St Nicholas Blessing of Bread and Consecrating Icon

BLESSING OF ST NICHOLAS BREAD

READER:

As a child, St Nicholas went to the homes of the poor with his parents to bring food, clothes and comfort;
as an Augustinian novice he gave the Priory’s food away to the poor and converted his brothers to generosity;
as a priest he organised the distribution of food to poor families during time of famine;
as God’s servant of healing Nicholas blessed bread and placed it on the lips of a dead child who came to life;
and every day he broke the bread of the Word and the bread of life for God’s people.

PRIEST:

Hear our prayer O Lord and with the intercession of St Nicholas of Tolentino bless this bread that it might bring healing and strength to Your People today, encouraging us to share with love, touch with gentleness and speak with courage so that we might be Good News to the Poor, Bread in your hands to be broken  for a New World of justice and equality

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

AMEN! 

CONSECRATION OF THE ICON OF ST NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINO

READER:

Our Icon beautifully expresses so much of our Patron Saint’s life, prayer and mission:
his birth was God’s gift to his then childless parents who dedicated him to God;
he grew up with both a love for the poor and and a love for the Eucharist;
he heard God’s call to join the Augustinians to live a life of prayer and service;
he prayed often for the ‘Holy Souls’ – the dead journeying into God’s presence;
he overflowed with God’s healing and love to the wounded and broken;
he preached with great power to convert his listeners to holiness;
he struggled against evil of every kind;
he gave bread and more to the hungry, poor and starving.

PRIEST:

O God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Trinity of Love and source of Life,
we dedicate and consecrate this Icon of our Patron, St Nicholas of Tolentino.
St Nicholas so overflowed with Your love, healing and generosity that
we behold You shining like a great light through him, guiding us to yourself.
May Your presence and Light shine upon us through this Sacred Icon,
drawing our parish community and all who gaze upon it ever deeper
into the mystery of Your Love and Your Option for the Poor
which St Nicholas so joyously lived.
And so we consecrate this Icon with the sacred Oil of Chrism

In the Name of the Father…and of the Son…and of the Holy Spirit…

ALL SING:   ALLELUIA… 

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