Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to you, O Christ, proclaimed among the nations.
Glory to you, O Christ, believed in throughout the world.
Alleluia.
Gospel: John 1:1-18
‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness about him, and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.” ’
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only begotten God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Almighty, ever-living God, light of every faithful soul,
fill the world with your glory and reveal to all nations the splendour of your presence.
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
I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever...
We ask the Lord's Blessing on us at the start of a New Year.
We pray in reparation for all offences against the life and dignity of the human person from conception until natural death. Lord have mercy on us!
Pray for our new Pope, Leo XIV, that he may shepherd the Church and proclaim Christ to the World.
Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.
Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.
We pray for all who are ill in mind body or spirit and all those in any need or difficulty.
(as we begin the new year, If you have any specific prayer intentions please let me know)
Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family.
Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.
Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.
Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.
Pray for Disha that he may find employment.
Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.
Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.
Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.
Pray for lost souls.
Pray for the conversion of the World.
Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.
Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.
Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.
Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.
Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.
If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to
me. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know
Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal 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
Holy Day of Obligation - Feast of the Epiphany - 6 January 2026
On this day, Lord God, by a guiding star you revealed your Only-Begotten Son to all the peoples of the world.
Lead us from the faith by which we know you now to the vision of your glory, face to face.
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.
Lead us from the faith by which we know you now to the vision of your glory, face to face.
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.
We have a break over Christmas and New Year and begin meeting again on 13 January 2026 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.
The Holy Year ends on 6 January 2026 when Pope Leo XIV closes the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, marking the conclusion of this special year of grace.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html
POPE LEO XIV
GENERAL AUDIENCE
St Peter's Square
Wednesday, 31 December 2025
___________________________________
Catechesis of the Holy Father Leo XIV in the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!
We are gathering for this moment of reflection on the last day of the calendar year, close to the end of the Jubilee and at the heart of Christmas time.
The past year has certainly been marked by important events: some of them joyful, such as the pilgrimage of so many of the faithful on the occasion of the Holy Year; others painful, such as the passing of the late Pope Francis, and the scenarios of war that continue to convulse the planet. At its end, the Church invites us to place everything before the Lord, entrusting ourselves to his Providence, and asking him to renew, in us and around us, in the coming days, the wonders of his grace and mercy.
It is in this dynamic that the tradition of the solemn singing of the Te Deum, with which we will thank the Lord this evening for the blessings we have received, finds its place. We will sing, “You are God: we praise you”, “In you, Lord, is our hope”, “Have mercy on us”. In this regard, Pope Francis observed that while “worldly gratitude, worldly hope are evident … they are focused on the self, on its interests … Instead, in this Liturgy … one breathes an entirely different atmosphere: one of praise, of wonder, of gratitude” (Homily of First Vespers of the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, 31 December 2023).
And it is with these attitudes that today we are called upon to reflect on what the Lord has done for us over the past year, as well as to examine our consciences honestly, to evaluate our response to his gifts and to ask forgiveness for all the times we have failed to treasure his inspirations and invest the talents he has entrusted to us in the best possible way (cf. Mt 25:14-30).
This leads us to reflect on another great sign that has accompanied us in recent months: that of the “journey” and the “destination”. This year, countless pilgrims have come from all over the world to pray at the Tomb of Peter and to confirm their adherence to Christ. This reminds us that our whole life is a journey, whose final destination transcends space and time, to be fulfilled in the encounter with God and in full and eternal communion with Him (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1024). We will also ask for this in the Te Deum prayer, when we say: “Bring us with your saints to glory everlasting”. It is no coincidence that Saint Paul VI defined the Jubilee as a great act of faith in “anticipation of future destinies ... which we already foretaste and ... prepare for” (General Audience, 17 December 1975).
And in this eschatological light of the encounter between the finite and the infinite, a third sign can be seen: the passage through the Holy Door, which so many of us have made, praying and imploring forgiveness for ourselves and our loved ones. It expresses our “yes” to God, who with his forgiveness invites us to cross the threshold of a new life, animated by grace, modelled on the Gospel, inflamed by “love for that neighbour, in whose definition ... every man is included ... in need of understanding, help, comfort, sacrifice, even if personally unknown to us, even if bothersome and hostile, but endowed with the incomparable dignity of a brother” (Saint Paul VI, Homily on the occasion of the closing of the Holy Year, 25 December 1975; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1826-1827). It is our “yes” to a life lived with commitment in the present and oriented towards eternity.
Dear friends, we meditate on these signs in the light of Christmas. Saint Leo the Great, in this regard, saw the feast of the Birth of Jesus as the proclamation of a joy that is for everyone: “Let the saint rejoice”, he exclaimed, “because he is approaching his reward; let the sinner rejoice, because he is offered forgiveness; let the pagan take courage, because he is called to life” (First Discourse on the Nativity of the Lord, 1).
His invitation is addressed today to all of us, holy by Baptism, because God has become our companion on the journey towards true Life; to us sinners, because, forgiven, with his grace we can stand up and set off again; and finally, to us, poor and fragile, because the Lord, making our weakness his own, has redeemed it and shown us the beauty and strength of his perfect humanity (cf. Jn 1:14).
Therefore, I would like to conclude by remembering the words with which Saint Paul VI, at the end of the Jubilee of 1975, described its fundamental message. It is contained, he said, in one word: “love”. And he added, “God is Love! This is the ineffable revelation with which the Jubilee, through its teaching, its indulgence, its forgiveness and finally its peace, full of tears and joy, has sought to fill our spirit today and our lives tomorrow: God is Love! God loves me! God awaited me, and I have found him! God is mercy! God is forgiveness! God is salvation! God, yes, God is life!” (General Audience, 17 December 1975). May these thoughts accompany us in the passage from the old to the new year, and then always, in our lives.
____________________________________________
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 Australia, China, Palestine, the Philippines and the United States of America. As we prepare for tomorrow’s celebration of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, let us entrust the coming year to her maternal intercession. To all of you and your families, I offer my prayerful good wishes for a blessed Christmas season and a new year filled with joy and peace. God bless you all!
_____________________________
Summary of the Holy Father's words:
Dear brothers and sisters,
In the scripture passage we have listened to, Saint Paul reminds us that God is able to accomplish far more than we can ever ask or imagine. This evening, trusting in this power and love, we will sing the Te Deum in thanksgiving for the many gifts we have received from God throughout the year. We are also invited to reflect on how we, in turn, have responded, and to ask for God’s mercy, like the many pilgrims who have passed through the Holy Door in search of forgiveness. This Jubilee Year has been a strong reminder that life itself is a journey towards encounter and communion with God, who has become our companion by sharing in our humanity. During this Christmas season, let us open our hearts to the love of God made visible in the Child born in Bethlehem, and so come to share in the joy of salvation.
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
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