Sunday 6th November 2022 - Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Saturday 5th November
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady (Celebrated in Lady Chapel)
'The greatest saints, those richest in grace and virtue will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as the perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them.' - St. Louis Marie de Montfort
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 6th November
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Tuesday 8th November
5pm – 6pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Friday 11th November
11am 'Remembrance Service' in front of the Pieta (Sacred Heart War Memorial)
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop (Memoria)
St. Martin of Tours was born in 316A.D, he became a solider, was baptised and founded a monastery in France under the direction of St. Hilary. He became Bishop of Tours; here he worked hard to visit his flock, and preach against paganism. He died in 397A.D and was honoured as a saint – one of the first non-martyrs to be honoured.
Saturday 12th November
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr (Celebrated in Lady Chapel)
St. Josaphat: a saint of the Ukraine, honoured for his work for the unity of the Church; born in 1580, he became a priest and established a reputation for holiness, becoming archbishop of Polotsk. He worked strenuously to end disturbances between the Latin and Byzantine Rites in his diocese, but was killed in a religious riot in 1623.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 13th November
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (5th November - 12th November), the Sanctuary Lamp burning in prayer before the Tabernacle is for Mary Rogan.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£727.859 Thank you for your kind generosity.
The Daughters of Divine Love Appeal at St. Mary's:
Next weekend we warmly welcome Sister Ann Ugoh from the Daughters of Divine Love who will be speaking at our weekend Masses. Annually the Bishop gives permission for one religious order, each year, to make their charity appeal. This year he has invited the Daughters of Divine Love to make their appeal in all parishes throughout the diocese.
The Daughters of Divine Love is an International Congregation founded in Nigeria in 1969 and a member of the Missionary Sisters of England and Wales. They educate, care for, and add value to the lives of the less privileged in society. Their charity home in Nigeria provides care and education for orphans, motherless, abandoned children, street children/teenagers, and children with special needs. Their aim is always to serve the less privileged and the marginalized in society. In everything that they do, the love of Christ impels them to respond to the cry of the poor and the vulnerable with concrete actions.
Over this last year Sister Ann has been a frequent visitor to St. Mary's and has used our parish as a base when visiting the various churches throughout this part of Lancashire. She is very much a devout and joyful disciple whose faith in Our Lord is both inspiring and affirming. You'll enjoy meeting her.
Congratulations -First Holy Communion
Congratulations to Eva, Madeline and Seb who all received Our Lord in Holy Communion for the first time at last Saturday's Vigil Mass. Over the last few months these young parishioners have been meeting with me for weekly catechism lessons. As always its been a joy, as their parish priest, to accompany them and their families on this part of their faith journey. Let's pray for all our young people that they will always appreciate the Sacraments of Confession and the Holy Eucharist which lead them uniquely and personally to Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. For more information regarding catechism and preparation for the sacraments please contact Father O'Brien at the end of a weekend Mass.
The Sacrament of Confirmation
If there are any younger members of the parish family who are 12years + and would like to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation or want to know more about it then please see Fr. O'Brien at the end of a weekend Mass. It's a sacrament that is life changing and affirming.
Flower Donation
Thank you to the family of Kath Riley, whose Requiem Mass took place on Thursday, for the donation of flowers they made to church.
Appeal: Parish Christmas Raffle Prizes
At the start of Advent (26th/27th November) we are hoping to sell tickets for our St. Mary's Christmas Raffle and are asking parishioners for any items they would be happy to donate. We have at the moment, even before our appeal has started, the following:
£150 voucher for CarpetMarket, Burnley (floorcoverings)
Fortnum & Mason Champagne and Port in presentation box
Do you work for a company/business who would be happy and open to offering vouchers, treatments, meals, or gift tokens etc. as prizes? Any donations that people can generously give, please leave with the stewards at the back of church.
November: Month of the Holy Souls
From the Catechism:
991. Belief in the resurrection of the dead has been an essential element of the Christian faith from its beginnings. "The confidence of Christians is the resurrection of the dead; believing this we live."
How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.... But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Cor 15:12-14,20
993. The Pharisees and many of the Lord's contemporaries hoped for the resurrection. Jesus teaches it firmly. To the Sadducees who deny it he answers, "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? Faith in the resurrection rests on faith in God who "is not God of the dead, but of the living."Mk 12:27
Holy Souls Box
The month of November is traditionally dedicated to that time when we pray for the Holy Souls. Loved ones, friends, family and the Holy Souls in purgatory who have all died and gone before us marked with the sign of faith. If you would like to have your deceased loved ones prayed for, you are more than welcome to write their names on a piece of paper and place them in the Holy Souls box in front of the Altar throughout November.
Blessing Graves
The last few years have seen our parish join with St. Anne & St. Joseph's in November where we pray for the dead and bless parishioners graves at Accrington cemetery and Dill Hall Cemetery. Fr. Wadsworth, the parish priest of St. Anne and St. Jospeh's, has kindly welcomed us to join them again this year on the following dates:
13th November, Accrington Cemetery at 2:00pm
20th November, Dill Hall Cemetery at 2:30pm
Remembrance Day
On Friday 11th November at 11am there will be a short service held after the national two minute silence in front of the Pieta statue in the parish grounds (by the Lychgate accessed via Catlow Hall Street). Everyone is welcome where we will pray for all those who have died in war and conflicts throughout the world.
Parish Schools November Liturgies
During November Sacred Heart, St. Mary's and St. Oswald's schools will be creating space and opportunity for pupils and families to pray for all those who have died among friends and family, people they have known and those they haven't.
St. Oswald's School
On Wednesday 16th November pupils from St. Oswald's will join us for the 10am parish Mass and bring forward a book of remembrance with the names of people who have died that they would like to be prayed for.
Sacred Heart School
The school community at Sacred Heart would like to invite all parishioners to join them in the school hall at 1:45pm on Wednesday 16th November where there will be a liturgy praying for all those who have died.
St. Mary's School
On Thursday 17th November St. Mary's school were originally meant to be joining us for our 10am parish Mass where they were to bring forward to the Altar their Book of Remembrance. However, there is now a Requiem Mass that day so we are waiting for the school to confirm a new date.
Parish Requiem Mass
On Friday 18th November at 6pm there will be Requiem Mass for all those who have died in the parish and for all those whose names are in the Holy Souls box in front of the Altar. All are welcome.
Parish Grounds
The drop in temperature and the darker nights can only mean one thing – autumn has arrived! This also means that trees begin to shed their leaves and as we all know we have plenty of trees on the parish grounds. Volunteers are always greatly appreciated with this yearly task and all help is gratefully accepted. Maintaining the paths and keeping them free from leaf debris isn't the most glamorous of jobs but it's an important one for health and safety reasons. If there is a day you are free, or a time you can pop down to church, which is convenient for you, please contact Navada Keenan who helps to facilitate all our parish garden volunteers – email: keenannavada@gmail.com
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who do so much to keep our church gardens looking pristine and tidy. It is much appreciated. Thank you.
Sacred Heart School
Thanks to Mrs. Harling, staff and pupils who joined us for the parish All Saints Mass on Tuesday. I was very impressed with how clear the readers were and those children who came dressed as saints.
The school and nursery would like to invite people to come and visit them on their Open Days:
Tuesday 8th November 10am, 1pm, 4pm
Tuesday 22nd November 10am, 1pm, 4pm
If these are not convenient for you please contact the school to make and appointment.
Tel: (01254) 233 382 or Email: bursar@sacredheart-church.lancs.sch.uk
St. Mary's School
Many parishioners commented about the joyful singing coming from the children at last Tuesday's All Saints Mass. I'd like to thank our own parish musicians and singers who helped support our young people to have that confidence to raise the roof and to Miss Hanson for facilitating the event. On Thursday and Friday I was invited by Miss Woodcock, Mrs. Fenn and Mrs. McGarry to talk to the younger children in the school about baptism. There is now a very holy dolly that's been baptised many times at St. Mary's and has many names from Alfie to LuLu!
St. Oswald's School
Miss Collinge invited me to talk to her class about the Sacrament of Ordination last week. I'm always humbled when you see how interested the pupils are in learning about your experience of being called by God. I love St. Oswald's when it comes to asking original and creative questions because they always keep me on my toes.
Laudato Si' Centre launches #hearthecry campaign ahead of COP27
As we welcome the start of COP27, our very own Laudato Si' Centre is leading a digital campaign to enable schools and families to send a powerful message to world leaders about caring for our common home.
Find out more about how to get involved at www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/hear-the-cry/
Young Adults Mass
Sunday 13th November, 5.30pm, St Augustine's Church, Grosvenor Street, Manchester
Our next Young Adults Mass will take place on Sunday 13th November at St Augustine's, in Manchester. This month, we are delighted to welcome Bishop John Arnold as our main celebrant. Bishop John will also be staying after Mass for a Q&A session at our social Mass will begin at 5.30pm and will be followed by a social. As always, the Sacrament of Confession is available between 4.45 and 5.15pm before Mass. All are very welcome to attend.
Sanctuary Lamp
Prayer is so important and it works! One of the traditions at St. Mary's is to sponsor the sanctuary lamp, that burns for seven days continuously, before the Real Presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle. The prayers behind each lamp are varied and different. Sometimes it burns in memory of a loved one, other times its for somebody who is sick or waiting for results and at other times it's a prayer of thanksgiving or help for a particular situation or person. If you would like to sponsor a lamp to burn in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament then please see one of the stewards at the back of church. They will have a list of dates from December until April next year where you can choose to sponsor a £5 lamp for the week. I will bless each lamp and light it before the Vigil Mass on a Saturday and it will burn for the whole week. Please give your £5 to the stewards on duty when you choose your week.
The new list is now available
Remembrance - A Light in this World
At certain times of year, such as an anniversary or special occasion, or during November the month of remembrance, we may wish to remember a departed loved one by paying tribute to the legacy they left behind. Why not make a dedication to someone you love , someone you miss, or someone who has no-one else to pray for them at the Caritas Salford 'A Light in this World' dedication page online? A Light in this World (dedicationpage.org) Dedications and tributes received no later than Sunday 20th November will also be included in a book of condolence and prayed for as we celebrate the Caritas Annual Mass of Remembrance on Friday 25th November at St Ann's RC Catholic Church, Stretford.
Would you like to volunteer at the Laudato Si Centre, Wardley Hall?
The Laudato Si Centre at Wardley Hall is looking for volunteers. The centre is a statement of environmental hope, rooted in the belief that we can all make a difference through the actions we take. The work we do at the centre provides the tools and learning needed to enable all to hear and respond to the cry of the earth and cry of the people. We have opportunities to volunteer in our walled garden and woodland, including general gardening activities, maintenance and supporting school and community activities. We would also love to hear from any retired teachers who would be interested in developing material for our school visits. Please contact laudatosi@dioceseofsalford.org.uk to express an interest.
Volunteering Opportunities
Did you know that Caritas Salford has 263 amazing volunteers, supporting work in local communities across Greater Manchester and Lancashire? Would you be interested in joining them? Perhaps you may consider becoming part of our team of Caritas Parish Reps, supporting your parish in its local social action mission?
If you have a few hours to spare each week and would be happy to help Caritas to support people in your community, please get in touch. There are a range of different opportunities available to meet individual needs and skillsets, and full training and support is given every step of the way.
If you're interested in finding out more, please contact Sashi Thapa on 07939 995 952 or email s.thapa@caritassalford.org.uk
Diocesan Job Vacancies
Parish Administrator (St Charles', Swinton)
Appointment Type: Part-time, permanent
Working hours: 15 hours per week, working pattern to be agreed with Parish Priest
Location: St Charles' Presbytery, Moorside Road, Swinton, M27 9PD
Salary and benefits: £10.23 per hr, 25 holidays, plus statutory bank holidays and 5 Diocesan closure days (subject to pro-rata).
About: The parish of St Ambrose Barlow are looking for a Parish Administrator to provide administrative support to the parish including office administration, secretarial and basic accounting duties.
Please visit www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/ to apply.
Caritas Job Vacancies
Allotment and Food Bank Coordinator (Lalley Centre)
Appointment Type: Full-time, fixed-term contract for 12 months
Working hours: 37.5 hours per week
Location: The Lalley Centre, Collyhurst, Manchester M40 7RG
Salary and benefits: £27,000, and casual car allowance
About: Caritas are looking for a candidate who, using knowledge of environmental issues, food poverty and growth, will expand existing projects and develop new programmes run within our allotment and food bank to benefit the overall wellbeing of the community. The role will involve working with local organisations in the health, environmental, corporate and voluntary fields to increase the awareness of environmental issues and Caritas projects.
Please visit www.caritassalford.org.uk/careers/ to apply.
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien