Theotokos Prayer Group - Third Sunday of Lent, 8 March 2026

 

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God.
Lord, you are indeed the Saviour of the world;
give me living water, so that I will not be thirsty.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God.

Gospel:    John 4:5-42

‘A spring of water welling up to eternal life.’
At that time: Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
  A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?’ (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.’
  Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming — he who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he.’
  Just then his disciples came back. They marvelled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you seek?’ or, ‘Why are you talking with her?’ So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’ They went out of the town and were coming to him.
  Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Has anyone brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, “There are yet four months, then comes the harvest”? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’
  Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.’

God our Father,
in your infinite love and goodness you have shown us that prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are remedies for sin.
Accept the humble admission of our guilt, and when our conscience weighs us down let your unfailing mercy raise us up.
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.

Notes from meetings:

24 February

Picture of World in all its beautiful rich colours as created by God, over the years the colours have become faded and some have disappeared!
At the base of the World is a coiled snake squeezing the very life out of the Planet!
Jesus appears His Heart is pulsing. Blessed Mother appears  above the World holding Her Rosary!

"My dear little children
I hold out My hand to you with My Rosary, this IS the weapon of every day to reverse and mitigate the adversary!
The more you pray, the more you receive the Sacraments, the more you make sacrifices, the more My Son’s Heart is softened and Mercy flows! 

NOW is the time for sustained prayers My little ones, keeping your families, your countries, your own hearts and especially your Church and Priests before My Sons Most Sacred Heart.
This is necessary to make up for the outrages against Him whose Heart is only Love.
This is necessary to overcome and lessen punishments.
My Son is always with His people, and I your Mother will act immediately when called on to protect His People.
May the Holy Spirit aid you in My request.
Mary Mother of Jesus and your Mother
Mary"

3 March

Picture of many people offering their heartfelt prayers to Jesus and Blessed Mother!
Jesus places in each heart a small white disc of bread which is truly His Body, in the disc can be seen the Face of Jesus!
Blessed Mother touches each heart with Her simple white Rosary, each heart seems to enclose these gifts.

"My dear little children My Son Jesus gives you Himself Body & Blood and places Himself In your hearts.

This children, is a magnificent gift that He gave to enhance your spiritual life, your prayer life and to help keep you looking always toward Him, for if HE is within you the adversary cannot be, If He Is within you, you can accomplish all that is required of you.
I speak as His Mother but also yours, pray My little ones, pray Rosaries, receive the Eucharist, My Son Jesus, keep yourselves as full of grace as possible by going to Confession to My Priest Sons, make sacrifices, this will please the Holy Trinity and will return to Them Their due, which is your love and worship and so graces will fall on many poor souls who in turn will come to know Jesus.
You are My Sons people the apple of His eye and He loves you and I love you.
Mary Mother of Jesus."

Hebrews 8 6-10

PRAY FOR PEACE!

Regarding the ongoing wars in the Middle East, Pope Leo XIV asked priests to immediately open the doors of churches, invite people to pray the Holy Rosary and humbly pray before the Blessed Sacrament. The American pope urged the faithful to go to their churches or the nearest church to pray. The pope also issued a warning to the world, saying: “The wars in the Middle East and now in Ukraine and Crimea are very serious and will spread. To stop them, we must pray to God to fill the world with his mercy, to enlighten rulers with the Holy Spirit, to distinguish good from evil, and to fight together for peace and love.” Pope Leo XIV asked priests to celebrate the Eucharist simply and lovingly, and repeated his appeal to all Christians: “Pray, pray, pray, unite in prayer every day. Wherever you are in the world, at any time you like, put aside everything and ask God to send the Holy Spirit to the earth!”

 Say the Our Father three times and the Hail Mary three times. A prayer to send the Holy Spirit to earth:

If you can, share this message with your loved ones.

The Pope writes and asks for our help in spreading it. For world peace

We are asked to repeat this prayer from today:

*Most Holy Trinity, Almighty God, Precious Blood of Christ, destroy Satan and nullify and paralyze the plots of those who control the whole world.*

*Immaculate Heart of Mary, destroy Satan and nullify and paralyze the plots of those who control the whole world.*

*Saint Michael the Archangel, bind Satan and nullify and paralyze the plots of those who control the whole world.  Amen!*

Recite this prayer once and share it with others; in a short time, many will repeat it.

We must believe in God and remember that prayer has power.

May God bless the world.🙏🏻

_____

From Ivan Dragicevic (Medjugorje visionary): 

People often call me these days and ask if Our Lady has anything to say about the Gulf War. My answer: Our Lady's message of peace in the context of today's wars.

Dear brothers and sisters,

We live in a time when the news almost daily speaks of wars, divisions and unrest. The names of countries, alliances, interests, powerful people are mentioned... but behind every piece of news there are people - families, children, mothers who cry.

Our Lady does not speak politically in her messages. She does not analyze strategies or military plans. Her message is simple but profound:

"Peace, peace, peace - and only peace."

This is not a slogan. It is the cry of the Mother.

⸻

1. War begins in the heart

Our Lady teaches us that war does not begin at borders, but in the human heart.

It begins when forgiveness disappears.

It begins when pride takes hold.

It begins when a person forgets God.

Today we see conflicts in the world – from the Middle East to Europe, from tensions between nations to divisions within families. But Our Lady takes us back to the beginning: peace begins within me.

If there is no peace within me, how will there be peace in the world?

⸻

2. Prayer and fasting – weapons of peace

On several occasions Our Lady has said that even wars can be stopped through prayer and fasting.

This is a spiritual logic that transcends politics.

The world believes in the power of weapons.

Heaven believes in the power of a kneeling heart.

When a family prays together, walls are torn down.

When a nation fasts and converts, the spiritual climate changes.

We may not be able to negotiate between countries, but we can:

   •   pray the rosary for peace

   •   fast for the conversion of the world

   •   forgive those who have hurt us

This is our responsibility.

⸻

3. Peace as a personal decision

Our Lady does not call us to be observers. She calls us to be bearers of peace.

In a world full of noise, she seeks silence.

In a world full of hatred, she seeks love.

In a world full of fear, she seeks trust in God.

Today's wars show how weak man is without God.

But they also show how hungry the world is for witnesses of peace.

⸻

4. What does this mean for us today?

This means:

   •   Not to spread hatred with words.

    •   Not to judge nations and people lightly.

    •   Pray for everyone – even for those we do not understand.

    •   Build a culture of forgiveness in our homes.

Because if peace reigns in our families, the world becomes different.

Intercessions

I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever...

We ask the Lord's Blessing on us at the start of a New Year.

We pray in reparation for all offences against the life and dignity of the human person from conception until natural death. Lord have mercy on us!

Pray for our new Pope, Leo XIV, that he may shepherd the Church and proclaim Christ to the World.

Pope’s Prayer Intention – March 2026
For disarmament and peace.
Let us pray that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament,
and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence. 

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

We pray for all who are ill in mind body or spirit and all those in any need or difficulty.

(as we begin the new year, If you have any specific prayer intentions please let me know)

Pray for Christine awaiting CT scan results for suspected pancreatic cancer.

Pray for Marcin 

Pray for Jacob who is 6 years old he has been diagnosed with Perthes disease which affects his ability to walk.

Pray for John Morgan with pneumonia

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family..

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to
me. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
6. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
7. CHARIS in England and Wales
https://www.charisuk.com/
8.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

9. The Holy See

https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html

Events

Our next meeting is on 10 March 2026 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome. 

Stephen's fundraising page Big Lent Walk 2026 is fundraising for CAFOD -
https://walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/stephens-fundraising-page-2026
Please support if you can, thank you 😊

So far I have walked 85km of my 200km target and raised £85 of my £200 target !

Theotokos Prayer Group - Ash Wednesday 18 February 2026

 

Support us, Lord, as with this Lenten fast we begin our Christian warfare, so that in doing battle against the spirit of evil
we may be armed with the weapon of self-denial.
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.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Notes from meeting on 10th February 2026:

Picture of a huge white Temple, crystalline water flows from under it, forming a River of Life with many plants and fish of many colours shining in its midst.
A large line of people, led by Blessed Mother, come to the shore, They are dirty with tattered clothes and many have infirmities.
There are Angels helping them into the waters which are cleansing them and healing them.
Their tattered clothes are no more, when they come out of the river they are each clothed with white garments of light, and so can now enter the Temple.
Jesus is waiting with such Joy.

"My dear little children,
Together we continue to bring ourselves and lost souls to the River Of Life which is the Word made Flesh in my Son Jesus.
My little ones you don’t realise the power of your prayers when with my Motherly help they are magnified.
I lead you always to Him who is the Truth and the Life.
Your Maternal Mother Mary"

Notes from meeting on 17 February 2026

2 Corinthians 1 v 3-7

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father and the God who gives every possible encouragement;
4 he supports us in every hardship, so that we are able to come to the support of others, in every hardship of theirs because of the encouragement that we ourselves receive from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow into our lives; so too does the encouragement we receive through Christ.
6 So if we have hardships to undergo, this will contribute to your encouragement and your salvation; if we receive encouragement, this is to gain for you the encouragement which enables you to bear with perseverance the same sufferings as we do.
7 So our hope for you is secure in the knowledge that you share the encouragement we receive, no less than the sufferings we bear.

I am away on holiday on and off over the next 3 weeks. There will be no Sunday bulletin for a little while.
Prayer meetings are scheduled for 24 February and 3 and 10 March at St Patricks, Fairfield.
 
God bless you all
Stephen 

Stephen's fundraising page Big Lent Walk 2026 is fundraising for CAFOD -
https://walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/stephens-fundraising-page-2026
Please support if you can, thank you 😊

Theotokos Prayer Group - 8 February 2026, 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Matthew 5:13-16

‘You are the light of the world.’
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
  ‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.’

Guard your family, Lord, with constant loving care,
for in your divine grace we place our only hope.
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.

Notes from meeting on 3 February 2026

Picture of Our Lord, He is in deep sadness and His Heart is constricted.
He is mourning the loss of souls.
A beautiful small quiet woman comes to Him, she who is little and full of humility lifts her mantle and beneath is a praying army, This army together with the Magnification of Her Immaculate Heart draws poor souls to Her Son Jesus.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus meets Mary’s Immaculate Heart and they soar into the Heavens in great joy.

"My dear little children your prayers are always heard by the Almighty.
Your prayers bring change in the hearts of your brothers and sisters.
Many souls will be saved for my Son Jesus,
Your Mothers Heart and the Heart of Jesus are at one in this mission to save souls.
You my little children by your sacrifice and prayers alleviate the pangs of my Sons Sorrow.
Please continue with my help to bring souls to Him who is Love personified, together this is our mission.
I cover you with my Motherly Mantle of Protection.
Stand firm and quietly we shall do all that Jesus asks of us.
Mary Your Mother."

Intercessions

I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever...

We ask the Lord's Blessing on us at the start of a New Year.

We pray in reparation for all offences against the life and dignity of the human person from conception until natural death. Lord have mercy on us!

Pray for our new Pope, Leo XIV, that he may shepherd the Church and proclaim Christ to the World.

Pope’s Prayer Intention – February 2026
For children with incurable diseases.
Let us pray that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families receive the
necessary medical care and support, never losing strength and hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

We pray for all who are ill in mind body or spirit and all those in any need or difficulty.

(as we begin the new year, If you have any specific prayer intentions please let me know)

Pray for Christine diagnosed with cancer.

Pray for Marcin 

Pray for Jacob who is 6 years old he has been diagnosed with Perthes disease which affects his ability to walk.

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family..

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to
me. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
6. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
7. CHARIS in England and Wales
https://www.charisuk.com/
8.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

9. The Holy See

https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html

Events

Our next meeting is on 10 February 2026 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome. 

POPE LEO XIV

GENERAL AUDIENCE
Wednesday, 4 February 2026
____________________

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

The Conciliar Constitution Dei Verbum, on which we are reflecting during these weeks, indicates in the Sacred Scripture, read in the living Tradition of the Church, a privileged space for encounter where God continues to speak to the men and women of every time, so that, by listening, they can know him and love him. The biblical texts, however, were not written in a heavenly or superhuman language. Indeed, as daily life teaches us, two people who speak different languages cannot understand each other, cannot enter into dialogue, and are unable to establish a relationship. In some cases, making oneself understood to others is a first act of love. This is why God chooses to speak using human languages and thus, various authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, have written the texts of Sacred Scripture. As the Conciliar document reminds us, “the words of God, expressed in human language, have been made like human discourse, just as the word of the eternal Father, when He took to Himself the flesh of human weakness, was in every way made like men” (DV, 13). Therefore, not only in its content, but also in its language, the Scripture reveals God’s merciful condescension towards men, and his desire to be close to them.

Throughout the course of Church history, the relationship between the divine Author and the human authors of the sacred texts has been studied. For several centuries, many theologians were concerned to defend the divine inspiration of the Sacred Scripture, almost considering the human authors merely as passive tools of the Holy Spirit. In more recent times, reflection has re-evaluated the contribution of hagiographers in the writing of sacred texts, to the point that the Conciliar document speaks of God as the principal “author” of Sacred Scripture, but also calls hagiographers “true authors” of the sacred books (cf.  DV, 11). As a keen exegete of the last century observed, “to reduce human activity to that of a mere amanuensis is not to glorify divine activity”. [1] God never mortifies human beings and their potential!

If, therefore, the Scripture is the word of God in human words, any approach to it that neglects or denies one of these two dimensions proves to be partial. It follows that a correct interpretation of the sacred texts cannot dispense with the historic environment in which they developed and the literary forms that were used; on the contrary, to renounce the study of the human words that God used risks leading to fundamentalist or spiritualist readings of the Scripture, which betray its meaning. This principle also applies to the proclamation of the Word of God: if it loses touch with reality, with human hopes and sufferings, if an incomprehensible language is used, uncommunicative or anachronistic, it is ineffective. In every age, the Church is called to re-propose the Word of God in a language capable of being embodied in history and reaching hearts. As  Pope Francis reminds us, “Whenever we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the original freshness of the Gospel, new avenues arise, new paths of creativity open up, with different forms of expression, more eloquent signs and words with new meaning for today’s world”.  [2]

Equally reductive, on the other hand, is a reading of Scripture that neglects its divine origin and ends up understanding it as a mere human teaching, as something to be studied simply from a technical point of view or as a text "only of the past”. [3]  Rather, especially when proclaimed in the context of the liturgy, Scripture is intended to speak to today's believers, to touch their present lives with their problems, to enlighten the steps to be taken and the decisions to be made. This becomes possible only when believers read and interpret the sacred texts under the guidance of the same Spirit who inspired them (cf.  DV, 12).

In this regard, the Scripture serves to nurture the life and charity of believers, as Saint Augustine recalls: “Whoever … thinks that he understands the Holy Scriptures … but puts such an interpretation upon them as does not tend to build up this twofold love of God and our neighbour, does not yet understand them as he ought”.  [4] The divine origin of the Scripture also recalls that the Gospel, entrusted to the witness of the baptized, despite embracing all the dimensions of life and reality, transcends them: it cannot be reduced to a mere philanthropic or social message, but is the joyful proclamation of the full and eternal life that God has given to us in Jesus.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us thank the Lord because, in his goodness, he ensures our lives do not lack the essential nourishment of his Word, and let us pray that our words, and even more so our lives, do not obscure the love of God that is narrated in them.

___________________________________________________________________

[1] L. Alonso Schökel,  La parola ispirata. La Bibbia alla luce della scienza del linguaggio ( The Inspired Word. The Scripture in the Light of Language and Literature), Brescia 1987, 70.

[2] Francis, Apostolic Exhortation  Evangelii gaudium (24 November 2013), 11.

[3] Benedict XVI, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation  Verbum Domini (30 September 2010), 35.

[4] St. Augustine,  De doctrina christiana I, 36, 40.

***

APPEAL

I urge everyone to support with prayer our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, who are being severely tested by the consequences of the bombings which have resumed, also striking energy infrastructure. I would like to express my gratitude for the solidarity initiatives promoted by Catholic dioceses in Poland and other countries, which are working to help the people endure this time of extreme cold.

Tomorrow marks the expiry of the New START Treaty signed in 2010 by the Presidents of the United States and the Russian Federation, which represented a significant step in containing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. In renewing my encouragement for every constructive effort in favour of disarmament and mutual trust, I urgently call for this instrument not to be abandoned without seeking to ensure its concrete and effective follow-up. The current situation requires that everything possible be done to avert a new arms race that would further threaten peace among nations. It is more urgent than ever to substitute the logic of fear and distrust with a shared ethos capable of guiding choices towards the common good and to make peace a treasure to be cherished by all.

_____________________________

Special greetings:

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially the groups from Ireland, Denmark, Japan, South Korea and the United States of America. I greet in particular the students from the Junshin Junior and Senior High School and the students and faculty from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Upon all of you, and upon your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!

_____________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear brothers and sisters, in our continuing catechesis on the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, we reflect on the divine and human authorship of Scripture.  God is the principal author of Scripture and he chooses to reveal himself by using human language.  Indeed, the various authors of Scripture are not passive instruments, but are divinely inspired to communicate the word of God by utilizing literary forms and creative methods that incorporate images and examples of their time.  While Scripture is a text rooted in historical truth, it also contains a limitless spiritual depth that speaks to people of all times and places, communicating above all God’s love and God’s desire to save us. Let us thank God for his word that nourishes our lives, illumines our paths and reminds us of the promise of eternal life.

Pope Leo XIV proclaims Franciscan Jubilee Year for the 800th anniversary of the transit of St. Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,
intercede for us before the Lord.
You recognized true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano, teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation that breaks down every wall.
You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war
and misunderstanding, give us the courage to build bridges where the world raises up boundaries.
In this time afflicted by conflict and division, intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.

Amen
LEO PP. XIV

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 1 February 2026 - 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward is great in heaven.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Matthew 5:1-12a

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit.’
At that time: Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.’

Lord our God, make us love you above all things,
and all our fellow-men with a love that is worthy of you.
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.

Notes from meeting on 27 January:

Picture

Picture of a large flock of sheep, in the centre are two large sheep who are gathering the rest to them, these two sheep can hear the Voice of The Lord clearly and lead the rest towards  a field with a gate, Our Lord is standing in front of the gate and they go in two by two.
“My people I will never leave you orphan, you are Mine and I know each of you, your names are each written on My Heart, this Heart that loves so much His own,
this Heart that suffered for those who are the apple of His Eye, this Heart that will welcome you with love and mercy!
Come to Me, do not be afraid,
Am I not the One who stands, before justice, with My Arm of Mercy.
If you are down hearted look to My Mother, Her Heart beats are at one with Mine
Your Jesus”

Revelation 12 v 10-12
10 Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, 'Salvation and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ, now that the accuser, who accused our brothers day and night before our God, has been brought down.
11 They have triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word to which they bore witness, because even in the face of death they did not cling to life.
12 So let the heavens rejoice and all who live there; but for you, earth and sea, disaster is coming -- because the devil has gone down to you in a rage, knowing that he has little time left.'

Intercessions

I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever...

We ask the Lord's Blessing on us at the start of a New Year.

We pray in reparation for all offences against the life and dignity of the human person from conception until natural death. Lord have mercy on us!

Pray for our new Pope, Leo XIV, that he may shepherd the Church and proclaim Christ to the World.

Pope’s Prayer Intention – February 2026
For children with incurable diseases.
Let us pray that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families receive the
necessary medical care and support, never losing strength and hope.


Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

We pray for all who are ill in mind body or spirit and all those in any need or difficulty.

(as we begin the new year, If you have any specific prayer intentions please let me know)

Pray for Christine awaiting CT scan results for suspected pancreatic cancer.

Pray for Marcin 

Pray for Jacob who is 6 years old he has been diagnosed with Perthes disease which affects his ability to walk.

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family..

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to
me. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
6. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
7. CHARIS in England and Wales
https://www.charisuk.com/
8.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

9. The Holy See

https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html

Events

Our next meeting is on 3 February 2026 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome. 

POPE LEO XIV

GENERAL AUDIENCE
Audience Hall
Wednesday, 28 January 2026

___________________________________

Catechesis. The Documents of Vatican Council II. I. Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum. 3. A single sacred deposit. The relationship between Scripture and Tradition.

 
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

Continuing our reading of the Conciliar Constitution Dei Verbum on Divine Revelation, today we will reflect on the relationship between Sacred Scripture and Tradition. We can take two Gospel scenes as a backdrop. In the first, which takes place in the Upper Room, Jesus, in his great discourse-testament addressed to the disciples, affirms: “These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. … When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (Jn 14:25-26; 16:13).

The second scene takes us instead to the hills of Galilee. The risen Jesus shows himself to the disciples, who are surprised and doubtful, and he advises them: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). In both of these scenes, the intimate connection between the words uttered by Christ and their dissemination throughout the centuries is evident.

It is what the Second Vatican Council affirms, using an evocative image: “There exists a close connection and communication between sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture. For both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end” (Dei Verbum, 9). Ecclesial Tradition branches out throughout history through the Church, which preserves, interprets and embodies the Word of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (cf. no. 113) refers, in this regard, to a motto of the Church Fathers: “Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records”, that is, in the sacred text.

In the light of Christ’s words, quoted above, the Council affirms that “this tradition which comes from the Apostles develops in the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit” (Dei Verbum, 8). This occurs with full comprehension through “contemplation and study made by believers”, through “a penetrating understanding of the spiritual realities which they experience” and, above all, with the preaching of the successors of the apostles who have received “the sure gift of truth”. In short, “the Church, in her teaching, life and worship, perpetuates and hands on to all generations all that she herself is, all that she believes” (ibid.).

In this regard, the expression of Saint Gregory the Great is famous: “The Sacred Scriptures grow with the one who reads them”. [1] And Saint Augustine had already remarked that “there is only one word of God that unfolds through Scripture, and there is only one Word that sounds on the lips of many saints”. [2] The Word of God, then, is not fossilized, but rather it is a living and organic reality that develops and grows in Tradition. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, Tradition understands it in the richness of its truth and embodies it in the shifting coordinates of history.

In this regard, the proposal of the holy Doctor of the Church John Henry Newman in his work entitled The Development of Christian Doctrine is striking. He affirmed that Christianity, both as a communal experience and as a doctrine, is a dynamic reality, in the manner indicated by Jesus himself in the parables of the seed (cf. Mk 4:26-29): a living reality that develops thanks to an inner vital force. [3]

The apostle Paul repeatedly exhorts his disciple and collaborator Timothy: “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you” (1 Tim 6:20; cf. 2 Tim 1:12-14). The Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum echoes this Pauline text when it says: “Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church”, interpreted by the “living teaching office of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ” (no. 10). “Deposit” is a term that, in its original meaning, is juridical in nature and imposes on the depositary the duty to preserve the content, which in this case is the faith, and to transmit it intact.

The “deposit” of the Word of God is still in the hands of the Church today, and all of us, in our various ecclesial ministries, must continue to preserve it in its integrity, as a lodestar for our journey through the complexity of history and existence.

In conclusion, dear friends, let us listen once more to Dei Verbum, which exalts the interweaving of Sacred Scripture and Tradition: it affirms that they “are so linked and joined together that they cannot stand independently, and together, each in their own way, under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they contribute effectively to the salvation of souls” (cf. no. 10).

_______________________________

[1] Homiliae in Ezechielem I, VII, 8:  PL 76, 843D.

[2]  Enarrationes in Psalmos 103, IV, 1

[3] Cf. J.H. Newman,  An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, Milan 2003, p. 104.

***

APPEAL

Yesterday was the International Remembrance Day for all victims of the Holocaust, which brought death to millions of Jews and to many other people. On this yearly occasion of painful remembrance, I ask the Almighty for the gift of a world without antisemitism and without prejudice, oppression, and persecution of any human creature. I renew my appeal to the community of nations to remain ever vigilant. May the horror of genocide never again be inflicted upon any people and that a society founded on mutual respect and the common good may be built.

____________________________________________________

Special greetings:

I greet the English speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s audience, in particular the groups from Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Australia, India and the United States of America. Upon you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!

_____________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear brothers and sisters, in our catechesis on the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, today we considered the relationship between Scripture and Tradition. In the passage we just heard from John’s Gospel, Jesus says he will send the Holy Spirit to guide the Apostles to remember, apply and proclaim everything he taught. Sacred Scripture, the inspired word of God, and Sacred Tradition, the living memory of the Church, are intimately bound together and form the one Deposit of Faith. This deposit which contains the entirety of our faith –- doctrine, worship, morality, etc. –- is not static but dynamic for it develops and is more profoundly understood by the Church over the centuries, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Entrusted to the Church, who preserves and interprets it in Jesus’ name, this deposit helps us to navigate the complexities of life to reach our eternal home in heaven. May we become living and faithful witness to God’s word in Scripture and Tradition.

Pope Leo XIV proclaims Franciscan Jubilee Year for the 800th anniversary of the transit of St. Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,
intercede for us before the Lord.
You recognized true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano, teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation that breaks down every wall.
You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war
and misunderstanding, give us the courage to build bridges where the world raises up boundaries.
In this time afflicted by conflict and division, intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.

Amen
LEO PP. XIV

Theotokos Prayer Group - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday of the Word of God) 25 January 2026

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom
and healed every affliction among the people.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Matthew 4:12-23

‘Jesus went to Capernaum so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled.’
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
  While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
  And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

All-powerful, ever-living God, direct our steps in the way of your love, so that our whole life may be fragrant with all we do in the name of Jesus, your beloved Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Notes from meeting on 20 January 2026:

Picture of complete darkness, we the praying people can’t see in front of us but in Faith we keep praying.
Out of the dark gloom a woman walks she is covered in black robes and praying and looks sad. Her face lights up and she prays with us.
There are many people wandering around in great sorrow and have no idea how to get out of this dark morass.
Blessed Mother lifts Her Mantle and a quiet blue light appears all around Her, the praying people lift up their hearts to God even more and the light gets brighter and becomes a golden hue. The praying people redouble their efforts and those who are lost come to the praying people who reach out to them and lead them to Blessed Mother they walk hand in hand under Her Mantle and behind Her is a path full of light leading to Her Son’s Sacred Heart.

My Dear Little Ones
Do Not Fear The Dark but Only Pray, I’m With You Always, Although at Times it May Not Seem So.
Did I Not Promise You That Together We Will Bring Souls From Darkness To the Light, That Same Light That as A Gift I Have Brought You From My Son?
Come Do I Not Always Lead You To Him Who is All Love And All Light? Yes.
Pray Make Sacrifice, I Will Lead You and Together We Will Bring Souls To My Son Who  is Suffering for Love of Them.
In Faith Believe Your Mother is With You Always and I Will Lead You and The Lost Under My Motherly Mantle to Jesus.
Heaven Will then Rejoice, for what was Lost Is Found.
Mary

Titus 3 v 4 - 8

4 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour for humanity were revealed,
5 it was not because of any upright actions we had done ourselves; it was for no reason except his own faithful love that he saved us, by means of the cleansing water of rebirth and renewal in the Holy Spirit
6 which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 so that, justified by his grace, we should become heirs in hope of eternal life.
8 This is doctrine that you can rely on.

From teaching of St Maximillian Kolbe:

This eternal "Immaculate Conception' (which is the Holy Spirit) produces in an immaculate manner divine life itself in the womb (or depths) of Mary's soul, making her the Immaculate Conception, the human Immaculate Conception. And the virginal womb of Mary's body is kept sacred for him; there he conceives in time -- because everything that is mate- rial occurs in time - the human life of the Man-God If among human beings the wife takes the name of her husband because she belongs to him, is one with him, becomes equal to him and is, with him, the source of new life, with how much greater reason should the name of the Holy Spirit, who is the divine Immaculate Conception, be used as the name of her in whom he lives as uncreated Love, the principle of life in the whole supernatural order of grace.
 

Intercessions

I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever...

We ask the Lord's Blessing on us at the start of a New Year.

We pray in reparation for all offences against the life and dignity of the human person from conception until natural death. Lord have mercy on us!

Pray for our new Pope, Leo XIV, that he may shepherd the Church and proclaim Christ to the World.

Pope’s Prayer Intention – January 2026
For prayer with the Word of God 
Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of
hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.

Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

We pray for all who are ill in mind body or spirit and all those in any need or difficulty.

(as we begin the new year, If you have any specific prayer intentions please let me know)

Pray for Christine awaiting CT scan results for suspected pancreatic cancer.

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family.

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to
me. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
6. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
7. CHARIS in England and Wales
https://www.charisuk.com/
8.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

9. The Holy See

https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html

Events

Our next meeting is on 27 January 2026 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome. 

POPE LEO XIV

GENERAL AUDIENCE
Audience Hall
Wednesday, 21 January 2026
___________________________________

Catechesis. The Documents of Vatican Council II. I. Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum. 2. Jesus Christ reveals the Father".

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

We will continue the catecheses on the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, of Vatican Council II, on divine Revelation. We have seen that God reveals himself in a dialogue of covenant, in which he addresses us as friends. It is therefore a relational knowledge, which not only communicates ideas, but shares a history and calls for communion in reciprocity. The fulfilment of this revelation takes place in a historical and personal encounter in which God himself gives himself to us, making himself present, and we discover that we are known in our deepest truth. It is what happens in Jesus Christ. The Document states that the deepest truth about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation (cf. DV, 2).

Jesus reveals the Father to us by involving us in his own relationship with Him. In the Son sent by God the Father “man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature” (ibid.). We therefore reach full knowledge of God by entering into the Son’s relationship with his Father, by virtue of the action of the Spirit. This is attested to, for example, by the Evangelist Luke when he recounts the Lord’s prayer of jubilation: “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Lk 10:21-22).

Thanks to Jesus we know God as we are known by Him (cf. Gal 4:9); 1 Cor 13:13). Indeed, in Christ, God has communicated himself to us and, at the same time, he has manifested to us our true identity as his children, created in the image of the Word. This “eternal Word … enlightens all men” (DV 4), revealing their truth in the eyes of the Father: “Your Father, who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt 6:5; 6:8), says Jesus, and he adds that “your Father knows that you need all these things” (cf. Mt 6:32). Jesus Christ is the place where we recognize the truth of God the Father, while we discover ourselves known by Him as sons in the Son, called to the same destiny of full life. Saint Paul writes: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son … so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba!’, Father!” (Gal 4:4-6).

Finally, Jesus Christ reveals the Father with his own humanity. Precisely because he is the Word incarnate that dwells among men, Jesus reveals God to us with his own true and integral humanity: “To see Jesus is to see His Father (Jn 14:9). For this reason, Jesus perfected revelation, fulfilling it through his whole work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself through His words and deeds, His signs and wonders, but especially through His death and glorious resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth” (DV, 4). In order to know God in Christ, we must welcome his integral humanity: God’s truth is not fully revealed where it takes something away from the human, just as the integrity of Jesus’ humanity does not diminish the fullness of the divine gift. It is the integral humanity of Jesus that tells us the truth of the Father (cf. Jn 1:18).

It is not only the death and resurrection of Jesus that saves us and calls us together, but his very person: the Lord who becomes incarnate, is born, heals, teaches, suffers, dies, rises again and remains among us. Therefore, to honour the greatness of the Incarnation, it is not enough to consider Jesus as the channel of transmission of intellectual truths. If Jesus has a real body, the communication of the truth of God is realized in that body, with its own way of perceiving and feeling reality, with its own way of inhabiting and passing through the world. Jesus himself invites us to share his perception of reality: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Mt 6:26).

Brothers and sisters, by following the path of Jesus to the very end, we reach the certainty that nothing can separate us from God’s love. “If God is for us, who is against us?”, writes Saint Paul again. “He who did not withhold his own Son but gave him up for all of us, how will he not with him also give us everything else?” (Rom 8:31-32). Thanks to Jesus, Christians know God the Father and entrust themselves to Him with confidence.

____________________________________________________

Special greetings:

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from Great Britain, the Netherlands, and the United States of America. As we continue to pray for the unity of Christians, I greet the Ecumenical Delegation of the Catholic Association for Ecumenism and the Council of Churches of the Netherlands. Upon all of you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!

_____________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we continue our Catechesis on the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum of the Second Vatican Council by considering the role of the Son of God in Divine Revelation. God’s revelation of himself to his people through words and deeds over the centuries reached its fulfilment in the incarnation of the Word, when God became man. Indeed, “the most intimate truth revealed about God and human salvation shines forth in Christ, who is himself both the mediator and the fulfilment of revelation” (Dei Verbum, 2). The Son, through his incarnation, life, death and resurrection, not only allows us to see the Father in him, but also invites us to enter into his very own relationship with the Father, by virtue of the action of the Spirit. By accepting this invitation, we become sons and daughters through the Son and participants in God’s nature. Let us be filled with gratitude as we ponder our sublime vocation as God’s beloved children, entrusting ourselves to the Father with boundless confidence.

Pope Leo XIV proclaims Franciscan Jubilee Year for the 800th anniversary of the transit of St. Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,
intercede for us before the Lord.
You recognized true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano, teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation that breaks down every wall.
You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war
and misunderstanding, give us the courage to build bridges where the world raises up boundaries.
In this time afflicted by conflict and division, intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.

Amen
LEO PP. XIV

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 18 January 2026

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us;
to all who did receive him,
he gave the authority to become children of God.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    John 1:29-34

‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.’
At that time: John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.” I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptising with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John bore witness: ‘I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptise with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptises with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.’

Almighty God, ruler of all things in heaven and on earth, listen favourably to the prayer of your people, and grant us your peace in our day.
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.

Notes from meeting on 13 January 2026

Picture of Our Blessed Mother surrounded by a huge Light emanating from her, within her and pouring out of her!
“My dear little children,
I carried my Son in my womb and then brought Him forth for you!
The Light that shines from me is the Holy Love of Jesus my Son!
This same light, The Light of Love that is carried and penetrates everything I do on behalf of the Spirit, my Son Jesus and God the Father, is the same Light of Love I impart to you.
I wish you to carry this Light and Love to poor souls who do not know Jesus, I wish you to be merciful to those whose will is stubborn, I ask you to be an example to them, pray for them and act as Jesus would to them.
This year my little ones I ask you to pray ardently for those far from God, bring them to Jesus, show them the Way that they might also come to know the Love and the Light of my Son.
I Mary Mother of Jesus place my maternal blessing upon you, together we will do the Holy Will of the Father, we will bring Light into the darkest of places and through sacrifices and prayer draw men to my Son.
Do not worry about your families, pray for them, all will be well under my maternal mantle.
My little ones pray for my Priest sons, their burdens are heavier than ever before, pray the Holy Spirit to impart all the gifts they need, bless them my children.
Mary"

Psalm 139

Intercessions

I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever...

We ask the Lord's Blessing on us at the start of a New Year.

We pray in reparation for all offences against the life and dignity of the human person from conception until natural death. Lord have mercy on us!

Pray for our new Pope, Leo XIV, that he may shepherd the Church and proclaim Christ to the World.

Pope’s Prayer Intention – January 2026
For prayer with the Word of God 
Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of
hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.

Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

We pray for all who are ill in mind body or spirit and all those in any need or difficulty.

(as we begin the new year, If you have any specific prayer intentions please let me know)

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family.

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to
me. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
6. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
7. CHARIS in England and Wales
https://www.charisuk.com/
8.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

9. The Holy See

https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html

Events

Our next meeting is on 20 January 2026 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome. 

POPE LEO XIV

GENERAL AUDIENCE
Audience Hall
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
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Catechesis. The Documents of Vatican Council II. I. Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum. 1. God speaks to men as to friends (Reading: Jn 15:15)

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

We have started the cycle of catechesis on Vatican Council II. Today we will begin to look more closely at the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, on the divine Revelation. It is one of the most beautiful and important of the Council and, to introduce it, it may be helpful to recall the words of Jesus: “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (Jn 15:15). This is a fundamental point of Christian faith, which Dei Verbum reminds us of: Jesus Christ radically transforms man’s relationship with God, which is henceforth a relationship of friendship. Therefore, the only condition of the new covenant is love.

Saint Augustine, commenting on this passage of the Fourth Gospel, insists on the perspective of grace, which alone can make us friends of God in his Son (Commentary on the Gospel of John, Homily 86). Indeed, an ancient motto stated: “Amicitia aut pares invenit, aut facit”, “friendship is born between equals, or makes them so”. We are not equal to God, but God himself makes us similar to Him in his Son.

For this reason, as we can see in all the Scripture, in the Covenant there is a first moment of distance, in which the pact between God and mankind always remains asymmetrical: God is God and we are creatures. However, with the coming of the Son in human flesh, the Covenant opens up to its final purpose: in Jesus, God makes us sons and daughters, and calls us to become like Him, albeit in our fragile humanity. Our resemblance to God, then, is not reached through transgression and sin, as the serpent suggests to Eve (cf. Gen 3:5), but in our relationship with the Son made man.

The words of the Lord Jesus that we have recalled – “I have called you friends” – are reprised in the Constitution Dei Verbum, which affirms: “Through this revelation, therefore, the invisible God (see Col 1:15; 1 Tim 1:17) out of the abundance of His love speaks to men as friends (see Ex 33:11; Jn 15:14-15) and lives among them (see Bar 3:38), so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself” (no. 2). The God of Genesis already conversed with our first parents, engaging in dialogue with them (cf. Dei Verbum, 3); and when this dialogue was interrupted by sin, the Creator did not cease to seek an encounter with his creatures and to establish a covenant with them. In the Christian Revelation, that is, when God became man in his Son in order to seek us out, the dialogue that had been interrupted is restored in a definitive manner: the Covenant is new and eternal, nothing can separate us from his love. The Revelation of God, then, has the dialogical nature of friendship and, as in the experience of human friendship, it does not tolerate silence, but is nurtured by the exchange of true words.

The Constitution Dei Verbum also reminds us of this: God speaks to us. It is important to recognize the difference between words and chatter: this latter stops at the surface and does not achieve communion between people, whereas in authentic relationships, the word serves not only to exchange information and news, but to reveal who we are. The word possesses a revelatory dimension that creates a relationship with the other. In this way, by speaking to us, God reveals himself to us as an Ally who invites us into friendship with Him.

From this perspective, the first attitude to cultivate is listening, so that the divine Word may penetrate our minds and our hearts; at the same time, we are required to speak with God, not to communicate to him what He already knows, but to reveal ourselves to ourselves.

Hence the need for prayer, in which we are called to live and to cultivate friendship with the Lord. This is achieved first of all in liturgical and community prayer, in which we do not decide what to hear from the Word of God, but it is He Himself who speaks to us through the Church; it is then achieved in personal prayer, which takes place in the interiority of the heart and mind. Time dedicated to prayer, meditation and reflection cannot be lacking in the Christian’s day and week. Only when we speak with God can we also speak about Him.

Our experience tells us that friendships can come to an end through a dramatic gesture of rupture, or because of a series of daily acts of neglect that erode the relationship until it is lost. If Jesus calls us to be friends, let us not leave this call unheeded. Let us welcome it, let us take care of this relationship, and we will discover that friendship with God is our salvation.

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Summary of the Holy Father's words

Dear brothers and sisters,

We begin our new series of catecheses on the Second Vatican Council by considering Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation. As today’s Scripture reading reminds us, Jesus calls us friends because he has revealed to us everything that he has heard from the Father. It is through Revelation, which reaches its fullness in Jesus, the Word made flesh, that we are invited to share in God’s life as his children in Christ. We are reminded that friendship with God is not only a gift, but also an invitation that requires a response, as in any relationship. To cultivate this friendship, we must spend time with God in prayer, both personally and especially through the Liturgy, where the community gathers to listen to the word of God with the guidance of the Church. Together, let us respond wholeheartedly to the Lord’s invitation and discover in his friendship the true mystery of our salvation.

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Special greetings

I extend a warm welcome this morning to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those coming from Ireland, Australia, Korea and the United States of America. Upon all of you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!

Pope Leo XIV proclaims Franciscan Jubilee Year for the 800th anniversary of the transit of St. Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,
intercede for us before the Lord.
You recognized true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano, teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation that breaks down every wall.
You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war
and misunderstanding, give us the courage to build bridges where the world raises up boundaries.
In this time afflicted by conflict and division, intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.

Amen
LEO PP. XIV