Oct 24, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
- 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Readings: Exodus 22:20–26; Psalm 18:2–3, 3–4, 47, 51; 1 Thessalonians 1:5c–10; Matthew 22:34–40.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals the heart of our relationship with God: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and “You must love your neighbour as yourself.” These are not two separate commandments, but two inseparable expressions of the same love. Our love for God becomes visible in the way we treat others, especially those who are vulnerable and defenceless. In the first reading, God declares that He hears the cry of the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. The cries that society often ignores are never ignored by God. To love God, therefore, is also to develop a heart that listens to those whom God listens to. Saint Paul reminds us that conversion means turning away from idols to serve the living and true God, receiving His Word with the joy of the Holy Spirit even amid suffering. Our idols are not always visible; they can be our selfish interests, ambitions, attachments, or indifference to others. True conversion is allowing God’s love to replace whatever prevents us from loving fully. The Psalmist declares, “I love you, Lord, my strength,” reminding us that love is not merely a duty we struggle to fulfil, but a gift made possible by God’s grace. The more deeply we experience His love, the more freely we can share it. Love of God gives meaning to our love of neighbour, and love of neighbour gives credibility to our love of God. This is the beautiful simplicity of the message of Christ: a heart united with God becomes a heart open to everyone. Let’s reflect: Does my love for God make me more attentive, compassionate, and generous towards others, especially those whose suffering and silent cries are easily overlooked?
Don Giorgio
Oct 24, 2026 | NEWS
During this Mission Week, we turn our eyes and hearts, filled with gratitude, toward Tanzania. It was there, in 1972, that our oldest missionary history began. Today, after more than half a century, we look with pride at the fruits of this journey. What began as a modest outpost is now gradually ceasing to be “our mission” in the traditional sense. It has become a strong and dynamically growing part of our Congregation. Today, the Tanzanian sisters, with courage, love, and responsibility, lead numerous ministries, serving the local community; they serve with dedication in schools and preschools, caring for the future of the youngest; they dynamically lead parish groups, forming a vibrant Church; and they devotedly care for the sick and suffering. The list goes on. Of course, this beautiful reality would not have been possible without those who sowed the first seed. Two missionary sisters from Poland are still serving in Tanzania: Sr. Miriam Kusek (Chikukwe) and Sr. Zofia Ładniak (Nanjota), who, due to health issues, is currently undergoing treatment in Poland. They are a living witness to us of faithfulness, history, and unconditional love. Their long-standing presence, faithful service, and hearts devoted to the African land are the foundation upon which generations of local vocations have grown. This is a beautiful image of the missionary relay—today, it is Tanzanian vocations that carry the charism of our Congregation into the future.
We thank God for the gift of courage shown by the first sisters who answered the call more than fifty years ago, and for the faithfulness of all those who have served in Tanzania since then. We give thanks for the flourishing of Tanzanian vocations and for all the works carried out by the sisters there.
Oct 24, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saturday of week 29 in Ordinary Time, Saint Antony Mary Claret, Bishop, Gospel: Luke 13:1-9
In today’s Gospel, Jesus presents the parable of the barren fig tree, which the owner wants to cut down because it has produced no fruit. But the gardener intervenes: “Leave it one more year.” These simple words reveal something extraordinary about God’s love: God’s love always gives us another chance. Even when our lives seem unproductive, when we repeatedly fail, or when we struggle to change, God does not immediately give up on us. His patience is not indifference to our failures, but an expression of His desire to see us grow and bear fruit. The gardener does not merely ask for more time; he promises to dig around the tree and nourish it. Likewise, God not only gives us new opportunities but also provides the grace necessary to make use of them. Yet His patience invites a response. Every new day is another opportunity for conversion, reconciliation, generosity, and spiritual growth. We should never mistake God’s patience for permission to postpone our conversion indefinitely. The Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us how to respond to God’s grace with openness and trust, while Saint Antony Mary Claret reminds us that the opportunities God gives us are also opportunities to bring His love to others. God’s love never becomes tired of offering us a new beginning, but every new beginning calls us to take a step forward. The greatest tragedy is not that we have failed to bear fruit in the past, but that we might refuse the opportunity to bear fruit today. Let’s reflect: Do I recognize each new day as another chance offered by God’s patient love, and am I making use of His grace to change what needs to change and bear the fruits He expects from my life?
Don Giorgio
Oct 23, 2026 | NEWS
When we think of missions, distant continents often come to mind. However, Mission Week reminds us that the heart of mission beats wherever love, presence, support, and a Gospel perspective are needed. Today we want to share the story of the unique ministry of our missionary sisters in Germany, where mission takes on a completely new and beautiful form. Sisters from Poland and Tanzania serve together in our German missions. In Berlin, they are: Sr. Bakhita Mazengo, Sr. Getruda Gabriel Ashapira, Sr. Małgorzata Dąbrowska, and Sr. Pia Iriszek; in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Sr. Josephina Kilawe; and in Treis-Karden: Sr. Goretti Komba and Sr. Vianneya Rogowska. Their presence is an invaluable gift to the older German communities. The missionaries care for their sick sisters with love and devotion, offering them daily support in their frailty and ensuring their safety. However, this care has, above all, a profound spiritual dimension. It is a time of shared prayer, of sharing the faith, and of building unique, diverse evangelical communities. In this way, they demonstrate that diversity does not divide but enriches, becoming a living sign of the universality and unity of the Church. By breaking down cultural and language barriers, they create vibrant, international communities that become signs of the unity of the universal Church. Our sisters’ ministry also extends beyond the walls of their convents, going beyond their daily involvement in the running of our religious houses. They work actively in nursing homes for the elderly, and Sister Pia recently began her ministry at a Berlin hospital. There, they serve both as professional caregivers, attending to the physical health of patients, and through pastoral care. In a secularized world where God is often pushed to the margins, their work becomes a profound act of the new evangelization. The sisters become a source of comfort, hope, and God’s peace for the sick and the elderly. Their presence is especially important as the time of death approaches.
During Mission Week, we thank God for our Sisters from Poland and Tanzania who have taken up ministry in Germany, and for their dedication to building bridges between cultures and strengthening the unity of our Congregation.
Oct 22, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 29 in Ordinary Time, Saint John of Capistrano, Priest, Gospel: Luke 12:54-59
In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges the crowds: “You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?” We are often remarkably capable of analysing events, understanding social changes, anticipating difficulties, and interpreting the behaviour of others. Yet we can easily fail to recognize the deeper meaning of what is happening around us. Jesus reminds us that He Himself is the fundamental principle through which we must interpret the present time. Without Him, our understanding remains incomplete, because we may recognize what is happening without discerning what God is asking of us. The Gospel invites us to look at the world, its challenges, conflicts, opportunities, and transformations through the eyes of Christ. His truth helps us distinguish what is genuinely good from what merely appears attractive; His love teaches us to recognize human dignity even where society fails to see it; and His mercy encourages us to seek reconciliation before divisions become irreversible. Saint John of Capistrano understood the importance of responding courageously to the needs of his time through preaching, reform, and the defence of the faith. His example reminds us that Christian discernment is not simply understanding the present, but responding to it with the mind and heart of Christ. Every historical moment presents new questions, but Jesus remains the enduring light by which we can recognize the right answers. We do not interpret Christ according to the changing times; we interpret the changing times in the light of Christ. Only then can we recognize the presence of God in our circumstances and respond faithfully to the responsibilities of today. Let’s reflect: Do I interpret the events, challenges, and changes of my life primarily through human opinions and personal expectations, or do I allow Jesus Christ to be the guiding principle of my understanding, discernment, and decisions?
Don Giorgio
