Today’s Readings – Saint Oliver Plunkett, Bishop and Martyr

Oliver Plunkett was born in Loughcrew, County Meath, Ireland in 1629 of well-to-do Anglo-Norman parentage. He was related by blood to a number of landowning families, such as the Earl of Fingall, Earl of Louth and Lord Dunsany. Until the age of 16, he was educated by his cousin, Patrick Plunkett, Abbot of St Mary’s in Dublin. Patrick was a brother of the first Earl of Fingall and later became bishop in turn of Ardagh and Meath.

In 1645, he set out for Rome under the care of Father Scarampo of the Roman Oratory and stayed at the Irish College where he had a brilliant academic career. The Rector later said that Plunkett:

"...devoted himself with such ardour to philosophy, theology, and mathematics, that in the Roman College of the Society of Jesus he was justly ranked amongst the for … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Tuesday of Week 13 of Ordinary Time - First Reading

Commentary on Amos 3:1-8, 4:11-12

In today’s passage, Amos has a severe warning to his people. He speaks to “the whole family” that God brought up from the land of Egypt, apparently addressing all 12 tribes, although the Northern Kingdom only included 10. The others fo … Continue