Theotokos Prayer Group - Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday, 14 December 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;
he has sent me to proclaim good news to the poor.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Matthew 11:2-11

‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’
At that time: When John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’
  And Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.’
  As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
  ‘What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.”
‘Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.’

Grant, almighty God, that looking forward in faith to the feast of our Lord’s birth, we may feel all the happiness our Saviour brings and celebrate his coming with unfailing joy.
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.

Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday

Liturgical colour: rose (or violet)
Rose is a lighter version of violet, because today the penitential violet is mixed with the white of the approaching festival.
  It is part of human nature that we cannot go on being penitent for a long time, or we sink into a settled and insincere gloom rather than working at the definite and active spiritual exercise called penance. The Church knows human nature, and both in Advent and Lent there is a moment where the atmosphere of penance and preparation is brightened by a shaft of light from the glorious season we are preparing ourselves for.
  The third Sunday of Advent tells us ‘Gaudéte, rejoice!’ because the Lord is near and the fourth Sunday of Lent says ‘Lætáre, Jerúsalem, be joyful, Jerusalem, and all who love her!’ because she herself is loved by the Lord. On Gaudete and Laetare Sundays, therefore, the dark penitential violet may be lightened to what the documents call ‘rose’ but most laymen would call ‘pink’.
  This happens where it is traditional, and appropriate, and vestments of this extra colour are available. Otherwise there is nothing wrong in keeping violet as violet. Ultimately the liturgical colours are there to serve us, not we to serve them.

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 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.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of John Farnell a member of Theotokos Prayer Group.  May he Rest in Peace. Pray for his wife Magaret and family.

Pray for healing for Ben.

Pray for Margaret who had Pneumonia but has now been told she has Blood Cancer;

Melanie who has Lung Cancer.

Pray for healing for a young man in hospital after having his drink spiked, he has been unresponsive since admission 4 weeks ago. 

Pray for Martyn, 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

We are unable to us the Creche for the next few weeks so the next meeting will be on 23 December 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, 10 December 2025

___________________________________

Cycle of Catechesis - Jubilee 2025. Jesus Christ our hope. IV. The Resurrection of Christ and the challenges of the contemporary world. 7. The Pasch of Jesus Christ: the final answer to the question of our death.

 

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! Welcome to you all!

The mystery of death has always raised profound questions in human beings. Indeed, it seems to be the most natural and at the same time most unnatural event that exists. It is natural, because every living being on earth dies. It is unnatural, because the desire for life and eternity that we all feel for ourselves and for the people we love makes us see death as a sentence, as a “contradiction”.

Many ancient peoples developed rites and customs linked to the cult of the dead, to accompany and to recall those who journeyed towards the supreme mystery. Today, however, we see a different trend. Death seems to be a sort of taboo, an event to keep at a distance; something to be spoken of in hushed tones, to avoid disturbing our sensibilities and our tranquillity. This is often why we avoid visiting cemeteries, where those who have gone before us rest as they await resurrection.

So what is death? Is it truly the last word on our lives? Only human beings ask themselves this question, because only they know they must die. But being aware of this does not save them from death; on the contrary, in a certain sense it “burdens” them compared to other living creatures. Animals suffer, of course, and they realize that death is near, but they do not know that death is part of their destiny. They do not question the meaning, purpose and outcome of life.

Considering this aspect, one might then think that we are paradoxical, unhappy creatures, not only because we die, but also because we are certain that this event will happen, even though we do not know how or when. We find ourselves aware and at the same time powerless. This is probably where the frequent repressions and existential flights from the question of death originate.

Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori, in his famous work Apparecchio alla morte (Preparation for Death), reflects on the pedagogical value of death, emphasizing that it can be a great teacher of life. To know that it exists, and above all to reflect on it, teaches us to choose what we really want to make of our existence. Praying, in order to understand what is beneficial in view of the kingdom of heaven, and letting go of the superfluous that instead binds us to ephemeral things, is the secret to living authentically, in the awareness that our passage on earth prepares us for eternity.

Yet many current anthropological views promise immanent immortality, theorize the prolongation of earthly life through technology. This is the transhuman scenario, which is making its way into the horizon of the challenges of our time. Could death really be defeated by science? But then, could science itself guarantee us that a life without death is also a happy life?

The event of the Resurrection of Christ reveals to us that death is not opposed to life, but rather is a constitutive part of it, as the passage to eternal life. The Pasch of Jesus gives us a foretaste, in this time still full of suffering and trials, of the fullness of what will happen after death.

The Evangelist Luke seems to grasp this harbinger of light in the dark when, at the end of that afternoon when darkness had shrouded Calvary, he writes: “It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning” (Lk 23:54). This light, which anticipates Easter morning, already shines in the darkness of the sky, which still appears overcast and mute. The lights of the Sabbath, for the first and only time, herald the dawn of the day after the Sabbath: the new light of the Resurrection. Only this event is capable of illuminating the mystery of death to its full extent. In this light, and only in this, what our heart desires and hopes becomes true: that death is not the end, but the passage towards full light, towards a happy eternity.

The Risen One has gone before us in the great trial of death, emerging victorious thanks to the power of divine Love. Thus, he has prepared for us the place of eternal rest, the home where we are awaited; he has given us the fullness of life in which there are no longer any shadows and contradictions.

Thanks to Him, who died and rose again for love, with Saint Francis we can call death our “sister”. Awaiting it with the sure hope of the Resurrection preserves us from the fear of disappearing forever and prepares us for the joy of life without end.

____________________

APPEAL

I am deeply saddened by the news of the renewed conflict along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, which has claimed civilian lives and forced thousands of people to flee their homes. I express my closeness in prayer to these dear peoples, and I call on the parties to immediately cease fire and resume dialogue.

____________________________________________________

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 England, Wales, Malta, Uganda, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States of America.  I pray that each of you, and your families, may experience a blessed Advent in preparation for the coming of the new born Jesus, Son of God and Savior of the world.  God bless you all!

_____________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear brothers and sisters:

In today’s catechesis, we continue our reflection on the Jubilee theme of “Jesus Christ our Hope,” by considering death in the light of the Resurrection.  As human beings, we are aware that our life here on earth will one day come to an end. Our present culture tends to fear death and seeks to avoid thinking about it, even turning to medicine and science in search of immortality. The Gospel passage we listened to invites us to look forward to the dawn of the Resurrection. Jesus has passed from death to life as the first fruit of a new creation. The light of his victory illuminates our own mortality, reminding us that death is not the end, but a passing from this life into eternity. Therefore, death is not something to be feared, but rather a moment to prepare for. It is an invitation to examine our lives and so live in such a way that we may one day share not only in the death of Christ, but also in the joy of eternal life.

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 our 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 - Second Sunday of Advent, 7 December 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight;
all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Matthew 3:1-12

‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.” ’
  Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father”, for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
  ‘I baptise you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

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 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.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of John Farnell a member of Theotokos Prayer Group.  May he Rest in Peace. Pray for his wife Magaret and family.

Pray for healing for Ben.

Pray for Margaret who had Pneumonia but has now been told she has Blood Cancer;

Melanie who has Lung Cancer.

Pray for healing for a young man in hospital after having his drink spiked, he has been unresponsive since admission 4 weeks ago. 

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

We are unable to us the Creche for the next few weeks so the next meeting will be on 23 December 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

8 December 2025 - The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Solemnity

Father, we rejoice in the privilege of our Lady’s Immaculate Conception, which preserved her from the stain of sin by the power of Christ’s redeeming death,
and prepared her to be the Mother of God.
Grant that through her prayers we ourselves may come to you, cleansed from all sin.
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.

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

Theotokos Prayer Group - 1st Sunday of Advent , 30 November 2025

 

SUNDAY  NOVEMBER  30  First Sunday Of Advent (A)

Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us, O Lord, your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 24:37-44
Stay awake so that you may be ready.
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

Reflection from Bible Alive

It has been said that our season of  Advent has its roots in the pagan festival of the winter solstice.  The word 'solstice' is derived  from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere  (to stand still). The pagan world  hungered for light and worshipped  the sun god Sol Invictus, who was  invoked each day at sunrise. As  bright and as powerful as the sun  is, we know it doesn't cast its light  on the greatest mysteries of our  existence or penetrate the darkness of sin and death. 

The prophet Isaiah  declared hundreds of years before  the birth of Christ: 

The people who  walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of  deep darkness  
on them has light shined` (Isa. 9:2).  
Advent then is an opportunity for us to come into this light, see with the light of Christ and walk our Jubilee pilgrim way and let our light shine.  Advent literally means 'coming and the Church has always sought  to remind us during this holy season of the three comings of Christ: his  first at his birth, his second at his return to earth in glory, and another coming between these two when he  comes into each of our lives.

The  work of the Spirit is twofold: to  confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father and to pray  with heartfelt longing, 'Come, Lord Jesus, come.` 

In short, Jesus is the meaning of Christmas and of human existence. We journey towards the  baby born in the stable, in poverty and helplessness, as God made man, our light and hope. We lift up our hearts in praise and thanksgiving for Jesus who is the Light of the World, the light which darkness cannot extinguish or overcome. Never tire or grow weary of singing  the glory of Jesus' birth. For unto us a child is born, who died, who rose and will come again.  

'The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal  

And the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible  

The angels and shepherds praise him  

For you are born for us  

Little Child, God eternal.' (CCC 525)  

Come, Lord Jesus, Come.  
Isaiah 2:1-5 . Psalm 121(122):1-9  Romans 13:11-14. Matthew 24:37-44  

Next meeting will be on 22 December 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

Dear friends, Sorry for the shortened bulletin this week. I am laid up with a bad chest cold. Normal service resumes next week! Any prayer and sympathy gratefully accepted. God bless you all, Stephen

Theotokos Prayer Group - Jesus Christ King of the Universe - Sunday 23 November 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Luke 23:35-43

‘Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’
At that time: The rulers scoffed at Jesus, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’
  One of the criminals who were hanged there railed at Jesus, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

Notes from meeting on 18 November:

Picture
Picture of World in grey thick cloud, through the cloud in little partings a piercing azure blue light shines with streaks of gold, as we look further and get closer we can see pockets of these colours in many different countries, as we look even further we can see it is a Praying  Army and all over the world the prayers join together making a gold light that meets up in the air to form an ever upward spiral reaching to the Heavens. The blue light is the protection of blessed Mothers Mantle.

"My dear little children
Your prayers are heard by the Almighty and Jesus takes delight in them, for by praying you are aligning yourselves with the task of Heaven to bring all peoples to the Holy Spirit, He who will pierce their cold hearts and make them feel Love again, He who draws all to the Holy Father and Son, enlivening and showing the Way of Truth, this Truth,  that my Son Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
My little ones turn your eyes to my Son and soon miracles will be seen in the coldest of hearts even in your families and throughout your Country.
I Your Mother cover you with my Motherly Mantle of Protection, do not be afraid just persevere  my little ones. 

The clouds will part and pass and all will be well.
Mary"

We were a praying Army for the Lord pushing back against the darkness.

Psalm 139
1Yahweh, you examine me and know me,
2 you know when I sit, when I rise, you understand my thoughts from afar.
3 You watch when I walk or lie down, you know every detail of my conduct.
4 A word is not yet on my tongue before you, Yahweh, know all about it.
5 You fence me in, behind and in front, you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such amazing knowledge is beyond me, a height to which I cannot attain.
7 Where shall I go to escape your spirit? Where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I scale the heavens you are there, if I lie flat in Sheol, there you are.
9 If I speed away on the wings of the dawn, if I dwell beyond the ocean,
10 even there your hand will be guiding me, your right hand holding me fast.
11 I will say, 'Let the darkness cover me, and the night wrap itself around me,'
12 even darkness to you is not dark, and night is as clear as the day.
13 You created my inmost self, knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 For so many marvels I thank you; a wonder am I, and all your works are wonders. You knew me through and through,
15 my being held no secrets from you, when I was being formed in secret, textured in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes could see my embryo. In your book all my days were inscribed, every one that was fixed is there.
17 How hard for me to grasp your thoughts, how many, God, there are!
18 If I count them, they are more than the grains of sand; if I come to an end, I am still with you.
19 If only, God, you would kill the wicked!-Men of violence, keep away from me!-
20 those who speak blasphemously about you, and take no account of your thoughts.
21 Yahweh, do I not hate those who hate you, and loathe those who defy you?
22 My hate for them has no limits, I regard them as my own enemies.
23 God, examine me and know my heart, test me and know my concerns.
24 Make sure that I am not on my way to ruin, and guide me on the road of eternity.

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 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.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Leo McCormack a member of Theotokos Prayer Group in its early days. May he Rest in Peace  
Pray for his wife Sandra and family.

Pray for the soul of Mary, may she Rest in Peace, bring consolation to her family.

Pray for Yvonne Plucknett who has injured her back badly; 

Margaret who had Pneumonia but has now been told she has Blood Cancer;

Melanie who has Lung Cancer.

Pray for healing for a young man in hospital after having his drink spiked, he has been unresponsive since admission 4 weeks ago. 

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

Next meeting will be on 25 November 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, 19 November 2025

___________________________________

Catechesis Cycle – Jubilee 2025: Jesus Christ Our Hope. IV. The Resurrection of Christ and the Challenges of today's world. 5. Easter spirituality and integral ecology

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

We are reflecting, in this Jubilee Year dedicated to hope, on the relationship between the Resurrection of Christ and the challenges of the contemporary world, that is, our challenges. At times, Jesus, the Living One, wants to ask us too: “Why do you weep? Who do you seek?”. Indeed, challenges cannot be faced alone and tears are a gift of life when they purify our eyes and liberate our gaze.

John the Evangelist draws to our attention a detail that we do not find in the other Gospels: weeping near the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene did not immediately recognize the risen Jesus, but thought he was the gardener. Indeed, already narrating the burial of Jesus, at sunset on Good Friday, the text was very precise: “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there” (Jn 19:40-41).

Thus, in the peace of the Sabbath and the beauty of a garden, the dramatic struggle between darkness and light that began with the betrayal, arrest, abandonment, condemnation, humiliation and killing of the Son, who “having loved his own who were in the world … loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1), comes to a close. Cultivating and keeping the garden is the original task (cf. Gen 2:15) that Jesus brought to fulfilment. His last words on the cross – “It is finished” (Jn 19:30) – invite each of us to rediscover the same task, our task. For this reason, “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (v. 30).

Dear brothers and sisters, Mary Magdalene was not entirely mistaken then, believing she had encountered the gardener! Indeed, she had to hear her own name again and understand her task from the new Man, the one who in another text of John says: “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5). Pope Francis, with the Encyclical Laudato si’, showed us the extreme need for a contemplative gaze: if he is not the custodian of the garden, the human being becomes its destroyer. Christian hope therefore responds to the challenges to which all humanity is exposed today by dwelling in the garden where the Crucified One was laid as a seed, to rise again and bear much fruit.

Paradise is not lost, but found again. In this way, the death and resurrection of Jesus are the foundation of a spirituality of integral ecology, outside of which the words of faith have no hold on reality and the words of science remain outside the heart. “Ecological culture cannot be reduced to a series of urgent and partial responses to the immediate problems of pollution, environmental decay and the depletion of natural resources. There needs to be a distinctive way of looking at things, a way of thinking, policies, an educational programme, a lifestyle and a spirituality which together generate resistance” (Laudato si’, 111).

For this reason, we speak of an ecological conversion, which Christians cannot separate from the reversal of course that Jesus asks of them. A sign of this is Mary’s turning around on that Easter morning: only by conversion after conversion do we pass through that vale of tears to the new Jerusalem. This passage, which begins in the heart and is spiritual, changes history, engages us publicly, and activates solidarity that now protects people and creatures from the longings of wolves, in the name and power of the Lamb-Shepherd.

In this way, the sons and daughters of the Church can now meet millions of young people and other men and women of good will who have heard the cry of the poor and the earth, letting it touch their hearts. There are also many people who desire, through a more direct relationship with creation, a new harmony that will lead them beyond so many divisions. On the other hand, still “the heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Ps 18:1-4).

May the Spirit give us the ability to listen to the voice of those who have no voice. We will see, then, what the eyes do not yet see: that garden, or Paradise, which we will only reach by welcoming and fulfilling our own task.

____________________________

Special greetings

I am happy to welcome this morning the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially those from England, Ireland, Senegal, Uganda, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and the United States of America. A special greeting to the students and faculty from Xavier University of Louisiana and the University of Dallas, Texas. 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 all of you the joy and peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words

Dear brothers and sisters, in our continuing catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Jesus Christ our Hope,” today we consider Christ’s Resurrection and its impact on the challenges of today’s world, especially in living out integral ecology. If we allow it, Christ’s salvific act can transform all our relationships: with God, with other people and with creation. Like Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, who turned around to look at Jesus, we too must allow the seed of Christian hope to bear fruit, convert our hearts and influence the ways we respond to the issues that we face. As followers of Jesus, we are called to promote lifestyles and policies that focus on the protection of human dignity and of all of creation. Let us ask for the grace to see our struggles through the gaze of the Resurrection and may we influence the world with hope and Easter joy.

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 16 November 2025

 

Alleluia, alleluia.
Straighten up and raise your heads,
because your redemption is drawing near.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    Luke 21:5-19

‘By your endurance you will gain your lives.’
At that time: While some were speaking of the Temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, Jesus said, ‘As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.’ And they asked him, ‘Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?’ And he said, ‘See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, “I am he!” and, “The time is at hand!” Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.’
  Then he said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it, therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and sisters, and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.’

Notes from meeting on 11 November:

Picture

Picture of a man sinking in a quagmire of evil mud, every time he moves he is sucked down more, in desperation he calls out to Mary our Mother.
Mary appears and with her small and little hand she grasps his hand and with such firmness she pulls him out! He is filthy and broken, she leads him to Her Son Jesus, Jesus pours Living Water over him and the man is instantly cleansed and healed, his appearance is clean and his heart is full of gratitude.

"My dear children
I will always help you to come before my Son Jesus and plead for you to Him, Jesus Himself will cleanse and heal you making you acceptable to the Father through His Sacrifice on the Cross and the holy action of the Holy Spirit.
Anyone who calls on my name will always receive my Motherly actions which always lead to my Son Jesus. I make no distinction between any child, only that they call on my Motherly help.
My little ones pray for those who don’t know my Son Jesus
My little ones pray even harder for those who know of Him but turn their backs on Him, He weeps for love of them.
Your Prayers will cause the Holy Spirit to send graces to each soul and so they may turn to Jesus, This will cause Heaven to rejoice for the lost sheep has been found.
Mary"

Picture

Picture of a piece of cloth with a large needle being repaired, which we took to mean our prayers are helping to repair the ills in the world!

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 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.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Leo McCormack a member of Theotokos Prayer Group in its early days. May he Rest in Peace  
Pray for his wife Sandra and family.

Pray for the soul of Mary, may she Rest in Peace, bring consolation to her family.

Pray for Yvonne Plucknett who has injured her back badly; 

Margaret who had Pneumonia but has now been told she has Blood Cancer;

Melanie who has Lung Cancer.

Pray for healing for a young man in hospital after having his drink spiked, he has been unresponsive since admission 4 weeks ago. 

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

Next meeting will be on 18 November 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

Theotokos Prayer Group - Sunday 9 November 2025 Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Feast)

 

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (c.324)

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

Alleluia, alleluia.
I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, that my name may be there for ever.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    John 2:13-22

He was speaking about the temple of his body.
The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the Temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the Temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, ‘Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’
  So the Jews said to him, ‘What sign do you show us for doing these things?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Notes from meeting on 4 November:

Picture of many sheep and lambs Our Blessed Lord is among them, he falls back to see to the old and lame, carrying one on His shoulders and two under His arms.
The sheep had been lost in an unknown and unfamiliar area and had been attacked by wolves some bleeding slightly but Jesus prevented any terrible atrocities by summoning an army of large fierce Angels three deep on all sides and back and front of His Flock,
The Army of Heavenly Beings saw off the wolves and all was made safe to continue.
Above the Flock a large canopy type banner appeared, upon which was The Sacred Heart and The Immaculate Heart joined together by the entwined Rosary.

"My dear children
My Son Jesus will never leave you orphaned, He will always guide you and lead you to the Truth! Jesus is Love, Jesus Is Truth, His Heart is full of Mercy which flows out to all of His Own.
Do not fear the confusion and darkness which is everywhere but stand fast and PRAY. Go to Jesus in The Holy Eucharist and receive Him with gratitude and love.
Go to Jesus in Confession make sacrifice as best you can.
Pray my children My Holy Rosary, the weapon par excellence that has been given to you.
Always invoke through the Holy Spirit the protection of the two Hearts, My Son’s and this Mothers Heart.
All will be well my little ones, My Jesus loves you each so much.
Mary"

Galatians 5 v 22-26

22 On the other hand the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control; no law can touch such things as these.
24 All who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified self with all its passions and its desires.
25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let our behaviour be guided by the Spirit
26 and let us not be conceited or provocative and envious of one another.

Turn round.

Whenever we stray from Him, Jesus is waiting for us, welcoming us back.

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 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.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Leo McCormack a member of Theotokos Prayer Group in its early days. May he Rest in Peace  
Pray for his wife Sandra and family.

Pray for the soul of Mary, may she Rest in Peace, bring consolation to her family.

Pray for Yvonne Plucknett who has injured her back badly; 

Margaret who had Pneumonia but has now been told she has Blood Cancer;

Melanie who has Lung Cancer.

Pray for healing for a young man in hospital after having his drink spiked, he has been unresponsive since admission 4 weeks ago. 

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

Next meeting will be on 11 November 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
Saint Peter's Square

Wednesday, 5 November 2025

___________________________________

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025: Jesus Christ our hope. 4. The Resurrection of Christ and the challenges of the contemporary world. 3. Easter gives hope to everyday life

 

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning, and welcome to you all!

The Pasch of Jesus is an event that does not belong to a distant past, now settled into tradition like so many other episodes in human history. The Church teaches us to make a living remembrance of the Resurrection every year on Easter Sunday and every day in the Eucharistic celebration, during which the promise of the risen Lord is most fully realized: “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20).

For this reason, the Paschal Mystery is the cornerstone of Christian life, around which all other events revolve. We can say, then, without any irenicism or sentimentality, that every day is Easter. In what way?

Hour by hour, we have so many different experiences: pain, suffering, sadness, intertwined with joy, wonder, serenity. But through every situation, the human heart longs for fullness, a profound happiness. A great twentieth-century philosopher, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, born Edith Stein, who delved deeply into the mystery of the human person, reminds us of this dynamism of the constant search for fulfilment. “‘The human being”, she writes, “always longs to have being given to him anew, so that he can draw on what the moment gives him and at the same time takes away from him” (Finite and Eternal Being: An Attempt to Ascend to the Meaning of Being”, Rome 1998, 387). We are immersed in limitation, but we also strive to surpass it.

The Paschal proclamation is the most beautiful, joyful and overwhelming news that has ever resounded in all of history. It is the quintessential “Gospel”, which attests to the victory of love over sin and of life over death, and this is why it is the only thing capable of satisfying the demand for meaning that troubles our minds and our hearts. Human beings are inspired by an inner movement, striving towards a beyond that continually attracts them. No contingent reality satisfies us. We tend towards the infinite and the eternal. This contrasts with the experience of death, anticipated by suffering, loss, and failure. As Saint Francis sings, “nullu homo vivente po skampare” (“no living man can escape”) from death (cf. Canticle of the Sun).

Everything changes thanks to that morning when the women had gone to the tomb to anoint the body of the Lord, and found it empty. The question posed by the Magi who came from the East to Jerusalem: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” (Mt 2:1-2), finds its definitive answer in the words of the mysterious youth dressed in white, who speaks to the women at Easter dawn: “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here” (Mk 16:6).

From that morning until today, every day, Jesus will also have this title: the Living One, as He presents himself in Revelation: “I am the First and the Last, and the Living One: I died, and behold I am alive for evermore” (Rev 1:17-18). And in Him, we have the assurance of always being able to find the lodestar towards which we can direct our seemingly chaotic lives, marked by events that often appear confusing, unacceptable, incomprehensible: evil in its many forms, suffering, death, events that affect each and every one of us. Meditating on the mystery of the Resurrection, we find an answer to our thirst for meaning.

Faced with our fragile humanity, the Paschal proclamation becomes care and healing, nourishing hope in the face of the frightening challenges that life presents us with every day on a personal and global level. In the perspective of Easter, the Via Crucis, the Way of the Cross, is transfigured into the Via Lucis, the Way of Light. We need to savour and meditate on the joy after the pain, to retrace in the new light all the stages that preceded the Resurrection.

Easter does not eliminate the cross, but defeats it in the miraculous duel that changed our human history. Even our time, marked by so many crosses, invokes the dawn of Paschal hope. Christ’s Resurrection is not an idea, a theory, but the Event that is the foundation of faith. He, the Risen One, through the Holy Spirit, continues to remind us of this, so that we can be His witnesses even where human history does not see light on the horizon. Paschal hope does not disappoint. To believe truly in the Pasch through our daily journey means revolutionizing our lives, being transformed in order to transform the world with the gentle and courageous power of Christian hope.

____________________________________________________

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 England, Ireland, Angola, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America.  During the month of November, we pray in particular for the eternal repose of the faithful departed. May the risen Lord show them his mercy, and may the hope brought by our faith in the Resurrection keep our eyes and our hearts turned towards the joy of Heaven.  God bless you all!

_____________________________

Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear brothers and sisters,

In our continuing catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Christ our Hope,” we reflect today on the presence of the risen Christ as an unfailing source of hope in our daily lives.  Whether we are experiencing moments of joy and serenity, or struggling to overcome the suffering caused by difficulty and pain, the human heart unceasingly longs for fulness and contentment.  The proclamation of the Easter message stands as a sure anchor: love has conquered sin forever, and life triumphs over death.  Jesus, who is now “alive forever and ever,” promises to be with us always.  His presence fills our lives with meaning and we discover that our yearning for eternity is not only justified, but is now within our reach.  Let us ask the risen Lord to help us to recognize his presence in every circumstance, and so experience the victory of Easter in our daily lives. 

All Saints Day - Part 2

Apologies, I missed this from the earlier post:

Let us all rejoice in the Lord.

as we celebrate the feat day in honour of all the Saints,

at whose festival the Angels rejoice and praise the Son of God

LEO XIV

GENERAL AUDIENCE

St Peter's Square
Wednesday, 29 October 2025

Cycle of Catechesis – Catechesis on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the conciliar Declaration Nostra aetate

Dear brothers and sisters, pilgrims in faith and representatives of the various religious traditions! Good morning, welcome!

At the centre of today’s reflection, in this General Audience dedicated to interreligious dialogue, I would like to place the Lord Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:24). In the Gospel, this encounter reveals the essence of authentic religious dialogue: an exchange that is established when people open up to one another with sincerity, attentive listening and mutual enrichment. It is a dialogue that arose from thirst: God’s thirst for the human heart, and the human thirst for God. At the well of Sychar, Jesus overcomes the barriers of culture, gender and religion. He invites the Samaritan woman to a new understanding of worship, which is not limited to a particular place – “neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem” – but is realized in Spirit and truth. This moment captures the very core of interreligious dialogue itself: the discovery of God’s presence beyond all boundaries and the invitation to seek him together with reverence and humility.

Sixty years ago, on 28 October 1965, Vatican Council II, with the promulgation of the Declaration Nostra Aetate, opened up a new horizon of encounter, respect and spiritual hospitality. This luminous Document teaches us to meet the followers of other religions not as outsiders, but as travelling companions on the path of truth; to honour differences affirming our common humanity; and to discern, in every sincere religious search, a reflection of the one divine Mystery that embraces all creation.

In particular, it should not be forgotten that the first focus of Nostra Aetate was towards the Jewish world, which which Saint John XXIII intended to re-establish the original relationship. For the first time in the history of the Church, a doctrinal treatise on the Jewish roots of Christianity was to take shape, which on a biblical and theological level would represent a point of no return. A “bond … spiritually ties the people of the New Covenant to Abraham’s stock. Thus the Church of Christ acknowledges that, according to God’s saving design, the beginnings of her faith and her election are found already among the Patriarchs, Moses and the prophets” (Nostra Aetate, 4). In this way, the Church, “mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel’s spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone” (ibid.). Since then, all my predecessors have condemned anti-Semitism with clear words. And so I too confirm that the Church does not tolerate anti-Semitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself.

Today we can look with gratitude at everything that has been achieved in Jewish-Catholic dialogue during these six decades. This is due not only to human effort, but to the assistance of our God who, according to Christian conviction, is dialogue itself. We cannot deny that there have been misunderstandings, difficulties and conflicts in this period, but these have never prevented the dialogue from continuing. Even today, we must not allow political circumstances and the injustices of some to divert us from friendship, especially since we have achieved so much so far.

The spirit of Nostra Aetate continues to illuminate the path of the Church. She recognizes that all religions can reflect “a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men” (NA, 2) and seek answers to the great mysteries of human existence, so that dialogue must never be solely intellectual, but profoundly spiritual. The Declaration invites all Catholics – bishops, clergy, consecrated persons and lay faithful – to involve themselves sincerely in dialogue and in collaboration with the followers of other religions, recognizing and promoting all that is good, true and holy in their traditions (cf. ibid.). This is necessary today in practically every city where, due to human mobility, our spiritual and cultural differences are called to encounter one another and to live together fraternally. Nostra Aetate reminds us that true dialogue is rooted in love, the only foundation of peace, justice and reconciliation, whereas it firmly rejects every form of discrimination or persecution, affirming the equal dignity of every human being (cf. NA, 5).

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, sixty years after Nostra Aetate, we can ask ourselves: what can we do together? The answer is simple: we can act together. More than ever, our world needs our unity, our friendship and our collaboration. Each one of our religions can contribute to alleviating human suffering and taking care of our common home, our planet Earth. Our respective traditions teach truth, compassion, reconciliation, justice and peace. We must reaffirm service to humanity, at all times. Together, we must be vigilant against the abuse of the name of God, of religion, and of dialogue itself, as well as against the dangers posed by religious fundamentalism and extremism. We must also face the responsible development of artificial intelligence because, if conceived as an alternative to humans, it can gravely violate their infinite dignity and neutralize their fundamental responsibilities. Our traditions have an immense contribution to make to the humanization of technology and therefore to inspire its regulation, to protect fundamental human rights.

As we all know, our religions teach that peace begins in the human heart. In this regard, religion can play a fundamental role. We must restore hope to our personal lives, our families, our neighbourhoods, our schools, our villages, our countries and our world. This hope is based on our religious convictions, on the conviction that a new world is possible.

Sixty years ago, Nostra Aetate brought hope to the world after the Second World War. Today we are called upon to rekindle that hope in our world, devastated by war and our degraded natural environment. Let us collaborate, because if we are united, everything is possible. Let us ensure that nothing divides us. And in this spirit, I would like to express once more my gratitude for your presence and your friendship. Let us transmit this spirit of friendship and collaboration to the future generation too, because it is the true pillar on which dialogue rests.

And now, let us pause a moment in silent prayer: prayer has the power to transform our attitudes, our thoughts, our words and our actions.

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APPEAL

In recent days Jamaica has been struck by Hurricane Melissa, a storm of catastrophic power, causing violent flooding. It is currently sweeping across Cuba with devastating force. Thousands of people have been displaced, while homes, infrastructure and several hospitals have been damaged. I assure everyone of my closeness, praying for those who have lost their lives, for those who are fleeing and for those populations who, awaiting the storm's developments, are experiencing hours of anxiety and concern. I encourage the civil authorities to do everything possible and I thank the Christian communities, together with voluntary organizations, for the relief they are providing.

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Special greetings:

I extend a warm welcome to all English speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s audience, especially those coming from England, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Canada and the United States of America.  

In particular, I wish to express my gratitude for the presence of the leaders and representatives of non-Christian religions.

May God, who created all men and women, pour into our hearts a spirit of fraternal love that we may recognize the imprint of God’s goodness and beauty in every human being.

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Summary of the Holy Father's words:

Dear brothers and sisters, as we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on the Relation of the Church with non-Christian Religions, we see how, in today’s Scripture reading, Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman captures the essence of interreligious dialogue, namely, the humble discovery of God’s presence.  Indeed, Nostra Aetate invites us to view every religion as a quest for truth and to see every sincere seeker of God as one who reflects his divine mystery.  Because our Christian faith has its roots in God’s plan of salvation, which began with his chosen people, the Church has a special love and reverence for the Jewish people.  At the same time, the world needs more than ever the powerful witness of men and women of all religions living together in unity, friendship and cooperation.  In this true way, we can work jointly to achieve the peace, justice and reconciliation so desperately needed today. May we, therefore, never lose hope that a new world without division is possible.