CROSS

THE PARISH OF OUR LADY AND ST. PATRICK’S
THIS WEEK'S SERVICES

PALM SUNDAY

MARCH 24TH - 30TH
2024


WEEKLY SERVICES
SUNDAY: 10.00am.  12.30pm (Polish Mass)
6.00pm
MONDAY:

12 noon Mass

TUESDAY: 12 noon Mass
WEDNESDAY:
12 noon Eucharistic Service Father Phil will be at the Chrism Mass at St Patrick’s, Livesey Street to collect the Holy Oils)
MAUNDY THURSDAY: 8.00pm Mass of the Last Supper followed by ‘watching’ (for those who wish) before the Blessed sacrament at the altar of repose till 10.00pm.
GOOD FRIDAY: Good Friday Service at 3.00pm
HOLY SATURDAY:
No Mass or Confessions today. The Easter Vigil Service will be at 8.00pm and will include the first Mass of Easter.

LIVESTREAMING THIS WEEK

From now on we will be using Twitter to provide online Masses. Either download the Twitter App and search for @PhilipSumner13 or click the pic below

twitter

Then either just watch from there. You can also click Follow if you have a Twitter account.

Weekday Masses and Saturday's 12 noon Mass will continue to be Livestreamed, as will Sunday's 10.00am Mass

Click here for Mass Livestream

The church will normally be open on Mondays to Saturdays from 10.00am for private prayer

Confessions
No Confessions on Easter Saturday

Baptisms & Weddings
by arrangement

PALM SUNDAY
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MARCH 24TH - 30TH 2024 

Palm Sunday

"Hosanna! Blessings on the King of Israel!"

cross

YOUR  CHARITABLE  PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: Vivien Higgins; John and Kath Green, Angela Marshall, Joseph McConnon, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Therese Passenger, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Nell Eaton, Linda Taylor, Marie Gill, Pat McQuillan, Mary Malone, Kathleen Kelly, Irene Cooper, Denis O’Grady. Deana Dobson, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Nora Hickey, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Elizabeth Flanagan, Betti Granelli, Mary Kain, Gordon Lees,
Zophia Royales, Rita Goodier, Denis O’Grady, Beatrice Tucker.
LATELY DEAD: Binny George, Julius Ehiosun Dmodiagbe
ANNIVERSARIES: Paddy McDermott, Henry McDermott, Ronnie Heppenstall, Mr. Thomas, Mary Ann Coen

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £824.94p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £45.00; Donation £90.00; Legacy £1000.00
Many thanks for your kind generosity.

Our Bank: Barclays Bank - Account Name: TSDT, Our Lady and St. Patrick’s, Oldham;   Sort Code 20 55 34;   Account Number 50949825;  Reference: Contr.


CROSS

THIS SUNDAY'S MISSALETTE

Palm Sunday - Missalette


NOTICES:
All Masses will continue to be live streamed. A link is provided on the Parish website: www.smwsp.org.uk or via the Twitter App (@PhilipSumner13). 

THE LENTEN PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE IS TODAY (Palm Sunday) at 2.30pm.

CONFIRMATIONS 2024
Fr Callum invites children of Confirmation age (Year 8 at school) to this year’s preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
This is a short course of formation, on behalf of the Deanery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, over seven sessions which leads to receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation on 17th/18th May 2024. (Pentecost).

Important meetings dates and times: -

  • Parents meeting Wednesday 28th February 2024 7pm – 8pm (Please note students are not required to attend the parents meeting)
  • Session 4 ~Wednesday 17th April    (6-8pm)
  • Session 5 ~ Wednesday 24th April   (6-8pm)
  • Session 6 ~ Wednesday 1st May      (6-8pm)
  • Session 7 ~ Wednesday 8th May      (6-8pm)

All meetings will take place at St. Edward’s RC Church, Lees.

Please note. Having kept the number of meetings to a minimum, your attendance at each of the seven sessions will be expected.

GIFT AID AND ENVELOPES
Thank you to all those who have been able to use Gift Aid to enhance their donations to the Parish in 2023-2024. For 2024-25, boxes of donation envelopes will be displayed for collection at the back of Church on Sundays 17 March, 24 March (Palm Sunday) and 31 March (Easter). If you have been using an envelope this past year, please collect the box of envelopes with the same serial number on it again – your name will be on it. Also Gift Aid forms will be available to sign on those days; if you have signed a form in the past, there is no need to sign a fresh one, as the old one remains valid. The only reason to sign a new one is if you are new to making contributions, or have recently become a taxpayer (and are paying sufficient tax to cover your contributions).

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Thursday, 28th March, Maundy Thursday / Mass of the Lord’s Supper. This marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum (Three days) and the most important part of the Church’s liturgical year, when we are invited to experience the climax of Jesus’ story together. We are called to place ourselves at table with him, or to walk that terrible journey of the cross, or to struggle with the apparent failure of his mission, while retaining, perhaps, a glimmer of hope even then.
Friday, 29th March, Good Friday. Why, on earth, do we call this day “Good” when the images associated with it are full of horror and apparent disaster? It is, of course, because, if we can see beyond the horror, we see an image of perfect humanity (‘Ecce Homo’, says Pilate – behold the man / behold humanity as it should be) someone who is able to trust when everything seems so bleak, someone who is able to love in the face of hate, someone who is able to forgive when he has been treated so cruelly.
Saturday, 30th March. Holy Saturday. This is a “dies non” (a Latin term meaning, basically, a day of emptiness when nothing happens). It’s only at 8pm that we gather for the great vigil. We will, once more, begin with the lighting of the Easter fire in the back garden of the Presbytery. From this we will light the Easter Candle and process into the church. After thanking God for the symbol of the Easter Candle, we’ll proceed into the usual readings which convey the story of the people of Israel and the story on which our faith is based. The vigil then leads into the singing of the Gloria and the proclamation of Easter.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The Isaiah reading is part of the third of four great ‘servant songs’ that come in the second section of the book of Isaiah (what we call ‘Deutero Isaiah’). These have always been interpreted by the Church as showing Jesus what lay ahead for him. He would have read these passages many times and discovered himself in them. Then, in the story that will play out this week, we see the great act of obedience in his acceptance of his destiny for our sake. But, there, we also see an amazing trust in his Father through it all. Yes, on the cross, he will cry out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” but , then, he will say, “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.”
The Philippians reading is that great hymn that speaks of Jesus’ obedience also in his incarnation. The technical term, in theology, is ’kenosis’ or ‘self-emptying’. Even before he came to Calvary, Jesus had already sacrificed so much for his people. The Son of God leaves behind his glory and his equality with God to become a slave /servant, even going further to accepting a terrible death. This reading starts almost mournfully, but by the end is a triumphant hymn of victory gained through sacrifice. “But God raised him high,,,that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord…”
It's in stark contrast to the obedience and trust manifested in Jesus that we see the fickleness of the people who hailed Jesus as the Son of David, the King of Israel, on that first Palm Sunday and then bayed for his blood only a few days later.

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

DIOCESE OF SALFORD'S ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM
This year's diocesan pilgrimage to Walsingham will be taking place on Saturday 4th May. Fr. Callum is organising a Deanery coach from St Edwards to Walsingham for the Diocesan pilgrimage. The coach will leave 7:am, at the latest. It is a long way to go for a day, but, very much worth it.  For more details and to register. Please contact Janet; 07989558248.

TALKS ON THE FOUR CONSTITUTIONS OF VATICAN II
In response to Pope Francis' invitation to revisit the Four Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council, the Diocese of Salford is holding a series of four evening talks after Easter. The first talk takes place on Wednesday 10th April when Bishop John will explore a little more about Lumen Gentium. The talk begins at 7pm at Cathedral Centre, 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP. Find out more about the series and register your interest at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/constitutions-talks/