Monday May 3rd, St. Philip and St. James, Apostles. St. Philip asks to see and, having seen, he tells the good news to others. He was born at Bethsaida. Formerly a disciple of John the Baptist, he became a follower of Christ. St. James, the son of Alphaeus and a cousin of the Lord, ruled the Church of Jerusalem, wrote an Epistle, and led a life of penance. He converted many of the people of Jerusalem to the faith and was martyred in the year 62.
Tuesday, 4th, St. Conleth while living as a hermit he was persuaded by Brigid to act as priest for her community in Kildare. Cogitasus, in his Life of St. Brigid, calls him bishop and abbot of the monks of Kildare.
Wednesday 5th, Bl. Edmund Rice, (1762-1844), religious. Came from Callan, Co. Kilkenny. after his young wife’s early death, he sold his possessions and dedicated his life to the education of the poor. To advance the work, he gathered other like-minded men who took religious vows together to work as for the Catholic education of boys. He is a model of patient and cheerful acceptance of suffering, a true lay apostle and a deeply committed religious. Say a special prayer on Wednesday for all the pupils, staff and management in CBS Primary and Secondary here in Midleton.