Sunday 24th March 2024
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Friday 22nd March
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Sacrament of Confession
6pm Mass, Lent Weekday
6:30pm Stations of the Cross
Saturday 23rd March
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Sacrament of Confession
10am Mass, Lent Weekday (celebrated in the Lady Chapel)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Sunday 24th March
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Tuesday of Holy Week 26th March
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Sacrament of Confession
6pm Holy Week Mass
Wednesday of Holy Week 27th March
Today the Mass of the Sacred Chrism is celebrated at St. Patrick's, Collyhurst. At this Holy Week Liturgy all the priests gather, from around the diocese, to renew their priestly promises before the Bishop. It is also at the Liturgy that the Sacred Oils are blessed by the Bishop for the coming year.
Maundy Thursday 28th March
7:30pm Mass of the Lord's Supper & Washing of Feet
8:30pm Watching at the Altar of Repose
9:30pm Night Prayer
Good Friday 29th March
(Day of Fasting & Abstinence)
9am – 9:45am Confessions
10am Stations of the Cross
3pm Solemn Liturgy of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Holy Saturday Saturday 30th March
8:30pm The Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday 31st March
9:30am The Holy Rosary
10am Easter Mass
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (23rd March - 30th March), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Michael Salmon.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£714.68. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Hospital Emergency Call
As of now (Thursday 21st March) I'll be helping out Fr. Samson Ojekunle, the Catholic Chaplain at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, for a few days by being 'on call' for emergencies. As you'll appreciate an emergency is never planned and so it may mean that certain visits or appointments I've made will be either delayed or postponed. Thank you to all our stewards in advance, whose invaluable help means that, even if I can't make it in time for a Mass the church is open for prayer. Let's pray for all the sick and those who care for them. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for them.
Good Friday Collection
The Bishop has reminded us of the mandatory collection on Good Friday for the places of Palestine, which supports the life of the Church in the Holy Land.
Offertory Envelopes, Gift Aid & Direct Debit
Thank you for your continued generosity and financial support towards St. Mary's, especially during these days of rising costs. Thank you also to Berni McGuinness who facilitates this important part of our parish's life. During the next few weeks the new offertory envelopes will be available. Please ask one of the stewards at the back of church for yours. Any envelopes that are not collected by Sunday 21st April will not be re-ordered as the cost of ordering and printing envelopes is expensive. Berni will available at the back of church this weekend to help answer any questions about paying via Direct Debit/Standing Orders or signing up to the Gift Aid scheme which is always a significant financial boost. For more info contact: berni.mcguinness@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Easter Chicks
Thanks to all those who were involved in making, selling and buying the Easter Chicks. The amount raised for church funds was £95.50.
Parish Easter Egg Raffle
We are hoping to begin our Parish Easter Raffle next weekend and it would be great if parishioners could donate only Easter eggs as prizes. If you are able to kindly donate an Easter egg then please pass them to one of the stewards at the back of church. Tickets will be available from the weekend of 9th/10th March (£1 a ticket or £5 a strip).
Feast of Divine Mercy – Jesus I trust in You
On Divine Mercy Sunday, 7th April 2024, we celebrate at St. Mary's, Clayton Le Moors with 1:30pm Adoration, opportunity for confessions and 3pm Holy Mass. All Welcome.
Funeral Planning
The Bishop recently announced that he wanted to help individuals and families in preparation with funeral liturgies by producing a guide that would give relevant information and clear guidance.
"I mentioned a form for use by people wanting to plan their funerals. I am grateful to those who have adapted a form which is available in some other dioceses, for use here in Salford. I would see this as an entirely optional service for people and it would be good to make its availability known through your newsletter or by information in the church porch. It may take a little time for people to begin to want to use the form. There is a second information leaflet with a list of suggested options for the liturgy. I hope these prove a helpful resource particularly for the next of kin in their responsibilities of planning for the funeral in a time of their bereavement."Bishop Arnold
You will find the funeral forms and information leaflets at the back of church. Please feel free to take one and use if you'll find it helpful.
Easter Flowers
As you know our church is beautifully decorated each Easter, and throughout the year, in part by the gifts and talents of Maureen and the team but also in part to the kind donations of parishioners. There has been a significant increase to the cost of flowers so if people would like to donate money for flowers in general during the Easter season then please put your donation in an envelope marked 'Flower Money'. Thank you.
Date for you Diary!
On Tuesday the 23rd April - Saint George's Day – there will be an afternoon tea in honour of our country's patron saint. As well as tea & cakes there will be live music with a very 'English' feel thanks to our resident St. Mary's Warm Welcome musicians. In The evening there will be a Mass for th4e Solemnity of Saint George at 6pm.
St. Oswald's School
On Wednesday morning the pupils in the upper school came to church to explore and further understand the prayer of the Stations of the Cross. The Stations don't just merely go through Our Lords footsteps to Calvary but reveal his genuine unconditional love for the world, made manifest in the tangible and concrete actions of his Passion.
"We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world."
St. Mary's School
This year marks 60 years since St. Mary's School moved to it's present site from Moscow Mill Street. To celebrate this event there will be a Mass of Thanksgiving on Thursday 25th April at St. Mary's Church followed refreshments. The school will also be producing an exhibition with old photos to bring back many faces and memories for all those who have had connections with the school through the years. Everyone is welcome to come. On Friday 26th April at 1:30pm there will be a Liturgy of Thanksgiving & Blessing with all the children in school and again all are welcome to come and join this celebration.
Talks on the Four Constitutions of Vatican II
In response to Pope Francis' invitation to revisit the Four Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council, the Diocese of Salford is holding a series of four evening talks after Easter. The first talk takes place on Wednesday 10th April when Bishop John will explore a little more about Lumen Gentium. The talk begins at 7pm at Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP. Find out more about the series and register your interest at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/constitutions-talks/
Advertisement for new Trustees of CaTEW
The Catholic Trust for England and Wales is sharing an opportunity to join its committed board of trustees. CaTEW provides, through the Conference Secretariat, a centre of knowledge and capability for assisting the Bishops and Dioceses in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and supporting the communities of faith in England and Wales. Find out more at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/CaTEW-new-trustees.pdf or email HR@cbcew.org.uk
Launch Mass for Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes in our Centenary Year
The Launch Mass for this year's diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes - marking our centenary year - will be taking place at 7pm on Tuesday 16th April at St Patrick's, Livesey Street, Collyhurst, M4 5HF. Whether you are planning to join us in Lourdes this summer, or will be praying along at home, you'd be most welcome to join us for our Mass next month. For more information on this year's pilgrimage, including how to book, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/booking-lourdes-2024/
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes in our Centenary Year
Bookings are now being taken for this year's diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, marking our centenary year. The pilgrimage, led by Bishop John Arnold, will take place between 26th July and 1st August. Find out more and book online at https://www.salfordlourdes.co.uk/travel-accommodation
Diocese of Salford's Annual Pilgrimage to Walsingham
There are still places available for this year's diocesan pilgrimage to Walsingham, taking place on Saturday 4th May, for both overnight and day options. We welcome applications for individuals and groups and would be interested in hearing from anyone who would like to volunteer. Please fill out a booking form, available at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/walsingham-2024 or you can get in touch by calling 0161 817 2214 or emailing walsingham@pilgrimage@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Diocesan Youth Pilgrimage to Walsingham
Salford Youth and Young Adults Ministry is delighted to once again offer a dedicated youth pilgrimage to Walsingham, aimed for students in Years 7,8 and 9. This pilgrimage runs alongside the main diocesan pilgrimage and will leave on Friday 3rd May and return on Saturday 4th May 2024. For further details please contact: youth@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Caritas Salford Appeal for Volunteers
Caritas Salford, our diocesan charity, is appealing for volunteers to support its work across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Even a few hours can have a huge impact on the lives of others locally. To find out more about the huge range of opportunities available - from gardening to van driving, supporting their services to becoming a Caritas parish rep or accessibility advocate - visit their website now: www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer
Job Vacancies
Deputy Director for Schools' Systems - The Diocese of Salford (replacement role)
Appointment Type: Full time, permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week, Mon - Fri, some flexibility in working patterns sometimes required
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £62,000 - £82,000 per annum, depending on current salary/experience
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/
Chef - Salford Cathedral House (replacement role)
Appointment Type: Part time, permanent
Working Hours: 12 hours per week over 3 days (Fri - Sun)
Location: Cathedral House, 250 Chapel Street, Salford, M3 5LE
Salary: £21,840 - £24,343 FTE (subject to pro rata)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/
Parish Finance Business Partner - The Diocese of Salford (replacement role)
Appointment Type: Full time, permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week (Mon - Fri)
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £45,423 - £55,836 per annum
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/
Head of Human Resources - The Diocese of Salford (replacement role)
Appointment Type: Full time, permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week, Mon - Fri.
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £51,101 - £58,639 per annum
Find out more and apply at https://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