Fourth Sunday of Easter - Sunday 21st April 2024

Sunday 21^st April 2024

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…

Friday 19^th April

5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

6pm Easter Weekday Mass

Saturday 20^th April

9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

10am Easter Weekday Mass (In the Lady Chapel)

6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World

6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Sunday 21^st April

9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World

10am Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Tuesday 23^rd April

1pm – 3pm St George's Day Celebration – All Welcome (see below for details)

5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

6pm Mass, Saint George, Martyr & Patron of England (Solemnity)

St. George was martyred at Lydda (Israel) around 303 A.D, in the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. His cult, which predates the legend of his slaying the dragon, spread quickly through the East and West. King Richard I of England placed his army under his protection and in 1222 his feast was proclaimed a national holiday.

Wednesday 24^th April

9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

10am Easter Weekday Mass

7pm – 8pm Parish Bible Study Group (see below for details)

Thursday 25^th April

2:20pm Funeral Service for Maxine Ruleman RIP at Accrington Crematorium

7pm Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Mary's Church

'In recognition for the last 60 years of prayer and work at St. Mary's School, since it's current foundation on Mayfield Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, was established in 1964.'

Friday 26^th April

1:30pm Liturgy of Thanksgiving & Blessing at St. Mary's School

A time of prayer and thanksgiving celebrating 60 years on Mayfield Avenue – All Welcome.

5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

6pm Easter Weekday Mass

Saturday 27^th April

9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

10am Easter Weekday Mass (In the Lady Chapel)

6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World

6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

Sunday 28^th April

9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World

10am Mass for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

12noon Blessing of St. Mary's Chapel of Rest at Jenson's Funeral Director's, Accrington

– All Welcome.

Funeral notice confirmation: Mildred Sweeney RIP

Many people in our parish family have been blessed to know Mildred who died last week at the East Lancashire Hospice. Mildred's body will be brought into church at 8:30pm on Wednesday 1^st May. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated for the repose of her soul at 10:15am on Thursday 2^nd May.

Sanctuary Lamp

This week (20^th April – 27^th April), the Sanctuary Lamp is for the Fussell & Beveridge Families.

Last Week's Easter Offertory Collection

£766.49. Thank you for your kind generosity.

Good News!

I would like to share some good news! Mr John Corrigan, the Bishop's appointed diocesan Director or Property and Management, has emailed me to confirm that the building works for the church have been approved by the Salford Diocesan Trustees.

Ecclesiastical Education Fund

This weekend (20^th/21^st April) there will be a collection for the financial support of training priests and deacons for our diocese of Salford. The Ecclesiastical Education Fund is such an important resource in making sure that we are able to train those men that God has called to serve Him in our diocese with the right formation in both sacramental and pastoral ministry. This weekend there will be a basket at the back of church under the large crucifix for any donations. Alternatively people would be more than welcome to place any monies in an envelope marked EEF and post it through the presbytery letterbox.

Good Shepherd Sunday

This weekend, we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday and to mark this year in a special way, we're delighted to share with you a newsletter from our Vocations Team. Entitled, "Called", this newsletter will provide an opportunity for us to keep you informed of some of the latest developments happening across the diocese in terms of vocations to the priesthood and the permanent diaconate. Visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/good-shepherd-sunday-2024/ for further information.

Diocesan Mass for Vocations to the Priesthood

The Diocese of Salford's Vocations team invites you to join our next Mass for Vocations to the Priesthood. The Mass will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday 23rd April, at St Catherine's Didsbury. All are very welcome to attend as we pray together for the future of the priesthood in our diocese.

Offertory Envelopes, Gift Aid & Direct Debit

Thank you for your continued generosity and financial support towards St. Mary's, especially during these days of rising costs. Thank you also to Berni McGuinness who facilitates this important part of our parish's life. During the next few weeks the new offertory envelopes will be available. Please ask one of the stewards at the back of church for yours. Any envelopes that are not collected by Sunday 21^st April will not be re-ordered as the cost of ordering and printing envelopes is expensive. Berni will available at the back of church this weekend to help answer any questions about paying via Direct Debit/Standing Orders or signing up to the Gift Aid scheme which is always a significant financial boost. For more info contact: berni.mcguinness@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

The Society of African Missions (SMA) Parish Appeal

Each year the Bishop allows a specific missionary society or religious congregation to share their work with parish communities in the diocese and appeal for help with their work. This year 2024 the Bishop has allowed The Society of African Missions to witness and appeal in our diocese.

"The Society of African Missions (SMA) is committed to preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ chiefly in Africa and to people of African origin. We regard solidarity with the poor and the powerless, commitment to reading the signs of the times, activities for Justice and Peace, dedication to building a better world, including care for the environment, as constitutive dimensions of witnessing to the Good News. We do this through education, health care, development projects and conscientisation for justice. We also help in caring for African immigrants in Europe and the USA and draw attention to those structures that oppress them and other people of the Third World." - https://www.sma-gb.org/

Fr. Rosairo Arputham SMA will be visiting us, here at St. Mary's, on the weekend of the 4^th/5^th May and making his appeal.

May: Crowning Our Lady

With the SMA Parish Appeal taking place on the first weekend of May we will Crown the statue of our Lady of Oswaldtwistle on the following weekend (11^th/12^th May). Parishioners and their families are warmly welcome to bring flowers to the 6:30pm Vigil Mass or the 10am Mass and place them before Our Blessed Mother in devotion and thanks for her prayers.

Saint George's Day

On Tuesday the 23^rd April - Saint George's Day – there will be an extra Warm Welcome afternoon in honour of our country's patron saint. As well as the usual tea & cakes there will be live music with a very 'English' feel thanks to our resident St. Mary's Warm Welcome musicians. In The evening there will be a Mass for th4e Solemnity of Saint George at 6pm.

Parish Bible Study – St. John's Gospel

The next session is Wednesday 24^th April from 7pm – 8pm. All are welcome. All you need is a Bible and an openness to come to know Our Lord better.

Mark Chatwood: Book Binding Service

I'm a Catholic bookbinder in Manchester, and I've done a lot of Bible, hand missal, and other book repair work as a result of my details appearing in parish newsletters, including my parish of Holy Family, Boothstown, and repaired a Lectionary for Fr. Bryan Cunningham at St. John Fisher, Kearsley. This made me wonder whether there are people in your parish who would like their irreplaceable books repaired or have custom cases made for them. If you want a beloved book restored to life, bookbinder Mark Chatwood at My Catholic Library can help. Contact him at mark@mycatholiclibrary.co.uk or 07493292039 (I'm on WhatsApp and Signal) and see more of his work at his website www.mycatholiclibrary.co.uk

St. Mary's School

This year marks 60 years since St. Mary's School moved to it's present site from Moscow Mill Street. To celebrate this event there will be a Mass of Thanksgiving on Thursday 25^th April at St. Mary's Church followed refreshments. The school will also be producing an exhibition with old photos to bring back many faces and memories for all those who have had connections with the school through the years. Everyone is welcome to come. On Friday 26^th April at 1:30pm there will be a Liturgy of Thanksgiving & Blessing with all the children in school and again all are welcome to come and join this celebration.

Cleaners

We are blessed at St. Mary's to have a dedicated number of people, who give up their time on a Tuesday morning to be on a rota and help keep our church clean and tidy. Volunteers are always needed as the more helpers the less pressure and frequency for people to be on the rota. If you could help in anyway please contact the parish housekeeper, Karen Beard via email: jakey9998@aol.com

Northern Dioceses' Environment Group

The Northern Dioceses' Environment Group (NDEG) invites parishes and individuals to a workshop to find out more about how our food supply system links to our faith. The event, titled "Faith in Food - Thinking and acting both locally and globally about our food system" takes place on Saturday 18th May between 11am and 3:30pm at St Wilfrid's Church, Preston, PR1 8BU. To register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/faith-in-food-tickets-879396337117

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes in our Centenary Year

Bookings are now being taken for this year's diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, marking our centenary year. The pilgrimage, led by Bishop John Arnold, will take place between 26th July and 1st August. Find out more and book online at https://www.salfordlourdes.co.uk/travel-accommodation

Caritas Salford Appeal for Volunteers

Caritas Salford, our diocesan charity, is appealing for volunteers to support its work across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Even a few hours can have a huge impact on the lives of others locally. To find out more about the huge range of opportunities available - from gardening to van driving, supporting their services to becoming a Caritas parish rep or accessibility advocate - visit their website now: www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer

Job Vacancies

Chef - Cathedral House (replacement role)

Appointment Type: Part time, permanent

Working Hours: Weekend Hours

Location: Cathedral House, 250 Chapel Street, Salford, M3 5LE

Salary: £21,840 - £24,343 per annum (subject to pro-rata)

Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/

Parish Hall Supervisor - Holy Family and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (replacement role)

Appointment Type: Part time, 12 months fixed term

Working Hours: 15 hours per week

Location: St. Joseph's Parish Centre, Audley Range, Blackburn and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Parish Hall, Highercroft, Blackburn

Salary: £12 per hour

Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/

God Bless and keep praying.

Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Fr. O'Brien

Good News!!!

Sunday 14^th April 2024

Third Sunday of Easter

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I would like to share some good news! Mr John Corrigan, the Bishop's appointed diocesan Director or Property and Management, has emailed me to confirm that the building works for the church have been approved by the Salford Diocesan Trustees.

This is good news for us but not if your a bucket! It's time they were evicted!

God Bless and keep praying.

Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Fr. O'Brien

Third Sunday of Easter - Sunday 14th April 2024

Sunday 14^th April 2024

Third Sunday of Easter

Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…

Friday 12^th April

5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

6pm Easter Weekday Mass

Saturday 13^th April

9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

10am Easter Weekday Mass (In the Lady Chapel)

6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World

6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Third Sunday of Easter

Sunday 14^th April

9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World

10am Mass for the Third Sunday of Easter

Tuesday 16^th April

5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

6pm Easter Weekday Mass

Wednesday 17^th April

9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

10am Easter Weekday Mass

Thursday 18^th April

9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

10am Easter Weekday Mass

Friday 19^th April

5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

6pm Easter Weekday Mass

Saturday 20^th April

9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

10am Easter Weekday Mass (In the Lady Chapel)

6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World

6:30pm Vigil Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Sunday 21^st April

9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World

10am Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Sanctuary Lamp

This week (13^th April - 20^th April), the Sanctuary Lamp is for Karen Hughes.

Last Week's Easter Offertory Collection

£571.26. Thank you for your kind generosity.

Ecclesiastical Education Fund

The weekend of the 20^th/21^st April there will be a collection for the financial support of training priests and deacons for our diocese of Salford. The Ecclesiastical Education Fund is such an important resource in making sure that we are able to train those men that God has called

to serve Him in our diocese and provide both a sacramental and pastoral ministry with the right formation. On the weekend of the 20^th/21^st April there will be a basket at the back of church under the large crucifix for any donations. Alternatively people would be more than welcome to place any monies in an envelope marked EEF and post it through the presbytery letterbox.

Offertory Envelopes, Gift Aid & Direct Debit

Thank you for your continued generosity and financial support towards St. Mary's, especially during these days of rising costs. Thank you also to Berni McGuinness who facilitates this important part of our parish's life. During the next few weeks the new offertory envelopes will be available. Please ask one of the stewards at the back of church for yours. Any envelopes that are not collected by Sunday 21^st April will not be re-ordered as the cost of ordering and printing envelopes is expensive. Berni will available at the back of church this weekend to help answer any questions about paying via Direct Debit/Standing Orders or signing up to the Gift Aid scheme which is always a significant financial boost. For more info contact: berni.mcguinness@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

Welcome to the Family!

On behalf of our parish family at St. Mary's we welcome Stevie Rose who was not only baptized on Divine Mercy Sunday but also received Our Lord in Holy Communion for the first time. Let's continue to pray for Stevie and all our young people, that through the grace of the Sacraments, they may endeavor to be faithful disciples sharing His love and mercy with those around them throughout their lives. If anyone you know, among friends and family, are interested to know more about the Faith and would like a chat and discuss things over a brew them then please do contact me on 01254 232 433 or sean.obrien@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

Cleaners

We are blessed at St. Mary's to have a dedicated number of people, who give up their time on a Tuesday morning to be on a rota and help keep our church clean and tidy. Volunteers are always needed as the more helpers the less pressure and frequency for people to be on the rota. If you could help in anyway please contact the parish housekeeper, Karen Beard via email: jakey9998@aol.com

The Divine Mercy Devotion

Devotion to the Divine Mercy involves a total commitment to God as Mercy. It is a decision to trust completely in him, to accept his mercy with thanksgiving, and to be merciful as he is merciful. The devotional practices proposed in the diary of Saint Faustina and set forth in here are completely in accordance with the teachings of the Church and are firmly rooted in the Gospel message of our Merciful Saviour. Properly understood and implemented, they will help us grow as genuine followers of Christ.

The Divine Mercy Message:

The message of mercy is that God loves us "all of us" no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognise that his mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon him with trust, receive his mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share his joy. It is a message we can call to mind simply by remembering ABC.

A — Ask for his Mercy. God wants us to approach him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking him to pour his mercy out upon us and upon the whole world.

B — Be merciful. God wants us to receive his mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as he does to us.

C — Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know the graces of his mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive.

The Chaplet of Mercy

The Lord revealed to Saint Faustina a powerful prayer that He wanted everyone to say – the Chaplet of Mercy. Saint Faustina prayed the Chaplet almost constantly, especially for the dying, and the Lord urged her to encourage others to say it, too, promising extraordinary graces to those who would recite this special prayer. The Chaplet can be said anytime, but the Lord specifically asked that it be recited as a novena, especially on the nine days before the Feast of Mercy.

​Our Lord said to Saint Faustina:

Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you. … Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. … When thy say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Saviour. … Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. … Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will. (Diary, 687, 1541, 1731).

HOW TO PRAY THE CHAPLET OF THE DIVINE MERCY

The Chaplet of Mercy is recited using ordinary rosary beads of five decades and could be preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Faustina and followed by a closing prayer.

1. The Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

2. The Our Father: Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen

3. The Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

4. The Apostles' Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen

5. On the "Our Father"bead before each decade: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

6. On the "Hail Mary"beads of each decade: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

7. Repeat "Eternal Father" and "For the Sake of His sorrowful Passion": Numbers 5 & 6 Prayers for four more decades.

8. After 5 decades, the concluding prayer (three times): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

For more information about the Divine Mercy devotion please see the following website: https://divinemercyapostolate.co.uk/

Parish Bible Study – St. John's Gospel

The next session is Wednesday 24^th April from 7pm – 8pm. All are welcome. All you need is a Bible and an openness to come to know Our Lord better.

Parish Easter Egg Raffle

The raffle has been drawn and the winning numbers have all been posted at the back of church on the noticeboard behind the stewards desk. Please see one of the stewards with your winning ticket to claim your Easter Egg. Thanks again to all who supported it.

Saint George's Day

On Tuesday the 23^rd April - Saint George's Day – there will be an extra Warm Welcome afternoon in honour of our country's patron saint. As well as the usual tea & cakes there will be live music with a very 'English' feel thanks to our resident St. Mary's Warm Welcome musicians. In The evening there will be a Mass for th4e Solemnity of Saint George at 6pm.

St. Mary's School

This year marks 60 years since St. Mary's School moved to it's present site from Moscow Mill Street. To celebrate this event there will be a Mass of Thanksgiving on Thursday 25^th April at St. Mary's Church followed refreshments. The school will also be producing an exhibition with old photos to bring back many faces and memories for all those who have had connections with the school through the years. Everyone is welcome to come. On Friday 26^th April at 1:30pm there will be a Liturgy of Thanksgiving & Blessing with all the children in school and again all are welcome to come and join this celebration.

Easter Cards

Some of the children at St. Mary's school have made some Easter cards for parishioners at church. There are 25 cards altogether, do feel free to take one home, during this Easter season. I took one to a sick parishioner this weekend who said the picture of Jesus with his huge grin made her smile.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes in our Centenary Year

Bookings are now being taken for this year's diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, marking our centenary year. The pilgrimage, led by Bishop John Arnold, will take place between 26th July and 1st August. Find out more and book online at https://www.salfordlourdes.co.uk/travel-accommodation

Caritas Salford Appeal for Volunteers

Caritas Salford, our diocesan charity, is appealing for volunteers to support its work across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Even a few hours can have a huge impact on the lives of others locally. To find out more about the huge range of opportunities available - from gardening to van driving, supporting their services to becoming a Caritas parish rep or accessibility advocate - visit their website now: www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer

Job Vacancies

Chef - Cathedral House (replacement role)

Appointment Type: Part time, permanent

Working Hours: Weekend Hours

Location: Cathedral House, 250 Chapel Street, Salford, M3 5LE

Salary: £21,840 - £24,343 per annum (subject to pro-rata)

Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/

Parish Hall Supervisor - Holy Family and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (replacement role)

Appointment Type: Part time, 12 months fixed term

Working Hours: 15 hours per week

Location: St. Joseph's Parish Centre, Audley Range, Blackburn and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Parish Hall, Highercroft, Blackburn

Salary: £12 per hour

Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies/

God Bless and keep praying.

Our Lady of Oswaldtwistle, pray for us.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Fr. O'Brien