Sunday 6th April 2025
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Masses & Liturgies for the coming week...
Friday 4th April
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Lenten Mass
6:30pm Stations of the Cross led by parishioners
Saturday 5th April
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Sacrament of Confession
10am Lenten Mass (Celebrated in Lady Chapel)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass of The Fifth Sunday of Lent
Sunday 6th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass of The Fifth Sunday of Lent
Tuesday 8th April
5pm – 5:30pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5:45pm Lenten Weekday Mass
Wednesday 9th April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Lenten Mass
10:30am Stations of the Cross
7pm Parish Bible Study (See below for details)
Thursday 10th April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Lenten Mass
Friday 11th April
3pm Funeral Service for Thomas Wheelan RIP at Accrington Crematorium
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Lenten Mass
6:30pm Stations of the Cross led by parishioners
Saturday 12th April
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Sacrament of Confession
10am Lenten Mass (Celebrated in Lady Chapel)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass of Palm Sunday
Sunday 13th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass of Palm Sunday
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (6th April – 12th April), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Jack and Andrew Hargreaves.
Our Lady's Lamp
This week (6th April – 12th April), Our Lady's Lamp is for C. Hester & M. Hester.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£599.94. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Pastoral Letter: Assisted Suicide
This weekend there will be a Pastoral Letter from the Bishops Conference which will be read at all Masses in England and Wales this weekend, 5th/6th April. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, is urging Catholics to contact their MPs – even if they have done so already – to oppose the Bill that seeks to legalise assisted suicide. As well as restating the Bishops' objections to the Bill in principle, the Cardinal also expresses his dissatisfaction regarding the "deeply flawed" and under scrutinized parliamentary process.
Not Dead Yet UK
Not Dead Yet UK is a network of Disabled and terminally ill people who fear that, if the Bill is passed, many people's lives will be ended prematurely due to errors and abuse. The right to choose for the privileged few will be at the expense of the right to a decent life for many. There are postcards that parishioners can sign and post to our MP at the back of church.
Mercy in the Holy Year
The Diocese of Salford has produced a number of resources to help us learn more about the theme of mercy and reconciliation in the Jubilee Year, including an FAQ sheet on Plenary Indulgences. To find out more, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/plenary-indulgences
Parish Bible Study
The next session is Wednesday 9th April from 7pm – 8pm. All are welcome. All you need is a Bible and an openness to come to know Our Lord better. We've now completed John's Gospel so on the 9th April we will be looking at the different Gospel accounts of the Passion.
Parish Easter Egg Raffle
We are hoping to begin our Parish Easter Raffle next weekend and it would be great if parishioners could donate only Easter eggs as prizes. If you are able to kindly donate an Easter egg then please pass them to one of the stewards at the back of church. Tickets are available from the stewards desk at the back of church - £1 a ticket or £5 a strip.
Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum Dates & Times
Saturday 12th April
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Sunday 13th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Tuesday of Holy Week 15th April
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Holy Week Mass
Wednesday of Holy Week 16th April
Today the Mass of the Sacred Chrism is celebrated at St. Patrick's, Collyhurst. At this Holy Week Liturgy all the priests gather, from around the diocese, to renew their priestly promises before the Bishop. It is also at the Liturgy that the Sacred Oils are blessed by the Bishop for the coming year.
Maundy Thursday 17th April
7:30pm Mass of the Lord's Supper
8:30pm Watching at the Altar of Repose
9:30pm Compline (Night Prayer)
Good Friday 18th April
8:30am – 9:45am Confessions
10am Stations of the Cross
3pm Solemn Liturgy of the Lord's Passion
Holy Saturday 19th April
8:30pm The Solemn Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday 20th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary
10am Mass
Holy Week Retreat at Stonyhurst
A prayerful retreat focusing on the true meaning of Easter is taking place at Stonyhurst College this Holy Week. The retreat will run from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday and provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the resurrection of faith and foster a sense of community and spiritual renewal. A special Children and Young People's programme has also been developed for our young parishioners. Find out more at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/stonyhurst-holy-week-retreat/
CAFOD's Myanmar Earthquake Appeal
CAFOD (the Catholic Agency For Overseas Development) has shared details of its Myanmar Earthquake Appeal. Funds raised for this appeal will provide much-needed water, food, solar lights, mosquito nets and water purification tablets to those devastated by this disaster. Your generosity will extend far and wide and will help the Catholic Church in Myanmar bring comfort and relief to families who are in urgent need. Visit cafod.org.uk/myanmar to find out more and donate.
Caritas Salford E-newsletter
Did you know that Caritas, our diocesan charity, now has a monthly e-newsletter providing updates, free resources, news and event details, plus much more? To begin to receive it, visit: https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/newsletter/
Lourdes Diocesan Youth Group
Are there any young people in your parish who might want to join this year's pilgrimage to Lourdes? The Salford Lourdes Coordination Team and the Diocesan Youth Ministry Team have set up a new "group" so that any young person can join the pilgrimage without having to set up a parish or school-based group. The pilgrimage dates are from 30th July to 7th August inclusive of travel, which is by coach, and will cost £669 including travel, hotel accommodation, and all meals.
Young people can join one of three age groups:
· 13-15 (aspiring volunteers)
· 16-17
· 18+
If you have any young people who might be interested, please ask them to send an email to youth@dioceseofsalford.org.uk and all the information they need will be sent back to them. Please promote this great opportunity in your parishes to help our young people grow in their faith and build community in this Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope.
Diocesan Youth Ministry Pilgrimages
Our diocesan youth ministry team is organising two fantastic pilgrimage opportunities, led by Bishop John, for young people in Years 7, 8, and 9. The first pilgrimage will take place on Saturday 3 May with a pilgrimage to Walsingham, in conjunction with our main diocesan pilgrimage. The second is a pilgrimage to The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, taking place between 20-22 June. Find out more and register at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/youth/ministry/prayer-and-pilgrimage
God Bless and keep praying.
Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Fr. O'Brien