, St Senan’s will join the team and reside in Marshalstown.
Fr Tom Dalton, Adm. St Aidan’s will join the team and remain in the Manse, Enniscorthy
Fr Michael Byrne P.P. Bree will assume the pastoral care of the curacy of Galbally and Ballyhoge.
The appointments will take effect from Monday, August 15th 2022.

Bishop Ger on behalf of the Diocese thanked all of the priests involved for their ministry and work in various parishes and roles over the past years. He wished Fr Jim every success in his new appointment and in his studies.

He thanked Frs Tom, Paddy & Billy for their willingness to enter into a new structure of ministry for the Diocese. Priests working together as team should provide an opportunity for priests to focus on those areas of ministry which are life enhancing for them while at the same time providing an effective ministry to the people in the pastoral area when it is no longer possible to provide a priest for each parish or curacy.

Bishop Ger also thanked Fr Danny McDonald for his lifetime of ministry as teacher and parish priest and wished him many long, happy and healthy years in retirement.

In announcing these new appointments Bishop Ger is conscious of the effect this new form of team ministry will have on the people of the parishes. He thanked the lay ministers and people who support the work of the parish and encouraged them to continue their vital roles in building up the family of God in their locality.

Terry Mc Namee

Saint Bonaventure.

Saint of the Day for July 15th
(1221 – July 15, 1274).

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha.

Saint of the Day for July 14th

(1656 – April 17, 1680)

St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

St. Benedict of Nursia.

July 5th, St Anthony Mary Zaccarias, Priest,
(1502 – 1539).

Anthony was a deeply devout medical doctor who was called by God to the priesthood. He spent his short life between the cities of Cremona and Milan.

He burned brightly with evangelical fervour and apostolic zeal for souls.

Legionaries from Dublin doing a visitation in Wexford. Please pray for the success of this mission. This is called a Deus et Patria project.

Feast of St. Anthony, Friary Wexford and Wexford Corpus Christi procession. This weeks Irish Catholic.

Feast of Corpus Christi. June 19th 2022.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3238117226468750&type=3

Feast of St. Anthony. Monday June 13th

Friary Wexford.

www.facebook.com/2218442991769517/posts/pfbid031RkXMG7S87smongGF27DKWhdgqAdAiGSCWbqMcT72m3gmxLVWnho6fH17K1zgfqPl/?d=n

Terry Mc Namee

Birthday remembrance of the great Saint Padre Pio (Francesco Forgione) who was born to Giuseppa and Grazio Forgione, in the small farming town of Pietrelcina, Italy on May 25th, 1887.

Saint Bernardine of Siena.

Saint of the Day for May 20th.

Saint Bernadine of Siena
(September 8th, 1380 – May 20th, 1444).

Parish Faith Representatives being commissioned by Bishop Ger Nash in St. Aidan’s Cathedral, Wednesday 18th May.

Today, May 17th we celebrate the feast of Saint Paschal Baylon (1540-1592), mystic, known for his profound devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

While Saint Paschal never became a priest, he is the saint most often thought of in relation to the Holy Eucharist, and Pope Leo XIII declared him the patron saint of Eucharistic Congresses and associations.

Paschal Baylon (named after the day of his birth: Pentecost Sunday—Pascha Pentekostes) was born in Arragon, Spain. As a child, he would spend long hours in prayer and spent his days in the fields, tending the sheep, earning money for his family.

His solitary job in the fields, however, provided him with ample opportunity for quiet contemplation and prayer, which he embraced. However, Paschal realized the
importance of education, and slowly over his 17 years in the fields, taught himself to read with the help of kind strangers.

He travelled from church to church, always on foot, visiting and praying before the Blessed Sacrament, referring to his encounters with “the real presence of Jesus” in these moments.
Many miracles are attributed to Saint Paschal, including creating fresh-flowing streams by striking the ground, healing, and miraculous charity. Saint Paschal also experienced mystical visions.

When he was 24, Saint Paschal applied to become a lay brother in the Franciscan Order. Saint Paschal was a holy presence for his brothers in the monastery.
Despite his limited education, he was sought out for counsel by wealthy leaders and the poor alike. He became known for his charity, giving away all that he had.

The “servant of the Eucharist,” as he was commonly called, died May 17th, Pentecost Sunday, in 1592. His tomb at the Royal Chapel in Villareal, Valencia, Spain immediately became the object of innumerable pilgrimages, even by the king and the nobles of Spain.
Paschal was canonized in 1690 and was named patron of Eucharistic Congresses and societies in 1897.

St. Paschal, pray for us.

Procession in Honour Of Our Lady.

14th May 2022.

Prayer to Our Lady of Fatima.

O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of the most holy Rosary, you were pleased to appear to the children of Fatima and reveal a glorious message. We implore you, inspire in our hearts a fervent love for the recitation of the Rosary. By meditating on the mysteries of the redemption that are recalled therein may we obtain the graces and virtues that we ask, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE 2022 WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS SUNDAY MAY 8TH.

https://nrvc.net/article/download/15674/2022-world-day-of-prayer-for-vocations-message.pdf?view=true

St. Joseph the Worker, pray for us!
Feast: May 1st.

Today is the beautiful feast of Our Mother of Good Counsel. Let us invoke Our Lady under this important title, often!

Let us pray
Lord Jesus, Author and Dispenser of all good, Who in becoming incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Virgin hast communicated to Her lights above those of all the Heavenly intelligences, grant that in honoring Her under the title of Our Mother of Good Counsel, we may merit always to receive from Her goodness, counsels of wisdom and salvation, which will conduct us to the port of a blessed eternity. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
Amen.

ST MARK THE EVANGELIST,
FEAST DAY: APRIL 25th

O Glorious St Mark,
through the grace of God
our Father, you became
a great Evangelist, preaching
the Good News of Christ.

May you help us to know Him
well, so that we may
faithfully live our lives
as followers of Christ.
Amen.

The Second Sunday of Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday.
––––––––––––––
More information on the Divine Mercy Devotion:

www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/divine-mercy-12705

He is risen, Alleluia!

May the Light of the Risen Lord brighten your hearts and your lives.

Wishing you and all your loved ones a very Happy Easter.

Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence and stillness. As we await the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord.

Prayer Meditation for Good Friday

My Most Glorious and Suffering Lord, it is Your Hour. It is the Hour by which You conquered sin and death. It is the Hour for which You came into this world, taking on flesh so as to offer Your precious life for the salvation of the world.

May I be with You, dear Lord, in these moments of suffering and death. May I, like Your Mother, John and Mary Magdalene, stand at the foot of the Cross, gazing upon the perfect Gift of Love.

My suffering Lord, may I see in Your Cross the most perfect act ever known in this world. May I see Love in its most pure form. May my eyes and soul look beyond the blood and pain and see Your Divine Heart, pouring forth Mercy upon me and upon the whole world.

Today I kneel in silent adoration of You, my God. I sit quietly, beholding the great mystery of our faith. I behold God, beaten, bruised, mocked, tortured and killed. But in this act, I see all grace and Mercy flowing from Your wounded Heart. Bathe the world in Your Mercy, dear Lord. Cover us with Your grace and draw us to new life through Your death. I love You, dear Lord. I love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.

Way of the Cross with Fr. Ryszard Stefaniuk OFM Conv.

Lk 22:14—23:56
When the hour came,
Jesus took his place at table with the apostles.
He said to them,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again
until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said,
“Take this and share it among yourselves;
for I tell you that from this time on
I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes.”
Then he took the bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body, which will be given for you;
do this in memory of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which will be shed for you.

“And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me
is with me on the table;
for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined;
but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.”
And they began to debate among themselves
who among them would do such a deed.

Then an argument broke out among them
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
He said to them,
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them
and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’;
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who serves.
It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one on me,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded
to sift all of you like wheat,
but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers.”
He said to him,
“Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.”
But he replied,
“I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day,
you will deny three times that you know me.”

He said to them,
“When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals,
were you in need of anything?”
“No, nothing, “ they replied.
He said to them,
“But now one who has a money bag should take it,
and likewise a sack,
and one who does not have a sword
should sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me,
namely, He was counted among the wicked;
and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment.”
Then they said,
“Lord, look, there are two swords here.”
But he replied, “It is enough!”

Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he said to them,
“Pray that you may not undergo the test.”
After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done.”
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples,
he found them sleeping from grief.
He said to them, “Why are you sleeping?
Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.”

While he was still speaking, a crowd approached
and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas.
He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him,
“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”
And one of them struck the high priest’s servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
“Stop, no more of this!”
Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards
and elders who had come for him,
“Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
Day after day I was with you in the temple area,
and you did not seize me;
but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.”

After arresting him they led him away
and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it,
and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said,
“This man too was with him.”
But he denied it saying,
“Woman, I do not know him.”
A short while later someone else saw him and said,
“You too are one of them”;
but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.”
About an hour later, still another insisted,
“Assuredly, this man too was with him,
for he also is a Galilean.”
But Peter said,
“My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.”
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,
how he had said to him,
“Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”
He went out and began to weep bitterly.
The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
“Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?”
And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.

When day came the council of elders of the people met,
both chief priests and scribes,
and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us, “
but he replied to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe,
and if I question, you will not respond.
But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated
at the right hand of the power of God.”
They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
He replied to them, “You say that I am.”
Then they said, “What further need have we for testimony?
We have heard it from his own mouth.”

Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
“We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here.”

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, “You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”

But all together they shouted out,
“Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us.”
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Pilate addressed them a third time,
“What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.

As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
‘Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.’
At that time people will say to the mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”;
and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
“This man was innocent beyond doubt.”
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.
Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the council,
had not consented to their plan of action.
He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea
and was awaiting the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
After he had taken the body down,
he wrapped it in a linen cloth
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
in which no one had yet been buried.
It was the day of preparation,
and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind,
and when they had seen the tomb
and the way in which his body was laid in it,
they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.

Or
Lk 23:1-49

The elders of the people, chief priests and scribes,
arose and brought Jesus before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
“We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here.”

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

April 7th – St John Baptist De La Salle (1651-1719).

April 4th – St Isidore of Seville (560-636).

Men’s Rosary on Wexford Quay today
with Fr Roger O‘Neill. (2/4/2022).

Today marks the 17th anniversary of the death of Saint Pope John Paul II, who passed away on April 2nd,2005.
May he intercede for us and guide our way back to God, especially during this troubling time.

Prayer to St. John Paul II

Oh, St. John Paul, from the window of heaven, grant us your blessing! Bless the church that you loved and served and guided, courageously leading it along the paths of the world in order to bring Jesus to everyone and everyone to Jesus. Bless the young, who were your great passion. Help them dream again, help them look up high again to find the light that illuminates the paths of life here on earth.

May you bless families, bless each family! You warned of Satan’s assault against this precious and indispensable divine spark that God lit on earth. St. John Paul, with your prayer, may you protect the family and every life that blossoms from the family.

Pray for the whole world, which is still marked by tensions, wars and disease and injustice. You tackled war by invoking dialogue and planting the seeds of love: pray for us so that we may be tireless sowers of peace.

Oh St. John Paul, from heaven’s window, where we see you next to Mary, send God’s blessing down upon us all. Amen.

St. Berthold of Mt. Carmel. 29th March.

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Friday, March 25th, 2022.

Friary Easter Masses and Confession times.

EASTER CONFESSIONS 2022

(Confessions will be heard in the Church Transept)

Monday 11th April 2022:
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Fr. Aquino)

Tuesday 12th April 2022:
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Fr. Robert)
3.00 p.m to 05:00 p.m. (Fr. Aquino)

Wednesday 13st April 2022:
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Fr. Robert)
3.00 p.m to 05:00 p.m. (Fr. Aquino)

Thursday 14st April 2022:
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Fr. Robert)
3.00 p.m to 05:00 p.m. (Fr. Aquino)

Friday 15th April 2022:
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Fr. Robert)
[ Afternoon no confessions ]

Saturday 16th April 2021:
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Fr. Aquino)
3.30 p.m to 04:30 p.m. (Fr. Robert)

April Monday 18th to Saturday 23rd
No Confessions
Normal schedule resume on Monday 25th April
Wish You all a Blessed and Holy Easter 2022.

EASTER MASSES 2022

(Franciscan Friary Wexford)

Holy Thursday 14th April 2022:
Morning Prayer and Divine Mercy: 10.00 am.
Mass of the Lord’s Supper: Polish 6.30 pm. English 7.30 pm.

[ Transept will remain open until midnight for Adoration ]

Good Friday 15th April 2022:
Morning Prayer and Divine Mercy: 10:00 a.m.
Celebration of the Lord’s passion: 3.00 pm English
5.00 pm Indian
7.00 pm Polish

Holy Saturday 16th April 2022:
Morning Prayer and Divine Mercy: 10:30 a.m.
Divine Mercy and Blessing of the Food Polish Community: 3.00 pm.
Easter Vigil: 9.00 pm English [ In the Friary ]
11.00 pm Polish

Easter Sunday 17th April 2022:
Masses: 8.00 a.m. and 10:45 am. English
9.00 am Indian
12.00 pm Polish

April Monday 18th to Friday 22nd 10.00 am. Mass only.
Saturday and Sunday Mass as Normal.
No Confessions
Normal schedule resume on Monday 25th April
Wish You all a Blessed and Holy Easter 2022.

FEAST OF SAINT ENDA OF ARAN, ABBOT
FEAST DAY – 21st MARCH.

Grant us, O Lord, that amid the uncertainties of this world we may cling with all our heart to the things of heaven, for through the Abbot Blessed Enda, you have given us a model of evangelical perfection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lk 13:1-9
Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that by Saint Joseph’s intercession
your Church may constantly watch over
the unfolding of the mysteries of human salvation,
whose beginnings you entrusted to his faithful care.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary, honours the foster-father of Jesus, St. Joseph. He is the patron saint of fathers, families, workers, and the Church. His main celebration falls on March 19th. The feast of St. Joseph the Worker falls on May 1st.

Let us pray
that the Church will continue
the saving work of Christ.
Father,
You entrusted our Savior to the care of St. Joseph,
By the help of his prayers
may the Church continue to serve its Lord,
Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Joseph,
virgin-father of Jesus,
most pure Spouse of the Virgin Mary,
pray every day for us to the same Jesus,
the Son of God,
that we,
being defended by the power of His grace
and striving dutifully in life,
may be crowned by Him
at the Hour of death. Amen.

Welcome to the new home of The Golden Thread Magazine, by The Greyfriars. The Friars Minor Conventual, Catholic men dedicated to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the spirit of St Francis of Assisi.

https://www.thegreyfriars.org/the-golden-thread-magazine

March 18th – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386).

Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25th.The consecration will be made in St Peter’s Basilica at 4pm local time and will be replicated at the same moment by the Pope’s envoy to Fatima.

Mt 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Eight new members were professsd this evening in the Third Order of Saint Francis. During mass and profession ceremony.

St. Frances of Rome.

A commentary of St Augustine on Psalm 60
(Second Reading from the Office of Readings
for the 1st Sunday of Lent)
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
In Christ we suffered temptation,
and in him we overcame the Devil
–––––––––––
Hear, O God, my petition, listen to my prayer. Who is speaking? An individual, it seems. See if it is an individual: I cried out to you from the ends of the earth while my heart was in anguish. Now it is no longer one person; rather, it is one in the sense that Christ is one, and we are all his members. What single individual can cry from the ends of the earth? The one who cries from the ends of the earth is none other than the Son’s inheritance. It was said to him: Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations as your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as your possession. This possession of Christ, this inheritance of Christ, this body of Christ, this one Church of Christ, this unity that we are, cries from the ends of the earth. What does it cry? What I said before: Hear, O God, my petition, listen to my prayer; I cried out to you from the ends of the earth.’ That is, I made this cry to you from the ends of the earth; that is, on all sides.
Why did I make this cry? While my heart was in anguish. The speaker shows that he is present among all the nations of the earth in a condition, not of exalted glory but of severe trial.
Our pilgrimage on earth cannot be exempt from trial. We progress by means of trial. No one knows himself except through trial, or receives a crown except after victory, or strives except against an enemy or temptations.
The one who cries from the ends of the earth is in anguish, but is not left on his own. Christ chose to foreshadow us, who are his body, by means of his body, in which he has died, risen and ascended into heaven, so that the members of his body may hope to follow where their head has gone before.
He made us one with him when he chose to be tempted by Satan. We have heard in the gospel how the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Certainly Christ was tempted by the devil. In Christ you were tempted, for Christ received his flesh from your nature, but by his own power gained salvation for you; he suffered death in your nature, but by his own power gained glory for you; therefore, he suffered temptation in your nature, but by his own power gained victory for you.
If in Christ we have been tempted, in him we overcome the devil. Do you think only of Christ’s temptations and fail to think of his victory? See yourself as tempted in him, and see yourself as victorious in him. He could have kept the devil from himself; but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation.

Shrove Tuesday.

Blessed Feast of St. David of Wales.

St. David of Wales, pray for us!

The Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle
Feast day February 22nd.

Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto.

February 17th – Seven Servite Founders (1233-1310).

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Feast Day: February 11th.

ST. SCHOLASTICA.

On International Day of Prayer & Awareness against Human Trafficking we celebrate the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, born in Darfur, southern Sudan, enslaved at the age of nine. May all who are victims today know their voice is heard.

St. Agatha.

Glorious St Blaise
O Glorious Saint Blaise,
who by thy martyrdom
has left to the Church a precious witness to the faith,
obtain for us the grace to
preserve within ourselves this divine gift,
and to defend, without human respect,
both by word and example,
the truth of that same faith,
which is so wickedly attacked
and slandered in these our times.
You who miraculously cured
a little child when it was at the point of death
by reason of an affliction of the throat,
grant us your powerful protection in like misfortunes;
and, above all, obtain for us
the grace of repentance,
together with a faithful observance of our Church,
and avoidance from offending Almighty God. Amen.

Throat Blessing of St Blaise
Through the intercession of St Blaise, bishop and martyr,
may God deliver you from ailments of the throat
and from every other evil.
† In the Name of the Father, and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. †

… St Blaise, Pray for Us …

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 2nd.

February 1st, Feast of St Brigid (Naomh Bríd), Religious, Patroness of Ireland (451 – 525 AD).

Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.
Amen.

St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!
Feast Day: January 28th.

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul:
January 25th.

St Francis de Sales (1567 – 1622)
He was born near Annecy, in Savoy, studied the law, and was ordained to the priesthood despite the opposition of his father. His first mission was to re-evangelize the people of his home district (the Chablais), who had gone over to Calvinism. Always in danger of his life from hostile Calvinists, he preached with such effectiveness that after four years most of the people had returned to the Church. He was then appointed bishop of Geneva, and spent the rest of his life reforming and reorganising the diocese, and in caring for the souls of his people by preaching and spiritual guidance.
St Francis taught that we can all attain a devout and spiritual life, whatever our position in society: holiness is not reserved for monks and hermits alone. He wrote that “religious devotion does not destroy: it perfects,” and his spiritual counsel is dedicated to making people more holy by making them more themselves. In his preaching against Calvinism he was driven by love rather than a desire to win: so much so, that it was a Calvinist minister who said “if we honoured anyone as a saint, I know of no-one since the days of the Apostles more worthy of it than this man.”
St Francis is the patron saint of writers and journalists, who would do well to imitate his love and his moderation: as he said, “whoever wants to preach effectively must preach with love.”

January 22nd – St Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850).

St Anthony The Abbot (251 – 356)

St Anthony is the originator of the monastic life. He was born in Egypt: when his parents died, he listened to the words of the Gospel and gave all his belongings to the poor. He went out into the wilderness to begin a life of penitence, living in absolute poverty, praying, meditating, and supporting himself by manual work. He suffered many temptations, both physical and spiritual, but he overcame them. Disciples gathered round him, attracted by his wisdom, moderation, and holiness. He gave support to the victims of the persecutions of Diocletian, and helping St Athanasius in his fight against the Arians. He lived to be over a hundred years old, and died in 356.
The Gospels are full of wise sayings of Jesus that seem to be ignored, and one of the most poignant of these was in his meeting with that young man who asked over and over again, insistently, “What must I do to have eternal life?”. When, in the end, Jesus told him that if he wanted to be perfect he would have to sell all that he had and give the money to the poor, the young man went away, sorrowing; because he was very rich. What could be more of a waste than that? You tell someone what he has to do, and he is afraid to do it. And yet… 250 years later, St Anthony hears the story, and does give away all that he has, and becomes the founder of monasticism. And then again, over 1,000 years later, St Francis of Assisi hears the story, and gives away his possessions (and some of his father’s) and revolutionises Christianity again.
Not all the words that we speak are forgotten, even though we cannot see their effects ourselves. Let us pray that those unknown effects may always be good ones.

January 16th.
Today in Franciscan History
POPE PIUS XII ISSUED THE LETTER
‘EXULTA LUSITANIA FELIX’ WHICH DECLARED ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA AS DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

St Anthony – Doctor of The Church

January 15th.
St Ita, Virgin. Ita was born in County Waterford of noble and Christian parents. Early on she set her mind on serving Christ in religious life. She founded a monastery in Killeedy, County Limerick, which attracted a variety of young people. She was given the title ‘foster-mother of the saints of Ireland’. She died in 570.

Novena Prayer to St Aidan Patron of the Diocese of Ferns.

Novena begins on 21st January.

Thursday 13th January 2022

St Hilary of Poitiers.
Hilary was born at the beginning of the fourth century. He was elected Bishop of Poitiers in 350. He fought strongly against Arianism and was exiled by the Emperor Constantius. His works are full of wisdom and learning, directed to the strengthening of the Catholic faith and the right interpretation of Scripture. He died in 367. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1851.

The Baptism of the Lord
Sunday, January 9th, 2022.

First Friday. January 7th.

January 7th – St Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275)

St Raymond of Penafort, Priest, Religious. Born about 1175 near Barcelona (Spain), a brilliant lawyer and at the age of 47 became a canon of the cathedral and joined the Dominican Order, eventually being elected their master general. Noted for his knowledge of canon law, especially in its application to the sacrament of penance. Raymond died in 1275.

The Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

St John Neumann (1811 – 1860)
He was born in Bohemia and studied for the priesthood. He went to the United States and was ordained in New York in 1836. He was consecrated Bishop of Philadephia in 1852 and died there in 1860.

January 3rd
Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

Feast of St Munchin.

Lord God,

may the light which brightened the world at the birth of Christ your Son

continue, we beseech you, to overcome all darkness,

and, by the prayers of Saint Munchin,

may it guide our steps into the way of peace.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

JANUARY 2nd – BIRTHDAY OF ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX.

Today, with joy and thanksgiving we remember the 148th birth anniversary of our beloved St. Therese. Happy Birthday, St. Therese of The Child Jesus, pray for us!

“THÉRÈSE MARTIN was born at Alençon, France on 2nd January 1873. Two days later, she was baptized Marie Frances Thérèse at Notre Dame Church. Her parents were Louis Martin and Zélie Guérin. After the death of her mother on 28th August 1877, Thérèse and her family moved to Lisieux.”

The Octave Day of Christmas &
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Mother of God:
Saturday, January 1st 2022.

Feast of the Holy Innocents:
December 28th.

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 27th.

Feast of the Holy Family
of Jesus, Mary and Joseph:
Sunday, December 26th 2021.

December 26th
Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr.

https://fb.watch/a67xIDXZ3N/

Terry Mc Namee

Fourth Sunday of Advent.

“As we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

St. John of the Cross, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 14th.

St. Lucy.
Feastday December 13th.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 12th.

The Third Sunday of Advent:
(Gaudete Sunday)
Sunday, December 12, 2021.

This Sunday is Gaudete Sunday:
The Third Sunday of Advent.

St. Juan Diego, pray for us!

Feast Day: December 9th

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474 – 1548)

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
December 8th.

St. Ambrose, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 7th.

St. Nicholas, pray for us!
Feast Day: December 6th.

Lk 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

December 3rd – St Francis Xavier (1506-52),
Jesuit missionary.

St Edmund Campion (1540-81) Jesuit priest and martyr.

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena.

It is piously believed that whoever recites the St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer fifteen times each day from the feast of St. Andrew (November 30th) until Christmas Eve will obtain the favor requested.
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Saint Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
in which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires
(here mention your request)
through the merits
of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His blessed Mother.
Amen.

Sr M Pius Flannery, died 27th November at 8pm, she was a much loved Perpetual Adoration Sister, in her 84th year of life.
Former Mother Superior, she loved meeting people at the door of the convent and praying for their intentions 🙏🙏🙏 may she be rewarded for her prayers and kindness to so many.

She worked in the altar bread room for many years and was a former Mercy Sister.

Funeral Mass in the Church of the Assumption Bride St (where she prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament for hundreds of hours) at 2pm on Monday 29th November. Burial in the Adoration cemetery in the convent grounds.

So, prepare this Advent to receive Christ as though He were coming for the first time. Make this Christmas a celebration of the birth of Our Savior and the great gift of faith we have received. By striving to live in the presence of Christ during Advent, we will receive the best present of all — Our Savior.

November 27th is the Feast of the Miraculous Medal.

November 23rd – Feast of St Columbanus.

ST CECILIA.

The death has occurred of James (Jim) Somers
School Street, Wexford Town
November 21, 2021,
James (Jim), beloved husband and father of the recently deceased Pearl and Jim, father of Carmel, John, Julie, Dan, Nicholas, Collette, Pearlie, Gabriel, Larry, and the late Baby Francis; sadly missed by his family, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, extended family, relatives and friends.
R. I. P.
House and funeral strictly private.
You are welcome to join in the celebration of Jim’s funeral Mass on Tuesday at 10am on
www.wexfordparish.com
Rowe Street.

Due to recent HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings, those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, can leave a personal message in the ‘condolence’ link below.

https://rip.ie/death-notice/james-jim-somers-wexford-town-wexford/476825

A great human being, a man of principle, gentle and kind hearted man and our best friend for 30 years. Just left us for eternal life. May his gentle soul Rest In Peace. We remember him this morning, thoughts and prayers for his family this day. We will miss you Jim.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
King of the Universe
Sunday, November 21 2021
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Preface: Christ the King

November 18th – Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul.

St Albert the Great (1206 – 1280)
He was born at Lauingen on the Danube, in Germany, and studied at Padua and Paris before entering the Dominican Order. He taught in a number of places including the University of Paris, where St Thomas Aquinas studied under him.
He was one of the greatest philosophers of the Middle Ages. In 1260 the Pope made him Bishop of Regensburg, a post that he held for three years before resigning it. He made great efforts to secure peace between people and between cities. He died at Cologne in 1280.

November 14th – St Laurence O’Toole (1128-80).

On November 13th we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.

Saint Martin of Tours.

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints announces the date for the canonization of Charles de Foucauld and six other Blesseds.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2021-11/charles-de-foucauld-blesseds-canonization-15-may.html

November 9th
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (c.324)

The Lateran Basilica was built by the Emperor Constantine on the Lateran Hill in Rome in about 324. The feast of its dedication has been celebrated in Rome on this date since the twelfth century. In honour of the basilica, “the mother and head of all the churches of the City and the World,” the feast has been extended to the whole Roman Rite as a sign of unity and love towards the See of Peter, which, as St Ignatius of Antioch said in the second century, “presides over the whole assembly of charity.”

The Church celebrates St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, today November 8th. Her spiritual mission is to help us pass through the difficulties of our time with a certain greatness of soul.

Remembrance of the dead for the month of November.

St. Martin de Porres. Feastday November 3rd.

All Souls Day.

All Saints in Heaven, pray for us!
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Solemnity of All Saints: November 1st.

October 28th
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles.

Night Prayer.

St. Anthony Mary Claret.

St John of Capistrano (1386 – 1456)

He was born in Capistrano in the Abruzzi in 1386. He studied law at Perugia and for some time held the office of a judge. He joined the Friars Minor and was ordained. He travelled throughout Germany, Poland, Transylvania, Moldavia, and Russia, leading an apostolic life, strengthening Christian morals and combating heresy.

Remembering the Great Pope and our great saint today. Feastday October 22nd.

Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist
October 18th.

ST GERARD MAJELLA, REDEMPTORIST

(1726—1755)

FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 16TH.

St Teresa of Jesus, Doctor of the Church and Carmelite nun. Born at Avila (Spain) in 1515; died at Alba de Tormes in 1582. Left her aristocratic family for the Carmelite monastery in Avila at the age of twenty, but only after two decades of dryness in prayer felt an inner conversion to Christ.
Honoured as a spiritual writer and mystic who experienced and comprehensively described the life of prayer. Honoured as a strong, practical reformer who restored the strict Carmelite observance of poverty, solitude, and prayer.
Her life and her achievements have earned her many titles – reformer, writer, foundress, doctor of the church and saint – and these, together with her warm human personality, her wit and her single-minded courage, have made her one of the great women of all ages.
We pray for the Carmelite family in Ireland and worldwide and in a special way for all named Teresa.
St Teresa of Avila intercede for all.

Blessed Carlo Acutis
Feast Day: October 12th. To always be close to Jesus that’s my life plan.

Saint John XXIII

Rosary on the Coast for Life and Faith

October 10th Our Lady’s Island.

REMEMBERING THE FRIARS KILLED BY CROMWELLS’S TROOPS.

Monday the 11th October, marks the 372nd anniversary of the massacre of Franciscan friars from Wexford by the troops of Cromwell on that day 1649. Among them was Fr Raymond Stafford OFM who stood in the Bullring pleading to prevent a massacre of the people of the town. This weekend, we remember the sacrifice of the friars and most importantly their desire to protect the people of the town. May they rest in peace and may the heroic witness to their faith inspire our generation to be faithful to Christ and his Gospel in the times in which we live.

Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
October 7th
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“There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot solve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.”
– Sr. Lúcia of Fátima

Saint Bruno.

Blessing of the animals on the Feast of St. Francis.

On the Feast of St. Francis, great thanks and appreciation for Mr Jim Somers for his years of service and dedication to the Friary Wexford. May God continue to bless him always.

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
Feast Day: October 4th.

All Holy Guardian Angels, pray for us!
Feast Day: October 2nd
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Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love
commits me here,
Ever this day,
be at my side,
To light and guard,
Rule and guide.

Amen.
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“From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their (the angels) watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united to God.”

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us!
Feast Day: October 1st.

Friary Wexford
Sunday 3rd October 7.00 pm Transitus of St. Francis

The Transitus of St. Francis

Monday 4th October 10.00 am Solemn Holy Mass Fr. Billy Swan, celebrant.

3.00 pm Blessing of the Animals.

FEAST OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

Saints Cosmas and Damian.

St. Pio of Pietrelcina / St. Padre Pio, pray for us!
Feast Day: September 23rd
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“Don’t worry to the point
of losing your inner peace.
Pray with perseverance, with faith,
with calmness and serenity.”
– St. Padre Pio

Terry Mc Namee

St. Matthew, pray for us!
Feast Day: September 21st.

Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given me.

I surrender it all to be guided by Your will.

Your grace and Your love are enough for me.

Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more. Amen.

Terry Mc Namee