Sunday 28th July 2024
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Friday 26th July
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint Joachim & Saint Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memoria)
Saint Joachim and Saint Anne are the names traditionally given to the parents of Our Lady, grandparents of Jesus.
Saturday 27th July
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady (in the Lady Chapel)
"Remember that it has never been heard of in any age, that any sinner who turned to you was rejected by you. I am a miserable sinner, but I turn to you and trust in you."
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Blessing for all Grandparents & Elderly People (See below for details)
Sunday 28th July
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Blessing for all Grandparents & Elderly People (See below for details)
Tuesday 30th July
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Weekday Mass (Feria)
Wednesday 31st July
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest (Memoria)
St. Ignatius was born in 1491. After life in the army, he converted to a deep spiritual life. He studied in Paris and gathered companions around himself, who later became the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). They were effective in teaching and evangelising. He died in 1556.
Thursday 1st August
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (Memoria)
St. Alphonsus Liguori, after a career as a lawyer, he became a priest and founded the Redemptorists. He wrote on Moral Theology and was vigorous in combating Jansenism. He died in 1787.
Friday 2nd August
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Priest (Memoria)
followed by the veneration of a relic of St. Peter Julian
St. Peter Julian was born in France in 1811 and ordained a priest in 1834. He founded the Priests of the Blessed Sacrament who were dedicated to fostering devotion to the Eucharist. He died in 1868.
Saturday 3rd August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady (in the Lady Chapel)
"Mary means Star of the sea, for as mariners are guided to port by the ocean star, so Christians attain to glory through Mary's maternal intercession." - St. Thomas Aquinas
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sunday 4th August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (27th July - 3rd August), the Sanctuary Lamp is for The Houston Family.
Last Week's Easter Offertory Collection
£603.81. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Day of Prayer for Grandparents and Elderly People
Pope Francis has instituted a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Identifying with the more senior members of our society, he says: "The whole Church is close to you – to us – and cares about you, loves you and does not want to leave you alone!" On this special day, Sunday 28th July, in which we celebrate grandparents and the elderly we pray for Mary, Mother of all the living, to keep grandparents constantly in her care. There will be the opportunity at Mass for all those who are grandparents and senior members of the parish to receive a blessing, asking the Lord to continue to affirm them in witnessing to the Faith among their families and friends, by word and example. Why no invite you grandchildren along to this Mass so that they too can share this special day with you.
Dear Lord,
We thank you for grandparents and elderly relatives
throughout the world, their lives and their vocation.
We are grateful for their love, care and the advice
that they give to each of us.
Protect them dear Lord, in all that they do,
as we continue to be blessed
by their wisdom in our communities.
Guide them in their earthly pilgrimage and
always keep them close to your heart,
so that they continue to generously respond to your call.
We make this prayer through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
Church Building: Update
Work on the church and presbytery roof has now started to take practical shape. On Monday morning (22nd July) the scaffolders arrived to begin setting up various scaffolding platforms around the church building. As I write this, the intention is that a large part of the church building will be surrounded in scaffolding. This is to give the opportunity not only for the initial practical works to be carried out, but to also aid easier accessibility for further detailed inspections. Please do be aware, when you come to church, of the various scaffolding poles located around the building.
Stay in the know
Want the latest news from parishes and schools across the diocese? Would you like to keep up to speed with upcoming events and key projects and resources from the Diocese of Salford? Head to the Diocese of Salford's website at https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and X!
The Feast of Saint Monica
This Feast of St. Monica this year falls on Tuesday 27th August. As we know, St. Monica was a devoted wife and mother who earnestly prayed for her family to return to the Church. Her prayers were expressed in words and tears that came straight from the heart, asking Our Lord to bring her family, especially her son Augustine, back to the Faith. As Brandon Vogt comments:
"St. Monica exemplifies the power of a praying parent. She wasn't able to convince Augustine with words, and in fact, whenever she tried to talk to him about religion, he brushed her away. But through her daily, committed intercession, over more than fifteen years, Augustine was able to journey into the Church."
We all know people, especially loved ones, family and friends, who struggle with the Faith and who have lapsed for all kinds of reasons. Let's come together on Tuesday 27th August to ask St. Monica's intercession to bring them home to the Lord. At 7pm there will be the celebration of Mass followed by the opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Monica and invoke her aid. Her statue, which will be placed on the sanctuary, will have a prayer box before it where people are invited to write the names of family and friends and place them in the box asking for St. Monica's intercession. All are welcome and do spread the word so that others may know and come.
You gave Saint Monica a spirit of selfless love manifested in her constant prayer for the conversion of her son Augustine. Inspired by boundless confidence in Your power to move hearts, and by the success of her prayer. I ask the grace to imitate her constancy in my prayer for [name(s)] who no longer share(s) in the intimate life of Your Catholic family. Grant through my prayer and witness that (he/she/they) may be open to the promptings of Your Holy Spirit, and return to loving union with Your Church. Grant also that my prayer be ever hopeful and that I may never judge another, for You alone can read hearts. I ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen."
St. Monica, pray for us!
Date for you Diaries…
St. Mary's Parish Feast & Celebration, Friday 6th September – Sunday 8th September 2024.
Friday 6th September: 10am 'Happy Birthday Our Lady!' - All are welcome as the children from our three parish primary schools (Sacred Heart, St. Mary's and St. Oswald's) celebrate a prayer service thanking God for the gift of His Mother Mary.
5pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by 6pm Votive Mass of Our Lady
Saturday 7th September: 9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions,
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady, 2pm Healing Service with the Sacrament of the Sick, 6pm The Holy Rosary, 6:30pm the Vigil Mass
Sunday 8th September: 9:30am The Holy Rosary, 10am Mass beginning with the procession of the statue of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle around the church, 2pm Celebratory Afternoon Tea (For details about tickets to the Afternoon Tea see below).
If any other parishioners would like to volunteer their time and facilitate an event they are more than welcome to. Please see Fr. O'Brien to share what you would like to do. Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
St. Mary's Celebratory Afternoon Tea
On the afternoon of Sunday 8th September at 2pm there will be a Celebratory Afternoon Tea as part of the parish festal weekend. There will be sumptuous sandwiches, tempting cakes, traditional scones with jam and cream. Tickets will be £15pp on a first come first serve basis and will available from the stewards desk. Numbers are limited and so in fairness people will only be able to put their name down if they have payment with them when booking. The booking sheet will be available this weekend (14th/15th July) at the 6:30pm Vigil Mass and the 10am Sunday Mass.
Lourdes at Home - Stations of the Cross
To celebrate the centenary of our diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, our Salford Lourdes Pilgrimage Coordination Team is delighted to offer an opportunity for people across the diocese to join in prayer with our pilgrims in Lourdes. Join us at Salford Cathedral's Temporary Church at 4pm on Sunday 28th July as we pray the Stations of the Cross before Mass at 5.30pm. All are welcome!
Get Social
Are you aged 18-35? Are you looking to celebrate your faith with other young Catholic adults across the diocese? Give the Diocese of Salford Young Adults Ministry a follow on Instagram! For the latest on upcoming events, opportunities to connect and get involved, as well as regular content and resources to nurture your faith life on the go, simply search @salfordyouth on Instagram.
Caritas Diocese of Salford Summer Appeal
Our diocesan charity, Caritas Diocese of Salford, has launched its summer appeal as new research reveals child poverty to be at an all-time high across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. To find out more about the appeal and how you can support families across our diocese, please visit www.caritassalford.org.uk/campaign/child-poverty
Job Vacancies
Maintenance Operative - Diocese of Salford
Appointment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week to be worked Monday to Friday
Location: Around the diocese
Salary: £21,840 – £24,343 per annum (depending on skills and experience)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies
Skilled Maintenance Operative - Diocese of Salford
Appointment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week to be worked Monday to Friday
Location: Around the diocese
Salary: £29,525 – £32,735 per annum (depending on skills and experience)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies
Grant and Bid Writer - Diocese of Salford (Replacement Role)
Appointment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week to be worked Monday to Friday
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £36,338 - £40,289 per annum (depending on skills and experience)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien