Sunday 28th January 2024
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Friday 26thJanuary
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saints Timothy & Titus, Bishops (Memoria)
Ss Timothy and Titus were companions of St. Paul, entrusted with the care of the Christian communities in Ephesus and Crete. To them are addressed the Pastoral Letters, attributed to Paul.
Saturday 27thJanuary
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Sacrament of Confession
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady (Celebrated in Lady Chapel)
"We never give more honour to Jesus than when we honour his Mother, and we honour her simply and solely to honour him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek — Jesus, her Son." - St Louis De Montfort
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass of the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sunday 28thJanuary
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Tuesday 30thJanuary
1pm – 3pm St. Mary's Warm Welcome (see below for details)
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass (Feria)
Wednesday 31stJanuary
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint John Bosco, Priest (Memoria)
St. John Bosco, born in 1815 in the north of Italy, dedicated his priestly ministry to working with young people, especially street children whom he encountered in Turin. He established the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians, to assist in this work. He died in 1888.
7pm – 8pm Parish Bible Study Group (see below for details)
Friday 2nd February
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, The Presentation of the Lord (Feast)
Forty days after Christmas, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, an event that the evangelist Luke recounts in Chapter 2 of his Gospel. By the year 450, it was called The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord because Jesus enters the Temple and "meets" the priests, as well as Simeon and Anna, representatives of the people of God. Around the middle of the 5th century, we know the feast was also celebrated in Rome. At a certain point, the blessing of candles was added to this feast to recall that Jesus is the "light to the gentiles". Thus, this feast is also sometimes referred to as Candlemas.
If you would like any candles blessed then bring them to this Mass (see below for details)
Saturday 3rd February
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Sacrament of Confession
10am Mass, Saint Blaise, Bishop & Martyr (Memoria) (celebrated in the Lady Chapel)
St. Blaise was a bishop in Sebaste and martyred in the fourth century. Devotion to him spread throughout the church during the Middle Ages. He is invoked for disorders of the throat.
There will be the traditional blessing of throats at this Mass (see below for details)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass of the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sunday 4th February
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the FifthSunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (27th January - 3rd February), the Sanctuary Lamp is for the Higgins Family.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£673.61. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Caritas Collection
This weekend, we mark Caritas Sunday by celebrating the work of our diocesan charity, Caritas Diocese of Salford. To find out more about the work of Caritas Salford and how you can get involved, please visit https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/campaign/caritas-sunday/. We invite you to keep our diocesan charity in your prayers over this coming week. There will be a basket at the back of church, under the large crucifix, for anybody who wishes to donate monies to this charity.
The Presentation of the Lord
On Friday (2nd Feb), the Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord which occurs forty days after the birth of Jesus and is also known as Candlemas Day, since the blessing and procession of candles is included in the liturgy. The light from the candle reminds us of Christ who is our light. He is our light in the dark times, the frustrating times, the desolate times and the anxious times. He is the light that shows us the right way to live, love and pray. He is the light that gives hope to our friends and family. He is the light that gives warmth when we feel low and our hearts have grown cold. If you use candles at home in prayer or devotion then please bring them to the Mass of the Presentation of the Lord on Friday evening at 6pm and I'll bless them for you. You may want to buy some candles for friends and family, have them blessed at this Mass, and then send them out to let loved ones know your praying for them.
St. Blaise & The Blessing of Throats
On Saturday at the end of the 10am Mass there will be the traditional blessing of throats invoking the intercession of St. Blaise. Two unlit candles, tied together by a red ribbon, are held by the priest towards a persons throat as he prays the following:
'Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.'
These traditional practices are not customs from a bygone age, but true reminders of the reality of the powerful intercession of the saints, like St. Blaise.
St. Mary's Warm Welcome
The next warm welcome is on Tuesday 30th January from 1pm – 3pm. Everyone and anyone is welcome! We have some talented parishioners who dispel the winter blues with live upbeat music that everyone can sing along to. Plus there's unlimited brews and fantastic homemade cake in a warm space. Why not come along and experience something different.
Parish Bible Study – St. John's Gospel
The next session is Wednesday 31st January from 7pm – 8pm. All are welcome. All you need is a Bible and an openness to come to know Our Lord better. We'll be looking at chapter 5.
Church Property Update
Since the start of January, every week so far, the diocesan property department has sent various building companies to survey and tender their estimates in regards works on both the church and presbytery roofs. Last Tuesday (16th January) an agent from Axis Property Consultancy LLP, sent by the diocesan trustees, came to assess the former parish centre building on Lock Street. As always when I receive any more news I'll update you. Let's keep praying to Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle and St. Joseph.
Sacred Heart School
On Wednesday, Miss Dawes Class (Year 3), joined us for the parish Mass when we gave thanks to God for St. Franics de Sales. St. Francis showed patience and love to those around him and so was able to communicate the Gospel more effectively because of his kind temperament.
St. Mary's School
Last Wednesday Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 joined us for the parish Mass where we were reminded about the importance of the Bible and how it can change peoples lives for the better. At the end of the Mass the children were called forward to take a piece of paper, with a scripture quote written on it, and pray with that bible passage over the week to see what God was saying to them.
Date for you Diary - 11th February 2024 - World Day of Prayer for the Sick: St. Mary's Healing Service
At 2pm on Sunday 11th February, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. It's only fitting that this is also the day the Church invites us all to pray for those who are sick and suffering in mind and body. For those who have made the pilgrimage to Lourdes, you will know, that it is a place of healing but not everyone is fortunate to visit. This year, at St. Mary's on Sunday 11th February, there will be the many opportunity to experience both prayer and healing.
Prayer for the Holy Land
This weekend you will find some prayer cards of Our Lady, Daughter and Queen of the Holy Land at the back of church. Please feel free to take one and pray for peace, reconciliation and healing in the Holy Land. As we know many Christians are also caught up in the conflict and are suffering.
Job Vacancies
Communications Assistant (replacement role)
Appointment Type: Full-time, 12 month fixed term
Working hours: 35 hours per week, some evenings and weekends required
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £22,672 - £24,343
Find out more and apply at https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/
Cathedral Estate Caretaker (replacement role)
Appointment Type: Full-time, permanent
Working hours: 35 hours per week, Tuesday - Saturday with some flexible working
Location: Cathedral Estate including the Cathedral, Cathedral Presbytery (Cathedral House) Cathedral House, 250, Chapel Street, Salford, M3 5LE
Salary: £24,983 - £30,710
Find out more and apply at https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien