Sunday 27th April 2025
Divine Mercy Sunday
On the news of the death of His Holiness Pope Franics:
So many people, both within the Church and beyond, will be greatly saddened by the death of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace. Please mark these days with Masses for the repose of his soul, with thanksgiving for his ministry and pastoral leadership of the Church in our fractured and fast-changing world. May his teaching live on so that the dignity of every person may be valued and protected and that there be peace in our world and care for our common home.
+John
(Bishop John Arnold, Salford Diocese)
Masses & Liturgies for the coming week...
Easter Friday 25th April (No Abstinence)
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Easter Mass
6:30pm – 7:30pm Vigil for His Holiness Pope Francis I
(Adoration, Prayers and the Holy Rosary)
Easter Saturday 26th April
8am Mass for the Intention of His Holiness Pope Francis I
9am All welcome to watch the Requiem Mass of the late Pope Francis
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)
Sunday 27th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)
2pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
2:45pm Divine Mercy Chaplet & Act of Consecration
3:05pm Benediction followed by Holy Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter
Monday 28th April
10am Mass, Saint George, Martyr & Patron of England (Solemnity)
St. George was martyred at Lydda (Israel) around 303 A.D, in the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. His cult, which predates the legend of his slaying the dragon, spread quickly through the East and West. King Richard I of England placed his army under his protection and in 1222 his feast was proclaimed a national holiday.
Followed be refreshments
Tuesday 29th April
5pm – 5:30pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
5:45pm Easter Mass Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin & Doctor, (Feast)
St. Catherine was born in Sienna (Italy) in 1347, entered the Third Order of Saint Dominic while an adolescent. She was on fire with love of God and neighbour; she brought peace and harmony between her fellow citizens, fought for the rights and liberty of the papacy, and worked to renew religious life. She died in 1380.
Wednesday 30th April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Easter Weekday Mass
7pm Parish Bible Study (see below for details)
Thursday 1st May
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint Joseph the Worker (Memorial)
This feast was officially instituted by Pope Pius XII on 1 May 1955, in order to ensure that workers not lose this Christian understanding of work; but earlier Popes had already prepared the ground. Blessed Pius IX in a certain way had recognized the importance of Saint Joseph as a labourer, when he proclaimed him Patron of the Universal Church. The principle of work as a means to eternal salvation would be taken up again by St John Paul II in his encyclical Laborem exercens, where he refers to "the Gospel of Work".
10:25am – 10:35am Devotions to Saint Joseph
(At the foot of the parish statue of St. Joseph, see below for more details)
Friday 2nd May
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint Athanasius (Memoria)
St. Athanasius (296 A.D – 373A.D) led a tumultuous but dedicated life of service to the Church. He was the great champion of the faith against the widespread heresy of Arianism, the teaching by Arius that Jesus was not truly divine. The vigour of his writings earned him the title of doctor of the Church
Saturday 3rd May
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass Saints Philip & James, Apostles (Feast) (In the Lady Chapel)
St. Philip was born in Bethsaida. Formerly a disciple of John the Baptist, he became a follower of Jesus. St. James, son of Alphaeus and cousin of the Lord led the Church of Jerusalem and was martyred in 62 A.D.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Third Sunday of Easter
Sunday 4th May
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Third Sunday of Easter
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (26th April – 3rd May), the Sanctuary Lamp is for His Holiness Pope Francis RIP.
Our Lady's Lamp
This week (26th April – 3rd May), Our Lady's Lamp is for Gregory & Audrey Heyes.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£864.87. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Good Friday Collection
The diocesan mandatory collection was taken for the Holy Places, which supports the work of the Church in the Holy Land. Thank you for your generosity of £372.86.
Easter Donations
Thank you to Keeley who raised £120.20 with all her homemade Easter Cards and gifts, to those who returned their Easter donation boxes that came to £128.95 and to those who helped to knit the Easter chicks that raised £25.37.
Easter Blessings & Thanks
Thank you to everyone who made this Easter such a prayerful and joyous celebration. The faith and love that have made people go above and beyond has truly been inspiring. From the beautiful flower displays and Lychgate, the commitment shown by the altar servers, the talents of the musicians and singers who came on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, the faithfulness of the stewards, the buffing, polishing and dusting of the cleaners, the dedication of the readers, the behind the scenes work of anonymous volunteers…Thank you! But also a huge Thank You to all who came to the various Masses, Liturgies and prayers during the Triduum. May God continue to bless you in your faith and witness to the Risen Lord.
Parish Social Media: St Mary's Facebook & Instagram
Thanks to Jacqueline who has been maintaining our parish presence on social media and allowing others beyond the church walls to feel connected and experience our Catholic Faith in the Lord Jesus. If you haven't yet, then do check out the photos and videos that have been posted of our celebrations over the Easter Triduum at St. Mary's.
Facebook (St Marys RC Church Oswaldtwistle)
https://www.facebook.com/share/164UHbBSuw/
Instagram (stmarysrcoswaldtwistle)
https://www.instagram.com/stmarysrcoswaldtwistle?utm_source=qr&igsh=MTl5cHhqdm9yOWtp
Devotions to Saint Joseph
On Thursday 1st May June, after the 10am Mass, there will be our parish 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 30th April from 7pm – 8pm. All are welcome. All you need is a Bible and an openness to come to know Our Lord better. Now we've read through St. John's Gospel we will start with the Book of Revelation (Chaper 1) which often fills some people with dread but it's actually full of hope. Come and join us.
Divine Mercy Sunday
Join us for Divine Mercy Devotions, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Confessions and Holy Mass on Sunday 27th April at 2pm.
The Divine Mercy Devotion
Devotion to the Divine Mercy involves a total commitment to God as Mercy. It is a decision to trust completely in him, to accept his mercy with thanksgiving, and to be merciful as he is merciful. The devotional practices proposed in the diary of Saint Faustina and set forth in here are completely in accordance with the teachings of the Church and are firmly rooted in the Gospel message of our Merciful Saviour. Properly understood and implemented, they will help us grow as genuine followers of Christ.
The Divine Mercy Message:
The message of mercy is that God loves us "all of us" no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognise that his mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon him with trust, receive his mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share his joy. It is a message we can call to mind simply by remembering ABC.
A — Ask for his Mercy. God wants us to approach him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking him to pour his mercy out upon us and upon the whole world.
B — Be merciful. God wants us to receive his mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as he does to us.
C — Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know the graces of his mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive.
The Chaplet of Mercy
The Lord revealed to Saint Faustina a powerful prayer that He wanted everyone to say – the Chaplet of Mercy. Saint Faustina prayed the Chaplet almost constantly, especially for the dying, and the Lord urged her to encourage others to say it, too, promising extraordinary graces to those who would recite this special prayer. The Chaplet can be said anytime, but the Lord specifically asked that it be recited as a novena, especially on the nine days before the Feast of Mercy.
Our Lord said to Saint Faustina:
Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you. … Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. … When thy say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Saviour. … Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. … Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will. (Diary, 687, 1541, 1731).
HOW TO PRAY THE CHAPLET OF THE DIVINE MERCY
The Chaplet of Mercy is recited using ordinary rosary beads of five decades and could be preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Faustina and followed by a closing prayer.
1. The Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
2. The Our Father: Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen
3. The Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen
4. The Apostles' Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen
5. On the "Our Father"bead before each decade: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
6. On the "Hail Mary"beads of each decade: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
7. Repeat "Eternal Father" and "For the Sake of His sorrowful Passion": Numbers 5 & 6 Prayers for four more decades.
8. After 5 decades, the concluding prayer (three times): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For more information about the Divine Mercy devotion please see the following website: https://divinemercyapostolate.co.uk/
Saint George's Day
This year the Solemnity of St George, which falls in Easter week (23rd April), has been transferred to Monday 28th April. As St. George is the patron Saint of our country Mass will be at 10am followed by a late morning breakfast of coffee and croissants, very traditionally English refreshments! Don't worry, there will be tea as well. St. George patron saint of England pray for us.
Parish Easter Egg Raffle
The parish raffle will be drawn next week and all winners will be able to collect their Eggs from the stewards desk at the weekend Masses (26th/27th April). There is still time to buy tickets from the stewards desk at the back of church - £1 a ticket or £5 a strip.
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien