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 15th March 2026
Laetare Sunday
**** Happy Mother’s Day****
A very happy Mother’s Day to all the mums in our parish. We thank God today for the love, care, sacrifice, and faith that mothers bring into our families and our lives. We also remember in prayer all those mothers who are no longer with us. Through our faith in Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, we trust that death is not the end and that one day we shall be reunited again in the joy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Today we also honour Our Blessed Mother Mary, asking her to watch over all our families, to intercede for us, and to keep us safe beneath her loving mantle.
Saturday 14th March
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Lenten Mass
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent)
Sunday 15th March
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent)
Tuesday 17th March
5pm- 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Mass, Saint Patrick, Bishop & Missionary (Feast)
St. Patrick, born in 385 A.D, was taken, in his youth, as a captive to Ireland where he worked as a herdsman. Having escaped he became a priest and Bishop and returned to Ireland where he preached the Gospel and won many to the Faith. He died in 461 A.D.
Wednesday 18th March
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Lenten Mass (followed by Stations of the Cross led by Fr O’Brien)
7pm Parish Bible Study
Thursday 19th March
10am Mass, Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary
'For several years I have asked some particular favour on his [St. Joseph's] feast day and have never been disappointed. If on account of some imperfection my request did not have God's glory in view, he always obtained for me something else which was more important.' - St. Teresa of Avila
10:35am – 10:45am Devotions to Saint Joseph
(At the foot of the parish statue of St. Joseph, see below for more details)
Friday 20th March
5pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Lenten Mass (followed by Stations of the Cross led by Parishioners)
Saturday 21st March
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Fifth Sunday of Lent
Sunday 22nd March
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Fifth Sunday of Lent
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (14th March – 20th March) the Sanctuary Lamp is for Veronica Anderton.
Our Lady’s Lamp
This week (14th March – 20th March) Our Lady’s Lamp is for Connor Currie.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£601.21. Thank you for your kind generosity.
In the Footsteps of St Paul
So far this Lent, at the weekend Masses, I have been preaching from the Second Reading, which has been taken from various letters of St Paul. I must admit that over the years I have rarely focused my preaching on these readings, tending instead to concentrate on the Gospel. This Lent, however, I decided to make a more conscious effort to reflect on the writings of the Apostle to the Gentiles. One of the reasons for this is that at Easter I will be going on pilgrimage to visit several places connected with the life and mission of St Paul. I hope to visit some of the places where he preached the Gospel, founded Christian communities, and wrote many of the letters that we now hear proclaimed at Mass. St Paul is one of the most remarkable figures in the history of the Church. Once a persecutor of Christians, his dramatic encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus transformed his life completely. From that moment on, he dedicated himself tirelessly to preaching Jesus crucified and risen, travelling great distances, enduring hardship, persecution and imprisonment for the sake of the Gospel. Many of the places I’ll be visiting — such as Thessalonica, Philippi, and Ephesus — are communities to whom Paul wrote letters that now form part of the New Testament. When we hear these readings at Mass, we are listening not simply to ancient texts, but to the voice of a pastor encouraging, correcting, and strengthening the early Christian communities in their faith. My hope is that this pilgrimage will help me to understand St Paul’s writings more deeply and to bring something of that experience back to the parish. God bless, Fr O’Brien
The Sacrament of Confession
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall become white as snow.” — Isaiah 1:18
Lent is a special time of grace when the Church invites us to return to the Lord with all our hearts. One of the most beautiful ways we can do this is through the Sacrament of Confession. Sometimes people feel anxious about going to Confession or worry about what to say. But we should remember that this sacrament was given to us by Christ as a gift of mercy and healing. The Lord is never tired of forgiving us. When we come to Him with honesty and humility, He lifts our burdens, restores our peace, and gives us the grace to begin again. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we can sort everything out by ourselves. Yet it is the Lord alone who forgives sins and gives us the strength to live a new life. Many people experience a real sense of freedom, peace, and joy after making a good confession. To help parishioners make use of this great sacrament during Lent, Fr O’Brien will be increasing the opportunities for Confession in the weeks leading up to Holy Week:
Tuesday 17 March — 5:00pm–5:50pm
Wednesday 18 March — 9:15am–9:50am
Friday 20 March — 5:00pm–5:50pm
Thursday 26 March — 9:15am–9:50am
Friday 27 March — 5:00pm–5:50pm
Saturday 28 March — 9:00am–9:50am
Tuesday 31 March — 5:00pm–5:50pm
Good Friday — 8:00am–9:30am
If it has been a long time since your last Confession, please don’t be afraid — the Lord is waiting for you with mercy and love.
Devotions to Saint Joseph
On Thursday 19th March, after the 10am Mass, there will be our devotions to St. Joseph (at the foot of his statue at the back of church). The devotions will include praying the Litany of St. Joseph, the Memorare of St. Joseph and the Prayer of the Holy Cloak Novena. In these devotions our prayer is to ask St. Joseph to pray for our parish family and for those who have wandered away from Church, that they may return and find a warm welcome.
Holy Week at St Mary’s
Holy Week is the most sacred time of the Church’s year, when we accompany the Lord through His Passion, Death and Resurrection. Parishioners are warmly encouraged to take part in as many of these liturgies as possible.
Saturday 28 March – 6:30pm
Vigil Mass for Palm Sunday. Mass begins Holy Week as we recall the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Sunday 29 March – 10:00am
Palm Sunday Mass. We receive blessed palms and hear the Passion of the Lord as we begin the journey towards Calvary.
Wednesday 1 April – 11:00am
Chrism Mass – Temporary Cathedral. The Bishop blesses the holy oils used in the sacraments, and priests renew their priestly promises.
Thursday 2 April – 7:30pm
Mass of the Lord’s Supper. We commemorate the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood. The Washing of Feet recalls Christ’s call to loving service. Following Mass, the Blessed Sacrament will be taken to the Altar of Repose, with time for quiet prayer until Night Prayer at 8:30pm.
Friday 3 April – Good Friday
8:00am – 9:30am – Confessions
10:00am – Family Stations of the Cross
3:00pm – Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
On this day we remember the saving death of Christ through the reading of the Passion, the Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion.
Saturday 4 April – 8:30pm
The Solemn Easter Vigil. The most important liturgy of the year, beginning in darkness with the blessing of the Easter Fire and Candle as we celebrate Christ’s victory over death.
Sunday 5 April – Easter Sunday
9:30am – The Holy Rosary
10:00am – Easter Sunday Mass
We celebrate with great joy the Resurrection of the Lord.
First Confession and First Holy Communion Preparation
If there are families in the parish with children aged 7 or above who would like to begin preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation (Confession) and First Holy Communion, please do speak to Fr O’Brien. The sacraments are precious gifts from the Lord. Through them, we are drawn into the real and living supernatural life of grace — a life that brings us closer to the Heart of God, where true love, peace and lasting joy are found. Confession teaches us the beauty of God’s mercy; Holy Communion nourishes us with the very presence of Christ. Preparation for these sacraments is not simply about completing a programme or reaching a single day of celebration. It is the beginning — or deepening — of a lifelong relationship with the Lord in the heart of His Church. For this reason, it is so important that families are ready to walk this journey together, supporting one another in prayer, Sunday Mass attendance, and in living the faith at home. If you feel your child is ready to begin this important step, please make yourself known to Fr O’Brien after Mass or email the parish office at stmarysoswaldtwistle@dioceseofsalford.org.uk.
St Mary’s RC School SVP Heart to Heart Coffee Morning
St Mary’s RC Primary School is supporting the SVP Heart to Heart campaign this Lent, which aims to tackle loneliness and encourage connection within our communities. As part of this initiative, the school will be holding a Coffee Morning on Wednesday 25th March from 9.30–10.30am. Parishioners are warmly invited to come along, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, and spend some time in friendly conversation with others. It’s a wonderful opportunity to support the campaign and help build stronger, more caring community links during the Lenten season.
Parish Easter Egg Raffle
We are hoping to begin our Parish Easter Raffle next weekend and it would be great if parishioners could donate only Easter eggs as prizes. If you can kindly donate an Easter egg, then please pass them to one of the stewards at the back of church. Tickets are available from the steward’s desk at the back of church - £1 a ticket or £5 a strip.
Easter Flowers
Due to the significant increase in the cost of flowers, we invite parishioners who can donate towards the flowers used to decorate the church during the Easter season. These beautiful arrangements help to enhance our celebrations and create a fitting setting for this important time in the Church’s year. If you would like to contribute, please place your donation in an envelope marked “Flower Money” and hand it to one of the stewards. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Handmade Easter Crafts by Keeley
Keeley has been busy again creating her wonderful Easter crafts, and they will be available to buy at the back of the church after weekend Mass. Each piece has been lovingly handmade, and it’s a lovely way to celebrate the season while supporting her hard work and creativity. If you’d like to pick something up, please remember to bring some cash. Your support is always greatly appreciated and helps encourage all the time and care she puts into making these beautiful items.
Caritas Salford - Pray, Fast, Give
This Lent, visit Caritas Salford's website for a range of free resources and information for your parish community as you pray, fast and give this Lent: www.caritassalford.org.uk/Lent
Young Adults Hub
The diocesan Youth Team are delighted to share news of the Young Adults Hub, created especially for those aged 18–35 across the Diocese of Salford. The Hub offers a welcoming space for young adults to deepen their faith, build authentic friendships, and grow together through prayer, formation, and social gatherings. If you would like more information, please reach out to Mikey hub.president@vol.dioceseofsalford.org.uk and Edward hub.chair@vol.dioceseofsalford.org.uk
