Sunday 28th August 2022 - Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
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
Tuesday 30th August
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Ss Margaret Clitherow, Anne Line and Margaret Ward, Martyrs (Memoria)
St. Margaret Clitherow was born in York in 1556, and died there on the 25th March 1586. At 15, she married a butcher, John Clitherow, and three years later became a Catholic. She hid priests in their house. In 1586, the secret hiding places were discovered. She refused to plead at her trial, for which she was crushed to death.
Wednesday 31st August
10am Mass, Saint Aidan and Saints of Lindisfarne (Memoria)
St. Aidan, born in Ireland and died at Bamburgh (Northumberland) in 651A.D. A monk of Iona, he was sent to Northumbria when King Oswald asked for help in converting his kingdom, and established his monastery on the island of Lindisfarne. With him are remembered the holy abbots, bishops, teachers and missionaries who made Lindisfarne a cradle of English Christianity.
Thursday 1st September
9am Mass, Saint Edmund Arrowsmith, Priest & Martyr (Feast)
St. Edmund Arrowsmith, born in 1585 at Haydock, was ordanied at Douai and began his work in Lancashire, including Salmesbury and Walton-le-Dale; he was amazingly zealous in his work, despite one arrest; finally arrested in 1628, he was imprisoned and martyred at Lancaster.
Friday 2nd September
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Saturday 3rd September
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions
10am Mass (Celebrated in Lady Chapel) Saint Gregory the Great (Feast)
St Gregory the Great was born in Rome in 540A.D; he became a civil servant and Prefect of the City. He entered the Abbey of St. Andrew, and was ordained deacon in 578A.D. In 590A.D Gregory was elected Pope,showing pastoral care in preaching, writing, care for the poor and working for the welfare of Rome. He is the "Apostle of England" because it was he who sent Augustine to minister there, after encountering English slaves in the Forum.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 4th September
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (27th August – 3rd September), the Sanctuary Lamp burning in prayer before the Tabernacle is for Gregory & Audrey Heyes RIP.
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 footware, 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
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/
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/
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien