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 April
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Masses & Liturgies for the following week ...
Friday 24th April
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament
6pm Easter Weekday Mass
Saturday 25th April
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, St Mark (Feast)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
Sunday 26th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
Tuesday 28th April
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Easter Weekday Mass
Wednesday 29th April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin & Doctor, (Feast)
St. Catherine was born in Sienna (Italy) in 1347, entered the Third Order of Saint Dominic while an adolescent. She was on fire with love of God and neighbour; she brought peace and harmony between her fellow citizens, fought for the rights and liberty of the papacy, and worked to renew religious life. She died in 1380.
Thursday 30th April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Easter Weekday Mass
Friday 1st May
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Mass, Saint Joseph the Worker (Memorial)
This feast was officially instituted by Pope Pius XII on 1 May 1955, in order to ensure that workers not lose this Christian understanding of work; but earlier Popes had already prepared the ground. Blessed Pius IX in a certain way had recognized the importance of Saint Joseph as a labourer, when he proclaimed him Patron of the Universal Church. The principle of work as a means to eternal salvation would be taken up again by St John Paul II in his encyclical Laborem exercens, where he refers to "the Gospel of Work".
Saturday 2nd May
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint Athanasius (Memoria)
St. Athanasius (296 A.D – 373A.D) led a tumultuous but dedicated life of service to the Church. He was the great champion of the faith against the widespread heresy of Arianism, the teaching by Arius that Jesus was not truly divine. The vigour of his writings earned him the title of doctor of the Church
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Fifth Sunday of Easter with Crowing of Our Lady
Sunday 3rd May
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Fifth Sunday of Easter with Crowing of Our Lady
Our Lady's Lamp
This week (25th April – 1st May) Our Lady's Lamp is for Harry & Rita Dullenty.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£628.00. Thank you for your kind generosity.
In the Footsteps of the Apostles
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been on pilgrimage, travelling in the footsteps of St Paul and St John through Greece and Turkey. It has been a truly enriching experience, one that has brought so much of the New Testament to life for me. To see the landscapes, roads, and ports that St Paul himself travelled through has made a profound difference. When I now read his letters—to the Philippians, Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Ephesians—they are no longer just names on a page, but real places filled with real people and living faith. I have come to admire St Paul even more deeply—his courage in witnessing to Jesus as the Risen Lord, and his bold proclamation that Christ is the Good News. Despite hardship, rejection, and persecution, he never gave up, because the message he carried was too important, too life-giving, to be silenced. He reminds us that a relationship with Jesus truly enriches our lives and fills them with faith, hope, and love. I also had the grace of staying on the island of Patmos, where St John the Evangelist was exiled. There, in a cave overlooking the sea, he received the vision that became the Book of Revelation. To be in that place was deeply moving—to stand where the beloved disciple stood, the one who rested on the breast of Christ at the Last Supper and heard the heartbeat of God. He is the one who passed on the Lord’s profound teaching on the Eucharist: “My body is real food, and my blood is real drink.”
It was an inspiring and prayerful time. I have returned physically tired, but spiritually renewed. What struck me most from both St Paul and St John was the central importance of Scripture and the Blessed Sacrament—the Word and the Eucharist—so fundamental to our daily lives as believers. This pilgrimage has reaffirmed for me the importance of these great gifts. And finally, it is good to be home—because, as you all know, no matter how holy the pilgrimage, you still can’t get a decent cup of tea away from home! God bless, Fr O’Brien
Good Shepherd Sunday
This weekend is traditionally known as Good Shepherd Sunday, reflecting the Gospel in which Jesus reveals himself as the Good Shepherd who knows and cares for his flock. It is also a special time in the Church’s year when we are asked to pray for vocations— especially to the priesthood. We pray that more men will generously respond to the Lord’s call to serve His Church. As you leave church this weekend, there will be a basket placed beneath the large crucifix for anyone who would like to make a financial contribution towards the training of future priests for our Diocese of Salford. This is known as the Ecclesiastical Education Fund. Thank you, as always, for your generosity and your prayers.
Please go to https://donate.mydona.com/diocese-of-salford and select ‘Clergy Fund’.
Priesthood
A vocation to priesthood is a beautiful invitation to love and to serve the people of God.
Through sacramental ordination, men called to the priesthood are transformed; sharing in the sacred priesthood of Christ in a special way – representing Him, the Good Shepherd, in the communities in which we live. From preaching, to ministering the Sacraments, to walking with people on their journey of faith, priests are the very representation of Christ in the daily lives of the faithful. To find out more about the priesthood or to explore the idea of a vocation to the priesthood, please contact:
Fr Michael Deas, Vocations Director
St Cuthbert’s Presbytery, 3 Palatine Road, Withington, Manchester, M20 3LH, UK
Tel: 0161 445 1080, michael.deas@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Fr Mark Paver, Vocations Director
St Winifred’s Presbytery, Mauldeth Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, SK4 3NB
Tel: 0161 432 4412, mark.paver@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Prayer for Vocations
Lord of the harvest,
bless your Church with holy and generous vocations
to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life.
Inspire men and women to respond with courage and joy
to your call.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
May – Month of Our Lady
May is traditionally dedicated to Our Blessed Lady, a time to honour Mary in a special way. As spring brings new life and flowers into bloom, we are reminded of Mary, who brought Christ, the source of all life, into the world. Next weekend (2nd/3rd May), we will have our parish crowning of the statue of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle. Parishioners are warmly invited to bring flowers to place before Our Lady’s statue on the sanctuary as a sign of love and devotion.
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham
The Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham will take place on Saturday 2nd May 2026. There are a few spaces left for the day trip picking up in Salford, Collyhurst and Oldham
The cost is £40. To book your place please contact the pilgrimage office at: walsingham.pilgrimage@dioceseofsalford.org.uk or on 0161 817 2209 by Monday 27th April. No bookings can be taken after this date.
Catholic Social Teaching (CST)
Caritas Salford is offering a free online webinar to introduce the basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) in an accessible way, with a particular focus on building hope, homes and a positive future for all. This will take place on Thursday 30th April 2026 from 6PM to 7:15PM With local elections approaching in May, the time is right to raise our awareness of CST and reflect on how it can help to inform the decisions and choices we make in life. Register for your free place or find out more at: www.caritassalford.org.uk/events