Sunday, May 04, 2025

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER; SAINT MONICA, WIDOW (387 A.D.); The Blessed Martyrs of England and Wales (1535 to 1583 A.D.)

 



SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER




SAINT MONICA
Widow
 

[Commemoration]
THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF ENGLAND AND WALES
 


 
DOUBLE / WHITE
With the memory of Christ's death still vivid in our minds and daily renewed with the renewal of His death in each Mass, we know the price of shepherding souls. That divine and dangerous leadership began with Christ. By His command, it must reach across the world to embrace all men, until there shall be but one flock and one shepherd. The inspiring leadership of each successive Pope is the living voice and power of Jesus to each generation. The Pope's commands and admonitions require reverent acceptance. The closer men are to the mind and will of the Vicar of Christ, the closer they are to Christ Himself.


INTROIT
Ps. 32:5-6The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord, alleluia! By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, alleluia, alleluia!
Ps. 32:1. Rejoice in the Lord, you just; praise befits the upright.

V. Glory Be . . .

GLORIA

COLLECT

You raised up our fallen world, O God, by the humiliation of Your own Son. May we, Your faithful people, be always joyful on earth, and, by being rescued from the danger of eternal death, come to everlasting happiness in heaven. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .


Commemoration of SAINT MONICA

In North Africa during the fourth century, Monica converted her pagan husband by the power of her prayers and her holy life. After her husband's death, she suffered intense grief when her brilliant son Augustine went astray in morals and faith. A saintly bishop consoled her with the words, "It is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish." Augustine crossed over into Italy, but his mother followed him. There, by St. Augustine's marvelous conversion, Monica's sorrow was turned into joy.
 
O God, You are the comfort of those who mourn and the Saviour of all who trust in You. Blessed Monica's loving tears moved You to convert her son Augustine. may we also grieve for our sins and win the grace of Your pardon through the intercession of these two saints. 
 
Commemoration of THE BLESSED MARTYRS
This Feast commemorates fifty-four English Martyrs who suffered from A.D. 1535 to 1583 under Henry VIII and his successors.

O God, who from among all ranks of the English people didst raise up Thy blessed Martyrs, the Bishop John, Thomas and their Companions, to be defenders of the true Faith and of the Holy See, grant through their merits and prayers that, by the profession of that Faith, we may all become and remain united, according to the prayer of Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

  
EPISTLE I Peter 2:21-25
Beloved: Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth." When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.


Alleluia, alleluia. V. Luke 24:33

The disciples recognized the Lord Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Alleluia!

V. John 10:14. I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and mine know me. Alleluia!


GOSPEL John 10:11-16.

At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
"I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd."


CREED
 
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 62:2, 5
O God, my God, for You do I watch at the break of day; and I lift up my hands in Your name, alleluia!


SECRET

May this holy offering bring us the blessing of salvation, O Lord, and may the mystery of the sacrifice which we here perform, work its effect in us. Through Our Lord . . .


Commemoration of SAINT MONICA 
Accept this gift, O Lord, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your Saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble.

Commemoration of THE BLESSED MARTYRS 
 Hearken, O Lord, unto the voices of Thy blessed Martyrs who cry from beneath Thine altar, and look kindly upon our offerings. Through our Lord . . .

 
COMMUNION ANTIPHON John 10:14
I am the good shepherd, alleluia! 

And I Know my sheep, and mine know me, alleluia, alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION

O Almighty God, may we always proudly rejoice in Your Gift of grace, which has brought us back to life again. Through Our Lord . . .


Commemoration of SAINT MONICA
O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the food of heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your Saint whose feast we celebrate this day.

Commemoration of THE BLESSED MARTYRS
Quickened by this heavenly Banquet, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that by the intercession of these Thy blessed Martyrs, we may worthily attain unto their fellowship. Through our Lord . . .

Some of the Martyrs are:
  • Saint John Almond
  • Saint Edmund Arrowsmith
  • Saint Ambrose Barlow
  • Saint John Boste
  • Saint Alexander Briant
  • Saint Edmund Campion
  • Saint Margaret Clitherow
  • Saint Philip Evans
  • Saint Thomas Garnet
  • Saint Edmund Gennings
  • Saint Richard Gwyn
  • Saint John Houghton
  • Saint Philip Howard
  • Saint John Jones
  • Saint John Kemble
  • Saint Luke Kirby
  • Saint Robert Lawrence
  • Saint David Lewis
  • Saint Anne Line
  • Saint John Lloyd
  • Saint Cuthbert Mayne
  • Saint Henry Morse
  • Saint Nicholas Owen
  • Saint John Payne
  • Saint Polydore Plasden
  • Saint John Plessington
  • Saint Richard Reynolds
  • Saint John Rigby
  • Saint John Roberts
  • Saint Alban Roe
  • Saint Ralph Sherwin
  • Saint Robert Southwell
  • Saint John Southworth
  • Saint John Stone
  • Saint John Wall
  • Saint Henry Walpole
  • Saint Margaret Ward
  • Saint Augustine Webster
  • Saint Swithun Wells
  • Saint Eustace White
 

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