Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Saturday 13th August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady (Celebrated in Lady Chapel)
"In trial or difficulty I have recourse to Mother Mary, whose glance alone is enough to dissipate every fear." - St Therese of Lisieux
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sunday 14th August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Tuesday 16th August
5pm – 6pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
"The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration." - Pope St John Paul II
Wednesday 17th August
10am – 10:30am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
"We must not separate our life from the Eucharist. The moment we do so, something shatters."
- St Teresa of Calcutta
Thursday 18th August
10am Funeral Service for Terence 'Terry' Grunshaw RIP
Friday 19th August
10am Requiem Mass for Joseph Mullin RIP
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint John Eudes, Priest (Memoria)
St. John Eudes, born 1601, became a priest and missioner, travelling to mnay parishes in France. He propagated devotion to the Sacred Heart, and founded a congregation to promote the formation of priests; he also founded the Congregation of Our Lady of the Refuge, to rescue women and girls trying to escape from prostitution. He died in 1680.
Saturday 20th August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions
10am Mass (Celebrated in Lady Chapel) Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor (Memoria)
St. Bernard, born near Citeaux in 1090, he joined the monastery there in 1111; his presence revitalised the Cistercian house, and he became abbot of neraby Clairvaux; much in demand for his advice, he worked to overcome divisions in the Church.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 21st August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (13th August - 20th August), the Sanctuary Lamp, burning in prayer before the Tabernacle, is for Thomas Houston.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£553.38 Thank you for your kind generosity.
Parish Fundraising Raffle
Thanks to the generosity of parishioners donating some wonderful prizes, tickets will go on sale for the parish raffle this weekend. All monies will go to the financial support of our church.
1st Prize £100
2nd Prize £50
3rd Prize £25
Other prizes include a Deluxe Facial and a Deluxe Pedicure at Touch of Class Hair & Beauty Salon, Oswaldtwistle and a voucher for a conditioning hair treatment worth £25; A Matrix hair product set worth £25 and a Olaplex product worth £25; A voucher towards a meal at Franco's Italian Restaurant, Oswaldtwistle; 2 x 60mins Spa Sessions and 1 x 30 mins massage or facial at Evolution Spa & Performance Centre, Burnley.
You can buy tickets for the raffle from the stewards at the back of church after Mass. They are £1 a ticket or £5 for a strip. The raffle will be drawn at the Parish BBQ on Sunday 11th September.
Thank you again to all those who have supported our parish raffle with such great prizes!!!
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle
On the 8th September (which is the feast of Our Lady's Birthday), in 1948 St. Mary's was formally consecrated because the parish was finally debt free for the first time since 1897! By the side entrance to the church (Hawthorn Ave), there is a memorial stone to commemorate this event. This is our parish feast and so from Thursday 8th September – Sunday 11th September this year there will be different opportunities for both prayer, celebration and being together as a parish family. Please feel free to invite family, friends and neighbours along to the following events and let them know they'll be warmly welcomed. It's a great time to witness that St. Mary's is very much an active Catholic community who are proud of our faith in Jesus Christ and want others to know about the blessings that Our Lady gives.
Thursday 8th September
10am Mass for the Nativity of Our Lady with St. Mary's School community
6pm The Holy Rosary
6:30pm Mass for the Nativity of Our Lady (In the Lady Chapel)
Friday 9th September
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Votive Mass of Our Lady
6:30pm Rosary Retreat led by Fr. Stamp who will give a meditation on each mystery
Saturday 10th September
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass (In the Lady Chapel)
6pm The Holy Rosary
6:30pm Vigil Mass followed by Torchlight Procession to the Grotto of Our Lady (weather permitting)
Sunday 11th September
9:30am The Holy Rosary
10am Mass beginning with the procession of the statue of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle
2pm – 5pm Parish BBQ
Parish BBQ & Bottle Tombola – Sunday 11th September 2pm - 5pm
The parish BBQ in honour of Our Lady and thanking all the volunteers who have done so much over the last two years will be on Sunday 11th September between 2 pm – 5pm. Tickets are on sale at the back of church from the stewards. £2.50 for adults and £1 for children who must be accompanied by an adult. Each ticket entitles the bearer to a free burger/hot dog. There will be a bar, BBQ, refreshments, raffle, entertainment and a bottle tombola. If you could donate any bottles towards the tombola please bring them to church and pass them on to the stewards. God Bless and thanks for you support
Happy Birthday Mrs Austin!!!
On Wednesday we celebrated a very special birthday of one of our parish family - Mrs Mary Austin turned 100 years young and was able to join us for the morning Mass. The parish coffee morning became an extended birthday party with such a joyful atmosphere. Thank you to all who made the day special for Mary.
Retreat
Canon Law requires that a priest makes time to go on retreat regularly to spend time with God. A retreat is a time to pray and listen to what the Lord is saying, to assess both direction and purpose of life as well as to reflect and meditate on God's presence. The Covid pandemic restricted this essential and canonical directive but with life resuming to some normality I've the opportunity to go on Retreat for the first time in two years! I'm going to the Intercession for Priests Retreat at Hinsley Hall in Leeds from Monday to Thursday next week. At the back of church, under the crucifix, there is a box with paper and pens to which you can write any petitions, prayers, issues, people or situations you would like me to pray for. Write down your prayers, place them in the box, and know that on Sunday afternoon I will take them with me on retreat and pray for them all.
The Relics of Saint Bernadette
This September, the relics of St Bernadette will journey on pilgrimage to England, Scotland, and Wales for the very first time, including a stop at Salford Cathedral. This very special, once-in-a-lifetime event will provide an opportunity for people across the diocese to experience the special gifts and charisms of Lourdes from our very own cathedral. Throughout the two-day period, parishioners will have the opportunity to visit the relics, in addition to joining us for a number of Masses, services, and other events.
Please visit www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/saint-bernadette-relic-tour/ to find out more and book your visit now.
Eucharistic Healing Service
Wednesday 17th August, 7.30pm, St James RC Church, Heywood Way, Salford, M6 5UJ
Fr John Baptist Bashobora, a Ugandan priest with an internationally-renowned healing ministry, will lead a Eucharistic Healing Service in Salford next week. Previous Healing Services have received beautiful and great feedback with testimonies of significant healings taking place, physically and spiritually. All are welcome - please join us and spread the word.
The National Deacon Assembly
2-4 September 2022, Liverpool Hope University. The theme for the 2022 National Deacon Assembly is '50 years and counting. Permanent Diaconate – past, present….future'. The Assembly is open to Deacons, Diaconal aspirants, men in formation, wives, all clergy - anyone who is interested in the Permanent Diaconate. Find out more and register before Sunday 21st August at: www.hope.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/ministryresearchproject/nationaldeaconassembly/
Digital Missionaries Training Day – 'How can parishes be digital missionaries in a post-Covid world'
Provided by the Department of Communications, Saturday 3rd September 2022, 9:30am – 12:30pm, Cathedral Centre, Salford, M3 6DP. The day is aimed at those who already play a role in parish communications and want to learn more about different options available to them and to anyone looking to get started. For more information and to register please visit www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/digital-missionaries-training-day/
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/
Summer courses at The Christian Heritage Centre, Stonyhurst
Catholicism & Contemporary Culture, 4th – 7th August 2022
Explore the themes of truth, sacramentality and the symbolic in Catholicism and the challenges from contemporary culture. The second in our Faith & Reason series, this course offers a practical approach to fundamental themes of the Catholic faith. Of particular interest to senior leaders, teachers and catechist seeking a deeper knowledge of the Catholic vision in today's world. https://christianheritagecentre.com/events/faith-and-reason-2/
The Search for Happiness, 26th – 29th August 2022
Explore the four pillars of the good life – the Cardinal virtues – and how they structure our search for happiness, through the philosophy and theology of St Thomas Aquinas. In partnership with CEPHAS, this course offers a fascinating engagement with this foundational theme for the Christian life through the thought of the Church's greatest theologian. https://christianheritagecentre.com/events/the-search-for-happiness/
Join us for World Youth Day 2023
Registrations are now being taken for young people to join us as our diocesan Youth Ministry Team travels to Lisbon for World Youth Day 2023. Taking place between 31st July - 7th August 2023, World Youth Day will see young people from across the globe meeting in Lisbon to celebrate Mass with the Holy Father. Our own Youth Ministry Team will once again be travelling to World Youth Day with young adults between the ages of 18 and 35. Applications to join our diocesan trip are now open. You can find out more and apply by visiting https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/youth/how-to-get-involved/
Help us on our journey to net zero
As part of its ongoing commitment to caring for our common home, the Diocese of Salford is working hard to reduce its carbon emissions. To do this, research is being undertaken to calculate our existing carbon footprint, and we are hoping to find out more about travel around the diocese as part of that. As such, we would be very grateful if parishioners could complete a short survey to help us understand a little more about their own journeys to and from church.
Please visit www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/travel-survey/ to find out more and to complete the survey.
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien