Today’s Readings – Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

St Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr (Memorial)

Information on the life of Irenaeus is sparse and what is known may be inexact.

Irenaeus was born in Proconsular Asia or in one of the bordering provinces in the first half of the 2nd century and so about 100 years after the death of Christ. The exact date is disputed. We do know that, while he was still young, he had seen and heard the famous bishop, St Polycarp at Smyrna. Polycarp died in 155 AD and was in direct touch with some of those who knew Jesus.

During the persecution of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Irenaeus was a priest of the Church of Lyons in Gaul. The church leaders of that city, many of whom were suffering imprisonment for their Christian faith, sent him in 177 or 178 to Rome with a letter to Pope Eleutherius concernin … Continue

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

Commentary on Amos 2:6-10, 13-16

For the next eight weeks we shall be reading from Old Testament prophets. The first of these is the prophet Amos. He was a shepherd from Tekoa in the southern kingdom of Judah. From there he travelled north to Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and to the gre … Continue