podcasts
OFFICE OF READINGS
The Liturgy of the Hours offers us many beautiful texts from the writings of the Early Church Fathers. We hope you will enjoy listening to these podcasts and sampling the wisdom and beauty of these texts. Here you can read more about the Liturgy of the Hours
wednesday 17th january 2024 - 2nd week in ordinary time (St antony, abbot)St Antony receives his vocation - From the Life of St Antony by St Athansius, bishop.
St Athansius was bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in the 4th century and one of the most important Early Church Fathers. The text you hear in this podcast is an excerpt from a letter (Epist. ad Epictetum, 5-9; PG 26, 1058, 1062-1066).
It appears in the Office of Readings for today's feast in honour of Mary, the Mother of God. St Athanasius preached tirelessly in defence of the full divinity of Christ during the troubled period of the Arian heresy, which denied Jesus’ equality with the Father. |
tuesday 16th january 2024 - 2nd week in ordinary timeWho can express the binding power of divine love? - From a letter of Pope St Clement I to the Corinthians.
Pope St Clement I is considered as the third successor of St Peter with a pontificate from ca. A.D. 88-97. He is known as one of the five Apostolic Fathers - those who provided a direct link between the Apostles and the later generations of Church Fathers. This First Epistle to the Corinthians was preserved and was referred to widely in the early Church. It was written to try to resolve a split in the Corinthian community.
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monday 15th january 2024 - 2nd week in ordinary timeHave faith in Christ and love - From a letter of St Ignatius of Antioch to the Ephesians
St Ignatius of Antioch was born in Syria and became a convert to Christianity. He eventually became bishop of Antioch and suffered persecution under the Emperor Trajan who visted Antioch. Ignatius was condemned to be put to death in Rome. On his journey to Rome, he wrote seven well know letters - five are letters to the churches in Asia Minor, encouraging Christians to remain faithful and to obey their superieors.
The sixth letter was to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who was later martyred for the faith. His final letter begs the Christians in Rome not to try to stop his martyrdom. Famously, he wrote: “The only thing I ask of you is to allow me to offer the libation of my blood to God. I am the wheat of the Lord; may I be ground by the teeth of the beasts to become the immaculate bread of Christ.” |
sunday 14th january 2024 - 2nd sunday in ordinary timeThe harmony of unity - From a letter of St Ignatius of Antioch to the Ephesians
St Ignatius of Antioch was born in Syria and became a convert to Christianity. He eventually became bishop of Antioch and suffered persecution under the Emperor Trajan who visted Antioch. Ignatius was condemned to be put to death in Rome. On his journey to Rome, he wrote seven well know letters - five are letters to the churches in Asia Minor, encouraging Christians to remain faithful and to obey their superieors.
The sixth letter was to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who was later martyred for the faith. His final letter begs the Christians in Rome not to try to stop his martyrdom. Famously, he wrote: “The only thing I ask of you is to allow me to offer the libation of my blood to God. I am the wheat of the Lord; may I be ground by the teeth of the beasts to become the immaculate bread of Christ.” |
saturday 13th january 2024 - 1st week in ordinary timeFrom the first, faith has been God's means of justifying men - From a letter of Pope St Clement I to the Corinthians.
Pope St Clement I is considered as the third successor of St Peter with a pontificate from ca. A.D. 88-97. He is known as one of the five Apostolic Fathers - those who provided a direct link between the Apostles and the later generations of Church Fathers. This First Epistle to the Corinthians was preserved and was referred to widely in the early Church. It was written to try to resolve a split in the Corinthian community.
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friday 12th january 2024 - 1st week in ordinary timeThe Word creates a divine harmony in creation - From the Discourse Against the Pagans by St Athansius, bishop.
St Athansius was bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in the 4th century and one of the most important Early Church Fathers. The text you hear in this podcast is an excerpt from a letter (Epist. ad Epictetum, 5-9; PG 26, 1058, 1062-1066).
It appears in the Office of Readings for today's feast in honour of Mary, the Mother of God. St Athanasius preached tirelessly in defence of the full divinity of Christ during the troubled period of the Arian heresy, which denied Jesus’ equality with the Father. |
THURSDAY 11th january 2024 - 1st week in ordinary timeThe word of the Father gives order, direction and unity to creation - From the Discourse Against the Pagans by St Athansius, bishop.
St Athansius was bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in the 4th century and one of the most important Early Church Fathers. The text you hear in this podcast is an excerpt from a letter (Epist. ad Epictetum, 5-9; PG 26, 1058, 1062-1066).
It appears in the Office of Readings for today's feast in honour of Mary, the Mother of God. St Athanasius preached tirelessly in defence of the full divinity of Christ during the troubled period of the Arian heresy, which denied Jesus’ equality with the Father. |
wednesday 10th january 2024 - 1st week in ordinary timeKnowledge of the Father consists in the self-revelation of the Son - From the treatise "Against the Heresies" by St Irenaeus.
St Irenaeus (c.130-c.202) became the second bishop of Lyons in present-day France. He defended Christian orthodoxy, notably in his lengthy book "Against Heresies", especially surrounding the reality of Christ's incarnation, against the heresies of Gnostic dualism. He powerfully reclaimed the original holiness of matter, of the body, of the flesh no less than of the spirit.
As a young man he heard the preaching of the early bishop (and eventual martyr) Saint Polycarp, who had been personally instructed by the Apostle John. It is not known for certain if he died the death of a martyr. |
tuesday 9th january 2024 - 1st week in ordinary timeThe ability to love is within each of us - From the Detailed Rules for Monks by St Basil the Great, bishop.
St Basil the Great (330-379) was born at Caesarea in Cappadocia. He was a brilliant scholar and a virtuous man and became a hermit, but was made bishop of Caesarea in 370. He fought against the Arian heresies and wrote a monastic rule, still followed today by eastern monks.
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monday 8th january 2024 - feast of the baptism of the lordThe baptism of Christ - From a sermon by St Gregory Nazianzen
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-389) was also born in 330, near Nazianzus. He was made bishop of Constantinople in 381. He is known as "Gregory the Theologian" in honour of his learning and eloquence.
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sunday 7th january 2024 - The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the LordThe Lord has made his salvation known to the whole world - From a sermon of St Leo the Great, pope.
Pope St Leo the Great (400-461) was born in Tuscany and became Pope in 440. He combatted the heresy of pelagianism and established that original sin affected human nature as a doctrine of the Church. He was renowned for his charitable acts around the city of Rome and gave many homilies that are in use in the Church's liturgy.
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saturday 6th january 2024 - (Before the epiphany)The baptism of Christ - From a sermon by St Gregory Nazianzen
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-389) was also born in 330, near Nazianzus. He was made bishop of Constantinople in 381. He is known as "Gregory the Theologian" in honour of his learning and eloquence.
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wednesday 3rd january 2024 - the most holy name of jesus
The twin commandments of love - From a treatise on John by St Augustine
St Augustine (354-386) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. He experienced a conversion from an immoral life, attributed to the prayers of his mother St Monica and the preaching of St Ambrose.
His writings influenced the development of Western philosophy and Western Christianity, and he is considered to be one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church. His works include The City of God, On Christian Doctrine, and Confessions. Here he comments on those Christian precepts of love of God and love of neighbour. |
tuesday 2nd january 2024 - saints basil the great and gregory nazianzen, bishops, doctors.
Two bodies, but a single spirit - St Gregory Nazianzen
St Basil the Great (330-379) was born at Caesarea in Cappadocia. He was a brilliant scholar and a virtuous man and became a hermit, but was made bishop of Caesarea in 370. He fought against the Arian heresies and wrote a monastic rule, still followed today by eastern monks.
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-389) was a friend of Basil's. He was also born in 330, near Nazianzus. Like Basil, he was summoned from the desert and made bishop of Constantinople in 381. He is known as "Gregory the Theologian" in honour of his learning and eloquence. This text is a beautiful testimony to Christian friendship, orientated towards God. |
Monday 1st january 2024 - solemnity of Mary, the holy mother of godThe Word took our nature from Mary - St Athanasius
St Athansius was bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in the 4th century and one of the most important Early Church Fathers. The text you hear in this podcast is an excerpt from a letter (Epist. ad Epictetum, 5-9; PG 26, 1058, 1062-1066).
It appears in the Office of Readings for today's feast in honour of Mary, the Mother of God. St Athanasius preached tirelessly in defence of the full divinity of Christ during the troubled period of the Arian heresy, which denied Jesus’ equality with the Father. |