SMC ENGLISH MASS - 4th Sunday of Easter (26 Apr 2026)
SMC English Mass - 4th Sunday of Easter (26 Apr 2026)
Prayer for the 80th Anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
Messengers of Hope
O Lord, You are the source of all blessings and you guide the course of human history by your Providence.
With gratitude we thank you for the establishment of our Diocese eighty years ago.
In the footsteps of our predecessors, we have steadfastly kept the heritage of our Faith over the years and so have been able
to experience your unfailing help in the face of challenges;
to regain strength in our weakness;
to restore hope in our discouragement;
to look for your direction when we have lost our way.
As your children, may we always entrust ourselves to you in humility. May we always respond to your calling for us to carry on our mission to spread the Gospel and bear witness to our faith in Hong Kong, sowing the seeds of love and hope while living in joy and peace.
We ask this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
PROCESSIONAL HYMN
O, magnify the Lord #223 P.73
O, magnify the Lord for He is worthy to be praised
O, magnify the Lord for He is worthy to be praised
Hosanna, blessed be the Rock
And may the God of my salvation be exalted
Hosanna, blessed be the Rock
And may the God of my salvation be exalted
Sign of the cross
Priest ✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Greeting
P✠: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And with your spirit.
Penitential Act
P✠: Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
All: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, (striking their breast) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
P✠: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Kyrie Eleison
P✠: You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
P✠: You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
P✠: You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
P✠: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise You. We bless You. We adore you. We glorify You. We give You thanks for Your great glory. Lord God, heavenly King, O God almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father: you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One. You alone are the Lord. You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
COLLECT
Let us pray (pause)
Almighty ever-living God, lead us to a share in the joys of heaven, so that the humble flock may reach where the brave Shepherd has gone before.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
1ST READING – Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: "Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, "What are we to do, my brothers?" Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call." He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day. —The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM – Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. With your rod and your staff that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
2ND READING – 1 Peter 2:20b-25
Beloved: If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. —The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION – John 10:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL – John 10:1-10
Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." – The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ
*HOMILY*
Nicene Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
Qqin 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.
I 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 adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
*PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL*
OFFERTORY HYMN
Shepherd's song #266 P.86
1. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd
He shall gather the lambs in His arms
And carry them in His bosom
And shall gently lead those that are with young
* He shall feed. He shall feed
He shall feed them, He shall feed
P✠: Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that we may always find delight in these paschal mysteries, so that the renewal constantly at work within us may be the cause of our unending joy.
Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
P✠: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
P✠: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
P✠: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right and just.
P✠: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, at all times to acclaim you, O Lord..... , as they acclaim:
SANCTUS
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
P✠: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the….
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
P✠: In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
P✠: The mystery of faith.
All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
P✠: Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection,.....
P✠: Through him, and with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
LORD'S PRAYER
P✠: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
All: 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.
P✠: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.
P✠: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
P✠: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
P✠: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
AGNUS DEI
All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
P✠: Lord Jesus Christ,....
P✠: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
COMMUNION HYMN
Shepherd me, O God #265 P.86
* Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants
Beyond my fears, from death into life
1. God is my shepherd, so nothing shall I want
I rest in the meadows of faithfulness and love
I walk by the quiet waters of peace
2. Gently You raise me, and heal my weary soul
You lead me by pathways of righteousness and truth
My spirit shall sing the music of Your Name
3. Though I should wander, the valley of death
I fear no evil for You are at my side
Your rod and Your staff, my comfort and my hope
4. You have set me a banquet of love, in the face of hatred
Crowning me with love beyond my pow'r to hold
5. Surely Your kindness and mercy, follow me all the days of my life
I will dwell in the house of my God forevermore
He #105 P.34
1. He can turn the tides and calm the angry sea
He alone decides who writes a symphony
He lights every star that makes our darkness bright
He keeps watch all through each long and lonely night
He still finds the time to hear a child's first prayer
Saint or sinner calls and always find Him there
Though it makes Him sad to see the way we live
He'll always say: I forgive
2. He can grant a wish or make a dream come true
He can paint the clouds and turn the grey to blue
He alone knows where to find the rainbow's end
He alone can see what lies beyond the bend
He can touch a tree and turn the leaves to gold
He knows every lie that you and I have told
Though it makes Him sad to see the way we live
He'll always say: I forgive
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
P✠: Let us pray (pause) Look upon your flock, kind Shepherd, and be pleased to settle in eternal pastures the sheep you have redeemed by the Precious Blood of your Son.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
P✠: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
SOLEMN BLESSING
P✠: Bow down for the blessing.
P✠: May God, who by the Resurrection of his Only Begotten Son was pleased to confer on you the gift of redemption and of adoption, give you gladness by his blessing.
All: Amen
P✠: May he, by whose redeeming work you have received the gift of everlasting freedom, make you heirs to an eternal inheritance.
All: Amen
P✠: And may you, who have already risen with Christ in Baptism through faith, by living in a right manner on this earth, be united with him in the homeland of heaven.
All: Amen
P✠: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.
All: Amen
P✠: Go in peace, the Mass is ended, Alleluia, Alleluia.
All: Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia.
RECESSIONAL HYMN
And I will follow #020 P.7
* The Lord is my true shepherd, no want nor fear I know
He leads me by safe paths, and I will follow
1. Fresh and green are the pastures where my new home will be
The waters will be clean and clear that's where He leads me
Through dark and lonely days when hope seems gone
He leads me to the place where Peace is won, Yes -
2. A banquet will be ready when I come home to stay
My family will gather round on that great day
Good and kindness will follow me for the rest of my days
I'll live in the house of my Lord oh grant that I may. For –
