10th February 2013 - 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) - Our Lady of Lourdes

On this weeks programme John is joined by Fr Michael Liston to speak about the Lourdes and the devotion to the Madonna under the title of Our Lady of Lourdes whose feast day is celebrated February 11th and also marks World Day of the Sick. We have a reflection on this weeks gospel and other odds and ends.

This weeks podcast is available here.

A word with Fr Michael - Lourdes

Fr Michael Liston shares with us some thoughts and reflections on Lourdes on this weeks programme. He reminds us of the experience of St Bernadette and the joy of friendship between the Virgin and Bernadette. As always from Fr Michael it is a wonderful reflection on Lourdes and we would encourage you to listen to it in full as it is very difficult to sum up in words the enthusiasm and the hope that comes across in this reflection this morning.

 

Fr Michael's reflection is excerpted from the programme here.

 

It is also the World Day of the Sick. "This day represents for the sick, for health care workers, for the faithful and for all people of goodwill “a privileged time of prayer, of sharing, of offering one’s sufferings for the good of the Church, and a call for all to recognize in the features of their suffering brothers and sisters the Holy Face of Christ, who, by suffering, dying and rising has brought about the salvation of mankind”

 

Pope Benedict's message for the 21st World Day of the Sick is here.

 

Gospel - Luke 5:1-11

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Sunday Reflections
Centre for Liturgy
Dr Donal Murray's Lenten Pastoral Letter from 2001 - "Put out into the deeper water"

Liturgical odds and ends

Divine Office - Week 1

Saints of the Week

February 11th - Our Lady of Lourdes, also St Gobnait
February 12th - St Alexius of Moscow
February 13th - Ash Wednesday - Day of Fast & Abstinence. Last year Fr Michael gave a reflection on the meaning of the "joyful season of Lent" which was very popular and which you can listen back to here.

During Lent all memorials of saints, whether obligatory or optional, are deemed "commemorations" and their celebration is more limited than in other times. In all cases, their celebration is optional even for memorials that would be obligatory outside of Lent. However if a saint has the category of solemnity or feast, for example, St. Joseph or St. Patrick, then it is celebrated as normal with vestments of the corresponding color, the recitation of the Glory and, on solemnities, the Creed. The readings and the Liturgy of the Hours are those proper to the feast.

February 14th - Ss Cyril and Methodius (patrons of Europe) (feast day) also St Valentine (commemoration)
February 15th - St Faranan of Iona (commer.)
February 16th - St Julian of Egypt (commer.)