Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Friday 31st May
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast)
This feast goes back to the 13th/14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to pray for unity. Like most feasts of Mary, it is closely connected with Jesus and his saving work. The more visible actors in the visitation drama (see Luke 1:39-45) are Mary and Elizabeth. However, Jesus and John the Baptist steal the scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with joy—the joy of messianic salvation. Elizabeth, in turn, is filled with the Holy Spirit and addresses words of praise to Mary—words that echo down through the ages.
Saturday 1st June
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint Justin, Martyr (Memoria) - (celebrated in the Lady Chapel)
St. Justin was born in Samaria in 110A.D. On becoming a Christian he wrote two great works in defence of Christianity – the "Apology" and the 2Dialogue with Trypho". These give us information on the earliest Christian communities. In 165 A.D. Justin was arrested and condemned to death.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass of Corpus Christi (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)
There will be Benediction at the end of Mass for this great solemnity
Sunday 2nd June
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass of Corpus Christi (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)
There will be Benediction at the end of Mass for this great solemnity
Wednesday 5th June
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint Boniface (Memoria)
Born in Devon about 675 and killed in the Netherlands in 754. After years as a monk and teacher, he went to evangelise the Germanic peoples. Ordained bishop, he was given wide ranging papal commissions throughout Germany and Gaul. He founded monasteries and established dioceses, presided at Synods, and liaised with kings. He is remembered as a determined missionary, and as a church organiser and reformer, whose work shaped the future of Europe.
10:25am – 10:35am Devotions to Saint Joseph
(At the foot of the parish statue of St. Joseph, see below for more details)
Thursday 6th June
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Weekday Mass (Feria)
Friday 7th June
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Solemnity)
"O Jesus, a soldier opened your side with his lance, so that, through the gaping wound, we might know the charity of your Heart, which loved us unto death, and that we might enter into your unutterable love through the same channel by which it came to us.
Approach, then, O my soul, the Heart of Christ, that magnanimous Heart, that hidden Heart, that Heart which thinks of all things and knows all things; that loving Heart, all on fire with love.
Make me understand, O Lord, that the door of your Heart was forced open by the vehemence of your love. Allow me to enter into the secret of that love which was hidden from all eternity, but is now revealed by the wound in your Heart." - St Bernadine of Siena
Saturday 8th June
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, The Immaculate Heart of Mary (Memoria) - (celebrated in the Lady Chapel)
"Mary, give me your Heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your Heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor." – St. Teresa of Calcutta
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sunday 9th June
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (1st June - 8th June), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Claire & the family.
Last Week's Easter Offertory Collection
£684.77. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Day for Life
The weekend of the 15th/16th June, there will be a special Collection for the Day for Life.
The Church teaches that life is to be nurtured from conception to natural death. In England and Wales, Day for Life is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year. This year it falls on the 16th June. Each year a message is released, usually by the Church's Lead Bishop for Life Issues, offering a reflection on the year's theme. The theme for 2024 is The Lord is my Shepherd – Compassion and Hope at the End of Life. A debate on end-of-life issues has been in the headlines in recent months with calls for assisted suicide being expressed, especially by celebrities, a view that opposes the Catholic view that life is a gift and that we are called to care for others at the end of their lives. Day for Life is marked on the same day by the three Bishops' Conferences of England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. We hope that parishes will be able to prepare to promote the Catholic view of life as a gift and the importance of care at the end of life using the resources that will be issued by the Conferences in due course. As always, there will be a labeled basket under the large Crucifix at the back of church, to put your donations in. Thank you.
Hospital Emergency Call
This week I'll be helping out the Fr. Samson Ojekunle, the Catholic Chaplain 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. Please note: Fr. Samson can only visit you during your stay in hospital if you request him through the ward staff.
Devotions to Saint Joseph
On Wednesday 5th June, after the 10am Mass, there will be our first Wednesday devotions to St. Joseph (at the foot of his statue at the back of church). The devotions will include praying the Litany of St. Joseph, the Memorare of St. Joseph and the Prayer of the Holy Cloak Novena. In these devotions our prayer is to ask St. Joseph to pray for our parish family and for those who have wandered away from Church, that they may return and find a warm welcome.
Parish Bible Study – St. John's Gospel
The next session is Wednesday 12th June from 7pm – 8pm. All are welcome. All you need is a Bible and an openness to come to know Our Lord better.
The Sacrament of Confirmation
On the 11th June, at St. Joseph's, Accrington, the Bishop will celebrate the Rite of Confirmation. Let's pray for the young people from our own parish of St. Mary's – David, Jakub, Jerzy, Kevin, Natalie & Nicole – who over the last few months have been preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation through prayer and regular catechism classes. My thanks to Aimee Thomas, our parish catechist, who has been so encouraging and committed to help our teenage parishioners.
Still time to join our centenary pilgrimage to Lourdes!
There are still a few places left for any pilgrims wishing to join the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes in the centenary year. The pilgrimage, led by Bishop John, will take place between 26th July and 1st August. To find out more and to book your place, please visit salfordlourdes.co.uk
Four Key Themes Announced from Diocesan Synod
The Diocese of Salford has recently shared the four key themes to have emerged from the Big Listen stage of our diocesan synod, which drew to a close in January. The four themes are:
- Nurturing Faith in Tomorrow's World
- Building Connections
- Enabling Access
- Fostering Christ-like Care.
To find out more about the latest updates, what's next for our diocesan synod, or how you can get involved, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/synod-gathering-1/
Diocesan Message: Irish Community Care
The diocese has been been contacted by Irish Community Care and associated charity, Frea, with the request to share the following notice:
Support for people who were in Ireland's Mother and Baby and County Homes
The Irish Government Mother and Baby and County Home payment scheme is open for applications to people who spent time in one of 44 institutions that existed across the Republic of Ireland from 1922 to 1998. If you were in one of these homes and would like free and confidential support to apply for a payment or to access counselling, obtain Early Life Records, try to trace a family member, or even for just a chat please contact Patrick Rodgers at Fréa – Renewing Roots on 07432138682.
Get Social
Are you aged 18-35? Are you looking to celebrate your faith with other young Catholic adults across the diocese? Give the Diocese of Salford Young Adults Ministry a follow on Instagram! For the latest on upcoming events, opportunities to connect and get involved, as well as regular content and resources to nurture your faith life on the go, simply search @salfordyouth on Instagram.
Quarant'ore at Salford Cathedral temporary church (5th – 8th June 2024)
During this Year of Prayer in preparation for the 2025 Year of Jubilee, you are invited to join us at Salford Cathedral's temporary church for a special time of prayer - 40 Hours of Adoration of Our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We will pray for a special intention each day. The times of Holy Mass, Confessions and Exposition during Quarant'ore can be found at https://salfordcathedral.co.uk/. All are welcome to join us!
Caritas Salford Appeal for Volunteers
Caritas Salford, our diocesan charity, is appealing for volunteers to support its work across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Even a few hours can have a huge impact on the lives of others locally. To find out more about the huge range of opportunities available - from gardening to van driving, supporting their services to becoming a Caritas parish rep or accessibility advocate - visit their website now: www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer
Caritas Parish Representatives
Caritas Salford is inviting parishes who do not currently have a Caritas Parish Rep as part of their social action/justice provision to get in touch to find out more about how they can help their community put love and faith into action. For more information, please email m.yates@caritassalford.org.uk
Job Vacancies
Grant and Bid Writer - Diocese of Salford (replacement role)
Appointment Type: Full-time, permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week to be worked Monday to Friday
Location: Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £36,338 – £40,289 per annum
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/