Sunday 25th August 2024
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Rev. Fr. Derek Woodhead RIP
The bishop's office shared the sad news on Sunday afternoon that Fr. Derek Woodhead, one of the faithful serving priests of our diocese, died peacefully on the 18th August. Fr Woodhead was a former parishioner of St. Mary's and was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood in 1973.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Friday 23rd August
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Weekday Mass (Feria)
Saturday 24th August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint Bartholomew, Apostle (Feast) (In the Lady Chapel)
St. Bartholomew, born at Cana, was led to Jesus by Philip and after the Ascension, tradition has it that he preached the Gospel in India and suffered martyrdom.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sunday 25th August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Tuesday 27th August
7pm Mass, Saint Monica
followed by the veneration of her relic (see below for more details)
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.
Wednesday 28th August
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Memoria)
St. Augustine was born in 354,and thanks to the prayers of his mother Monica, he became a Christian and was chosen as bishop of Hippo, in North Africa. Here his pastoral care, teaching and writings were exemplary. He died in 430, leaving many works most famous of which was his "Confessions".
Thursday 29th August
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, The Passion of Saint John the Baptist (Memoria)
'The king promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.' (Mark 6:17-29)
Friday 30th August
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Saints 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.
Saint Anne Line was born at Dunmow (Essex) in 1565 and hanged at Tyburn on 27th February 1601. In her teens, she became a Catholic and was disinherited and in 1585 married Roger Line who was exiled for his faith leaving her destitute. She kept house for priests. After people had been seen at her house for Mass, she was arrested, tried and condemned to death.
Saint Margaret Ward was born at Congleton (Cheshire), but entered into the service of a family in London. She was arrested after assisting a priest escape from prison, but refused to reveal his hiding place or renounce her faith. She was tried at the Old Bailey and executed in 1588.
Saturday 31st August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint Aidan and Saints of Lindisfarne (Memoria) (In the Lady Chapel)
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.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sunday 1st September
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (24th August - 31st August), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Thomas Houston.
Last Week's Easter Offertory Collection
£853.35. Thank you for your kind generosity.
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.
Invocation at Adoremus
You can now register to join us at Invocation at Adoremus this September! Taking place at St Mary's College, Oscott, on 15 September, this beautiful day is designed specifically for adults discerning a particular vocation or direction; providing them with an opportunity to pray, to talk about their journey, and to find support and resources to help them along the way. Find out more and register online at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/invocation-adoremus-2024/ If you would like to enquire about transport options, please email youth@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Date for you Diaries…
St. Mary's Parish Feast & Celebration, Friday 6th September – Sunday 8th September 2024.
Friday 6th September: 10am 'Happy Birthday Our Lady!' - All are welcome as the children from our three parish primary schools (Sacred Heart, St. Mary's and St. Oswald's) celebrate a prayer service thanking God for the gift of His Mother Mary.
5pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by 6pm Votive Mass of Our Lady
Saturday 7th September: 9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions,
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady, 2pm Healing Service with the Sacrament of the Sick, 6pm The Holy Rosary, 6:30pm the Vigil Mass
Sunday 8th September: 9:30am The Holy Rosary, 10am Mass beginning with the procession of the statue of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle around the church, 2pm Celebratory Afternoon Tea (For details about tickets to the Afternoon Tea see below).
If any other parishioners would like to volunteer their time and facilitate an event they are more than welcome to. Please see Fr. O'Brien to share what you would like to do. Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
St. Mary's Celebratory Afternoon Tea
On the afternoon of Sunday 8th September at 2pm there will be a Celebratory Afternoon Tea as part of the parish festal weekend. There will be sumptuous sandwiches, tempting cakes, traditional scones with jam and cream. Tickets will be £15pp on a first come first serve basis and will available from the stewards desk. Numbers are limited and so in fairness people will only be able to put their name down if they have payment with them when booking. The booking sheet will be available this weekend (14th/15th July) at the 6:30pm Vigil Mass and the 10am Sunday Mass.
LOOKING FOR A LATE CATHOLIC GAP YEAR?
Do you know anybody who is Catholic, aged around 18 to 22 and still not got anything lined up for the year ahead? Castlerigg Manor (the Diocese of Lancaster retreat centre, located in the Lake District) are still looking for young people to join their youth ministry in internship scheme. The scheme provides comprehensive training and experience as well as accommodation and food for the year, and a stipend each week. Anyone who is interested can check out castleriggmanor.com >> join the team, or Email Jack Regan – director@castleriggmanor.co.uk
World Youth Day Rome 2025
Are you aged 16-35? Are you looking for an unforgettable opportunity to share your faith with other young Catholics? Pope Francis has announced a special World Youth Day in Rome next summer to celebrate the Church's Year of Jubilee and our diocesan Youth Ministry team invites you to be part of this once-in-a-25-year event! The pilgrimage will take place between 28 July and 3 August. For more information and to register your interest, please email youth@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Young Adults Mass
Our Young Adults Mass returns to St Augustine's in Manchester this September after our summer break! Join us at 5.30pm on Sunday 8 September as we gather together for our Mass and the start of a series of talks entitled "The Thrill of Orthodoxy", based on G K Chesterton's "Orthodoxy". The series will unpick how an exploration of religious, philosophical, social, and political ideas leads us to embrace our Christian faith.
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Rome 2025
The Diocese of Salford is delighted to announce a number of pilgrimages to celebrate the 2025 Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee, including a pilgrimage to Rome in September. Bookings for the pilgrimage, led by Bishop John, will open on Monday 5th August. Please email info@northernstartravel.com or call 0161 773 2115 to book your place. Please note, places are extremely limited. For more information on our other pilgrimages at home and overseas, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/jubilee-pilgrimages/.
Family Beekeeping sessions
The Bee Together Community Centre and Garden, of the Parish of the Nativity in Failsworth and Limeside, is organising Family Beekeeping sessions. The next session will take place on 8 September 2024 at Church of the Holy Family, Roman Rd, Hollinwood, Oldham, OL8 3PY. Interested participants are requested to email beetogetherhollinwood@gmail.com to book their place. Everyone is welcome.
Job Vacancies
Maintenance Operative - Diocese of Salford
Appointment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week to be worked Monday to Friday
Location: Around the diocese
Salary: £21,840 – £24,343 per annum (depending on skills and experience)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies
Skilled Maintenance Operative - Diocese of Salford
Appointment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: 35 hours per week to be worked Monday to Friday
Location: Around the diocese
Salary: £29,525 – £32,735 per annum (depending on skills and experience)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/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 (depending on skills and experience)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien