Monday 27th January 2025
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
This e-newsletter, at the start of the week, is to share some frustrating news.
Last week the diocesan property department carried out an on-site inspection and signed off all the completed roofing works undertaken by Chapelgreen Contracts Ltd and Ross Roofing Contractors Ltd. The work has been of a high quality, and we can all testify that it has been good to have a bucket free church and a fully finished waterproof roof.
However, on Friday afternoon (24th Jan) a significant amount of lead was stolen from the church roof. The police were contacted by an observant member of the public and they were able to retrieve a large amount of the lead. There is now a current police investigation, and we'll wait to receive more updates from them.
Today the contractors and roofers were able to assess the extent of the damage caused by the criminals. Sadly, the Lady Chapel roof and the front porch roofs were the main targeted areas causing a large amount of devastation from broken slates to pierced felt and splintered timber.
Throughout the day the roofers have made sure that at least 95% of the damaged areas are now temporarily waterproof. Over the next few days, the diocesan property department, project manager and contractors are coming up with plans to repair and move forward.
As you will appreciate the words 'low' and 'frustrated' don't even begin to describe how I'm feeling at this moment and I have no doubt that many of you reading this will find yourselves in the same boat. What has given me genuine consolation today, and I share this with you, was spending time with the Lord before the Blessed Sacrament in church. I didn't need to articulate any words or meditate profoundly but just simply physically be in His Presence. As always, it's made a huge difference. Let's ask Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle and St. Jospeh the carpenter to intercede and watch over our little parish church.
Further updates I'll put in Friday's e-newsletter.
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien