• Children’s Liturgy every Sunday at 9.30am in the Church meeting room.

Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A

First Reading: Sirach 27:30 - 28:9: This passage reminds us that we cannot ask God to forgive our faults while holding on to anger or resentment. It is unwise to nurse grudges, but wise to forgive. We are called to let go, show mercy to others, and trust God’s grace to heal our hearts and relationships.

Responsorial Psalm: 103:1- 4,9-12: The psalm is a prayer of praise to God, who is kind and merciful.

Second Reading: Romans 14:7-9: We belong to the Lord. Our lives do not belong to us alone; we belong to the Lord. In life and in death, we are called to live faithfully, trusting His love, guidance, and saving grace.

Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35: In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that forgiveness should have no limits; it should become a way of life. How many times should I forgive someone who has hurt me? This is a question many of us carry in our hearts. Peter asks Jesus the same question: “How many times must I forgive? Seven times?” Peter probably thought he was being very generous. But Jesus surprises him: “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus is not asking us to count how often we forgive. Rather, He teaches us that forgiveness should be generous and without limit.

Jesus illustrates this through the parable of the unforgiving servant. A servant owes the king an enormous debt that he could never repay. Moved by his plea, the king shows great mercy and forgives the entire debt. Yet the same servant refuses to forgive a fellow servant who owes him a much smaller amount and has him imprisoned.

We have received God’s abundant mercy and forgiveness, even though we cannot repay Him for all He has done for us. Therefore, we cannot sincerely pray, “Forgive us our trespasses,” while refusing to forgive those who have hurt us.

Forgiving does not mean that the hurt was unimportant or that we must forget it. It means choosing not to let resentment control our hearts. Let us pray for the grace to forgive patiently and generously, following Christ’s example. Having received God’s forgiveness, may we become people who forgive, heal, and bring His mercy to others.

Responsorial Psalm: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in mercy.

Baptisms

Orla Ann Eldred & Keira Teresa Eldred

We joyfully welcome Orla Ann Eldred and Keira Teresa Eldred, who will receive the Sacrament of Baptism here at St Patrick’s Church on Saturday, 26th September, at 12 noon.

Dominik Jankovski

We joyfully welcome Dominik Jankovski who will receive the Sacrament of Baptism here at St Patrick’s Church on Saturday, 27th September, at 2.00pm.

Please keep Orla, Keira and Dominik together with their parents, family and godparents, in your prayers as they begin their journey of faith. God bless.

Liberato Piccirillo RIP

The funeral service of the late Mr Liberato Piccirillo will take place here at St Patrick’s Church on Tuesday, 22nd September, at 10:30am.

Please remember Liberato and keep him and his bereaved family in your prayers at this difficult time.

May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

First Holy Communion and Confirmation

Registration for our 2027 First Holy Communion and Confirmation programmes will begin soon. Registration forms are available in the church.

Preparation sessions will take place on Sundays after the morning Mass, in the church and the parish meeting room.

First Holy Communion Programme: Preparation will begin in October.

Confirmation Programme: Preparation will begin in November. Further details will be announced in due course.

We warmly invite parents and young people who are eligible to take part to register and begin this important journey of faith and preparation together.

Second Collection on

Sunday 20th September, Home Mission Sunday

Home Mission Sunday is a time to pray and give thanks for the mission of the Church in England and Wales. The mandatory Second Collection supports the work of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference. We are invited to consider how each of us can share the joy, hope and beauty of knowing Jesus Christ, bringing His love to those around us.

The Pope's Prayer Intention for September.

For the care of water

Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.

RCIA Programme for 2026-27 in the Cathedral

Are you wanting to know more about the Catholic faith? Are you wanting to be a member of the Catholic Church? Our RCIA programme will be starting in September. Please email parish.cathedralhub@northamptondiocese.org with your details.

Education Sunday

This year, the Catholic Church in England and Wales observes Education Sunday on 13 September, the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

On this day, we give thanks to the Lord for the vocation and dedication of all who work within the Catholic education sector: teaching and support staff, chaplains, school leaders and governors. Through their commitment, care and hard work, pupils and students in our schools, colleges and universities are given the opportunity to flourish, grow in faith and knowledge, and contribute positively to society.

As we begin the new academic year, let us pray that our Catholic schools, colleges and universities will continue to be beacons of His Good News within our communities. May the message of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace proclaimed in the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ have a prominent place in all our educational institutions and throughout the wider society.

May God bless all those who serve in Catholic education and strengthen them in their vocation, that through their work they may inspire and nurture the next generation in faith, hope and love.

Prayer Request Book

If you would like our prayer group to pray for a special intention, please write your request in the Prayer Request Book at the back of the church. Prayer requests marked with a tick are included in the prayer group's intentions and are also offered to the Lord during Sunday Mass.

Car Parking

Thank you for coming to Mass. We kindly ask everyone using the church car park to help us make the best possible use of the available space and allow as many cars as possible to park safely.

Please:

• Park close to the fences first, where possible.
• Avoid leaving large gaps between cars.
• Leave the centre spaces available for those arriving later.
• Feel free to park on the lawns besides the car park.

Thank you for your understanding and consideration.