Thursday 19th
November 2020
Dear brothers and sisters,
An iceberg
is deceptive as the picture below demonstrates. On the surface of the water it
appears only as a fraction of its size. Dive below and you will be shocked to
see how much more of it there really is!
Look below the surface and you will see that there are carers
still nursing behind closed doors. Look below the surface and you will see that
there are still neighbours looking out for those on their street, in their
flats and next door. There are still good Samaritans, unseen to the world, who
are still shopping for those who are vulnerable. There are still anonymous
friendly voices picking up phones and chatting about this and that with those
who are isolated and lonely. Look below the surface and you will see those
people of prayer still picking up their rosaries, not in cathedrals or
churches, but in the sanctuary of their homes and praying for rich and poor,
saint and sinner, family and friends.
Look below the surface and you will see on our streets and in our towns
faceless and unknown people continuing to live, work and pray for the world.
Like the image of the iceberg, we may not be able to initially see these people
and their actions, but if we look closely we will be pleasantly surprised!
I have no doubt that there will be recognition, honours,
awards and public adulation for the many brave and selfless acts that
individuals and groups have done during these days of the Coronavirus pandemic.
There will be many people whose roles and actions, no matter how great or
small, will never be known. Either way for us, as disciples of the Lord,
anything we do should be done with pure hearts and for Him and Him alone. As
St. Matthew’s Gospel reminds us, Jesus said that whatever we do to the least of
our brethren we do to Him.
‘For I was
hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a
stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you
visited me, in prison and you came to see me...I tell you solemnly, in so far
as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to
me.’ (Mt 25: 35, 40)
All our actions are just outward expressions of faith, faith
rooted in the love of Jesus Christ, and done in service of Him our Lord. What
will you do today? Who will you serve?
Second Government Lockdown
As you will have seen from the statement given by the Bishops
Conference of England and Wales, acts of
public worship are still temporarily suspended following government directives.
However churches have been given permission to open for private prayer. Thanks
to those parishioners who have generously come forward as volunteer stewards
St. Mary’s Church continues to be open for private prayer on Wednesdays and
Saturdays 9:30am-10:30am.
Safeguarding
This week I completed a module in safeguard training with
other priests of the diocese entitled ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing’. It
was facilitated by Pat Jones-Greenhalgh who is a social worker by profession,
working in health care and dementia awareness. As we can all appreciate the
Covid-19 pandemic has created new challenges for communities especially in
regards to mental health. Let’s continue to hold those who are suffering and
isolated in our prayers. Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Thank You
As always thank you to our volunteer cleaners, gardeners and
stewards. These parishioners have helped to continue the life of St. Mary’s
during the pandemic. Also thank you to John Hughes. Without his maintenance of
the parish website I would be struggling to communicate with so many
parishioners and as I’m finding out many people beyond Oswaldtwistle!
Health and Safety
Before the first lockdown the diocese had initiated a new
health and safety programme so that every parish would meet the high standards
expected by government legislation. Ian Tracey, one of the diocesan health and
safety officers, visited St. Mary’s at the beginning of the year and compiled a
report. A number of things have been flagged up and with the help of Berni
McGuinness, the parish secretary, we have been able to address those issues as
best we can under global circumstances.
Fire Safety Report (Wyvern Safety Solutions), Electrical
Assessment (P. Edmundson), Asbestos Report (R B Asbestos Consultants) and of
course my favourite topic – Tree Report (R. Longley & Hyndburn Borough
Council) and CCTV cameras maintenance (Mono Security). In line with Salford
Diocesan Health and Safety procedure more reports are due and of course when
faults are found, I am realising very quickly, money is needed to rectify the
issues. Again Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Sacramental Programme: Confession and Holy Communion
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed a lot of our usual routine
events and this includes the sacramental programme. I feel very strongly that
those young people who are actively engaged with the parish should be able to
receive Our Lord and therefore, adapting to new circumstances, I’m beginning
the new programme. If you live in the parish of St. Mary’s and
have a baptised Roman Catholic child who is seven years old + and you believe
that they are ready to begin preparation for the Sacraments of Confession and
Holy Communion then please do contact me before the end of November. The
sacramental programme at St. Mary’s is through the parish and not the schools.
Mass attendance and full active participation in the life of the parish is just
automatically assumed because Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is both the ‘object
and means of our faith’ (St. Peter Julian Eymard). Without an active
relationship with Our Lord, with out regularly being in His Presence in the
Blessed Sacrament, our faith can never grow nor can we truly know Him and Jesus
wants us to know Him. Why? Because he has Good News for us!
November Souls List
November is traditionally that time when, as Roman Catholics,
we pray for those who have died. Over the last two years we have had an All
Souls box placed in front of the Altar where people have been able to put the
names of their deceased loved ones in. This year because of the Covid-19
pandemic, we are going to dedicate a page of our parish website for people to
pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died. Throughout the month
of November those names will remain on the website under the ‘Prayer’
box of the homepage. If you would like to submit the names of family and
friends who have died please see the parish website www.saintmarysoswaldtwistle.co.uk
and click on the box that says ‘November Souls Remembrance
Submissions’. I will be celebrating a number of private Requiem Masses for
all those names on the list during November.
Parish Online Advent Calendar
Advent is one of my favourite liturgical seasons. There is a
sense of expectancy and a feeling of hope which of course is realised in the
birth of Our Lord. There has been the idea that we could do a St. Mary’s Parish
Advent Calendar. This would involve each day a reflection/prayer/story/memory
etc. being posted on the website. What would make this parish advent calendar
unique is that each day the prayer/reflection/thought/story etc. would be from
you the parishioners. Everybody in our parish family has words and stories of
hope to share that could help others during these difficult winter months. Do
not worry about spelling or punctuation – you have all put up with my poor
grammar for the last eight months most graciously! You may want to write a poem,
retell a story, compose a prayer or recall times past at St. Mary’s etc. There
is no exact word limit and if you wish you can remain anonymous. If a theme is
needed then I would simply say look to the baby born in the manger who brought
the world hope and love. Have a think and do email me at sean.obrien@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Thank you to those people who have already submitted various
memories and poems so far. More are always welcomed.
God Bless and keep praying
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O’Brien