Sunday 13th August 2023
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Saturday 12thAugust
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady (In the Lady Chapel)
The doctrine of Mary, Mother of God was proclaimed as the Council Ephesus (431 A.D.); Pope Sixtus III erected a Basilica on the Esquiline Hill in Rome to honour her which became later known as Saint Mary Major.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 13th August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Tuesday 15th August
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
'It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had carried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles… it was fitting that God's Mother should possess what belongs to her Son and that she should be honoured by every creature as the Mother and the Handmaid of God." - St John Damascene
9:30am The Holy Rosary & Litany of Loreto
10am Mass (Holy Day of Obligation)
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass (Holy Day of Obligation)
Wednesday 16thAugust
9:15 am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Votive Mass of Saint Joseph
'Jesus granted to him [St. Joseph] the special privilege of safeguarding the dying against the snares of Lucifer, just as he had also saved him from the schemes of Herod.' - St. Alphonsus Liguori
Thursday 17thAugust
9:15 am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Weekday Mass (Feria)
Friday 18th August
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass (Feria)
Saturday 19thAugust
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady (In the 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 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 20thAugust
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
2pm Mass at Altham Graveyard (details below)
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (12th August - 19th August), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Richard, Gertrude Henry and Cathleen Haworth
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£612.06. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Holy Day of Obligation...
On Tuesday 15thAugust we celebrate the Solemnity of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is a holy day of obligation and all faithful Roman Catholics are obliged to come to Mass that day. At St. Mary's there will be Masses at 10am and 6pm. There will also be opportunity for The Rosary & Adoration.
Hospital Call (Thursday - Saturday)
This week I'll helping out the Catholic chaplaincy at the Royal Blackburn Hospital by going on the emergency 'on call' rota. As you'll appreciate an emergency is never planned and so it may mean that certain visits or appointments I've made will be either delayed or postponed. Thank you to all our stewards in advance, whose invaluable help means that, even if I can't make it in time for a Mass the church is open for prayer. Let's pray for all the sick and those who care for them. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for them.
Church Maintenance: Electrics
This week Dome Electrical Project Solutions Ltd, based in Oswaldtwistle, completed an electrical conditions report for both the church and presbytery to meet national health and safety standards and comply with our insurance. Their next task is replacing our lights with LED bulbs which will be more energy efficient and cost saving in the long term.
Safeguarding: SCIE Review of CSSA Policies and Procedures - Stakeholder survey
The CSSA (Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency) has commissioned the SCIE (Social Care Institute for Excellence) to undertake a review of its policies and procedures. The review aims to help shape the future of safeguarding within the Catholic Church and make representations where it is evident or perceived that the current policies and procedures are outdated, or there is a gap or no policy for a situation. To help the review team take into consideration as many views as possible, the CSSA is requesting that people right across the Catholic Church in England and Wales - including clergy, staff, volunteers, parishioners, survivors, and more - complete the following survey: www.forms.office.com/e/PavSuixHim
Diocesan & Parish Safeguarding Audit
'I give you a new commandment: love one another;
just as I have loved you, you also most love one another.' John 13:34
Both within the diocese and parish, the safeguarding department and safeguarding reps, allow the above words of Jesus to become a life-giving reality in our faith family. The policies, procedures and systems that are produced are never meant to limit but enable the life of the Church and its mission. The diocesan safeguarding department has undergone an audit to review how it helps support parishes and has asked parish priests to complete a survey to assist them to improve the services they offer. In light of this work being undertaken many parishes are reviewing their own current safeguarding policies and procedures. Thank you to all those parish volunteers for the information they have given and to Pam Kornecki our parish safeguarding rep. (parish safeguarding rep contact details are on the noticeboard at the back of church).
Holy Mass at Altham Graveyard
On Sunday 20 August at 2.00pm (weather permitting) Mass will take place at Altham Graveyard, next to the site of the old St Mary's Church, Burnley Road, Altham. All are welcome to attend, to remember their loved ones. It would be helpful if those attending could bring with them a folding chair for the outdoor Mass. If it is raining, then the Mass will be held at St Mary's Church, Clayton le Moors.
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 Friday 8th September – Sunday 10th September this year there will be different opportunities for both prayer and celebration. Please feel free to invite family, friends and neighbours along to any of the Masses and Liturgies and let them know they'll be warmly welcomed. It's a great time to witness that St. Mary's is very much a Catholic community of prayer who are proud of our faith in Jesus Christ and want others to know about the blessings that Our Lady gives.
Friday 8th September
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Parish Feast Day Mass, The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
7pm Altar Servers Pizza Night
Saturday 9th September
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive 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 10th September
9:30am The Holy Rosary
10am Mass beginning with the procession of the statue of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle
2pm St. Mary's Celebratory Afternoon Tea
Parish Summer Raffle
Tickets for the Parish Summer Raffle are available – £1 at ticket. We are are also appealing for any prizes towards it – vouchers, bottles, chocolates etc. If you are able to donate anything towards the raffle, please leave it with the stewards at the back of church. Thanks as always for your help and generosity towards church.
St. Mary's Celebratory Afternoon Tea
Due to popular demand, there are only now a small number of tickets left for the Celebratory Afternoon Tea as part of the parish festal weekend at 2pm on Sunday 10th September. There will be sumptuous sandwiches, tempting cakes, traditional scones with jam and cream, plus our musical entertainment will be provided from our parish 'Warm Welcome' singers. Tickets will be £10pp on a first come first serve basis and will available from the stewards desk.
Mass for Vocations to the Priesthood
Each month, our diocesan vocations team travels to a different deanery to hold a special Mass for the future of the priesthood in our diocese. Our next Mass for Vocations to the Priesthood is set to take place on Thursday 14th September at St Monica's in Flixton. All are welcome to attend! Missed this? Last week, we were delighted to share the vocation story of one of our diocesan priests. Watch online now at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SftOl2vVMXk
The Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst
Human Nature, Gender and Identity, 25th-28th August
This course will explore how Thomas Aquinas's anthropology provides the framework for the Church's understanding of what and who the human person is. The course will be of particular interest to those teaching theology in secondary and higher education and those providing training and CPD to other educators and catechists.
Full Board & Lodging: Single Room £320 pp ; Twin Room £270 pp ; Non-Residential (Includes lunch & diner) £180 pp
No prior theological knowledge or training required
For more information, see www.christianheritagecentre.com/events
Our Faith, Our Planet, Our Commitments
Thursday 14th September 2023, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Manchester Museum
An annual conference on climate change is set to take place next month to discuss ways people can work together to reduce our carbon footprint. Our Faith, Our Planet, Our Commitment takes place on Thursday 14th September and will include a series of workshops and networking opportunities to help communities work together for the good of our common home. Find out more and register at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/our-faith-our-planet-our-commitments-tickets-676670799577?aff=oddtdtcreator
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien