Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Luke (10: 1-12) in which Jesus as he sends the disciples ahead of him, says ‘the harvest is rich, but the labourers are few’. After reading the Gospel Fr Paul shares a little about the life of St Jerome, whose memorial we celebrate today.

Fr Paul says, Jerome was born in Strido, Dalmatia in the year 340. He studied in Rome and was baptized there, yet, he was attracted to the ascetic life and so he travelled to the East. It was there he was unwillingly ordained a priest.  He was called back to Rome to act as secretary for Pope Damasus and, on that pope’s death, Jerome returned to the east to Bethlehem. There he founded a monastery, a hospice and a school. He then began his life’s most important work, translating the bible into Latin. A translation that, with a few revisions, is still in use to this very day. He also wrote many works of his own, especially commentaries on the holy scripture.

Jerome died in Bethlehem in the year 420.

Today, as we celebrate the live of St Jerome, and in the tradition of our church, Fr Paul says, we ask St Jerome, pray for us.