A martyr for unity

Today’s feast of St Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk and martyr (1580-1623) draws our attention to a part of the world (Ukraine, Belarus, Russia) that is tormented by conflict at the present time.  The story of this saint is hard to follow because it involved struggles with which most of us are not familiar, but the long and the short of it is that he as an Eastern Catholic promoted unity with Rome in a part of the world dominated by the Orthodox Church and he was put to death by those who refused that unity.  The place of his martyrdom was Vitebsk - now in Belarus - but he was born in Volodymyr in modern Ukraine. I found this account of a recent pilgrimage to a shrine in Berdychiv in Ukraine, the site of a former Carmelite monastery.    ‘Thousands of pilgrims came with devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the national Shrine in Berdychiv from the 16th to the 20th of July 2025. The theme of this year’s celebrations in honour of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was ‘Mother of God, guide us on the path of hope and peace’.  On Sunday 20th July, Cardinal Paulo Cezar Costa presided over the Solemn Eucharist, alongside the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Cardinal Visvaldas Kulbokas, most of the Ukrainian episcopate, and numerous priests from Ukraine, Poland, and other countries. Despite the thick clouds and intermittent rain, more than 3,500 pilgrims came in the hope of an end to the war and a restoration of peace.’

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Theresa K, Fr Jon B, Catherine

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS – housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – in hospital

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Lucia – Overwhelmed by weariness

 Mark – brain infection

Joy Smith – in hospital

 Defence of the unborn and the elderly

 RIP Martin Gilham, Sue Burton, little Matthew (six years old, died of cancer)