Magnificat UK & Ireland

25/07/2024

Almighty ever-living God, who consecrated the first fruits of your Apostles by the blood of Saint James, grant, we pray, that your Church may be strengthened by his confession of faith and constantly sustained by his protection.

—From the Collect for the Feast of Saint James

22/07/2024

Mary Magdalene followed Jesus faithfully in life and stood by him at his Death, sought him in the desolation of the tomb, and bore joyful witness to his Resurrection. She remains a lively icon of deep personal devotion to Christ the Saviour.

Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us.

11/07/2024

Happy Feast of Saint Benedict, patron of Europe and father of Western Monasticism.

"Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart." (from the Rule of Saint Benedict)

03/07/2024

Happy Feast of Saint Thomas!
"God changed Thomas from a disbelieving and stubborn man into an apostle of the deepest and staunchest faith…. He came, although the doors were closed, because nothing can stand in the way of God’s power."
(—From Magnificat’s meditation for the day by Saint Lawrence of Brindisi)

29/06/2024

Father in heaven, who still lead the Church through Saints Peter and Paul, bless each of us and especially our leaders, that, like those holy men we celebrate today, we might all value your perfect will above our own.

{Saints Peter and Paul, usually celebrated on 29th June, should have appeared in our pages transferred to Sunday 30th this year in England, Wales, and Scotland—our heartfelt apologies!}

02/06/2024

The Eucharist, Pope Francis said, “communicates the Lord’s love for us: a love so great that it nourishes us with himself; a freely given love, always available to every person who hungers.”

Happy Corpus Christi!

31/05/2024

When, in the womb of their mothers, John the Voice and Jesus the Word met, the women raised their own voices in praise. Elizabeth praised Mary and her child; Mary turned the joy of them both into a hymn of praise to God.

{Image: The Visitation, German, attributed to Meister Heinrich von Konstanz, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons}

26/05/2024

"Our triune God shares himself infinitely while remaining undiminished. That is the mystery of the Trinity. The desire of God, Father, Son, and Spirit, is to attract all mankind into his current of divine love, which is the source of all life."

—Bishop Erik Varden, from Magnificat’s 'Meditation of the Day' for this Trinity Sunday

{Image from the Art essay this month: https://uk.magnificat.net/home/art }

19/05/2024

Wishing you all a blessed Pentecost Sunday!

At this culmination of the Easter season, let us unite in a great chorus of praise in the Spirit, who is the life-breath of the whole world made new in the Death and Resurrection of Christ.

09/05/2024

Happy feast of the Ascension!

"We are indeed bound for heaven, and the Ascension reminds us that our gaze is to be fixed on Christ in glory even as we labour tirelessly for him in this present age."

{Image: Painting by Andrea Mantegna, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons}

02/05/2024

Spotted in the Hall at our local Catholic school... 🤩🫶🙏

23/04/2024

Rejoice you Saints, in the presence of the Lamb; a kingdom has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world, alleluia.
(Entrance Antiphon for Mass on the Solemnity of Saint George)

08/04/2024

The Incarnation was the completion of the beautiful temple that was Mary’s soul; the Real Presence rested now in the tabernacle of her flesh. The Incarnation placed upon her soul a mark that will glow for ever with a beauty that all eternity will not dim.
(From today’s Meditation by Sister Mary Jean Dorcy, O.P.)

07/04/2024

On this Divine Mercy Sunday we recall the words of Saint Augustine: “mercy is heartfelt sympathy for another’s distress, impelling us to succour him if we can”.

31/03/2024

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who didst once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia!

31/03/2024

Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let Angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph! Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness!
(—From the Exsultet)

Wishing you all a blessed Easter!

30/03/2024

Jesus did not pass instantaneously from death to the Resurrection, skipping over the loneliness and sadness that death introduces into our world. Holy Saturday consoles us, revealing that even the painful, cold and deafening silence of death has been embraced by the Lord.

29/03/2024

“Who is the one that is not filled with hope of obtaining confidence and courage when he gazes trustfully on the position of our Lord’s crucified body? His head is bent to give us the kiss of peace, his arms extended to receive us, his hands pierced to pour his blessings upon us, his heart opened to love us, his feet nailed to the cross to soften our hearts and remain with us.” (Saint Bernard of Clairvaux).

28/03/2024

At the last great Supper lying,
Circled by his brethren’s band,
Meekly with the Law complying,
First he finished the command,
Then, immortal Food supplying,
Gave himself with his own hand.

(From the 'Pange Lingua')

24/03/2024

O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter, the king of glory! Who is this king of glory? He, the Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory. (Psalm 23:9-10)

19/03/2024

Almighty God, who called Saint Joseph to a life of quiet trust and faithful labour, grant us the grace to imitate Christ’s foster father, that we may be pillars of patience and integrity in our homes and places of work.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

18/03/2024

Happy St Patrick's Day! ☘ 🙏

Lord, through the work of Saint Patrick in Ireland we have come to acknowledge the mystery of the one true God and give thanks for our salvation in Christ; grant by his prayers that we who celebrate this festival may keep alive the fire of faith he kindled.

(From the Collect for Mass)

01/03/2024

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!
O God, who graciously bestowed on your Bishop Saint David of Wales the virtue of wisdom and the gift of eloquence, and made him an example of prayer and pastoral zeal; grant that, through his intercession, your Church may ever prosper and render you joyful praise.
(From the Collect for Mass)

08/01/2024

On the banks of the Jordan, Father, your voice resounded in the roll of thunder coming from heaven, making manifest the Saviour, showing yourself as Father of eternal light. You have rent the heavens, blessed the air, purified the water, made manifest your only Son through the Holy Spirit appearing in the form of a dove.

(A Prayer from the Ambrosian Liturgy quoted in MAGNIFICAT’s meditation for the Baptism of the Lord)

06/01/2024

"On Epiphany and the days after it we celebrate Christ as an august and glorious king. We view him as the object of our worship. His throne was his undefiled Mother’s arms; his chamber of state was a cottage or a cave; the worshippers were the wise men of the East, and they brought presents of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."
(St John Henry Newman, quoted in MAGNIFICAT’s meditation for the Epiphany of the Lord)

05/01/2024

The Holy Father has called for a Year of Prayer, in preparation for the Jubilee:

The Holy Father has asked that 2024 be a Year of Prayer. This section offers resources, including the Our Father in different languages.

01/01/2024

Today is the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God.

The first day of a new year invites gratitude and wonder: gratitude for the gift of life and another year, wonder at what it will contain. Dedicating this day to the Holy Mother of God means we entrust ourselves and the new year to Mary.

31/12/2023

“O God, who in the Holy Family left us a perfect model of family life lived in faith and obedience to your will, help us to be examples of faith and love for your commandments.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

[Image: Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons]

25/12/2023

The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. (Is 9:1)

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

24/12/2023

The long silence of Advent’s waiting begins to break slowly, hesitantly into song as we listen for the first proclamation of the good news: to you is born a Saviour!