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 21st December 2025
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Masses & Liturgies for the following week ...
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Advent Weekday Mass
Saturday 20th December
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Advent Weekday Mass
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Fourth Sunday of Advent
Sunday 21st December
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Tuesday 23rd December
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Advent Weekday Mass
Wednesday 24th December
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5pm Carols Around the Crib
5:30pm Christmas Eve Family Mass
Thursday 25th December
9:30am Carols around the Crib
10am Christmas Day Mass
Friday 26th December
10am Mass, Saint Stephen, Martyr (Feast)
St. Stephen was the first martyr to shed his blood for Christ, as witness to the newly revealed love of God. ‘...The love that Christ brought down from heaven to earth, lifted Stephen from earth to heaven.’ - The Office of Readings
Saturday 27th December
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Holy Family of Jesus
Sunday 28th December
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Holy Family of Jesus
This week (20th December – 26th December), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Fussell & Beveridge Families.
Our Lady’s Lamp
This week (20th December – 26th December), Our Lady’s Lamp is for Gertrude & Richard Henry, and Cathleen & John Paul Haworth.
Last Week’s Offertory Collection
£658.11. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Help Needed in Preparation for Christmas
As we prepare to celebrate the joy of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we are asking for a little help from our parish family to ensure that St Mary’s is ready to welcome everyone safely and beautifully.
Church Cleaning – Tuesday 23rd December at 9.00am
We are looking for volunteers to help with a general clean of the church. Tasks include hoovering, mopping, cleaning the pews and dusting. Any time you are able to give will be greatly appreciated, and there will of course be a morning brew for all who generously offer their help.
Car Park Stewards – Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
We also need at least two volunteers to help in the car park on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This role involves helping parishioners find available parking spaces and gently guiding people to the church via the Hawthorn Avenue public pathway, rather than the paved slope from the car park, which can become slippery.
If you are able to help with any of these roles, even for a short time, please contact the Parish Office: stmarysoswaldtwistle@dioceseofsalford.org.uk or call the parish office on ( (01254) 232 433. Thank you, as always, for your generosity of time and spirit as we prepare to welcome the Christ Child.
Parish Christmas Raffle – Thank You!
A heartfelt thank you to all those who have so generously donated prizes for this year’s parish Christmas raffle. We have been overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity. Thanks to the wonderful number of prizes already received, we are no longer able to accept any further donations. Raffle tickets are still on sale after all weekend Masses and will continue to be available up to the last weekend of December. Tickets are £1 each or £5 per strip, and all proceeds go directly towards parish maintenance, helping to support and care for our church. Thank you once again for your generosity and continued support of St Mary’s.
Rock Salt & Muscle Power!
If you are passing a garden centre, petrol station, or anywhere selling rock salt or grit, and are able to donate a bag for the church, it would be very gratefully received. Any bags can be left outside at the rear of the church building, near the bins. We also rely on the precious gift of people’s time and energy to help spread and scatter grit on icy or frosty days, especially before Masses and other liturgies, so that everyone can enter and leave the church safely. If you are able to help in any way, please contact:
Navada Keenan — keenannavada@gmail.com or Karen Beard, Parish Housekeeper — jakey9998@aol.com. Thank you for helping to keep our parish family safe during the winter months.
Bishop John's message for Caritas: Bee-ing there this Christmas
Demand for our diocesan charity Caritas Salford's services is greater than ever as more and more people in our diocese experience poverty, homelessness and discrimination. If you haven't seen their Bee There Advent appeal yet, which asks if you are able to help support people locally, you can read more at www.caritassalford.org.uk/BeeThere
Bishop John has recorded a special message to tell us more about why it's so important, especially at this time of year: www.caritassalford.org.uk/bishop-john-christmas-25/