Tuesday 27th August 2024
Rev. Fr. Derek Woodhead RIP
The Bishop's office have sent through the following information about Fr. Derek Woodhead's funeral arrangements:
Fr. Woodhead's body will be received into St Michael's Church, Abbeyhills, Oldham for concelebrated Mass at 7.00pm on Thursday 29th August. The Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael's on Friday 30th August at 11:30 followed by committal at Oldham Crematorium at 1:30pm.
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.
The Feast of Saint Monica
This Feast of St. Monica is on Tuesday (27th August). As we know, St. Monica was a devoted wife and mother who earnestly prayed for her family to return to the Church. Her prayers were expressed in words and tears that came straight from the heart, asking Our Lord to bring her family, especially her son Augustine, back to the Faith. As Brandon Vogt comments:
"St. Monica exemplifies the power of a praying parent. She wasn't able to convince Augustine with words, and in fact, whenever she tried to talk to him about religion, he brushed her away. But through her daily, committed intercession, over more than fifteen years, Augustine was able to journey into the Church."
We all know people, especially loved ones, family and friends, who struggle with the Faith and who have lapsed for all kinds of reasons. Let's come together on Tuesday 27th August to ask St. Monica's intercession to bring them home to the Lord. At 7pm there will be the celebration of Mass followed by the opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Monica and invoke her aid. Her statue, which will be placed on the sanctuary, will have a prayer box before it where people are invited to write the names of family and friends and place them in the box asking for St. Monica's intercession. All are welcome and do spread the word so that others may know and come.
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien