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Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church
Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle
Lancashire
BB5 3EZ
Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. S D O'Brien
Parish Administrator: Ciara Kelly
Tel: 01254-232433
Email: stmarysoswaldtwistle@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Sunday 26th October 2025
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the following week ...
Friday 24th October
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament
6pm Weekday Mass (Feria)
Saturday 25th October
9am – 10 am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady
'If you ever feel distressed during your day - call upon our Lady - just say this simple prayer: 'Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.' I must admit - this prayer has never failed me.'
- St. Teresa of Kolkata
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 26th October
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wednesday 29th October
10am Requiem Mass Bernice Power Dreslin RIP
Thursday 30th October
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Weekday Mass (Feria)
Friday 31st October
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament
6pm Weekday Mass (Feria)
Saturday 1st November
All Saints, Holy Day of Obligation
9am – 10 am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady
'The greatest saints, those richest in grace and virtue will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as the perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them.' - St. Louis Marie de Montfort
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Mass, Solemnity of All Saints
Sunday 2nd November
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass, Solemnity of All Saints
2pm Blessing of Graves at Dill Hall Cemetery
Monday 3rd November
10am All Souls Mass
12pm All Souls Mass
6pm All Souls Mass
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (25th October – 31st October), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Bernard & Margaret Kendall.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£665.78. Thank you for your kind generosity.
World Mission Sunday Collection.
£46.73. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Extended Times for the Sacrament of Confession
In response to the growing number of parishioners coming for the Sacrament of Confession, Fr. O'Brien will be extending the regular times at St. Mary's. Confession will now be available at the following times:
Fridays: 5:00pm – 5:50pm
Saturdays: 9:00am – 9:50am
You are also very welcome to contact Fr. O'Brien directly to arrange a time outside these hours if you would prefer a longer conversation. The Sacrament of Confession is a beautiful opportunity to encounter the Lord's mercy and begin again. Whether it has been a few weeks or many years, know that you are always welcome.
Our Lady Home Visits
A heartfelt thank you to all the parishioners who have signed up to welcome the statue of Our Lady into their homes and pray the Rosary for the intentions of our parish family.
The Owen Family
The Radigan Family
The Burton Family
The Yates Family
The Davitt Family
The Flanagan Family
The Peake Family
The Whelan Family
The response has been truly overwhelming. Several people have also asked if they can still sign up to receive the statue after the Immaculate Conception consecration date on 8th December—the answer is yes! If you would like to take part, please contact the parish office to book a date:
Parish Bible Study
Our next session is on Wednesday 5th November, from 7.00–8.00pm. All you need is yourself and a Bible — and a warm welcome awaits you!
Dates for Your Diary – November at St Mary's
As we approach the month of November, the Church invites us to remember and pray for all the saints and the faithful departed. Below are some important dates for your diary:
All Saints Day – Solemnity of All Saints
Vigil Mass: Saturday 1st November at 6:30pm
Morning Mass: Sunday 2nd November at 10:00am
Monday 3rd November - All Souls Day
This year, All Souls Day falls on Monday 3rd November.
To mark this solemn day, Fr O'Brien will offer Three Masses:
10:00am, 12 noon, and 6:00pm
Blessing of Graves
Sunday 2nd November at 2:00pm – Dill Hall Cemetery
Fr O'Brien will be available to bless individual graves.
Sunday 9th November at 2:00pm – Accrington Cemetery
Fr Wadsworth will be offering blessings of graves.
Let us unite in prayer, remembrance, and hope as we honour the holy men and women who have gone before us and commend to God the souls of all the faithful departed.
Requiem Mass for Deceased Clergy
On Thursday 6th November, a Requiem Mass for all deceased clergy of our Deanery of St John Vianney — which includes the parishes in Burnley & Padiham, Hyndburn, Nelson & Colne, and Rossendale Valley — will be celebrated at 10.00 am at St Mary's Church, Yorkshire Street, Burnley. All parishioners are warmly invited to attend and to join in prayerful remembrance of the priests who have faithfully served our communities through their sacramental ministry and pastoral care.
Parish Remembrance Liturgy
Our Annual Remembrance Liturgy will take place on Saturday 8th November at 2.00 pm.
This is a special time for our parish family to come together in prayerful remembrance of all those who have died during the past year. We will commend to God those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith and offer our support and comfort to the families and friends who continue to mourn their loss. All are warmly welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
Remembering our loved ones - A Moment of Prayer
The Diocese of Salford's Laudato Si' Centre is inviting people to remember loved ones who have died in a special way this November with the return of its Memorial Service. Taking place on Friday 7th November, between 9.30-10.30am, the memorial service provides a peaceful opportunity to remember and give thanks for our loved ones in the beauty of God's creation. Please register your interest and find out more by emailing laudatosi@dioceseofsalford.org.uk.
Word on Fire Comes to Salford - 'Evangelising the Culture'
Join us for a thought-provoking evening as Bishop Robert Barron's Word on Fire program comes to Salford Cathedral, inviting us to explore how we can each play a part in bringing Christ's light to the world around us. The event will take place at 7:30pm on Thursday 13th November at the Cathedral Temporary Church, and refreshments will be served beforehand at 6:45pm in the cloisters. Please book your place by emailing enquiries@salfordcathedral.co.uk or call 0161 817 2210.
Advent Talks: Reflecting on Dilexi Te
During Advent, we are pleased to be joined once again by Sr Joan Kerley and Maria Kidd for a series of talks reflecting on Pope Leo's Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te. Join us every Tuesday between 25 November and 16 December as we consider how we welcome the birth of the Messiah into a world of multifaceted poverty. The venue for this year's talks will be Our Lady and Lancashire Martyrs Church Hall, M38 0DL, and will take place from 10:30am - 12:30pm. Please email joankfmsj@gmail.com or phone 07934 816796 to register your interest.
Young Adult Service Day - St Vincent de Paul Youth Society
The St Vincent de Paul Society Youth Team will be holding a service day on 1 November, and would like to invite those aged 18-35 to join. Beginning at 11am, following 10am Mass, the day will offer a chance to give back to the community with kindness. The service day will be taking place at St Vincent's Centre in Leeds and a travel bursary is available to support those who wish to get involved. To register, please email KeziaH@svp.org.uk or call on 07917 923605.
Ignatian Spiritual Exercises: Mens' retreat, 4 & 11 February 2026
A fantastic opportunity to experience St Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises in a 5-day, shortened form. The retreat will be guided by the monastic community of St Joseph's Abbey, Flavigny (France), who were founded with the specific charism of offering this version of the Exercises and with a particular apostolate to men. The retreat is open to men in all states of life, who wish to seek God's will through a deepened detachment from the world. https://christianheritagecentre.com/events/mens-retreat-spiritual-exercises-of-st-ignatius
Be Still and Know that I am God, 14 - 17 November 2025
A three-day retreat led by Fr Roger Dawson, SJ, aiming to help participants find a greater attentiveness and disposition to God's presence in their lives through a disciplining of the mind and awareness of the present moment.
Job Vacancies
Parish Administrator - Holy Cross and St Helen's, Ashton-under-Lyne
Appointment Type: Part-time, permanent
Working Hours: 11 hours per week, between Mon-Fri, with some flexibility, as agreed with parish priest.
Location: St Ann's Presbytery, 64-66 Burlington Street, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Lancs OL6 7D
Salary: £13.23 per hour, 60 hours holiday (equates to 5 weeks), plus bank holidays and 5 diocesan closure days (subject to pro rata)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies