Categories
Eucharist

Sunday 20th September 2026 – 11:15

God has been worshipped in this place through the prayers and praises of countless generations. Worship lies at the heart of our life as Christians and we express our theology and belief through our liturgy. It is through these liturgical patterns of words and actions that we are formed and transformed.

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Setting

Communion Service in G; Francis Jackson (1917–2022)

You are invited to say the text in bold in English.

Please stand as the Minister, at the West End of the Cathedral, sings

Let us pray. 

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

1. Thou whose almighty word

    Chaos and darkness heard,

    And took their flight;

    Hear us, we humbly pray,

    And where the gospel day

    Sheds not its glorious ray,

    Let there be light!

2. Thou who didst come to bring,

    On thy redeeming wing

    Healing and sight,

    Health to the sick in mind,

    Sight to the inly blind:

    O now to all mankind

    Let there be light!

3. Spirit of truth and love,

    Life-giving, holy Dove,

    Speed forth thy flight;

    Move o’er the waters’ face,

    Bearing the lamp of grace,

    And in earth’s darkest place

    Let there be light!

4. Blessèd and holy Three,

    Glorious Trinity,

    Wisdom, Love, Might;

    Boundless as ocean’s tide

    Rolling in fullest pride,

    Through the world far and wide,

    Let there be light!

 

John Marriott (1780–1825); 

                                                       Felice Giardini (1716–96)

The Celebrant says the

Greeting

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing for the

Collect for Purity

Almighty God  to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name: through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Choir sings

Kyrie Eleison

Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison.

Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Celebrant introduces the

Confession

After a short period for reflection, all say

Almighty God,  our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name.  Amen.

The Celebrant pronounces the

Absolution

To which all reply

Amen.

Please remain standing whilst the Choir sings

Gloria in excelsis

Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones the

Collect of the Day

O Lord, hear the prayers of your people who call upon you; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Please be seated for the

Philippians 1: 21–30

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

At the end of the Reading

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Choir sings the 

Gradual

O for a closer walk with God, a calm and heavenly frame; a light to shine upon the road that leads me to the Lamb! Return, O holy dove, return, sweet messenger of rest! I hate the sins that made thee mourn, and drove thee from my breast. So shall my walk be close with God, calm and serene my frame; so purer light shall mark the road that leads me to the Lamb.

The Revd Anthony Cæsar (1924–2018)

Please stand for the

Gospel

The Deacon and the Choir sing

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to Saint Matthew, in the eighteenth chapter, beginning at the fifteenth verse.

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 20: 1–16

‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’

At the end, the Minister and the Choir sing

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Please remain standing whilst the Preacher moves to the Pulpit for the

Sermon

The Reverend S. T. R. Gamble, B.A., M.Th., Ph.D.

Prebendary of Maynooth

Please be seated for the Sermon. At the end, the Preacher will conclude with a prayer, during which the congregation will stand for the

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,  the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Minister says 

Let us pray.

Please kneel or be seated for the 

Prayers

Each petition ends

Lord, in your mercy

hear our prayer.

At the end

Merciful Father,

accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Please stand as the Celebrant introduces the

Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

During the hymn, a collection of money is made. You can donate online by tapping the Support Us button at the bottom of the page.

1. From glory to glory advancing,

      we praise thee, O Lord;

    Thy name with the Father and

      Spirit be ever adored.

    From strength unto strength we

      go forward on Sion’s highway,

    To appear before God in the city

      of infinite day.

2. Thanksgiving, and glory,

      and worship and blessing and love,

    One heart and one song have the

      saints upon earth and above.

    O Lord, evermore to thy servants

      thy presence be nigh;

    Ever fit us for service on earth for

      thy service on high.

Liturgy of St James tr. Charles Humphreys;

Gustav Holst (1874–1934)

Please remain standing as the Celebrant and the Choir sing

Sursum Corda

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

The Celebrant intones the Preface, concluding

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:

Please remain standing as the Eucharistic Prayer continues, concluding

…through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom and in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of never-ending praise:

Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.

Please kneel or sit, according to your custom, to pray the

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father,  who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Celebrant breaks the bread, and says

The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

The Celebrant invites the People to receive Communion.

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a member Church of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Communion.

We welcome members of all Christian Church denominations to receive Holy Communion here. Please follow the stewards’ directions.

Whilst the people receive Communion, the Choir sing

Agnus Dei

Motet

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and stand with fear and trembling, and lift itself above all earthly thought. For the King of kings, and Lord of lords, Christ our God, cometh forth to be our oblation, and to be given for food to the faithful. Before him come the choirs of angels, with every principality and power; the Cherubim with many eyes, and winged Seraphim, who veil their faces as they shout exultingly the hymn: Alleluia!

Edward Bairstow (1874–1946)

When all have received Communion, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

A seasonal Post-Communion Prayer may be said, and then this prayer

Almighty God,  we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

Please stand to sing the

Hymn

1. We have a gospel to proclaim,
Good news for men in all the earth;
The gospel of a Saviour’s name:
We sing his glory, tell his worth.

2. Tell of his birth at Bethlehem,
Not in a royal house or hall,
But in the stable dark and dim:
The Word made flesh, a light for all.

3. Tell of his death at Calvary,
Hated by those he came to save;
In lonely suffering on the cross
For all he loved, his life he gave. 

4. Tell of that glorious Easter morn:
Empty the tomb, for he was free;
He broke the power of death and hell
That we might share his victory.

5. Tell of his reign at God’s right hand,
By all creation glorified;
He sends his Spirit on his Church
To live for him the Lamb who died.

6. Now we rejoice to name him King;
Jesus is Lord of all the earth:
This gospel message we proclaim;
We sing his glory, tell his worth.

Edward Burns (b.1938)

William Gardiner (1815)

The Celebrant says the

Blessing

After which, all say

Amen.

The Deacon and the Choir sing the

Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.

Please remain standing as the Clergy and the Choir depart.

Please remain at your seat for the duration of the

Organ Voluntary

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Developed by Clark Brydon.

Material in this service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer, © RCB 2004.

Translations are provided automatically by Google Translate. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is not responsible for automatically generated content or for content on external websites.

To report a problem or to send feedback and suggestions, please email: engagement@stpatrickscathedral.ie