Sunday 14th
March 2021
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Mothering Sunday
Dear brothers and sisters,
The story
goes that a medieval builder working on a cathedral spent a great deal of time
carving a small but intricate bird design on a roof beam. The foreman complained
to his colleague that he was wasting time and energy on this carving because no
matter how beautiful it was nobody would ever see it. High up in the roof beams
made it inaccessible to the people below and once the roof was laid not even
the birds of the sky would see it. ‘Ah’, said the builder, ‘The
people below and the birds above may not be able to see it but God will!’
A mum is like the medieval builder in the story. Her work may not be always visible to the outside world but God sees her love, patience and strength. The great cathedrals of our country dominate skylines and cityscapes but the legacy of a mum is not in bricks or mortar. Her legacy lies in the family that she has helped to shape and craft with God’s grace. The work of a mum is always visible in the home she builds for her family and the love she decorates it with.
This weekend let’s not forget to speak to our own Blessed
Mother. On the surface many would wrongly assume that she lived a life of
obscurity and left the world nothing to hold on to. However, if they looked closely they would see that
Mary has given us a legacy. A legacy of faith, hope and love, all found in the
gift of her Son Jesus Christ Our Lord.
The first gift of love that our Blessed Mother gives us is
her prayers.
‘…And she gave
birth to a son, her first born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid
him in a manger because there was no room for him at the inn.’ (Luke 2:7)
As soon as Our Lord was born Mary was the first one to see
His face and hold Him close. The first person ever in human history to hold God
in their arms and gaze upon His face. Like any mother, Mary’s first act of love
was to wrap her baby up, in swaddling clothes, and keep Him warm and protected.
As her children she also wraps us up each and everyday with
her prayers of protection. We may feel at times vulnerable, exposed and anxious
but the Lord Himself has given us a remedy for such moments in life– His
Mother. On Good Friday when He gave Mary to us her children, through St. John
the Apostle, He knew that he was entrusting us to a deeply loving and
protective mother. How? Because He had
experienced first hand Mary’s tenderness and gentleness as she was the mother
who raised Him and held Him. Since Our Lord has entrusted us to Mary she takes
her maternal role seriously and reaches out daily to hold and protect us by her
loving intercession.
Another gift our Blessed Mother bestows on us is
understanding.
‘When they ran
out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the
mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine’…
His mother said
to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ (John 2:3,5)
Mary is not distant or removed from the daily worries and cares of the world. She understands the ups and downs of family life as she was the one who ‘kept house’ for the Holy Family in Nazareth. Some people fall into the trap that they cannot bring all their worries and concerns to Mary in prayer because they seem trivial. Our Lady would strongly disagree! She lived the life of domesticity and ordinariness in the family home, she knows the frustrations and anxieties that spouses and parents have to contend with each day. There is no prayer that she sees as being trivial. Look at the wedding feast at Cana. The bride and groom have run out of wine, is that really such a big issue? For Mary, a mother, she sees a need and she intercedes for the reputation of the young couple. In the great scheme of things running out of wine may seem trivial but our Blessed Mother understands the implications that it would have for the newly weds. Never think Mary does not understand – she does!
The gifts of solidarity and presence are also treasures that
our Heavenly Mother gives us.
‘Near the cross
of Jesus stood his mother…’ (Jn 19:25)
We all have crosses to bear in life but we must never forget that we are not on our own when we carry them. From the cradle to the grave Our Lady stood with Jesus. I am always moved when you look at the Stations of the Cross, especially the ones in our church, and you see how many times Mary appears. She may be silent but her actions of solidarity and being ever present to her Son, on the road to Calvary, speaks volumes. She never backs away from the truth before her, she never hides or turns away from the suffering Christ endures out of love for us. No. She accompanies Him on every step of the way and stands by His side, even by the Cross. Our Blessed Mother stands with us in our daily tribulations. She walks with us as we are confronted with the challenges that life sets before us. She is ever present during our time in this world from the cradle to the grave and awaits for those who have embraced her Son during their pilgrimage on earth.
This Mothers Day I invite you to bring your own bouquet to Mary. A bouquet not of flowers but of prayers. Prayers whose blooms are full of praise. Prayers whose colourful petals shine out with thanksgiving. Prayers whose flower is the Rose of the Rosary. There are 59 beads in the Rosary, if we pray this ancient and beautiful prayer this Mothers Day it is the same as giving 59 Roses to our Blessed Mother. What present will you give Our Lady this week?
The Solemnity of St. Joseph (19th March)
This Friday is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. As you know the
Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared this to be the Holy Year of St. Joseph
(8th Dec 2020 - 8th Dec 2021). During the Solemn Mass on Friday all the
names that you have been putting in the box in front our our statue of St.
Joseph will be brought before the Altar and the Holy Mass will be offered for
their intentions. There is still time to write out the names of loved ones,
living and deceased, as well as particular intentions and put them in the box
this week before for the Friday evening Mass. There will also be a special
blessing for those who are able to attend.
Saint Joseph is a great gift from God whose prayers and
intercessions have a profound impact on those who come to him. Remember one of
his titles is ‘The saviour of the Saviour’. He, the carpenter of
Nazareth, was chosen by God to save the life of Our Lord and Our Lady from the
wrath of Herod. Of all men, Joseph was the one chosen to raise Our Lord as his
adopted son and teach him his prayers, teach him a trade, teach him to love and
to care. It was also Joseph who was the only man to be entrusted with the gift
of Our Lady. Of all men he was the most blessed to have Mary as his wife, to
love, to cherish and stand by his side.
St. Joseph, our spiritual father and lord, pray for us.
Prayer to the
Sleeping St. Joseph
O St. Joseph, you
are a man greatly favoured by the Most High. The angel of the Lord appeared to
you in dreams, while you slept, to warn you and guide you as you cared for the
Holy Family. You were both silent and strong, a loyal and courageous protector.
Dear St. Joseph, as you rest in the Lord, confident in his absolute power and
goodness, look upon me. Please take my need into your heart, dream of it, and
present it to your Son.
(mention your request).
Help me then, good St. Joseph, to hear the voice of God, to arise, and to act with love. I praise and thank God with joy. Saint Joseph, I love you. Amen.
Stations of the Cross
Though we are unable to publicly gather for the Stations of the Cross this year in church, it does not mean that we cannot pray them. Thanks to John Hughes, ‘Our Internet Man’, you will find St. Mary’s Stations of the Cross on the parish website. Visit www.saintmarysoswaldtwistle.co.uk
Vocations to the Priesthood Discernment weekend for men
aged 30 to 55
The Beda College in Rome is running a discernment weekend for
men between the ages of 30 and 55 from Friday 3rd September to Sunday 5th
September 2021. It takes place at St Beuno’s Spirituality Centre in North
Wales. The weekend is to reach men who are not already in touch with their
diocese and is a first step for those who may be exploring the possibility of
priestly vocation in later life. Information and registration forms are at:
www.pathwaystogod.org/courses-events-retreats/discernment-weekend-older-men-1
Prayers for the Vocation of Holy Matrimony
At present, thanks to the I.T and computer skills of
parishioners, I’m preparing a number of couples for the Sacrament of Marriage.
It’s wonderful that many people are still responding to the Lord’s call to live
within the sanctified union of marriage that He has instituted. Could you
please keep the following couples in your prayers as they prepare to receive
God’s grace and promise to help each other grow in holiness and walk together
towards heaven.
Gemma & Daniel; Luke & Mercedes; Jessica &
Michael; Alice & Ben; Karmen & Robert;
Natasha & Dale.
Prayer for
Marriage
Blessed Mother
Mary, who with Joseph
provided a happy
home in Nazareth for Jesus,
take these dear
friends into your maternal care.
You who showed
concern for a newly married couple at Cana,
help and guide (Name
of couple).
May their union on
earth lead to that eternal union
in which all the
blessed will be joined together,
praising the Saving
Blood of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Lent - Weekly Eco-Thought for Parishes
The Fourth Sunday of Lent: Today is, according to a long-standing English tradition, Mothering Sunday. We pray in thanksgiving for our mothers. We pray to for our Mother the Church. But let’s not forget to pray for the Earth which is our Mother. May we make our own today and always the words of St. Francis of Assisi: Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Earth, our Mother, who nourishes us and sustains us, bringing forth fruits and vegetables of many kinds and flowers of many colours.
Lenten Reading
Lent is that time when we push ourselves to come closer to Our Lord through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It can be so easy to excuse ourselves from these practices but if we truly embrace them, then the fruits and blessings they produce will always draw us closer to Jesus in ways we never imagined before. Lent is a time for love. Love that is not just intellectual but real and shows itself in action. The following book titles are just suggestions that you may want to use for spiritual reading during the Lenten period.
The Faith
Jesus of Nazareth. Holy Week: From the entrance into
Jerusalem to the Resurrection by Pope Benedict XVI
Reasons to Believe, How to Understand, Explain and Defend the Catholic Faith by Scott Hahn
Spirituality
Toward God, The Ancient Wisdom of Western Prayer by
Michael Casey
Praying the Rosary like never before by Edward Sri
The Power of Silence, Against the dictatorship of noise
by Cardinal Robert Sarah
The Rule of Saint Benedict in English, edited by Dom.
Timothy Fry OSB
Befriending Silence, Discovering the Gifts of Cistercian
Spirituality by Carl McColman
Into His Likeness. Be Transformed as a Disciple of Christ
by Edward Sri
An Exorcist tells his Story by Fr. Gabriele Amorth
The Blessed Sacrament
Eucharistic Miracles by Joan Carroll Cruz
7 Secrets of the Eucharist by Vinny Flynn
Our Lady and the Saints
Hail Holy Queen, The Mother of God in the Word of God
by Scott Hahn
Lives of the Saints by Alban Butler
The Life and Prayers of Saint Michael the Archangel by
Wyatt North
Saint Mary Magdalene, Prophetess and Eucharistic Love
by Fr. Seán Davidson
The Confession of Saint Patrick, translated by John
Skinner
The Life and Miracles of Saint Benedict by Pope
Gregory the Great
Saint John Bosco by F.A Forbes
The Story of a Soul, The autobiography of the Little
Flower by St. Therese of Lisieux
Saint Maria Goretti, In Garments All Red by Fr.
Godfrey Poage
Hope in the Future
Representatives Zoom Gathering - Tuesday 23rd March 2021,
7:00pm
Parish and Deanery Hope in the Future Representatives are invited to attend a Zoom Gathering on Tuesday 23rd March at 7:00pm. There will be chance to share the challenges and opportunities of this time in your locality as well as to hear about plans for Stage 4. Register by emailing hope@dioceseofsalford.org.uk and you will receive the link the day before.
Vade Mecum for Holy Week 2021
The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales have now sent out their guiding principles in regards the celebration of Holy Week this year.
This year, the Celebrations for Holy Week and the Sacred
Triduum will be in the presence
of Christ’s faithful. This differs from the situation
faced last year when acts of public
worship were suspended because of the covid-19 pandemic.
The Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments has issued
a Note (Prot. N. 96/21 – 17 February 2021) to assist the Bishops in their task
of “judging concrete situation and providing for the spiritual welfare of
pastors and faithful in living this great Week of the liturgical year.”
The Note stresses that whilst the use of social media has
greatly enhanced the participation
of the faithful during the pandemic, there should be a
focus on the media coverage of
liturgies presided over by the Diocesan Bishop so that
those who are “unable to attend their
own church [should] follow the diocesan celebrations as a
sign of unity.” Thus the times of
the Cathedral celebrations of the Sacred Triduum should be
promoted in each of the
Dioceses of England and Wales alongside the local
parochial celebrations.
The Note states that the Decree issued by the Congregation
last year (Prot. N. 154/20) is still
valid for this year’s celebrations. The contents of this
have been incorporated into the
Guidance given below.
The theological meaning found through the celebrations of
Holy Week with their richness
of sign and symbol have to be tempered by the provision
that the Church in England and
Wales is part of a broader community in which the possibilities
of virus transmission are
still high. Therefore the general guidance for the safety
of those participating in acts of
worship have to be strictly adhered to. These include:
• The wearing of face coverings in church by the faithful
(unless the person has a valid
exemption from this regulation)
• Social distancing of people within the church building
• Stewarding of the church premises to assist the faithful
whilst in church
• Frequent hand cleansing, either with sanitiser or
washing
• Suitable one-way systems in the building to prevent
excessive interaction between
people from different households or bubbles
• Good ventilation of the church building to refresh the
air quality within
• Cleaning of the church building after each act of public
worship
• The timely dispersing of the faithful after the acts of
worship avoiding congregating
in car parks or on the streets outside the church.
The celebrations of the various liturgies of Holy Week
should include those things that are
necessary for the celebration, but not be prolonged in any
way. In particular, those
responsible for the planning of the liturgy should take
into account:
• The time that people will be within the church
buildings; the tension between a
dignified celebration and the time to execute that
celebration has to be recognised.
• Remembering that congregational singing is not
permitted.
• The movement of people within the church building itself
as a potential risk factor.
The Triduum, dependant on availability of parishioners volunteering as stewards, will be celebrated publicly this year at St. Mary’s following all relevant health and safety procedures. More updates and information to follow in the future.
Online Parish Events
Parishioners from different parishes have been organising online rosaries, online sing-a-longs and virtual coffee mornings for their churches. I think this is a wonderful idea as many children and grandchildren have been stepping up to help older family members link up and use computers, mobile phones, i-pads etc. Any parishioner here at St. Mary’s who would like to facilitate this has my complete support and I am happy to put them in touch with diocesan safeguarding department so that all correct procedures and online safety protocol can be followed.
ABC (About Becoming Catholic)
During the last year of lockdowns, social distancing,
furloughs and daily life being interrupted many people have found themselves
with time to think. To think about the direction of their own lives, to think
about the fragility of this world, to think about what happens after death and
even daring to contemplate the person of Jesus Christ! If you or somebody you
know is contemplating
such things then tell them to email me at sean.obrien@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
or call the presbytery 01254 232 433 (leaving a voicemail if I don’t answer
straight away). We are made for the Lord and we will only find real happiness,
true purpose and total completeness in adoring and loving Him.
‘You have made us
for Yourself, O Lord,
and our hearts are
restless until they rest in You.’
(St. Augustine of Hippo)
Covid-19 Health and Safety Reminder
The government has allowed places of worship to remain open
during this third national lockdown but we must not become complacent. The
diocese have asked us to remind people of the following procedures:
•
Please make sure you are wearing a face mask
before you enter the church building. Nobody should be putting a mask on once
they are sat down at a pew or in the entrance/foyer near the stewards.
•
Please do not remove you mask to speak to a
steward or another parishioner in church. This shows a lack of safe respect for
others. We all need to care and look out for each other.
•
Please wear your mask when you are coming
forward to receive Holy Communion. Once, and only once, you are stood before
the priest then you can remove your mask. Communion is not a race so please
take your time and do not rush. Once you have received the Blessed Sacrament
then replace your mask and leave the church building.
•
Please do sanitise your hands at the stations
provided at both entrances and exits of church.
•
Please keep the Two Meter Rule. This new strain
of Covid-19 is more easily transmitted therefore it’s important that we all
keep to this practice.
•
Please do not congregate to socialise on church
property before or after Mass/Liturgy.
• Please do not come to church if you have Covid-19 symptoms, have tested positive for Covid-19 or are in isolation.
Mass Bookings
To book a place at Mass via our telephone service then please
ring (01254) 232 433 on Wednesdays between 5pm – 6pm. To book a place at Mass
online please visit the parish website www.saintmarysoswaldtwistle.co.uk
Sadly, some volunteers have had to return to work and therefore you will only
be able to book online during the week (Monday to Friday).
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O’Brien