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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 23rd November 2025
Solemnity Christ The King
Masses & Liturgies for the following week ...
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Mass, The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memoria)
The Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple recalls – according to the apocryphal gospels, the day on which Mary, while still a child, was brought to the temple in Jerusalem to be offered to God. The Church wants to emphasize not so much the historical event in itself, of which there is no trace in the Gospels, but the total gift that Mary made of herself, by listening: "Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it" (Lk. 11:28). This experience prepared the young girl from Nazareth to become the "temple of the Son of God".
Saturday 22nd November
9am – 9:50am 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 Vigil Mass for Christ The King Solemnity
Sunday 23rd November
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Christ The King Solemnity
Saturday 29th November
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for First Sunday of Advent
Sunday 30th November
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for First Sunday of Advent
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (22nd November – 28th November), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Geraldine Curran.
Our Lady's Lamp
This week (22nd November – 28th November), Our Lady's Lamp is for Fr O'Brien's Ordination Anniversary.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£613.90. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Mini Parish Jubilee Year Pilgrimage – Last Few Seats Available!
Last weekend we launched our parish's Mini Jubilee Year Pilgrimage — a beautiful opportunity to enter more deeply into this special year of grace. Our pilgrimage will take place on Saturday 29th November meeting at 2:00 p.m. outside the main entrance of St Mary's, Burnley (We will pass through the Holy Door together as a parish group at 2 p.m.) After a short time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament — especially for the Holy Father's intentions — there will be refreshments at 3:00 p.m. in the parish rooms before we return home. We have been very kindly offered a minibus, and there are a few seats still available — 5 at the time of printing. For those who have not already signed up for transport on the list at the back of church please contact Ciara in the parish office stmarysoswaldtwistle@dioceseofsalford.org.uk . The minibus will leave promptly at 1:30 p.m. from our church car park. If you're making your own way to Burnley, the church there has a dedicated church car park accessible from Todmorden Road. The postcode is BB10 4AU. Please gather with Fr O'Brien outside the main entrance at 2:00 p.m. sharp, so that we can pass through the Holy Door together as a parish family. Let's make these final weeks of the Jubilee Year truly grace-filled — renewing our faith, deepening our love for the Lord, and beginning again with hearts full of gratitude and hope.
Dates for Your Diary: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
On Monday 8th December we will celebrate the beautiful Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception with a parish Mass at 7:00pm, and everyone is warmly invited to come. During this Mass, Fr O'Brien will consecrate our parish to Our Lady, asking for her grace and blessing to help us grow as a parish family and to renew us in the faith of her Son, Jesus. Let us come together in prayer and devotion as we entrust our parish to Mary's loving care.
'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/
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.
Caritas Salford Advent Appeal
Our diocesan charity, Caritas Salford, has released its 2025 Advent appeal to shine the spotlight on the true meaning of Christmas. To watch their latest animation and to find out more about how to help local people who are facing acute crisis this Christmas, please visit: https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/campaign/bee-there-2025/
A Talk on Pedro Ballester
In November, the Catholic Chaplaincies of Manchester University (MUCC) and the Holy Name Church have invited Pedro Ballester's father to deliver a talk about his son's life, legacy, and love of God. Pedro Ballester Arenas was born in Manchester in 1996 and was devoted to his lifelong faith as instilled in him first by his parents, and later through classes of Christian formation at Greygarth Hall. He went on to become a numerary member of Opus Dei and was deeply faithful to his vocation until his untimely death from cancer in 2018 at the age of 21. This illuminating talk will take place at Holy Name Church on Tuesday 25 November at 6pm – for more information please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/a-talk-on-pedro-ballester/
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Our diocesan Lourdes pilgrimage group invites you to a special Mass in preparation for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The Mass, celebrated by Bishop John, will take place at 3pm on Sunday 7 December at St Patrick's, Collyhurst (M4 5HF). Following Mass, information will be shared by the Salford Lourdes Pilgrimage group on plans for the 2026 pilgrimage.
A Day of Reflection on the role of Sacred Music in the Liturgy
On 29 November, a practical day course will be held on understanding the use of Sacred Music within the Mass, starting at 11am and finishing with sung Mass at 5:15pm. The morning session will take place at St. Augustine's, Grosvenor Square, and the afternoon session and Mass will take place at St. Mary's, the Hidden Gem. The cost is £20 per person, which includes a buffet lunch and light refreshments. To book and for more information please contact Dr. Rosemarie Darby via email: rosemarie.darby@manchester.ac.uk
Sustainable Wreath Making Workshops at Laudato Si' Centre
If you are interested in learning how to make your own Advent decorations using sustainable materials, why not sign up for one of the Laudato Si' Centre's upcoming wreath making workshops? The workshops are taking place on the below dates:
Friday 28th November from 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Friday 5th December from 10:00am - 12:00pm
Please email laudatosi@dioceseofsalford.org.uk for pricing, further information, and to book your place!