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 2nd August 2026
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Friday 31st July
5pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions
6pm Mass, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest (Memoria)
St. Ignatius was born in 1491. After life in the army, he converted to a deep spiritual life. He studied in Paris and gathered companions around himself, who later became the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). They were effective in teaching and evangelising. He died in 1556.
Saturday 1st August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (Memoria)
St. Alphonsus Liguori, after a career as a lawyer, he became a priest and founded the Redemptorists. He wrote on Moral Theology and was vigorous in combating Jansenism. He died in 1787
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 2nd August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Tuesday 4th August
5pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Mass, Saint John Mary Vianney, Priest (Memoria)
St. John Mary Vianney was born in Lyons in 1786. After years of struggle he was ordained and sent to Ars, where by preaching and holiness he drew people back to the sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Confession. He died in 1859.
Wednesday 5th August
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Memoria)
The doctrine of Mary, Mother of God was proclaimed as the Council Ephesus (431 A.D.); Pope Sixtus III erected a Basilica on the Esquiline Hill in Rome to honor her which became later known as Saint Mary Major.
10:35am Devotions to Saint Joseph
(At the foot of the parish statue of St. Joseph, see below for more details)
Thursday 6th August
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Mass, for the Transfiguration of the Lord
Friday 7th August
3.00pm Divine Mercy Chaplet and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
5.00pm Opportunity for the Sacrament of Confession
6.00pm Holy Mass
6.30pm – 9.00pm Continued Eucharistic Adoration
8.50pm Solemn Benediction
Saturday 8th August
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, Saint Dominic, Priest (Memoria)
St. Dominic, born in 1170 in Spain, Dominic became a priest and after strenuous preaching against the Albigensians he founded the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) to continue his work. He died in 1221.
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 9th August
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£488.06.
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (1st August – 7th August), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Audrey Keane.
Our Lady’s Lamp
This Week (1st August – 7th August), Our Lady’s Lamp is for Raymond Davitt.
Devotions to Saint Joseph
On Wednesday 5th August, after the 10am Mass, there will be our first Wednesday devotions to St. Joseph (at the foot of his statue at the back of church). The devotions will include praying the Litany of St. Joseph, the Memorare of St. Joseph and the Prayer of the Holy Cloak Novena. In these devotions our prayer is to ask St. Joseph to pray for our parish family and for those who have wandered away from Church, that they may return and find a warm welcome.
First Friday Eucharistic Adoration - “Could You Not Watch One Hour With Me?”
Earlier this summer, during the month of June, we introduced extended Eucharistic Adoration each Friday in response to the many parishioners who had expressed a desire for more opportunities to spend time with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. I am delighted to say that the response was wonderful. Throughout the month, many people came to pray, to find peace and stillness, to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession and above all to spend time with the Eucharistic Jesus in His Real Presence. It has been a source of many quiet graces, with parishioners speaking of a renewed closeness to the Lord and a deeper appreciation of the gift of the Holy Eucharist. Because of this encouraging response, I am very pleased to announce that extended Eucharistic Adoration will now take place on the First Friday of every month, beginning on Friday 7th August, following the same timetable:
3.00pm — Divine Mercy Chaplet and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
5.00pm — Opportunity for the Sacrament of Confession
6.00pm — Holy Mass
6.30pm – 9.00pm — Continued Eucharistic Adoration
8.50pm — Solemn Benediction
For this beautiful ministry to continue, we do need your help. The Church asks that the Blessed Sacrament is never left unattended, so we are looking for at least two parishioners to commit to each hour of Adoration. If you would be willing to offer just one hour each month to keep watch with the Lord, I would be most grateful. A First Friday Adoration sign-up sheet is now available on the noticeboard at the back of church. Whether you are able to come regularly or only occasionally, your generosity will help ensure that this important time of prayer can continue. The forthcoming First Friday dates are: Friday 7th August, Friday 4th September, Friday 2nd October, Friday 6th November, Friday 4th December
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked His disciples, "Could you not watch one hour with me?" (Matthew 26:40). Those words remain His invitation to each of us today. In the midst of busy lives, an hour spent before the Blessed Sacrament is never wasted. It is an opportunity to rest in His presence, to entrust our burdens to Him, to pray for our families and our parish, and simply to be with the One who waits for us in love. As St John Vianney beautifully said: "He is there. He is waiting for you." I hope many more parishioners will discover the peace, strength and joy that come from spending time before Our Eucharistic Lord. God Bless, Fr O'Brien
Please contact your MP to oppose assisted suicide
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is back in the House of Commons and seeks to legalise assisted suicide. It will have its Second Reading and vote on Friday, 11th September 2026. Please write to your MP to make your voice heard and oppose the Bill. “This bill is wrong in principle,” says Archbishop Richard Moth, President of the Bishops’ Conference, “It is also deeply flawed and, if passed, could lead to vulnerable people feeling pressured into ending their lives. The Bill has a serious lack of protection for health and social care staff and risks putting many wonderful hospices and care homes in the position of no longer being able to operate. I urge you to write to your Members of Parliament to petition them to vote against the Bill at Second Reading.”
You can support the Archbishop’s call and contact your MP now as a matter of urgency. Even if you have already done so in the past, please speak up and voice your opposition. The charity Right to Life UK has a simple online mechanism to do this. It takes little more than a few minutes to enter your postcode, make sure the suggested text suits your viewpoint and submit your message to ask your MP to stop this flawed Bill progressing through parliament.
For more information and resources, visit:
cbcew.org.uk/opposing-assisted-suicide
righttolife.org.uk/Sept11vote
Keep the Date Free – Parish Feast of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle
Tuesday 8th September 2026
I would like to encourage every parishioner to keep Tuesday 8th September free in your diary if at all possible, as we celebrate the Parish Feast of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle. Many people are unaware that when our church was solemnly dedicated in 1948, it was consecrated on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Our Lady's Birthday). Since that day, our parish has been placed under Our Lady's loving care and protection. It is therefore fitting that, each year, we celebrate this feast together and entrust ourselves once again to Mary, asking her to lead us ever more closely to her Son, Jesus Christ. This year we will mark our Parish Feast with a special Day of Healing and Prayer, offering opportunities throughout the day to receive the Lord's grace through prayer, the sacraments and fellowship.
Programme for the Day
10.00am – The Holy Rosary
Children from our three parish primary schools – Sacred Heart, St Mary's and St Oswald's – will lead us in praying the Rosary as we honour Our Blessed Lady.
12.00 noon – Eucharistic Adoration and the Sacrament of Confession
The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for Adoration, and several visiting priests will be available throughout this time to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
1.00pm – Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
During Mass there will also be the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
7.00pm – Evening Healing Service
We will conclude the day with a simple service of prayer for healing, including the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and individual prayer ministry.
Whether you are seeking healing in body, mind or spirit, wishing to return to the Sacrament of Confession, or simply wanting to spend time in prayer with Our Lord and Our Lady, I warmly invite you to join us for all or part of this special day. Please keep this date free and pray that our Parish Feast may be a day of abundant grace, healing and renewal for our whole parish community. Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.
God Bless. Fr O'Brien
Save the Date – Annual Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle Sunday Afternoon Tea
As part of our celebrations for the Feast of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, there will be the Annual Sunday Afternoon Tea on the 6th September. At the 10.00am Parish Mass, our beautiful statue of Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle will once again be carried in procession around the church as we honour Our Blessed Lady and entrust our parish to her loving care. In the afternoon, we will gather for our much-loved Parish Afternoon Tea—a wonderful opportunity to celebrate together, enjoy good company, and strengthen the friendships that make our parish such a welcoming community. Further details, including information about tickets for the Afternoon Tea, will be available soon. Watch this space!
Services to Support Local People
Caritas Salford runs a wide range of community and outreach services to help people in our diocesan communities who are experiencing poverty, homelessness, isolation and discrimination. If you, or someone you know, might benefit from their support, you can find details on their website: www.caritassalford.org.uk/services
Love Knitting, Crocheting, Sewing or Making?
Our diocesan charity, Caritas Salford, is looking for creative parishioners who might be able to help them raise funds to help support people in our parish communities who are experiencing poverty and homelessness. They're looking for people who can either make items to sell in aid of the charity, or groups of people from our parishes who can be paired with local schools to help knit hats and scarves for pupils to wear in their Big Sleep Out fundraisers. If you can help, please get in touch with the team at fundraising@caritassalford.org.uk or call 0161 817 2250.
New Volunteering Role at Caritas Salford
Our diocesan charity Caritas Salford has a team of almost 200 amazing volunteers, all of whom support their work with people in our parishes who are experiencing poverty, homelessness and discrimination. The team is looking for suitable volunteers who would be interested in giving a little time to work alongside families at their young parent accommodation in Blackburn - supporting and facilitating activities with the babies and their parents. All roles will be subject to an enhanced disclosure and barring check. To find out more about this or other volunteering opportunities with the charity, visit www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer or contact Matt Yates: m.yates@caritassalford.org.uk
Fancy a Walk?
Caritas Salford is organising a 6-mile scenic, circular sponsored hike in Lancashire, along the delightful Downham Trail. Taking place on 5 September, the walk is an undulating route with the potential for expansive views from the summit of Beacon Fell.
Visit www.caritassalford.org.uk/LancsWalk for more information or to register for your free place.