Welcome to St Augustine's Parish, Manchester
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
‘Render to God the things that are God’s’
Our readings today leave us in no doubt that, as the Creator of all, there is only one God, who rules over everything on earth.
In the First Reading we hear Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the pagan king, Cyrus, who, with God’s help, will conquer nations, return the Jewish people to their homeland, and restore the greatness of Jerusalem. Through his actions, people around the whole world will know that God is Lord of all nations.
The Psalm invites us to sing of the power and glory of God. As in the First Reading, we are exhorted to tell others that the Lord is king, praising him above all else.
St Paul (Second Reading) writes to the developing Christian community in Thessalonica. He reminds them – and us – that we are chosen and loved by God. We know God not just through words, but also by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the Gospel we see Jesus neatly avoiding the trap set for him by those who seek to discredit him. Pointing out Caesar’s image on a coin, he tells them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’
In the week ahead, we pray for all those who are in positions of leadership around the world. We ask that God will steer and guide them to seek justice and fairness for all people.
(With thanks to St Beuno's Outreach)
ARTWORK
Gospel - Matthew 22:15-21
Greetings from the Jesuit Community
In September of this year the Jesuit community serving the Chaplaincy at Holy Name were asked by Bishop Arnold to also look after St Augustine's.
In so many ways it is an ideal arrangement - both churches have a long history serving this part of Manchester and it's extensive student population. So we were only too happy to agree.
Over time we plan for the churches to do more together and already we have cooperated to adjust Mass times so each church can have dignified and meaningful liturgies on Sundays and through the week.
The Jesuits might be new here at St Augustine's - and thank you for the very warm welcome! But we are of course no strangers to Manchester, arriving here in 1860 and opening the Holy Name in 1871, with only a brief period of absence between 1992 and 2012.
We look forward to being part of the life and mission of St Augustine's and on this website, which will grow and develop over time, you can read more about the Jesuits, our spirituality and our many diverse ministries in the UK and around the world.
Pope Leo's Prayer Intention for October
For mental health ministry
Let us pray that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.
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Visit the website of Pray With the Pope
Visit the website of Pray As You Go for a reflection on this month's video.