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 1st March 2026
Second Sunday of Lent
Saturday 28th February
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for First Sunday of Lent
Sunday 1st March
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the First Sunday of Lent
Wednesday 4th March
10am Lenten Mass with St Oswald’s, Sacred Heart and St Mary’s Schools.
(Followed by Stations of the Cross)
7pm Parish Bible Study
Thursday 5th March
9:30am Lenten Mass
7pm Deanery Lenten Station Mass with Bishop John Arnold
at St John’s RC Church, Padiham with
Friday 6th March
5pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Lenten Mass (followed by Stations of the Cross led by Parishioners)
Saturday 7th March
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Lenten Mass
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Third Sunday of Lent
Sunday 8th March
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Third Sunday of Lent
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (28th February – 6th March) the Sanctuary Lamp is for Catlow and Simpson Family.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£643.96. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Parish Lenten Retreat 2026 – A Word of Thanks
Following our three grace-filled evenings together at the beginning of Lent, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Angela McMorrow for the beautiful way she led our Parish Lenten Retreat. Angela’s gentle style and deep serenity were truly palpable throughout the three days. Through her reflections on Faith and on Our Lady as Spouse of the Holy Spirit and Woman of the Eucharist, she inspired many of us to encounter the Lord in fresh ways — yet always in ways deeply rooted in our Catholic tradition and culture: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Rosary, Confession, and Holy Mass.
The atmosphere of prayer each evening was a real testament to the openness of our parish community to the grace of the Holy Spirit. My heartfelt thanks also go to everyone who helped make the retreat such a prayerful and welcoming experience: the parishioners and visitors who supported it by their presence; our musicians and singers who enriched the liturgy; our stewards, readers, and altar servers; and those who so generously organised refreshments and tea breaks each evening. Thank you for the generosity of your time, service, and prayer. May the fruits of these days continue to unfold in our parish throughout this holy season of Lent. God bless, Fr O’Brien
Welcome
This weekend we warmly welcome Fr Ethelbert (St Wulstan’s, Great Harwood), who will be celebrating our weekend Masses. Fr Ethelbert is well known to us here at St Mary’s, and we are grateful for his continued generosity in supplying for the parish. Please be sure to give him a warm St Mary’s welcome. Fr O’Brien is away at the St Thomas Centre in the Diocese of Northampton undertaking a School of Encounter Ministries – Healing weekend. Encounter Ministries is a Catholic organisation dedicated to helping people unleash the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in the world. Through teaching, equipping, and activating disciples, it seeks to enable Catholics to demonstrate the love of God through the power of the Holy Spirit within their own spheres of influence. Please keep Fr O’Brien and all those attending the weekend in your prayers as they learn new skills to convey the Gospel to us their parish families.
Parish Bible Study – The Acts of the Apostles
Wednesday 4th March: 7.00–8.00pm
All are warmly invited to our next Parish Bible Study as we continue our journey through the Acts of the Apostles. So far, we have explored Acts chapters 1–15 — an extraordinary account of how the early Church was born and began to grow. Among the dramatic moments we have reflected on:
The Ascension of the Lord and the choosing of Matthias
Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit
Peter’s powerful preaching and the rapid growth of the Church
Miracles, healings, and bold witness despite persecution
The martyrdom of Stephen
The dramatic conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus
The missionary journeys of Paul and Barnabas
The baptism of Cornelius and the opening of the Church to the Gentiles
The Council of Jerusalem and the decision that shaped the Church’s future
On Wednesday 4th March, we will move on to Acts chapters 16 and 17, following St Paul’s missionary travels into Europe — including imprisonment, conversion, and courageous preaching in new lands. Whether you have attended from the beginning or would like to join for the first time, you are most welcome. No prior knowledge is needed — just bring your Bible and an open heart.
Deanery Lenten Station Mass
On Thursday 5th March, our Deanery of St John Vianney — comprising the parishes of Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale — will gather for our traditional Lenten Station Mass. This year the Mass will be celebrated at St John’s Church, Padiham, at 7.00pm, with the Bishop celebrating the Mass. The Station Mass is a beautiful Lenten tradition within the Diocese, bringing together the clergy and faithful of our deanery for prayer, penance, and renewal during this holy season. All are warmly encouraged to attend.
Permanent Diaconate 'Come and See' Event
Could you be called to serve the church as a Permanent Deacon? If you are a Catholic man interested in learning more about the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Salford, please come along to our ‘Come and See’ event. This is a chance to discuss and learn more about the ministry. This event takes place from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday 7 March at St Mary’s Church, Hall Burnley, BB10 4AU.
For more information about the Diaconate, please email diaconate@dioceseofsalford.org.uk or visit the diocesan website here: www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/faith/vocations/permanent-diaconate/
Safeguarding and Our Parish Volunteers
The parish would like to take this opportunity to express sincere thanks to all our volunteers, whose generosity of time, talents and commitment makes such a vital contribution to parish life. Everything that happens in the parish is supported by people who give freely and faithfully, and this is deeply appreciated by both the parish and the Diocese. As part of diocesan safeguarding procedures, all parish volunteers across the Diocese are being asked to complete a volunteer information form. Many have already completed this process. The purpose is to ensure that volunteers are properly supported, that accurate emergency contact details are held, and that everyone can continue their role with confidence and peace of mind. In recent weeks, a number of volunteers have kindly been coming to the parish office on Fridays to share their details with the parish safeguarding representative, Vinette Davitt. This has been greatly appreciated. The Diocese is grateful for the time and cooperation shown and wishes to emphasise that every volunteer is valued and supported. Vinette Davitt and Ciara Kelly, the parish administrator, have already begun contacting volunteers and assisting them with completing the necessary forms. Over the coming weeks, it is hoped that this process will be completed. If you have not yet been contacted, please do not worry—no one has been overlooked, and Vinette or Ciara will be in touch in due course. Thank you once again to all our volunteers for everything you do and for your continued generosity in serving the parish.
The Catholic Post
This weekend, The Catholic Post has kindly supplied the parish with complimentary copies of its publication, available at the back of church. Please do take a copy home with you. If you would like to receive future editions, further information and subscription details can be found at: www.CatholicPost.co.uk
Caritas Salford - Pray, Fast, Give
This Lent, visit Caritas Salford's website for a range of free resources and information for your parish community as you pray, fast and give this Lent: www.caritassalford.org.uk/Lent
Lourdes - Diocesan Youth Group
Are you a young person looking to take part in a pilgrimage this year? Do you want to make new friends, build community and grow in your faith? Why not join the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. It's simple to sign up and you can join a new "group" led by the Diocesan Youth Department. The pilgrimage and travel dates are 29th July to 6th August. The cost is £695 and this includes coach travel and full board hotel accommodation (Astoria Hotel). Young people can join in 3 age groups 13-15 (aspiring volunteers), 16-17 and 18+. If you are interested, please email youth@dioceseofsalford.org.uk for details of how to register.
Laudato Si' Centre Parish Awards 2026
The inaugural Laudato Si’ Centre Parish Awards will take place this year - the Year of St Francis. Inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical, the awards are open to parish communities who take part in practical action that supports environmental stewardship and/or social justice, showing faith-filled care for God's creation. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a presentation at Wardley Hall where they will receive a certificate in recognition of their work, presented by Bishop John. Please email laudatosi@dioceseofsalford.org.uk for a nomination form. The deadline for nominations is Friday 27 March.