Second Sunday of Easter

12 April 2026

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

Collect Prayer

God of everlasting mercy, who in the very recurrence of the paschal feast kindle the faith of the people you have made your own, increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed, that all may grasp and rightly understand in what font they have been washed, by whose Spirit they have been reborn, by whose Blood they have been redeemed. Through...

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Readings

 Acts 2:42-47    Psalm 118    1 Peter 1:3-9

John 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.’

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord’. But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in his side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’

Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Readings Next Sunday (Third Sunday of Easter)

 Acts 2:14, 22-33    Psalm 16    1 Peter 1:17-21   Luke 24:13-35  

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Saints Of The Week

Thu 16 St Bernadette Soubirous

St. Bernadette of Lourdes is a French saint whose visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858 led to the founding of the Marian shrine of Lourdes, which became a major Roman Catholic pilgrimage center. Frail in health, Bernadette was the eldest of nine children from an impoverished family. Between February 11 and July 16, 1858, at the age of 14, she had a series of visions of the Virgin Mary in the Massabielle Grotto in Lourdes.

Mary revealed her identity with the words “I am the Immaculate Conception” and, among other messages and affirmations, told Bernadette that a chapel should be built there. She completed her religious instruction and passed her remaining years in prayer and seclusion, happy and loved for her kindliness, holiness, and wit, despite almost constant sickness and pain. She died in agony, willingly accepting her great sufferings in faithful fulfillment of her “Lady’s” request for penance. Bernadette was canonized by Pope Pius XI, who approved her visions and the veneration of Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes.

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The Church Appeals to the Mercy of God

St John Paul II, Encyclical “Dives in Misericordia, 3.11.1980

The Church proclaims the truth of God's mercy revealed in the crucified and risen Christ, and she professes it in various ways. Furthermore, she seeks to practice mercy towards people through people, and she sees in this an indispensable condition for solicitude for a better and "more human" world, today and tomorrow.

However, at no time and in no historical period-especially at a moment as critical as our own-can the Church forget the prayer that is a cry for the mercy of God amid the many forms of evil which weigh upon humanity and threaten it. Precisely this is the fundamental right and duty of the Church in Christ Jesus, her right and duty towards God and towards humanity. The more the human conscience succumbs to secularization, loses its sense of the very

meaning of the word "mercy," moves away from God and distances itself from the mystery of mercy, the more the Church has the right and the duty to appeal to the God of mercy "with loud cries."

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Weekly News

Study Group: Compendium of the Catechism

Next encounter: 24 April. To join, please contact fr. Alessandro.

World day of prayer for vocations (2-3 May)

Will be held in Larnaca. Check the program on the board. To participate, please contact fr. Ismael.

Extra retiring collection

On 11-12 April to support the World Prayer for Vocations.

Caritas St. Paul's

Thank you for your prayers, contributions, food and clothes donations … we can also reuse your shopping bags. If you wish to volunteer, please, contact fr. Alessandro.

Pray For Vocations

The Latin Vicariate of Cyprus is dedicating a Year of Prayer for Vocations to the priesthood, religious, married or consecrated lives. Join us! For more information contact Sister Elizabeth (95983631 / pastoralcareofvocationscyprus@gmail.com)

Parish Community Shop

Refreshments, coffee and tea. Check our religious section for rosaries, Christmas Cards, scapulars, devotionals, etc. Check also our books sections. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet other parishioners and grow as community. All funds will go to the building of the new Church. If you’d like to volunteer, please talk to Fr. Ismael.

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Mass Schedule

12 April - 19 April

Mon: No Mass;

Tue & Thu: Mass at 9:00am in Agia Kyriaki

Wed: Mass at 12:00pm in Agia Kyriaki

Fri: Mass at 9:00am in Agia Kyriaki

Saturday: 4:30pm (AK); 6:15pm (Town of Polis)

Sunday: Masses at 10am, 11am & 12pm (AK)

Eucharistic Adoration: Wed at 10:50am in AK; Thu at 8pm in AK

Holy Rosary: Sat at 4pm in AK

Filipino Mass on last Sunday of the month at 12pm.

Sri-Lankan Mass on 3rd Sunday of the month, 12pm (Presbitery chapel)

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Prayer for Vocation to Priesthood

Almighty and eternal God, in your unfailing love you provide ministers for your Church. We pray for those whom you call to serve the Church of Cyprus as priest and deacon. Inspire in them a generous response. Grant them courage and vision to serve your people.

May their lives and service inspire your people to recognize the presence of your Spirit among us and to answer his call. May they, faithful to the Gospel and with hope in Jesus Christ, announce glad tidings to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, set prisoners free, and renew the face of the earth.

Amen.