Today, rather than a reflection, Fr Paul shares a narrative about the history and significance of the Holy Thursday ceremony to be celebrated tonight and he invites us all to come along to experience the ceremony he describes. Fr Paul says the Holy Thursday ceremony is the first of ceremony of the Easter [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Matthew (26: 14-25) which commemorates the first part of the Last Supper, the preparation, and the betrayal. Fr Paul says the strange pre-planned sequence of Jesus sending his disciples to encounter a seemingly random stranger in the city occurs both for Jesus’ solemn donkey ride [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of John (13: 21-33, 36-38) which shares details of Jesus’s last meal with his disciples. Fr Paul says rather than telling us the story of the Last Supper, the Gospel give us only two incidents at the Supper, that there is traitor, and the institution of [...]
Holy Week began with Palm Sunday celebrations and today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of John (12: 1-11) which tells the story of the anointing of Jesus’ feet with costly ointment at Bethany six days before he makes his way to Jerusalem for Passover. Fr Paul says in Mark and Matthew [...]
Holy Week, which is observed throughout the Catholic Church is celebrated the week preceding Easter and begins with Palm Sunday. Listen as Fr Paul shares some information about Holy Week and its significance; the purpose of Palm Sunday celebrations; and how the Palm Sunday mass differs from our usual mass. i The celebration [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today from the John (11: 45-56) in which the Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest for that year said that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for nation alone, but to gather in unity the scattered children of God. Fr Paul says the Gospel today takes us to [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today from the John (10: 31-42) in which the Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone Jesus. Fr Paul says this scene of confrontation between Jesus and his opponents takes place at the Festival of the Dedication. This agrees with John’s theme that Jesus takes over, or centres in [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today from the John (8: 51-59) in which Jesus says ‘whoever obeys my word will never see death’ Fr Paul says the Gospel passage brings to its climax the account of the confrontation of Jesus with ‘the Jews’ in the Temple at the Festival of Tabernacles. The gospel tells [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today from the John (8: 31-42) in which Jesus says to the Jews that believed him, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ Fr Paul says the Gospel passage continues the confrontation [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today from the Matthew (1: 16, 18-21, 24) in tells of times early in the relationship of Joseph and Mary. Afterwards, Fr Paul shares a little about the St Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose memorial we celebrate today. Fr Paul says we know nothing else about [...]