Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Photo by Hilary Musgrave
Jun 15 - St Vitus (martyred c. 303) patron saint of dancing
Summary: St Vitus was the son of a pagan Sicilian senator who became a Christian under the influence of his Christian tutor Modestus and his Christian nurse Crescentia and suffered martyrdom along with them (See image). He is an example of how certain themes strangely become associated with the lives of saints.
Patrick Duffy tells what is known about the him and how he became the patron of dancing.
St Vitus's Dance
Vitus is best known as the saint to invoke for those suffering from epilepsy and nervous diseases. St Vitus's Dance - also called Sydenham's chorea (= dance) and Huntington's chorea - is one of a series of abnormal movement disorders known as diskinesias. The saint is also invoked for similar diseases that come from the bites of mad dogs and snakes. By transference he has also come to be the patron saint of dancers.
Legend of his Martyrdom
The tradition is that Vitus was the son of a pagan Sicilian senator called Hylas. He was given to a tutor called Modestus and a nurse called Crescentia, who brought him up as a Christian. His father tried to re-convert him to paganism, but was unsuccessful and then had the three of them arrested and scourged. They escaped to Lucania in mainland Italy and reached Rome. Here Vitus healed the emperor Diocletian's son, who suffered from an evil spirit. But the cure was regarded as sorcery and all three became martyrs. It is not possible to say how true any of this is.
The Gelasian Sacramentary and Dancing for Health
However, by the sixth or seventh century, Vitus is associated with bodily health in one of the earliest versions of the Roman Misssal,
The Gelasian Sacramentary.
By the 16th century Germans believed they could get a year's good health by dancing before the statue of Saint Vitus on his feast day. This dancing developed almost into a mania, and was confused with the nervous disease with the saint being invoked against it. But that connection with such manic "dancing" led on to his patronage of dancers, and later of entertainers in general.
Among the Fourteen Holy Helpers
St Vitus is also grouped among the Fourteen Holy Helpers - among them, Barbara, Blaise, Catherine of Alexandria, Christopher, George, and others - that enjoyed a collective cult in the Rhineland from the 14th century.
Patrick Duffy tells what is known about the him and how he became the patron of dancing.
St Vitus's Dance
Vitus is best known as the saint to invoke for those suffering from epilepsy and nervous diseases. St Vitus's Dance - also called Sydenham's chorea (= dance) and Huntington's chorea - is one of a series of abnormal movement disorders known as diskinesias. The saint is also invoked for similar diseases that come from the bites of mad dogs and snakes. By transference he has also come to be the patron saint of dancers.
Legend of his Martyrdom
The tradition is that Vitus was the son of a pagan Sicilian senator called Hylas. He was given to a tutor called Modestus and a nurse called Crescentia, who brought him up as a Christian. His father tried to re-convert him to paganism, but was unsuccessful and then had the three of them arrested and scourged. They escaped to Lucania in mainland Italy and reached Rome. Here Vitus healed the emperor Diocletian's son, who suffered from an evil spirit. But the cure was regarded as sorcery and all three became martyrs. It is not possible to say how true any of this is.The Gelasian Sacramentary and Dancing for Health
However, by the sixth or seventh century, Vitus is associated with bodily health in one of the earliest versions of the Roman Misssal,
The Gelasian Sacramentary.
By the 16th century Germans believed they could get a year's good health by dancing before the statue of Saint Vitus on his feast day. This dancing developed almost into a mania, and was confused with the nervous disease with the saint being invoked against it. But that connection with such manic "dancing" led on to his patronage of dancers, and later of entertainers in general.Among the Fourteen Holy Helpers
St Vitus is also grouped among the Fourteen Holy Helpers - among them, Barbara, Blaise, Catherine of Alexandria, Christopher, George, and others - that enjoyed a collective cult in the Rhineland from the 14th century.
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Memorable Sayings for Today
Learn to dance, so when you get to heaven
the angels know what to do with you.
~ St. Augustine ~
“There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time,
hen he was an old man, to learn music and dancing,
and thought it time well spent.”
~ Michel de Montaigne ~
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Liturgical Readings for: Monday, 15th June, 2026
Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2
FIRST READING
A reading from the first Book of Kings 21: 1-16
Naboth has been stoned to death.
Naboth of Jezreel had a vineyard close by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria, and Ahab said to Naboth,
'Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden, since it adjoins my house;
I will give you a better vineyard for it or, if you prefer, I will give you its worth in money'.
But Naboth answered Ahab,
'The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors!
Ahab went home gloomy and out of temper at the words of Naboth of Jezreel,
'I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers'.
He lay down on his bed and turned his face away and refused to eat. His wife Jezebel came to him.
'Why are you so dispirited' she said 'that you will not eat?'
He said, 'I have been speaking to Naboth of Jezreel; I said: Give me your vineyard either for money or, if you prefer, for another vineyard in exchange.
But he said, "I will not give you my vineyard".'
Then his wife Jezebel said,
'You make a fine king of Israel, and no mistake! Get up and eat; cheer up, and you will feel better; I will get you the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel myself.'
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, sending them to the elders and nobles who lived where Naboth lived. In the letters she wrote,
'Proclaim a fast, and put Naboth in the forefront of the people.
Confront him with a couple of scoundrels who will accuse him like this, "You have cursed God and the king."
Then take him outside and stone him to death.'
The men of Naboth's town, the elders and nobles who lived in his town, did what Jezebel ordered, what was written in the letters she had sent them. They proclaimed a fast and put Naboth in the forefront of the people. Then the two scoundrels came and stood in front of him and made their accusation, 'Naboth has cursed God and the king'. They led him outside the town and stoned him to death.
They then sent word to Jezebel, 'Naboth has been stoned to death'.
When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab,
'Get up! Take possession of the vineyard which Naboth of Jezreel would not give you for money,
for Naboth is no longer alive, he is dead.'
When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel and take possession of it.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 5:2-3, 5-7, R/v 2
Response Give heed to my groaning, O Lord.
I. To my words give ear, O Lord, give heed to my groaning.
Attend to the sound of my cries, my King and my God. Response
2. You are no God who loves evil; no sinner is your guest.
The boastful shall not stand their ground before your face. Response
3. You hate all who do evil: you destroy all who lie.
The deceitful and bloodthirsty man the Lord detests Response
Gospel Acclamation Jn 14: 23
Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him .
Alleluia!
or Ps 118 : 105
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Your word is a lamp for my steps and a light for my path.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 5: 38-42 Glory to you, O Lord
I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance.
Jesus said to his disciples:
'You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.
But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance.
On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him.
Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Monday, Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Matthew 5:38-42
Those in positions of power can be very tempted to seize land that doesn’t belong to them, often with deadly consequences for others. The war in Ukraine is a very obvious example of such behaviour. We find it again in our first reading. King Ahab wanted a vineyard that belonged to Naboth to use as a vegetable garden because it lay alongside the land holding of the king. Understandably, Naboth refused the request of the king. This was land that had been in his family for generations. People who fight to defend their land often do so because they know that they have an historical claim to their land. Ahab’s wife was less scrupulous than Ahab, and she arranged to have Naboth condemned to death by stoning on trumped up charges. That too has a contemporary ring to it. Those who want to hang on to power at all costs find ways to silence or do away with political opponents. The combination of Ahab’s greed and Jezebel’s unscrupulous nature meant Ahab got his vineyard and Naboth lost his life. When land or territory becomes more important than human life, terrible things happen.
The teaching of Jesus in today’s gospel reading could not be further from the behaviour of Ahab and his wife in the first reading. Great evil was done to Naboth. How is evil to be dealt with and addressed. Jesus declares in the gospel reading that evil is not to be responded to with more evil. The principal of ‘eye for eye’ leaves everyone blind. Jesus calls on us to overcome evil with goodness. It can be difficult to know what that means in practice, especially in a war situation. Yet, the principle of overcoming evil with goodness is worth holding on to, especially when the temptation is very strong to keep returning evil with more evil.
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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
The Scripture Reflection is made available with our thanks from his book Reflections on the Weekday Readings: The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications , c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
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Liturgical Readings for: Monday, 15th June, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an céad Leabhar Ríthe 21:1-16
Maraíodh Nábót le clocha!
Bhí fíonghort ag Nábót ó Izréil láimh le pálás Acháb rí na Samáire. Dúirt Acháb le Nábót:
“Tabhair dom d’fhíonghort chun go mbeadh sé agam mar luibhghort, mar tá sé cóngarach do mo theach.
Tabharfaidh mé fíonghort níos fearr duit air, nó, más fearr leat é, tabharfaidh mé a luach duit in airgead.”
Ach d’fhreagair Nábót Acháb: “Nár lige an Tiarna go dtabharfainn oidhreacht mo shinsir duit!”
Chuaigh Acháb abhaile agus gruaim agus crá air mar gheall ar fhocail Nábót ó Izréil: “Ní thabharfaidh mé oidhreacht mo shinsear duit.”Luigh sé ar a leaba agus d’iompaigh a aghaidh ó radharc agus dhiúltaigh sé bia a ithe.
Tháinig Ízeibil a bhean chéile chuige. “Cén fáth a bhfuil oiread drochmhisnigh ort agus nach n-íosfá?” ar sise.
Dúirt sé: “Bhí mé ag caint le Nábót ó Izréil. Arsa mise leis: ‘Tabhair dom d’fhíonghort ar airgead, nó, más fearr leat é, tabharfaidh mé fíonghort eile duit mar mhalairt air.’
Ach dúirt seisean: ‘Ní thabharfaidh mé m’fhíonghort duit.’”
Ansin dúirt Ízeibil a bhean:
“Is breá an rí ar Iosrael thusa, gan amhras! Éirigh agus ith leat; bíodh misneach ort; gheobhaidh mise féin fíonghort Nábót ó Izréil duit.”
Scríobh sí litreacha in ainm Acháb, más ea, agus chuir sí a shéala orthu agus chuir sí iad chuig na seanóirí agus na huaisle a bhí ina gcónaí san aon chathair le Nábót. Scríobh sí sna litreacha:
“Fógraigí troscadh agus cuirigí Nábót chun tosaigh ar an bpobal. Cuirigí cúpla scraiste os a choinne a dhéanfaidh é a chúiseamh mar seo: ‘Mhallaigh tú Dia agus an rí.’ Tugaigí amach ansin é agus maraigí le clocha é.”
Rinne muintir a chathrach, na seanóirí agus na huaisle a bhí ina gcónaí ina chathair, an rud a d’ordaigh Ízeibil dóibh, mar a bhí scríofa sna litreacha a sheol sí chucu. D’fhógair siad troscadh agus chuir siad Nábót chun tosaigh ar an bpobal. Ansin tháinig an dá scraiste, shuigh siad os a chomhair agus rinne siad cúiseamh ina aghaidh os comhair an phobail á rá: “Chuir Nábót a mhallacht ar Dhia agus ar an rí.”
Thug siad amach as an gcathair é agus mharaigh le clocha é. Ansin chuireadar teachtaireacht chuig Ízeibil: Maraíodh Nábót le clocha!
Nuair a chuala Ízeibil gur maraíodh Nábót le clocha, dúirt sí le hAcháb: “Éirigh! Glac seilbh ar an bhfíonghort nach dtabharfadh Nábót ó Izréil duit ar airgead mar ní beo do Nábót feasta ach marbh!”
Nuair a chuala Acháb go raibh Nábót marbh, d’éirigh sé le dul síos chuig fíonghort Nábot ó Izréil le seilbh a ghlacadh air.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 5:5:2-3, 5-7, R/v 2
Freagra Éist le m’osna, a thiarna
1. Tabhair cluas do mo bhriathar, a Thiarna, agus éist le m’osna.
Claon chun glór mo ghuí, a Rí liom is a Dhia! Freagra
2. Ní Dia tú lenarb áil an urchóid: ní mhaireann an t-olc leat.
Ní sheasfaidh an scaothaire an fód os comhair do shúl. Freagra
3. Is gráin leat lucht oibrithe an oilc; scriosann tú lucht éithigh.
Is fuath leis an Tiarna an fear fuilteach agus an cealgaire claon. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Matha 5:38-42 Glóir duit, a Thiarna
Deirimse libh gan seasamh in aghaidh an drochdhuine.
San am sin dúirt Íosa lena
“Chuala sibh go ndúradh: ‘Súil ar shúil, fiacail ar fhiacail.’
Ach is é a deirimse libh gan seasamh in aghaidh an drochdhuine: ina ionad sin,
an té a thugann buille sa leiceann dheas duit, iompaigh chuige an leiceann eile freisin; agus an té a chuirfeadh an dlí ort chun do léine a bhreith uait, scaoil leis do bhrat chomh maith.
An té a chuireann d’fhiacha ort dul aon mhíle amháin leis, gabh leis an dá mhíle.
An té a iarrann rud ort, tabhair dó é, agus an té arb áil leis iasacht uait, ná tabhair leis do chúl.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 21st June, 2026
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah 20:10-13
He has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.
Jeremiah said: I hear so many disparaging me,
"Terror from every side!" Denounce him! Let us denounce him!'
All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall,
'Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we will master him and take our revenge!'
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;
my opponents will stumble, mastered, confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
But you, Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,
who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 68:4-5. 29-34. R/v 29
Response In your great love, answer me, 0 God.
1. It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face,
that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons.
I burn with zeal for your house and taunts against you fall on me. Response
2. This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favour.
In your great love, answer me, 0 God, with your help that never fails:
Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me. Response
3. The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains.
Let the heavens and the earth give him praise, the sea and all its living creatures. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 5:12-15
The gift itself considerably outweighed the fall.
Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of 'law-breaking', yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.
Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man's fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Jn 1: 14.12
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Word was made flesh and lived among us;
to all who did accept him he gad.ve power to become children of God
Alleluia!
or Jn 15: 26.27
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Spirit of truth will be my witness; and you too will be my witnesses.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 10:26-33 Glory to you, O Lord
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body.
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows:
'Do not be afraid of them therefore. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.'Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.
'So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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For homily resources for this Sunday's Gospel click here: https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/
Taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published and copyright 1966, by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 21st June, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an Leabhar Irimia, fáidh 20:10-13
Óir shaor sé anam an bhoicht ó láimh lucht déanta an oilc.
Dúirt Irimia, Cluinim mórán do mo tharcaisniú:
“Eagla ar gach aon taobh!
Sceithigí air! Sceithimis air!”Ag a raibh de chairde agam uair bhí súil in airde le mo threascairt:
“Meallfar é b’fhéidir, ansin béarfaimid bua air agus imreoimid díoltas air!”
Ach tá an Tiarna liomsa, curadh cumhachtach; ar an ábhar sin tuisleoidh lucht m’ionsaithe;
ní chloífidh siad mé; brisfear orthu; beidh siad trína chéile.
Ní dhéanfar dearmad go brách ar a náire shíoraí.
Ach, a Thiarna na Slua, a scrúdaíonn le fírinne, a ransaíonn na háranna agus an croí, feicim do dhíoltas orthu mar is duitse a d’fhoilsigh mé mo chúis.
Canaigí don Tiarna, molaigí an Tiarna, óir shaor sé anam an bhoicht ó láimh lucht déanta an oilc.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 68; 4-5. 29-34. R/v 29
Freagra Éist liom de réir do bhuanghrá, a Thiarna.
1. Ar do shonsa a d'fhulaing mé aithisí, a bhí luisne na náire ar mo ghnúis.
Is strainséir mé do mo bhráithre féin, agus is comhthíoch mé do chlann mo mháthar.
Táim ar lasadh le dúthracht do do theach; is ormsa a thiteann aithisí lucht do cháinte. Freagra
2. Chugatsa a chuirim m'urnaí, a Thiarna, an uair is mian leat féin.
Éist liom de réir do bhuanghrá agus do chúnaimh chinnte.
Freagair mé as ucht do dhilghrá, a Thiarna; iompaigh chugam de réir do thrócaire. Freagra
3. Beidh áthas ar na hísle nuair a fheicfidh siad é; athbheofar croíthe lucht cuardaithe an Tiarna.
Éisteann an Tiarna leis na daoine bochta, is ní thugann droim láimhe dá bhraighdeanaigh.
Go mola na spéartha is an talamh é, an mhuir agus a maireann inti.
Rinneadh feoil den Bhriathar agus chónaigh sé inár measc,
An uile dhuine a ghlac é, thug sé de cheart dóibhgo ndéanfaí clann Dé díobh. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Rómhánaigh 5:12-15
Ní hé an dála céanna ag an tabhartas agus ag an gcoir é.
A bhráithre, tháinig an peaca isteach sa saol trí aon duine amháin agus an bás isteach tríd an bpeaca, sa tslí sin leath an bás i measc cách uile de bhrí go ndearna cách uile an peaca. Bhí an peaca ar an saol, ar ndóigh, sular tugadh an dlí ach ní chuirtear an peaca sa chuntas mura mbíonn dlí ann. Mar sin féin bhí an bás i réim ó Ádhamh anuas go Maois fiú amháin dóibh siúd nach raibh ciontach i mbriseadh reachta ar nós Ádhaimh.
Agus bhí Ádhamh ina shamhail ar an té úd a bhí le teacht. Ach ní hé an dála céanna ag an tabhartas agus ag an gcoir é. Mar, má fuair mórán bás de bharr choir an aon duine amháin, is fairsinge go mór do mhórán a bhí grásta Dé agus an tabhartas a dáileadh de dheonú an aon duine amháin, Íosa Críost.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa Eo 1: 14: 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
Rinneadh feoil den Bhriathar agus chónaigh sé inár measc,
An uile dhuine a ghlac é, thug sé de cheart dóibhgo ndéanfaí clann Dé díobh
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha 10:26-33 Glóir duit, a Thiarna
Ná bíodh eagla oraibh rompu seo a mharaíonn an corp.
San am sin dúirt Íosa:
Ná bíodh eagla oraibh rompu, mar sin. Níl aon ní i bhfolach nach bhfoilseofar, ná aon ní faoi cheilt nach mbeidh fios air. An rud a deirim libh sa dorchadas, abraigí i solas an lae é, agus an cogar a chuirtear in bhur gcluais, fógraígí é ó bharr na dtithe.“Ná bíodh eagla oraibh rompu seo a mharaíonn an corp ach nach féidir dóibh an t-anam a mharú: ní hea, ach bíodh eagla oraibh roimh an té ar féidir dó idir chorp agus anam a mhilleadh in ifreann. Nach mbíonn na gealbhain leathphingin an péire? Agus ní thitfidh gealbhan acu as an aer gan fhios do bhur nAthair. Maidir libhse, fiú amháin ribí bhur gcinn tá siad uile comhairthe. Mar sin, ná bíodh aon eagla oraibh; is mó is fiú sibhse ná dá liacht na gealbhain!
“Duine ar bith a admhóidh mise os comhair daoine, admhóidh mise eisean chomh maith os comhair m’Athar atá ar neamh. Ach duine ar bith a shéanfaidh os comhair daoine mé, séanfaidh mise eisean chomh maith os comhair m’Athar atá ar neamh.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
