Sunday 20th April 2025
Easter Sunday
!HAPPY EASTER!
He is Risen, Alleluia!
Masses & Liturgies for the coming week...
Holy Saturday 19th April
8:30pm The Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday 20th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary
10am Easter Mass
Easter Tuesday 22nd April
5pm – 5:30pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
5:45pm Easter Mass
Wednesday 23rd April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Easter Mass
7pm Parish Bible Study (see below for details)
Easter Thursday 24th April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Easter Mass
Easter Friday 25th April (No Abstinence)
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Easter Mass
Easter Saturday 26th April
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Easter Mass (In the Lady Chapel)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)
Sunday 27th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)
2pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
2:45pm Divine Mercy Chaplet & Act of Consecration
3:05pm Benediction followed by Holy Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter
Monday 28th April
10am Mass, Saint George, Martyr & Patron of England (Solemnity)
St. George was martyred at Lydda (Israel) around 303 A.D, in the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. His cult, which predates the legend of his slaying the dragon, spread quickly through the East and West. King Richard I of England placed his army under his protection and in 1222 his feast was proclaimed a national holiday.
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (19th April – 26th April), the Sanctuary Lamp is for The Fussell & Beveridge Families.
Our Lady's Lamp
This week (19th April – 26th April), Our Lady's Lamp is for Joanne & Karen Hughes.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£813.35. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Easter Blessings & Thanks
Thank you to everyone who made this Easter such a prayerful and joyous celebration. The faith and love that have made people go above and beyond has truly been inspiring. From the beautiful flower displays and Lychgate, the commitment shown by the altar servers, the talents of the musicians and singers who came on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, the faithfulness of the stewards, the buffing, polishing and dusting of the cleaners, the dedication of the readers, the behind the scenes work of anonymous volunteers…Thank you! But also a huge Thank You to all who came to the various Masses, Liturgies and prayers during the Triduum. May God continue to bless you in your faith and witness to the Risen Lord.
Parish Social Media: St Mary's Facebook & Instagram
Thanks to Jacqueline who has been maintaining our parish presence on social media and allowing others beyond the church walls to feel connected and experience our Catholic Faith in the Lord Jesus. If you haven't yet, then do check out the photos and videos that have been posted of our celebrations over the Easter Triduum at St. Mary's.
Facebook (St Marys RC Church Oswaldtwistle)
https://www.facebook.com/share/164UHbBSuw/
Instagram (stmarysrcoswaldtwistle)
https://www.instagram.com/stmarysrcoswaldtwistle?utm_source=qr&igsh=MTl5cHhqdm9yOWtp
Prayers of Welcome
Let's pray for Dean, Paul and Sam who will all be received into the Church at the Solemn Easter Vigil. It's always a wonderful occasion when the Lord brings new brothers into the family. Sam will be baptized and then, along with Dean and Paul, receive Confirmation
Parish Bible Study – St. John's Gospel
The next session is Wednesday 23rd April from 7pm – 8pm. All are welcome. All you need is a Bible and an openness to come to know Our Lord better. Never we've read through St. John's Gospel we will stand with the Book of Revelation which often fills some people with dread but it's actually full of hope. Come and join us.
Divine Mercy Sunday
Join us for Divine Mercy Devotions, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Confessions and Holy Mass on Sunday 27th April at 2pm.
The Divine Mercy Devotion
Devotion to the Divine Mercy involves a total commitment to God as Mercy. It is a decision to trust completely in him, to accept his mercy with thanksgiving, and to be merciful as he is merciful. The devotional practices proposed in the diary of Saint Faustina and set forth in here are completely in accordance with the teachings of the Church and are firmly rooted in the Gospel message of our Merciful Saviour. Properly understood and implemented, they will help us grow as genuine followers of Christ.
The Divine Mercy Message:
The message of mercy is that God loves us "all of us" no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognise that his mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon him with trust, receive his mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share his joy. It is a message we can call to mind simply by remembering ABC.
A — Ask for his Mercy. God wants us to approach him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking him to pour his mercy out upon us and upon the whole world.
B — Be merciful. God wants us to receive his mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as he does to us.
C — Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know the graces of his mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive.
The Chaplet of Mercy
The Lord revealed to Saint Faustina a powerful prayer that He wanted everyone to say – the Chaplet of Mercy. Saint Faustina prayed the Chaplet almost constantly, especially for the dying, and the Lord urged her to encourage others to say it, too, promising extraordinary graces to those who would recite this special prayer. The Chaplet can be said anytime, but the Lord specifically asked that it be recited as a novena, especially on the nine days before the Feast of Mercy.
Our Lord said to Saint Faustina:
Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you. … Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. … When thy say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Saviour. … Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. … Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will. (Diary, 687, 1541, 1731).
HOW TO PRAY THE CHAPLET OF THE DIVINE MERCY
The Chaplet of Mercy is recited using ordinary rosary beads of five decades and could be preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Faustina and followed by a closing prayer.
1. The Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
2. The Our Father: Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen
3. The Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen
4. The Apostles' Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen
5. On the "Our Father"bead before each decade: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
6. On the "Hail Mary"beads of each decade: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
7. Repeat "Eternal Father" and "For the Sake of His sorrowful Passion": Numbers 5 & 6 Prayers for four more decades.
8. After 5 decades, the concluding prayer (three times): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For more information about the Divine Mercy devotion please see the following website: https://divinemercyapostolate.co.uk/
Date for your Diary!
This year the Solemnity of St George, which falls in Easter week (23rd April), has been transferred to Monday 28th April. As St. George is the patron Saint of our country Mass will be at 10am followed by a late morning breakfast of coffee and croissants, very traditionally English refreshments! Don't worry, there will be tea as well. St. George patron saint of England pray for us.
Parish Easter Egg Raffle
The parish raffle will be drawn next week and all winners will be able to collect their Eggs from the stewards desk at the weekend Masses (26th/27th April). There is still time to buy tickets from the stewards desk at the back of church - £1 a ticket or £5 a strip.
St Oswald's School
On Tuesday of Holy Week, I was invited by school to celebrate a liturgy where we all gathered to reflect on Jesus' example of washing His disciples feet. We were reminded in the prayer that we are all called to imitate Jesus and serve others. Some of the pupils gave wonderful examples of how we could do this practically both at home and school.
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Ladyewell
Join us for a prayerful pilgrimage this summer as we visit Our Lady's shrine at Ladyewell. Situated on the doorstep of our diocese, this day pilgrimage presents a wonderful opportunity to take up the Jubilee call to pilgrimage without travelling too far away from home. The pilgrimage will take place on Saturday 28th June. For more information and to register, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/ladyewell-pilgrimage-2025
Two-Child Benefit Cap Survey
Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) has recently launched a lived experience survey to better understand the impact of the two-child benefit cap on Catholic families in England and Wales and to explore how parishes are supporting families in need. Your responses will contribute to a short report/briefing, and insights gathered will inform further advocacy work to support families affected by the cap, as well as other financial hardship.
You can find the survey here: https://www.csan.org.uk/news/familysurvey/
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien