Sunday 26th September 2021
Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Tuesday 28th September
5pm -5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
'In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering.'
Pope Benedict XVI
6pm Mass (Feria)
Wednesday 29th September
10am Mass, Saints Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels (Feast)
Today celebrates God's constant care for his people and intervention in their lives through the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. The names of the angels reveal different aspects of God's care: Michael means "Who is like God?", Gabriel means "Strength of God" and Raphael means "God has healed".
Thursday 30th September
10am Mass, Saint Jerome, Priest & Doctor (Memoria)
St. Jerome was born in Dalmatia in 340 AD, studied in Rome and was baptised; he became secretary to Pope Damasus I, and set about translating the Bible into Latin and promoting the monastic life. He settled in Bethlehem where he trained others in Scriptural studies and died in 420AD at the age of 80.
Friday 1st October
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
(This time of prayer will be for the Bishop's launch of Stage 4 Hope in the Future)
6pm Mass, Saint Thérese of the Child Jesus, Virgin & Doctor (Memoria)
St. Thérese of Lisieux, also known by many as the Little Flower, was born in France in 1873, entered the Carmelite monastery at Lisieux at 15 years old. By words and example, she taught humility, simplicity and faith in God. She died in 1897, aged 24. Her autobiography, "The Story of a Soul" records her immense love of God and personal determination to grow in prayer.
Saturday 2nd October
9am – 9:50am Confessions & The Rosary
10am Mass, The Holy Guardian Angels (Celebrated in the Lady Chapel)
'Beside each believer stands an angel protector and shepherd leading him to life' St. Basil
6pm The Rosary
6:30pm Vigil Mass for The Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 3rd October
9:30am The Rosary
10am Mass for The Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Following guidance from the diocese, we are still strongly encouraged to wear face masks in church Thank you for continuing to make St. Mary's a safe and prayerful place for the Glory of God.
The Sacrament of Confession & The Holy Rosary
On Saturday 2nd October the Sacrament of Confession will be available from 9am – 9:50am. Those who haven taken the opportunity to come to Confession during the last year testify to the safe and prayerful way in which it is celebrated. The Rosary will be publicly prayed in church, by kind volunteers, during Confessions. The intention for each rosary will be that all faithful disciples of the Lord will return to Him in this most merciful Sacrament that He instituted. The invitation is there, the welcome is warm and His forgiveness is REAL! Will you come?
Holy Water Container
Last weekend we blessed the new Holy Water container for church. As you will see it's a lot more accessible because of it's height and the added feature of a tap. It's also a lot more hygienic because the water is properly contained and covered. Please feel free to take Holy Water back to your homes to bless yourselves and your families. If you bring an empty bottle to one of the stewards they will fill it up for you from the Holy Water container.
'From long experience I have learned that there is nothing like holy water to put devils to flight and prevent them from coming back again. They also flee from the Cross, but return; so holy water must have great virtue. For my own part, whenever I use it, my soul feels a particular and most notable consolation.' - St. Teresa of Avila
Red Box Missions – Update for volunteer collectors September 2021
Missio have recently restarted the seasonal Magazines and have sent copies to Church.
However, it is most important that volunteer collectors do not feel under any obligation or pressure to distribute these and/or empty the mission boxes of parishioners if they feel it is too early for them to do so safely.
Fr O'Brien has kindly allocated a cupboard at the back of church for Red Box use.
If you feel happy to re-start distributing the magazines/emptying the mission boxes can you please let me know and I can collate the magazines for you. At present I have 4 yellow books which were still at Church when lockdown started and expect the rest are with individual collectors.
I have also contacted Missio to ask if they have any guidance they are able to give us regarding restarting.
I can be contacted by telephone on 01254 234343 or email :jeanbpartington@gmail.com.
Please contact me to let me know your preference or for any further information
Once again, please do not feel under any pressure to re-start at this time should you have any concerns.
Jean Partington
Red Box Co-ordinator on behalf of St Marys RC Church Oswaldtwistle
Christmas Crib Restoration update
Lewis & Lewis have made contact about the restoration work on our three Shepherds and Ox.
They intend to degrease and prepare all surfaces on the figures; Make good any repairs as necessary including hand & flute repairs; Repaint to a more natural appearance and add protective coatings. The cost will be £1025. Thank you to all those who have so generously contributed towards this project. Next year, hopefully, we can send our three wise men away to be repaired and that would see the completion of our parish Christmas Crib set.
Action on the Assisted Dying Bill
Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has written an open letter inviting Catholics to pray for the defeat of the Assisted Dying Bill, due to be debated in the House of Lords in October. It encourages us to write to peers at the House of Lords stating the reasons why we oppose this legislation and particularly explain from personal experience the reasons why this change in the law should be opposed. Discussion and communication about this important matter is vital for the defeat of the Bill and in our diocese, Bishop John is asking all parishioners to act now by praying, writing and sharing. You can find out more details about how to help oppose the bill in Bishop Sherrington's letter on the Diocese of Salford's website at www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/action-on-the-assisted-dying-bill/
October: The Month of The Holy Rosary
'The Rose is the queen of flowers, and so the rosary is the rose of all devotions and it is therefore the most important one. It would hardly be possible for me to put into words how much Our Lady thinks of the holy rosary and of how she vastly prefers it to all other devotions.'
- St. Louis de Montfort
October is the month of The Rosary, a devotion that is rooted in Scripture. Each weekend before the Vigil and Sunday morning Masses there will be an opportunity to pray the Rosary as a parish family. It's a devotion that brings us closer to knowing Jesus and understanding the love and mercy He has for us. You may not have prayed the Rosary for along time; you may find it a difficult prayer; you may never have prayed it before or even picked up a set of rosary bead's – not matter where your coming from, join us over the month of October to know this powerful prayer and love the fruits it will bear in your own life.
'There is no surer means of calling down God's blessing upon the family
than the daily recitation of the Rosary.' Pope Pius XII
School Blessing
On Friday 24th September, Our Lady of Walsingham, I was invited to an assembly at Sacred Heart School. I spoke to the children about Jesus' gift of Mary to the world. How she is our second mum who watches over and prays for us daily in Heaven. I was then asked to give a blessing for the start of the new school year.
We beseech you Almighty God, bless + these children for whom we ask your mercy and love. Strengthen their hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, make them Holy, guard their innocence, keep them safe. Give them health, peace and happiness. May they know you, love you, serve you and, one day, be happy with you for ever. Amen
Hope in the Future Stage 4 'Proclaiming the Good News'.
In October 2017 our Bishop launched a Diocesan pastoral renewal programme called Hope in the Future. Hope in the Future is an invitation to every parish in the Diocese to recognise and develop their missionary identity and their call to evangelise. On Sunday 3rd October 2021 the diocese will launch Stage 4 of Hope in the Future focussing on 'Proclaiming the Good News'.
"Baptisms, weddings, funerals, Christmas and Easter Liturgies, bring a significant number of people into contact with parishes. These times provide us with opportunities to engage people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Fourth Stage will place an emphasis on providing formation to deepen this engagement."
Unlike previous years, where there has been a diocesan celebration at the Cathedral, each parish is invited to mark the start of this stage with a Holy Hour at 3:00pm (or a time to suit the parish). This will allow more members of the parish to be involved whilst uniting in prayer across the Diocese. Bishop John will also lead a Holy Hour at the same time from the Cathedral which will be live streamed via Church Services for those parishes who are not able to arrange a Holy Hour at this time.
On Friday 1st October, the regular parish Holy Hour (5pm-5:50pm), we at St. Mary's will be dedicating this time for the Bishop's launch of Stage 4 of Hope in the Future.
Prayer for our Planet
Join us as churches across the area unite for a week of special services as part of the Greater Manchester Churches Together Week of Prayer for our Planet. Running from Sunday 26 September to Saturday 2 October, the event will consist of seven ecumenical prayer services expressing our concerns at a time of environmental crisis and highlight our hopes for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). Bishop John Arnold will lead a service at Salford Cathedral on Tuesday 28 September at 7.30pm, reflecting on the theme of "Climate Change and Others." You are welcome to join the service in person or watch online at www.churchservices.tv/salfordcathedral
Find out more about the Prayer for our Planet week at www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/prayer-for-our-planet/
Diocesan Walk for our Climate
On Sunday 10 October there will be a Walk for our Climate from Salford Cathedral to the Laudato Si' Centre. We will start with a prayer then depart from Salford Cathedral at 12.30pm, arriving at the Laudato Si' Centre around 3.30pm for a short service. The walk is approximately 8.6 miles long. En route, we will have the opportunity to take time to reflect on our care for our common home.
The reflections will take place in the churches listed below alongside the route and timings:
Route: https://goo.gl/maps/SSy6VoL4Kf9AvsEE9
Meet at Salford Cathedral piazza 12.15
Depart from Salford Cathedral 12.30
St James Church 13.00
St Peter and St Paul Church 13.45
St Charles Church 15.00
Laudato Si Centre 15.30
All are welcome to join us. You do not need to do the full 8.6 miles, you can meet us at one of the churches and walk part way or just come along for the reflections. For further information please contact laudatosi@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
The Covid Vaccine
"Bishop John is urging all adults, who are able to do so, to be vaccinated. Pope Francis has reminded people of the duty to be vaccinated if they are able. The Church is clear that all Catholics can take any of the vaccines on offer with a clear conscience. Even if you are at a low risk of becoming seriously ill, being vaccinated will lower the risk of transmitting the virus to somebody else who might then have a severe reaction or even die. It is particularly important that those in our parishes, clergy and lay-people who visit those who are housebound or otherwise vulnerable are vaccinated."
Diocese of Salford Vacancies
Synod Coordinator
Appointment type: Full-time, three-year fixed-term contract (35 hours per week. Some evening and weekend work will be required).
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £26,000 - £28,000
Chancery & Tribunal Administrator (replacement role):
Appointment type: Permanent, full-time (35 hours per week. 30 hours per week will also be considered).
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £22,000 - £24,0000 per annum.
Chancery & Tribunal Assistant (replacement role):
Appointment type: Permanent, full or part-time. We can be flexible in how we fill this role and are open to applicants interested in applying for a full-time (35 hours per week) role, or part-time position (please visit the website for further details).
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £20,000 - £22,0000 per annum.
For further information and to apply, please visit www.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