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 31st May
Most Holy Trinity
The Most Holy Trinity by St. Faustina:
"When One of the Three Persons communicates with a soul, by the power of that one will, it finds itself united with the Three Persons and is inundated in the happiness flowing from the Most Holy Trinity, the same happiness that nourishes the saints. This same happiness that streams from the Most Holy Trinity makes all creation happy; from it springs that life which vivifies and bestows all life which takes its beginning from Him."
Saturday 30th May
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Votive Mass of Our Lady
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for The Most Holy Trinity
Sunday 31st May
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for The Most Holy Trinity
Tuesday 2nd June
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Weekday Mass (Feria)
Wednesday 3rd June
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs (Memoria)
Thursday 4th June
9:15am Weekday Mass (Feria)
Friday 5th June
12pm Wedding Service for Liesel Baron & Paul Green
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Mass, Saint Boniface, Bishop & Martyr (Memoria)
Saturday 6th June
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Votive Mass of Our Lady
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Corpus Christi (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)
There will be Benediction at the end of Mass for this great solemnity
Sunday 7th June
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass of Corpus Christi (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)
There will be Benediction at the end of Mass for this great solemnity
3pm Deanery Corpus Christi Procession (St Mary Magdalene’s RC Church, Burnley BB12 0JP)
Our Lady's Lamp
This week 30th May – 5th June) Our Lady's Lamp is for Hughes and Shorrock Family.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£525.35. Thank you for your kind generosity.
The Most Holy Trinity
This weekend the Church celebrates the great Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — the central mystery of our Christian faith. We believe in one God in three Divine Persons: the Father who created us, the Son who redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit who sanctifies and guides us. Every time we make the Sign of the Cross we profess this faith in the Holy Trinity. At all Masses this weekend, the Penitential Rite will be omitted and replaced with the Blessing and Sprinkling of Holy Water (Asperges). This beautiful rite reminds us of our own Baptism, when the name of the Blessed Trinity was invoked over us: “I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Parishioners are warmly invited to bring small empty bottles or containers to Mass in order to take some of the blessed water home for prayer and devotion. You may wish to use it to bless yourself or your children and grandchildren before bed each night, keep some in a small bowl or stoup at the entrance of your home, or take some to relatives, neighbours or friends who are housebound or unable to come to church. May this feast of the Holy Trinity renew in all of us the grace of our Baptism and the awareness that God dwells among His people in love.
God Bless Fr O’Brien
Saturday Vigil Mass Readers
We are looking for more parishioners to volunteer to read at the Saturday evening Mass. Proclaiming the Word of God is a valued ministry within our parish community, and we warmly encourage anyone who may be interested to take part. A sign-up sheet is available at the back of the church for those willing to volunteer or find out more information.
Deanery Corpus Christi Procession – 3pm Sunday 7th June
The Deanery Corpus Christi Procession is now not too far away, and I would again warmly encourage parishioners to consider attending this special afternoon of prayer and devotion in honour of Our Eucharistic Lord. 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 Catholics gathered publicly to give glory to God and witness to our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Sadly, in many places this tradition has diminished over the years. In response to this, the St John Vianney Deanery is organising a Corpus Christi Procession on Sunday 7th June at 3pm – 4pm at St Mary Magdalene’s RC Church, Burnley, BB12 0JP. The afternoon will include the Blessed Sacrament Procession, Eucharistic devotions, reflections from some of the deanery clergy, and the opportunity for the Sacrament of Confession. Thanks to the generosity of Paul and Jennifer Pickles, there will also be a minibus available from St Mary’s for parishioners who would like to attend but do not have access to transport. A sign-up sheet is now available at the stewards’ desk for those wishing to reserve a place. Occasions like these are so important for us as Catholics. They help us to strengthen and encourage one another in faith, and to gather together in prayer before Jesus truly present in the Eucharist. What makes such moments truly prayerful and grace-filled is simply this: that we come. That we accept the Lord’s invitation to be with Him. The Lord himself asks: “Could you not watch one hour with me?” (Matt 26:40). All are warmly welcome. Fr. O’Brien
Spend Some Time With the Lord This June
Throughout the month of June, St Mary’s Church will be open every Friday from 3:00pm until 9:00pm for extended Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. In a world that is often busy, noisy and anxious, the Lord simply invites us to come and be with Him. These hours of Adoration are an opportunity to step away from the pressures of life and spend time in the peace and silence of Christ’s Real Presence. Why not make a little visit to church each Friday during June? Even if only for a few minutes, come and sit quietly with the Lord. Bring a friend, neighbour or family member along too. Many churches today are no longer open for extended periods of prayer, but here at St Mary’s we are trying to create that opportunity for people to “pop into church” and spend time with Jesus. Each Friday from 3:00pm until 9:00pm the church will remain open for anyone who wishes to come and pray, to listen, and simply to rest in the Lord’s presence — allowing Him to strengthen, heal, console and love us in the quietness of Eucharistic Adoration. The Fridays are: 5th June, 12th June, 19th June and 26th June.
The afternoon and evening will follow this pattern:
3:00pm – Divine Mercy Chaplet & Adoration
5:00pm – Confessions
6:00pm – Holy Mass
6:30pm – Continued Adoration
8:50pm – Benediction
“All who are thirsty, come to the water…” (Isaiah 55:1)
Pope Leo XIV – Magnifica Humanitas
The Holy Father has recently published his first encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas (“The Greatness of Humanity”), reflecting on the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence. The Pope recognises that we are living through a profound moment of change in human history. At the heart of the encyclical is the dignity of the human person, which must always remain the guiding principle for scientific and technological progress. Drawing upon the rich tradition of Catholic Social Teaching, Pope Leo reminds us of the importance of the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity in responding to the challenges and opportunities of our age. Rather than a culture of power, division and war, he calls humanity to build a “civilisation of love” founded upon justice, dialogue, peace and shared responsibility. All Catholic’s are warmly encouraged to read this important and thought-provoking document. The full text of the encyclical can be found on the Vatican website:
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html
Cause for Beatification of Pedro Ballester
The Diocese of Salford are pleased to announce the opening of the Cause for the Beatification and Canonisation of Pedro Ballester, a young Manchester man whose life of faith and witness continues to inspire many. Pedro died on 13 January 2018 at the age of 21. Born in Manchester in 1996, he grew up in a Catholic family and was widely known for his warmth, generosity and dedication. In his late teens, he committed his life fully to God as a member of Opus Dei, dedicating himself to its apostolic work. For more information about Pedro please see the following link - https://www.pedroballester.org.uk/about/who-is-pedro
Donate in memory this Father's Day
Donating to our diocesan charity Caritas Salford in someone's name is a special way to honour their memory while supporting people experiencing poverty, homelessness or isolation in our parishes. This Father's Day, if you'd like to make an in memory donation, please visit the special space on the Caritas Salford website for remembering a loved one. This also includes setting up a funeral collection in lieu of flowers and creating a personalised tribute memory page to save photos and messages. Please visit www.caritassalford.org.uk/InMemory to access the relevant links or contact Kirstie Davidson for more information on 0161 817 2281.
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/.
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