20th January 2018 - The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2019

On this weeks programme we are joined by Fr Martin Browne OSB from Glenstal to reflect on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2019 and the urgent need to realise that Christian unity is not an optional extra. We have our regular reflection on the Sunday Gospel as well as other notices and liturgical odds & ends. 

You can listen to this weeks programme full podcast HERE.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2019

We are joined on this weeks programme by Fr Martin Browne OSB from Glenstal to discuss the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2019 and the imperative for all Christians to urgently work towards the unity of Christians. 

Ecumenism should be taken far more seriously, an Irish priest has urged, ahead of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Fr Martin Browne OSB, a Benedictine monk based at Glenstal Abbey, Co. Limerick, and a member of the international group tasked by the Vatican and the World Council of Churches with preparing texts for the week, said the annual reminder of the need for ecumenism can be “a wake-up call”. Ongoing divisions between churches make it all the more important that we do pray for unity, Fr Browne said. “It is the Lord’s will, and Christian disunity is a scandal. “Realising the unity that is inherent in the Body of Christ will require not just ingenuity and imagination, but conversion and repentance.” Maintaining that “Christian unity is not an optional extra”, but adding “I don’t think it is considered a priority in many places in Ireland”, Fr Brown concluded that “if we take unity seriously then the Week of Prayer can be a real grace”

Bishop Brendan Leahy has invited Catholics across Ireland to support and pray for Christian unity throughout the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which takes place from 18 to 25 January 2019. During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, he explains, “Christians all over the world and in every Church make an effort to focus on that prayer of Jesus – "May they all be one‟.

“At times we can let it become a habit or get used to it or forget about it. So, I would encourage everybody, wherever they are – even if they aren‟t necessarily with other Christians, in their local church to make an effort or in a local prayer group – wherever it might be – to make an effort to focus on praying for Christian unity,” Dr Leahy explains.

He suggests those interested should look up specially prepared resources on the dedicated website. This year‟s resources have been prepared by Christians in Indonesia and they have taken their theme from Chapter 16 of the Book of Deuteronomy: “Justice and justice only will we pursue”.

- From CathoilicIreland.net 

The Augustinians in Limerick will be holding a special service here in St. Augustine‟s Church on Thursday 24th January at 7.30pm. They are welcoming a number of people from other Christian denominations and Fellowships to a service of Prayer, Readings, Song and Silence in St. Augustine‟s to be followed by some simple hospitality. They warmly invite you to attend this special service as we pray together for Christian unity.
You can listen to the interview with Fr Martin excerpted from the main programme podcast HERE. 

• You can find the resources from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland HERE.
• Resources from Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches HERE.
• WPCU2019 Twitter

Gospel - John 2:1-11

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
"They have no wine."
And Jesus said to her,
"Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servers,
"Do whatever he tells you."
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the them,
"Fill the jars with water."
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
"Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Centre for Liturgy
English Dominicans
Sunday Reflections

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours - Psalter week 2; 2nd week in Ordinary time

Saints of the Week

January 21st - St Agnes
January 22nd - St Vincent
January 23rd - St Colman of Lismore
January 24th - St Francis de Sales
January 25th - Conversion of St Paul
January 26th - Ss Timothy and Titus