Easter Sunday
Dear brothers and
sisters,
HE IS RISEN ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!
HAPPY & BLESSED EASTER TO YOU ALL!
Pope Saint Leo the Great wrote a beautiful meditation about the Resurrection. He described Our Lord as being eager to rise on the third day, not only to fulfil the Scriptures, but also to hasten to console his mother and disciples. He wanted to bring them light in darkness. This darkness flooded the world at the Crucifixion:
‘When the sixth hour came there was
darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour’
(Mk 15:33)
A blackness descended
upon the disciples. Some scuttled off into the shadows abandoning Jesus after
his arrest in the garden. Peter sinned during the night hours when he denied
the Lord, as foretold, three times. It was also during the black of evening
that Joseph of Arimathaea, with a heavy heart, had to undertake an unenviable
task:
‘It was now evening, and since it was
Preparation Day, there came Joseph of Arimathaea…who bought a shroud, took
Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him in the shroud and laid him in a tomb
which had been hewn out of the rock.
He then rolled a stone against the
entrance to the tomb.’
(Mk 15: 42, 46)
Darkness, night,
evening and shadows are all words that evoke a sense of despair and
hopelessness both physically and psychologically. Before the sun rose on the
third day, before the dawn advanced, before the world stirred Christ burst out
of the tomb with an explosion of light that could never be dimmed or extinguished.
His light would affirm his mother’s unwavering faith, His light would bring
hope and forgiveness to his disciples, His light would bring healing and
eternal life to all those who would choose to believe in him.
‘When Jesus spoke to the people again, he
said:
“I am the light of the world;
anyone who follows me will not be
walking in the dark;
he will have the light of life.”
(Jn 8:12)
At the great Easter
Vigil, we see this contrasting dynamic of light and darkness played out in the
liturgy, to draw our hearts and minds into the joy of the Resurrection. The
Mass begins in an unlit church. The Paschal Candle is blessed, lit and carried
through the church with the priest proclaiming three times, ‘Lumen
Christi’ (Light of Christ) and the people responding ‘Deo Gratias’
(Thank God). The dark church represents the tomb and the flame of the Paschal
Candle symbolises the light of Christ. That light which dispels the eternal
darkness of death and sin and makes visible the way to eternal life – Jesus
Christ Our Lord and Saviour.
That one flame of the
Paschal Candle is used to light the rest of the church. It’s flame lights other
candles that continue to brighten and disperse the shadows of the church
building. This liturgical action reflects the reality of what we are called to
do as disciples. Our Catholic Faith is rooted firmly in the Resurrection of Our
Lord. This is the light we are asked to pass on to others to dispel the
darkness of the world and light it up through Jesus Christ.
‘Our task as Christians is to proclaim
the kingship of Christ, announcing it through what we say and do. Our Lord
wants men and women of his own in all walks of life. Some he calls away from
society, asking them to give up involvement in the world, so that they remind
the rest of us by their example that God exists. To others he entrusts the
priestly ministry. But he wants the vast majority to stay right where they are,
in all earthly occupations in which they work: the factory, the laboratory, the
farm, the trades, the streets of the big cities and the trails of the mountains
and proclaim Christ the Light to those around them,
those they live with and those they work
with.’
St. Josemaria Escivia
This Easter pass on
the light of real hope that can only be found in the person of Our Lord Jesus
Christ. It is only through him, with him and in him that we can find and know
what true life is.
Happy Easter and God Bless
Thank You
A big thank you to
all those who have helped in any way, shape or form to make this year’s Easter
Triduum a prayerful and holy experience. Thank you and God Bless you for your
time, gifts and service.
Welcome to the
family
At the great Easter
Vigil Wesley Davitt will be received into full communion with the Church. The
Bishop has given me the faculties to Confirm Wesley at this Holy Mass plus he
will also receive the gift of Our Lord in Holy Communion for the first time.
Let’s keep Wesley and his family in our prayers at this time. If you or someone
you know is interested in learning more about the faith then do contact
me.
ABC (About
Becoming Catholic)
During the last year
of lockdowns, social distancing, furloughs and daily life being interrupted
many people have found themselves with time to think. To think about the
direction of their own lives, to think about the fragility of this world, to
think about what happens after death and even daring to contemplate the person
of Jesus Christ! If you or somebody you know is contemplating
such things then tell
them to email me at sean.obrien@dioceseofsalford.org.uk or call the presbytery 01254 232 433
(leaving a voicemail if I don’t answer straight away). We are made for the Lord
and we will only find real happiness, true purpose and total completeness in
adoring and loving Him.
‘You have made us for Yourself, O Lord,
and our hearts are restless until they
rest in You.’
(St. Augustine of Hippo)
First Holy
Communions
We pray this week for Franchesca, Poppy, Georgia, Luke, Faye and Tessa who will be blessed by God through receiving the gift of the Holy Eucharist. Our prayer is that they treasure Our Lord’s Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, in the Blessed Sacrament throughout all their lives, realising it is a privilege and not a right.
Alpha Online
On 13th April, Youth 2000 will begin running the next
instalment of Alpha online. We have been amazed at the fruit from our first
three Alpha courses. We are inviting
parishes across the country to join Youth 2000 by bringing their youth groups
or parish groups to Alpha Online. The sessions are organised over Zoom. The
evening begins with a welcome from the Youth 2000 team, followed by the
watching of the video, and then we go into small group discussions using the
Zoom ‘Breakout Room’ feature; as a parish youth group, you have the option of
either having the discussion online in a breakout room.
The Online Alpha Course will run for 9 weeks on Tuesday evenings, starting on Tuesday 13th April, 7:30 - 8:30 pm. For more information or to discuss the course in more detail, please contact Liam at liam.riley@youth2000.org.
Easter - Weekly
Eco-Thought for Parishes
Easter Sunday: One of the choices as Second Reading today has St. Paul telling us ‘You must know how even a small amount of yeast is enough to leaven all the dough, so get rid of all the old yeast and make yourselves into a completely new batch of bread.’ ‘A small amount’ can make something wonderful and sustaining. What small action can I take, in this season of Easter newness, to care for God’s creation?
Online Parish
Events
Parishioners from
different parishes have been organising online rosaries, online sing-a-longs
and virtual coffee mornings for their churches. I think this is a wonderful
idea as many children and grandchildren have been stepping up to help older
family members link up and use computers, mobile phones, i-pads etc. Any
parishioner here at St. Mary’s who would like to facilitate this has my
complete support and I am happy to put them in touch with diocesan safeguarding
department so that all correct procedures and online safety protocol can be
followed.
Caritas Job
Vacancies
Social Workers
3, 4 or 5 days per
week
Term time only (39
working weeks, 13 non working weeks)
SCP19-26,
Qualification Bar at SCP24
We require Social
Workers to provide a high quality social work service in schools across the
Diocese of Salford. You will work directly with children and young people,
their parents, carers and schools in order to further the child’s welfare and
provide the interventions necessary to enable them to use their learning
opportunities to the full.
Closing date:
Tuesday, 6 April 2021 at 10:00am
Interview: Tuesday,
13 April 2021
Due to the pandemic
interviews will be conducted via Zoom
Bank Counsellors
We require a bank Counsellor to provide a counselling and family support service in schools across the Diocese of Salford according to each school’s formal agreement. You will work with pupils referred to the Caritas Schools’ Service on a variety of issues, providing a non-judgemental, caring and confidential environment for them to work through their problems and difficulties. For the position you will have experience of individual counselling and Therapeutic / group work with children. You will also be flexible and have competent IT skills. For more details please visit the Salford Diocesan website.
Covid-19 Health
and Safety Reminder
The government has
allowed places of worship to remain open during this third national lockdown
but we must not become complacent. The diocese have asked us to remind people
of the following procedures:
•
Please make sure you are wearing a face mask
before you enter the church building. Nobody should be putting a mask on once
they are sat down at a pew or in the entrance/foyer near the stewards.
•
Please do not remove you mask to speak to a
steward or another parishioner in church. This shows a lack of safe respect for
others. We all need to care and look out for each other.
•
Please wear your mask when you are coming
forward to receive Holy Communion. Once, and only once, you are stood before
the priest then you can remove your mask. Communion is not a race so please
take your time and do not rush. Once you have received the Blessed Sacrament
then replace your mask and leave the church building.
•
Please do sanitise your hands at the stations
provided at both entrances and exits of church.
•
Please keep the Two Meter Rule. This new strain
of Covid-19 is more easily transmitted therefore it’s important that we all
keep to this practice.
•
Please do not congregate to socialise on church
property before or after Mass/Liturgy.
• Please do not come to church if you have Covid-19 symptoms, have tested positive for Covid-19 or are in isolation.
Mass Bookings
To book a place at
Mass via our telephone service then please ring (01254) 232 433 on Wednesdays
between 5pm – 6pm. To book a place at Mass online please visit the parish
website www.saintmarysoswaldtwistle.co.uk Sadly, some volunteers have had to return to
work and therefore you will only be able to book online during the week (Monday
to Friday).
God Bless and keep
praying.
Our Lady of
Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray
for us.
Fr. O’Brien