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
7th December 2025
Second Sunday of Advent
Masses
& Liturgies for the following week ...
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament
& Confessions
6pm Advent Weekday Mass
Saturday 6th December
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint Nicholas, Bishop (Memoria
St. Nicholas was bishop of Myra, in what is
now Turkey; he died in the fourth century in Eastern Europe. "Saint
Nicholas" distributes presents to children on this day, in remembrance of
his charity and care as a bishop.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of
Advent
Sunday 7th December
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Second Sunday of Advent
Monday 8th December
6pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament &
Confessions
7pm Mass, The
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Solemnity) and Consecration
of St Mary’s Parish
‘The
most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular
grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus
Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of
original sin.’ - Pope Pius IX
Tuesday
9th December
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament
6pm Advent Weekday Mass
Wednesday
10th December
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament
10am Mass, Our Lady of Loreto
(Memoria)
The shrine of Our Lady of Loreto
recalls the Holy House of Nazareth which, by ancient tradition, was transported
there miraculously.
9am Advent Weekday Mass
Friday 12th December
11am Funeral Service James Cowley RIP
5pm – 5:45pm Adoration of Blessed Sacrament
& Confessions
6pm Advent Weekday Mass
Saturday 13th December
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint
Lucy, Virgin & Martyr (Memoria)
St. Lucy, a Sicillian martyr who died in the
persecution of the fifth century under the Emperor Diocletian. She is an
example of faithfulness and innocence and her cult was very popular in the
early church.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Gaudete Sunday of Advent
Sunday 14th December
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Gaudete Sunday of
Advent
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (6th December – 12th December),
the Sanctuary Lamp is for Nikki Duhan.
Our Lady’s Lamp
This week (6th December – 12th December),
Our Lady’s Lamp is for Simpson and Catlow Family.
Last Week’s Offertory Collection
£593.36. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception - Monday
8th December
This Monday we will celebrate the beautiful
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception with a parish Mass at 7:00pm, and
everyone is warmly invited to come.
In preparation for this feast many families in
the parish have been welcoming the statue of Our Lady into their homes to pray
the rosary and countless others have been offering up a daily rosary for St.
Mary’s intentions. On the evening of Monday 8th December there
will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at 6:00pm and The Holy Rosary at
6:30pm.
During these times of prayer, we will place
before Our Lady the intention that our parish may continue to thrive, grow, and
be strengthened in faith, hope, and charity. At the 7:00pm Mass, Fr O’Brien
will lead us in a special act of Consecration of our parish to Our Lady,
entrusting ourselves to her motherly care. In this prayer of consecration, we
ask Mary to share with us the many graces God has bestowed upon her, that these
gifts may refresh, reinvigorate, and renew us as a parish family, helping us to
grow ever stronger in the love of her Son, Jesus. Let us come together in
devotion and unity as we honour Our Blessed Mother and entrust the future of
our parish to her gentle guidance and protection.
Mini Parish Jubilee Pilgrimage – Thank You
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined
and supported our Mini Parish Jubilee Pilgrimage last Saturday to the Holy Door
at St Mary of the Assumption, Burnley. It was a grace-filled afternoon of
prayer, fellowship, and renewal as we stepped through the Holy Door together.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Paul Pickles for organising and facilitating
the parish minibus, ensuring that all who wished to come were able to travel
with ease. Our warm thanks also go to the clergy and parish community at St Mary
of the Assumption, Burnley—to the Dean, Fr Featherstone, and Fr Theo Shorrocks,
the parish curate—for their welcome, their care during our visit, and the
refreshments so kindly prepared for us. As Fr Theo reminded us in his talk, the
Church grants three weeks either side of the pilgrimage in which to make a good
confession in order to receive the plenary indulgence attached to passing
through the Holy Door. Let us make the most of this spiritual opportunity.
Thank you once again to all who made the pilgrimage such a prayerful and
blessed occasion.
Confession Times at St Mary’s, Oswaldtwistle
Throughout Advent, Confession will also be
available in our parish:
Fridays: 5:00pm – 5:50pm
Saturdays: 9:00am – 9:50am
Let this holy season be a time of forgiveness,
renewal, and joyful return to the Lord who loves us.
St Mary’s Christmas Raffle – Donations Welcome
As we prepare for the joyful season of
Christmas, we are once again organising our Annual Parish Christmas Raffle, to
be drawn at the New Year’s Day Mass. We are kindly asking for donations of
bottles of wine or fizz, boxes of chocolates, or tins of biscuits to help make
up the prizes. All contributions, big or small, are very gratefully received.
Tickets: £1 each or £5 for a strip
Where to buy: Available from the stewards at
Mass
Where to leave donations: Please leave any
donated items at the stewards’ desk
All proceeds from the raffle go directly
towards supporting our parish. Thank you, as always, for your continued
generosity and support.
Advent Reading Recommendations
If you’d like something to accompany your
spiritual journey this Advent, here are a few excellent and accessible options:
“Advent of the Heart” – Fr Alfred Delp,
SJ
Short, powerful reflections written from
prison during WWII — full of hope and depth.
“Advent Gospel Reflections” – Bishop
Robert Barron & Word on Fire
Daily scripture reflections that are brief,
clear, and inspiring.
“Rejoice! An Advent Pilgrimage into the
Heart of Scripture” – Ascension Press
A simple, prayerful weekly guide to preparing
for Christmas.
“Soundings: Advent Readings” – C.S.
Lewis
Reflective pieces that invite deeper thought
and a renewed sense of wonder.
“Rooted in Hope” – A Carmelite Advent
Prayer Book
A contemplative approach to Advent, ideal for
quiet moments of prayer.
Choosing even a small book or daily reflection
can help make Advent a time of real renewal.
Caritas Salford Advent Appeal
Our diocesan charity, Caritas Salford, has
released its 2025 Advent appeal to shine the spotlight on the true meaning of
Christmas. To watch their latest animation and to find out more about how to
help local people who are facing acute crisis this Christmas, please
visit: https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/campaign/bee-there-2025/
Advice as energy bills continue to rise
If you or those in your wider parish community
are in need of support with rising energy bills, Caritas Salford has put
together some helpful advice on their website. Their energy advice service team
can support with free sessions and drop-ins in your area. You can find out more
by visiting www.caritassalford.org.uk/energysupport
Christmas Celebrations at St Mary’s- Please
Save the Dates
As we look forward to the joyful celebration
of the Nativity of Our Lord, here are the times for our Christmas liturgies.
Please pop these dates into your diaries and join us as we gather in faith,
hope, and gratitude.
Christmas Eve – Tuesday 24th December
Carols Around the Crib – 5:00pm
A gentle and family-friendly time of carol
singing and reflection as we prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus.
Family Christmas Eve Mass – 5:30pm
A joyful celebration of the Lord’s birth,
especially welcoming to children and families.
Christmas Day – Wednesday 25th December
Carols Around the Crib – 9:30am
Come early and join in singing traditional
carols as we gather at the manger of Christ.
Christmas Day Mass – 10:00am
The solemn and joyful celebration of Christmas
morning.
Let us come together as a parish family to
welcome the Light of Christ into our hearts and homes this Christmas.
Relics of St Carlo Acutis to Visit Diocese of
Salford
In January, the relics of St Carlo Acutis will
be hosted at two of our churches over five days, during which time the Diocese
will welcome schools, parishioners and people from all over for veneration.
Carlo is the first millennial saint and is celebrated for his profound faith
and his use of the internet to log Eucharistic miracles from around the world.
He was passionate about spreading the teachings of the Catholic Church up until
his death from leukaemia at the age of 15. The relics will be presented at St
Mary’s Church, Burnley from 28-29 January 2026 before they travel to St
Patrick’s Church, Collyhurst from 30 January to 1 February 2026. More
information will be shared soon with parishes and on the Diocesan website and
social media channels.
Laudato Si' Centre Volunteer Call-out: Retired Educators
The Diocese of Salford's Environment Team is
inviting retired education staff to volunteer at the Laudato Si' Centre to
assist with their successful programme of school visits. Volunteers would be
supporting sessions with children from nursery age to Year 11 with activities
including arts and crafts, games, and foraging. To find out more, please
email laudatosi@dioceseofsalford.org.uk