These prayers are exactly what their name suggests – prayers of the gathered faithful. In praying this prayer, the faithful are carrying out their role of praying for the entire world as well as for the needs of the local community. No two congregations will have exactly the same prayers, since their perception of the world's needs and of the local community will vary. Therefore they are written anew for each Sunday and weekly celebrations.

Two sets of prayers for Sunday -

Australia celebrating the Sunday of the Word of God and one for all places outside of Australia.

Sunday is the Presentation of the Lord and it is the Day of Prayer for the Consecrated Life. The Jubilee Year of Hope for consecrated women and men is celebrated in the Dioceses of the world this Sunday, and the Jubilee in Rome will be for them on October 8-9.

- Fr Maurice Shinnick

Sunday January 26 is Australia Day which takes precedence over the Third Sunday. There are proper Presidential Prayers, Preface and Solemn Blessing and well as Readings which replace the Sunday readings. 

In places outside of Australia the Third Sunday is also the Sunday of the Word of God. (In Australia it will be February 9.) 

For these reasons there are two sets of Universal Prayer this Sunday.

Monday January 27 in Australia is the Memorial of Ss Timothy and Titus while elsewhere it is Sr Angela Merici. Two petitions relate to these days on Monday.

Best wishes for Australia Day to all who live in this land, although the date is difficult for our Indigenous citizens, and some people refer to it as Invasion Day since there has never been a treaty between the indigenous population and the Europeans who settled here in 1788.

Regards, Maurice

Starting Friday and ending on Sunday, the first of the special Jubilee Year celebrations for groups of people takes place in Rome. The Jubilee of the World of Communications.

Parishes and communities outside of the Archdiocese of Adelaide would do well to change the name and insert your own Diocese etc so that local people are included. 

Greetings to all who prepare parish newsletters. Such an important part of Catholic Communications.

Regards, Fr Maurice Shinnick