Sunday 21st
August 2022 - Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
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
Tuesday 23rd 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 24th August
Saint Bartholomew, Apostle (Feast)
St. Bartholomew, born at Cana, was led to Jesus by Philip and after the Ascension,
tradition has it that he preached the Gospel in India and suffered martyrdom.
10am – 10:30am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Friday 26th August
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Blessed Dominic of the Mother of God (Memoria)
Blessed Dominic Barberi was born in Viterbo in 1792; he became a Passionist and traveled to England in 1841; here he worked tirelessly, establishing four Passionist houses and bringing many people into the Church by his preaching and writing; he received St. John Henry Newman into the Church. He died at Reading in 1849.
Saturday 27th August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions
10am Mass (Celebrated in Lady Chapel) Saint Monica (Memoria)
There will be opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Monica at this Mass
St. Monica, born in North Africa in 133 A.D, was mother of St. Augustine
Thanks to her prayer, her husband was baptized; she also prayed for Augustine,
living a wild life; he was eventually baptized in Milan in 387A.D, but she fell
ill and died at Ostia while going home to Africa.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 28th August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (20th August - 27th August), the Sanctuary Lamp burning in prayer before the Tabernacle is for The Fussell & Beveridge Families.
Last Week’s Offertory Collection
£557.82 Thank you for your kind generosity.
Retreat & Pilgrimage
When I arrived to begin the Intercession for Priests Retreat at Hinsley Hall on Sunday, I must confess, I was a little half-hearted in my attitude! Returning Friday morning I feel very different - refreshed, affirmed, healed, redirected and strengthened anew in my relationship with Our Lord. The two retreat directors, Sister Briege McKenna OSC and Fr. Pablo Escriva de Romani, a priest of the Archdiocese of Madrid, also working as a missionary in the Diocese of Limon, Costa Rica were definitely chosen by God to help us all listen to the Word of God and actually listen to what He was saying to us as priests on retreat.
Before the end of my month I hope to have completed my
hat trick – Holiday in Rome, Retreat in Leeds and finally this week I end with
a mini pilgrimage in Scotland and Northumbria. From Sunday afternoon to
Thursday I’ll be following in the footsteps of Saints Oswald, Ninian, Cuthbert
and Aidan. To all those who handed me petitions to pray for over my retreat, I
did so faithfully, and will continue to do so on pilgrimage. Again this weekend
there will be a box at the back of church (below the crucifix) for any
parishioners who would like me to take some more prayers, petitions,
intercessions with me on pilgrimage and pray for them. God Bless.
Parish Fundraising Raffle
Thanks to the generosity of parishioners donating some
wonderful prizes, tickets are 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
Parish Walk – Sunday 18th September
Thanks to Marie Leaver for helping to come up with this
parish walk. We’ll meet at Witton Park car park, Blackburn at 1:15pm for a
1:30pm start. There is a car park – charge of £1.50 (need to pay as it gets
checked). We’ll walk through the park and up Buncer hill. Long climb and steep
in parts. Good views from the top of the hill. Rest of the walk easier walking.
Takes us to Hoghton Bottoms via fields and woods. Last part is along the canal
before heading back to the park. The walk is about 8 miles and could take about
4 hours. Some parts can be muddy! Toilets are in the park at the start of the
walk.
Sunday 18th
September 1:30pm start
Witton Park Main
Entrance, 293 Preston Old Rd, Darwen, Blackburn BB2 2TS
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.
St. Mary’s Parish Coffee
Morning
The next parish coffee morning will be on Wednesday 7th September after the 10am Mass. As always everyone is welcome. It’s a great time just to meet up for a brew and chat. If you would like to help out or get more information please contact Ciara Kelly at cjk2988@gmail.com
Mary Austin, who celebrated her 100th birthday last week wishes to personally thank everyone who came to Mass and enjoyed the Coffee Morning with her friends reminiscing the good old days. With a special thank you to Fr O’Brien and his team for organising everything in secret.
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.
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
https://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