Sunday 14th April 2024
Third Sunday of Easter
Masses & Liturgies for the Coming Week…
Friday 12th April
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Easter Weekday Mass
Saturday 13th 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 14th April
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Third Sunday of Easter
Tuesday 16th April
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Easter Weekday Mass
Wednesday 17th April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Easter Weekday Mass
Thursday 18th April
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
10am Easter Weekday Mass
Friday 19th April
5pm – 5:50pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
6pm Easter Weekday Mass
Saturday 20th 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 21st April
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (13th April - 20th 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 20th/21st 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 20th/21st 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 21st 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 24th 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 23rd 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 25th 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 26th 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
