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 16th May
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Saturday 16th May
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Easter Weekday Mass
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
Sunday 17th May
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
Friday 22nd May
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Easter Weekday Mass
Saturday 23rd May
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Pentecost Sunday
Sunday 24th May
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Pentecost Sunday
The Sanctuary Lamp
This Week (16th May – 22nd May), The Sanctuary Lamp is for Denis Higgins.
Our Lady’s Lamp
This Week (16th May – 22nd May), Our Lady’s Lamp is for Michael and Beverley Flanagan and Family.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£744.08. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Gift Aid Envelope number 60
If you currently have Gift Aid envelope number 60, please speak to a steward as soon as possible. It appears that this envelope has been taken in error and belongs to another parishioner. We are unable to claim Gift Aid on donations when we do not know who the claimant is for a particular envelope, so it is important that Gift Aid envelope number 60 is returned to the correct person. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Funerals and Prayer for the Faithful Departed
Sadly, many families within our parish community are presently experiencing periods of loss and grief following the deaths of loved ones. We ask you to keep them all in your prayers at this difficult time. For those who may wish to support the families through attendance and prayer, the following funeral arrangements are forthcoming:
Wednesday 27th May – 10:00am
Requiem Mass for Eileen Aspin RIP
Friday 29th May – 10:00am
Requiem Mass for Robert “Bobby” Doolin RIP
We are also awaiting formal confirmation regarding the funeral arrangements for Gerry Keenan RIP, who died recently. At present, the proposed arrangement is:
Tuesday 26th May – 11:00am (to be confirmed) Requiem Mass for Gerry Keenan RIP
Please keep all these members of our St. Mary’s parish family in your prayers.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.
Saint Carlo Acutis — A Saint for Our Young People
Following last weekend’s Masses, it was wonderful to see so many of our young parishioners excited and engaged by the arrival of our new statue of Saint Carlo Acutis. In a particular way, many of the children and young people attending the Vigil Mass were fascinated to discover that a saint could wear trainers and look so relatable to modern life. For some of them, it sparked the beautiful thought that perhaps they too could one day become saints like Carlo. To witness young people speaking about the faith with such enthusiasm and curiosity was a real blessing and encouragement for our parish community. Moments like these remind us that there truly is hope for the future of the Church, and we are blessed to have Saint Carlo praying for our children, grandchildren, and young people. As previously announced, the statue — beautifully carved from wood and crafted in Italy — has been generously funded through the kindness and support of our parish community. We also remain deeply grateful to Glen Leyland for generously sharing his gifts as a carpenter in crafting the plinth on which the statue now stands.
We warmly remind parishioners that the Bishop will formally bless the statue on Tuesday 30th June at 7:00pm, and everyone is warmly invited to attend this special occasion. We are also delighted that the Bishop will bring a relic of Saint Carlo Acutis for veneration, a relic gifted through the family and support network connected to Saint Carlo himself. This promises to be a particularly prayerful and grace-filled evening for our parish community.
Congratulations to Our First Holy Communion Children
Over these past weeks, it has been a great joy for our parish community to witness the faith, reverence, and enthusiasm of many of our young parishioners as they prepare for and celebrate their First Holy Communion. We give thanks to God for Hannah, Jude, Molly, and Nancy, who have all made their First Holy Communion over the last two weeks. Please continue to keep them and their families in your prayers as they continue their journey of faith. We also pray for Alan, Amanda, Lilly, and Pola, who are due to make their First Holy Communion at the end of this month. May this time of preparation be one filled with grace, joy, and a deeper love for Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
Please also remember in your prayers Adam, Aemelia, Alex, Arthur, Flynn, Freddy, and Theo, who are currently attending catechism classes with Fr O’Brien as they learn about the Sacrament of Confession and prepare to make their First Holy Communion during the summer months. Seeing so many young people and families engaging with the life of the Church is a real blessing and encouragement for our parish community. If any families living within the parish would like their children to begin preparation for the Sacraments, (They must be 7+ and live in St Mary’s parish boundaries) please contact Ciara (parish administrator): stmarysoswaldtwistle@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
or speak to Fr O’Brien after the Mass you and our family usually attend.
Deanery Corpus Christi Procession – Sunday 7th June
Many of our parishioners will remember the beautiful Corpus Christi processions that were once such a familiar and cherished part of Catholic life. These were wonderful occasions when we came together publicly to give glory to God and to witness to our faith in the Eucharistic Lord. Sadly, in many places, this tradition has waned over the years. Following the visit of the relics of St Carlo Acutis to the Diocese in February, many people were inspired anew by the deep Eucharistic faith of this young saint, who reminded us that: “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.” Since then, there has been a real desire among the faithful to respond to this call to rediscover the centrality of the Eucharist in our lives. In response, the St John Vianney Deanery is organising a Corpus Christi Procession on Sunday 7th June at 3.00pm at St Mary Magdalene’s RC Church, Burnley. The afternoon will include the Blessed Sacrament procession, devotions, reflections from some of the deanery priests, and the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession. What makes such an occasion truly prayerful—what makes it a moment of grace where faith is deepened and love for the Lord renewed—is simply this: that we come. That we accept the invitation.
The Lord himself beckons us:
“Could you not watch one hour with me?” (Matthew 26:40)
and again, in the mystery of the Eucharist:
“Do you also wish to go away?” (John 6:67)
He calls each of us personally. All are warmly welcome. The Lord is calling—will you come and be with Him?
Day for Life – Sunday 21 June 2026
Every individual, precisely by reason of the mystery of the Word of God Who was made flesh (Jn 1:14), is entrusted to the maternal care of the Church. Therefore every threat to human dignity and life must necessarily be felt in the Church’s very heart; it cannot but affect her at the core of her faith in the Redemptive Incarnation of the Son of God, and engage her in her mission of proclaiming the Gospel of life in all the world and to every creature (Mk 16:15). - Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) by Pope Saint John Paul II
There will be a Novena in preparation for the Day for Life which will run from Saturday 23rd May to the Feast of the Visitation (Sunday 31st May). This is the third year in which the Dioceses of England and Wales will join with those of Scotland and Ireland to pray this Novena. It will be available on the Bishops’ Conference website, as well as at https://prayforlife.ie/.
Free energy bill advice from Caritas
If you are worried about rising energy costs, our diocesan charity Caritas Salford runs a range of free drop-in advice sessions to help with everything from energy debt to making your home more energy efficient. You can find out more about these and other ways the team can help people across Greater Manchester and Lancashire on the Caritas website at www.caritassalford.org.uk/energysupport
Caritas Volunteer Week
From 1 to 7 June it is national Volunteer Week, with various celebrations and activities taking place across the UK. Our diocesan charity, Caritas Salford, has a wide range of volunteering opportunities available to help support their work with people in Greater Manchester and Lancashire who are experiencing homelessness, poverty and discrimination. If you have a passion or skillset you'd like to share with others, you can find out more about the volunteering opportunities available on their website at www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer or contact Matt Yates at m.yates@caritassalford.org.uk