19th October 2025

Twenty-ninth Sunday in O.T.

Because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice

Collect Prayer: Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, …

Readings: Exo 17:8-13 Ps 120 Tim 3:14-4:2 Gospel: Luke 18:1-8

At that time, Jesus told his disciples a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterwards he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

If a dishonest judge can be convinced, how much more will God

This Sunday’s Liturgy offers us a fundamental teaching: the need to pray always, without tiring. At times we grow weary of praying, we have the impression that prayer is not so useful for life, that it is not very effective. We are therefore tempted to throw ourselves into activity, to use all the human means for attaining our goals and we do not turn to God. Jesus himself says that it is necessary to pray always, and does so in a specific parable. (…) Today’s widow seems without any recourse. But she insists, she asks tirelessly, importuning the judge, and in the end, she succeeds in obtaining a result from him. At this point Jesus makes a reflection: if a dishonest judge ends by letting himself be convinced by a widow’s plea, how much more will God, who is good, answer those who pray to him. God in fact is generosity in person; he is merciful and is therefore always disposed to listen to prayers. Therefore, we must never despair but always persist in prayer.

Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, October 2010

Saints this Week

• Tues 21 – St. Hilarion, Monk (Latin Patriarchate)
• Wed 22 – St. John Paul II, Pope
• Thu 23 – St. John of Capistrano, Priest
• Fri 24 – St. Antony Mary Claret, Bishop

St. Hilarion Monk

St. Hilarion was born to pagan parents in the year 291 in Tabatha (near modern day Gaza), most of the things we know about him come from St. Jerome, himself inspired by the writings of the Cypriot bishop Epiphanius of Constantia (Salamis). As a boy, he was sent to study in Alexandria, at 15 he became a Christian and for a few months he was a disciple of St. Anthony of Egypt, before returning to Palestine to pursue a life of solitude and ascetism. He built his own hut in the desert by the road to Egypt and used to weave baskets to earn a living. However, word soon went around that he was healing the sick and demoniacs in the desert and effecting many conversions by his example, so he could no longer remain hidden. In 329 he built a monastery with his followers in Palestine. He is said to have prophesied the persecutions under Emperor Julian the Apostate, the nephew of Emperor Constantine. In his later years, he moved to Egypt and then travelled through the North of Africa and Sicily, finally settling in Cyprus, where he died in 371, and although he was buried near Paphos, his disciples eventually took his body back to his native village.

St. Hilarion, pray for us.

Readings for Next Sunday (30th in Ordinary Time)

1. Eccl 35:12-14,16-19
2. Ps 32:2-3,17-19,23 2
3. Tim 4:6-8,16-18
4. Lk 18:9-14

• CATECHISM COMPENDIUM GROUP
  Next meetings Friday 24 of October. Location TBD.

• SUNDAY MISSALS FOR NEXT YEAR €15 DONATION
  To pre-order your 2025-2026 Missal (Year A) please contact Fr. Ismael

• JUBILEE YEAR RETREAT 2025
  In Paphos from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 November. Register with fr. Ismael. Limited places. More info on the board.

• ST. BARNABAS TRAINING CENTRE
  Now offering a Theology Course on Christian Formation (poster on the board). Please register before 23 October. More info: 22571333.

• MASS SCHEDULE FOR ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS

• All Saints: Saturday 1st November: 4.30PM – AK. 6PM – Town of Polis
• Sunday 2nd November 10AM, 11AM, 12PM – AK
• All Souls: Monday 3rd November 9AM – AK – 3PM – Cemetery + blessing of graves
• PARISH CHARITY SHOP We will keep serving refreshments and will improve in the religious articles section, but Please Note: We no longer sell or receive used item donations, thank you.
• CARITAS ST. PAUL’S Thank you for your prayers, contributions, food and clothes donations … we can also reuse your shopping bags.

Mass Schedule 20 – 26 Oct

• Mon No Mass. Tues, Thurs, Fri: 9:00am. Mass in Agia Kyriaki
• Wed 12:00 pm (AK)
• Saturday: 4:30pm (AK); 6 pm (town of Polis)
• Sunday: 10am, 11am & 12pm in Agia Kyriaki
• Eucharistic Adoration: Wed 10:45am and Thu 6pm (AK)
• Filipino Mass on last Sunday of the month at 12pm.
• Sri-Lankan Mass on 3rd Sunday of the month, 12pm (Presbytery chapel)

Parish Info

Office: Above the coffee shop near St. Paul’s Pillar.

Phone: 26931308 PO Box 61120, 8131, Kato Paphos.

Email: paphosparish@yahoo.com.

Webpage: stpauls-catholic-parish-paphos.com

Facebook: St. Paul’s Catholic Parish Paphos

Parish Priest: Fr. Ismael Assistant Priest: Fr. Fernando