Sunday 8th December 2024
Second Sunday in Advent Year C
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Good News!!! Next Saturday (14th December) Adam will receive Holy Orders when he is ordained to the Diaconate by Archbishop Bernard Longley at Oscott, the seminary where he has been studying for the last six years. He will make three promises: those of celibacy, prayer, and obedience. These are lifelong commitments to a way of life. God willing next year, 2025, he will then be ordained to the priesthood. I'll be travelling to Oscott for the ordination on the 14th December and Fr. Samson Ojekunle will celebrate the Saturday 6:30pm Mass. The following day, Sunday 15th December, everyone is welcome and invited to our 10am parish Mass where Deacon Adam will assist at the Eucharist for the first since receiving Holy Orders. There will be refreshments after Mass and everyone is welcome.
Masses & Liturgies for the coming week...
Friday 6th December
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint Nicholas, Bishop (Memoria)
St. Nicholas was bishop of Myra, in what is now Turkey; he died in the fourth century in Eastern Europe. "Saint Nicholas" distributes presents to children on this day, in remembrance of his charity and care as a bishop.
Saturday 7th December
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass Mass, Saint Ambrose, Bishop & Doctor (Memoria)
St. Ambrose was born in 340 A.D. He was a surprising choice as the Bishop of Milan. Renowned for his charity and eloquence, a great hymn-writer and preacher. He baptised St. Augustine of Hippo. He died in 397 A.D.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of Advent (Year C)
Sunday 8th December
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Second Sunday of Advent (Year C)
Tuesday 10th December
1pm – 3pm St. Mary's Warm Welcome "Christmas Special" (See below for details)
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Our Lady of Loreto (Memoria)
The shrine of Our Lady of Loreto recalls the Holy House of Nazareth which, by ancient tradition, was transported there miraculously.
Wednesday 11th December
10am Advent Weekday Mass
Thursday 12th December
10am Advent Weekday Mass
6:30pm – Decorating our Church (See below for details)
Friday 13th December
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint Lucy, Virgin & Martyr (Memoria)
St. Lucy, a Sicillian martyr who died in the persecution of the fifth century under the Emperor Diocletian. She is an example of faithfulness and innocence and her cult was very popular in the early church.
Saturday 14th December
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) (Year C)
Sunday 15th December
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) (Year C)
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (7th December - 14th December), the Sanctuary Lamp is for John & Emily Boyle.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£673.43. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Christmas Mass Times
Opening Mass for the Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee
His Holiness, Pope Francis, has invited dioceses across the world to unite in prayer as we begin the 2025 "Pilgrims of Hope" Jubilee. Our diocese will be marking the start of the Jubilee with a Mass, celebrated by Bishop John, on Sunday 29th December at 2pm at Salford Cathedral's Temporary Church. All are welcome to join us as we mark the start of this special year of grace.
Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee in our Diocese
Pope Francis has declared that the year 2025 will be a Holy Year of Jubilee for the Catholic Church, an event that takes place once every 25 years and offers the faithful an opportunity to renew their relationship with God, each other, and all of creation. Over the coming months, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to observe this special year of grace in our own diocese. To find out more about the Jubilee and how to get involved, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/jubilee-2025/
Jubilee of Youth - Pilgrimage to Rome
Young adults across the diocese are invited to join our diocesan Youth Ministry Team for a special pilgrimage to Rome next year. Pilgrims will be travelling to Rome for the Jubilee of Youth, announced by Pope Francis at the 2023 World Youth Day. Our pilgrimage will take place between 28 July and 4 August. Email youth@dioceseofsalford.org.uk to find out more.
Family Night – Decorating the church for Christmas
We would like to invite all parishioners, friends and family, to help decorate our church in preparation for Christmas on Thursday 12th December at 6:30pm. Trees need being put up, crib figures dusted down, window ledges and altars buffed up etc. The Good Book tells us that the labourer deserves his wages so I guarantee an Irish Coffee, a glass or two of fizz and a Mince Pie for everyone who comes. All parishioners are welcome to come just for the atmosphere and craic. It's a parish family social occasion, so bring neighbours and relations, bring yourselves and your family, decorating or not decorating everyone is welcome.
St. Mary's Warm Welcome
The next warm welcome will be on Tuesday 10th December from 1pm – 3pm and will have a pre-Christmas twist!!!. Everyone and anyone is welcome! We have some talented parishioners who will dispel the coming winter blues with live upbeat music that everyone can sing along to. Plus there's unlimited brews in a warm space. Why not come along and experience something different.
Sanctuary Lamp & Our Lady Lamp
Prayer is so important and it works! One of the traditions at St. Mary's is to sponsor the sanctuary lamp, that burns for seven days continuously, before the Real Presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle. From January 2025 there will also be the opportunity of sponsoring a lamp in the Lady Chapel by the statue of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle The prayers behind each lamp are varied and different. Sometimes they burn in memory of a loved one, other times for somebody who is sick or waiting for results and at other times it's a prayer of thanksgiving or help for a particular situation or person. If you would like to sponsor a lamp to burn in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament or in the Lady Chapel then please see one of the stewards at the back of church. They will have a list of dates from January until December next year where you can choose to sponsor a £7 lamp for the week. I will bless each lamp and light it before the Vigil Mass on a Saturday and it will burn for the whole week. Please give your £7 to the stewards on duty when you choose your week.
Diocesan Almanac 2024
The new Diocesan 2025 Year Book is now available from the piety stall for £5.
Advent Spiritual Reading
Below are a list of book titles that you might find to be interesting reading over Advent and Christmas. www.amazon.co.uk
Jesus of Nazareth, The Infancy Narratives by Pope Benedict XVI
God With Us: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew by Edward Sri
Forming Intentional Disciples, The Path to knowing and following Jesus by Sherry A. Weddell
Into His Likeness, Be transformed as a Disciple of Christ by Edward Sri
Habits for Holiness, Small Steps for Making Big Spiritual Progress by Fr. Mark Mary Ames CFR
Befriending Silence, Discovering the Gifts of Cistercian Spirituality by Carl McColman
Toward God, The Ancient Wisdom of Western Prayer by Michael Casey
Journeying with Jonah, The struggle to find yourself by Denis McBride CSsR
In the Footsteps of Mary: An Advent Prayer Walk
Join the Diocese of Salford's Laudato Si' Centre team this December for a reflective prayer walk around the Centre's beautiful woodland. This self-guided trail invites us to focus on Mary's journey to Bethlehem and the example she sets us as we continue our own spiritual journey in this season of Advent. A number of sessions will be taking place on Wednesday 18 December. Find out more at https://laudatosicentre.org.uk/events/advent-retreat/
Christmas Window Displays
Maureen Mullen with her team of helpers have offered to produce some Christmas window displays (not flower displays) for the nine windows in church and other areas. If you would like to sponsor a display for your family/friends or in memory of a loved one then please see the list at the stewards desk. The donation is £20. Any monies for general flower donations over Christmas will be gratefully appreciated, please enclose them in an envelope marked Christmas Flowers or pass it to one of the stewards.
Appeal: Parish Christmas Raffle Prizes
At the start of Advent (30th Nov/1st Dec) we are hoping to sell tickets for our annual St. Mary's Christmas Raffle and are asking parishioners for any items they would be happy to donate. Do you work for a company/business who would be happy and open to offering vouchers, treatments, meals, or gift tokens etc. as prizes? Any donations that people can generously give, please leave with the stewards at the back of church.
Parish Schools Advent Wreath Blessing
On Friday I was invited to Sacred Heart, St. Mary's and St. Oswald's schools to bless their Advent Wreaths. Each school celebrated a Liturgy of the Word and through Scripture and prayer reminded us of the message of Advent – Be Vigilant, Prepared and Alert for Jesus is coming again to renew the earth and bring Joy and Peace and Love. I invited the children throughout the three schools to join us for the Christmas Eve Mass. Let's pray for all our young people that they and their families will take the opportunity to worship and adore the Lord with us here at St. Mary's.
Caritas driver
Caritas Salford, our diocesan charity that supports people across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, is in urgent need of the support of a volunteer van driver. Van drivers are vital to Caritas services and are essential to their day-to-day running. If you can drive, have a few hours to spare each week, and want to help Caritas to support people across the diocese, then please contact their volunteer coordinator Matt on m.yates@caritassalford.org.uk or visit www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer
A Call to Lead - A Post-Confirmation Programme
A new post-confirmation programme has been developed by Salford Youth Ministry and the Young Christian Workers Movement to bridge the gap between confirmation and adult formation, with the aim of helping young people to grow in faith and become active leaders of the parish community. For more information about the programme, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/a-call-to-lead
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien