17th April 2022 - Easter Sunday
!HAPPY EASTER!
He is Risen, Alleluia!
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Holy Saturday 16th April
8:30pm The Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday 17th April
10am Easter Mass
Easter Tuesday 19th April
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Easter Mass
Easter Wednesday 20th April
10am Requiem Mass for Janet Francis RIP
Easter Thursday 21st April
10am Easter Mass
Easter Friday 22nd April (No Abstinence)
1:40pm Funeral Service for Hugh Herdman at Accrington Crematorium
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Easter Mass
Easter Saturday 23rd April
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions
10am Easter Mass (In the Lady Chapel)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)
Sunday 24th April
10am Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter
1:30pm Parish Walk Meeting at Clough Head Information Centre (details below)
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (16th April - 23rd April) the Sanctuary Lamp is burning in prayer before the Tabernacle for The Leyland Family.
Easter Blessings & Thanks
Thank you to everyone who made this post pandemic Easter such a prayerful and joyous celebration. The faith and love that have made people go above and beyond has truly been inspiring. From the beautiful flower displays and Lychgate, the commitment shown by the altar servers, the talents of the musicians and singers, the faithfulness of the stewards, the buffing, polishing and dusting of the cleaners, the dedication of the readers, the behind the scenes work of anonymous volunteers…Thank you! But also a huge Thank You to all who came to the various Masses, Liturgies and prayers during the Triduum. May God continue to bless you all in your faith and witness to the Risen Lord.
Congratulations!
At this year's Easter Vigil I have been given full permission and authority from the Bishop to Confirm three members of our parish family – Maria, Olivia & Nico. It is also at this Mass that Nico will receive Our Lord in Holy Communion for the first time. Let's pray for our brother and sisters that they will always feel the closeness of Jesus and the Holy Spirit throughout their lives.
The Sacrament of Confirmation
If there are any young adults who are 12years + and would like to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation or know more about it then please see me at the end of a weekend Mass. It's a sacrament that is life changing.
Parish Easter Walk
Haslingden Grane Sunday 24th April (Easter)
The shortest walk – well it is Divine Mercy Sunday! Beautiful scenic views.
Meeting at Clough Head Information Centre, 1:30pm
Distance 3miles 4.8km
It is a shorter walk but there are some steep inclines.
I hope that many parishioners and families will join me and Mr Crompton (St. Mary's School RE Yr 2 Teacher RE Co-ordinator) as well as other familiar faces on these walks for the simple joy of getting out into the fresh air, enjoying the peaceful and prayerful countryside, meeting others and having fun!
It is important to note that each person who joins us will be responsible for themselves and those in their family group. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Be prepared for muddy hillsides and fells. Bring appropriate footwear, clothing and food and drinks for the journey. If you would like to ask more questions or get a copy of the route do see me in the sacristy at the end of the Mass.
Legion of Mary: Divine Mercy Sunday Devotions
On Sunday 24th April there will be the Divine Mercy Devotions at St. Joseph's Church, Audley Range, Blackburn beginning at 2pm. It will start with Eucharistic Adoration, The Divine Mercy Chaplet, O'clock Prayer, Blessing and Procession of the Divine Mercy Image and Holy Mass at 3pm. For more information contact Peter Costello (01254) 262 952
St. Oswald's School
Last week I was invited by Mrs Collins to talk to a group of children at St. Oswald's about the Passion of Our Lord. The maturity and visible interest from the pupils kept me on my toes but also gave me time to pause and reflect about how great Jesus' love for the world is. He gave His life, not out of duty but mercy, divine mercy, to save the world. The staff and pupils from St. Oswald's have sent a card through wishing all the parishioners a Happy & Blessed Easter.
St. Mary's School
Thank you to St. Mary's school who came to church last Wednesday to lead us in prayer following the Stations of the Cross. The innovative way the children expressed the Stations and the reflective mediations they came up with for each Station was very thought provoking. At the back of church you will see a colourful cross made up of my little crosses. These are prayers from the pupils to remind us of the colourful life and bright light that shines from the Cross – Jesus.
St. Mary's Prayer Group
This week we were given a glimpse of the full horrors that the people of Ukraine have been enduring since the Russian invasion began.
The streets of Bucha, formerly a small, affluent town on the commuter-belt into Kiev, is littered with the bodies of men, women and children - young and old. We see sickening pictures of mass graves, with the victim's body parts jutting out of the mud; hear stories of atrocities committed against women and children; we bear witness to an obscene carnival of unspeakable horror, inflicted on innocent people. These disgusting acts of war will have played out across the country.
Why were these things allowed to happen? Where was God? Perhaps the Apostles asked the same question when Jesus was being crucified. In retrospect we know what happened next, but in the midst of such suffering it is hard, if not impossible, to see any light at the end of such a long tunnel.
Someone recently told me that they stopped 'Doing Lent', because 'Nothing good happened when I did it, and nothing bad happened when I didn't.' Is this something that we all do to some extent?
Sometimes it is easy to think of prayer as a spiritual bank. I deposit the cash (my prayers) in the bank (with God) and I expect/demand a healthy return on my investment (my prayers answered how I like). But this is not how prayer works.
We have prayed and prayed for the situation in Ukraine to end, and it is easy to feel that our pleas have not made any difference. But I promise, they have. Even better, Jesus promises that they have - He is very clear in the Gospels that God hears our prayers. But He is also very clear that God works in mysterious ways and even when our prayers are heard, they might not be answered in ways that we expect or understand. The trick is to put all your trust in God, and allow Him to take the reigns - especially when things appear hopeless.
So if, like me, you watch the news and wonder if your prayers are making a difference, don't give up. God is with us every bit as much as He is with the families hiding in basements, or the soldiers fighting on the frontline, or the Red Cross volunteers trying to evacuate refugees. And He hears us all. We just need to keep talking to Him and trusting in Him.
As always, we will be meeting on Saturday at 6pm in church to say a Rosary for peace, healing and justice in Ukraine. If you are unable to join us in person, please say a Rosary in solidarity with us. It all counts.
Peoples Missals
Since Covid many parishioners have started to invest in their own Missal (The prayer book used at Mass) as an aid in private devotion and to help reflect on the scripture readings during the week. I've been asked many times over Lent which is the best one – How long is a piece of string? The one that I personally use is from the Catholic Truth Society (CTS) called: CTS New Sunday Missal – Standard Hardback Edition £19.95. It has all the Sunday readings as well as major feasts and solemnities. There are prayers before and after Mass, as well as the Eucharistic prayers and prefaces. It's a great prayerful resource to have. You can buy a copy online from the Catholic Truth Society Website - www.ctsbooks.org
Parish Website: Deceased List Name Submission.
We have recently been getting a number of requests to include names on the website without the date being included. This makes it difficult to determine which are recent deaths and which are anniversaries, therefore in which column do we insert them? Please remember that the list is refreshed around the first of the month, so if your anniversary listing is anywhere within the required month please submit it early to ensure it is displayed throughout the whole month e.g. If the anniversary date is 27th and submitted on that date it may only be displayed until the end of the month. John Hughes, Parish Website Administrator.
Piety stall
Now things are getting back to normal, why not have a look at the refreshed piety stall as you leave church. Get your Easter 'Chicks' all of the money raised is for church funds, and check out our new stocks of rosaries, cards and much more.
The Three Kings!!!
Our parish Nativity Set is almost fully restored apart from the Three Kings. Lewis & Lewis who have so beautifully restored our crib figures and Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle have sent through the following costs for the last statues:
'Degrease and prepare all surfaces; King 1 – repair to head and neck, breaks in gown edges; King 2- repair small chips; King 3- repairs to head and neck, fingers. Remove irreparable amateur repairs and re-assemble figure as required. Repaint all figures and add protective coating. £995.'
It would be wonderful to have our Kings fully restored and back at St. Mary's for Christmas this year. Any donations towards the costs would be gratefully appreciated. Just place any monies in an envelope marked 'Three Kings' and place it in one of the collection baskets around church or hand it to a steward. Thank you as always for your kind generosity. God Bless.
Ukraine Crisis
We are all shocked and appalled at the devastating scenes of the invasion of the Ukraine. Catholic agencies are at the centre of the response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis and supporting those whom have been displaced. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and all those against war. There are regular updates on the Caritas website on the various ways parishes and schools can support the aid effort. Please go to: https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/ukraine-crisis/
Formation Series: Fr Gerard Kelly - Personal Encounter with Jesus
Wednesday 27th April 2022, 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Cathedral Centre, Salford, M3 6DP and via Zoom.
Throughout Stage Four of our Hope in the Future journey, we will have several opportunities to explore our faith and role as missionary disciples through our formation series. On Wednesday 27 April 2022, Fr Gerard Kelly will lead a reflection about having a Personal Encounter with Jesus.
Tea and Coffee will be available from 7:00pm. Following the talk there will be chance to ask questions. To register, please visit www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/personal-encounter-with-jesus/
Ancient Byzantine Iconography course
A full, seven-day immersion in the spirituality and discipline of writing an icon in the Byzantine style, led by Deacon Nikita Andreyev, of the Prosopon School of Iconograph. Residential and non-residential options, with the course taking place from Saturday 25th June to Friday 1st July at the Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst. For more info and to book, https://christianheritagecentre.com/events/iconography-course/
May God bless you, your family and all your friends during this Easter season.
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien