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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 9th November 2025
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
Masses & Liturgies for the following week ...
Friday 7th November
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Weekday Mass (Feria)
Saturday 8th November
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
2pm Parish Remembrance Liturgy (Details below)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, the oldest and highest ranking of the basilicas in Rome. The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of the diocese of Rome, the official ecclesiastical seat of the Holy Father, the Bishop of Rome, not St. Peter's Basilica as so many mistakenly believe. It the oldest church in the West, built in the time of Constantine and was consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324. This feast became a universal celebration as a sign of love for and union with the See of Peter.
Sunday 9th November
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
2pm Blessing of Graves at Accrington Cemetery
Tuesday 11th November
10:50am - Armistice Day (By the statue of the Pietà.)
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop (Memoria)
St. Martin of Tours was born in 316A.D, he became a solider, was baptised and founded a monastery in France under the direction of St. Hilary. He became Bishop of Tours; here he worked hard to visit his flock, and preach against paganism. He died in 397A.D and was honoured as a saint – one of the first non-martyrs to be honoured.
Wednesday 12th November
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint Josaphat, Bishop & Martyr (Memoria)
A saint of the Ukraine, honoured for his work for the unity of the Church; born in 1580, he became a priest and established a reputation for holiness, becoming archbishop of Polotsk. He worked strenuously to end disturbances between the Latin and Byzantine Rites in his dioceses, but was killed in a religious riot in 1623.
10:25am – 10:35am Devotions to Saint Joseph
(At the foot of the parish statue of St. Joseph, see below for more details)
Thursday 13th November
10am Children's All Souls Mass
Friday 14th November
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Weekday Mass (Feria)
Saturday 15th November
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady
'Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.' - St. Maximilian Kolbe
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 16th November
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our Lady's Lamp
This week (8th November – 14th November), Our Lady's Lamp is for Rose & Jan Stelmach.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£756.00. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Feast of the Lateran Basilica & Remembrance Sunday
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome – the Pope. Although it is located in Rome, the Lateran Basilica is considered the "Mother and Head of all churches" in the world. This feast reminds us that every parish church, including our own St Mary's, is united in faith and communion with the Holy Father and the universal Church. This Sunday is also Remembrance Sunday here in the UK, when we honour and pray for all who gave their lives in the service of others during times of war and conflict. During the Intercessions at the 6:30pm Vigil Mass and the 10:00am Sunday Morning Mass, we will observe a two-minute silence in remembrance of the fallen. Following this, a poppy wreath will be placed by the memorial inside St Mary's to honour all parishioners who died in the First and Second World Wars. At the end of the Sunday Morning Mass, a second wreath will be laid by the Pietà statue outside, bearing the names of all the parishioners from Sacred Heart who also gave their lives in the wars. Let us keep in our prayers all those who have died in service to others and continue to pray for peace in our world.
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." — John 15:13
Welcome to the Family of Faith
We offer our warmest congratulations and prayers to Baby Gregory Martin, who was baptised last week here at St Mary's. We rejoice with his parents Aimee & Dean and godparents as they begin this journey of faith with him, and we ask the Lord to bless Gregory and keep him always in His love.
Blessing of Graves – November, the Month of the Holy Souls
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.
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.
Armistice Day – Tuesday 11th November
Parishioners are warmly invited to gather on Tuesday 11th November at 10:50am by the statue of the Pietà in the church grounds near the lychgate. At 11:00am, we will keep a two-minute silence to mark Armistice Day, remembering all those who have died in wars and conflicts, past and present, throughout the world. The silence will be followed by a short time of Scripture and prayer, as we commend the souls of the fallen to God's mercy and pray for peace among all nations.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." — Matthew 5:9
Children's All Souls Mass
This Thursday, 13th November at 10:00am, we will celebrate a special Children's All Souls Mass here at St Mary's Church. We will be joined by pupils and staff from our three parish schools — Sacred Heart, St Mary's, and St Oswald's — as together we pray for all our loved ones, friends, and family members who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. During the Mass, each school community will bring forward their Book of Remembrance, containing the names of those they wish to remember and pray for. All parishioners are warmly invited to join us for this beautiful liturgy of remembrance and hope.
"Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them."
Devotions to Saint Joseph
On Wednesday 12th November there will be the first Wednesday devotions to St. Joseph after the 10am Mass (at the foot of his statue at the back of church). The devotions will include praying the Litany of St. Joseph, the Memorare of St. Joseph and the Prayer of the Holy Cloak Novena. In these devotions our prayer is to ask St. Joseph to pray for our parish family and for those who have wandered away from the Church, that they may return and find a warm welcome.
Parish Bible Study
Our next session is on Wednesday 19th November, from 7.00–8.00pm. All you need is yourself and a Bible — and a warm welcome awaits you!
Mount Carmel Christmas Dinner with Entertainment
Mount Carmel are delighted to invite parishioners to their Christmas Dinner with Entertainment on Monday 8th December from 12:30pm, to be held at Mount Carmel.
If you would like to attend, please add your name to the sign-up form available at the back of the church by Tuesday 2nd December. Alternatively, you may contact the school directly on Tel: (01254) 233458 or email Cmunroe@mountcarmelhigh.lancs.sch.uk for further information.
Mount Carmel look forward to welcoming you for an afternoon of festive food, entertainment, and community celebration.
Diocesan Synod Update - Calling Young Adults
As we continue the implementation stage of our Diocesan Synod, we're calling on young adults across the diocese to join one of a number of working groups that will explore how best to implement the recommendations of our Diocesan Synod. Join us 2-5pm on Sunday 23 November at Cathedral Centre, Salford (M3 6DP), for an introductory meeting. Email youth@dioceseofsalford.org.uk to find out more and to register.
World Day of the Poor
The ninth World Day of the Poor will be marked on Sunday 16 November. Our diocesan charity Caritas Salford has a range of resources, prayers, and other information to help us learn more about how we can support their work to end poverty in our diocese. Visit www.caritassalford.org.uk/resources for more information.
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.
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.
https://christianheritagecentre.com/events/be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god
Advice as weather gets colder and energy bills rise
If you or someone in your wider parish community is in need of support around rising energy bills, Caritas Salford, our diocesan charity, has a free energy advice service that can help. You can find details on their website on how to arrange a free session with their energy advice service team, and lots of other information too: www.caritassalford.org.uk/energysupport
If you or someone in your wider parish community is in need of support around rising energy bills, Caritas Salford, our diocesan charity, has a free energy advice service that can help. You can find details on their website on how to arrange a free session with their energy advice service team, and lots of other information too: www.caritassalford.org.uk/energysupport
Parish Administrator - St Wilfrid's, Longridge
Appointment Type: Part-time, permanent
Working Hours: 12 hours per week to be worked between Monday-Friday, though some flexibility will be required and can be offered. Working pattern to be discussed and agreed with Parish Priest.
Location: St Wilfrid's Presbytery, 44 Derby Road, Longridge, Preston, Lancs PR3 3JT
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://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/
Working Hours: 12 hours per week to be worked between Monday-Friday, though some flexibility will be required and can be offered. Working pattern to be discussed and agreed with Parish Priest.
Location: St Wilfrid's Presbytery, 44 Derby Road, Longridge, Preston, Lancs PR3 3JT
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://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/
Newsletter from Diocesan Vocations Team
The Diocese of Salford's vocations team is delighted to share its latest newsletter exploring updates on vocations to diocesan ministry, which includes the priesthood and permanent diaconate. For the latest on ordinations, inspiring vocation stories, and the latest update by numbers, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/faith/vocations/
'Neurodiversity and Our Faith' Research
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales and Birmingham Newman University are conducting research into Neurodiversity and our Faith. If you are an adult neurodivergent Catholic or a caregiver of a neurodivergent Catholic, they would like to hear from you. Your experiences will help them to become more inclusive and responsive to your needs. To find out more and to complete the short surveys, please visit: www.godwhospeaks.uk/neurodivergent-catholic-surveys/
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales and Birmingham Newman University are conducting research into Neurodiversity and our Faith. If you are an adult neurodivergent Catholic or a caregiver of a neurodivergent Catholic, they would like to hear from you. Your experiences will help them to become more inclusive and responsive to your needs. To find out more and to complete the short surveys, please visit: www.godwhospeaks.uk/neurodivergent-catholic-surveys/