EASTER SUNDAY (YEAR C)
WEEK: APRIL 21ST - APRIL 27TH 2019
Simon Peter went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. He saw and he believed.
YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: Sr. Catherine; Allison Wild; Vivien Higgins; Elizabeth Flanagan; Dominic Boardman; Michelle Hanson; Andrea Spencer; Sarah Bell; Breda Barret; Alison Smith; Billy Connolly; baby Ethan; Maria Ochmann; Bridie Murphy; Lyne Middleton.; Peter Wakerley; Adam Tattersall; Christine Plummer.
LATELY DEAD: Tom Parkinson; Eileen Godkin.
ANNIVERSARIES: William & Maureen Sumner; Lorna Phillips; Christopher Frankland; Martin Lucas; Michael Rubacha; Daniel & Sarah Breslin; T. Philip. May They Rest in Peace
EASTER MASS FOR Mary Frances Park.
COLLECTION: Envelopes: £620.50; Loose: £458.66; Total: £1,079.16.
Thank you all for your continued generosity.
DONATIONS / COLLECTIONS: many thanks for the following donations:
Redecoration Fund: £100.00, £10.00 and £7.60. Gift Aided: £0.00
CAFOD: £20.11 and £10.00; Altar Flowers £30.00; £20.00; £5.00; £20.00; £10.00; £20.00; £5.00; £13.49; Missio £17.11; Cornerstone £20.00.
PARISH NEWS
- The Salford Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes (July 25th – 31st) makes an appeal for volunteer nurses and health care assistants. Financial support, obtained through a special bursary fund may be available for those involved in healthcare, to assist with the cost of travel and accommodation. Contact 0161 817 2209 or email Lourdes.pilgrimage@dioceseofsalford.org.uk.
- Salford Diocesan Almanacs are available from the piety shop at £3.50 each.
- Will Readers and Eucharistic Ministers please take a copy of the new rota for May, June and July from the sacristy after Mass.
“TWEETS” FROM POPE FRANCIS
“Today we unite in prayer with the people of France, as we wait for the sorrow inflicted by the serious damage to be transformed into hope with reconstruction. Holy Mary, Our Lady, pray for us.
“In the Eucharist you really meet Jesus, share His life, feel His love; there you experience that His death and resurrection are for you”.
“WHAT’S ON” THIS WEEK”
SATURDAY: the wedding of parishioners Franciszek Walter Wisniewski and Lynn Marie Nicholls takes place at 3.00pm. With love and best wishes to the happy couple from members of the Parish Team and the church choir.
“SMILE – A – WHILE”
Lionel phones his mother living in Leeds, Yorkshire, UK.'Mum, how are you?' he asks. 'Not too good,' answers Lionel's mother, 'I've been very weak.' Lionel, concerned asks, 'Why are you so weak, mother?'
She says, 'Because I haven't eaten in 23 days' Lionel stammers, 'That's terrible. Why haven't you eaten in 23 days?' His mother replies, 'Because I didn't want my mouth to be filled with food if you should phone.'
While assembling furniture, Liz asked her friend's six-year-old son, Ricky, to bring her a screwdriver. 'Do you want a 'Daddy' screwdriver or a 'Mummy' screwdriver?' Ricky politely inquired. Confused by the question, Liz responded with, 'Bring me a 'Mummy' screwdriver.' Ricky returned and handed her a butter knife.
What do you get if you pour boiling water down a rabbit hole? A hot cross bunny.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Please see the church notice board for further details of the following:
- A Quiet Day organised by Oldham Walsingham Association on Wednesday 1st May.
- Parish Team Meeting on Thursday 23rd May in the Parish House.
- Day of Prayer for Vocations on Wednesday 31st July.
EASTER TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
Known in Spain as Semana Santa, or Holy Week, Easter is observed for an entire seven days on the Iberian peninsula. Celebrations begin during the last week of Lent, and it is marked by huge and elaborate religious processions in nearly every single town and village across the country. People parade through the streets in costumes or in hooded robes, carrying intricate religious floats depicting difference scenes from the bible, while often accompanied by live music.
Much like in Spain, many of France's Easter customs stem from Catholic tradition and as such the holiday is usually a more religious affair than the UK's. One such tradition dictates that church bells stop ringing around Easter as a mark of respect for Jesus' death, and to explain their silence children are told the bells have flown to Rome to be blessed by the Pope. On the morning of Easter Sunday - Jesus' resurrection - the bells then fly back to France loaded with sweet treats which they drop into gardens for the children. Once the bells have begun to rung, the Easter egg hunt - or "chasse aux oeufs" - begins.
Good Friday and Easter Monday are both public holidays in Germany, and they celebrate by lighting bonfires around sunset on Holy Saturday. Some places have turned the "osterfeuer" (Easter bonfire) into mini festivals with stands selling sausages, wine and funfair rides while other communities stuff huge bales of straw into a wooden wheel, set it on fire and roll it down a hill (known as the Osterrad). Other traditions include decorating an "Easter tree" with hand painted eggs, known as the Ostereierbaum.
Unsurprisingly the Pope leads the Easter celebrations in Italy, holding a huge mass on Good Friday at St. Peter's Basilica where the Via Crucis, or Station of the Cross, is celebrated. During the mass, a huge crucifix made out of burning torches is raised in the night sky.
Devout Catholics in the Philippines will volunteer to be "crucified" on Good Friday to reenact Jesus' suffering, in a particularly gruesome practice that has been condemned by the church. Thousands watch the reenactment, known as the San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites, in the province of Pampanga, in which believers are nailed to crosses to atone for their sins or pray for others. Penitents volunteer to have nails measuring two inches long hammered into their palms and feet by people dressed as Roman centurions and nailed to a cross. They are only taken down from the cross once they feel atoned of their sins. The practice, which is believed to date to the 1950s, also sees other penitents flagellate themselves using bamboo sticks tied to a rope.
WISHING A HOLY AND HAPPY EASTER TO READERS OF THE NEWSLETTER
“Stay With Us Lord On Our Journey”