Theotokos Prayer Group - 7 September 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your face shine forth on your servant,
and teach me your decrees.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Luke 14:25-33

‘Any one who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.’
At that time: Great crowds accompanied Jesus, and he turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.’

Since it is from you, God our Father, that redemption comes to us, your adopted children, look with favour on the family you love, give true freedom to us and to all who believe in Christ, and bring us all alike to our eternal heritage.
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.

Intercessions

Saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati pray for us!

Pray in thanksgiving for Bishop Stephen Wright's 25 years of the Priesthood this Tuesday (9 September). Lord bless his ministry.

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.

Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis

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.

Pray for Marcin, Terry, John Morgan, Lisa, Frances, Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.
Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who is waiting for a further pancreas transplant.

Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.
Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

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 in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events
8 September - Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Next meetings will be on 9 and 16 September 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE NO BULLETIN NEXT WEEK AS I AM NOW AWAY ON HOLIDAY IN NORWAY

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

LEO XIV
GENERAL AUDIENCE

Saint Peter's Square
Wednesday, 3 September 2025

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025. Jesus Christ our Hope. III. The Passover of Jesus. 5. The Crucifixion. «I thirst» (Jn 19:28)

Dear brothers and sisters,
At the heart of the account of the Passion, in the most luminous and at the same time darkest moment of Jesus’ life, the Gospel of John gives us two words that contain an immense mystery: “I thirst” (19:28), and immediately afterwards: “It is finished” (19:30). These are his last words, but they are filled with a whole lifetime, revealing the meaning of the entire existence of the Son of God. On the cross, Jesus does not appear as a victorious hero, but as a supplicant for love. He does not proclaim, condemn or defend himself. He humbly asks for what he, alone, cannot give to himself in any way.
The thirst of the Crucified Lord is not only the physiological need of a tortured body. It is also, and above all, the expression of a profound desire: that of love, of relationship, of communion. It is the silent cry of a God who, having wished to share everything of our human condition, also lets himself be overcome by this thirst. A God who is not ashamed to beg for a sip, because in that gesture he tells us that love, in order to be true, must also learn to ask and not only to give.
I thirst, says Jesus, and in this way he manifests his humanity and also ours. None of us can be self-sufficient. No-one can save themselves. Life is “fulfilled” not when we are strong, but when we learn how to receive. It is precisely at that moment, after receiving from unknown hands a sponge soaked in vinegar, that Jesus proclaims: It is finished. Love has made itself needy, and precisely for this reason it has accomplished its work.
This is the Christian paradox: God saves not by doing, but by letting himself do. Not by defeating evil with force, but by accepting the weakness of love to the very end. On the cross, Jesus teaches us that man does not realize himself in power, but in trustful openness to others, even when they are hostile and enemies. Salvation is not found in autonomy, but in humbly recognizing one’s own need and in being able to express it freely.
The fulfilment of our humanity in God’s plan is not an act of strength, but a gesture of trust. Jesus does not save with a dramatic twist, but by asking for something that he cannot give himself. And it is here that the door to true hope opens: if even the Son of God chose not to be self-sufficient, then our thirst too – for love, for meaning, for justice – is a sign not of failure, but of truth.
This truth, seemingly so simple, is difficult to accept. We live in a time that rewards self-sufficiency, efficiency, performance. And yet the Gospel shows us that the measure of our humanity is not given by what we can achieve, but by our ability to let ourselves be loved and, when necessary, even helped.
Jesus saves us by showing us that asking is not unworthy, but liberating. It is the way out of the hiddenness of sin, so as to re-enter the space of communion. Ever since the beginning, sin has begotten shame. But forgiveness – real forgiveness – is born when we can face up to our need and no longer fear rejection.
Jesus’ thirst on the cross is therefore ours too. It is the cry of a wounded humanity that seeks living water. And this thirst does not lead us away from God, but rather unites us with him. If we have the courage to acknowledge it, we can discover that even our fragility is a bridge towards heaven. It is precisely in asking – not in possessing – that a way of freedom opens up, because we cease to pretend to be self-sufficient.
In fraternity, in the simple life, in the art of asking without shame and offering without ulterior motives, a joy is born that the world does not know. A joy that restores us to the original truth of our being: we are creatures made to give and receive love.
Dear brothers and sisters, in Christ’s thirst we can recognize all of our own thirst. And to learn that there is nothing more human, nothing more divine, than being able to say: I need. Let us not be afraid to ask, especially when it seems to us that we do not deserve. Let us not be ashamed to reach out our hand. It is right there, in that humble gesture, that salvation hides.

***

APPEAL

Dramatic news is coming from Sudan, in particular from Darfur. In El Fasher, many civilians have been trapped in the city, victims of famine and violence. In Tarasin, a devastating mudslide has claimed many lives, leaving pain and desperation in its wake. And, as if that were not enough, the spread of cholera is threatening hundreds of thousands of already stricken people. I am closer than ever to the Sudanese population, in particular families, children and the displaced. I pray for all the victims. I make a heartfelt appeal to leaders and to the international community to guarantee humanitarian corridors and implement a coordinated response to stop this humanitarian catastrophe. It is time to initiate a serious, sincere and inclusive dialogue between the parties to end the conflict and restore hope, dignity and peace to the people of Sudan.

Special greetings:

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Denmark, Malta, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Cameroon, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States of America.

I ask all of you to join me in praying for those affected by the recent mudslides in the Marra Mountains of Sudan.  Let us ask the Almighty to grant eternal peace to all who have died, as well as solace and strength to their loved ones.  Even in the midst of such tragedies may we never lose hope in God’s love for us.

Upon all of you and upon your families, I invoke the blessings of Almighty God.

_____________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear brothers and sisters, in our catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Christ our Hope,” we continue to reflect on Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection by considering his willingness to depend on others. At the heart of Jesus’ passion we encounter two expressions which encapsulate a great mystery: “I thirst” and “It is finished.” Jesus lacks nothing in his divinity yet he humbled himself and he became one of us, fully human to the point of depending on others. Through Jesus’ example we see that as human beings we are not able to reach true fulfillment or salvation on our own, we cannot “finish” the mission of our life by simply accumulating power or money.  We need the help of those who love and care for us, especially the Lord Jesus. There is no shame, therefore, in asking for help and opening ourselves to others since we are created by God to give and receive love.  Let us realize then, brothers and sisters, that there is nothing more human, nothing more divine, than asking for help.

Sent by Stephen Allison on Sunday, September 7 at 2:12PM

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 31 August 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord,
and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Luke 14:1, 7-14

‘Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’
One Sabbath, when Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.
  Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honour, saying to them, ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honour, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, “Give your place to this person”, and then you, with shame, will take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher.” Then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’
  He said also to the man who had invited him, ‘When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends, or your brothers and sisters or your relatives or rich neighbours, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.’

Notes from meeting on 29 August:

Picture of the World hanging in the Cosmos spinning, the World seems to shake three times out of sync, Jesus in great Light with His sword drawn places His foot upon the World, there is Army of Angels in great light behind Him half with their swords drawn.  Jesus lifts his sword and those Angels depart to the Earth, the other Angels hold some kind of incense burners and they also depart for Earth.
"My People
Pray, pray pray
Pray for yourselves
Pray for your families
Pray for your countries
I send My Vanguard of Angels to defend you!
I Send My Angels of Light to strengthen you!
My People I know My Own and you know Me, place all your trust In Me and not in the machinations of Man.

My Angels together with your guardians watch over you and lead you in the ways of righteousness and to My Father.
Be at Peace and trust in Me.
Your Jesus"

Matthew 25 v 1-13
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Intercessions

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.

Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis

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.

Pray for Marcin (he is now out of Hospital but still in need of prayers for healing as he continues treatment. His wife passes on her thanks for our prayers), Terry (out of hospital and making progress, thank you Lord) , John Morgan ( he is doing well but is still in deed of prayer), Lisa, Frances (thank you Lord for improvement in her condition), Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.
Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who is waiting for a further pancreas transplant.

Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.
Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

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 in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 2 September 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

LEO XIV
GENERAL AUDIENCE

Audience Hall
Wednesday, 27 August 2025

Summary of Catechesis:

Dear brothers and sisters, in our continuing catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Christ our Hope,” today we consider the freedom and determination shown by Jesus at the moment of his arrest in the Garden of Olives.  Our Lord approaches his coming passion freely and consciously, in obedience to the will of the Father and as an act of redemptive love.  In this way, he reveals the essence of true hope: the firm conviction that even in the midst of violence, injustice and suffering, God’s love is ever present as a source of spiritual fruitfulness and the promise of eternal life.  The way that Jesus exercised his freedom in the face of death teaches us not to fear suffering, but to persevere in confident trust in God’s providential care.  May our lives always be marked by this hope, born of the knowledge that if we surrender to God’s will and freely give our lives in love for others, the Father’s grace will sustain us in every trial and enable us to bear abundant fruit for the salvation of our brothers and sisters.

Greeting:

I am happy to welcome, this morning, the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially those from England, Ireland, Scotland, Malta, South Africa, Indonesia, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Canada and the United States of America.  With prayerful good wishes that the present Jubilee of Hope may be for you and your families a time of grace and spiritual renewal, I invoke upon you all the joy and the peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 24 August 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Luke 13:22-30

‘People will come from east and west, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.’
At that time: Jesus went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then he will answer you, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” But he will say, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’

Lord help us to enter by the narrow door, help us renounce all evil that we may be found worthy to sit with you at the table in the Kingdom. 

Notes from meeting on 19 August:

Picture of us all sitting in side a small chamber with Blessed Mother, we all go on our knees and pray with Her, as we pray her Immaculate Heart glows powerfully with a white light.
We can now see we are in a large Temple that starts to pulsate with light, Blessed Mother on her knees goes before the Light and from Her Heart draws forth many prayers and sacrifices all recorded on parchment. She places them at the foot of the Light, They are then consumed in the Light.
At the back of the Temple all through this can be seen many people dressed in grey and very downcast. They are quietly mouthing prayers but there seems to be some kind of unseen barrier preventing them from entering.
As the prayers and sacrifices are consumed the barrier comes down and many of those people are allowed in. Their appearance is no longer grey and sad, but bright and filled with Joy, Hope and Love. They each receive a new garment which adorns them and is attracted to that same Light that consumed that which was in Mothers Immaculate Heart.
"My dear little ones these are souls whom, without your meaningful prayers and sacrifices would still be on the outside of Heaven yearning for their union with my Son Jesus.
The full power of prayer and sacrifices made by you cannot be fully understood, yet they are needed so much! I ask you to carry on praying and doing that which I have asked of you. My little ones by these means will we bring souls to my Son Jesus.
I your Mother bless you in the Name of my Son Jesus and carry you in my Immaculate Heart.
Mary"

Intercessions

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.

Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis

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.

Pray for Marcin (he is now out of Hospital but still in need of prayers for healing as he continues treatment. His wife passes on her thanks for our prayers), Terry (out of hospital and making progress, thank you Lord) , John Morgan ( he is doing well but is still in deed of prayer), Lisa, Frances (thank you Lord for improvement in her condition), Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.
Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who is waiting for a further pancreas transplant.

Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.
Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

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 in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 26 August 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

LEO XIV

GENERAL AUDIENCE

Audience Hall
Wednesday, 20 August 2025

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025. Jesus Christ our Hope. III. The Passover of Jesus. 3. Forgiveness. «He loved them to the end» (Jn 13:2)
 

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today we will look at one of the most striking and luminous gestures in the Gospel: the moment when Jesus, during the last supper, offers a morsel to the one who is about to betray him. It is not only a gesture of sharing: it is much more; it is love’s last attempt not to give up.

Saint John, with his profound spiritual sensibility, tells us about this moment as follows: [During supper, when] “the devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over… Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass …  he loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1-2). To love until the end: here is the key to understanding Christ’s heart. A love that does not cease in the face of rejection, disappointment, even ingratitude.

Jesus knows the time, but he does not submit to it: he chooses it. It is he who recognizes the moment in which his love must pass through the most painful wound, that of betrayal. And instead of withdrawing, accusing, defending himself… he continues to love: he washes the feet, dips the bread and offers it.

“It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it” (Jn 13:26). With this simple and humble gesture, Jesus carries his love forward and to its depths, not because he is ignoring what is happening, but precisely because he sees it clearly. He has understood that the freedom of the other, even when it is lost in evil, can still be reached by the light of a meek gesture, because he knows that true forgiveness does not await repentance, but offers itself first, as a free gift, even before it is accepted.

Judas, unfortunately, does not understand. After the morsel – says the Gospel – “Satan entered him” (v. 27). This passage strikes us: as if evil, hidden until then, manifested itself after love showed its most defenceless face. And precisely for this reason, brothers and sisters, that morsel is our salvation: because it tells us that God does everything – absolutely everything – to reach us, even in the hour when we reject him.

It is here that forgiveness reveals all its power and manifests the true face of hope. It is not forgetfulness; it is not weakness. It is the ability to set the other free, while loving him to the end. Jesus’ love does not deny the truth of pain, but it does not allow evil to have the last word. This is the mystery Jesus accomplishes for us, in which we too, at times, are called to participate.

How many relationships are broken, how many stories become complicated, how many unspoken words remain suspended. And yet the Gospel shows us that there is always a way to continue to love, even when everything seems irredeemably compromised. To forgive does not mean to deny evil, but to prevent it from generating further evil. It is not to say that nothing has happened, but to do everything possible to ensure that resentment does not determine the future.

When Judas leaves the room, “it was night” (v. 30). But immediately afterwards, Jesus says, “Now is the Son of Man glorified” (v. 31). The night is still there, but a light has already begun to shine. And it shines because Christ remains faithful to the end, and so his love is stronger than hatred.

Dear brothers and sisters, we too experience painful and difficult nights. Nights of the soul, nights of disappointment, nights in which someone has hurt or betrayed us. In those moments, the temptation is to close ourselves up, to protect ourselves, to return the blow. But the Lord shows us the hope that that another way exists, always exists. He teaches us that one can offer a morsel even to someone who turns their back on us. That one can respond with the silence of trust. And that we can move forward with dignity, without renouncing love.

Let us ask today for the grace to be able to forgive, even when we do not feel understood, even when we feel abandoned. Because it is precisely in those hours that love can reach its pinnacle. As Jesus teaches us, to love means to leave the other free — even to betray — without ever ceasing to believe that even that freedom, wounded and lost, can be snatched from the deception of darkness and returned to the light of goodness.

When the light of forgiveness succeeds in filtering through the deepest crevices of the heart, we understand that it is never futile. Even if the other does not accept it, even if it seems to be in vain, forgiveness frees those who give it: it dispels resentment, it restores peace, it returns us to ourselves.

Jesus, with the simple gesture of offering bread, shows that every betrayal can become an opportunity for salvation, if it is chosen as a space for a greater love. It does not give in to evil, but conquers it with good, preventing it from extinguishing what is truest in us: the capacity to love.

_______________________________

APPEAL

Next Friday, 22 August, we will celebrate the memorial of Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is the Mother of believers here on earth, and is also invoked as Queen of Peace, while our earth continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in many other regions of the world.

I invite all the faithful to devote the day of 22 August to fasting and prayer, imploring the Lord to grant us peace and justice, and to dry the tears of those who suffer as a result of the ongoing armed conflicts. Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede so that peoples may find the path to peace.

____________________________________________________

Special greetings

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from England, Finland, Malta, Senegal, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the United States of America. I pray that this Jubilee of Hope will be a time of healing and spiritual renewal for all men and women everywhere. Upon you and your families, I invoke God’s strength, love and peace. God bless you.

_____________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words

Dear brothers and sisters, in our catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Christ our Hope,” we continue to reflect on Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection by considering his forgiving love. Despite his betrayal, Jesus loves his disciples until the end: he washes their feet, and even offers a morsel of bread to his betrayer in one last attempt to demonstrate that love. This morsel, in fact, signifies that God does everything possible to reach us in order to offer his love and forgiveness. While never denying that evil exists or acting as if bad things do not happen in this world, the example of Jesus shows us that true forgiveness does not wait for contrition but is offered first as a gift. When we experience wounds and betrayal, let us ask for the grace to offer true forgiveness, even when we feel misunderstood and abandoned, or even when it seems to be in vain. In this way, may we know the freedom and peace that comes from a loving and forgiving heart.

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 17 August 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord,
and I know them, and they follow me.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Luke 12:49-53

‘I have not come to give peace but division.’
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided: three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’

Lord God,
you have prepared for those who love you
what no eye has seen, no ear has heard.
Fill our hearts with your love,
so that, loving you above all and in all,
we may attain your promises
which the heart of man has not conceived.
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 12 August 

Picture of Jesus carrying His Cross up the aisle of a Church, when the people see the terrible state of Him they rush forward to help Him.
Jesus shakes His Head and falls down and they stay where they are.

"My People,
When you carry your crosses with love and when you wear the crown of thorns with loving resignation, and offer up your sufferings with Me, you can help in the redemptive work of My Passion.
Every time you offer up the smallest of pains, annoyances, tiredness, persecutions and being mocked in My Name you help Me in My Calvary. These together with your fasting, going to receive forgiveness for sins through My Priestly Sons and your partaking at the Holy Eucharist which I have given you for your strengthening. And so the lost sheep are drawn to Me by your loving actions in other words the lost souls whom My Heart desires come to Me and I willingly suffer for love of them.
You who cannot fully come to the Sacraments, offer up in loving resignation all the pains of not being able to participate fully and I will be with you also in a special way.
I love all souls and nothing and no person can keep you from Me if you are TRULY repentant.
Your Jesus"

Isaiah 40:31 NIV
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Intercessions

Come Holy Spirit enflame us with your Love!

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.

Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis

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.

Pray for Marcin (he is still in the Freeman and now on a feeding tube, he is not doing well!), Win, Terry (out of hospital and making progress, thank you Lord) , John Morgan (Oncologist on Monday discharged John from his care after 7 years - praise the Lord. - he needs monitoring for his liver which was damaged by the chemo and is on antibiotic treatment for his current infections), Lisa, Frances (thank you Lord for improvement in her condition), Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.
Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who is waiting for a further pancreas transplant.

Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.
Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

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 in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 19 August 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

LEO XIV

GENERAL AUDIENCE
St. Peter's Square
Wednesday, 13 August 2025

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025. Jesus Christ our Hope. III. The Passover of Jesus. 2. The betrayal. “Surely it is not I?” (Mk 14,19)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Let us continue our journey in the school of the Gospel, following Jesus’ steps in the final days of his life. Today we will pause at an intimate, dramatic, yet also profoundly true scene: the moment at which, during the Passover supper, Jesus reveals that one of the Twelve is about to betray him: “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me” (Mk 14:18).

Strong words. Jesus does not utter them to condemn, but to show how love, when it is true, cannot do without the truth. The room on the upper floor, where shortly beforehand everything was carefully prepared, suddenly fills with a painful silence, made up of questions, suspicions, vulnerability. It is a pain we too know well, when the shadow of betrayal is cast over the closest relationships.

And yet, the way in which Jesus speaks about what is about to happen is surprising. He does not raise his voice, nor point his finger, nor utter the name of Judas. He speaks in such a way that each one can ask himself the question. And this is exactly what happens. Saint Mark tells us: “They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, ‘Surely it is not I?’” (Mk 14:19).

Dear friends, this question – “Surely it is not I?” – is perhaps among the sincerest that we can ask ourselves. It is not the question of the innocent, but of the disciple who discovers himself to be fragile. It is not the cry of the guilty, but the whisper of him who, while wanting to love, is aware of being able to do harm. It is in this awareness that the journey of salvation begins.

Jesus does not denounce in order to humiliate. He tells the truth because he wants to save. And in order to be saved, it is necessary to feel: to feel that one is involved, to feel that one is beloved despite everything, to feel that evil is real but that it does not have the last word. Only those who have known the truth of a deep love can also accept the wound of betrayal.

The disciples’ reaction is not anger, but sadness. They are not indignant, they are sorrowful. It is a pain that arises from the real possibility of being involved. And precisely this sorrow, if welcomed with sincerity, becomes a place for conversion. The Gospel does not teach us to deny evil, but to recognize it as a painful opportunity for rebirth.

Jesus then adds a phrase that troubles us and makes us think. “But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born” (Mk 14:21). They are harsh words, certainly, but they must be understood well: it is not a curse, but rather a cry of pain. In Greek, that “woe” sounds like a lamentation, an “alas”, an exclamation of sincere and deep compassion.

We are used to judging. Instead, God accepts suffering. When he sees evil, he does not avenge it, but grieves. And that “better if he had never been born” is not a condemnation imposed a priori, but a truth that any of us can recognize: if we deny the love that has generated us, if by betraying we become unfaithful to ourselves, then we truly lose the meaning of our coming into the world, and we exclude ourselves from salvation.

And yet, precisely there, at the darkest point, the light is not extinguished. On the contrary, it starts to shine. Because if we recognize our limit, if we let ourselves be touched by the pain of Christ, then we can finally be born again. Faith does not spare us from the possibility of sin, but if always offers us a way out of it: that of mercy.

Jesus is not scandalized by our fragility. He knows well that no friendship is immune from the risk of betrayal. But Jesus continues to trust. He continues to sit at the table with his followers. He does not give up breaking bread, even for those who will betray him. This is the silent power of God: he never abandons the table of love, even when he knows he will be left alone.

Dear brothers and sisters, we too can ask ourselves today, with sincerity: “Surely it is not I?”. Not to feel accused, but to open a space for truth in our hearts. Salvation begins here: with the awareness that we may be the ones who break our trust in God, but that we can also be the ones who gather it, protect it and renew it.

Ultimately, this is hope: knowing that even if we fail, God will never fail us. Even if we betray him, he never stops loving us. And if we allow ourselves to be touched by this love – humble, wounded, but always faithful – then we can truly be reborn. And we can begin to live no longer as traitors, but as children who are always loved.

____________________________________________

Special greetings:

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from England, Hungary, Malta, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jerusalem, the Philippines, Vietnam, Barbados and the United States of America. As we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into heaven on August 15th, I entrust you and your families to the tender care of Our Lady. Through her intercession may you be strengthened in your weakness, comforted in your trials and given the joy and peace of Jesus Christ, her Son. God bless you.
_____________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear brothers and sisters, in our catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Christ our Hope,” we continue our reflection on Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection by considering Jesus’ revelation at the Last Supper that one of his disciples will betray him. Despite the seeming harshness, Jesus’ words are not meant to condemn or humiliate his betrayer. They are rather the truth spoken with profound love, compassion and sorrow. When we reflect honestly on our own life, the question of the Apostles becomes our own: “Is it me?” Asking this question opens a space for truth in our hearts. This is important since openess to salvation begins with the awareness that we can break trust with the Lord through our sins. Despite our faults, our hope consists nevertheless in the fact that even if we fail him, he will never fail us; if we betray him, he will never betray us. Let us allow ourselves, then, to be touched by his forgiving love, so that we may truly be reborn as his beloved children.
 
The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in or hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 10 August 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake and be ready,
for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Luke 12:32-48

‘You also must be ready.’
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
  ‘Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service, and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
  Peter said, ‘Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?’ And the Lord said, ‘Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, “My master is delayed in coming”, and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.’

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
May your merciful love be upon us,
as we hope in you, O Lord.

Notes from meeting on 5 August:

Picture of Blessed Mother leading her children to Jesus, they are on a journey through low valleys then the high mountains and then they arrive at a full to bursting river of rapids and danger, everyone looks frightened but then all of them can see Jesus on the other side. That which seemed Impossible to cross suddenly seemed less frightening, Our Mother stepped into the rapids and where her foot touched the water large stable stepping stones appeared. All of the people followed Her in safety across the raging waters.

"My dear little ones,
I say this to you, when all seems impossible keep your eyes on my Son Jesus, then what seems impossible and what seems insurmountable will be overcome with ease.
I continually lead you to Him, keep fixed your eyes, your hearts, your minds and all that is within you and around you, upon Him whose love is as deep as a ravine, Whose love pours out like a rapid and whose love is as wholesome as a sunlit valley. My little ones nothing can come between you and the love of My Son, you belong to Him and so to me.
I touch each of you with my Maternal Mantle.
Mary"

Intercessions

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.

Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis

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.

Pray for Marcin (he is still in the Freeman and now on a feeding tube, he is not doing well!), Win, Terry (out of hospital and making progress, thank you Lord) , John Morgan (Oncologist on Monday discharged John from his care after 7 years - praise the Lord. - he needs monitoring for his liver which was damaged by the chemo and is on antibiotic treatment for his current infections), Lisa, Frances (thank you Lord for improvement in her condition), Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.
Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who is waiting for a further pancreas transplant.

Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.
Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

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 in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 12 August 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

Holy Day of Obligation - Friday 15 August 2025

The Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

LEO XIV

GENERAL AUDIENCE
St. Peter's Square
Wednesday, 6 August 2025

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025. Jesus Christ our Hope. III. The Passover of Jesus. 1. The preparation of the supper. “Make the preparations for us there” (Mk 14:15)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Let us continue our Jubilee journey in the discovery of the face of Christ, in whom our hope takes shape and consistency. Today we will start to reflect on the mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Let us begin by meditating on a word that seems simple but holds a precious secret of Christian life: prepare.

In the Gospel of Mark, it is told that “on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?’” (Mk 14:12). It is a practical question, but also filled with anticipation. The disciples perceive that something important is about to happen, but they do not know the details. Jesus’ answer seems almost to be a riddle: “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water” (v. 13). The details become symbolic: a man carrying a jar, a typically feminine gesture at that time; an upstairs room already prepared; an unknown host. It is as if everything has been arranged in advance. In fact, this is exactly the case. In this episode, the Gospel shows that love is not the result of chance, but of a conscious choice. It is not a simple reaction, but a decision that requires preparation. Jesus does not face his passion out of fatalism, but out of fidelity to a path freely and carefully accepted and followed. This is what comforts us: knowing that the gift of his life stems from conscious intention, not a sudden impulse.

That “upstairs room already prepared” tells us that God always precedes us. Even before we realize we need to be welcomed, the Lord has already prepared a space for us where we can recognize ourselves and feel we are his friends. This place is, fundamentally, our heart: a “room” that may seem empty, but which awaits only to be recognized, filled and cherished. The Passover, which the disciples must prepare, is in reality already present in Jesus’ heart. He has already thought of everything, arranged everything, decided everything. However, he asks his friends to do their part. This teaches us something essential for our spiritual life: grace does not eliminate our freedom, but rather awakens it. God’s gift does not eliminate our responsibility, but makes it fruitful.

Today too, like then, there is a supper to prepare. It is not only a matter of the liturgy, but of our readiness to enter into a gesture that transcends us. The Eucharist is not celebrated only at the altar, but also in daily life, where it is possible to experience everything as an offering and giving of thanks. To prepare to celebrate this thanksgiving does not mean doing more, but leaving room. It means removing what encumbers us, reducing our demands and ceasing to hold unrealistic expectations. Indeed, too often we confuse preparations with illusions. Illusions distract us; preparations guide us. Illusions seek a result; preparations make an encounter possible. True love, the Gospel reminds us, is given before it is reciprocated. It is an anticipatory gift. It is not based on what is received, but on what one wishes to offer. It is what Jesus lived with his disciples: while they still did not understand, while one of them was about to betray him and another to deny him, he was preparing a communion supper for them all.

Dear brothers and sisters, we too are invited to “prepare the Passover” of the Lord. Not only the liturgical one: that of our life too. Every gesture of willingness, every gratuitous act, every forgiveness given in advance, every effort patiently accepted, is a way to prepare a place where God can dwell. We can ask ourselves, then: what spaces in my life do I need to put in order so that they are ready to receive the Lord? What does it mean for me today to “prepare”? Perhaps to renounce a demand, to stop waiting for others to change, to take the first step. Perhaps to listen more, to act less, or to learn how to trust in what has already been prepared.

If we accept the invitation to prepare the place of communion with God and among ourselves, we will discover we are surrounded by signs, encounters and words that guide us towards that room, spacious and already prepared, in which the mystery of an infinite love, sustaining us and always preceding us, is celebrated unceasingly. May the Lord grant us to be humble preparers of his presence. And, in this daily readiness, may that serene trust also grow in us, allowing us to face everything with a free heart. Because where love has been prepared, life can truly flourish.

Special greetings:

I extend a warm welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those coming from South Africa, Vietnam, Canada, United States of America. During summer, a time normally set aside for holidays and recreation, let us not neglect the Lord’s invitation to prepare our hearts by actively participating in the Eucharist and by doing generous acts of charity. May God bless you all!

Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear brothers and sisters: today, in our continuing catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Christ our Hope,” we begin our reflection on Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection by considering the importance of preparing for an encounter with God. In the passage we just read, the disciples were surprised to find that the upper room had already been made ready for them to celebrate the Passover. We are invited to discover here an image of our own hearts, chosen and set aside by the Lord as a place of encounter with him. First, however, we must respond to the Lord’s initiative by preparing our hearts through concrete acts of love, forgiveness and self-giving so that he may come and dwell within us. By asking for our cooperation he reminds us that true love — like the Passion itself — is not the result of chance, but a conscious and free decision to give of oneself. Let us ask the Lord today to teach us how prepare for his presence and so be able to welcome him, and those around us, into our hearts.

***

APPEAL

Today marks the eightieth anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima, and in two days’ time we will remember that of Nagasaki. I wish to assure my prayers to all those who have suffered its physical, psychological and social effects. Despite the passing of the years, those tragic events constitute a universal warning against the devastation caused by wars and, in particular, by nuclear weapons. I hope that in the contemporary world, marked by strong tensions and bloody conflicts, the illusory security based on the threat of mutual destruction may give way to the tools of justice, to the practice of dialogue, and to trust in fraternity.


The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in or hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 3 August 2025

 

Dear friends, as I am away this weekend I'm posting the bulletin early in a shorter format. Normal service

next week!

Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Luke 12:13-21

‘The things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
At that time: Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of one’s possessions.’ And he told them a parable, saying, ‘The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?” And he said, “I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ ” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So is the one who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.’

Notes from meeting on 29 July:

1 John 4 v13-16

13 This is the proof that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us a share in his Spirit.
14 We ourselves have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as Saviour of the world.
15 Anyone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God.
16 We have recognised for ourselves, and put our faith in, the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer for discernment:
Holy Spirit, you, light of our understanding,
gentle breath that guides our decisions,
grant me the grace to listen attentively to your voice
and to discern the hidden paths of my heart,
so that I may grasp what truly matters to you,
and free my heart from its troubles.

I ask you for the grace to learn how to pause,
to become aware of the way I act,
of the feelings that dwell within me,
and of the thoughts that overwhelm me
which, so often, I fail to notice.

I long for my choices
to lead me to the joy of the Gospel.
Even if I must go through moments of doubt and fatigue,
even if I must struggle, reflect, search, and begin again…
Because, at the end of the journey,
your consolation is the fruit of the right decision.

Grant me a deeper understanding of what moves me,
so that I may reject what draws me away from Christ,
and love him and serve him more fully.

Amen.

Events

Next meeting will be on 5 August 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.