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Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church
Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle
Lancashire
BB5 3EZ
Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. S D O'Brien
Parish Administrator: Ciara Kelly
Tel: 01254-232433
Email: stmarysoswaldtwistle@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Sunday 24th August 2025
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Masses & Liturgies for the following week ...
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady (In the Lady Chapel)
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 24th August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Tuesday 26th August
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Blessed Dominic of the Mother of God (Memoria)
Blessed Dominic Barberi was born in Viterbo in 1792; he became a Passionist and traveled to England in 1841; here he worked tirelessly, establishing four Passionist houses and bringing many people into the Church by his preaching and writing; he received St. John Henry Newman into the Church. He died at Reading in 1849.
Wednesday 27th August
6pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
7pm Mass, Saint Monica (Memoria) 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.
Thursday 28th August
10am Requiem Mass for Audrey Keane RIP
Friday 29th August
5pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm 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)
Saturday 30th August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, 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.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 24th August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (23rd August – 29th August), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Hilda & Derek Cruise.
Our Lady's Lamp
This week (23rd August – 29th August), Our Lady's Lamp is for Gertrude & Richard Henry.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£644.60. 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 Wednesday, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Monica, a time to unite in prayer, following her example, for our loved ones who struggle with their faith—whether they've distanced themselves from the Sacraments or have simply stopped practicing. We will gather for Holy Mass at 7pm, followed by the opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Monica and seek her intercession. A prayer box will be placed in front of her statue in the sanctuary, inviting all to write the names of family and friends in need of her prayers. Please join us and share this invitation so others may come and receive the blessings of this special occasion.
Thank You
On behalf of the parish, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Fr. Adam for joining us last week at St. Mary's to celebrate the Masses. It was a great comfort to have time away, knowing that the parish was in such capable hands.
St. Mary's Celebratory Afternoon Tea
Join us on Monday 8th September, at 1:30pm for a delightful Celebratory Afternoon Tea, for our parish feast day – Our Lady's Birthday. Enjoy a selection of delicious sandwiches, tempting cakes, and traditional scones with jam and cream. There will also be some live entertainment. Tickets are £15 per person, available on a first-come, first-served basis from the stewards' desk. As numbers are limited, tickets will only be reserved when accompanied by payment. The booking sheet is now available. Please see any of the stewards at the 6:30pm Vigil Mass and the 10am Sunday Mass.
St. Mary's Prayer Visitors (PVs)
During his visits to parishioners, Fr. O'Brien has encountered individuals who, while having access to the Sacraments through the parish priest and extraordinary ministers
of Holy Communion, would also find great comfort and support in having someone pray with them outside of these sacramental visits.
Prayer Visitor Role
A Prayer Visitor (PV) is a parishioner in good standing with the Church, who has completed the required safeguarding checks (DBS & Salford Diocesan Volunteer Registration) and received initial formation from the parish priest. The parish priest will direct PVs to parishioners who would greatly benefit from having others pray with them. PVs will visit individuals who have been first assessed by the priest, and they will always visit in pairs—not alone. It's important to note that PVs are not social workers, home care providers, or messengers. Their sole mission is to pray with others within the parish boundaries. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:20)
If you feel called to become a Prayer Visitor, please contact Fr. O'Brien through the parish office at stmarysoswaldtwistle@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Date for you Diaries…
St. Mary's Parish Feast & Celebration, Friday 5th September – Monday 8th September 2025.
Friday 5th September: Day of Healing 6pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions. 7pm Healing Mass, with the Sacrament of the Sick and a Eucharist Healing Procession.
Saturday 6th September: Day of Intercession 9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions, 10am Votive Mass of Our Lady, 6pm The Holy Rosary, 6:30pm the Vigil Mass followed by a Torchlight Procession to the Grotto
Sunday 7th September: Day of Resurrection 9:30am The Holy Rosary, 10am Mass beginning with the procession of the statue of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle around the church,
Monday 8th September: Day of Celebration 9:30am The Holy Rosary, 10am Feast Day Mass, 1:30pm Celebratory Afternoon Tea, 6pm Feast Day Mass
If any parishioners would like to volunteer their time and facilitate an event, especially on the Sunday afternoon, 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.
Jubilee for the Environment
This September, we celebrate the Jubilee for the Environment with a beautiful Outdoor Mass at the Laudato Si' Centre at 9.30am on Monday 1st September. For more information and to register, please email laudatosi@dioceseofsalford.org.uk.
Jubilee for Social Justice Event (with free transport offer)
The Caritas Social Action Network will be hosting a Jubilee of Social Justice for all those interested in Catholic social action. The event takes place on Saturday 20 September from 12noon at Liverpool Met Cathedral and will include Mass with Most Rev. Malcolm McMahon OP Emeritus Archbishop of Liverpool, followed by light lunch, a social action exhibition, and reflections from leaders in Catholic Social Action. Our diocesan charity Caritas Salford is providing a free coach for those from our diocese who are interested in attending. Find out more or book a place by visiting their website: www.caritassalford.org.uk/SocialJusticeJubilee
Marriage Support & Healing
MARRIAGE HELP - Retrouvaille helps couples find hope and healing for their marriage. Next date: 17th-19th Oct. www.retrouvaille.org.uk Tel: 0788 7296983
Job Vacancies
The Diocese of Salford is recruiting for a number of roles in the diocesan property team, as well as in our parish clubs. To find out more, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/