The Parish of Our Lady and St Patrick Oldham

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT(YEAR C)
WEEK: DECEMBER 8TH - 14TH 2024

Second Sunday of Advent

“…all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK:John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless, Peter Barlow, Nynna Carpio, Theresa McGarrigle
LATELY DEAD: Amy Howard, Patricia Haines, Declan Quinlivan, Eamonn Donovan, Gordon Hibbert
ANNIVERSARIES: Marie Francoise Boyi, Christopher Alan Whitehead, Krystyna Ogorek, Anthony Joseph Reilly, Michael Crossan, Molly Crossan, Patrick McDermott

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £759.80

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £50.00; Missio £12.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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 Parish reconciliation service will be celebrated on Sunday 15th December at 3.00pm.

WARM FOOD HUB.
On 25th December 2024 from 12 noon till 3.00pm at 72 Yorkshire Street, Oldham, OL1 1SR. Places must be booked in advance using the following link: www.ukeff.org/christmas24/
The organisers will provide snacks, hot drinks, and a hot Christmas Dinner for those who are struggling and will benefit from support and assistance. This year will be the 11th year the organisers have supported people with a wide range of problems over Christmas, including (but not limited to):

financial hardship,
loneliness,
domestic abuse,
homelessness - particularly families in hotels with no cooking facilities

ANNUAL PARISH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
This event took place last week and was very much appreciated by those who attended. There were four great soloists who performed and four great choirs. I would like to put a pictorial account on the parish website, but I don’t have many still photographs taken by myself on the day; I was otherwise occupied being the MC! If anyone has a few still photos of the event that they could send me, that would be very helpful.

PILGRIMS OF HOPE JUBILEE IN OUR DIOCESE
Pope Francis has declared that the year 2025 will be a Holy Year of Jubilee for the Catholic Church, an event that takes place once every 25 years and offers the faithful an opportunity to renew their relationship with God, each other, and all of creation. Over the coming months, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to observe this special year of grace in our own diocese. To find out more about the Jubilee and how to get involved, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/jubilee-2025/

FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME FOR 2024-25
The next session will be on Saturday 11th January at 10.00am.

FIRST MASS OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas Eve (First Mass of Christmas) will begin with carols at 7.30pm, with Mass starting at 8.00pm.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 9th December – The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wednesday 11th December: St. Damasus I (Pope) – Born in Spain, he became Pope in 366 and encouraged devotion to the martyrs of Rome. He, therefore, ordered that the catacombs, in which they were entombed, be excavated, drained, adorned and opened to the public.
Saturday 14th December – St. John of the Cross - St John was born in 1542 and is the author of the famous poem “Noche obscura del alma” (Dark night of the soul). He was a Carmelite priest and a friend of the great mystic St Teresa of Avila. He was imprisoned for undertaking to return the Carmelites to their primitive rule of poverty. It was while he was in his gaol cell in Toledo that he composed his great poem.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today we have listened to three prophetic voices of hope, writing in difficult and worrying circumstances. The first of these voices presented to us is that of the prophet Baruch. His message was written after the fall of Jerusalem when the Jews were in exile in Babylon. Somehow or other, from the depths of misery, the writer is able to speak of genuine hope. He speaks of a return home from exile and suggests that the journey will be made easy because God will be walking with them, and they will be together. This will mean that it will be as if the valleys are filled in and the mountains made low.
The second of our prophetic voices comes from Paul, in his letter to the Philippians. We know, of course, that he was writing this letter when he was in prison with a very frightening prospect. Again, somehow or other, he speaks of hope for the future. And it’s clear that the reason he can speak of hope is because of the people who have worked with him to spread the message of the Good News. He knows that, despite his imprisonment, they and God are with him still.
The third prophetic voice is the one now so associated with this second Sunday of Advent. It is the voice of John the Baptist. Luke interestingly refers to the historical setting. He speaks of the powers of the age, Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod the Tetrarch, and of the high priests Annas and Caiaphas. He’s suggesting that unlike the other big stories of that time (the Odyssey of Homer or the Aeneid of Virgil), what he is speaking about is God entering into our history and our lives. This is no myth. John the Baptist, of course, does not proclaim the birth of Jesus but the coming of the Messiah. Luke deliberately quotes Isaiah Chapter 40 when he speaks of the triumphant return of the people from exile and a time when “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.” He’s saying that the announcement of John the Baptist is one of God entering our lives again as he did to bring back the Israelites from exile. But this time, it’s of even greater importance.
Surely, one of the messages of this Sunday is for us to look for and listen to the other prophetic voices of hope that issue from those dark places closer to our own times. I speak, of course, of people like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi, Oscar Romero and many more. They were faced with massive oppression but refused to be cowed by it. They spoke to us all of a power that is unstoppable but nonviolent, one that is something of God intervening in history to heal.

ADVENT PODS
Some of you will remember that when Sr. Eileen was here, she produced some advent pods as a type of extra spiritual devotion during advent. At that time, she worked with Katrina, Debbie and Janet. Now Katrina, from her home in Scotland, has prepared Advent pods in a similar style and we will put them on our website each week in the hope that they will assist some of you in your spiritual preparation for Christmas.

FINANCES OF THE PARISH
The Parish finances have taken a bit of a bettering in the last couple of years, mainly because of the demolition of St. Mary’s church and the subsequent care of that site. The demolition itself cost the parish about £120,000; we’ve only yet paid about half of that amount. But, recently, fly tippers left a pile of asbestos waste on the site. This will cost the parish about another £10,000 to clear up. Of course, when the land is sold, the money from the sale will come back into the parish, but we have no idea when this might take place. So, like the farmers, we are now asset rich but cash poor!

PARISH OF SACRED HEART AND ST WILLIAM, UPPERMILL
The parish of Sacred Heart and St William, in Uppermill, is now officially a parish of the Diocese of Salford. Bishop John has received the definitive decree from Rome confirming that the parish has been transferred from the Diocese of Leeds. Fr Jim Clarke has been appointed parish priest at Uppermill, while remaining parish priest of St Joseph’s, Mossley. I know that Fr. Jim has been acting as Priest in Charge at Uppermill for some time but it’s only now that the parish has been officially transferred to this diocese.

DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES 2025
We are delighted to announce that our diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes will be taking place once again in 2025 between 31st July and 6th August. You can register your interest now by visiting www.salfordlourdes.co.uk or by calling 0161 817 2209.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT(YEAR C)
WEEK: DECEMBER 1ST - 7TH 2024

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

“In those times, after the time of distress…the powers “Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this, to bear witness to the truth”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless, Peter Barlow, Nynna Carpio, Theresa McGarrigle
LATELY DEAD: Amy Howard, Patricia Haines, Declan Quinlivan, Eamonn Donovan
ANNIVERSARIES: Mary Anne Coen, Denis Guilfoyle, Maggie Moores, Marie Francoise Boyi Paddy McGinn, Mary Oakes, Terence Lees, Jan Dabrowski, Alphonso Ferrara, Peter Hordynski, Christopher Alan Whitehead, Krystyna Ogorek

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £786.25

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £25.00; Donation £100.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

ADVENT
The great season of Advent begins today. This is meant to be a time of cutting back in preparation for the feast, not a time for pre-empting the feast. I encourage you not to put up the Christmas decorations once December starts, but to allow the true sense of Advent to be lived.

BISHOP JOHN ARNOLD COMMENTS ON COP29
Following the conclusion of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Bishop John Arnold, Lead Bishop for the Environment, has voiced his disappointment about the inadequacy of the agreed climate finance deal. Bishop Arnold remarked: “COP29 offered a critical opportunity for the global community to renew their commitment to our common home, to honour past promises and take meaningful action to reduce carbon emissions and avert the climate crisis. Regrettably, the climate finance deal has fallen short of what is urgently needed. Sadly, those who are least responsible for climate change will continue to bear the brunt of its devastation. The leaders of developing nations have already condemned the COP29 climate deal as a ‘travesty of justice’, pointing out that wealthier nations have failed to respond to ‘the cry of the earth and cry of the poor.’

LECTIONARY
A new edition of the Lectionary, the book which contains the readings which are proclaimed at Mass, will come into use in England and Wales next Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent 2024.

FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME FOR 2024-25
The next session will be a reconciliation service on Saturday, December 7th at 2.00pm. Then, the following meeting will be on Saturday 11th January at 10.00am

FIRST MASS OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas Eve (First Mass of Christmas) will begin with carols at 7.30pm, with Mass starting at 8.00pm.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Tuesday 3rd December – St. Francis Xavier – He was a Basque Spaniard and a friend of St. Ignatius Loyola and one of the first Jesuits. He preached in India, arriving at the Portuguese colony of Goa. After about seven years, he set sail for Japan where he became the first European to set foot on those islands and preached there for two years with incredible success. He then set off for China but died on an island off the coast of China in 1552. Wednesday 4th December: St. John Damascene – He was from Damascus in Syria. He became a monk, a philosopher, a theologian and a Defender of Sacred Art during the iconoclast crisis of the eighth century. Tradition tells us that she was a noble woman, learned in science and oratory, who came to Christianity after receiving a vision. At 18 years old, she offered to debate with the pagan philosophers, who were, it is said, convinced by her arguments. The emperor ordered her execution. Friday 6th December – St. Nicholas – We know him best by his Dutch name, “Santa Claus”. He was a bishop of Myra, a city in Turkey. It’s said that he saved three women who had been leaning towards prostitution because their father was too poor to pay their dowries. Nicholas is said to have thrown three bags of gold through their open window. These three bags became the idea behind the three balls of gold outside a pawnbrokers. Saturday 7th December – St. Ambrose - St Ambrose was a lawyer in Milan and not yet baptised when, inspired the shouts of a child in the crowd, the people of the city made him their bishop. He was renowned for his eloquence as a preacher and for his gifts as a hymn-writer. He is said to have baptised Augustine.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today’s Gospel could never be said to pre-empt Christmas; we start with an image of the nations in distress, and the powers of heaven being shaken. The First Sunday of Advent is about lighting a single flickering candle in the darkness. We are called not to escape the darkness but to acknowledge it and then to look for, or to be, that candle of hope. Jeremiah, in the first reading, is lighting a candle in the darkness of his day. The people of Israel were still in exile in Babylon. The kingdom handed on by King David had been utterly crushed and the people were experiencing the darkness of exile. But Jeremiah lights a candle by reminding them of the promise made to them by the Lord, that He will restore a righteous branch of the kingdom of David. Even in the terrible darkness of Auschwitz in the early 1940’s, there were, figuratively speaking, candles lit to give hope in the face of despair, to be signs of humanity in the midst of dreadful inhumanity. Maximilian Kolbe was one such candle, but there were many others who through their humanity, sacrifice and resilience, spoke of hope. Advent is about acknowledging the darkness of our times, not trying to blot it out with office parties, sentimentality and tinsel. We are asked to ‘stay awake’. Some of you will remember the film of Mr. Bean’s holiday. We see him driving to the south of France and desperately trying to stay awake. He slaps himself in the face and tries to keep his eyes open with match sticks. Staying awake, in the Christian sense, is something very different. It’s about being alert to the blessings that we receive from God in the darkness of our lives. The escapism of the consumerist Christmas simply prevents that alertness. We need to take time during Advent to look for, or to be the flickering lights of hope in the darkness that can often enter and bedevil our lives. I was reading, for example, the latest newsletter from Pax Christi / Just Peace. There I read that this year’s prize for international peace was going to a group of 700 families, some from Palestine and some from Israel. They had come together to share their stories of grief and loss, listening to each other and exploring the possibility of reconciliation rather than revenge. This group have quite clearly lit a candle in the dreadful darkness of the conflict in the Middle East.

The Parish reconciliation service will be celebrated on Sunday 15th December at 3.00pm.

ANNUAL PARISH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
This event took place yesterday. Many thanks to all who put so much time and effort into making this event a success.

CHRIST THE KING (YEAR B)
WEEK: NOVEMBER 24TH - 30TH 2024

CHRIST THE KING

“In those times, after the time of distress…the powers “Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this, to bear witness to the truth”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless, Peter Barlow
LATELY DEAD: Amy Howard, Patricia Haines, Declan Quinlivan, Eamonn Donovan
ANNIVERSARIES: Arthur Haines, Paddy McGinn, Mary Oakes, Terence Lees, Chinnamma Philip, Jan Dabrowski, Alphonso Ferrara, Peter Hordynski, Michaelo Hordynski, Brian Townley

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £729.04

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £40.00; N.A. £30.00.
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

ADVENT
The great season of Advent begins next Sunday. This is meant to be a time of cutting back in preparation for the feast, not a time for pre-empting the feast. I encourage you not to put up the Christmas decorations once December starts, but to allow the true sense of Advent to be lived.

FAITH LEADERS IN WALES ON THE PROPOSED LEGALISATION OF ASSISTED SUICIDE
Faith leaders across Wales, from the different faith communities, have issued a joint statement strongly opposing the proposed Assisted Dying Bill, which seeks to legalise physician-assisted suicide for those with incurable illnesses.
The two Catholic bishops in Wales signed the statement, Archbishop Mark O’Toole of Cardiff-Menevia, and Bishop Peter Brignall of Wrexham.
“As People of Faith, we share a common heritage of caring for the vulnerable, the sick and dying. This is why we feel we must speak together against the proposed legislation. Compassion is at the heart of all the Great World Religions. Life is sacred.
We address our message more widely, to all people of goodwill, because the proposals for physician-assisted suicide are not just contrary to the dignity and sanctity of life, they pose grave dangers to vulnerable people.”

FIRST MASS OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas Eve (First Mass of Christmas) will begin with carols at 7.30pm, with Mass starting at 8.00pm.

BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE AND THE FORMS FOR THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO HAVE DIED OVER THE LAST YEAR
The Book of remembrance will be left out on the altar rails for the next few weeks for people to enter the names of those whom they would like us to remember at Masses during the whole month of November.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 25th November – St. Catherine of Alexandria – Tradition tells us that she was a noble woman, learned in science and oratory, who came to Christianity after receiving a vision. At 18 years old, she offered to debate with the pagan philosophers, who were, it is said, convinced by her arguments. The emperor ordered her execution.
Saturday 30th November – St Andrew, the Apostle – He was born in Bethsaida and became a fisherman with his brother Simon, whom he introduced to Jesus. He is the patron saint of Scotland.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
This Feast Day was only introduced in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. It was at a time of great instability in Europe. The Bolshevik revolution had taken place in 1917, Mussolini and his fascists had risen to power in Italy and the early development of Hitler’s Nazi party was taking place in Germany. It was a time of individuals claiming absolute power. The Feast Day was intended as a counterstatement in the world. It was intended to show a completely different type of power that didn’t impose its will on others but was actually far more powerful.
We see a similar clash in the Gospel of today. The two very different types of power come face to face in the persons of Jesus and Pilate. Pilate had become renowned for his ruthlessness; we heard elsewhere in the Gospels of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. In other words, he had had them killed while they were offering sacrifice in the Temple. This ruthless potentate comes face to face with Jesus, and while Jesus does indeed look vulnerable, it’s Pilate that looks weak. He is clearly worried about upsetting the emperor, Tiberius, for enabling serious tensions to arise in Judaea.
Pilate asks Jesus if he is a king and, finally, Jesus admits that he is but stresses that his kingship is not one “of” this world (the Greek from which this is translated says “from” this world). Jesus is not saying that his kingdom is after this life but rather that it is of a very different dimension. Remember his prayer that we use every day, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The second part of that line explains the first part. His kingdom will come when his will is carried out in this world. But he doesn’t impose that will. He establishes his kingdom by bearing witness to the truth. He does that most of all from the cross, where he is completely true to the Father who sent him, and where we see an amazingly true humanity that touches our hearts. That is the dynamic of his kingship, utterly vulnerable and yet amazingly powerful.
As our world now, begins to reflect something of the days when this Feast Day was introduced, it is a timely counterstatement in this world and a most necessary message.

PARISH TEAM MEETING
Sadly, it began to snow quite heavily last Thursday evening, so, I thought it best to postpone the team meeting.

STAND UP AGAINST DOMESTIC ABUSE
November 25th marks the international day for ending violence against women and girls. The day is observed annually and begins a 16-day period to raise awareness of the global scourge of violence against women and girls.
The Caritas Social Action Network and the National Board of Catholic Womenhave issued a statement on the need to act with determination, urgency and create a world that is safe for all women and girls.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHT
The Festival of Light was a great success, with about 400 people attending. Our young people from the YCW Impact Group sang three songs at the event and received so many compliments from so many. One of the Jewish rabbi’s present, leant across the table as they were singing and said to me, “You are so lucky! They are a great group of young people.” Our thanks go to Laurina, who does so much work bringing the group together and encouraging them to come to events like this, putting them through their paces, and making sure that they all get home safely afterwards. And, of course, thanks to our young people.

ANNUAL PARISH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Annual Parish International Music Festival will take place year next Saturday 30th November at 3pm. This event is approaching fast. Please get your different presentations together and let me know what you intend to do so that I can organise the programme.

THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: NOVEMBER 17TH - 23RD 2024

Thirty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

“In those times, after the time of distress…the powers in the heavens will be shaken”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless, Peter Barlow
LATELY DEAD: Cyril Clarke, Fr. Brendan Curley, Mgr. John Chaloner, Bernadette Marie Cox, Patricia Haines
ANNIVERSARIES: Michael Guilfoyle, David Humphry, Mary Casey, Marie Polis, Michael and Catherine McGladdery, Paddy McGinn

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £794.34

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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).

Sunday 17th November 2024 is the eighth World Day of the Poor with the theme from the Book of Sirach, “The prayer of the poor rises up to God” (Sir 21:5). Pope Francis, in his message that this year is dedicated to prayer in anticipation of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025. Christian hope, the theme of the Jubilee Year, is grounded in the certainty that our prayer reaches God’s presence; “not just any prayer but the prayer of the poor.” Pope Francis, as he has done so often in his pontificate, challenges the mentality of the world, “which demands that we become somebody, that we make a name for ourselves at any cost, breaking social norms in order to accumulate wealth.” The Gospel gives us a different account of happiness, “which cannot be acquired by trampling on the rights and dignity of others.” We are all called to be “truly poor”, to be humble and virtuous, to live simply, to know our need for God and the certainty that God loves us, all of us, which is why we are called to help people out of circumstances of poverty, which
are an affront to human dignity.

PASTORAL LETTER FROM THE BISHOP
There are copies of this pastoral letter at the back of the church. Please take one and read it. He explains the some of the reasons for the change in the translation of the Bible we will be using from 1st Sunday of Advent. Of course, he doesn’t claim that this new translation is perfection itself. “No translation or method will ever be beyond criticism.” But it is an attempt to make some improvements.

QUARANT'ORE AT ST MARY'S, THE HIDDEN GEM
The parish of St Mary's, the Hidden Gem, invites you to join them at the end of November for a special time of prayer - 40 hours of Adoration of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. It begins with Holy Mass at 8.00am on Friday 22nd November and ends with 12 noon Mass for the Feast of Christ the King (Sunday 24th), followed by a short Blessed Sacrament Procession and Solemn Benediction. Call 0161 834 3547 for more details.

FIRST MASS OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas Eve (First Mass of Christmas) will begin with carols at 7.30pm, with Mass starting at 8.00pm.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 18th November –Dedication of the Basilicas of SS Peter and Paul.
From the 12th century, the dedications of the Vatican Basilica (St. Peter’s.) and of St. Paul’s Basilica (outside the walls) have been kept on this day. Besides being an act of thanksgiving for the two buildings, it’s also a celebration of the lives of Peter and Paul.
Thursday 21st November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Friday 22nd November – St Cecilia

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The readings today could sound a bit frightening. The Prophet Daniel speaks of a time of “unparalleled distress” and Jesus, in the Gospel takes up the same theme. He speaks of when the sun will be darkened and the powers in the heavens will be shaken! We hear this language at a time when there’s an incessant flow of news about potential climate disaster. We see, dreadful floods in different parts of the world. We see forest fires ravaging whole swathes of the countryside and swallowing up whatever towns lie in their path. It's little wonder, I suppose, that I’ve been asked by several people if we have entered the end times.
One thing is certain, that people have been suggesting that we are in the end-times for centuries. Two thousand years ago, St Paul was convinced that the end times would happen within his lifetime. People caught up in slavery, or in the Jewish holocaust perhaps thought that they were the times of unparalleled distress. Similarly, when thousands of people were killed in Srebrenica or Rwanda or millions were killed in the killing fields of Pol Pot in Cambodia, again perhaps some thought that these were times of unparalleled distress. In a far less serious category, nearly sixty years ago in this area, it went very dark during the middle of the day. Apparently, it was something to do with dust whipped up from the Sahara Desert and carried across sea and land in such a way as to blot out the sun. Those with me at school at the time were convinced that the end-times were happening!
But are these the end-times? One of the statements from today’s Gospel reminds us that no-one knows, not even Jesus. Today’s Gospel was part of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples. He was in the last week of his life, and he was imagining the world that his disciples would have to occupy. In fact, Mark was writing his Gospel around the time that the Emperor Nero was trying to blame the Christians for the great fire of Rome. He had unleashed a great persecution of Christians. A little later, Rome destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. You can guarantee that the Jews and Christians of that time thought that they were in the ‘end-times’. Jesus was imagining events like these but trying to encourage his disciples not to jump into panic mode. He was trying to encourage them to stand firm in these times, not to panic!
It is, however, also important, occasionally, to be reminded of our mortality and to be brought to the edge of the abyss we will all fall into if we don’t change our behaviour. Every year, in November, we are faced with our own mortality as we remember those who have died, and, as it were, we are brought to the edge of the abyss with the mention of the end-times. It is just particularly poignant in the context of COP29 in Azerbaijan. It’s not an easy message but a very necessary one.

PARISH TEAM MEETING
There will be a Parish Team Meeting this Thursday (21st November) at 7pm. If you have any items you want the team to discuss, please pass these either to me or to one of the Parish Team (Frank Wisniewski, Jim Taylor, David Daka, Tina Nufable, Christine Wilson, Janet Hirst, Margaret Larrad, Sharon Teefy).

FESTIVAL OF LIGHT
Every year the Oldham Interfaith Forum celebrate a festival of light, when several of the major festivals of the different religions are marked under one roof. This year the Festival of Light will be at 6.30pm on 18th November in the QE Hall, Oldham. The festivals celebrated are Diwali, Channukah, Mawlid al-Nabi and Christmas. The event is free to enter. More information later.

ANNUAL PARISH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Annual Parish International Music Festival will take place this year on Saturday 30th November at 3pm. This event is approaching fast. Please get your different presentations together and let me know what you intend to do so that I can organise the programme.

THIRTY SECOND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: NOVEMBER 10TH - 16TH 2024

Thirty Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

Elijah and the widow of Zarephath

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless, Peter Barlow
LATELY DEAD: Cyril Clarke, Fr. Brendan Curley, Mgr. John Chaloner
ANNIVERSARIES: James and Alice McParland, Karen Rodrigues, Sally Hanratty, Roy Wolstenholme, Vincent Hall, Jo Henehghan, Rose McGladdery, Mary Casey, Marie Polis

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1,158.03

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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).

TODAY IS REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
I will be representing the Roman Catholic Community of Oldham at the Remembrance Sunday Service in the centre of town at 11.00am today. This means that I have invited Fr. Celestine Nyikwagh to say the 10.00am Mass for me in St. Patrick’s.

poppy

‘FOR THE FALLEN’
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

POPE FRANCIS: HOPE IS A GIFT AND DUTY FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN
Pope Francis writes that hope is a gift from God in the introduction to his new book, "Hope Is A Light In The Night". He writes: ‘The Jubilee of 2025, a holy year that I wanted to dedicate to the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”, is a propitious occasion to reflect on this fundamental and decisive Christian virtue – especially in times like the ones we are living, in which the third world war being fought “piecemeal” that is unfolding before our eyes can lead us to assume attitudes of gloomy discouragement and ill-concealed cynicism.

HOLY HOUR – WEDNESDAY 13TH NOVEMBER 5.30PM-6.30PM
Cardinal Nichols has asked that the bishops should encourage a holy hour of prayer in all our parishes across England and Wales, to pray for respect for the dignity of all human life, in the light of the parliamentary moves towards assisted suicide. So, this Wednesday, we will have such a holy hour.

FIRST MASS OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas Eve (First Mass of Christmas) will begin with carols at 7.30pm, with Mass starting at 8.00pm.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 11th November – St. Martin of Tours. Martin was born in Hungary in about 315 and became a cavalry officer in the Roma army of Constantine. When he was stationed at Amiens, in France, he gave half his cloak to a freezing beggar. He left the army and became a hermit for a while before reluctantly becoming the Bishop of Tours. He died in 397 and was one of the first non-martyrs to be honoured as a saint.
Tuesday 12th November – St. Josaphat. In the seventeenth century Josaphat tried to reconcile the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Churches. He, therefore, created enemies from both sides. An eastern monk tried to assassinate him but was arrested. A street rabble, in defence of the monk, stormed the bishop’s home, crying “Kill the papist”. He was struck on the head with a halberd and then shot. He was the first Eastern saint to be recognised by Rome.
Friday 15th November – St. Albert the Great – He was born in 1206 and became a Dominican. He was chosen as Bishop of Regensberg in 1260. He wrote about the natural sciences and left many works. He died at Cologne in 1280.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Some people might think that women, in Scripture, are always in the background while the men play the more heroic roles, like those of the Apostles But today’s readings and several other significant parts of Scripture would suggest something very different; it’s the women who are heroic. First, we heard of the widow of Zarephath who was so hospitable to a stranger that she risked all that she and her son had to live on. Then we heard of the widow who gave all she had to the treasury.
What’s remarkable to me is that this second woman was giving so generously to the very authorities who, according to that reading, were swallowing up the property of people like her. I think the suggestion of the reading is that she knew about the failings of those people in authority, but she gave anyway because she trusted that, despite their wrongdoings, God was still in there to heal. It’s in this act of trust, which can only exist because of forgiveness, that we see the living example of the story of the cross of Christ. Perhaps she could only give in the way she did because of her sense of God present in this world.
Interestingly, this story of the widow’s mite comes, in Mark’s Gospel, just before we enter the narrative of the passion. In the next chapter we’ll hear of another woman who will break open a very expensive jar of ointment and use it to anoint Jesus. Again, the suggestion is that her generosity of spirit is magnificent. And again, it’s a woman who gets it right! This takes place just before Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus to the Jewish authorities.
Then again, when it comes to the crunch and Jesus is arrested, scourged and crucified, it’s the women, and John alone out of all the male disciples, who stay with him to the end. It’s the women who can sacrifice themselves totally in this way, whatever the cost, perhaps because, in Jesus’ day, it was the men who normally controlled everything in the family and in wider society and the women were more vulnerable.
We see the stark contrast between the woman in today’s Gospel and the rich man who approached Jesus while he and his disciples were still on their way to Jerusalem. That man had asked what he could do to inherit eternal life. When Jesus had suggested that he should give away all that he possessed and follow him, the man went away sad.

I remember listening to a radio programme featuring an American author of several books. The main point of these books seems to have been that, in order to love, we need first to accept vulnerability. That message would certainly chime with the story of Jesus.

HEATING IN CHURCH
The new boiler has been successfully installed and everything seems to be working well! Alleluia! Again, many thanks for your patience over the last couple of months.

VOCATIONS NEWSLETTER
Our diocesan Office for Vocations is pleased to share with you its latest newsletter, featuring news and updates on vocations to the priesthood and permanent diaconate, as well as insights into different aspects of ministry.
To read the latest copy, please visit https://tinyurl.com/vocations-2
The last item actually features the day this Deanery put on in Newman College.

TAKE ACTION ON TWO-CHILD BENEFIT CAP
The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales is inviting you to join other Catholics in taking action on the government’s two-child policy on Universal Credit payments for vulnerable, larger families. All you need to do is complete a short e-Action form that automatically contacts your MP to outline your opposition to the cap. Head to https://www.cbcew.org.uk/contact-mp-two-child-cap/ to find out more and complete the form.

ANNUAL PARISH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Don’t’ forget that the annual parish international music festival will take place this year on Saturday 30th November at 3.00pm. Please begin to get your different presentations together.

THIRTY FIRST SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: NOVEMBER 3RD - 9TH 2024

Thirty First Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Love and do what you will!” (St. Augustine)

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless, Peter Barlow
LATELY DEAD: Janet Anderson, Jean Woolley, Lynne Smith, Tony Heald, Joan Frances Casey
ANNIVERSARIES: Joe Beswick, Helen Okereke, Dominic Mathews, Joan Doran

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1,455.80

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £20.00; Foodbank £20.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

YCW PRAISE AND WORSHIP DAY
Our Young Christian Workers Impact Group have organised a ‘Praise and worship Day’ for Saturday 9th November starting at 1.00pm in the church.

BISHOP SWARBRICK: SUDAN A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE THAT CAN NO LONGER BE IGNORED
It is over 500 days since the start of the civil war in Sudan. The war has escalated, particularly in the cities of El Fasher and Khartoum, where residents face the threat of shelling, starvation, and violence. Approximately 150,000 people have died in the fighting, and more than 10 million have fled their homes. Aid agencies are struggling to deliver the food needed to prevent mass starvation.

SYNOD THEME GATHERING FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Young adults across the Diocese of Salford are invited to join us to take part in the next important stage of our Diocesan Synod. This November, our Young Adults Synod Members will be leading a special theme gathering to further discern and discuss the themes to have emerged from last year's Big Listen Exercise and to submit proposals for each of the themes.
The meeting will take place after our next monthly Mass for Young Adults, which begins at 5.30pm on Sunday 10th November at St Augustine's Church, Manchester. All are very welcome to attend!

FIRST MASS OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas Eve (First Mass of Christmas) will begin with carols at 7.30pm, with Mass starting at 8.00pm.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 4th November – St. Charles Borromeo – He was born in 1538. After he had obtained a doctorate in civil and canon law, he was created a cardinal by his uncle, pope Pius IV, and was chosen to be bishop of Milan. Despite the nepotism involved in his appointment, he was a good pastor and made wise regulations. He died in 1584.
Thursday 7th November – St. Willibrord – He was born in Yorkshire in 685. After his ordination, he set out to evangelise Frisia. He was ordained bishop and established the See of Utrecht. He preached the Gospel throughout the north of Germany and Denmark and founded dioceses and monasteries in the Netherlands and Luxembourg. He died in 739.
Saturday 9th November – The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
‘Love’ is one of those words used to express so many different things. When someone is jealous in a relationship, he/she might sometimes suggest it’s because he/she loves the other person so much. But can jealousy ever be associated with love? We do hear, in the Scriptures, about the ‘jealous love of the Lord’ (Exodus 20:5-6; Deuteronomy 6:14-15; 1Cor. 10:22 etc). But this is not the same type of jealousy that we see in many relationships, a jealousy which leads to possessiveness, control and even violence. The very story of the cross is absolutely clear in manifesting a God who will not try to control people and completely rejects a way of violence. His jealousy is not out of His need or His insecurity. It’s simply a zeal for humanity’s best interests. But, as St. Paul says in that famous passage often used at weddings: “Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous” (1Cor. 13::4).
When Jesus uses the word ‘love’, he is clear that it’s necessarily associated with what we see on the cross. His commandment was not simply ‘love’ but to love as he loved us. “Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another” (John 13:34). He took our burdens and our sins on his shoulders. He poured out his life for us. He forgave and he bore witness to the truth. In the words of St. Paul, “Love…delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.”
But genuine love does not come from our efforts; it is given life and nurtured by the story of the cross in the way that this was lived by Jesus or in the way that others live it in their families or communities. When there’s something of the story of the cross lived out in our families or communities, we grow in the knowledge that we are loved, even when we don’t really deserve it. It’s that love that enables us to love similarly. We can love because we live in the knowledge that we are loved. As Pope Francis writes in his latest encyclical: “For ‘he loved us first’ (cf 1Jn 4:10). Because of Jesus, ‘we have come to know and believe in the love that God has for us’ (1 Jn 4:16)” (Dilexit Nos 2024). A failure to live the story of the cross breeds people who are insecure and prone to violence and the control of others. As the song proclaims: “What the world needs now is love…”, but the love required is the one exemplified from the cross.

HEATING IN CHURCH
The new boiler has been successfully installed and everything seems to be working well! Alleluia! Again, many thanks for your patience over the last couple of months.

THIRTIETH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: OCTOBER 27TH - NOVEMBER 2ND 2024

Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Immediately his sight returned, and he followed him along the road”

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £774.39

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
CAFOD (via collection boxes in the church) £516.90; Caritas (Homeless) £20.00; Missio £23.14.
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

THIS SUNDAY
Besides welcoming the young people on the sacramental programme for this week, we are also celebrating a Mass of thanksgiving with our Catholic Women’s Organisation who have now been in existence for one year. They will, as always on these Masses of thanksgiving bring up gifts during the Preparation of the Gifts (the Offertory). On the 10th November they will be going to Mass at St. Mary’s, Failsworth; Canon Michael Job, who is the Parish Priest there, is their chaplain. Then, on 16th November at 11.00am they will be meeting the Bishop in Salford.

NEWMAN COLLEGE AND ST. PATRICK’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
Both these places of education have asked me to inform you of the process they are currently engaged in to become parts of a Catholic Multi Academy Trust. Those involved in education will know that the services provided by the Local Authority have been pared back in recent years. The new CMAT will hopefully re-establish and improve those services, and with a greater Catholic ethos.

FIRST MASS OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas Eve (First Mass of Christmas) will begin with carols at 7.30pm, with Mass starting at 8.00pm.

BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE AND THE FORMS FOR THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO HAVE DIED OVER THE LAST YEAR
The Mass for the deceased members of the parish, during which the names of those who have died over the past year are read out, will be celebrated at the 12noon Mass on 2nd November. When you have filled in a form, naming the person you would like us to remember, just return the form to me personally, or leave it in the sacristy, or put it through the letterbox of the house. The Book of remembrance will be left out for the next few weeks for people to enter the names of those whom they would like us to remember at Masses during the whole month of November.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 28th October: Ss Simona and Jude (Apostles). The name of Simon is placed eleventh in the list of apostles, and nothing is known about him, except that he was born at Cana in Galilee and was known as the ‘zealot’. Jude, also known as Thaddaeus, was the apostle who, at the Last Supper, asked Jesus why he only showed himself to his disciples and not to the whole world.
Friday, 1st November – All Saints day (a Holyday of Obligation)
Saturday, 2nd November – All Souls day

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today we have the second tranche of what theologians call a ‘Marcan sandwich’. The evangelist, Mark, began his description of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem with the healing of a blind man at Bethsaida, to the north of the Sea of Galilee. That was the first tranche. Now, we have the second, and it’s the healing of another blind man, this time in Jericho, on what is now known as the ‘West Bank’. The filling of the sandwich was the journey, during which he taught the disciples the true nature of the expected Messiah. Clearly, despite Peter’s profession of faith at Caesarea Philippi, at the beginning of the journey, he and the disciples did not really see.
Bartimaeus, the second of the blind men to be healed professed his faith in Jesus as the Son of David, but the type of faith he had would mean that he would follow Jesus along the road to Jerusalem, to the Promised Land. This was the faith that saved him. It was not just a statement of belief but also a relationship of great trust. Interestingly, in Matthew’s account of this same story, he has Bartimaeus saying to Jesus, “Kyrie eleison”, “Lord, have mercy.” This was someone who recognised that Jesus was not only someone who could heal his physical blindness, but was also someone who could forgive him and give him life to the full.
But Mark too has Jesus deliberately making links between what he was doing on his journey and the most important story of the Old Testament on which the Jews built their lives. First, he’s travelling to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover, the moment when Jewish freedom was celebrated. But, Jesus, like his namesake ‘Joshua’ (Jesus and Joshua come from the same Hebrew name, “Yeshua”) entered the Promised Land through Jericho. This was the termination of the great Exodus of Judaism, and it is the termination of Jesus’ journey.

Then, Jesus is also fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah, our first reading today, when we were told, “He will bring them back from the North…the blind and the lame…” Presumably, Bartimaeus, enters Jerusalem with Jesus and his disciples.

HEATING IN CHURCH
As of the time of going to print (Thursday lunchtime), we are still hoping that the boiler installation will have been completed by this weekend. If it isn’t, then it should be finished early next week.

TWENTY NINTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: OCTOBER 20TH - 26TH 2024

The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many

“Can you drink the cup that I must drink?”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless
LATELY DEAD: Beatrice Butler, Alan Bedford, Jean Woolley, Lynne Smith, Tony Heald
ANNIVERSARIES: Joaquin da Silva, Inancia da Silva, Joe Beswick

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £2,023.33

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £20.00; Missio £14.69.
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
This year’s theme for World Mission Sunday is “Go and invite everyone to the banquet” (cf. Matthew 22:9) and Father Chantry, the director of Missio, described a huge celebration he was a part of in South Africa after the building of a church by a small Catholic community in 2004: One of the parishioners said, “The day the bishop came to dedicate the church was one of the happiest days of my life, and I think in the lives of that community…”. The theme Pope Francis has chosen for today indicates that our mission is to invite people to the banquet of the Kingdom of God.

NEWMAN COLLEGE AND ST. PATRICK’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
Both these places of education have aske me to inform you of the process they are both currently engaged in to become parts of a Multi Academy Trust. Those involved in education will know that the services provided by the Local Authority have been pared back in recent years. The new MAT /CAT will hopefully re-establish and improve those services, and with a greater Catholic ethos.

PARISH TEAM MEETING
The Parish team decided that the date for the next Mass for the deceased members of the parish, during which the names of those who have died over the past year are read out, will be celebrated at the 12noon Mass on 2nd November. The Book of remembrance will be left out for the next few weeks for people to enter the names of those whom they would like us to remember at Masses during the whole month of November.
After the incident of an attempted burglary, team members expressed their concern about security between the church and the house. It was suggested that we investigate a lock that could be opened by a mobile phone; the current lock requires people to remember the code and to be able to see the device clearly, therefore often causing difficulties leading to it being left open.
Christmas Eve (First Mass of Christmas) will begin with carols at 7.30pm, with Mass starting at 8pm.
Parish reconciliation service would be celebrated on Sunday 15th December at 3pm.

FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME FOR 2024-25
The next session for the First Communion programme will be on Saturday, October 26th at 10.00am in the church. We now have 40 young people on the programme for this year.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Tuesday 22nd October: St John Paul the Second. Charles Joseph Wojtyla was born in 1920 in Wadowice in Poland. He was elected Pope in 1978 and took the name John Paul II out of respect for his short-lived predecessor John Paul I. His apostolic zeal particularly for families, young people and the sick, led to many pastoral visits throughout the world. He died on 2nd April 2005.
Wednesday 23rd October – St. John Captistrano – He was born in 1386 and, after a legal career, he became a Franciscan, travelling throughout Europe to preach. He died in 1456.
Thursday 24th October – St. Anthony Mary Claret -He was born in 1807, was later ordained a priest and began preaching throughout Spain. He founded the Claretians before being made Archbishop of Santiago in Cuba where he overcame great trials in his ministry. He returned to Spain but fled in 1868 after the revolution there. He died in France in 1870.
Saturday 26th October – Ss. Chad and Cedd – Chad and Cedd were brothers, who were educated at Lindisfarne under Aidan, Cedd founded many monasteries and was sent as Bishop to evangelise the East Saxons, establishing his See at Bradwell (Essex). He died of the plague at his monastery in Lastingham. Chad was Abbot of Lastingham and was made Bishop of Northumbria, but his ordination was contested by Wilfrid, and he humbly withdrew. He was sent instead as Bishop of Mercia, where he founded the See of Lichfield. Despite the shortness of his ministry, after his death in 672, he was immediately revered as a saint because of the holiness of his life.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
There’s a poignant moment in the service of ordination of a priest, when the bishop offers the person to be ordained a chalice to hold. The question we hear in today’s Gospel is not verbalised in the ordination ceremony, but it’s surely understood. At the very beginning of one’s ministry as a priest, the question is, “Can you drink the cup that I must drink?” I suspect that, if that question had been verbalised, I, like James and John, would have said, “I can!” Like the apostles, I’m sure that I would have had a very faulty and idealised image of what discipleship or priesthood involved.
Once again, this week, on that journey of Jesus and his disciples to Jerusalem, we see the self-centredness of his companions. Jesus had just told them again that the journey would end in his death. It’s heartless on the part of perhaps his closest friends that all they can think about is places of honour in his kingdom. It’s important, of course, to acknowledge that society, at the time of Jesus, was driven by honour. For Jesus to talk about being killed, and in such a shameful way, would have been unthinkable.
What drives our society is perhaps different but there will be some similarities. Perhaps we are driven by wealth, fame, power and/or pleasure. But we’ve had a terrible example this week that all these can be just dead ends in our quest for life. Liam Payne’s sudden and tragic death speaks of the emptiness of wealth and fame in itself.
The cup that faces us all on our way to life will involve great difficulties. But, if we can accept a way of service and sacrifice rather than one of prestige, the suggestion is that much greater and lasting joy will be ours. Perhaps, for us alone, this is a cup that we would have difficulty accepting, but we don’t take it on alone. We have the person of Jesus supporting us and encouraging us and giving us strength.

HEATING IN CHURCH
You will be pleased to hear that, last Thursday morning, the boiler contractors arrived on site to start extracting the old boiler and installing the new one. However, it will still be a little while before they finish. They are hoping to have completed the task by Friday 25th October, but it could be the following Monday! Many thanks for your continued patience with this matter.

ANNUAL PARISH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Don’t’ forget that the annual parish international music festival will take place this year on Saturday 30th November at 3pm. Please begin to get your different presentations together.

TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: OCTOBER 13TH - 19TH 2024

Twenty Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“It’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless
LATELY DEAD: Beatrice Butler, Alan Bedford, Jean Woolley, Lynne Smith
ANNIVERSARIES: Michael Ruffle, Jack and Peggy Reddish, Marjorie Cartmel, Alan Pritchard, May Boyle, Sheila Bradbury, Veronica Guilfoyle

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1219.26

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £20.00; Foodbank £20.00, Flowers £25.50.
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

PARISH TEAM MEETING
There will be a Parish Team meeting on Thursday 17th October. If anyone has any proposals for the team, either write them down and give them to me, or to one of the team members (Jim Taylor, Sharon Teefy, Maragaret Larrad, Christine Wilson, Frank Wisniewski, Janet Hirst, David Daka, Tina Nufable).

VOCATIONS PANEL AT NEWMAN COLLEGE
Last Wednesday, Canon Michael Job, Sister Benedicta Tokede, Moulana Akmal Hussain and I formed a panel which faced questions from the students at Newman College about vocation. We saw the whole school during the day, delivering the panel to the five different year groups (about three hundred students at a time, ie 1500 students over the whole day). It gave us a real opportunity to explore, with the students, what drives people to play a particular role in society, when it’s clearly not about the money we earn.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 14th October – Pope St. Callistus – He was originally a slave who became a deacon. His role, at that time, was to supervise the cemetery on the Via Appia in Rome. He later became Pope and was martyred in 222.
Tuesday 15th October –St. Teresa of Avila– She was born in 1515 and entered the Carmelite Order where an episode of malaria left her virtually paralysed for three years. She experienced a series of mystical revelations. She undertook the reform of the Order against great opposition. She also wrote a spiritual classic, The Interior Castle. She died in 1582.
Wednesday 16th October – St Hedwig and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque – Hedwig was born in Bavaria in 1174. She married and had seven children. She was renowned for her kindness to the sick and the poor. On the death of her husband, she retired to a monastery where she died in 1243. Margaret Mary Alacoque was born in 1647 and joined the Sisters of the Visitation at Paray le Monial. She was granted revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She died in 1690.
Thursday 17th October – St. Ignatius of Antioch – He was the second bishop of Antioch. He was sentenced to death in 107 and deported to Rome where he was thrown to the wild beasts.
Friday 18th October – St Luke – He was converted from paganism to Christianity and became a companion of St. Paul. He composed the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.
Saturday 19th October Ss. John Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues and companions – These were Jesuits who preached the Gospel in North America. They worked among the Huron and the Iroquois, but, between 1642 and 1649, were all brutally killed.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
For all our most recent Gospels at Sunday Masses, it has been important to realise that they are set in the context of Jesus’ journey towards Jerusalem where he knew he would meet his death. Today’s Gospel is no exception. The rich young man who approaches Jesus is an earnest person, who wants to do what is right and is seeking to fine-tune his quest for salvation. But, Jesus suggests that what is required is for the young man to forget about everything else and focus on following him. He’s inviting the man, of course, to accompany him on that journey to his death. It’s through that journey that he would be made whole, simply by standing beside the cross of Jesus and seeing his love and mercy. But this was too much for the young man. We are told that he was a man of great wealth. He saw his material possessions as more important.
Last week I was a panel member in Newman College, answering the questions of the students about vocation. Our aim, as a panel, was not to convince the students to become priests or religious sisters but to recognise the call of God in their lives that can sometimes inspire them to take on roles where money is only of secondary importance. We hoped to help them to recognise that other element in life, which can impel us to adopt such a role. This usually involves finding some occupation in which we can be true to ourselves and not simply fit into a way of life that others expect of us.
St. Francis of Assisi is a saint who famously left everything and followed Jesus along the road. He had been someone for whom chivalry was important, hoping to fight wars and to win them. However, quite soon, as he travelled along his chosen way of life, the army he served was defeated and he spent time in prison. His family paid a ransom for him, and he was released. Then, sometime later, he found himself listening to chapter 10 of Matthew’s Gospel, about the missionaries who were sent out without any money or spare tunic. He then realised what his own mission was and what was far more important than chivalry.
The cartoonist responsible for the Peanuts cartoons tells the story of today’s Gospel in his way. He has Linus trudging up a hill in the snow with his sledge. Halfway up, he encounters a huge tree, and he begins to worry about the possibility of hitting this tree on the way down. He baulks at travelling further up the hill in case he should hit the tree on his descent. Instead, he simply sledges from the tree to the bottom of the hill. He has, therefore, missed out on the exhilaration of sledging down from the top because of his fears of what might happen. Perhaps we miss out on what is really important because of our fears of what others might think, or what material things we might lose.

HEATING IN CHURCH
You will be pleased to hear that, last Thursday, the Diocesan Property Committee approved our request for a new boiler in the church. They have agreed to the quote presented by Fiducia Ltd for £20,760.00. I have asked them to pay half of that amount to enable the work to start next Thursday or Friday. They have suggested that this will be paid early next week. I’m not sure, at this stage, how many days it will take to install the boiler.

TWENTY SEVENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: OCTOBER 6TH - 12TH 2024

Twenty Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

"An icon of the presence of God?"

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell, Surya Duval, Margaret Lawless
LATELY DEAD: Beatrice Butler, Alan Bedford, Jean Woolley
ANNIVERSARIES: Dimitri Michailuk, Jan Feniuk, Michael Hywell

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £967.02

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £20.00; Foodbank £25.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME FOR 2024-25
We welcome the children at Mass this morning who will be beginning the sacramental programme which will prepare them to receive their First Communion on May 18th next year. Please be patient with them and pray for them.

POPE FRANCIS CALLS FOR 7 OCTOBER TO BE DAY OF PRAYER AND FASTING FOR PEACE
Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer and fasting on 7 October, the one-year anniversary of the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. “In this dramatic hour of our history,” the Pope said, “while the winds of war and the fires of violence continue to devastate entire peoples and nations,” the Christian community is reminded of its call to “put itself at the service of humanity”.

FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME FOR 2024-25
The first meeting where children and at least one accompanying adult will sign up for the programme will be at 10am on Saturday, 5th Oct. in St. Patrick’s Church. The First Communion itself will be celebrated on Sunday 18th May at 3pm.

MARY’S MEALS CHARITY
“School feeding charity, Mary’s Meals, needs your help! We are looking to recruit some new Parish Reps to raise awareness of our mission and help us to reach more hungry children with food & hope for the future. This is a highly rewarding role, with a very low time commitment. Responsibilities include sharing information & giving updates on Mary’s Meals to your parish community. We always welcome new volunteers to our growing family. Joining our network of church representatives is a fantastic way of putting something into action to help make a difference to the lives of children across the globe. For more info please contact Fran Lawson by email: fran.lawson@marysmeals.org or call 0800 698 1212. Thank you for your support!”

CARJ CONFERENCE
Yogi Sutton, the Chair of the Catholic Association for Racial Justice, wrote to me after the Conference on 21st September, here at St. Patrick’s. She wrote: “The celebration today was exceptionally good. The content of the talks and the delicious food, the wonderful people, the most enjoyable Mass and music, the atmosphere and, all in all, the learning…Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Yogi Sutton. I will place a few photographs of the event in the ‘Past events’ section on the Parish website.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 7th October – Our Lady of the Rosary
Wednesday 9th October – John Henry Newman – He was born in London in 1801 and died in 1890. He was educated at Oxford and became the most notable Catholic convert of the age. He became a member of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, and was made Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII.
Thursday 10th October – St. Paulinus of York – He was among the second group of monks sent to England by Pope Gregory. After working for 20 years in Kent, he was ordained bishop and sent to Northumbria. By 627, he had baptised the king and many of his nobles. He died in 644.
Friday 11th October – Pope St. John XXIII – His name, at birth, was Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli. He was born in 1881 and, in 1904 was ordained priest. In 1953, he was created a cardinal and made Patriarch of Venice. In 1958, he was elected Pope and it was during his pontificate that he called the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council. He died in 1963.
Saturday 12th October – St. Wilfrid – He was born in Northumbria in about 634 and became the Bishop of York. He was removed from that post but appealed to the Pope and was re-instated. However, he fell out again with the king and with some of the other bishops and was forced to move to the East Midlands, where he continued with his ministry. He finally moved back north, to Hexham, where he died in around 709.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
In today’s Gospel Jesus and his disciples have reached the east coast of the Dead Sea on their journey to Jerusalem. They’re in the territory of Herod Antipas. This is an important piece of context for what takes place. You will remember that this Herod had imprisoned John the Baptist for daring to criticize him for taking his brother Philip’s wife for his own. The Jewish opponents of Jesus saw an opportunity to trap Jesus and to get him into trouble with Herod. If Jesus criticized divorce directly, they could go to Herod and make things difficult for him.
But the question about divorce didn’t come out of the blue; two schools of thought had developed at that time, led by two of the esteemed Rabbis of the day. One of these was more liberal in his interpretation of the beginning of Chapter 24 of Deuteronomy, the other only allowing divorce in the case of adultery. The Book of Deuteronomy suggests that a writ of divorce could be given when a man finds that his wife has not pleased him or when he finds out that she has been involved in some impropriety. The presumption of the Book of Deuteronomy is clearly that this practice of the man issuing a writ of divorce is acceptable. But one of the two rabbis suggested that the only impropriety enabling him to issue such a writ was adultery.
For his part, Jesus focuses on marriage being that which makes many men and women whole and makes them an icon, or a sacrament, here and now, of the presence of God. Clearly, there are marriages, perhaps those, for example, involving serious domestic violence, that could not be seen as icons of God. But Jesus is saying that this is not what marriage is intended to be. If people corrupt the icon in this way, they have done great harm to each other and to the wider community, which needs that sacramental presence among them, and they have let a tremendous opportunity slip through their hands.

HEATING IN CHURCH
At this stage, I can’t imagine that any decision is going to be made about our suggested new boiler till 10th October when the Diocesan Property Committee meets. I have written to the Diocese again this week to give my own preference for the quote from a company called ‘Fiducia’. Their quote was for just over £20K but it included several features not included in the other quotes and did not require us to create a new flue coming up the side of the building. The company assured us that they could legally use the existing chimney by installing a twin wall stainless steel flue liner. Thankfully, while it has been cold in church for the last few weeks, I have not seen my breath while I’ve been speaking, which I used to do occasionally during the winter months when I first arrived in the parish, 23 years ago. And that was when the heating was on!

TWENTY SIXTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: SEPTEMBER 29TH - OCTOBER 5TH 2024

Twenty Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Anyone who is not against us is for us.”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Win Powell
LATELY DEAD: Agnes Madden, Cheri Mulryan, Antonia Patra, Irene Watson, Kath Green
ANNIVERSARIES: Bessie Beswick, Veronica Guilfoyle, Agnes and James Killeen, Sebastien Tchiappi, Sheila Bradbury, May Boyle

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £923.59

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £40.00; Narcotics Anonymous (Rent of room) £30.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
The 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees is celebrated today on 29 September 2024 - the last Sunday of the month. The Holy Father has chosen the theme 'God walks with His people'. In this message for the day, the Holy Father reminds us that all of us, God’s people, are migrants on this earth, on our way to the “true homeland”, the Kingdom of Heaven. Migrants are a contemporary icon of this people on a journey, of the Church on a journey, and at the same time, it is in them and in all our vulnerable brothers and sisters that we can encounter the Lord who walks with us.

DIOCESAN SYNOD UPDATE
Over the next four months, our diocese will closely explore the four key themes to have emerged from our Big Listen responses. The themes are: Nurturing Faith for Tomorrow’s World, Building Connections, Enabling Access, and Fostering Christ-like Care. To find out more the first of our themes and how to get involved, please visit
https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/synod-theme-1

FR. PHIL’S LEG IN A BRACE
Most of you will now have seen me hobbling around with a leg brace. To avoid Facebook frenzy, I was not beaten up! I entered my office after Mass on Thursday to encounter someone trying to steal money from there. I got him to put the money down but, as I tried to detain him, I pushed too hard on my weak knee, the one which had to be operated on several years ago, and the pain shot through me. The guy got away and I had to spend the following seven hours in A&E. I still don’t know the final outcome; I have to go attend ‘outpatients’ in Rochdale on Tuesday morning. I just pray that I don’t need a further operation.

FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR FRANCIS HOUSE CHILDREN’S HOSPICE
There will be a fundraising event for Francis House on Wednesday 18th October, starting at 7.30pm in Queen Elizabeth Hall, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1QJ. Tickets are £25 per head with all proceeds going to Francis House. There will be several entertainers including Jimmy Cricket, Justin Daish (Hank Marvin tribute), Peter Sarsfield (Frankie Valli tribute) and Kimika. If you wish to go contact Jim on 0161 793 0248 or Queen Elizabeth Hall on 770 4083.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 30th September – St. Jerome 1821 – He was born in Dalmatia in 340 and studied in Rome where he was baptised and became secretary to the Pope Damasus 1. He set about translating the Bible into Latin and promoting the monastic life. He settled in Bethlehem, where he trained others in Scriptural studies. He died in 420 at the age of 80.
Tuesday 1st October – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus – She was born in France in 1873 and entered the Carmelite monastery at Lisieux at the age of 15… Bu word and example, she taught humility, simplicity, and faith in God. She died at the age of 24. Her autobiography, “The story of a soul” records her immense love of God and personal determination to grow in prayer.
Wednesday 2nd October – The Holy Guardian Angels
Friday 4th October – St. Francis of Assisi – He was born in Assisi in 1182. After a profound conversion, he embraced poverty and turned to God. Preaching the love of God, he gathered brothers around him who became the Friars Minor. During the Crusades he travelled to Egypt and tried to persuade the ‘Christian’ forces to stop fighting, but he was ridiculed. He, therefore, crossed the battle lines and asked for hospitality from the Muslim Sultan. Amazingly, he was given that hospitality and he stayed for some time engaging in an interfaith exchange with the Sultan and his retinue and building up great respect for each other. Pope Francis has notably followed in the footsteps of his namesake by, early in his Papacy, establishing a close relationship with the Grand Imam of Al Azhar (in Egypt). In 2019 they signed a declaration together on “Human fraternity for world peace and living together”. He signed a similar agreement earlier this month with the Grand Imam of Indonesia. This document was called, “Fostering religious harmony for the sake of humanity.”
Francis of Assisi bore the stigmata (the wounds of Christ) and died in 1226.
Saturday 5th October – St Faustina Kowalska – She was born in Poland in 1905. At the age of 20, she entered religious life. For many years she suffered ill health and received visions of Jesus as, ‘The Divine Mercy’. She died in Krakow on 5th October 1938.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
In today’s Gospel Jesus is still on his journey to Jerusalem and he is trying to help the disciples who were travelling with him to see more clearly. In a story that is somewhat an echo of the first reading we hear of the jealousy of John (the so-called ‘beloved disciple’). He has seen someone casting out devils in Jesus’ name and he has tried to prevent the person from doing so. John was still seeing his relationship with Jesus to be about power and privilege; he was in the ‘in-group’. It was similar with Joshua in the first reading. Eldad and Medad had not been in the tent of meeting when the Spirit of God descended on the chosen elders, but they began to prophesy as if they had been. The big-hearted Moses, like Jesus in the Gospel, asks Joshua if he was jealous. Moses and Jesus would have us acknowledge that the Spirit of God blows wherever He/She pleases and not be so caught up in whether it fits our traditions or rules. Jesus is trying to help his disciples to be less ‘precious’ about themselves.
But then the Gospel goes on to use what might seem like very harsh language: “and if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off…” Given that I don’t hear about any people in our congregations today voluntarily cutting off their hand or their foot, I presume either that you do not take his advice literally, or that you are all very holy! One of the commentators suggests that this is more about detachment, about not being too attached to material things. There’s a book written by a guy called Clive Hamilton, called “Affluenza” which describes the illness of a society when too much is still not enough. We need to recognise how we can all be infected with this illness. This week, we celebrate the feast day of Francis of Assisi, who accepted a radical poverty in his life in such a way that it spoke to so many of an option for the poor that truly seemed to reflect the Christian message.
Throughout life, we will also have to let go, in one sense, of people that we love. Sometimes people have to move away, or they become sick and die. If we have the privilege to love someone, life will require, at some stage, that we have to let go. There is no suggestion here that you should not give that love because of the inevitable pain of loss, but that you should enjoy the tremendous blessing while you can and know that it is such an important part of the journey to life and something of the eternal here and now.

HEATING IN CHURCH
The latest news on this situation is that I sent the third quote to the Diocesan Property Manager. I also wrote to him to say that I preferred this third quote even though it was slightly more expensive than the one for just less than £18,000. This third quote didn’t include not being able to start work until some time in November and it included using the existing chimney for a flue, without requiring a new flue to extend up the side of the building. The Property Manager has since written to the Vicar General (copying me into his email) to request a decision to be made before the meeting of the Property Management Committee in the second week of October. We pray that such a decision is made next week so that work could begin soon afterwards.

TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: SEPTEMBER 22ND - 28TH 2024

Twenty Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me.”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK:John Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone,
LATELY DEAD:Agnes Madden, Cheri Mulryan, Antonia Patra, Irene Watson, Kath Green
ANNIVERSARIES: Dorothy Heppenstall, Joel Clifton, James Patrick Rothwell, Daniel Malone, Maria Lourdes Barros, Stephen Henthorn, Elsie and John Granelli, Anthony Flatley, Bessie Beswick, Veronica Guilfoyle, Agnes and James Killeen, Sebastien Tchiappi

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £998.64

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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).

Congratulations to Sister Mary Francis Rushton who celebrates her Diamond Jubilee of ‘Profession’. She was one of the team of helpers at Corpus Christi Parish, Hollinwood, for many years. Mass will be said for her.

CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
Almost 70 people signed up for the conference put on by the Catholic Association for Racial Justice in the church this weekend, 23 of whom were from this parish. The refreshments for the day will be prepared and provided by our parishioners. All our choirs will take part in the Mass and, I believe, give a great witness to other visitors of what can be done. Many thanks for all your generosity.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 23rd September –St. Pius of Pietreclina- born on 25th May 1887. He entered the novitiate of the Capuchin Friars aged 16 and was ordained priest in 1910. He lived a remarkable devotion to prayer and the sacraments. He committed himself to relieving the pain of many families, chiefly through the foundation of the ‘House for the relief of Suffering’. He died in 1968.
Tuesday 24th September – Our Lady of Walsingham – The lady of the manor of Walsingham, Richeldis de Faverches, was instructed by a vision of the Virgin Mary, to build a replica of the house of Nazareth in which the Annunciation had taken place. The vision occurred, according to tradition, in 1061. The original house was destroyed at the Reformation, but, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, pilgrimages to Walsingham were revived.
Thursday 26th September – SS Cosmos and Damian - were doctors who were martyred in Syria around the year 300. There is evidence that their tomb was at Cirrhus where a basilica was built in their honour.
Friday 27th September – St Vincent de Paul – He was the son of a swineherd and was ordained priest in 1600 when he was just nineteen. He became chaplain to a noble family at Folleville, and he began to visit impoverished peasants in the countryside. Realising the shocking state of the poor, he founded the Vincentians as an order of priests dedicated to ministering to the oppressed. With the help of St. Louise de Marillac, he also established the Sisters of Charity. His compassion was legendary, and he set up a sort of welfare system for the French proletariat. According to tradition, Vincent once traded places with a convict in the galleys, having heard the man despair of ever again seeing his wife and children. He slaved for weeks until his freedom was bought by his followers. His ankles were permanently swollen after this because of the shackles he had worn.
Saturday 28th September – Ss Lawrence Ruiz and his companions – This saint is portrayed in one of the Filipino stained-glass windows. He was born in Manila in the Philippines in 1600 and became a Dominican. He travelled to Japan and was arrested, taken to Nagasaki, and executed in 1637, the first Filipino martyr. He is, of course, one of the two saints depicted in our Filipino stained-glass window.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Mark, the evangelist for today’s Gospel, sandwiches the journey of Jesus and his disciples from the region of Galilee to Jerusalem with two stories of healings of blind men, one at Bethsaida and the other at Jericho. In the first of these, the person being healed doesn’t immediately see properly; he thinks the people look like what he imagines trees look like. This reflects the story of the disciples of Jesus when he first tells them that he is going to Jerusalem to be killed. Last week, we heard Jesus’ first prophecy of his passion and death. Then Peter said that this couldn’t happen to Jesus. Peter wasn’t immediately seeing clearly. Today, it’s Jesus’ second prophecy of his passion and death. This time we hear that the other disciples are more bothered about who was the best among them. The third time Jesus prophesies his passion is not one of the chosen readings for the Sunday lectionary but, on that occasion, the mother of James and John is asking for seats for them on either side of Jesus in his Kingdom. The message is surely that when Jesus’ words are spoken, often, we don’t immediately see, or understand, properly. We can be so caught up in competing in a world that can be cruel that we don’t see or understand the way to life being offered to us.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus sets a child in front of them and says, “Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me.” This could sound a little creepy in view of all the child abuse that has taken place both in the Church and in the wider world. Child abuse is often the result of an abuse of power, but what Jesus is speaking of here is not abusing power but relinquishing power. A child, in his day, would have been seen as someone without status. In our context, he might have set a child before us or, perhaps, a refugee without status. Anyone who welcomes such a person could be said to welcome Jesus. I’m reminded of the powerful sculptures by Timothy Schmalz of homeless people portrayed with the wounds of Jesus in their hands and feet, one lying on a park bench and the other sitting and extending a wounded hand, begging (this is the picture on the front of this week’s newsletter). The same artist has also created a sculpture of a boat filled with refugees of different ethnicities. Again, the suggestion of the sculptor is clear: here we see people without status, who can be open doors to the Divine presence. We can see them as threats to our way of life in a cruel, competitive world; but we are being asked to remove the power element to see them as people created in the image of God.

TWENTY FOURTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: SEPTEMBER 15TH - 21ST 2024

Twenty Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Anyone who wants to be a follower of mine, let him…take up his cross and follow me.”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone,
LATELY DEAD: Fr. Michael Gallagher, Sheila Smith, James Stott, Tom Craine, Anthony Hampson, Martyn Robinson, Agnes Madden, Cheri Mulryan
ANNIVERSARIES: Dorothy Heppenstall, Joel Clifton, James Patrick Rothwell, Daniel Malone, Maria Lourdes Barros, Stephen Henthorn

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £972.56

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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 Mass on the Saturday 21st September will be at 3.15pm.
This will be a Mass to conclude the Racial Justice Conference and will see all our choirs taking part. Anyone is welcome at that Mass whether he/she has taken part in the conference or not. There will be no Confessions on that day!

SOLAR PANELS ON THE PRESBYTERY
The scaffolding team arrived, as promised, last Monday morning along with the team to install the panels. By Tuesday night, everything was installed, and the panels are now sometimes producing over 7 kilowatts of electricity. Occasionally, we use more electricity than that (especially if I am charging my car!) but, more often than not, less. When we use less, the system will charge a battery installed in the garage, which we can draw energy off at other times.

CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
As part of their 40th anniversary celebrations, the Catholic Association for Racial Justice will be holding a second conference on its ‘Agenda for change’ but, this time, here at St Patrick’s Church, Oldham, on Saturday 21st September. We will be the hosts for the day. The Bishop will attend the conference and will say Mass at 3.15pm to bring the conference to a close. I have asked our different community choirs to provide the music for the Mass. Of course, anyone is welcome to attend the conference, but you will need to inform me on Philip_sumner@tiscali.co.uk The conference begins at 10.30am. Alison Lowe (OBE) the Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire will be the keynote speaker followed by me speaking about CARJ’s ‘Agenda for change’. Canon Michael Job will also be speaking at the event as will the Chair of our African community, Eric Olivier Kowac.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 16th September – Ss Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Martyr – Both these saints lived at a time of turbulence in the Church; they were at the forefront of the debate about reconciling those who had denied the faith under persecution. Together, thy struck a middle course. Cornelius died in exile and Cyprian was martyred.
Tuesday 17th Sept. – St. Hildegard of Bingen – She was born in Germany in 1098 and, in 1115 she entered a Benedictine abbey. Around 1150, she founded the monastery near Bingen, where she was the abbess. She was an expert both in natural science and in music. Popes turned to her for advice. She died in 1179.
Thursday 19th September – St Januarius, Bishop and Martyr.
Friday 20th September – Ss. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang and companions – Andrew Kim Taegon (21 August 1821 – 16 September 1846), also referred to as Andrew Kim in English, was the first Korean-born Catholic priest and is the patron saint of Korean clergy. Kim was canonized with 102 other martyrs on 6 May 1984. After being baptized at age 15, Kim studied at a seminary in the Portuguese colony of Macau. He also spent time in study at Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines, where today he is also venerated. He was ordained a priest in Shanghai after nine years (1844) In 1846, at the age of 25, he was tortured and beheaded near Seoul on the Han River.
Saturday 21st September – St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. – He was born in Capernaum and became a tax collector. As such he would have been despised by many, but Jesus chose him as an Apostle. Tradition has it that he preached the Faith in the East.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
We see a major shift in Jesus’ ministry in today’s Gospel; he moves from his preaching in the towns of the north of Israel, around the Sea of Galilee, to set himself resolutely on the road to Jerusalem and his inevitable death. Mark sets the scene for us in Caesarea Philippi. This place, north of the Sea of Galilee, had originally been called Paneas after the pagan god Pan. Then it was renamed to honour the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, and Herod the Great’s son, Philip, who was Tetrarch of that region. Jesus asked the question. “Who do people say I am?” while perhaps standing before a temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus. When Peter says, “You are the Christ”, this would have been, in that place, a stark counter claim to that made in the titles given to the emperor, which were, “Son of God”, “Saviour” and “Bringer of Good News”. In Matthew’s version of this story, Peter’s response to Jesus was said to have been, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”
Then we hear Jesus saying what the title of ‘Christ’ (Messiah) meant. He says that the ‘Son of Man’ (another similar title) was destined to suffer grievously and to be put to death. Peter, understandably, reacted to such a suggestion. The ‘Christ’, for him, would have been someone who would finally put an end to all the oppressive regimes which had ruled over Israel (the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Seleucids and the Romans) and rule with power. The psalms of Solomon had, after all, predicted a ‘Son of David’ who would destroy the unrighteous rulers and be a righteous King and Messiah. But Jesus points to another understanding of a Messiah, such that we find in the first of our readings today, that of a suffering servant. That reading is taken from the 3rd of the suffering servant songs in Isaiah and suggests a completely different understanding of power and glory, one that is utterly consistent with suffering service and is completely counterintuitive. Peter remonstrated with Jesus because he simply could not associate power and glory with suffering service and death.
Once more, the readings challenge us to be counterintuitive and to see the amazing power of the cross. They challenge us to question what is really important in this world. Is it fame, money, or political power, or can we recognise the far greater power of sacrifice and love? We are called upon to accompany Jesus on the road to life. It’s not easy, but it is truly powerful.

HEATING IN CHURCH
I sent the two quotations to the Diocese and have now had several phone calls with the Diocesan Property Manager. I made the argument that we have been trying to find a more eco-friendly heating system for over two years, without success. And, even if we were to find such a system in the next couple of years, we might still need a gas boiler ‘backup. He accepted my arguments and now seems prepared to propose the £18K gas system to the property committee which meets in the second week of October. I suspect that it will still be November before we get a new boiler. Please be patient and pray for warm weather!

TWENTY THIRD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: SEPTEMBER 8TH - 14TH 2024

Twenty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Sheila Smith,
LATELY DEAD: Fr. Derek Woodhead, Robert Arnaud, Jeanne Townsend, Fr. Michael Gallagher, Sheila Smith, James Stott, Tom Craine, Anthony Hampson
ANNIVERSARIES: John Stephen Rigby

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £758.02 (25th August) and £888.70 (1st Sept)

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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).

PARISH TEAM MEETING
There will be a parish team meeting this Thursday 12th September at 7.00pm. If you have any proposals either give them to Father Phil or put them in the suggestion box.

DIOCESAN SYNOD UPDATE
We are now entering into the Exploration Stage of our diocesan synod. Over the next four months, we will closely explore the four key themes to have emerged from our Big Listen responses. The themes are: Nurturing Faith for Tomorrow’s World, Building Connections, Enabling Access, and Fostering Christ-like Care. To find out more the first of our themes and how to get involved, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/synod-theme-1

SOLAR PANELS ON THE PRESBYTERY
The scaffolding team will arrive this Monday and the installation will begin soon afterwards

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 9th Sept. – St Peter Claver – He was born in Spain in 1580 and studied at Barcelona before becoming a Jesuit. He joined the Jesuit mission in Colombia where he spent his life ministering to the slave arriving from Africa in the most dreadful of conditions. He referred to himself as the ‘servant of the slaves.’ He continued this work until his death in 1654.
Tuesday 10th Sept. – St. Ambrose Barlow – He was born in 1585 at the still-standing Barlow Hall in Chorlton-cum-Hardy. After his studies in Douai and Valladolid, he became a Benedictine. He then returned to Manchester to work for the many Catholics of this region. He was particularly famed for his preaching, walking long distances in order to fulfil his ministry. He was imprisoned at least four times before his final arrest and execution at Lancaster in 1641. His skull is preserved at Wardley Hall, the Bishop’s residence.
Friday 13th Sept. – St. John Chrysostom – He was born in Antioch in 349 and eventually became the Bishop of Constantinople in 397. He was a powerful preacher (often referred to as ‘the golden mouthed’) and it was his preaching that caused him opposition from the Empress. He died in exile in 407.
Saturday 14th Sept. – The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The following is part of a reflection from Pope Francis for today: “The Gospel for today’s liturgy presents Jesus who heals a deaf man with a speech impediment. What is striking about this story is how the Lord performs this prodigious sign. He took the deaf man aside, put his finger into the man’s ears, and touched his tongue with saliva. Then he looked up to heaven, groaned, and said to him: “Ephphatha”, that is, “Be opened!” (cf Mk 7:33-34). In other healings, for infirmities as serious as paralysis or leprosy, Jesus did not do as many things. So why does he do all of this, even though they had only asked him to lay his hands on the sick man (cf. v.32)? Maybe it was because that person’s condition had a particularly symbolic value… That man was unable to speak because he could not hear. To heal the cause of his infirmity, Jesus…placed his fingers first in the man’s ears, then his mouth, but his ears first. We all have ears, but very often we are not able to hear. Why is this? Brothers and sisters, there is an interior deafness that we can ask Jesus to touch and heal today. It is interior deafness, which is worse than physical deafness, because it is the deafness of the heart. Taken up with haste, by so many things to say and do, we do not find time to stop and listen to those who speak to us. We run the risk of becoming impervious to everything and not making room for those who need to be heard. … Let us ask ourselves: how is my capacity to listen going? Do I let myself be touched by people’s lives? Do I know how to spend time with those who are close to me in order to listen?... Think about family life: how many times do we talk without listening first, ... or we do not let the other person finish talking, expressing themselves, and we interrupt them. Starting a dialogue often happens not through words but silence, by not insisting, by patiently beginning anew to listen to others, hearing about their struggles and what they carry inside. The healing of the heart begins with listening.
And the same is true with the Lord. ..Do we remember to listen to the Lord? We are Christians, but sometimes with the thousands of words we hear every day, we do not find a moment to let a few words of the Gospel resound in us… if we dedicate time to the Gospel, we will find the secret for our spiritual health. This is the medicine: every day a little silence and listening, fewer useless words and more of the Word of God. Always with the Gospel in your pocket that can help greatly. Today, as on the day of our Baptism, we hear the words of Jesus addressed to us: “Ephphatha, be opened!” Open your ears.”.

DIOCESAN JOB VACANCIES
Cleaner - Diocese of Salford - Appointment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: 21.15 hours per week to be worked Monday to Friday, 7.45am – 12 pm. Location: Cathedral Centre 3 Ford Street, Salford, M3 6DP
Salary: £12 per hour Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies

HEATING IN CHURCH
At the moment, we have had two quotations to replace the boiler, one for just less than £18,000 and another for just over £28,000! I sent these to the Diocese but, so far, I have had no response, despite a couple of emails from me to stress the urgency of the matter! Our applications for something of this cost are required to go to the Diocesan Property Committee, which only meets every so often. I suspect that the earliest we will have something will be November of this year! Please be patient and pray for warm weather!

DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LINDISFARNE
Discover the fascinating history of our Northern Saints with this one-off pilgrimage to Lindisfarne, Ripon, and Durham in celebration of our 2025 Year of Jubilee. Led by Bishop John, the pilgrimage will take place between 15th-17th May 2025.
Find out more about this and all of our pilgrimages during our Jubilee year at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/jubilee-2025/pilgrimages/

TWENTY FIRST SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: AUGUST 25TH - 31ST 2024

Twenty First Sunday of Ordinary Time

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Sheila Smith,
LATELY DEAD: Fr. Derek Woodhead, Robert Arnaud, Elizabeth Doyle, Tom Craine
ANNIVERSARIES: Robert Jones, Mary Frances Park, Anna Maria Smith

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £920.00p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £20.00; NA (for use of the meeting room) £30.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR FR. WOODHEAD
Fr Derek’s body will be received into St Michael’s Church, Abbeyhills, Oldham for concelebrated Mass at 7.00pm on Thursday 29th August. The Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael’s on Friday 30th August at 11:30am followed by committal at Oldham Crematorium at 1:30pm.

THERE WILL BE NO NEWSLETTER NEXT SUNDAY AS FATHER PHIL WILL BE AWAY ON HOLIDAY! FR. CALLUM BROWN WILL SAY THE SUNDAY MASSES ON 1ST SEPTEMBER.

Congratulations to all our young people who received good exam results for GCSE’s or A levels. If you didn’t get the results you had hoped for, it’s what you do from now on that counts!

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 26th August – Blessed Dominic of the Mother of God – He was born in Viterbo in 1792. He became a Passionist and travelled to England in 1841. He worked tirelessly, establishing four Passionist houses and bringing many people into the Church by his preaching and writing. He received St. John Henry Newman into the Church. He died in Reading in 1849.
Tuesday 27th August – St. Monica – She was born in north Africa in 333 and was the mother of St. Augustine. Thanks to her patience and prayer, her husband was baptised. It was with a similar patience that she prayed for her son Augustine while he continued to live somewhat of a wild life. Her prayers were rewarded when he was baptised in Milan in 387. She fell ill and died at Ostia while on her way home to Africa.
Wednesday 28th August – St. Augustine – He was born in 354 and as he developed into adulthood live a rather dissolute life. But, thanks to the prayers of his mother, he changed his ways and became a Christian. Then he was chosen as the Bishop of Hippo in North Africa. Here, his pastoral care and his teachings were exemplary. He died in 430, leaving many works, the most famous of which was his “Confessions”
Thursday 29th August – The Passion of John the Baptist
Friday 30th August – Ss. Margaret Clitherow, Anne Line and Margaret Ward – Margaret Clitherow was born in York in 1556 and died there on 25th March 1586. At 15, she married a butcher, John Clitherow and, three years later, became a Catholic. She hid priests in their house until the hiding places were discovered and she was arrested. She was crushed to death. Anne Line was born at Dunmow (Essex) c.1565 and hanged at Tyburn on 27th February 1601. In her teens, she married Roger Line, who was exiled for his faith. After people has been seen at her house for Mass, she was arrested, tried and condemned to death. Margaret Ward was born in Congleton. She was arrested for assisting a priest to escape. She was tried at the Old Bailey and executed in 1588.
Saturday 31st August – St. Aidan and the saints of Lindisfarne – Aidan was born in Ireland and eventually became a monk of Iona. He was sent to Northumbria when King Oswald asked for help in converting his kingdom and established a monastery on the island of Lindisfarne. With him are remembered the holy abbots, bishops, teachers, and missionaries who made Lindisfarne a cradle of British Christianity.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Our first reading, today, catches up with Joshua and the people of Israel at Shechem, which was to the north of the Dead Sea and to the west of the River Jordan. They had entered the ‘Promised Land’ after their years of travelling in the desert. Joshua recognises that this is an ‘inflection point’ when people could either adopt the gods of the land they had now entered, or forget about God altogether, or acknowledge their absolute need of God despite having left the hardships of the desert behind them.
It's interesting that reporters on the Gaza conflict are now suggesting that we are at an ‘inflection point’ there too. Things could change by the establishment of peace, even if a very vulnerable one, or we could see a massive escalation of the conflict, drawing in many other countries. Important choices must be made! Sitting on the fence does not seem to be an option.
The Gospel too speaks of another ‘inflection point’. Many of Jesus’ listeners have found some of the things he has been saying to be intolerable, and they stop coming to listen to him. It’s so noticeable that Jesus then asks his closer disciples if they want to leave him too.
Sometimes people find it difficult to accept certain things about Christianity and its laws or teachings, and the temptation is to leave. But, like the Apostles, we are encouraged to focus on the person of Jesus and his story and to see that he has, indeed, the message of eternal life. There is something so important about that story but, as we saw last week, language can’t always cope when explaining what that importance is. It seems an upside-down world when the principal story of achievement in Christianity, the story of the cross, looks like abject failure. But, for those who can see the achievement in that act, how could they turn away? It is something so powerful.
We are often people who like to sit on the fence, and not to have to make a decision but the story pf the cross demands that we see it’s power and accept the other elements too which might be difficult to understand or hard to take.

YCW FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
It took a while to get started but, eventually, five teams of six people played against each other until a winner was found. It was, in fact, our YCW team that won the competition! The YCW had already made over £500 (not the £2000 that Grace mistakenly announced last week in church!) towards the Terence O’Grady Social Club (a safe environment for people with learning difficulties). Last week they added £785.50p. We will place a photographic and written report about this on our website after I return from my annual break.

HEATING IN CHURCH
Sadly, our boiler in church has perhaps ‘died’. The flu has all perished. We are urgently looking into a new gas boiler or alternatives, but we must do this with the diocese, and they tend to take their time! I have stressed the urgency; we don’t want to be freezing during services over the winter!

TWENTIETH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: AUGUST 18TH - 24TH 2024

Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Come and eat my bread, drink the wine I have prepared…and you will live”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Toni Patra, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone, Sheila Smith, Fr. Derek Woodhead
LATELY DEAD: Charmaine Mulryan, Pauline Slicker, Beatrice Tucker, Fred Dyson, Angela Marshall, John Miley, Aurora Laher,
ANNIVERSARIES: Robert Jones, Mary Frances Park,

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £741.41p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £80.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.

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).

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem recently drew attention again to the great suffering caused by the Israel-Gaza conflict, saying that not only was the war continuing unabated, but that it seemed “to be fuelled again and again by hatred, resentment and contempt, which only intensify the violence and push away the possibility of finding solutions.”
Despite hopes raised by President Biden of a possible peace treaty, the Cardinal continued: “It is becoming increasingly difficult to envision a conclusion to this conflict.” “[The] impact on the lives of our people is greater and more painful than ever before.” “All that remains is for us to pray. In view of the many words of hatred that are all too often spoken, we would like to offer our prayer, which consists of words of reconciliation and peace.”

CEMETERY MASSES
Two Masses to remember our deceased loved ones will be taking place at the end of August. Canon Paul Daly will celebrate Mass at St Joseph’s RC Cemetery, Moston, at 11am on Monday 26th August. A second Mass will take place on the same day at Wardley Cemetery, beginning at 12 noon. All are welcome to join.

DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGES FOR 2025 YEAR OF JUBILEE
We are delighted to announce a number of pilgrimage opportunities in celebration of the 2025 Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee. From Lourdes and Lindisfarne, to Walsingham and Rome - and a wealth of opportunities on our very doorstep - there is something for everybody in this upcoming Year of Jubilee. Bookings for Rome will open on Monday 5th August with bookings for our other pilgrimages opening soon. Please stay tuned for further information on how to book or find out more at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/jubilee-2025/pilgrimages/

ROSARY BEFORE MORNING MASS ON SUNDAYS
One of the Catholic Mothers Association will lead the Rosary from 9.30am-9.45am.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 19th August – St John Eudes – He was born on 1601 and became a priest and a missionary, travelling throughout France. He propagated devotion to the Sacred Heart and founded a congregation to promote the formation of priests; he also founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Refuge. He died in 1680.
Tuesday 20th August – St. Bernard – He was born near Citeaux in 1090 and joined the monastery there in 1111. His presence there revitalised the Cistercian house and he became Abbot of nearby Clairvaux, He was much in demand for his advice and he worked to overcome divisions in the Church.
Wednesday 21st August – St. Pius X – He was born in Riese (Italy) in 1835. He was ordained as a priest and worked in a parish for 17 years before being made the spiritual director at the local seminary. He then became Bishop of Mantua, in Venice and, finally, Pope in 1903. He sought to renew Chirstian life by emphasising charity and the Eucharist. He worked unsuccessfully to avoid war in 1914 and died shortly after the outbreak of that war.
Thursday 22nd August – The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin, Mary,
Friday 23rd August – St Rose of Lima - She was born in Peru in 1586 and later entered the Third Order of St. Dominic. She became known as a great mystic. She died, aged 31, in 1617
Saturday 24th August – St. Bartholemew – He was born at Cana in Galilee and was led to Jesus by Philip. After the Ascension, tradition has it that he preached the Gospel in India and finally suffered martyrdom there.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
There’s been a recent programme on BBC radio 4, presented by Rory Stewart on the power of ignorance. I happened to listen to some of that this week as I drove from one place to another. The part that I heard seemed to stress that living with and respecting mystery is a most important part of life. There are things that can’t be expressed with language. Sometimes we need symbolism or metaphor to take us to the greater depths. It’s this whole area that is explored in the readings today. The two symbols referred to in the first reading are the bread and wine that must be consumed in order to have ‘Divine Wisdom’. It’s easy for Christians of today to make the link between that and the symbolism of the Eucharist which, when we partake of it, takes us to a different reality and to a knowledge that can only be gained through symbol and mysticism.
But there are other truths expressed in today’s Gospel that we can only begin to understand through symbol. This is the fourth week of reading a section of the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel which focusses on Jesus as the ‘Bread of life’. I find it interesting that despite John devoting a chapter to this theme, and almost a quarter of his Gospel to what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper, he makes no specific mention of the first Eucharist. St Paul writes the first account of this event and Matthew, Mark, and Luke also write about it. But John makes no mention of it. We can only speculate as to why. However, in the first chapter of John’s Gospel we hear John the Baptist announcing Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God’. The Jews of his day would have been aware of the Passover Lamb that saved them from the angel of death during the tenth plague and ultimately from slavery in Egypt. They would perhaps have also been aware of that great passage from Isaiah that we now read on Good Friday, which refers to the ‘Suffering Servant’ of God (the awaited Messiah) who, Isaiah wrote, would be ‘like a lamb led to the slaughterhouse’ (53:7). Now John portrays Jesus claiming to be the Bread of Life and the Lamb of God. It’s he who must be consumed. John’s account of the death of Jesus was that he was killed at the very time when the lambs for the Passover celebrations were being killed in the temple (it was ‘Preparation Day’). It’s the bringing together of the two symbols, the Bread of Life and the Lamb of God, and partaking of them that we are brought to a far deeper reality.

APPROVAL OF REQUEST TO PLACE SOLAR PANEL ON THE ROOF OF THE PRESBYTERY
The Property Committee of the Diocese recently wrote: “Thank you for your recent Application for Tender Stage Approval. Your application was considered by the Diocesan Property Committee and has been approved at a total cost of £16,800.00 including fees and VAT.” The work is due to start next month. At the same time, we are hoping that St. Patrick’s Primary School will also benefit from a scheme to have solar panels installed on several school rooves across the Diocese. The school needs to carry out other remedial work to the roof, but we are hoping that the solar panels will also be installed.

PARKING
Please remember not to overfill the carpark on Sunday mornings so that people cannot leave early if they are not well!

NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: AUGUST 11TH - 17TH 2024

Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Elijah went into the wilderness, a day’s journey and, sitting under a furze bush, wished he were dead”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Toni Patra, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone
LATELY DEAD: Charmaine Mulryan, Pauline Slicker, Beatrice Tucker, Fred Dyson, Angela Marshall, John Miley, Aurora Laher
ANNIVERSARIES: Nellie Hilton, Kathryn Clarke, Mary Frances Park, Trevor Bowden, Ruth Jones

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1,021.93p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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).

PROTESTS BY EDL AND OTHERS
As a result of the terrifying and lawless protests across the country over the last week and a half, organised by the far right, I have been hearing of the fear and anger in the Muslim and Black communities. I was invited to speak at Pitt Street Mosque on Friday, during their Friday prayers and I have invited a Muslim Imam to say a few words at the end of our Sunday morning Mass about how the Muslim communities have been feeling. In the Mosque, I spoke about the great friendship between the Pope and the Grand Imam of the Al Azhar Mosque in Egypt, and about the declaration of Fraternity that they signed together in 2019. Their message is an example to us always, but especially at this time of unrest.

FAITH LEADERS NATIONALLY SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE VIOLENT PROTESTS
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops’ Conference. has joined the Chief Rabbi, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chief Imam and the Chairman of the Imams National Advisory Board, to speak out against the violence and rioting that has been taking place across the UK. In a letter to The Times, the faith leaders describe the targeting of mosques, asylum seekers and refugees, as well as violence directed towards the police and private property, as a “stain on our national moral conscience.”

YCW FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT ON 18TH AUGUST
A seven a side football tournament taking place at St. Patrick’s School on Lee Street, Oldham, OL8 1EF on Sunday, 18th August from 12noon. The competition is open to teams of any age or gender with an entry fee of £5.00 per team. Food will be sold at the event. This is a further event through which the YCW seeks to make some money to present to the Terence O’Grady Social Club (a safe environment for people with learning difficulties).

ROSARY BEFORE MORNING MASS ON SUNDAYS
One of the Catholic Mothers Association will lead the Rosary from 9.30am-9.45am.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Wednesday 14th August – St. Maximilian Kolbe. He was born in Poland in 1894. In 1907, he and his brother entered the seminary for conventual Franciscans. He took final vows in this order in 1914. He was ordained a priest in 1918 and was sent to teach in a seminary in Krakow. He then spent time as a missionary in the far East before returning to Poland in 1936. In 1941 his monastery was shut down by the German authorities and Kolbe was arrested. He was taken to Auschwitz. In that same year a prisoner escaped the camp, and the prison deputy commander demanded that 10 other prisoners be executed by starvation as a punishment. One of these ten cried out as he was being led off to his ordeal, speaking of his wife and children. Kolbe volunteered to take his place, and his offer was accepted. In the underground cell, Kolbe then led the other nine unfortunate prisoners in prayer. Two weeks later, Kolbe was he only one still alive, so he was killed with a lethal injection on 14th August 1941.
Thursday 15th August – Feast of the Assumption (Holy Day of obligation)
Friday 16th August – St Stephen of Hungary- He was crowned as King of Hungary in 1000. He was simply a peaceful and religious ruler, dedicated to spreading Christianity in his realm. He died in 1038.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Beware of a preacher or a social media outlet that simply promises prosperity in the here and now. Pray and you will pass all your exams! Or pray and your illness will be healed. Pray and you’ll get the job you wanted. God is always leading us on a journey through life and he promises to be with us, to sustain us and keep us on the right road. But that doesn’t mean that the road will be easy.
Look at the Israelites on their escape from Egypt. Amazing things happened because God was with them, but the way remained hard, and the people complained at God continuously because it was so hard.
Look at the great prophet Elijah in today’s first reading. He’d been involved in a challenge with the prophets of Baal, a challenge that he had won hands down because God was with him. But then the infamous Queen Jezebel wanted revenge, and she was out for his blood. Elijah, that great and powerful prophet, ran away in fear for his life. This is where we catch up with him in today’s reading. He’s depressed and exhausted and he admits that he is no better than his Israelite ancestors who complained about God in the desert. This great prophet felt that God had deserted him. But then we see the gentle hand of God, who cares for Elijah even as he sleeps.
There’s a reminder here, for me, of Jesus on the cross crying out “My God, My God, why have you deserted me?” His was a terrible and terrifying road and it’s along such a road that he invites those who would follow him. The Apostle Paul, in the second reading today, encourages us “to follow Christ by loving as he loved you.” His love was one that involved great sacrifice; he was giving us his flesh, his life. And it’s this act of love that is the bread from heaven that gives life to the world. It’s this act of love that draws us to follow, perhaps with very tentative steps, along that same road.
For us to share in the Eucharist, to eat of the bread of life, is a promise of ultimate healing and of life, but only after we have been drawn along the road of sacrificial love where he sustains us. This is not a guarantee of prosperity now but a pledge of gentle sustenance along the difficult road to genuine life and to a love that never fails.

JOB VACANCY
Maintenance Operative - Diocese of Salford.
Appointment Type: Full-time, Permanent.
Working Hours: 35 hours per week to be worked Monday to Friday. Location: Around the diocese
Salary: £21,840 – £24,343 per annum (depending on skills and experience)
Find out more and apply at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/vacancies

APPROVAL OF REQUEST TO PLACE SOLAR PANEL ON THE ROOF OF THE PRESBYTERY
“Thank you for your recent Application for Tender Stage Approval. Your application was considered by the Diocesan Property Committee and has been approved at a total cost of £16,800.00 including fees and VAT”

PARKING
Please remember not to overfill the carpark on Sunday mornings so that people cannot leave early if they are not well!

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: AUGUST 4TH - 10TH 2024

Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Do not work for food that cannot last, but work for food that endures to eternal life”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Toni Patra, Alexander Loughlin, Mary Malone
LATELY DEAD: Charmaine Mulryan, Mildred Winterbottom, John Wilson, Marie Gill, Pauline Slicker, Beatrice Tucker, Fred Dyson, Angela Marshall
ANNIVERSARIES: James Butterworth, Eileen McGinn, Noel Lyons, Trevor Bowden

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £848.16p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £25.00; YCW donation of £500.00 towards the Terence O’Grady Social Club (a safe environment for people with learning difficulties). This was the proceeds of their ‘Summer Fest’.
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

PARKING
Please remember not to overfill the carpark on Sunday mornings so that people cannot leave early if they are not well!

ROSARY BEFORE MORNING MASS ON SUNDAYS
One of the Catholic Mothers Association will lead the Rosary from 9.30am-9.45am.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Tuesday 6th August – The Feast of the Transfiguration - The transfiguration is one of the five major milestones in the gospel narrative of the life of Jesus, the others being the baptism, crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. He prepares his closest companions for the passion he was to experience in Jerusalem.
Wednesday 7th August – Pope Sixtus II and companions- He became Pope in 257. While he was celebrating Mass in the catacombs, he and his deacons were arrested and executed there and then.
Thursday 8th August – St. Dominic – He was born in 1170 in Spain. He became a priest and strenuously preached against the Albigensians. He then founded the Order of Preachers (The Dominicans) to continue his work. He died in 1221.
Friday 9th August – St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) - She was born into a Jewish family called Stein in Germany in 1891 and given the name Edith. As a teenager, she became an agnostic. Moved by the tragedies of World War 1, she worked as a nursing assistant in an infectious diseases hospital. She completed her doctoral thesis at Freiburg University in 1916. Then, after reading about the life of St. Teresa of Avila, she became a Catholic. She then became a postulant with the discalced Carmelites and took perpetual vows in April 1938. She was moved by her order to the Netherlands after the even greater rise of Nazism in Germany, but Germany then occupied the Netherlands. She was convinced that she would eventually be arrested, and she began preparing herself for life in a concentration camp by depriving herself of warmth and food. After the Catholic Bishops of the Netherlands condemned the Nazi party in a pastoral letter, Edith and many others were arrested. She and her sister Rosa were taken to Auschwitz where they were killed in the gas chambers in 1942.
Saturday 10th August. – St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr. He was a Deacon in Rome at the time of Pope Sixtus II. He was responsible for the charitable work of the Roman Church. When he was arrested, he was asked for the treasures of the Church. He is said to have pointed to the poor of Rome and claimed that they were the treasure of the Church. Tradition tells us that he was martyred by being roasted on a grid.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
For the next few weeks, we are invited to explore further the meaning of the miracle of the loaves and fish, the Passover and the Eucharist. It’s clear from today’s Gospel that the Jews of Jesus’ day misunderstood the message being given. They couldn’t get beyond the ‘Wow!’ factor of the miracle itself. They were perhaps obsessed, as are many people of our day, with celebrity, status and political power. I am reminded of the Tim Rice musical, ’Jesus Christ – Superstar’, where the title seems to portray, with sarcasm, Judas’ view, in the musical, of Jesus as a shallow, hyped personality, worshipped merely for the hype like many pop stars of today. But we are being asked the question what is really important in life, and to discover the deeper realities which are not always accessible on the surface.
Last week we saw how Jesus was deliberately using the history and tradition of the people of Israel as a backdrop to help people appreciate the deeper message being given. He performed the miracle of the loaves and fish in the context of a Passover, and he saw the miracle as prefiguring the first Eucharist, which was also to be celebrated in the context of a Passover. Today, he explains the link between the miracle of the loaves and fish and the Exodus, which was, and is, the most formative narrative of Judaism. He already sees himself to be on a journey towards that next Passover, which will be the occasion of his death. And he invites us to join him on that journey, during which he will provide us with the support required, as God provided Manna and water for the people of Israel on that first Exodus.
But I suspect that Jesus would have been aware too of the sentence in the Book of Proverbs where ‘Wisdom’ says, “Come and eat my bread, drink this wine I have prepared. Leave your folly and you will live” (Proverbs 9:5-6). A second scriptural quote, which he would surely have known, is from the Book of Ecclesiasticus (24:21): “They who eat me will hunger for more, they who drink me will thirst for more.” The writer in both these quotes is seen to be Divine Wisdom and Jesus is clearly seeing himself as the embodiment of that Wisdom. But he is also seeing himself as the ‘Bread of Life’, the new Lamb of the Passover. We receive that Divine Wisdom through consuming the Bread of Life, and, as Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.” These deeper realities are what our hearts yearn for and only He can truly satisfy that longing.

YCW AT AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT IN TURIN, ITALY
Just over a week ago, more than ten of our YCW group travelled to Turin in Italy for a European gathering of activists (Rassemblement Européen des Militantes et Militants). These meetings are for the equivalent of Young Christian Worker members across Europe. The theme of the event was “Migration, towards new horizons.’ More than 200 young people attended the event, over three days, to discuss and learn about the challenges faced by young migrants. Two of our young people, Celestino and Famous, were invited to speak at the event along with young people from France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. On his return, Celestino wrote, “It was amazing to hear what they do in their country and to have some inspiration to do something similar. But we also learnt from some of their mistakes…We’ve made so many friends and our group, from England and Wales, was voted the friendliest group by the hosting group (Italy).” Our young people were also asked to perform one of the songs that they sing in St. Patrick’s on their youth Sundays. They performed, ‘You are great’. There’s a photographic account on our website.

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JULY 28TH - AUGUST 3RD 2024

Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“…but what is that among so many?”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK:John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Toni Patra, Alexander Loughlin
LATELY DEAD: Charmaine Mulryan, Mildred Winterbottom, John Wilson, Marie Gill, Pauline Slicker
ANNIVERSARIES: Herbert Hilton, Joseph McDermott, Margaret Miller

GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY for Padraig and Patrica Ann Kelly. This will be celebrated at 12 noon Mass this Thursday, on 1st August. This couple now lives in Western Australia, but they will be returning here to celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary.

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £705.48p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £20.00; Narcotics Anonymous £30.00. Money for candles £613.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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 FOURTH WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY is today 28 July 2024. Pope Francis has given the day the theme "Do not cast me off in my old age" from Psalm 71:9. As the Pope says, we should cherish the elderly and recognise that there’s no retirement age from the work of proclaiming the Gospel and handing down traditions to grandchildren.

TODAY - There will be a baptism at the 10.00am Mass.

ROSARY BEFORE MORNING MASS ON SUNDAYS
One of the Catholic Mothers Association will lead the Rosary from 9.30am-9.45am.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 22nd July – St. Mary Magdalene. She is a much-maligned saint. The Gospel readings that speak of a woman taken in sin, and the woman with a ‘bad name in the town ‘are often wrongly presumed to be Mary Magdalene. Yes, it is true that we are told that Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out of her, and she was certainly someone who knew she needed forgiveness. But she stayed with Jesus till the end, along with the Apostle John and a few other women. Her love at that time was surely the cause of Jesus making her the first apostle of the Resurrection. She was sent to tell the other disciples that Jesus had risen. She, therefore, holds a very special place in the Gospel story. Tuesday 23rd July – St Bridget of Sweden – She was born in 1303. She got married and had eight children But, after the death of her husband, she founded the Bridgettine Order. She died in Rome in 1373. Thursday 25th July – St. James the Apostle – He was born in Bethsaida and was the son of Zebedee and the brother of John. He was killed by Herod in Jerusalem in about the year 42. Friday 26th July – Ss Joachim and Anne (the parents of Mary)

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today we see the Gospel story echoing a story from the Old Testament but with the sound of the later event being so much louder than the original sound. Whereas in the second book of Kings we hear about the Prophet Elisha miraculously feeding 100 people with only twenty barley loaves, in the Gospel we hear of Jesus feeding five thousand people with only five similar loaves. John, the writer of the Gospel, is pointing to Jesus as the great prophet, promised in Deuteronomy 18:15, whom God would raise up “from among your own people”. This prophet would be much greater than Moses, or Elijah or Elisha.
But there are several other elements in the Gospel story that we might not see immediately. We are told that this was just before the feast of the Passover. This is the second time, in his public ministry, that Jesus has travelled to Jerusalem for the Passover. It’s just one year before he will travel there for the final time. John the evangelist is deliberately setting this miracle in the context of the Passover. The meal that they will have of the five barley loaves will be echoed again, with the sound growing so much louder, at the Last Supper and at Calvary. John has Jesus inviting the people to sit down. But the word that is used in Greek (‘anapipto’) means ‘to recline’ rather than ‘to sit’. The Jewish people of Jesus’ day would normally sit down for meals, but, at the Passover, they reclined.
Then, there’s the message of encouragement when we might be feeling utterly inadequate. Apparently over 80% of people suffer from what’s called ‘imposter syndrome’ where they feel utterly inadequate for the tasks they face. The message of today’s Gospel is that when we have Jesus with us, our own tiny contribution will be massively magnified. Notice that the bread in the story is barley bread, the cheapest sort of bread at that time. But what does the phrase, ‘when we have Jesus with us’, mean in our context? It’s only when we take the time out to make ourselves more aware of God’s presence with us in the here and now, that we know we are loved and achieve so much more than we could ever have achieved on our own. When we think of our inadequacy in the face of the environmental issues of our day, we would do well to heed the message of today’s Gospel.

YCW AT AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT IN TURIN, ITALY
Last weekend, more than ten of our YCW group travelled to Turin in Italy for a European gathering of activists (Rassemblement Européen des Militantes et Militants). These meetings are for the equivalent of Young Christian Worker members across Europe. The theme of the event was “Migration, towards new horizons.’ More than 200 young people attended the event, over three days, to discuss and learn about the challenges faced by young migrants. Two of our young people, Celestino and Famous, were invited to speak at the event along with young people from France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. On his return, Celestino wrote, “It was amazing to hear what they do in their country and to have some inspiration to do something similar. But we also learnt from some of their mistakes…We’ve made so many friends and our group, from England and Wales, was voted the friendliest group by the hosting group (Italy).” Our young people were also asked to perform one of the songs that they sing in St. Patrick’s on their youth Sundays. They performed, ‘You are great’. There’s a photographic account on our website

VISIT OF BISHOP HA (the auxiliary Bishop of Hong Kong)
Last week, the Greater Manchester Chinese Catholic Community had a visit from the auxiliary bishop of Hong Kong. This meant that, as their chaplain, I was invited to a meal at the home of the Bishop of Salford, along with the Bishop of Shrewsbury and the two Vicars General of the Salford Diocese. After the meal, Bishop Ha was taken around the Laudato Si Centre and shown the various elements of the project. The next day, about 400 members of the community celebrated Mass with Bishop Ha at St Mary’s Eccles. Then, about 80 members sat down for a Chinese banquet with the bishop and me in a Chinese restaurant. Being chaplain to the Chinese Catholic community does have some perks!

SOLAR PANELS ON ROOVES
Solar Panels have now been installed on the rooves of 90 schools across the Diocese. This is producing a saving of £360,000 a year in cash terms but also a significant saving in terms of carbon usage. I have spoken to the Diocesan Property manager and the contractor re the installation of solar panels on the presbytery. It will be the second week in September when they will start.

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JULY 21ST - 27TH 2024

16th Sunday of Ordinary Time

“…he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd...”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Toni Patra, Alexander Loughlin
LATELY DEAD: Charmaine Mulryan, Mildred Winterbottom, John Wilson
ANNIVERSARIES: Herbert Hilton, Joseph McDermott, Margaret Miller

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £862.45p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £50.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

NEXT SUNDAY - There will be a baptism at the 10.00am Mass.

YCW EVENT 27TH JULY FROM 12NOON TILL 9PM AT PRIMROSE BANK COMMUNITY CENTRE.
Proceeds to the Terence O’Grady Social Club (a safe environment for people with learning difficulties).
All are welcome at the event.
Music genres: Afrobeat/Amapiano/RNB/House/Pop/80’s Dance Pop.
Entry £10.00

ROSARY BEFORE MORNING MASS ON SUNDAYS
One of the Catholic Mothers Association will lead the Rosary from 9.30am-9.45am.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The significance of the phrase, “He took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd” might pass many by. First, the use of the word ‘pity’ to translate the Greek word used in the text, does not do it justice. The Greek word suggests that all Jesus’ innards became churned up, so moved was he by the sight. It is a deep compassion that affected him physically as well as psychologically and emotionally. But the other element is that Mark is demonstrating, yet again, that Jesus is God, without stating it overtly. He did this in Chapter 2 of his Gospel when he talks about Jesus healing the paralytic. Then, Jesus had said, “Your sins are forgiven”, and the people questioned among themselves saying, “Who can forgive sins but God?” Then, in Chapter 4 of Mark’s Gospel, he tells of Jesus calming the storm, leaving the disciples who were with him to ask, “Who is this, even the wind and the sea obey him?” Through both stories Mark is trying to show that Jesus is God, without stating it overtly. In today’s Gospel, Mark is alluding to the divinity of Jesus again. In the Book of Numbers (Chapter 27:15-17), we read, “May the Lord God that gives life to all living creatures, appoint a leader for this community…so that they may not be like a sheep without a shepherd.” Mark has Jesus deliberately quoting from the book of Numbers. Then, the Prophet Ezekiel says, “For this is what the Lord God says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them” (Ezekiel 34:11). The Prophet Ezekiel, like the 23rd psalm (numbered as 22nd in the missalette), reminds us that it is the Lord (God) who is the Shepherd. But Ezekiel also goes on to say that the shepherd he will appoint will be his servant David (34:.23). Clearly Ezekiel is writing long after King David had died. So, we are talking about the Son of David, the Messiah, who is also the Lord (God).
There’s also the element in today’s Gospel that recognises the need, occasionally, to step away from the treadmill, to take a break. The disciples had just returned from being sent out in pairs and they were full of enthusiasm for what had been achieved. There was a ‘buzz’ in the air. So, Jesus encourages them to step back for a while, perhaps because they had attributed the success to themselves rather than to the grace of God. They needed to step back for a while to appreciate what had really happened.

DIOCESAN WORK TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Schools across the diocese have saved an estimated 150 tonnes of carbon in less than a year as part of our strategy to become net zero by 2038. In early 2023, the diocese received in excess of £3 million from government allocation of an additional Devolved Formula Capital funding to address sustainability and carbon reduction in schools. This vital resource provided a key opportunity to help us on our decarbonisation pathway.
Since then, almost 70 schools across the diocese have had solar panels installed, a further 20 projects are planned, 4 installations will take place as part of bigger projects such as roof replacements, and 15 schools have opted for alternative sustainability projects, such as LED lighting, window replacements, or insulation upgrades.

PARISH TEAM MEETING
1. We once more discussed the possibility of using a screen at the front of the church for the words to hymns. Some people had been clear on not wanting a screen that would detract from the aesthetics of the sanctuary. One person had suggested the possibility of a fold-away screen that is available through the internet. We agreed to investigate further but we wanted to respect the aesthetic of the place. 2. Someone alerted us to the dangers around the servery area on a Sunday morning after Mass. It was agreed that we should encourage placing the stuff for children on one side of the servery and ask that families require their children to let the older adults be served first. 3. It was also asked if we could look for volunteers to do the tea and coffee on the third Sunday of the month. 4. Someone had asked if the flowers immediately in front of the altar could be lowered slightly so that people could see the altar better at the time of the offertory. This was agreed.
5. It was agreed that the International Music Festival this year would take place on Saturday, 30th November. The time of the event will be decided later. 6. Janet reported on the Synod, saying that the diocese had received 30,000 responses. The main themes were a. Nurturing a faith for tomorrow’s world, b. Building connections, c. Enabling access, d. fostering Christlike care.

YCW AT AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT IN TURIN, ITALY
Last weekend, more than ten of our YCW group travelled to Turin in Italy for a European gathering of activists (Rassemblement Européen des Militantes et Militants). These meetings are for the equivalent of Young Christian Worker members across Europe. The theme of the event was “Migration, towards new horizons.’ More than 200 young people attended the event, over three days, to discuss and learn about the challenges faced by young migrants. Two of our young people, Celestino and Famous, were invited to speak at the event along with young people from France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. Celestino wrote, “It was amazing to hear what they do in their country and to have some inspiration to do something similar. But we also learnt from some of their mistakes…We’ve made so many friends and our group, from England and Wales, was voted the friendliest group by the hosting group (Italy).” Our young people were also asked to perform one of the songs that they sing in St. Patrick’s on their youth Sundays. They performed, ‘You are great’

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JULY 14TH - 20TH 2024

Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“…take nothing for the journey…no bread, no haversack, no coppers for your purses.”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: John and Kath Green, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Toni Patra, Charmaine Mulryan
LATELY DEAD: Nora O’Brien, June Elliott
ANNIVERSARIES: Paul Lawless, Ellen and William Shepherd, Rose McGladdery, John Lee Carter, V.V. Thomas, K.V. George, Kunjamma George, Anna Rausz, John Rigby, Margaret Hywell, Kathleen Street, Mick McGinn, Gordon Mills, Herbert Hilton

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £922.23p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £20.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

DATA PROTECTION AND THE SICK LIST
When the Data Protection laws were implemented, there was some confusion around the publishing of names in parish newsletters. The Diocesan officials have recently been asked to confirm the position. They have written:
“The names of sick parishioners should not be published in parish newsletters or on your website, unless you have consent to do so. Many parishes are opting instead to read the names aloud and note that we pray for all the sick of the parish in the newsletters.”

In view of this statement, from next week, I will have to remove all the names of the sick from the Parish newsletter unless I have had the required consent. The problem is, who can give that consent? I presume that it will have to be the individual who is sick, or, in the event of their incapacity, their partner or next of kin. I presume that this consent will have to be written (either by email or by a short letter stating that consent is given and stating the relationship to the sick person).

SEA SUNDAY 14TH JULY (TODAY)
Seafarers and fishers play a vital role in all our lives, but they often work in difficult, hazardous conditions. Sea Sunday is when the church prays for all those who live and work at sea. If anyone wishes to give financial support for the work carried out by ‘Stella Maris’ in aid of these seafarers and fishers, you can donate by visiting www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate or by texting ‘SEA’ to 70460 to donate £5.00

YCW EVENT 27TH JULY FROM 12NOON TILL 9PM AT PRIMROSE BANK COMMUNITY CENTRE
Entry £10.00. Proceeds to the Terence O’Grady Social Club (a safe environment for people with learning difficulties). All are welcome at the event. More information will be forthcoming.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 15th July – St. Bonaventure – Bishop and Doctor of the Church. He was born in Italy in 1218 and became a Franciscan Friar. He was to be chosen as the Minister General of the Order and the Cardinal Bishop of Albano near Rome. He is remembered for his spiritual teaching. He died in 1274.
Tuesday 16th July – Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the principal Patron of the Diocese of Salford and the Patron of this Parish. According to Chapter 18 of the first Book of Kings, Elijah had a confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel challenging them to prove whose God was more powerful. A Catholic religious order named the Carmelites was founded on this mountain in 1209 and they took Our Lady, the Mother of God as their Patron. This is the origin of the name, Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Saturday 20th July – St Apollinaris – He was a disciple of St. Peter and the first Bishop of Ravenna in Italy. He died near the end of the first century.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Whenever we have this Gospel reading, with the Apostles being sent out in pairs, I remember an occasion, about thirty years ago now, in my last parish. I was just entering the church to go and say morning Mass when I was met at the door by someone who was a bit concerned about two unknown men who’d joined the small congregation for Mass. The fact that these strangers were unshaven and unwashed gave rise to the concern. Anyway, we went ahead with the Mass, and it was soon clear that they were very familiar with all that was required of them liturgically. After Mass, I engaged them in conversation and it turned out that one was a priest and the other a teacher, both from Italy. They’d been on a retreat with a difference. The retreat giver had divided the group into pairs and then gave each pair two return plane tickets. They were all sent off to different countries and told to take only a little change and nothing else. They were to spend a week or two away and to depend entirely on what people gave them. The men who arrived in our church that day, had just spent two cold nights sleeping out in Piccadilly station. I offered them food, washing facilities and a bed for the night. But, to remain true to the spirit of their commission, they didn’t stay with me any longer than that night. I didn’t hear from them again until, a few weeks later, I received a letter to thank me for my generosity and to tell me of the wonderful generosity they had experienced from others too.
There’s certainly a contrast between their visit and the holidaying of many Brits abroad. In fact, there’s a phrase, “a Brit abroad”. According to the “Urban dictionary” this is someone from the UK, who travels to other countries with no intention of integrating with the culture there. Instead, they hunt down a Full English breakfast, before settling, later, in a bar to watch football, and, of course, they never attempt to speak the local language.
The Scripture today challenges us to travel without baggage, physical or metaphorical and to eat what is set before us. We need to make ourselves more aware of the metaphorical baggage we carry with us from our family backgrounds or personal experiences. Some of this baggage might help in certain situations but it might also prevent us from really appreciating the graces offered by others.

PARISH TEAM MEETING
The next Parish Team meeting will be on Thursday 18th July at 7pm. If you have items for the Team to discuss, please either have a word with one of the team members or write a note and leave it in the suggestion box at the back of church. The team members are Jim Taylor, Sharon Teefy, Margaret Larrad, Christine Wilson Janet Hirst, David Daka, Tina Nufable and Frank Wisniewski.

JOB VACANCIES IN THE DIOCESE
Counsellor (Caritas Schools’ Service). Appointment Type: Term Time Only, Permanent. Working Hours: 22.5 hours per week, with potential to increase hours. Location: Schools-based across the Diocese of Salford. Salary: £30,529 - £36,072 per annum (pro rata for term time and part time). Find out more and apply at https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/about/careers/
Social Worker (Caritas Schools’ Service). Appointment Type: Term Time Only, 12 month Fixed Term Contract. Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week – 5 days a week. Location: Schools based across Greater Manchester and Lancashire
Salary: £30,529 - £36,072 per annum (pro rata for term time)
Find out more and apply at https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/about/careers/

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JULY 7TH - 13TH 2024

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Whether they listen or not, this set of rebels shall know that there is a prophet among them.”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Fr. Derek Woodhead, Kathleen Lomas, Win Powell, Toni Patra
LATELY DEAD: Nora O’Brien
ANNIVERSARIES: V.V. Thomas, K.V. George, Kunjamma George, Anna Rausz, John Rigby, Margaret Hywell, Kathleen Street

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £873.40p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £40.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

SEA SUNDAY 14TH JULY
Seafarers and fishers play a vital role in all our lives, but they often work in difficult, hazardous conditions. Sea Sunday is when the church prays for all those who live and work at sea. If anyone wishes to give financial support for the work carried out by ‘Stella Maris’ in aid of these seafarers and fishers, you can donate by visiting www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate or by texting ‘SEA’ to 70460 to donate £5.00

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Tuesday 9th July – St. Augustine Zhao Rong and his companions – He was a Chinese soldier who witnessed the martyrdom of Bishop John Dufresse in Beijing. He was so moved by the faith of the Bshop that he asked to be baptised and later became a priest. He was then martyred himself in 1815. There were 120 other Chinese martyrs, killed between 1648 and 1930 whom we also remember on this day.
Thursday 11th July – St Benedict – He was traditionally accepted as the father of western monasticism. He was born in Norcia in 480 and eventually gathered followers in Subiaco before moving south to Monte Casino in 529. Here he founded perhaps the most famous monastery and composed his rule, which is still the indispensable guide for the Benedictine Order. He died in 547.
Saturday 13th July – St. Henry – He was born in 973 and succeeded his father as Duke of Bavaria. He was then elected holy Roman Emperor at the age of 41. He concentrated on the good of his people, building monasteries and helping the poor. He died in 1024.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
One of the problems of living in a very secular world is that when we tell the Gospel stories, we often don’t realise that they are about us too; some might simply think that the stories are about holy people from long ago. Somehow or another we must be able to help people to see that we find ourselves in the Gospel stories and that God is a part of our lives too and often does amazing things with them.
Some of you will remember, from the Press in the 1990’s, terrible stories of two warring gangs of young people from Moss Side. The two gangs took their names from the streets in which some of them lived. So, one gang was called Gooch and the other Doddington. I knew both these streets (though they have since been re-named) and several of the young people concerned. It would have been easy for some people, then, to think like Nathaniel in the Gospels where he asks, “Can anything good come from that place?”
For some reason, back then, I was visiting an African-descent man who lived on Gooch Close. He was quite seriously disabled and needed crutches to get about. As I looked around his living room, I couldn’t help but notice some amazing paintings on the walls; the colours were vibrant, and the structure of the paintings and the use of colour drew me in. I asked him about them and discovered that he was the artist responsible. Now, at that time, I needed some stations of the cross for one of our churches and I asked him if he would take on the commission.
When he’d finished painting the stations, they were a great success. But, it was clear that, in the image of the crucifixion, Jesus looked disabled. The artist saw himself on the cross. The legs of the figure in the picture were clearly damaged. The artist had used his own suffering and disability to understand the subject-matter, and to great effect. It was by putting himself in the place of Jesus that he could create such a masterpiece. He might not have called this “Faith” but I would.
When we see ourselves in Jesus’ shoes and see him in ours, I suggest that amazing things can and will happen. When we believe that God is active in our world now, then we will be amazed at the masterpieces we’ll find!

European Football: Did anyone notice that the second reading last Sunday perfectly described the England match that same day? “…rescued from the lion’s mouth.”

FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JUNE 30TH - JULY 6TH 2024

FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL

“It was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in Heaven”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Fr. Derek Woodhead, Kathleen Lomas, Win Powell
LATELY DEAD: Johnny Mitchell, Dave Tierney, Josie Reeks, Nora O’Brien
ANNIVERSARIES: Joaquim Almeida, Kenny Bomfin, Phil McDermott, Irene Melia, Michael McGladdery, Kathleen Street

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £815.47p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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).

RELIGIOUS INSPECTION REPORT FOR ST. PATRICK’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
Summary of key findings Overall effectiveness - The overall quality of Catholic education provided by the school – Good; Catholic life and mission - How faithfully the school responds to the call to live as a Catholic community at the service of the Church’s educational mission – Outstanding. Religious education - The quality of curriculum religious education – Good; Collective worship - The quality and range of liturgy and prayer provided by the school – Good.
The report goes on to say: “The relationship between the school, parish and community is extremely strong and the key reason why the culture of love and respect between faiths and cultures is so embedded. The parish priest particularly is integral to the strong community spirit and inter faith relationships. The religious education curriculum is central to all work within the school and leaders of other subject areas have worked together to ensure they have made connections between all subjects. Governors know their school very well and are highly ambitious for all aspects. They are actively involved in the evaluation of all areas within school and are regular visitors, often with a purpose. They thoroughly understand the areas for improvement for their school and as a result they offer a positive challenge and support in equal measure. They have a strong skill set and they are extremely well organised.”

Our congratulations go to the Headteacher, her staff, the pupils and the whole family.

SOLAR PANELS ON CHURCH PROPERTY
Our application for solar panels on the roof of the presbytery and for the installation of the necessary equipment to store the energy created, was agreed by the diocesan property committee last week. The diocesan property manager will now contact the contractor to give him the ‘go-ahead’.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Thursday 4th July – St Elizabeth of Portugal – she was born into the royal family of Aragon in 1271. She was known for her care of the poor. After the death of her husband, she gave away her worldly goods and joined the Third Order of St. Francis. She died in 1336.
Friday 5th July – St Antony Mary Zaccaria – He was born in Italy in 1502. He was ordained a priest and joined the Barnabites to imitate Paul and Barnabas in preaching. He died in 1539.
Saturday 6th July – St. Maria Goreti – She was born into a poor family in Ancona, Italy, in 1890. She spent her childhood at Nettuno. In 1902, she refused someone who was trying to rape her and was stabbed to death. She is said to have forgiven the attacker before she died.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
When I think of the two saints, Peter and Paul, I often think of the two headed bust of the Greek historians, Herodotus and Thucydides in the Museum of Classical Archaeology in Cambridge University. The two faces of the historians look in opposite directions but form a single bust. Peter and Paul too look in opposite directions regarding the Church, but their differences are complementary and, when held together, provide a great basse for the Church. Peter concentrated more on the Jewish Christians of his day whereas Paul devoted his attention to spreading the Word in pagan territories. Peter began his life as the one who would be spontaneous, and perhaps jump in with both feet, getting it either right or wrong. Paul, on the other hand, was one who was more academic and would think things through first. But later, it was Paul who was more associated with taking risks and being guided by the Spirit, whereas Peter became more associated with orthodoxy and authority. These differences need to be held in balance for the sake of the health of the Church and, Peter had a great regard for Paul; in his second letter to the Church, he described Paul as a brother “so dear to us”.
But another essential element of this feast day is that both the people we celebrate got it so wrong, and not just once. Peter jumped in to suggest that Jesus should not face his death in Jerusalem. Then, at the Last Supper, he declared that he would follow Jesus whatever happened and wherever it took him. But we know that, only hours later, he denied knowledge of Jesus three times. Paul, on the other hand, was the first named persecutor of the early Christians. He went through his Damascus Road experience, not because of his great learning, but because of the grace of God. So, Peter and Paul were both flawed characters whom we now call saints. Again and again, Jesus chose the flawed characters of his day (Matthew the tax collector, Zachaeus, Mary Magdalene etc) and enables them to be wonderful witnesses to the Word. There’s chance for us all!
A further element is the fact that the impetuous, perhaps even nervy, Peter was described, in the first reading, as being asleep between two soldiers. This was the night before he was to be tried! I don’t think I would have been able to sleep in such circumstances. Peter, however, could be said to have become at peace with whatever happened, and was able to sleep, like Jesus in the boat being lashed by the waves.

A new edition of the Lectionary the book which contains the readings which are proclaimed at Mass, will come into use in England and Wales on the First Sunday of Advent 2024. We have already pre-ordered our copies.

TWELFTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JUNE 23RD - 29TH 2024

12th Sunday of Ordinary time

“Who pent up the sea behind closed doors when it leapt tumultuous from the womb.”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Fr. Derek Woodhead, Kathleen Lomas
LATELY DEAD: Ronnie Peace, Phil White, Johnny Mitchell, Dave Tierney
ANNIVERSARIES: Alan Redvers Whitehead, John Cartmell, Raymond Wood, John O’Brien, Des Tickle, Fermina Moniza, Michael McGladdery

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £862.46p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £70.00; Donations from AA and NA £100.00 from AA and £30.00 from NA.
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY PRAYER INTENTION THIS JUNE IS FOR “THOSE FLEEING THEIR OWN COUNTRIES
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in 2023, there were 110 million people forcefully displaced from their homes throughout the world.
In this context, Pope Francis has repeatedly asked that migrants be ‘accompanied’, integrated and their cause be promoted.
The Pope says, “The feeling of uprootedness or not knowing where they belong often accompanies the trauma experienced by people who are forced to flee their homeland because of war or poverty.” The Pope asks for our prayers in this matter.

Our congratulations go to the Headteacher, her staff, the pupils and the whole family.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 24th June – The Nativity of John the Baptist
Thursday 27th June – St Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Friday 28th June – St Irenaeus, Bishop, Martyr and Doctor of the Church

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
I have sometimes been asked the question as to where, in the Bible, does Jesus claim to be God. Even if you point to John’s Gospel, where he makes several such claims (“Before Abraham was, I am” or “I and the Father are one”) the questioner would then argue that this was John writing many years later, with an already developed belief in the Trinity. But where is it in the other Gospels? Today’s Gospel is one example of an answer, but Mark leaves it to the hearer of the Gospel, with that person’s knowledge of the Old Testament, to arrive at such a conclusion.
We see Jesus, in today’s Gospel, calming the storm with a rebuke and a command. Literally, what is translated as “Quiet now” could also have been translated as “Stop your noise” (a rebuke). But the rebuke and the command are reminiscent of an earlier story in Mark’s Gospel where Jesus had been confronted in the synagogue in Capernaum by a man who had been possessed by an unclean spirit. We are told that Jesus says, “Be quiet” (using the same word he used as a rebuke against the storm), and then says, “Come out of him”. Mark is showing Jesus in a battle with the powers of evil. And the seas, in the Old Testament, are a symbol for chaos and even for the dark powers of evil. Right at the beginning of the Bible, we hear of God hovering over the darkness of the waters to give light and life. For Daniel, the sea was the place where the monsters come from. But the reading that Mark presumes his readers would know is our first reding today from the Book of Job. “Who pent up the sea behind closed doors when it leapt tumultuous from the womb…?” The answer to the question asked of Job is the answer to the question asked by the Apostles in today’s Gospel, “Who can this be? Even the wind and sea obey him.” The only possible answer, given the understanding of the Jews of his day concerning the sea, is “God”.
There’s also psalm 107 which speaks of people taking ship and going to sea, plying their trade. Then we hear of God raising a gale “lashing up towering waves”. “Flung to the sky, then plunged to the depths, they lost their nerve…Then they called to God in their trouble and he rescued them…” Again, the Jews of Jesus’ day would have been aware of this psalm. So, without saying it specifically, Mark leaves his hearers to make the only possible conclusion.

ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JUNE 16TH - 22ND 2024

11th Sunday of Ordinary time

“It grows into the biggest shrub of all…so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Fr. Derek Woodhead, Kathleen Lomas
LATELY DEAD: Ronnie Peace, Phil White, Sylva O’Garcia
ANNIVERSARIES: Alan Redvers Whitehead, John Cartmell, Raymond Wood, John O’Brien, Des Tickle, Fermina Moniza

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £902.97p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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).

DIOCESAN WORK TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Schools across the diocese have saved an estimated 150 tonnes of carbon in less than a year as part of our strategy to become net zero by 2038.
Over the past year, our diocesan property team has been working closely with schools to identify ways to realise Bishop John’s vision of sustainability in response to Pope Francis’ environmental teachings. In early 2023, the diocese received in excess of £3 million from a government allocation of an additional Devolved Formula Capital funding to address sustainability and carbon reduction in schools. This vital resource provided a key opportunity to help us on our decarbonisation pathway.
Since then, almost 70 schools across the diocese have had solar panels installed, a further 20 projects are planned, 4 installations will take place as part of bigger projects such as roof replacements, and 15 schools have opted for alternative sustainability projects, such as LED lighting, window replacements, or insulation upgrades.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Wednesday, 19th June - St. Romuald
Thursday 20th June - St. Alban. He was Britain’s first recorded saint. He died during a persecution that took place in the 3rd century. According to the story, he was a pagan soldier who sheltered a priest and was converted. He dressed as the priest and was executed in his place.
Friday 21st June – St Aloysius Gonzaga. He was born into a noble family in 1568 and entered the Jesuits aged 17. He worked to help the victims of the Roman plague from which he died aged 23.
Saturday 22nd – Ss John Fisher and Thomas More. John Fisher was born in Beverley (Yorkshire) in 1469 and died in London on 22nd June 1535. He was Bishop of Rochester and combined his pastoral ministry with study and writing. Thomas More was born in London on February 7, 1478. His father, Sir John More, was a lawyer and judge who rose to prominence during the reign of Edward IV. Thomas More entered Oxford in 1492, where he would learn Latin, Greek and prepare for his future studies. In 1494, he left Oxford to become a lawyer and he trained in London until 1502 when he was finally approved to begin practice. From 1517 on, Henry VIII took a liking to Thomas More, and gave him posts of ever-increasing responsibility. In 1521, he was knighted and made Under-Treasurer of the Exchequer and then was made Lord Chancellor in 1529. On April 13, 1534, Thomas More was ordered to take an oath, acknowledging Henry’s self-granted annulment from Catherine, and the position of the King as head of the Church. He was unable to take the oath and was locked away in the Tower of London. He was finally condemned to death. He ascended the scaffold on July 6, 1535, joking to his executioners to help him up the scaffold, but that he would see himself down. He then made a final statement, proclaiming that he was “the king’s good servant, but God’s first.”

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
We know that we’re meant to be a missionary Church but the fact that Pope Francis’ first major official document was to encourage us to accept that responsibility suggests that he thinks we’re not doing what we’re meant to do. But then, how do we assess how well we are doing in this regard? We might look for moments when we’ve convinced someone to be a Christian. But, I suspect that such moments are not always obvious or are very rare. The Gospel today suggests that usually we simply sow seeds of faith and then the growth takes place imperceptibly. So, more often than not, we’ll not actually know that we’ve played our part to enable faith to come to fruition. Faith is not about being convinced in an argument; it’s something that grows with a whole series of interactions.
It’s the first reading and the second parable in the Gospel that suggest the more common dynamic for the growth of faith. Both refer to a great tree which gives shade and shelter to birds of every kind. There’s a sense, surely, in which this image describes the Church as it should be, giving shade and shelter to people of every nationality, age or social condition. This is not about one individual but about a whole series of relationships.
I remember watching a television programme some time ago, on which someone was being interviewed who’d spent years living on the streets. He wasn’t proclaiming himself to be a Christian, but he was clear in saying that for many homeless people, the Church, in its widest sense, is one of the first places to find genuine support. Now I’m aware, as I say this, of the times that I have turned people away from my door and sometimes being verbally abused for so doing. It’s not always easy to tell when giving money to people will genuinely help them or will simply maintain them in their problems. But I’m also aware of all the organisations like the Salvation Army, or, in Manchester, the Catholic-run Cornerstone or the many Church-run foodbanks which do sterling work, week in and week out. This is about the whole community, in a structured way, giving real witness to the Gospel. I know that this parish gives great support to both the Foodbank and to Cornerstone. Thank you!

TENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JUNE 9TH - 15TH 2024

TENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

“Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth, Fr. Derek Woodhead
LATELY DEAD: Dave Tierney
ANNIVERSARIES: Marie Polis, John O’Brien, Terry Mills (Sr), Terry Mills (Jr), Kathleen and Andrew Curran

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1021.39p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (Homeless) £20.00; Foodbank £25.00; Candles £535.95
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY PRAYER INTENTION THIS JUNE IS FOR “THOSE FLEEING THEIR OWN COUNTRIES
In recent years, the number of people who have been displaced has exceeded that during the Second World War.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in 2023, there were 110 million people forcefully displaced throughout the world.
In this context, Pope Francis has repeatedly asked throughout his pontificate that migrants be accompanied, promoted and integrated.
The Pope says, “The feeling of uprootedness or not knowing where they belong often accompanies the trauma experienced by people who are forced to flee their homeland because of war or poverty.”

PARISH TEAM MEETING
The Team recognised the ongoing problem of the drains in the Parish Community Centre, preventing its full use. Someone suggested that we make people aware of the polish Community Centre on Chamber Road as an alternative venue.
It was also noted that there used to be a suggestions box at the back of the church for people to let the Team know of their concerns or suggestions. We were not certain if this box was still there and obvious. Frank was asked to make sure that there was a suggestions box that was clearly marked.
Fr. Phil wanted to explore the possibility of buying an interactive screen to be placed at the front of the church for the purpose of showing the words of hymns on a Sunday. Someone from the African community had expressed concern about so much paper being used each week for the words of the hymns. Fr. Phil had asked the headteacher at the school to put him in contact with someone who had expertise in these matters. It was recognised that we need input from people with such expertise before making an expensive purchase. We await a further report back on the matter.

NOTICE ABOUT SCAM EMAIL
The Diocese of Salford has shared a warning about a scam email that has been circulated to some parishes in our diocese, purporting to be from the parish priest. Please be aware that this is not a genuine email. If you come across any such email, please do not engage with it and simply delete it from your inbox. If you are ever unsure about an email from the parish, please call the parish office and we’d be happy to advise.

THE CHALLENGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS URGENT, SAYS BISHOP ARNOLD
The Lead Bishop for the Environment, Bishop John Arnold, has written to the leaders of the main political parties as they start campaigning for the 4 July election to ask them to take environmental issues seriously in their planning.
Thanking the leaders for their service in public life, Bishop Arnold impressed upon them the urgent need to address global warming and its consequences as predictions now show the earth is warming at a faster rate than previously thought.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Tuesday 11th June – St. Barnabas – he was born in Cyprus and became a companion of St. Paul before returning to Cyprus to preach the Gospel. His name means ‘son of encouragement’.
Thursday 13th June – St. Anthony of Padua – he was born in Lisbon in 1195. He first joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, but later, being inspired by the stories of Franciscan martyrdoms in Morocco, he joined the Friars Minor. Although his desire was to preach in Africa, he ended up in Italy where he established a reputation as a great preacher and theologian. He died in Padua in 1231 aged just 36.
Friday 14th June – The Dedication of the Cathedral.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The growth of social media and the oft-used attempts there to disseminate disinformation and conspiracy theories, result in truth being sometimes so difficult to determine. The BBC has a news programme called ‘Verify’ which tries to recognise when photographs, videos or audio files have been tampered with, or when people have been lying. But it’s not easy. When we add to this all too many politicians who are apparently relaxed about telling untruths concerning their opponents, and computer wizards who deliberately put disinformation out on the web, the situation gets even worse. Truth is manipulated, covered up or denied.
The first reading today sees Adam and Eve using denial as an attempt to shift the blame from themselves. Adam says that it was ‘the woman You put with me,’ blaming both Eve and God. How often have we heard children say something similar; “it wasn’t me; it was my brother”? But there are those too who even when they admit the truth of their misdeeds, immediately try to make their guilt appear less by blaming others for their part in it all.
The Pharisees too, in today’s Gospel story, try to disseminate disinformation about Jesus, suggesting that it is through the devil that he casts devils out. It’s then that Jesus speaks about the unforgiveable sin. It’s when something of the Word of God is expressed in and through humanity to bring healing into the world, but then people try to claim it to be evil, that they sin against the Holy Spirit. It’s when you see and are inspired by truth, love and forgiveness but then try to deny it or to claim it to be evil, that you are lost. In a world in which truth is manipulated, denied and covered up so much, it’s more difficult to see or hear the truth but when we do, we should acknowledge it with praise and thanksgiving.

SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF OF THE PRESBYTERY
You know that the proposal to put solar panels on the roof of the presbytery was to be discussed at the diocesan property committee last week. I haven’t heard anything officially yet, but I spoke to someone who was at that committee, and she was fairly sure that the proposal had been passed. But we await the official response. I will write to the diocesan property manager this week to seek confirmation of the decision.

CORPUS CHRISTI
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JUNE 2ND - 8TH 2024

Corpus Christi

“Partaking of the Body of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth
LATELY DEAD: Janet Lomas, Mary Drinkhill, Clare Kelly
ANNIVERSARIES: Joseph Boyle, Mary Coen, John Coen, Kathleen and Andrew Curran

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £921.20p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

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).

NEXT PARISH TEAM MEETING
The next meeting will be this Thursday 6th June at 7pm. If there are items you wish to be discussed please let one of the team members know (Janet Hirst, Frank Wisniewski, Jim Taylor, David Daka, Tina Nufable, Sharon Teefy, Margaret Larrad and Christine Wilson)

UPDATE ON OUR DIOCESAN SYNOD
On Saturday 18 May, hundreds of Synod Members from across the diocese gathered for the latest update in our diocesan synod journey. The day focussed around the four principal themes that emerged from the Big Listen stage of the process, which took place between October 2023 and January 2024. The four themes are: Nurturing Faith in Tomorrow’s World, Building Connections, Enabling Access, and Fostering Christ-like Care. To find out more about the latest updates, what’s next for our diocesan synod, or how you can get involved, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/synod-gathering-1/

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 3rd June – St. Charles Lwanga and companions – The person who was ruler of Uganda from 1885-1887 persecuted Christians of all denominations. Among those executed was Charles Lwanga and 21 companions.
Wednesday 5th June – St. Boniface. – he was born in Devon about 675. He was originally called Wynfrith and was educated at the monastery of Exeter. After years as a monk and teacher, he went to evangelise the Germanic peoples. Ordained a bishop, he was given a wide-ranging commission for the whole of Germany and Gaul (France). He had the support of several Framkish rulers and successive popes. It was one of these popes who gave him the name ‘Boniface’. He founded monasteries and established dioceses, presided at synods and liaised with kings. He is remembered as a determined missionary, whose work shaped the future of Europe. He was killed in the Netherlands in 754.
Thursday 6th June - St. Norbert – He was born in Germany in 1080 and, initially, pursued a life of empty pleasures. Around 1115, he had a conversion experience and became a priest. The manner of his life attracted others to accompany him, and the Premonstratensian (Norbertine) Order was begun. He later became Archbishop of Magdeburg and died in 1134

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Storytelling is a very powerful process. I can remember, as a child, listening, with about 6 other children, to my uncle telling a story. We were on holiday in Wales, and he expertly took us on an imaginary journey through some of the places we had visited during our stay. He then introduced into the story the fact that some prisoners had escaped from a nearby prison and suggested that the police were searching for these dangerous characters. Apparently, they were hiding out in Canaervon Castle, and, in our imaginary journey, we caught a glimpse of them disappearing up one of the dark, winding stairways. They realised that we suspected them and the chase on. We all nearly jumped out of skins when my uncle had taken us, in our imaginations, into what we thought was a safe hiding place and someone (another carefully primed relative) grabbed us from behind.
Stories draw us into them. They become real. The Eucharist is partly about telling a story and, just as my uncle did all those years ago, to mix other elements of our stories and other people’s stories with the stories of the Last Supper and Calvary, so that they all become intertwined. In that sense the Eucharistic stories heal the others. And when one of our stories reflects that of the Last Supper or of Calvary, it also brings healing into the world.
Those who work in mediation in areas where conflict or a breakdown of cohesion has taken place, know the importance of stories for healing. They encourage people from the opposite sides of the conflict to listen to each other’s stories and to hear the pain and anger of the other, and to begin to walk, for a little, in their footsteps. This often enables real understanding and empathy to develop and can be the beginning of finding the ability to speak of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Partaking of the Body of Christ is not just about receiving the host at Mass, but about entering into the stories of the Last Supper and Calvary and bringing our stories with us. It’s also about encountering there the stories of other people and being affected by them. Then communion is not just received but also lived.

SOLAR PANELS ON CHURCH PROPERTY
You may remember that we put in a bid, some time ago, for solar panels to be placed on the lower roof of the church (on the side facing the Sixth Form College). The Diocese agreed to this, but then it became clear that the Historic Churches Committee would have a problem with the scheme unless we could show that we were doing this as part of a much bigger plan to change the heating system in the church. The solar panel company with whom we are working then went away to put forward another scheme, just involving the presbytery. The proposal they have made would result in a cost to the Parish of £16,800 but could mean a saving on utility bills of £63,000 over a twenty-year period (assuming annual electricity consumption of 10,000 kWh. This would also amount to two tons of CO2 being avoided in the atmosphere each year. Of course, I realise that these estimates are probably optimal, but even half of what they claim would be impressive. I have asked the property Manager of the Diocese to go ahead with this plan as soon as possible once the Trustees have given permission (I’m not presuming this but hoping!).

TRINITY SUNDAY
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MAY 26TH - JUNE 1ST 2024

Trinity Sunday

“Everyone moved by the Spirit is a Son of God… sharing his sufferings so as to share His glory.”

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £915.98p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
CAFOD £473.52
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to all our young people who will make / have made their First Communion this afternoon. I pray that God will continue to uncover His face to them in their lives, that they may know His presence with them and experience many blessings.

NEXT PARISH TEAM MEETING
The next meeting will be on Thursday 6th June at 7.00pm. If there are items you wish to be discussed please let one of the team members know (Janet Hirst, Frank Wisniewski, Jim Taylor, David Daka, Tina Nufable, Sharon Teefy, Margaret Larrad and Christine Wilson).

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 27th May – St. Augustine of Canterbury – He was sent by Pope Gregory the Great to England in 597. He had been a monk at the monastery of St. Peter on the Coelian Hill in Rome. He was sent to evangelise the people of Britain. He converted King Ethelbert and founded the See of Canterbury. He died in 605.
Wednesday 27th May – St. Paul VI, Pope. – he was born in 1897 and became Pope in 1963 after the death of Pope John XX111. He brought the Second Vatican Council to its conclusion and died in August 1978.
Friday 30th May - The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saturday 1st June – St. Justin, Martyr -he was born in Samaria in about 110 and wrote two great works on the defence of Christianity- the Apology and the Dialogue with Trypho. These give us much information on the practices of the earliest Christian communities. In around 165, he was arrested and condemned to death.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
A few times a year, in Oldham, we hold an “Any questions” event with a panel of people from the different faith communities. I am often asked to be one of the Christian panel members. The idea is for people in the local communities to be able to ask any of the questions they have always wanted to ask about someone’s faith. You can almost guarantee that a Christian in the audience will ask the Muslim panel member about “Jihad”. A Muslim, on the other hand, will almost certainly ask the Christian panel member, “Why do you believe in the Trinity?” I have to say that, when you are asked such a question, it is not so easy to answer. You can’t just point to today’s Gospel and say that Jesus himself clearly referred to the Trinity, because we are fairly certain that this text was amended to reflect subsequent liturgical practice. We might also jump all too quickly into an attempt to explain the Trinity and soon get caught up in complicated ideas that simply succeed in turning the listeners off. Far more worthwhile, from my point of view, is to look to what the Trinity tells us about humanity and about our relationship with God and then to see if that explains our reality.
It’s interesting to me, for example, that Jesus, in today’s Gospel speaks about the disciples being sent out to baptise “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. We trot out this phrase rather like we trot out the claim that we pray “in Jesus’ name”. But what does this phrase mean? It can all too quickly be interpreted simply in the sense of a flag-waving identity. We are Christians, as opposed to being Muslim or Buddhist. But to take on an identity of the Trinity means much more than taking on the name, “Christian” or putting the symbol of a fish on one’s car. God’s identity is portrayed through Jesus as one who reaches out in love to those who might not seem very loveable. It is to give one’s life in service of others. It’s to acknowledge the presence of God in the relationships where genuine love is obvious, and when the other person in one of those relationships is the centre of our world. It’s even, as the second reading today says, “sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.”

PENTECOST SUNDAY
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MAY 19TH - 25TH 2024

Pentecost Sunday

“When the Advocate comes…he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses...”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth
LATELY DEAD: Zophia Royales, Veronica Short, Jimmy Ryan
ANNIVERSARIES: Bessie Beswick, Anna Siemianczak, Paddy Laydon, Joaquim Silva

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1014.84p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (homeless) £20.00; CAFOD £30.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to all our young people who were confirmed by the bishop last week. I pray that you will find plenty of opportunity, in the years to come, to be witnesses to the truth you have come to appreciate more.

‘LAUDATO SI' WEEK
This week (19-26 May), we mark Laudato Si' Week - an annual campaign celebrating the anniversary of Pope Francis' environmental encyclical. This year's theme is "Seeds of Hope", which calls us to be those seeds of hope in our lives and in our world, rooted in faith and love.

PARKING IN THE CHURCH CAR PARK
Two weeks ago, we had an incident in church when someone collapsed and needed to be taken to the hospital, but the car park was so full that those who wanted to assist were unable to get their car from the car park. I understand that sometimes people arrive on the last minute and just park where they can, thinking that everyone leaves at the same time. But, in fact, last week’s incident reminds us that there are occasions when people need to be able to leave the car park before the end of Mass. Please, only park if you are certain that every car, already in the car park, will be able to exit if necessary. There are plenty of spaces in the Sixth Form car parks.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME
The final meeting of the group who will be making their first communion this year will have to be brought forward. It was supposed to be on 25th May, but I will be giving a lecture in London on that day. So, we will bring the meeting forward to the previous week to next Saturday 18th May at 10am. The First Holy Communions will still be celebrated on 26th May at 3pm.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 20th May – Mary the Mother of the Church (Memoria).
Tuesday 21st May – St. Christopher Magallanes.
Wednesday 22nd May – St. Rita of Cascia.
Thursday 23rd. May - Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest
Saturday 25th May – St. Bede the Venerable – born in 673 and educated by the Benedictines, he joined the monastery and began a life of great erudition, producing many writings. He is particularly remembered for his ‘History of the Church in Britain.” He died in 735.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The Feast of Pentecost was, in Jesus’ day, the celebration of Moses giving the Law to the Hebrews. By tradition it was understood to have taken place 50 days after leaving Egypt. It was said that Moses awoke the Hebrews in the middle of the night to give them the Law, so the Jews would spend all night in vigil, reciting the Psalms and reading the Prophets. Apparently, according to the commentaries, one of the texts that was read during the vigil was that of the Prophet Joel, “I will pour out my Spirit on all mankind. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams and your young men see visions. Even on the slaves, men and women, will I pour out my Spirit in those days” (3:1-2). Luke, the writer of our first reading, wants us to imagine the Apostles having spent the night in vigil and having listened to the Prophet Joel.
The Hebrew word for Spirit is “Ruah” and it conveys a mixture of meanings. It has a sense of power, and of a blowing wind. It has a sense too of the breath of God that breathes over creation to give it life. The life that Jesus breathes over the Apostles is that of a new relationship that reverses the damage of the Tower of Babel. There, people’s language was confused because of the pride of humanity. But notice that the healing brought by the breath of God does not mean that everybody speaks the same language but that people from all different backgrounds understand as if their own language is being used. God’s healing does not reverse humanity’s failure but uses that very failure to make a good.
To be able to speak someone else’s language normally requires lengthy periods immersed in the language and culture of that person. It brings understanding and genuine communication.
It is living in a real community of difference that requires us to listen and take time to understand the other before we can communicate effectively. Now when the one communicating has also something exciting and encouraging to proclaim about an amazing experience of the Risen Lord here and now, that’s where the power of this feast comes from. That’s where we find real blessings that are worth proclaiming to the world!

PARISH HALL
I am sorry to report that the problems with the drains for the Parish Hall have still not been fixed, despite the Diocese spending tens of thousands of pounds on them. The problem seems to be that the drains pass under the other school which used to be beside St. Patrick’s. That school was demolished some years ago and the site is now quite overgrown. There’s a complex way of determining who is responsible for the drains in that area. The Diocese owns the land on which the now demolished school stood, but the Council owns the rest of the land surrounding the footprint of the demolished school. We are waiting for the Diocese and the Council to work out who is responsible and if they are prepared to pay the rather large sum that would be required.

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MAY 12TH - 18TH 2024

Seventh Sunday of Easter

“…keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one like us.”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone, Pauline Howarth
LATELY DEAD: Zofia Royales, Pat Kelly, Catherine Griffin, Dominik Nagal, Lidka Pacholec, Jimmy Ryan, Veronica Short
ANNIVERSARIES: Michael & Catherine McGladdery, Franciszek Wisniewski, Terrence Charles Higgins

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £858.96p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (homeless) £30.00; CAFOD £1,230.00; Foodbank £25.00, Missio £19.62
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

POPE’S MESSAGE FOR WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY (TODAY)
The development of systems of artificial intelligence…is radically affecting the world of information and communication…These changes affect everyone, not merely professionals in those fields. The rapid spread of astonishing innovations, whose workings and potential are beyond the ability of most of us to understand and appreciate, has proven both exciting and disorienting...How can we remain fully human and guide this cultural transformation to serve a good purpose?... Depending on the inclination of the heart, everything within our reach becomes either an opportunity or a threat. Our very bodies, created for communication and communion, can become a means of aggression. So too, every technical extension of our humanity can be a means of loving service or of hostile domination…It is up to us to decide whether we will become fodder for algorithms or will nourish our hearts with that freedom without which we cannot grow in wisdom. Such wisdom matures by using time wisely and embracing our vulnerabilities. It grows in the covenant between generations, between those who remember the past and who look ahead to the future. Only together can we increase our capacity for discernment and vigilance and for seeing things in the light of their fulfilment.

PARKING IN THE CHURCH CAR PARK
Last week, we had an incident in church when someone collapsed and needed to be taken to the hospital, but the car park was so full that those who wanted to assist were unable to get their car from the car park. I understand that sometimes people arrive on the last minute and just park where they can, thinking that everyone leaves at the same time. But, in fact, last week’s incident reminds us that there are occasions when people need to be able to leave the car park before the end of Mass. Please, only park if you are certain that every car, already in the car park, will be able to exit if necessary. There are plenty of spaces in the Sixth Form car parks.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 13th May – Our Lady of Fatima (Optional Memoria).
Tuesday 14th May – St. Matthias, the Apostle.
Saturday 18th May – St. John I (Pope) – John comes from a strange and dark period of history at the beginning of the sixth century; the Roman Empire in the West was in ruins, and was ruled by Theodoric the Goth. At the same time, the rest of what was the Roman Empire continued in Constantinople and was rule by the emperor Justin who began a ruthless campaign against the Arians, Theodoric was himself an Arian. He sent pope John to restrain the emperor, but the Pope returned without achieving that goal. Theodoric was furious and accused the Pope of plotting, together with the emperor, against him. He had the Pope thrown into prison in Ravenna for the rest of his life.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Numbers are important in the Bible. The number 7 appears over seven hundred times. But other numbers too clearly have significance. In today’s first reading we hear of the 12 apostles, and of Judas’ betrayal, leaving a vacuum. Elsewhere in Scripture, in Matthew’s Gospel, we hear Jesus predicting that the twelve Apostles will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. There’s that sense of continuity with the Old Testament being implied. But that image is damaged if there are no longer twelve apostles. So, Peter encourages the early Christian community to fill the gap left by Judas.
But there’s also, in today’s Gospel, the encouragement to stick together so as to be able to face the difficulties which will inevitably come our way. Jesus was obviously aware of the potential for conflict in his fledgling community and, in the reading, we hear one of the only two examples given in the Gospels of Jesus praying. We hear him praying that they would stay together, that they would be one. They would need to be together to face the great trials the world would put before them. But this communion is not a uniformity. His prayer is that we might be one like them (the Godhead), which is, of course, a Trinity of persons. The unity he speaks of is one that accepts difference and appreciates it. But these differences must also be held in communion.
Jesus also makes it clear that he doesn’t want to remove the Apostles, or, for that matter, us, from the world. Even though the world will hate his apostles, he sends them into that world still.
In the current climate, we might want to withdraw from the world which seems so full of threats. It would be easy simply to pray that God would put a wall around us to protect us. But God doesn’t seem disposed to build walls; he rather seems to build bridges. He reached out to us despite the inevitable consequences and now he invites us to reach out to the broken world around us, acknowledging that we are broken too. The protection that he does give us is that we might be one, to compensate for our weakness! If we know our need of each other, different though we are, we will face the world and succeed in carrying His Word to it.

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MAY 5TH - 11TH 2024

Sixth Sunday of Easter

“…anybody, of any nationality, who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone
LATELY DEAD: Sheila Walker, Zofia Royales, Pat Kelly, Catherine Griffin
ANNIVERSARIES: Suraia Seiros, Alvaro Silva, Joa Luis Silva, Fernando Lopes, Ellie McDermott, Nora Dermott-Buttimere, Molly McDermott, Catherine Duddy, Frank Winterbottom, Michael and Catherine McGladdery

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1,008.56p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (homeless) £20.00; CAFOD £50.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time.

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).

Ascension Day (Holy Day of Obligation)
on Thursday May 9th -
Masses at 12 noon and 6.00pm

POPE’S MESSAGE FOR WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY (12TH MAY)
The development of systems of artificial intelligence…is radically affecting the world of information and communication…These changes affect everyone, not merely professionals in those fields. The rapid spread of astonishing innovations, whose workings and potential are beyond the ability of most of us to understand and appreciate, has proven both exciting and disorienting...How can we remain fully human and guide this cultural transformation to serve a good purpose?... Depending on the inclination of the heart, everything within our reach becomes either an opportunity or a threat. Our very bodies, created for communication and communion, can become a means of aggression. So too, every technical extension of our humanity can be a means of loving service or of hostile domination…It is up to us to decide whether we will become fodder for algorithms or will nourish our hearts with that freedom without which we cannot grow in wisdom. Such wisdom matures by using time wisely and embracing our vulnerabilities. It grows in the covenant between generations, between those who remember the past and who look ahead to the future. Only together can we increase our capacity for discernment and vigilance and for seeing things in the light of their fulfilment.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME
The next meeting of the group who will be making their first communion this year will have to be brought forward. It was supposed to be on 25th May, but I will be giving a lecture in London on that day. So, we will bring the meeting forward to the previous week to Saturday 18th May at 10.00am. The First Holy Communions will still be celebrated on 26th May at 3.00pm.

CAFOD EMERGENCY APPEAL
The people of Sudan need our help urgently. We are launching an emergency appeal for donations to get aid to them on the biggest scale we can muster. When violence broke out last year in Sudan between government and paramilitaries, most aid agencies evacuated. Now, humanitarian workers are struggling to get back into Sudan to help, meaning severe delays in getting aid to the people, and the challenges of getting into areas where fighting is still going on remain. Many borders are shut as the government say they need to keep weapons out. But the Church and our local partners are still there. Please, stand with them today. “At least 25 million Sudanese need immediate, emergency help. Families are already going hungry and famine is looming. This crisis threatens to become the worst in living memory.” Telley Sadia, CAFOD’s country representative for Sudan.

CONFIRMATIONS 2024

The final meeting date and time: -

Session 7 ~ Wednesday 8th May (6-8pm)

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

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Thursday 9th May – The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord – This is a Holy Day of Obligation – Masses will be at 12noon and 6pm.
Friday 10th May – St John Avila – He was born in Cuidad Real, Spain, c 1500. As a priest he travelled through Andalusia, drawing crowds by his preaching. He was denounced for heresy and imprisoned but went on to play a leading role in the council of Trent. He died in 1569.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The Spirit of God can, of course, work in someone whether they have been baptised or not. In our first reading today, we hear of a group of pagans receiving gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gift spoken of in the reading seems to be the gift of being able to speak in a strange language through which they could proclaim the greatness of God. But the first and most important fruit of the Spirit is love and the language of love can sometimes seem strange, but it proclaims the greatness of God more powerfully than anything else.
Perhaps one example of this love aided the considerable increase in the number of Christians in the second and third centuries. There were two great plagues which spread throughout Europe and the Middle East one hundred years apart, killing over a quarter of the population. Dionysius of Alexandria speaks of the concern shown by the Christians, in contrast to others, at that time. He wrote of many Christians being prepared to risk infection to provide some dignity for the infected, whereas others just pushed them out in the street to die.
The love that we see proclaimed in this story is not like that of Romeo and Juliet. This is not a choice made out of physical attraction but a response to the plight of fellow human beings. In the words of the second reading, it’s not even like our love for God but rather more like “God’s love for us when he sent his son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away”. It’s a preparedness to lay down one’s life for other people because you recognise their dignity as fellow human beings. It was something similar when Ebola was raging in Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2014 and different medical staff went from safe countries to help and to swell the numbers of the medical staff who were already there.
Many of our own parishioners, during the Covid Pandemic, (doctors, nurses, ancillary staff, carers, teachers and many others) put their lives on the line for those who had been infected. This is the language of love. It can seem strange to some people, but it loudly proclaims the greatness of God, whether the speaker is religious or not.

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.

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(YEAR B)
WEEK: APRIL 28TH - MAY 4TH 2024

I am the true vine

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone
LATELY DEAD: Fr. Billy Molloy, Sheila McCann, Veronica Short, Sheila Walker
ANNIVERSARIES: James Culkin, James Patrick Rothwell, Margaret Miller, Morgan Otoghile, Doreen Alicia Whitehead, William Rainsford, Brenda Taylor, Isabela R Espadilla, Terry Mills

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £3458.10p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas (homeless) £20.00; CAFOD (Gaza) £10.00; Narcotics Anonymous (for the use of the meeting room) £30.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time

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).

DAY OF PRAYER FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF ABUSE - Tuesday, 30th April 2024. (see below)

DAY OF PRAYER FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF ABUSE
Tuesday, 30 April 2024.
The Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Abuse is observed on 30th April 2024. It is always marked on the Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter in England and Wales. This year’s focus is on communities who have been directly affected by allegations or convictions related to abuse – especially, but not exclusively, within the Church.
At 6.00pm on Tuesday 30th April, Bishop John will celebrate Mass to mark this Day at St. Patrick’s, Livesey Street. Collyhurst. All are warmly invited to join him.

CONFIRMATIONS 2024

Important meetings dates and times:

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.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 29th – St Catherine of Siena – She was born in Siena (Italy) in 1347 and entered the Third Order of St. Dominic while an adolescent. She brough peace and harmony between her fellow citizens and worked to renew religious life.
Tuesday 30th – St Pius V (Pope) - born into a poor family in Italy in1835, was ordained and worked as a parish priest for 17 years. He was then made Bishop of Mantua and then, finally, Pope in1903. He worked to avoid war in 1914 but died shortly after its outbreak.
Wednesday 1st - St. Joseph the Worker
Thursday 2nd – St. Athanasius: a Bishop of Alexandria and a fighter against Arianism, for which he was vilified and exiled several times. He died in 373.
Friday – 3rd May – Ss. Philip and James, Apostles. Philip was born in Bethsaida. He had been a disciple of John the Baptist before becoming a disciple of Jesus. The St. James referred to was the son of Alphaeus and a cousin of Jesus. After the Ascension of Jesus, he was to lead the Church in Jerusalem. He was martyred in 62 AD.
Saturday – 4th May – The English Martyrs. On this day in 1535 three Carthusian monks were executed at Tyburn. They were to be the first of many martyrs. 42 of these have been canonised and a further 242 have been declared ‘Blessed’, but the number of those who died either in prison or on the scaffold, or who suffered harsh persecution for their faith over a century and a half, cannot be reckoned. They came from every walk of life and they are remembered for their faith and for their courage.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
In 2006, Richard Dawkins wrote, a book called, “The selfish gene”, suggesting that living beings progress and succeed in evolution by competition. Five years later, Martin Nowak wrote another book, which gave a very different message. His book, “Super-Cooperators”, suggested that, in fact, we need each other to succeed. I suspect that there must be times when we like the peace and quiet of being on our own. But there’s also a natural need, in all of us, to belong to a group in which we believe we play our part. More and more the parish organisations and associations of previous years have been replaced by the television and the internet, cutting people adrift. This was, of course, aggravated by the lockdowns of Covid. As part of every church community, at one time, there were sodalities, youth clubs, drama groups and so many more ways for young or not so young people to gather and to play an active part. Different talents were recognised and outlets for these talents were found. But now most of the groups have disappeared. Is that because we no longer need to belong? When a family is dysfunctional and a child growing up does not feel that sense of belonging either within or beyond the family, all too often that child seeks to associate with groups than can be so destructive. Apparently, as I’ve seen in many of the young people who join gangs, being accepted and being given a role by people who exercise some authority, is attractive. But clearly, some groups are not only destructive of society but, eventually of the very individuals who get drawn in.
Today, we see Paul wanting to be accepted by the Apostles. Initially, he was very much out on a limb. But we see Barnabas playing a mediator role between him and the Apostles to get him accepted. He is then obviously so pleased to be part of the group and to be associated with them.
The Gospel too speaks of the importance of belonging to this group, not just in a passive, institutional way but playing our part in the drama of the sacrament, allowing the story that we relive to affect us. The same group has to be constantly pruned and cared for by the Word and by life. As we are challenged, we receive the support of each other. This is to be part of the vine. Passive or merely institutional membership does not suffice.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(YEAR B)
WEEK: APRIL 21ST - 27TH 2024

Fourth Sunday of Easter

“I lay down my life for my sheep.”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone
LATELY DEAD: Fr. Billy Molloy, Allan Powell, Veronica Short
ANNIVERSARIES: Tom Wadsworth, John and Peter Jennings, Luca Thomas, Geoff Wright; Martin Luca, James Patrick Rothwell, Margaret Miller, Morgan Otoghile, Doreen Alicia Whitehead

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £824.40p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Flowers £45.00; Food Bank £25.00; Caritas £20.00; Indian Community’s further donation to the Parish for use of the church on Good Friday £50.00
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time

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).

TODAY IS VOCATIONS SUNDAY (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY)
We welcome a visiting seminarian from Oscott College (Birmingham), called Paul Chisnall, who will be preaching at the 10.00am Mass about his own vocation. Paul hopes to be a priest for the Diocese of Salford.

DAY OF PRAYER FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF ABUSE
Tuesday, 30 April 2024.
The Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Abuse is observed on 30 April 2024. It is always marked on the Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter in England and Wales. This year’s focus is on communities who have been directly affected by allegations or convictions related to abuse – especially, but not exclusively, within the Church.

CAFOD NOTICE
A UK general election is due and those standing will want our votes. We have a responsibility as Catholics, to ensure that parties commit to tackling issues such as poverty and injustice. Raising our voices and contacting parliamentary candidates as a parish community will send a strong signal to them. A Year of Encounter; is an initiative by CAFOD and the S.V.P. to equip Catholics to ask the key questions at the key moments. Please see cafod.org.uk/encounter for more information, including online sessions on 25th April and 4th May. Or email sholleron@cafod.org.uk Tel 077 100 944 54

CONFIRMATIONS 2024

Important meetings dates and times:

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.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Tuesday 23rd April – St. George, Martyr, and Patron of England – He was martyred in Lydda (Israel) around 303 during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.
Wednesday 24th April – St Fidelis – He was born in Germany in 1578. He abandoned his law career and became a Capuchin monk. He was sent to preach in Switzerland but was killed there in 1622.
Thursday 25th April – St Mark the Evangelist – He was a cousin of St. Barnabas. He close contact with St. Peter is reflected in the composition of the Gospel that bears his name. Traditionally, he is credited with establishing the Church in Alexandria (Egypt). .

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today is ‘Good shepherd Sunday’ and the Gospel reading focuses on one of several ‘I am’ statements made by Jesus in John’s Gospel. Elsewhere, we hear of Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world’, or ‘I am the resurrection and the life’ or ‘I am the way the truth and the life’, ‘I am the bread of life’ or ‘I am the true vine’. But, in today’s Gospel, he says, “I am the good shepherd’. All these statements have great significance. Jesus calls himself a shepherd because of scriptural references in the Old Testament. Six psalms refer to ‘the Lord’ as a shepherd. The most famous of these psalms is, of course psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd…). But perhaps the most important scriptural reference from the Old Testament for today’s Gospel is chapter 34 of the Prophet Ezekiel. There, the prophet severely criticises the so-called shepherds, or religious leaders, of his day. “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves!...You have failed to make the weak sheep strong or to care for the sick ones.” We need to be aware that John, in his previous chapter (Chapter 9) has just given an example of Jesus healing a man who had been blind from birth. And, in the following chapter (Chapter 11), he will speak of Jesus’ conflict with the Jewish authorities in the Portico of Solomon. There is the clear suggestion that Jesus has been making the weak strong and has been caring for the sick, whereas the Jewish authorities are too concerned with aspects of the Law. Pope Francis has often criticised those who “take refuge in legalism”. In a General Audience in October 2021, commenting on St Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he reminded his listeners of St. Paul’s hard-hitting words to the legalists of his day, calling them ‘bewitched’. Pope Francis insisted that St Paul’s preaching was completely centred on Jesus and “only on him as a crucified Christ”. Yes, ‘truth’ provides solidity, but we need to remember that this truth is not, primarily, a series of statements, but Christ crucified. It’s on the cross that we see the Godhead manifested in the one who lays down his life for his sheep, Jesus the ‘Good shepherd’ and the new David, spoken of in Ezekiel, who will pasture his flock and be their shepherd.

YCW EVENT – FIFA 24 TOURNAMENT
Our young people from the YCW Impact group held another event two weeks ago at the Primrose Bank Community Centre, both to enjoy themselves and to make some money for the Terence O’Grady Social Club, for people with learning difficulties. It was another very successful event, as a result of which they made £714.00 for the said project. There were many games played using about four separate screens. Some games were singles matches and some doubles. The overall winner of the singles matches was Peo; he won £60. The second prize in the singles matches went to Trevor; he won £20. The winning pair in the ‘doubles’ competition was Delvon and Konny; they won £30. Finally, there was a match between Peo and Celestino (who had already been adjudged as the YCW’s best player) to see who the GOAT was (the greatest of all time). This was a thrilling match which ended in a victory for Celestino (3-2). There are photographs of the event on the website.

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
(YEAR B)
WEEK: APRIL 14TH - 20TH 2024

Third Sunday of Easter

“He then opened their minds to understand…that the Christ would suffer…and rise from the dead.”

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Denis O’Grady, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth
LATELY DEAD: Gordon Lees, Karen Entwistle, Derek Rowe,
ANNIVERSARIES: Joan Walkden, Maureen Sumner, Michael Hywel, Christopher Frankland, Frank Norcliffe, Helen Donovan, William Melia, Jimmy and Jose McParland, Arthur Heatley, Patricia Lynch, Margaret Miller

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £938.23p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £20; CAFOD £10. Polish Community (for use of the Church – the Easter and Christmas collections of the Polish community are given to the Parish every year) £530.50p
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 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time

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).

NEXT SUNDAY IS VOCATIONS SUNDAY
(GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY)
There will be a visiting seminarian from Oscott College (Birmingham), called Paul Chisnall, who will be preaching at the 10am Mass about his own vocation. I’m sure you will make him feel welcome.

NEXT PARISH TEAM MEETING
We have had a little break in the calling of Parish Team meetings, because of my own failure to get down to organising a date. Hopefully, now, we will get back to the ordinary run of things. I suggest that the next Parish Team meeting should be a 7.00pm on April 18th.

CEMETERY MASS
A special outdoor Mass will take place at St Joseph's RC Cemetery, Moston, on Monday 27th May. The Mass, led by Canon Paul Daly, will begin at 11am. An additional Mass is also due to take place at the cemetery on Monday 26th August, 11am. In the event of wet weather, Mass will take place at St Dunstan's church.

CONFIRMATIONS 2024

Important meetings dates and times: -

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.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK

There are no special feast days this week. We are still in the Easter period.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today’s Gospel sees the conclusion of one story and the telling of another, both with similarities. The story being concluded is that of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and takes us back to the first Easter Sunday. One of these disciples is called Cleopas, the other is unnamed. It is argued that ‘Cleopas’ is just another version of the name ‘Clopas’. We are told, in the Gospel of John, that one of the women who remained with Jesus as he was being crucified was Mary the wife of Clopas. It is thought that the two disciples on the road to Emmaus were Clopas and his wife, Mary. The fact that this Mary remained at the foot of the cross until Jesus died perhaps was the reason that Jesus appeared to her and her husband very soon after his resurrection. Jesus came upon this couple as they were utterly disenchanted but then, without them recognising him, he explains the scriptures to them which predicted that the Christ would have to suffer. They spoke of their hearts burning within them as they listened. This is a story of re-enchantment.
But the main story in today’s Gospel is that of Jesus’s appearance to the Apostles after his resurrection. This event also takes place on Easter Sunday. The two disciples who’d met Jesus on the road to Emmaus had returned to Jerusalem that night and were just telling the Apostles of what they had witnessed, when Jesus appeared among them. The first thing he does is to say, ‘Peace be with you’ and then shows them his hands and his feet. He is taking them back to the foot of the cross and forgiving them for their desertion. Then, just as he did with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he goes through the Scriptures to show how all that he went through was foretold there. It’s the mixture of their experience of mercy and the intellectual recognition of something they had never realised before, even though it was clearly foretold.
I’m reminded of the YouTube video of people being asked to watch a team of players throwing a ball to each other. The one watching is asked to count how many times the ball is passed to another person wearing a white sports kit. People often count the number of passes correctly but fail to notice a man dressed in a gorilla outfit who walks through the circle of players. We can often fail to recognise something that is in plain sight, but, when it’s pointed out, we wonder how we could have missed it.

YCW EVENT – FIFA 24 TOURNAMENT
Our young people from the YCW Impact group held another event last Sunday at the Primrose Bank Community Centre, both to enjoy themselves and to make some money for the Terence O’Grady Social Club, for people with learning difficulties. It was another very successful event, as a result of which they made £714.00 for the said project. There were many games played using about four separate screens. Some games were singles matches and some doubles. The overall winner of the singles matches was Peo; he won £60. The second prize in the singles matches went to Trevor; he won £20. The winning pair in the ‘doubles’ competition was Delvon and Konny; they won £30. Finally, there was a match between Peo and Celestino (who had already been adjudged as the YCW’s best player) to see who the GOAT was (the greatest of all time). This was a thrilling match which ended in a victory for Celestino (3-2). There are photographs of the event on the website.

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
(YEAR B)
WEEK: APRIL 7TH - 13TH 2024

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER

"My Lord and my God!"

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, 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, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Denis O’Grady, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth
LATELY DEAD: Gordon Lees, Karen Entwistle, Derek Rowe, Afsheed Zahid
ANNIVERSARIES: Joan Walkden, William Sumner, Dr. Saphal Pal, Leighton Ashcroft, Margaret Ursan

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1,246.82p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £20.00; CAFOD £292.02; Food Bank £30.00; Indian community (for use of the Church on Good Friday) £70.00.
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.

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).

DIOCESE OF EAST ANGLIA EXAMINES WHY ADULTS DECIDE TO JOIN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
“Their quest was intellectually driven…(but)...Intellectual rationales were insufficient on their own. Intellectual drivers interacted with affective experiences. At various points in the process to become a Catholic, participants experienced particular moments of being profoundly moved in a deep spiritual sense, for example, through Holy Mass or Adoration services, which acted as catalysts.”

Cardinal Nichols and Bishop Swarbrick expressed their solidarity in a letter to Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla, Archbishop of Juba and president of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference, at a time of “profound distress”.

CONFIRMATIONS 2024

Important meetings dates and times: -

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.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 8th April – The feast of the Annunciation of the Lord.
Thursday 11th April – St. Stanislaus – He became the Bishop of Krakow in 1071 and took a stand against the brutality of King Boleslaus. The latter responded by killing Stanislaus personally in 1097.
Saturday 13th April – St Martin I, Pope and Martyr – When he became Pope, he called the Lateran Council in 649. He was abducted by the emperor and died in the Crimea in 655.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
In the Gospel, today, we are told that Jesus breathes on his disciples and gives them the Holy Spirit. This is a little confusing because John, the evangelist, seems to be suggesting that they received the Spirit on that first Easter Day; so, what happened on the Feast of Pentecost? But John is also trying to depict Jesus as the one who is creating the world anew and making it whole once more. Just as God was said to have breathed life into Adam in the Book of Genesis, and the Prophet Ezekiel writes of God breathing life into the dry bones in a valley of death, so John depicts Jesus as the one who breathes that healing life into his disciples. When he appears to them, the first thing Jesus does is to say, “Peace be with you”. This greeting of peace includes the notion of forgiveness, but Thomas wasn’t there to receive that forgiveness. Jesus repeats the same greeting when he appears to them again on the following Sunday when Thomas was with them. But, because of Thomas’ refusal to believe in the resurrection, Jesus brings him, in a very intimate way, back to the foot of the cross. “Put your finger here.” For his part, Thomas suddenly learns his lesson. There, metaphorically at the foot of the cross, he hears the unequivocal message, “I love you and I forgive you”. It’s this realisation that enables him to go beyond the rational, to genuine belief. That’s why he’s able to say, “My Lord and my God!” It’s by being drawn out of the world of the purely rational that he’s able to know that Jesus has truly risen.
If we are going to bear witness to the resurrection in our world, our priority should not be to try to convince people intellectually. It should rather be to create a vibrant community where people sacrifice themselves for each other, where forgiveness is lived, and where people feel as though they belong. We heard in our first reading today of just such a community that existed among the early Christians. No doubt this was the reason for the considerable growth of Christianity at that time. We cannot be a community, today, that simply comes together to perform rituals but never really engages with each other.

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/

ATTENDANCES OVER THE EASTER TRIDUUM.
Westminster Cathedral, which has a maximum capacity of 3,000, was forced to stop letting people into the solemn liturgy on Good Friday, so many people wanted to attend. We had similarly very encouraging numbers here for all the services, and, online, we had 298 people watching on Maundy Thursday, 455 on Good Friday and 228 on Easter Sunday. Thank you!

EASTER SUNDAY
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MARCH 31ST - APRIL 6TH 2024

Easter Sunday

"He is Risen! Alleluia!"

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, Mary Kain, Gordon Lees, Rita Goodier, Denis O’Grady, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth
LATELY DEAD: Caroline Hardicre, Derek Rowe, Mrs Afsheen Zahid (the wife of Dr. Zahid Chauhan, the Mayor of Oldham)
ANNIVERSARIES: Veronica Sobieralski, T. Pothen,

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1,267.65p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £20.00; CAFOD £20.00; Narcotics Anonymous £30.00
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.

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).

CARDINAL AND BISHOP SWARBRICK DECRY “TRAGEDY OF IMMENSE PROPORTIONS” ACROSS SUDAN
A conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in April 2023, and has resulted in 12,000 casualties, an estimated 9 million displaced, and 12.5 million urgently in need of humanitarian aid, with a catastrophic famine now looming.
Cardinal Nichols and Bishop Swarbrick expressed their solidarity in a letter to Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla, Archbishop of Juba and president of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference, at a time of “profound distress”.

CONFIRMATIONS 2024

Important meetings dates and times: -

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.

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 again today (Easter Sunday). 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 should be on it. Also Gift Aid forms will be available to sign; 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
Each of the days of Easter week are considered as Feast Days; we celebrate Easter for the whole Octave.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
When people are going through all sorts of terrible problems, can they really proclaim, “Alleluia” just because it’s Easter. Albert Camus, the absurdist philosopher and author was living in Paris when the Nazi regime invaded. It must have been a terrible and terrifying time. Was it because of his experience then that he wrote, “In the midst of winter, I learned that there was, in me, an invincible summer?
Indeed, I suspect that really to appreciate the resurrection, you must have stood, at least metaphorically, at the foot of the cross.
We might ask if there was a reason that the first people to learn of the resurrection, the three women in the Gospel of the Easter Vigil Mass, were the very same people who had remained at the foot of the cross. Perhaps they had already discovered that the cross was not defeat but victory. Perhaps Mary Magdalene, the one who, according to Luke’s Gospel, had seven demons cast out from her, knew the amazing grace of the healing she experienced both before and then.
There’s a 2019 film called “Mary Magdalene” that could be considered quite controversial. The film rightly separates Mary Magdalene from the woman, in Luke Chapter 7, who was said to have had a bad name in the town and who washed the feet of Jesus. But then it goes on to suggest a real conflict between Peter and Mary Magdalene based on jealousy. The filmmaker’s thesis is that Peter and the other apostles were jealous because she understood the depths of Jesus’ message and they did not. The filmmaker might be wrong about the jealousy, but he was right in terms of her being the one who got it. And she got it because she had stayed at the foot of the cross.
In the readings from Exodus and Ezekiel, read at the vigil, we see that it was in the midst of terrible struggles, either in slavery or in exile, that the Israelites came to know the God who saved them.
Can we really be the Easter people when we are still in the grip of terrible problems in our world? Of course we can, as long as we understand that it’s usually in the midst of winter, that we find the invincible summer within us. To do that, we need to return to the foot of the cross, through the Eucharist, and there discover that invincible summer.

YOUNG CHRISTIAN WORKERS (YCW) IMPACT are hosting a charity ‘FIFA 24’ Video game tournament to make some money for the Terence O’Grady Social Club, for people with learning difficulties. The tournament will be held on 7th April from 12noon -21.30hrs at the Primrose Bank Community Centre, 9 Magnolia Gardens, Oldham, OL8 1HX. Please talk to Tino, Promise or Nilton or one of the other YCW group for further information about how to enter etc.

May you know the new life of Easter amongst us and truly become Easter people! Happy Easter!

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

Palm Sunday

"Hosanna! Blessings on the King of Israel!"

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.

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.

THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MARCH 17TH - 23RD 2024

5th Sunday of Lent

“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

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
LATELY DEAD: Joan Gipson, Eric Lane< Derek McWilliam
ANNIVERSARIES: Myron Patra, Regina Wisniewski, Mary Thomas, Alan Johnstone, Rosie Burke, Paul Davis, James Patrick Rothwell, Michael Robinson, Pauline Jordan, George and Edith Brooks, Vera Melia

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £845.87p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

The next set of envelopes for ‘planned giving’ have arrived and will be distributed from this Sunday; these envelopes start at the beginning of April.

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £20.00; Heat and light £500.00
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.

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).

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).

Parents meeting Wednesday 28th February 2024 7pm – 8pm (Please note students are not required to attend the parents meeting)
Session 3 ~Wednesday 20th March (6-8pm)
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.

DATE OF LENTEN PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE Sunday 24th March at 2.30pm. This is also Palm Sunday!

DEANERY LENTEN STATION MASSES
he final Lenten Station Mass will be on 19th March at St Joseph’s, Mossley.
Mass will start at 7.00pm.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 18th March – St. Cyril of Jerusalem – He became Bishop of Jerusalem in 348. He is renowned for the catechetical instructions he gave to candidates for baptism and for his defence of the faith, for which he was exiled three times.
Tuesday 19th March – St. Joseph – the Husband of Mary
Saturday 23rd March – St Turibius of Mongrovejo – He was born in 1538, trained as a lawyer and became a professor at the University of Salamanca. He was chosen as Archbishop of Lima in Peru. He made special efforts to learned the indigenous Indian dialects so that he could better understand and communicate with the people of his diocese.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
There’s an element in the second reading and the Gospel, today, which might be a little difficult to take for people who’ve grown up in a liberal society; it’s the theme of ‘obedience’. “Although he was Son,” the second reading proclaims, “he learnt to obey through suffering…” Then, in the Gospel, we hear a similar theme. His ‘hour’ had finally come! This suggests that he was following a path laid out for him. From early in John’s Gospel, at the marriage feast of Cana, he said that his ‘hour’ had not yet come. This was when he was asked to address the problem of the wine running out. Then, in Chapter 7 of John’s Gospel, we hear about Jesus going up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. There he goes to the Temple and begins to teach the people, claiming to have come from God. This angered the Jews, who, we are told, would have liked to arrest him, but ‘because his time had not yet come, no-one laid a hand on him.’
We know from the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry that he was familiar with the writings of the Prophet Isaiah; he read from chapter 61 of Isaiah when he went into the synagogue in Nazareth, just after his fast of forty days in the desert. He proclaimed that what the Prophet was writing about was being fulfilled in him. But he would have also been familiar with the suffering servant songs of Isaiah, and he would have known that he was to be “a thing despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering…for our faults, struck down in death” (Isaiah 53). His obedience to that plan was truly amazing, but it was also life-giving.
We hear Jesus struggling to accept his destiny. He provides the logical argument: “I know a grain of wheat has to die for it to achieve its purpose.” But then he’s faced with the reality and the logic doesn’t seem to work. He questions if he should ask his Father to save him from his hour. But finally, he knows that his Father has always been with him and will not desert him. Jesus’ hour would ultimately give glory to God’s name. “Thy will be done!”

PILGRIMS OF HOPE JUBILEE 2025
Pope Francis has announced that 2025 will be a Year of Jubilee – an event that happens every 25 years. The theme for the upcoming Jubilee is “Pilgrims of Hope”. To find out more about the Jubilee and this preparatory Year of Prayer, please visit https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/news/jubilee-2025/

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MARCH 10TH - 16TH 2024

4th Sunday of Lent

“The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

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
LATELY DEAD: Joan Gipson
ANNIVERSARIES: Dr John Duddy, Helen McCaffrey, Necifora Moniza, Myron Patra, Regina Wisniewski, Mary Thomas, Alan Johnstone, Rosie Burke, Paul Davis

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £1,126.01p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

The next set of envelopes for ‘planned giving’ have arrived and will be distributed from next Sunday; these envelopes start at the beginning of April.

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £20.00; Missio £50.00; Flowers £45.00
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.

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).

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 7.00am, 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.

Parents meeting Wednesday 28th February 2024 7pm – 8pm (Please note students are not required to attend the parents meeting)
Session 2 ~Wednesday 13th March (6-8pm)
Session 3 ~Wednesday 20th March (6-8pm)
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.

DATE OF LENTEN PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE Sunday 24th March at 2.30pm. This is also Palm Sunday!

DEANERY LENTEN STATION MASSES
12th March: St. Mary’s, Failsworth
19th March: St Joseph’s, Mossley
I would ask the leaders of the different choirs to let me know if their choirs could participate on 5th March, here at St. Patrick’s. All the Masses will start at 7.00pm. Of course, I understand that this is a weekday, and many people will be working on that evening.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
There are no special days this week.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
In the second book of Chronicles, we hear of the Israelites turning away from God at every possibility until they were said to be beyond ‘further remedy’. The Temple was destroyed, and the people were exiled. But God’s love continues to break through, even when people are apparently beyond the pale. He inspired the pagan king, Cyrus, to allow the Israelites to return home and he rebuilt the temple for them in Jerusalem.
The Gospel too refers back to a time when the Israelites seemed to do nothing but complain about God. They had escaped from slavery in Egypt and were travelling through the desert in the hope of arriving at a ‘promised land’. They complained that they had no food to eat, so God sent manna. Then they complained that there was no water, so God provided water from a rock. Then, in the book of Numbers, we hear that they complained again that the manna was unsatisfying. Then God seemed to have lost patience and sent a plague of poisonous snakes and many of the people perished after being bitten. But God told Moses to erect a standard with a bronze serpent on it; if anyone was bitten and simply looked at the bronze serpent on the standard, they would be healed.
The evangelist, John, has already told us, in the prologue to his Gospel, that the Word, the true light, was in the world but the world did not know him, and “his own people did not accept him.” But God does not give up on the world. He raises another standard, the cross with the broken body of His Son upon it. All that people have to do, despite apparently preferring darkness to light, is to look upon that cross and allow themselves to be moved by the mercy found there. This is what John had referred to as a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower. It is not deserved salvation but pure gift, when it is not deserved. Leonard Cohen, in ‘The Anthem’ sang, “Forget the perfect offering, there is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

DIOCESAN SYNOD
“Thank you to everyone for your responses to the Big Listen events across the Diocese. We have had responses from over 70 parishes, 1,072 individuals, 4 Focus Groups and 8 other groups including some of our foreign language chaplaincies, Young Adults and Retired Clergy. This is very encouraging and is a testament to the commitment of our Parish Synod Members in facilitating The Big Listen. We also held Listening Exercises at 27 of our High Schools, 3 Sixth Form Colleges and 2 Independent Schools. This was in the form of Focus Groups led by the office for Youth Ministry and the information has been fed into the Portal. Please be advised that access to the Portal will close very soon. After this date, no more responses from the Big Listen will be accepted. If you feel that you require more time to submit your Big Listen responses, please contact us as soon as possible at synod@dioceseofsalford.org.uk or on 0161 817 2214. Our Research Assistant from Liverpool Hope University will then start work on analysing the data, and identify ‘Emerging Themes’. Following this, the ‘Themes’ will be shared with Synod Members and Observers at our: Synod Gathering 1 event on Saturday 18th May 2024.”

SMILE AWHILE
Charlie, a new retiree-greeter at B&Q just couldn’t seem to get to work on time. Every day he was a few minutes late, but he was a good worker and a real credit to the company. One day the boss called him in to the office for a talk. “Charlie, I have to tell you that I like your work ethic and you are doing a fantastic job once you finally get here, but your frequently being late is not acceptable.” Charlie apologised and said that he was working on it. The boss continued, “I know you’re retired from the armed services. What did they say to you if you turned up late. The old man looked down and smiled. Then he said, with a grin, “They usually saluted and said, ‘Good morning, Admiral, can I get your coffee, Sir?’”

Happy Mothers’ Day!

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: MARCH 3RD - 9TH 2024

3rd Sunday of Lent

“Take all of this out of here, and stop turning my Father’s house into a market.”

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, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Janet Anderson, Michael O’Brien, Hugh O’Brien, Elizabeth Flanagan, Betti Granelli
LATELY DEAD: Maureen De Melchior, Corazón Torres, Elaine Taylor, Irene Ungurean
ANNIVERSARIES: Mary and Thomas Wadsworth, Joan Ebden, Neliford Moniza, Dr John Duddy, Helen McCaffrey, Sidolyne Chiappi, May Morrisey, Philip Miley, Ronnie Melia, Kenneth Cooper, Jim McCardle, Michael McCardle

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £932.05p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £20.00; CAFOD £486.31; Missions £142.92; Parish from the Chinese Community £388.63 (for use of the church).
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.

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).

DATE OF LENTEN PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE Sunday 24th March at 2.30pm. This is also Palm Sunday!

DATE OF NEXT SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME
The next dates for the Sacramental Programme for the young people who will be making their First Communion in May of next year, is Saturday 9th March and Sunday 10th March (both at 10am in church).

Parents meeting Wednesday 28th February 2024 7pm – 8pm (Please note students are not required to attend the parents meeting)
Session 1 ~Wednesday 6th March (6-8pm)
Session 2 ~Wednesday 13th March (6-8pm)
Session 3 ~Wednesday 20th March (6-8pm)
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.

DEANERY LENTEN STATION MASSES
5th March: St Patrick’s
12th March: St. Mary’s, Failsworth
19th March: St Joseph’s, Mossley
I would ask the leaders of the different choirs to let me know if their choirs could participate on 5th March, here at St. Patrick’s. All the Masses will start at 7.00pm. Of course, I understand that this is a weekday, and many people will be working on that evening.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 4th March – St. Casimir – He was the son of the king of Poland. He was born in 1458. He was known, in particular, for his work with the poor. He died at the young age of 26 of a lung disease.
Thursday 7th March -Ss Perpetua and Felicity. These two martyrs died in Carthage in 203.
Friday 8th March – St John of God. He gave up a career as a soldier to serve God and the poor. He founded a hospital in Seville where he was outstanding in his care for the sick. He died in 1550.
Saturday 9th March – St Frances of Rome. She was born in 1384, married and had three children. She was exemplary in her care for the victims of the frequent epidemics of that time, founding a congregation to continue her work.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
“You shall have no gods except me.” This is the first of the commandments issued to Moses, about which we heard in our first reading today. Perhaps it doesn’t seem very relevant for us in 2024. The fact that we come here to church on a Sunday suggests that it’s hardly likely that we’re going to erect idols and worship them. But our Gospel perhaps invites us to interpret idolatry in a different way.
A major event in Jewish history took place 167 years before the birth of Christ. This was when Antiochus Epiphanes was ruler of an empire which stretched from modern day Israel right across to the Western border of India. He demanded that a statue of Zeus be erected in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. This was devastating for the Jews of the time. There was a rebellion and eventually the Jews re-took control of the temple and cleared out the abomination left there.
In a sense, there are reflections of this story in Jesus clearing out the temple in his day. The abomination then was not a statue of Zeus but rather the market, and all that it symbolises, which had been brought into the temple. If we were to apply our modern understanding of the market to the story, we know that one commandment of this market is “the consumer is king”. It’s all about my choice. But remember that the prayer that should be issuing from every temple or church, if we accept Jesus’ teaching, is “Thy will be done” not “My will be done”. The influences of the consumer world can affect us so much and without us even realising it. So, we can bring some of the attitudes of the market right into our prayer.
Our prayers of intercession, for example, can simply be me providing my shopping list of wants to God. When this happens, in a sense, we erect a false god right in the church itself. It’s this approach of bringing an idol into the house of God that perhaps so angered Jesus. Our prayers of intercession should focus rather on asking God for the help needed to carry out his will, or on praying for other people to whom life has been or is being hard.

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: FEBRUARY 25TH - MARCH 2ND 2024

2nd Sunday of Lent

““This is my Son, the beloved. Listen to him”

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, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Janet Anderson, Michael O’Brien, Hugh O’Brien
LATELY DEAD: Maureen De Melchior, Corazón Torress, Tony Brooks, Sylvia Simpson, Irene Ungurean
ANNIVERSARIES: Gertrude Ndagijimana, Sr. Peter Buck OSM, Rae Carter, Fr. J. Wareing, Ben Eaglesham, Helen McCaffrey

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £859.50p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £20.00; CAFOD £486.31; Parish from the Indian Community £62.15 (for use of the church).
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.

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).

DATE OF LENTEN PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE Sunday 24th March at 2.30pm. This is also Palm Sunday!

Parents meeting Wednesday 28th February 2024 7pm – 8pm (Please note students are not required to attend the parents meeting)
Session 1 ~Wednesday 6th March (6-8pm)
Session 2 ~Wednesday 13th March (6-8pm)
Session 3 ~Wednesday 20th March (6-8pm)
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.

DEANERY LENTEN STATION MASSES
27th Feb: St Ann’s, Ashton
5th March: St Patrick’s
12th March: St. Mary’s, Failsworth
19th March: St Joseph’s, Mossley
I would ask the leaders of the different choirs to let me know if their choirs could participate on 5th March, here at St. Patrick’s. All the Masses will start at 7.00pm. Of course, I understand that this is a weekday, and many people will be working on that evening.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Tuesday, 27th – St. Gregory of Narek – He was an Armenian mystical and lyrical poet. He was ordained a priest and was based at the monastery of Narek. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis.
Friday 1st March – St. David – He was born in Cardigan c520. He founded monasteries and became Bishop and Primate of Wales. He settled his See at Mynyw (Menevia) where he died c588.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Every year, on the Second Sunday of Lent, we hear about the Transfiguration of Jesus on a mountain. Why? Mark is continuing to set his story in the same line as the major story of the Old Testament, that of the deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the Exodus story. We have gone from the baptism of Jesus to the 40 days in the desert. Now we come, albeit much later in Mark’s Gospel, to God’s revelation on a mountain. These events mirror the passing of the Israelites through the Red Sea, the forty years in the desert and the revelation of God on Mount Sinai. Just as Moses took with him Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Jesus takes Peter James and John. On Mount Sinai, the cloud covered the mountain and God spoke from the cloud. On the mount of transfiguration, the cloud has covered them, and God speaks from the cloud. Moses’s face became radiant on Mount Sinai and Jesus became radiant on the mount of transfiguration. Mark is deliberately making these links, seeing Jesus as a new and greater Moses. And, of course, he refers to another character to whom God spoke on a mountain. This was Elijah. Jesus revealed his glory to the three apostles to strengthen them for the journey ahead - the journey to Jerusalem and Golgotha. The same vision is offered to us today, to strengthen us on our Lenten Journey of Faith and on our journey of life in general. When we are in the middle of situations that arouse concern or even fear, it can all seem so oppressive. But Jesus took Peter, James and John, up the mountain to help them to see from a different perspective, to be able to see the wider picture and the way that lies far ahead after the hardships of the journey. He gives them and us a reminder of God’s presence through history, with the Law and the Prophets guiding the way, leading humanity to that glory that will be ours. Martin Luther King Jr saw the power of that image and used it in his final message to people in 1968, just before he was killed. It certainly applies to us today. “I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now…I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So, I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

FINANCES
We started 2023 with £83.861.57 in the bank. We finished it with only £48,027.34. That is a loss of £35,834.23. It looks bad but, as I explained a few weeks ago, almost £60,000 was taken out of our account to pay for the demolition of St Mary’s. We also paid £23,075.61 for the Diocesan levy and £30,134.61 for gas and electricity. We should eventually receive money for the sale of land at St. Mary’s.

SOLAR PANELS
I had a meeting with the property manager for the Diocese, last week to discuss our proposal for solar panels on the lower roof of the church, which faces the Sixth Form College. He had advised that the authorities were not likely to accept a scheme of this sort, on a listed building, unless there were other measures being taken significantly to reduce the use of fossil fuels. It was thought that the way forward, for us, might be to replace the current water heated radiators with electric heaters. This would, of course, considerably increase our electricity use (electricity is several times more expensive than gas!). We would have to show, therefore, that the electricity gained from the solar panels would cover any increase, and more. A solar panels expert, who also attended our meeting, was asked to put a plan together, showing how we might achieve this. If the authorities were still not minded to agree, then the possibility of building an extension to the garage (tools shed) in the back garden and covering it all with solar panels.

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: FEBRUARY 18TH - 24TH 2024

1st Sunday of Lent

“The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness…He was with the wild beasts…”

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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Janet Anderson, Michael O’Brien, Hugh O’Brien
LATELY DEAD: Corazón Torress, Karen Bordiuk, Tony Brooks, Sylvia Simpson, Pauline Jordan, David Drogan
ANNIVERSARIES: Maria Barros, Henryk Sobieralski, Gertrude Ndagijimana, Sr. Peter Buck OSM, Rae Carter, Fr,J. Wareing, Ben Eaglesham

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £800.40p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £20.00; CAFOD £15.00
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.

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).

Cardinal Vincent Nichols has written to priests in the Diocese of Westminster to ask for a special focus of prayer on 8 March for peace in the Holy Land.
In his message, he writes: “As we are all aware, the situation in the Holy Land has not improved, with failed negotiations, increasing humanitarian distress and a rising death toll. As Lent begins, I would like to urge that we continue our efforts, not least in prayer. And so I ask that, on Friday 8 March, there is a special focus of prayer for the Holy Land… It could be as simple as making any regular Lenten devotions you may be having on that day for this intention.”

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 1 ~Wednesday 6th March (6-8pm)
Session 2 ~Wednesday 13th March (6-8pm)
Session 3 ~Wednesday 20th March (6-8pm)
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.

DEANERY LENTEN STATION MASSES
20th Feb: St, Edward’s (the Bishop will attend, and preach at this Mass)
27th Feb: St Ann’s, Ashton
5th March: St Patrick’s
12th March: St. Mary’s, Failsworth
19th March: St Joseph’s, Mossley
I would ask the leaders of the different choirs to let me know if their choirs could participate on 5th March, here at St. Patrick’s. All the Masses will start at 7.00pm. Of course, I understand that this is a weekday, and many people will be working on that evening.

THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: FEBRUARY 11TH - 17TH 2024

6th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Janet Anderson, Michael O’Brien, Hugh O’Brien
LATELY DEAD: Corazón Torress, Ann Cooper, Kathleen Pemberton, Mark James, Karen Bordiuk, Tony Brooks, Sylvia Simpson
ANNIVERSARIES: Maria Barros, Henryk Sobieralski, Joaquim Almeida, Romeo Tee, Colin Pritchard, Jim Navesey

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £927.34p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £245.00; Foodbank £25.00
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.

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).

RACIAL JUSTICE SUNDAY
Last September, in the space of 24 hours, more than 6000 refugees landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa. Such a statistic will, no doubt, arouse concern in the minds of many. But it’s important not to reduce people to statistics. So many have human stories that would move most hearts, if only they had the chance to be heard.
In his encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, the Pope describes the dynamics of some worrying tendencies of our days. He mentions specifically the growth, in different parts of the world, of individualism, populism and nationalism, all impacting negatively on people’s attitudes towards migration. It’s important to question how these tendencies have affected our own ideas because they are now metaphorically part of the air we breathe. Perhaps many people would argue that they would want to be welcoming but that there are limits. And, of course, the Pope, too, recognises that there must be control of borders for the sake of the common good. But that control can all too easily become over restrictive, or even ‘hostile’. In September of last year, a Government Enquiry on Brook House Detention Centre near Gatwick Airport was published. The enquiry acknowledged that, in the space of 5 months, 19 incidents were uncovered in Brook House that would contravene Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
But don’t governments have the right to claim ownership of their territories and to deny entry to others? An important longstanding principle of Catholic theology, referred to again by the Pope, is what is called ‘the universal destination of goods’ (p.124 of Fratelli Tutti). This is a principle that does not deny the right to private property but recognises that the original gift of the earth was made to all humankind. The Pope quotes St. John Chrysostom in this regard saying, “not to share our wealth with the poor is to rob them and take away their livelihood.” (p.107).
Sadly, the story of all too many who make those desperate journeys is one of being further deprived of dignity leaving some to become suicidal. On the other hand, many parishes, who have received refugees into their communities, have reported a real enrichment. Hearing the cry of desperation and responding to it appropriately is not easy but it does give life both to the refugee and those who give refuge.

Parents meeting Wednesday 28th February 2024 7pm – 8pm (Please note students are not required to attend the parents meeting)
Session 1 ~Wednesday 6th March (6-8pm)
Session 2 ~Wednesday 13th March (6-8pm)
Session 3 ~Wednesday 20th March (6-8pm)
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.

LENT 2024
As you will know by now, Lent starts this Wednesday. So often this period of renewal is upon us before we have made any real preparation, and, therefore, it doesn’t have the impact that it could. This could be even more true this year as Ash Wednesday coincides with ‘St. Valentine’s Day’. There’s an obvious tension between the Fast Day (No meat and only one main meal during the day, and two small ‘collations’) and celebrating a relationship of genuine love. I’m sure that you can find ways to hold the tension in balance without forgetting about one or the other. I encourage you also to think about how you might make these six weeks (from Wednesday on) more fruitful. It’s not necessarily about giving up chocolate or cake or whatever, but also about creating more space for God in our lives. Have a very fruitful Lent

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Wednesday: Ash Wednesday
Saturday: The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order – They were all born in Florence (Italy) and lived as hermits, finally founding the Servite Order in 1304.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
There’s something so utterly unselfish about Jesus’ healing of the leper in today’s Gospel. He’d been brought up in a society and a religion that simply excluded anyone with a condition similar to “leprosy”. Today’s first reading suggests that anyone with a swelling or a lesion should be shunned and that they should demean themselves by declaring to everyone that they are unclean.
Without fear for what others might think of him or of catching the disease, Jesus immediately reaches out and touches the leper. It’s interesting that he then, to some extent, trades places with the leper. Though he doesn’t catch the disease we hear that he can no longer go openly into any town but has to stay outside in places where no-one lived. There’s a huge personal cost to the way he carries out his ministry and he clearly states that he is willing to accept this cost.

THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: FEBRUARY 4TH - 10TH 2024

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time

“He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up.”

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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Janet Anderson, Michael O’Brien, Hugh O’Brien
LATELY DEAD: Brenda Gilbert (Née Guilfoyle), Harold Dawson, Keith Fawkner (Australia), Henry Attern, Corazon Torres, Ann Cooper
ANNIVERSARIES: Madeleine Shaw, Peter Tomkins, Mankycu Dymphna, ,John Donnelly, Alice Wright, Jim Buiti Mgre,, Kathleen McDermott, Monica Gough, Romeo Tee

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £803.39p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas £457.26; Donation £45.00
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

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).

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 1 ~Wednesday 6th March (6-8pm)
Session 2 ~Wednesday 13th March (6-8pm)
Session 3 ~Wednesday 20th March (6-8pm)
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.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 5th – St. Agatha – in the third century, Agatha refused the advances of a Roman senator, and he then accused her of being a Chirstian. She was, therefore, mutilated and finally beheaded.
Tuesday 6th – Ss Paul Miki and Companions. Towards the end of the 16th century, there began a persecution of the Church in Japan. Among those arrested were Paul Miki, who was a young Jesuit, and 25 others, some as young as 13. They were taken to Nagasaki where they were crucified.
Thursday, 8th February. St. Josephine Bakhita. She was born in Sudan in 1869. Her respected and reasonably prosperous father was the brother of the village chief. She was surrounded by a loving family of three brothers and three sisters. She was later to write about herself: "I lived a very happy and carefree life, without knowing what suffering was." Then, in 1877, when she was 7–8 years old, she was seized by Arab slave traders, who had abducted her elder sister two years earlier. She was forced to walk barefoot about 600 miles to El-Obeid. She was sold and bought twice before she even arrived there. Over the course of twelve years (1877–1889) she was sold three more times and then given away. Bakhita was not the name she received from her parents at birth. It is said that the trauma of her abduction caused her to forget her own name; she took one given to her by the slavers, bakhita, which in Arabic means 'lucky' or 'fortunate.' She was treated appallingly by her different owners, frequently whipped, beaten and scarred. Bakhita was then bought, in Khartoum, by the Italian Vice Consul, Callisto Legnani, who treated her kindly and did not beat or punish her. Two years later, when Legnani himself had to return to Italy, Bakhita begged to go with him. Eventually she was to be given her freedom and she asked to be baptised. Then, she entered the Sisters of Mary Magdalene. She died on 8th February 1947. The current high incidence of trafficking and modern slavery has meant that Bakhita has become the ‘go to’ saint in prayers for assistance in combatting this evil.
Saturday,10th February – St. Scholastica. She was the twin sister of St. Benedict. With his help, she founded a convent of what would be called, ‘Benedictine Sisters’ about five miles away from Monte Casino, where Benedict had his own monastery.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today’s first reading sees Job after he has lost all his children and possessions and has experienced the development of ulcers all over his body. His wife has told him to curse God, but he refused to do so. Then his friends arrived with a similar message. We come across the scene after one of these friends has said his piece and Job has cursed the day he was born.
Some years ago, the entertainer and broadcaster, Stephen Fry, was asked what he would say to God if he was to arrive at the gates of heaven. He went into a rant, not dissimilar from Job’s and this rant went viral on YouTube. He claimed that he would say, “How dare you create a world in which there is such misery that is not our fault?” In this heartfelt outburst, Stephen Fry simply vocalised the anger felt by many towards God when they’ve lost a loved one. It’s the frequently rehearsed problem of pain in a world created by a just God.
I’m reminded, for example, of the often-asked question as to where God was during the holocaust when millions of Jews were killed by the Nazis. Ernest Levy, who died in 2009, had survived seven concentration camps during the Second World War including Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. When the British soldiers finally arrived to liberate Belsen, he was a broken man, lying face down in the dust with barely the strength to lift his arm for help. A German nurse cared for him over the next months and enabled him to begin the process of rediscovering his faith in humanity and in God. Many years later, an elderly woman asked him if suffering had changed him in any way. He answered, “I used to think God was a supreme being who watched what happens in the world from an unsearchable distance. Now I know God lay with me in the dust of Belsen.”
In our Gospel reading today, Jesus silenced those who were possessed by devils when they tried to proclaim who he was. He didn’t want the Christ to be associated simply with a wonder worker who just got rid of all the suffering in the world. When, later in Mark’s Gospel, we hear the centurion at the foot of the cross declare after Jesus’ death, “In truth this man was a son of God”, then the association is correct. This was the perfect image of the Christ, who heals us by sharing in our suffering.

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JANUARY 28TH - FEBRUARY 3RD 2024

4th Sunday of Ordinary Time

“Here is a teaching that is new…and with authority behind it.”

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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Janet Anderson, Michael O’Brien
LATELY DEAD: Pat Brennan, Brenda Gilbert, Michael O’Sullivan
ANNIVERSARIES: Joe Rimmer, Ann Fowkes, Catherine and Lewis Laverty, John Donnelly, Jim Buttimere, Terry Mills, Michael McGladdery, Fernando Lopez da Silva, Alice Wright, Kathleen McDermott, Monica Gough, Peter Tomkins

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £3,293.35p

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £30.00; Indian Community (for use of church) £57.00

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.

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).

CARITAS SUNDAY – TODAY, 28TH JANUARY
Caritas Salford has projects across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, providing a range of services and outreach activities to help individuals to transform their lives with dignity. They run 11 services across the Diocese of Salford. More than 100 staff work with Caritas and more than 260 volunteers. They support thousands of people every year, from young families, school children, refugees and people experiencing homelessness and poverty. A retiring collection will be made for Caritas, but you can continue giving to them at any time; just put the donation in an envelope marked ‘Caritas’.

FINANCES
Significant amounts of money have recently been taken out of our parish account by the Diocese. £18,741.67 went out to pay for various things associated with preparing for the demolition of St Mary’s. The demolition itself will cost us £99,017.74. £40,127.98 of this has already been taken out of our account, but this still leaves us owing another £58,889.76. We currently have just £37,776.66 in the bank. So, if the Diocese were to require us to pay the remaining amount immediately, we would go into debt. Of course, if the land on which St. Mary’s stood was to be sold, we would hope to get a significant amount of money going back into the parish account. We have done remarkably well still to have £37,000 in our account after paying a total of almost £60,000 (£58,869.65) so far.

DEANERY LENTEN STATION MASSES
20th Feb: St, Edward’s (the Bishop will attend, and preach at this Mass)
27th Feb: St Ann’s, Ashton
5th March: St Patrick’s
12th March: St. Mary’s, Failsworth
19th March: St Joseph’s, Mossley
I would ask the leaders of the different choirs to let me know if their choirs could participate on 5th March, here at St. Patrick’s. Of course, I understand that this is a weekday, and many people will be working on that evening.

RACIAL JUSTICE SUNDAY: 11TH FEBRUARY
The theme for this year is ‘Exodus’
Racial Justice Sunday 2024 explores the movement of people from their homelands to the places they now call home and examines the motivations behind this movement – the journeys made, and the reception or welcome received on arrival.
According to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), ‘At least 108.4 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes. Among them are nearly 35.3 million refugees, around 41 per cent of whom are under the age of 18.’ Europe is one of the areas of the world to which people have been fleeing for safety. In recent years, the region has witnessed arrivals escaping war and upheaval in Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine – the top three countries in the world for refugees. Equally, protracted conflicts in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia have been ‘push’ factors for movement to Europe.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Wednesday 31st January – St. John Bosco – he was born in 1815 in the north of Italy and dedicated his priestly ministry to working with young people, especially the ‘street children’ of Turin. He established the order of the Salesians of John Bosco and the Daughters of Mary, help of Christians, to assist in his work. He died in 1888.
Friday, 2nd February. The Presentation of the Lord
Saturday 3rd February – St. Blaise – Bishop in Armenia in the 4th century.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Moses promised, in the Book of Deuteronomy that God would raise up a prophet like himself, from among the Israelites. Christians would see Jesus as being the fulfilment of that promise. But, how do we know the difference between a prophet sent by God and a false prophet? The Jews of Jesus’ time said that Jesus was different because he spoke with ‘authority’. But what did they mean by that? The Gospel for today transports us to the very early stages of Jesus’ public ministry. He's just chosen his twelve Apostles and he then goes into the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath Day and begins to teach the people there. His words obviously impressed them but then he immediately heals someone who was said to have been possessed by a devil. So, part of the ‘authority’ behind what he says is the efficacy of His word; he is able to heal people and to challenge and defeat what was seen as the evil in the world of his time. He is announcing the battle in which he is going to engage, which will result in his death, but also, strangely, in his victory. It is his preparedness to accept the great personal cost in this battle that gives the ultimate authority. There are so many voices, today, clamouring for our attention. You won’t need reminding that this year there’ll probably be a general election in this country and it’s also a presidential election year in the USA. Politicians of every hue will be promising plenty and looking for votes. There are many other voices too outside of politics; social media is awash with people trying to convince us of various conspiracy theories or of the greatest remedy for every ailment. It’s certainly hard to tell who speaks with authority. Perhaps one way would be to look at the impact these voices are having on society and to see the cost to the one suggesting or providing the remedy, as opposed to the cost to the one searching for it.

DELAY IN APPROACHING HISTORIC CHURCHES COMMITTEE
I wrote, some time ago, that we were going to make an application, in February, to the Historic Churches Committee for permission to install solar panels on the South facing lower roof of the church. Unfortunately, this is being delayed on the advice of the Diocesan property manager. I am to arrange a meeting with him to make our application more likely to be granted.

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JANUARY 21ST - 27TH 2024

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Janet Anderson, Michael O’Brien
LATELY DEAD: Kevin Bradbury, Celia McGee, Patrick Cahill, Harold Dawson, Bernadette, Thomas McLean, May Queen, Jacqueline Kendrick, Alice McConnon,
ANNIVERSARIES: Irene Dodd. Myron Patra, Joe Rimmer

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £901.61

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £20.00; Missio £38.82

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.

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).

CARITAS SUNDAY 28TH JANUARY
Caritas Salford has projects across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, providing a range of services and outreach activities to help individuals to transform their lives with dignity. They run 11 services across the Diocese of Salford. More than 100 staff work with Caritas and more than 260 volunteers. They support thousands of people every year, from young families, school children, refugees and people experiencing homelessness and poverty. A retiring collection will be made for Caritas but you can continue giving to them at any time; just put the donation in an envelope marked ‘Caritas’.

DEANERY LENTEN STATION MASSES
20th Feb: St, Edward’s (the Bishop will attend, and preach at this Mass)
27th Feb: St Ann’s, Ashton
5th March: St Patrick’s
12th March: St. Mary’s, Failsworth
19th March: St Joseph’s, Mossley
I would ask the leaders of the different choirs to let me know if their choirs could participate on 5th March, here at St. Patrick’s. Of course, I understand that this is a weekday, and many people will be working on that evening.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 22nd January – St. Vincent – He was a deacon in Saragossa in Spain and was killed during the persecutions ordered by the emperor Diocletian.
Wednesday, 24th January – St Francis De Sales – He was born into a noble family in Annecy in 1597. He was ordained a priest and worked strenuously for the Church by distributing printed essays on the Faith. He became Bishop of Geneva and is the patron saint of journalists and writers.
Thursday, 25th January. The Conversion of St. Paul.
Friday 26th January – St Timothy and Titus: These were both companions of St. Paul, entrusted with the care of Christian communities in Ephesus and Crete, respectively.
Saturday 27th January – St. Angela of Merici – born in Brescia in the north of Italy c1470, she entered the third Order of St. Francis and founded the Ursulines, devoted to the education of girls from families in poverty. She died in 1540.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The first reading and the Gospel, today, are about repenting, but this is not, primarily about deciding to stop sinning, but about changing your world view, because of which your behaviour will also change. The first reading tells a small part of the story of Jonah. We need to know, however, that Jonah did not just get up and go to Nineveh when God asked him, as the reading seems to suggest. In fact, the first time that God asked Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah got on a boat and went in the opposite direction, towards Tarshish (Spain), on the other side of the Mediterranean. Nineveh was in Assyria which was the major oppressive power in the area, and the feared enemy for a Jew like Jonah. He didn’t want to have anything to do with them. But after Jonah had been thrown overboard by the sailors and swallowed up by a huge fish, which then vomited him back on land, he began to see that he couldn’t escape God. But, even though he could see something of the power of God, he had not yet seen that God could care about the very people Jonah regarded as his enemy. It was only after he had preached and the people of Nineveh had repented, that he began to realise that God could work amongst them too. Initially, he was annoyed that they had repented. Presumably, he would have preferred them to suffer greatly. But he gradually changed his worldview.
The message of Jesus, at the early stages of his public ministry, was ‘repent and believe the Good News’. He was asking that they change their worldview. ‘Seeing rightly’ is more important than deciding to change one’s behaviour. The Scripture says, “If the eye is sound, the whole body will be filled with light” (Mt 6:22). One example from science of a different world view that altered the way we all behave is what we now refer to as the Copernican revolution. Prior to Copernicus (in the first half of the 16th century) people believed that the sun revolved around the earth. Only with Copernicus, and subsequently Galileo, did the world change its view. This, in turn, affected science and the way we all do things. To repent is to change your worldview, to see that things like wealth, power and fame are not the most important in life. If we change this worldview, then, perhaps, there will be less inequality in the world.

OCTAVE OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
We continue our octave of prayer for Christian unity; this will conclude on Thursday, 25th January, the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Thankfully, we work much more closely, these days, with the different Christian denominations, but we should not rest on our laurels.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY (HMD) takes place each year on 27th January. Holocaust Memorial Day is a day that we put aside to come together to remember, to learn about the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, in the hope that there may be one day in the future with no genocide. ‘Fragility of Freedom’ is the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2024.
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide when the world stood by as the Hutu extremists shattered the fragile freedom of the Tutsi in Rwanda. It is also 79 years after the Holocaust ended and 19 years after the genocide in Cambodia.
You would be welcome at Oldham’s Holocaust Memorial Day commemorative event on Friday, 26th January 2023 at Royton and Crompton E-Act Academy, Blackshaw Lane, Royton, Oldham, OL2 6NT. 9:00am – 10:30am The event will start at 9:00am prompt. All guests are requested to present themselves at the school reception by 8:45am due to safeguarding procedures. You will then be escorted to the school hall by a member of staff. The event will close at 10:30am.

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JANUARY 14TH - 20TH 2024

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Alice McConnon, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Janet Anderson, Michael O’Biren
LATELY DEAD: Pauline Jordan (formerly Pauline Lees), Celia McGee, Patrick Cahill, Harold Dawson, Bernadette, Thomas McLean, May Queen, Jacqueline Kendrick
ANNIVERSARIES: Irene Dodd. Myron Patra, Jesus Apostol, Nathan McLean, Brendan Sheehy, Margaret Hywell, Joaquim da Silva, Laura da Silva, Ignacio da Silva, Joanna Felismina, David Monaghan

LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £853.54

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £20.00; Foodbank £25.00. Heating and decoration £22.99.

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.

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).

PEACE SUNDAY 2024 IS TODAY, 14 JANUARY AND THE THEME CHOSEN BY POPE FRANCIS IS ‘ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND PEACE’

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
from 18 to 25th January for 2024, the theme was chosen by an ecumenical team from Burkina Faso. Their chosen theme is ‘You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbour as yourself’ (Lk 10:27). Brothers and sisters from the Catholic Archdiocese of Ouagadougou, Protestant Churches, ecumenical bodies and the CCN in Burkina Faso collaborated generously in drafting the prayers and reflections. They experienced their work together as a real path of ecumenical conversion.

DIOCESAN SYNOD - BIG LISTEN CLOSING THIS WEEK
Over the past few months, parishes, schools, groups, and individuals have been coming together to discern the future of our diocese through the Big Listen stage of our diocesan synod. This key phase is critical in identifying priority themes to help us become the Church God is calling us to be. To ensure all voices are heard, we're seeking to engage with as many people as possible. To get involved, please submit your response online this week by visiting https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/faith/synod/
Jane Hirst, who is our delegate to the Synod, has asked if those taking part could give to her a copy of what they sent to the Diocese, so that she has a record for her own involvement.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Wednesday 17th – St Antony was inspired by the words of the Gospel to retire to the Egyptian desert, at the age of 20, to live a type of monastic life. There he attracted many to join him. He died in the year 356.
Friday, 19th January. St. Wulstan. Born in Warwickshire in the year 1008. He became a monk at the Cathedral Priory of Worcester. In 1062, he was appointed bishop, one of the few Anglo-Saxons to survive in high office after the Norman conquest. He was renowned for his care of the poor and the sick and for the high standards he asked of his clergy.
Saturday 20th January – St Fabian (Pope and Martyr) and St. Sebastian (Martyr) - Fabian was chosen to be Pope in 236. He remained steadfast when the emperor of the day began another series of persecutions, and he died a martyr. Sebastiaan was a native of Milan and was martyred in Rome. His tomb on the Via Appia soon became a place of pilgrimage.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
On the sacramental programme, one of the worksheets asks the question: “Can you think of some people you might listen to?” The usual responses from the children are, “parents” and “teachers”, and, thankfully, sometimes, “priests”. But then, someone might also suggest that we should be listening to God. But how do we hear God speaking?
Today’s first reading tells of Samuel being spoken to by God, but he doesn’t immediately recognise it to be God. God speaks through many different means and not always with language. Of course, God speaks to us through the Bible, or the Word of God. But the Bible is not an easy book to read. One section must be read and understood through other sections of the Bible. So, when we hear John the Baptist, in today’s Gospel saying of Jesus, “Look, there is the lamb of God”, we know that we can only understand that remark by referring to the story of the Passover lamb from the Book of Exodus, whose blood saved the lives of the Hebrew children.
But then we also know that the readings from the Bible take on different meanings and different significance according to the situations in which we find ourselves. Sometimes when we read a passage from the Bible, it might seem to say nothing special to us, but, in a different situation, we find that something within us thrills when we hear the words. The words speak to our hearts. Within each one of us, there is already something of the Spirit of God and, at certain times, we know his presence.
One example of this could be the occasion after the Manchester Arena bombing, when the poet, Tony Walsh recited his poem, “This is the place”. In the context of all the anger and devastation, he convinced people of the blessedness of this place still.
“This is the place” he said, “that’s been through some hard times: oppressions, recessions, depressions, and dark times. But we keep fighting back with Greater Manchester spirit…because this is the place where we stand strong together.”
His words certainly touched a chord for so many. He spoke to their hearts and people knew that they were blessed still. This was perhaps God speaking to us through the words of someone who would not even claim to be religious.

PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM 2024
The Diocese of Salford is now accepting bookings for our 2024 pilgrimage to Walsingham. If you would like to join next year's pilgrimage, bring along a group, or help as a volunteer, please fill out a booking form, available at https://dioceseofsalford.org.uk/walsingham-2024.
You can get in touch by calling 0161 817 2214 or emailing walsingham@pilgrimage@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY
(YEAR B)
WEEK: JANUARY 7TH - 13TH 2024

Feast OF THE EPIPHANY

“The same promise has been made to them, in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel.”

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, 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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Zophie Royales, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Alice McConnon, Barry Reid
LATELY DEAD: Pauline Jordan, Tommy Howe, Thomas McLean, Celia McGee, Marlene Germaine Burke, Patrick Cahill, Harold Dawson
ANNIVERSARIES: Richard Teefy, Paddy Joe Canny; Nathan McLeach, Peter and Steffrey McGiffen, Rita Wheatcroft, Fred and Elizabeth Anne Lees, Brendan Sheehy, Margaret Hywell, Joaquim da Silva, Laura da Silva, Ignacio da Silva, Joanna Felismina

CHRISTMAS COLLECTION: £866.69

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £20.00; Foodbank £20.00. Charismatic Prayer Group £200.00 (Crossover night).

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.

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).

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME
Please remember that those who hope to make their First Communion on 26th May this year are due to attend another session of preparation this Saturday at 10.00am in the church. They should also attend church next Sunday at 10.00am.

TOMORROW (MONDAY) IS THE FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Rather like writing an essay, Jesus, in agreeing to be baptised by John, is pointing, right at the beginning of his ministry, to what the conclusion of his ministry will be. He shows that he is prepared even to be thought of as a sinner (accepting the baptism of people acknowledging their sinfulness) as he would take our sins upon him again on the cross and, there too, be thought of as a sinner, and someone deserted by God. And, for Jesus, baptism is a type of death, death to an old way of life. You will remember that he is quoted in the Gospels, saying “There is another baptism I must undergo…” (Luke 12:50) when he is referring to his death on the cross. He is, therefore, announcing just what his ministry would be about.

SUDAN WAR
In a collective statement on the situation in war-torn Sudan, the country’s Catholic Bishops appeal to the international community to intensify efforts to end the violence in the country. They also express concern that the protracted fighting may aim to block solidarity between the people of Sudan.
The war in Sudan erupted on 15 April 2023 between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The violence began in the capital, Khartoum, and has since spread throughout the nation with allegations of widespread human rights abuses and war crimes. Pope Francis has repeatedly appealed for a negotiated solution to the conflict, and during his Urbi et Orbi address on Christmas Day, he recalled the suffering of the people of Sudan and asked the international community not to forget them.

PEACE SUNDAY 2024 is next Sunday 14 January and the theme chosen by Pope Francis is ‘Artificial Intelligence and Peace’. Whilst this might seem a strangely technical theme, we know that we do need to think about the consequences of the advances in AI for peace and justice. Certainly, governments around the world are taking the development of AI seriously. In November, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak invited experts and world leaders to a summit, expressly to look at AI and safety. Prior to the summit, he affirmed that, whilst we should not be alarmist, and whilst there are undoubtedly benefits for humanity in the development of AI, ‘get this wrong’ he said, ‘and AI could make it easier to build chemical or biological weapons.’

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday – The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Friday, 12th January. St. Aelred of Rievaulx. Born in 1110 and died in 1167. He was educated at Durham and in the King’s household in Scotland. He entered the Cistercian monastery at Rievaulx in 1134 and was eventually elected Abbot. He is remembered for his spiritual writings, above all on the gift of friendship.
Saturday 13th January – St Hilary - born of pagan parents, in 325, he was baptised as an adult and chosen as Bishop of Poitiers.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today, many Christians celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. In the West this feast now marks the revelation of God, in the person of the child, Jesus, to the gentiles, represented by the Magi of the Gospel story. But, it wasn’t always so. Initially, this day saw the celebration of several different events through which God manifested himself to humanity. It marked the visit of the Magi but also the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan and the marriage feast at Cana. All of these were signs that people like us experience wonderful epiphanies, occasions when there’s a clear sense of God amongst us.
In the middle of the nineteenth century, a wonderful woman of African descent, called Harriet Tubman, made a successful bid for freedom from slavery. She journeyed 400 miles from Maryland almost to Lake Ontario, by following the North Star. But she wasn’t satisfied with having gained liberty for herself; she returned several more times to Maryland to lead many others to freedom. On different occasions she avoided capture by listening to her dreams and then, like the Magi in our story, she took different routes from the ones she had initially intended. She had a real sense of God guiding her, whether through her dreams or through the interventions of different people, or through the North Star.

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY
(YEAR B)
WEEK: DECEMBER 31ST - JANUARY 6TH 2024

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY

“My eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all nations to see.”

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, 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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Zophie Royales, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring
LATELY DEAD: Dawn Gladery, Nancy Yeo, Leo Garvey, Pauline Jordan, Tommy Howe, Thomas McLean, Celia McGee
ANNIVERSARIES: Peter Guilfoyle, Richard Teefy, John McCaffrey, Robin Parker, Jospeh Beswick

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: £2,071.04

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £20.00; Foodbank £10.00; AA/NA £100.00

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.

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).

CHRISTMAS MASSES
The first Mass of Christmas was attended by so many that several people had to stand in the narthex or at the back of the church. The atmosphere was amazing with all the different choirs (most accompanied by our organist/keyboard player, Daniel, who recently appeared on ‘The Piano’ as the piano teacher of an amazing blind girl, Lucy) excelling in singing carols from different backgrounds as well as those sung traditionally in this country. Some of the Mass was filmed for a Pakistani broadcasting company (Channel 24/7). A clip of what was broadcast can be found below. It includes interviews with several of our parishioners. The morning Mass was enhanced by Steve Owen returning to play the organ to accompany more carol singing. It was a fantastic celebration of Christmas!

THE CHRISTMAS MEAL FOR THE OVER 60’S
The YCW Impact Group put on a spectacular meal for the over 60’s on 23rd December. They went to great lengths to decorate the room and dress the tables to give the impression of an expensive restaurant. So much food was prepared with great variety but including what some would expect as a traditional Christmas meal.
The young people welcomed everyone on arrival and served us assiduously throughout the afternoon. They then, with such energy, engaged those who joined in a Christmas quiz and other entertainment, including singing and dancing. Our young people should be proud of themselves, as we are proud of them. A few pictures from the event can be found on the Past Events page.

CARDINAL VINCENT NICHOLS has issued a statement on killings in the Church compound of the Catholic Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City: “I am heartbroken at the information provided by Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, of killings in the Church compound of the Catholic Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City. I have immediately sent a message to His Eminence, expressing my horror at these events, and assuring him of the prayers of Catholics in England and Wales. I have twice been warmly welcomed to this parish by its people. They are a remarkable community of faith and genuine service to their neighbours. Together with the dedicated Religious Sisters, they have continued to provide shelter and sustenance to many people during these weeks of warfare. They are a people who yearn for peace.” The information provided by the Cardinal, gives a picture of seemingly deliberate and callous killing by IDF soldiers of innocent civilians: an elderly woman and her daughter in the grounds of a church.
“I ask all people of faith and goodwill to continue to pray for an end to this conflict by all sides.”

PEACE SUNDAY 2024 is Sunday 14 January and the theme chosen by Pope Francis is ‘Artificial Intelligence and Peace’. Whilst this might seem a strangely technical theme, we know that we do need to think about the consequences of the advances in AI for peace and justice. Certainly, governments around the world are taking the development of AI seriously. In November, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak invited experts and world leaders to a summit, expressly to look at AI and safety. Prior to the summit, he affirmed that, whilst we should not be alarmist, and whilst there are undoubtedly benefits for humanity in the development of AI, ‘get this wrong’ he said, ‘and AI could make it easier to build chemical or biological weapons.’

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 1st January – Mary the Mother of God
Tuesday, 2nd January – St Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen. – These were great friends and significant figures of the Eastern Church in the fourth century. Basil was Bishop of Caesarea and active in promoting the monastic life, writing a ‘rule’ which is still observed today. Gregory was Bishop of Constantinople, and because of his great learning is still known in the East as ‘Gregory the Theologian’; he eventually retired from the episcopacy to return to his monastery in Nazianzus. Gregory summed up their lives: “Our great concern, our great name, was to be Christians and be called Christians.”
Wednesday, 3rd January – The Most Holy Name of Jesus

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The readings today speak of the need for great patience. Several important promises are made to different people, but they must wait well into their old age to experience the fulfilment of those promises. It was in chapter 12 of the Book of Genesis that we hear the promise made to Abraham that God will make him into a great nation. In the first reading today, we hear Abraham, sometime later, asking God what happened to the promise he made. Then, our reading jumps forward six chapters, and, in the process, quite a few years (if we can take the years mentioned at face value); Abraham was given the promise when he was 75 years old, but he didn’t become a father to Isaac until 25 years later.
Then, in the Gospel, we hear of another promise that had been made to an already elderly man. Simeon had been promised that he would not see death until he had seen the Christ of the Lord. From his reaction on seeing Jesus, we can guess that he’d had to wait quite some time. He says, “Now you can let your servant go in peace” suggesting that the ‘Now’ could be exchanged for, ‘At last’.
Finally, the prophetess mentioned in the Gospel is also well on in years; she’s 84 years old. Her husband died after seven years of marriage. We can guess from the usual age for marriage for girls of that time that her husband had died more than 60 years before Jesus was presented in the temple. Despite life treating her badly, she clearly believed that God would bless her again. She’d had to wait a long time, but she received an amazing blessing in her old age. She was clearly so grateful and couldn’t keep quiet about it; she told everyone she could.
It seems that the readings are encouraging us not to lose faith even when life gives us a nasty blow or when time goes on without an answer to prayer. But what’s this got to do with the Holy Family? The time of Jesus’ early years are hardly written about but in the glimpses that we get, it’s clear that Mary and Joseph must have been amazed by certain happenings and must have asked themselves what it all meant. They would have known that they had been blessed with a child destined for greatness.

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: DECEMBER 24TH - 30TH 2023

Fourth Sunday of Advent

“I am the handmaid of the Lord…
Let what you have said be done to me.”

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, 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, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Zophie Royales, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Pauline Jordan, Joan Healy
LATELY DEAD: Anthony Reilly, Gerard Hegley, Dawn Gladery, Nancy Yeo, Leo Garvey
ANNIVERSARIES: Peter Guilfoyle, Lina Feniuk, Frances Michailuk, David Humphry, Wilfred Brooks, Raymond Brooks, Margaret Daley, Nellie and Herbert Hilton

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: £767.63

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £20.00; CAFOD £207.00; Foodbank £25.00; Heating £6.81; Flowers £20.00

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.

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).

FR. PHIL’S CHRISTMAS GREETING
I pray that peace will reign in our homes and in our attitudes towards others, that peace may reign in the world.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES
The First Mass of Christmas will begin with Christmas Carols from 7.30pm (on Sunday 24th December). The First Mass of Christmas will then follow immediately at 8pm. On Christmas Day itself, Mass will be at 10am. So, there will be no Mass on Sunday at 6pm; the Mass at 8pm will suffice for both the Sunday evening Mass and for Christmas Day. There will be Eucharistic services from Tuesday to Thursday of Christmas week.

NOTICE ABOUT SCAM EMAIL
The Diocese of Salford has shared a warning about a scam email that has been circulated to some parishes in our diocese. The email comes from a "parish priest" Gmail account, features the parish priest's name in the display name, and asks the recipient to purchase gift cards of behalf of the priest.
Please be aware that this is not a genuine email. If you come across any such email, please do not engage with it and simply delete it from your inbox. If you are ever unsure about an email from the parish, please call the parish office and we'd be happy to advise. Thank you.

POPE’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO THE CURIA
Mary's open-hearted reception of the angel's message, he said, serves as a reminder that true listening involves an interior openness that goes beyond mere exchange of information “because more important than any precept is our need to enter into a relationship with God by accepting the gift of the love that he comes to bring us.” Moving to the second word, discernment, the Pope recalled the story of John the Baptist. Despite the apostle's powerful preaching, he said, he experiences a crisis of faith when confronted with the unexpected mercy and compassion of Jesus. The Baptist, the Holy Father said, realises that he needs to discern, so as to receive fresh eyes. Discernment, the Pope explained, is necessary in our spiritual journey, as it cautions against the rigid application of rules without a deep understanding of God's will.

CARITAS DIOCESE OF SALFORD ADVENT APPEAL
Our diocesan charity, Caritas Salford, has launched its Advent appeal for 2023, including a very special animation film voiced by local children. You can view the short animation and find out more about how you can make a donation to the appeal, or take action to help people in our parish who are experiencing crisis this Christmas, by visiting the Caritas Salford website: www.caritassalford.org.uk/beethere

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday – Christmas Day (The Nativity of the Lord)
Tuesday – St Stephen, the first martyr.
Wednesday – St. John the evangelist
Thursday – The Holy Innocents
Friday – St. Thomas of Canterbury. He was born in London in 1118 and became the Chancellor of England during the reign of Henry II. He was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162. He defended the rights of the Church and was exiled by Henry to France. On his return, some supporters of the King murdered him in his own cathedral in 1170

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
There are two occasions, in today’s readings, when the dwelling place of God in creation is referred to, albeit a thousand years apart. The first is when King David is clearly embarrassed by that dwelling place being in a tent. All during the Exodus story, as the Hebrews wandered through the desert, God travelled with His people in the Ark of the Covenant, which was housed in a tent. Now that David had established his kingship in Jerusalem, he wanted to build a substantial temple which, through its spectacular size and fine stonework would speak of the splendour of God. But the prophet Nathan, who had originally agreed with David’s plans, then finds himself having to say, “Who do you think you are to build God a dwelling?” God tells David, through Nathan, that it’s the other way around; God will build a house/dynasty for David that will have no end.
Then, 1000 years later, in Nazareth, an insignificant village of the Galilee region, another dwelling place for God comes into existence. Mary, who would have been a young girl (of about 13 years of age!), who, according to the custom of the time had been betrothed but had not yet gone to live with her husband, was visited by the angel, Gabriel. This insignificant girl, in an insignificant place, was told that she was going to conceive the Son of God, that she would become the new Ark of the Covenant, the new dwelling place of God, at least until she gave birth. A massively important moment in the history of creation depended on Mary’s agreement, which was immediately and generously given. That agreement is an important part of the Christmas story and a reminder that we too must agree to God’s plan for us if He is going to make is dwelling place amongst us once more. The image of Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Man’ on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, is one that I associate with Christmas. In that image, God seems to strain to reach out to humanity, almost putting himself in danger of falling out of heaven. The angels seem to struggle to hold on to him! On the other hand, the man in the scene seems almost nonchalant, his hand held limply over his knee. There’s no effort on his part. All he has to do is to allow God to touch his hand. It is God who does all the work to establish His dwelling among us, but we still have to allow Him to do so.

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S ORGANISATION (CWO)
The Parish has now established a Catholic Women’s’ Organisation. This is open to every woman in the parish. Those interested should meet, after Mass, by the table at the entrance to the church on the first Sunday of every month.

SOLAR PANELS
We have made an application to the Diocese for permission to place solar panels across the lower roof of the church (facing the Sixth Form College). Permission was granted two weeks ago. But this is just the first stage. We now have to apply for the same permission to the Historic Churches’ Commission because St. Patrick’s is a listed building. The HCC will meet next in February 2024. A final decision will be made there. We had been told, previously, that permission would not be given by the HCC because of the effect to the aesthetics of the building, but we are now in a climate crisis! So, pray for a change of heart

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: DECEMBER 17TH - 23RD 2023

Third Sunday of Advent

“A voice cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.”

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, Therese Passenger, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Nell Eaton, Linda Taylor, Patricia Haines, Marie Gill, Pat McQuillan, Mary Malone, Kathleen Kelly, Irene Cooper, Win Powell, Denis O’Grady. Deana Dobson, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Zophie Royales, Connie Marrone, Dominic Boardman, Pauline Jordan
LATELY DEAD:Michael Guilfoyle, Sheila Wrigley, Derek Goodier, Bridie Henderson, Jonathan Haydock, Jim Navesay, Margaret Crossan, John Hart, Gerard Healey, Anthony Reilly, Gerard Hegley
ANNIVERSARIES:Jose Philip, Colin Riley, Patricia Locke, Ellen Keating, John De Lapp, William Richards, Vincent and Ethel Concannon, David Humphry,

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: £936.60

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £20.00; CAFOD £81.15; Indian community £65.00
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.

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).

PRE-CHRISTMAS MASS AND MEAL FOR THE ELDERLY
On 23rd December, at 12noon, Mass will be celebrated in St. Patrick’s Church. This will be followed by a Christmas meal in Primrose Bank community Centre (Magnolia Gardens) from 1.30pm till 4.30pm. This is another of the activities put on by the St. Patrick’s YCW Impact Group. Please speak to one of the young people from the group after the 10am Mass, or contact me, if you wish to attend.

Christmas services
The First Mass of Christmas will begin with Christmas Carols from 7.30pm (on Sunday 24th December). The First Mass of Christmas will then follow immediately at 8pm. On Christmas Day itself, Mass will be at 10am. So, there will be no Mass on Sunday at 6pm; the Mass at 8pm will suffice for both the Sunday evening Mass and for Christmas Day. There will be Eucharistic services from Tuesday to Thursday of Christmas week.

POPE RENEWS APPEAL FOR IMMEDIATE GAZA CEASEFIRE
Speaking at the end of his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis made a new appeal for an end to the war in Gaza.“I continue to follow the conflict in Israel and Palestine with much worry and pain,” he said. “I renew my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire: there is so much suffering there.” “I encourage all parties involved to resume negotiations,” the Pope added, “and call on everyone to make an urgent commitment to get humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.”

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
The phrase that immediately leaps out of the page when I read today’s first reading is: “he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity.” Indeed, the word “integrity” is repeated later in the same reading, seemingly to suggest itself as a theme.
One of the ‘Grand Designs’ television programmes featured an English couple building a new home in France. The couple were regarded by their French neighbours as “les marginaux” (those who were on the margins of society – a bit strange!). To some, they would be regarded as eco warriors, into alternative lifestyles. The walls of the house were to be made out of bails of straw. You can imagine the concerns of their neighbours in the traditional French village.
As the project developed, however, the couple demonstrated how they were not only wanted to be gentle to creation but they also wanted to be utterly sensitive to their surroundings and to their neighbours. The result was a beautiful home, full of features that would reduce the use of energy, and one that the presenter said was full of integrity. Now what did he mean by that? He meant that there was an internal consistency about the building, it was utterly consistent with the countryside and other buildings in the vicinity and yet it was also a very true reflection of the couple who built it. What was also noticeable was that whereas previously the couple had been treated by their neighbours as “les marginaux”, now they were appreciated for who they were and obviously valued in the community.
This is a wonderful parable for today as we see the two principal protagonists of Advent being introduced to us again through the readings. The first is John the Baptist and the second is Mary, through the use of her Magnificat as a responsorial psalm. Both have to find their way of integrity which is utterly in tune with the Spirit of God. Both realise that there is a further reality to whom they have to be faithful and in whose presence they are nothing. But both play wonderful roles in the Christmas story. For us to play our part in the same Christmas story, we too need to be utterly sensitive to creation, to the people around us and to the message of God through it all.

WHAT IS A DIOCESAN SYNOD?
As parishes and schools across the diocese continue to feed into the Big Listen exercise for our Diocesan Synod, we're sharing a short video which explains a little more about what a synod is and what it means for our local Church today. Please feel free to share the video at any Big Listen sessions, on your website or social media channels, or in your parish newsletter (see suggested newsletter insert below). The video is available by visiting https://youtu.be/v0yU3gtfwV8

FUNERALS THIS WEEK
There are five funerals this week, the first on Monday at 1.00pm for Michael Gilfoyle. There are two on Wednesday, one for Anne Keating (1.30pm) and another for Maria Ballentine (10.00am), neither affecting the Mass time for parishioners. The other two are during normal Mass times as listed in the week's Mass schedule.

BISHOP JOHN ARNOLD IN NIGERIA
The Bishop of Salford, has spent a portion of Advent, a little over a week, in Nigeria.
He was in the West African country primarily to ordain deacons for two religious communities, the Missionary Society of St Paul and also the Vincentians, or the Congregation of the Mission as they’re also known.
During his visit, from 6-14 December, Bishop Arnold experienced the vibrance of the growing Catholic Church in Nigeria.

SOLAR PANELS
We have made an application to the Diocese for permission to place solar panels across the lower roof of the church (facing the Sixth Form College). Permission was granted last week. But this is just the first stage. We now have to apply for the same permission to the Historic Churches’ Commission because St. Patrick’s is a listed building. The HCC will meet next in February. A final decision will be made there. We had been told, previously, that permission would not be given by the HCC because of the effect to the aesthetics of the building, but we are now in a climate crisis! So, pray for a change of heart.

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: DECEMBER 10TH - 16TH 2023

Second Sunday of Adven

“A voice cries in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord.”

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, Therese Passenger, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Nell Eaton, Linda Taylor, Patricia Haines, Marie Gill, Pat McQuillan, Mary Malone, Kathleen Kelly, Irene Cooper, Win Powell, Denis O’Grady. Deana Dobson, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier, Zophie Royales, Connie Marrone
LATELY DEAD: Michael Guilfoyle, Sheila Wrigley, Derek Goodier, Bridie Henderson, Jonathan Haydock, Jim Navesay, Margaret Crossan, John Hart, Gerard Healey, Anthony Reilly
ANNIVERSARIES: Jose Philip, Colin Riley, Patricia Locke, Mary Dillamore, Ellen Keating, John De Lapp

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: £640.46

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £20.00
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.

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).

RECONCILIATION SERVICE AND CHRISTMAS SERVICES
There will be a Parish reconciliation service on Sunday 17th December at 3.15pm. The First Mass of Christmas will begin with Christmas Carols from 7.30pm (on Sunday 24th December). The First Mass of Christmas will then follow immediately at 8pm. On Christmas Day itself, Mass will be at 10am. So, there will be no Mass on Sunday at 6pm; the Mass at 8pm will suffice for both the Sunday evening Mass and for Christmas Day. There will be Eucharistic services from Tuesday to Thursday of Christmas week.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday 11th December St. Damascus 1, Pope – He was born in Spain and became pope in 366. He died in 384.
Wednesday 13th December – St Lucy: Lucy was a Sicilian martyr who died in the persecutions of the Fifth Century under the emperor Diocletian. She is an example of faithfulness and innocence, and her cult was very popular in the early Church.
Thursday 14th December- St John of the Cross: St John was born in 1542 and is the author of the famous poem “Noche obscura del alma” (Dark night of the soul). He was a Carmelite priest and a friend of the great mystic St Teresa of Avila. He was imprisoned for undertaking to return the Carmelites to their primitive rule of poverty. It was while he was in his gaol cell in Toledo that he composed his great poem.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
One of the great figures of advent, John the Baptist, comes on to the scene in today’s Gospel. He is the Elijah-like figure who heralds the coming of a Messiah. Here is someone who’s gone out into the wilderness to make a straight highway for our God. He’s someone whose message is so different from the consumerism many, today, associate with Christmas. He wore a camel-skin and lived off locusts and wild honey. Presumably the camel-skin was not a name-brand garment and the honey, not the Egmont Manuka honey from Holland and Barrett, retailing at almost £149.99 a jar (I looked on the internet last night)! By his very lifestyle, he was encouraging others not to conform to the ways of the world but to look for greater depth in life.
If we are to become heralds of a second coming of Christ, we too have to decide not simply to conform to what the rest of society does at this time of year but to look for that greater depth. Like John the Baptist, we have to refuse to listen to the many siren voices of the modern world that offer little more than superficial pleasure and, sometimes, even our own destruction. We must rather go into the wildernesses of life, there to console people. Isaiah voices the Word of God to us when he says, “Console my people, console them.” People, who have become the pawns of the consumerist world and now feel like they’ve been discarded in a wasteland, need to be consoled with a different message. And Isaiah suggests that it’s we who must proclaim it.
Then, in Isaiah, we get a double image of the Messiah who comes. First, we are presented with an image of him as a powerful military general, with all the booty of battle spread out before him. This is someone who can make a real difference for us. This is someone who can defeat oppressive regimes. But he’s also like a shepherd, feeding his flock and gathering the lambs in his arms. The Messiah is someone who cares for others and is tender. This is a message of consolation. If we are going to fill in the valleys and make the hills low, if we are going to make a straight highway in the desert, we have to recognise the wildernesses around us and be prepared to show mercy in them. We must look to see how we can sustain those whom we find there and how we can heal their wounds. This is the advent message, not how many shopping days there are to Christmas!

GIFT AID TAX REFUND AND LEGACY
Recently, we received a tax refund for Gift aided monies. The amount we received was £5,365.88. Our thanks to Chris Dodd for doing the paperwork on this and to all of you who are prepared to ‘gift aid’ your donations. The payment was for the financial year 2021-22. A further payment for a similar amount is expected for 2022-23. We also received a legacy donation for £3,473.39. Both these payments were a timely help; another £7,221.60 has just been taken out of our account for further work on the demolition of St. Mary’s Church. We have now paid £36,067.12 on the demolition of St. Mary’s since January of this year. I suspect that the payments are not finished yet, but, hopefully, we will get something back eventually for the sale of the land.

EARLY CAREER TEACHERS PRIMARY POOL 2024
Are you looking for a career in teaching? Do you know someone who is training for a career in primary education? ECT (Early Career Teachers) due to gain Qualified Teacher Status in Summer 2024 are being invited to apply for recommendation for interview to Catholic schools with vacancies for September 2024.
Email education@dioceseofsalford.org.uk to find out more and apply.

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
(YEAR B)
WEEK: DECEMBER 3RD - 9TH 2023

First Sunday of Advent

“O that you would tear the heavens open and come down.”

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: Vivien Higgins; Margaret Lawless; Dominic Boardman. John and Kath Green, Angela Marshall, Joseph McConnon, Joan Killeen, Therese Passenger, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Nell Eaton, Linda Taylor, Patricia Haines, Marie Gill, Walter Harrison, Pauline Jordan, Elizabeth Flanagan, Pat McQuillan, Mary Malone, Kathleen Kelly, Irene Cooper, Win Powell, Denis O’Grady. Deana Dobson, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Maureen De Melchior, Nora Hickey, Alison Buckley, Ryan Boyer, Noel Parker, Sister Angela Linane. Sean Denvor, Jim Nawsay, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Rita Goodier
LATELY DEAD: Joan Doran, Michael Guilfoyle, Sheila Wrigley, Derek Goodier, Bridie Henderson, Jonathan Haydock
ANNIVERSARIES: Mary Dillamore, Denis Guilfoyle, Chirs O’Brien, Christopher Alan Whitehead, Maggie Moores

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: £815.54

Standing Order: £674.00 a month

CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Caritas Homeless £40.00; Missio £12.90; Donation £20.00
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.

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).

RECONCILIATION SERVICE AND CHRISTMAS SERVICES
The Parish team decided that there would be a Parish reconciliation service on Sunday 17th December at 3.15pm. The First Mass of Christmas will begin with Christmas Carols from 7.30pm (on Sunday 24th December). The First Mass of Christmas will then follow immediately at 8pm. On Christmas Day itself, Mass will be at 10am. So, there will be no Mass on Sunday at 6pm; the Mass at 8pm will suffice for both the Sunday evening Mass and for Christmas Day. There will be Eucharistic services from Tuesday to Thursday of Christmas week.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Wednesday 6th December – St. Nicholas. We know him best by his Dutch name, “Santa Claus”. He is a saint revered in both the East and the West. After his parents died of the plague, he set about doing good deeds. The plight of three women who were destitute became known to him and he is said to have thrown three bags of gold through their window. These three balls of gold became the symbol used by the pawnbrokers representing financial aid in a time of need. He became Bishop of Myra, a city in Southwest Turkey. He is thought to have been murdered in the Diocletian persecution of 305.
Thursday 7th December- St Ambrose: St Ambrose was a lawyer in Milan and not yet baptised when, inspired the shouts of a child in the crowd, the people of the city made him their bishop. He was renowned for his eloquence as a preacher and for his gifts as a hymn-writer. He is said to have baptised Augustine.
Friday 8th December – The Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
“O that you would tear the heavens open and come down”. This is the phrase that leaps out at me every time I read this passage from Isaiah. It’s so full of desperation and yearning. But does it reflect our real mood? When we use the 3rd Eucharistic Prayer at Mass, we pray, “as we look forward to his second coming…”, but I’m not sure that we do. I suspect that we would rather hope that he would leave us to get on with things on our own for a while longer. The idea of a second coming can seem apocalyptic and frightening. But the reality is that we’re often making a mess of things and desperately need God’s help.
The beginning of this season of Advent is not a time to start pre-empting Christmas, filling it with carol singing, and Christmas parties, Christmas films and the wearing of Christmas pullovers. It’s a time for facing the harsh realities of life now, whether it’s the problems of climate change, or the seemingly insoluble problems in the Middle East, or how you will cope with a developing serious illness in a family member, or so much more. We don’t usually have to think too long before we might begin to echo the line of Isaiah, “O that you would tear the heavens open and come down”. This is a time for yearning, patience, and silence.
The Gospel reading speaks again about the need to stay awake. This is not an encouragement to deprive ourselves of sleep but to make ourselves more aware of the present moment. In a recent broadcast on BBC Radio Four called ‘The Bright Side of Life”, Jonathan Dimbleby chats to his brother who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in the spring of this year. His brother, Nicholas, admits that there are times when everything seems bleak, but then he tries to enter into the joy of the moment. He describes the house martins outside his window putting on a display like the battle of Britain as they catch insects, and he speaks of the importance of the people around him who give him hugs.
Advent is first recognising our yearning for God because of the darkness in our world, but then it’s a time of hope because, in that very darkness, we see something of God’s blessing already breaking through.

GIFT AID TAX REFUND AND LEGACY
During the week, we received a tax refund for Gift aided monies. The amount we received was £5,365.88. Our thanks to Chris Dodd for doing the paperwork on this and to all of you who are prepared to gift aid your donations. The payment was for the financial year 2021-22. A further payment for a similar amount is expected for 2022-23. We also received a legacy donation for £3,473.39. Both these payments were a timely help; another £7,221.60 has just been taken out of our account for further work on the demolition of St. Mary’s Church. We have now paid £36,067.12 on the demolition of St. Mary’s since January of this year. I suspect that the payments are not finished yet, but, hopefully, we will get something back eventually for the sale of the land.

PARISH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Many thanks to all those who took part in the festival and to all those who attended despite the cold weather.

WEEKLY SERVICES
SUNDAY:	10.00am. 12.30pm (Polish Mass) 6.00pm
MONDAY:	12 noon Mass
CHRISTMAS EVE:TUESDAY	12 noon Mass & First Mass of Christmas at 8.00pm (preceded by Carols from 7.30pm).
CHRISTMAS DAY: WEDNESDAY	10.00am Mass
THURSDAY:	12 noon Eucharistic service
FRIDAY:	12 noon Eucharistic service
SATURDAY:	12 noon Eucharistic service