stpatricksliveseyst

Pastoral letter from Bishop John 17th Jan 2021

There is a pastoral letter for the Bishop this weekend.  You can re-read his letter on the pastoral letter button at the to of this k page, or there is a link so you can listen to the Bishop himself reading the letter.

Our Churches are now closed - as from today 11th January 2021

Due to this new strain of Covid-19 spreading as fast as it is, I have taken the difficult decision to close our churches again, until it is deemed safe to open again.  I will let you know as soon as that happens, here on the web site, as well as on the parish Whatts App group, and hopefully by word of mouth.

Mass will be streamed every day as usual, please do come and join me if you can.  God Bless us all.

Happy New Year to you all!

New Years Day

Please note there will be Mass at 9:30am at St Patrick's and will be live streamed only, the church will not be open.

Act now and ask your MP to oppose introducing assisted suicide.

This is a real slippery slope if we allow this to happen in our country - keep life sacred!

The assisted suicide lobby have launched a large campaign to put pressure on the Government to reconsider the legalisation of assisted suicide.

It is vital that it is clear to the Government that the public want them to continue to hold strong against this pressure from assisted suicide campaigners and reject their demands.

Right To Life UK have set up and easy to use tool which will enable you to email your MP asking them to make it clear to the Government that it should not give into demands from the assisted suicide lobby to reconsider the legalisation of assisted suicide. It only takes 30 seconds to email your MP by visiting the link below:

https://righttolife.org.uk/StopAssistedSuicide

2020/2021

The Year of St Joseph

Pope Francis has deemed that this year will be a year dedicated to St Joseph, from 6th Decemvir 2020 to 6th December 2021.

See below

Dear St Joseph, foster father of Jesus and husband of Mary Pray for us.

Third Sunday of Advent.

Both St Malachy’s and St Patrick’s are back to usual Mass times this weekend.

THE YEAR OF SAINT JOSEPH  (6th December 2020 - 6th December 2021)

Pope Francis has written an Apostolic Letter about Saint Joseph, to mark the opening of a Year of Saint Joseph, which runs from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021. The title of the Letter is Patris Corde, which means "With a Father’s Love". This recognises that all 4 Gospels refer to Jesus as "the son of Joseph", even though Joseph was not his biological father. For centuries, Joseph’s name was hardly mentioned, because the very fact that he thought of sending Mary away seemed wrong. Everything changed 150 years ago, Blessed Pius IX named Joseph Patron of the Catholic Church. Some of you will have seen Pope Francis’ Meditation in the Time of Pandemic, when he was the only person in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, when he recognised the contribution being made "by ordinary people, people often overlooked. People who do not appear in newspaper and magazine headlines, or on the latest television show, yet in these very days are surely shaping the decisive events of our history. Doctors, nurses, storekeepers and supermarket workers, cleaning personnel, caregivers, transport workers, men and women working to provide essential services and public safety, volunteers, priests, men and women religious, and so very many others". What he praised in them is not only generosity, but a willingness to work patiently spreading "not panic, but shared responsibility" and, in many cases, praying and encouraging others to pray. "Each of us can discover in Joseph - the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence - an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble". Catholics have traditionally held Joseph in great affection. St. Teresa of Ávila often prayed to him and encouraged others to do the same. Prayers are offered to him every Wednesday and the month of March is dedicated to him. Pope Francis is convinced that "in Joseph, Jesus saw the tender love of God". That is because Joseph doubted his own ability to do the things God asked him to do. "The evil one makes us see and condemn our frailty, whereas the Spirit brings it to light with tender love. Tenderness is the best way to touch the frailty within us. Pointing fingers and judging others are frequently signs of an inability to accept our own weaknesses, our own frailty". Joseph was able to accept his own weaknesses and Pope Francis is sure this moulded the atmosphere in the life of the Holy Family. "Joseph teaches us that faith in God includes believing he can work even through our fears, our frailties and our weaknesses. He also teaches us that we must never be afraid to let the Lord steer our course. At times, we want to be in complete control, yet God always sees the bigger picture". Joseph is a fine example, because he "accepted Mary unconditionally. He trusted in the angel’s words". His life teaches us to accept rather than to explain: he was not resigned to the inevitable, but a very proactive person. His example can teach us to "set aside all anger and disappointment, and to embrace the way things are, even when they do not turn out as we wish. Not with mere resignation but with hope and courage". Joseph’s approach can allow miracles to happen in our lives, and "encourages us to accept and welcome others as they are, without exception, and to show special concern for the weak, for God chooses what is weak (cf. 1 Corinthians 1, 27)". Pope Francis is sure God used Joseph to achieve His purpose, and he is convinced God can use us, too. Pope Francis offers us an interesting challenge: he suggests we should ask "whether we ourselves are protecting Jesus and Mary, for they are also mysteriously entrusted to our own responsibility, care and safekeeping"; Jesus entered the world "in a state of great vulnerability" and Joseph had to defend, protect and care for Him; we are called to do the same. The child Jesus is often the "poor, needy, suffering or dying person, every stranger, every prisoner, every infirm person" we come across. The child Jesus grew up and taught us, "As you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me" (Matthew 25, 40). If we respond positively to this challenge, we are continuing Joseph’s mission. The Holy Father is convinced that "being a father entails introducing children to life and reality", not being over-protective but "making them capable of deciding for themselves"; the alternative is a selfish caricature of love which "imprisons, constricts and makes for misery". The positive alternative? "When fathers refuse to live the lives of their children for them, new and unexpected vistas open up. Every child is the bearer of a unique mystery that can only be brought to light with the help of a father who respects that child’s freedom". A father is a real father "when he becomes like Joseph, who always knew that his child was not his own but had merely been entrusted to his care". Genuine fatherhood has nothing to do with possession; a real father is a shadow on earth of our heavenly Father, "a shadow that follows his Son". Pope Francis concludes his Apostolic Letter with a prayer to Saint Joseph:

 Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

To you God entrusted his only Son; 

In you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.

 Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life.

 Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

                                                              With thanks to Fr Peter Fleetwood for the above.

SUNDAY Mass in  Sign Language.

Sunday Mass is now being recorded.

You will be able to watch Mass if you missed it, by going to the live streaming button at 6the top of the page and looking down to the second box.

It will remain in place for one week.  

began studies with the Society of the Divine Word, firstly in Wales and then at Dunamon Castle in Co Roscommon.  John was accepted as an Ecclesiastical student for the Diocese of Salford in 1959 and studied at St Joseph’s College, Upholland. Fr John McKeown was ordained to the Priesthood at St Catherine’s, Didsbury on 4th June 1966.

Fr McKeown served the Diocese of Salford in the following appointments:

1966-1967:  St. Joseph’s, Salford as Assistant Priest

1967-1971:  Wardley Hall, Assistant Financial Secretary and Assistant Priest at St Joseph’s

1969-1971:  Ss. Peter and Paul, Pendleton as Priest and continuing at Wardley Hall

1971-1982:  Chaplain, Xaverian College and St. Edward’s, Rusholme as Assistant Priest

1982-1984:  Our Lady’s, Langley, Middleton as Assistant Priest

1984-1986:  St. Malachy’s, Collyhurst as Parish Priest

1986-1989:  St. Patrick and St. Malachy as Parish Priest

1989-2016:  St. Mary’s, Failsworth as Parish Priest

Fr John retired in 2016 and resided at Cathedral House.

Bishop John will celebrate a Requiem Mass at the Cathedral on Monday 28th September at 10:00am.

In line with current government guidelines, the number of attendees is limited and capacity has already been reached. The Mass will be live streamed and you will be able to access it from this link: https://www.churchservices.tv/salfordcathedral.

Fr John will be laid to rest in the family grave at Southern Cemetery.

From what I have heard, it may be possible to visit Fr John's body before the Requiem.  Please get in touch with Michael Kennedy at Greater Manchester Funeral Services 0n 0161 681 1864

Donations, and money info

I would like to thank the those people who have given a donation to the church over the past week, it is much appreciated.

Since the lockdown began in mid march, we are down in the collections by almost  £19,000, which as you can imagine is very difficult when you have a plant as large as ours.

Live streaming is resumed from Friday 28th August

Things return to normal, with lived streamed mass everyday, at 9:30am.  

The engineer finally came yesterday and got things fixed.  So, please join us for Mass if you can.

Please note - No mass on Monday, Fr 

Jim's day off.

Meeting for volunteers for opening of churches.

There will be a short meeting for those people who have volunteered to help with the opening of churches, THIS TUESDAY evening (28th July) at 7.00pm, in St Patrick's, should last only 20 minutes.

       Opening of St Malachy's and St Patrick's Churches

St Malachy's Church will re-open for Weekend Mass on Saturday 1st August at the usual time of 6:30pm.

St Patrick's will re-open for weekend masses on Sunday 2nd August, at the usual times of 9:30am, hearing mass, and 11:30am Deaf mass.

There will be no weekday masses yet, as I do not have enough volunteers to cover them.

When attending these Masses (there is still no obligation to attend masses yet!) please follow the instructions of the volunteer stewards.

May I ask you please to wear a mask, there are some here at church if you need one.  There is also sanitizing  hand gel, please use it on the way into church, there are also gloves, if you feel you would like to wear them.

Also, keep an eye on the weather, we have to keep two sets of doors open, to create a draft in the church, it you thinks its a bit cool bring an extra layer with you.

All Masses and services from St Patrick's will continue to be live streamed on the parish web site, and this is now a permenent fixture.

The message below arrived yesterday and is a much longer letter from the Cardinal and his three Arch Bishops.  Please take the time to read it.  I have left the original correspondence from Bishop John below.

A Message from the Metropolitan Archbishops  

of the Catholic Church in England  

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 On Tuesday we heard the announcement that, from the 4^th July this year, places of

worship will be able to reopen for prayer and services. We welcome this news with

great joy. Since the lockdown began, members of all faiths have faced restrictions on

how they have been able to celebrate important religious festivals.  Our own

experience of Easter was unlike any other we have known. Now, in our churches,

and with our people, we can look forward again to celebrating the central mysteries

of our faith in the Holy Eucharist.  

The recent reopening of our churches for individual private prayer was an important

milestone on our journey towards resuming communal worship. Our churches that

have opened have put in place all the measures needed to ensure the risks of virus

transmission are minimised.  This includes effective hand sanitisation, social

distancing, and cleaning.  We remain committed to making sure these systems of

hygiene and infection control meet Government and public health standards.  

We want to thank everyone within the Catholic community for sustaining the life of

faith in such creative ways, not least in the family home. We thank our priests for

celebrating Mass faithfully for their people, and for the innovative ways in which

they  have enabled participation through  live-streaming  and  other  means.  We are

grateful for the pastoral care shown by our clergy to those for whom this time of

lockdown has been especially difficult, and, in particular, towards those who have

been bereaved. We recognise too the chaplaincy services that have played a vital role

in supporting those most in need. Gaining from the experience of all that we have

been through, and bringing those lessons into the future, we must now look forward.  

With the easing of  restrictions on worship with congregations, we tread carefully

along the path that lies ahead. Our lives have been changed by the experience of the

pandemic and  it is clear that we cannot  simply return to  how things were  before

lockdown.  We  remain  centred  on  the  Lord  Jesus  and  His  command  at  the  Last

Supper  to  “do  this  in  memory  of  me.”  We  must  now  rebuild  what  it  means  to  be Eucharistic communities, holding fast to all that we hold dear, while at the same time exploring creative ways to meet changed circumstances.  

It  is  important  to  reaffirm  that,  at  present,  the  obligation  to  attend  Sunday  Mass

remains suspended. A significant number of churches may remain closed as they are

unable to meet the requirements for opening for individual prayer. Fulfilling these

requirements  is  a  precondition  for  any  church  opening  after  the  4^th July  for  the

celebration of Mass with a congregation.  

Please be aware that there will be a limit on the number of people who can attend

Mass  in  our  churches.  This  will  determined  locally  in  accordance  with  social

distancing requirements. We therefore need to reflect carefully on how and when we

might  be  able  to  attend  Mass.  We  cannot  return  immediately  to  our  customary

practices. This next step is not, in any sense, a moment when we are going ‘back to

normal.’  

We ask every Catholic to think carefully about how and when they will return to

Mass. Our priests may need to consider whether it is possible to celebrate additional

Masses at the weekends. Given there is no Sunday obligation, we ask you to consider

the  possibility  of  attending  Mass  on  a  weekday.  This  will  ease  the  pressure  of

numbers  for  Sunday  celebrations  and  allow  a  gradual  return  to  the  Eucharist  for

more people.  

Moving forward, there will still be many people who cannot attend Mass in person.

We  therefore  ask  parishes,  wherever  possible,  to  continue  live-streaming  Sunday

Mass, both for those who remain shielding and vulnerable, and also for those unable

to leave home because of advanced age or illness.  

When we return to Mass there will some differences in how the celebration takes

place. For the time being, there will be no congregational singing and Mass will be 

shorter than usual. None of this detracts from the centrality of our encounter with

the Risen Christ in the Eucharist. We ask everyone to respect and follow the guidance

that will be issued and the instructions in each church.

“As I have loved you,” said the Lord Jesus, “so you must love each other.” (Jn 13:34) The

lockdown  has  brought  forth  remarkable  acts  of  charity,  of  loving  kindness,  from

Catholics across our communities as they have cared for the needy and vulnerable.

We have seen love in action through charitable works, and through the service of

many front-line keyworkers who are members of our Church. Now we can begin to

return  to  the  source  of  that  charity,  Christ  himself,  present  for  us  sacramentally,

body, blood, soul and divinity, in Holy Communion.  As we prepare to gather again

to worship, let us, respectful of each other, come together in thanksgiving to God for

the immense gift of the Holy Eucharist.

Yours devotedly in Christ

✠ Vincent Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster

✠ Malcolm McMahon OP, Archbishop of Liverpool

✠ Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham

✠ John Wilson, Archbishop of Southwark

This letter is addressed to the Catholic Community in England; the opening of the Catholic Churches in Wales

is devolved to the Welsh Assembly who are still evaluating their position on opening Places of Worship. 

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Please read the following carefully.  I will let you have more information as soon as it becomes available.

A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP JOHN ARNOLD OF SALFORD

We welcome the news that we can once again start to gather for public worship. I know that this will be news received with great joy by my fellow brothers and parishioners.
We await the guidelines from the Bishops Conference to see what this will mean practically for us. There will still be a need to continue with some restrictions and our worship may feel a little different. It may also be that not all our churches can open and that there is a reduction in the number of services.
We will issue more information to parishes as we receive it and will provide support to assist parishes as we approach the 4th July.
These are unprecedented times and we must recognise that this is the next step in the journey we are on together back to normality, however that may look.
+John (Bishop of Salford).

Statement from Cardinal Vincent Nichols 
on the resumption of collective acts of worship

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, president of the Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales writes:
I welcome the statement by the Prime Minister earlier today, that places of worship are now able to resume collective acts of worship from 4 July. This is welcome news for members of all religions in England. I thank all who have worked hard to bring this about, not least my fellow religious leaders.
As Catholics we now look forward to being able to celebrate Mass together again from 4 July. We have waited with patience and longing for this moment, understanding the importance of protecting the health of people in our society. Now we are full of anticipation that we will be able again to take part together in the Eucharist, which lies at the centre of our faith.
It is important that we continue to abide by the guidance, given by the Government, on appropriate social distancing and the other measures to avoid all unnecessary risk. Our own detailed guidance will be distributed around dioceses and parishes so everyone can be confident that they may come to Mass securely and understand the part they are to play in protecting each other from any remaining risk of infection.
The past few months have been a time of fashioning new patterns of prayer, new ways of exploring and enriching our faith and vigorous ways of reaching out to those in need. We can build on these, forgetting nothing of the graces we have been given. Yet now, with the experience of opening our churches for individual prayer already gained, this return to the more normal patterns of worship will be of great importance to all Catholics.
This time of our ‘Eucharistic fast’ has made our hearts grow in longing for that moment when we can come together and receive again the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. That moment is now very near and for that we thank God.
+Vincent (Archbishop of Westminster)

Churches and Times They are Open (Only for Private Prayer)

This list will be continually updated as more churches open.

Salford Cathedral

St Anne’s Crumpsall will be opening this Monday, please phone them for times of opening.

Monday – Saturday – 1.30pm – 4.30pm

Holy Cross, Eccles
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – 3pm – 6pm

St Cuthbert, Withington

Monday-Saturday: 10.00am -12.00noon

St Joseph’s, Longsight
Monday 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Wednesday 11am – 12 Noon & 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Friday 4.30pm – 6.30pm

St Mary’s, Burnley
Monday – Saturday 10.30am – 12.30pm

St Mary’s, Bamber Bridge
Monday to Saturday – 10am-12nn and 5pm-7pm

St Osmund, Bolton
Monday – 9.30am – 11.30am
Tuesday – Saturday – 2pm – 4pm

St Peter’s, Middleton
Monday    –   1pm-3pm
Tuesday    –  10am-12noon
Wednesday  –  1pm-3pm
Thursday  –   10am-12noon
Friday   –      1pm-3pm

St William of York, Bolton
Monday – 9.30am – 11.30am
Wednesday – 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Saturday – 10.30am – 12.30pm

Bishop John's Pastoral letter

Today's pastoral letter can be found on the button above "Pastoral Letter", where there is a sound link, so you can listen to the letter again given by the Bishop, or the script, if you would like to read it at your leisure. 

Opening of Churches

Work is progressing with plans to re-open our churches, but it will be slow and in stages.  Some churches have been chosen to open before others, so that we can try to put into place the very strict rules that have been given to us by the government.  I will be saying more about this tomorrow, at Sunday Mass.  But it is enough here to say that the churches will open firstly for allotted times of private prayer, and later for Mass, we have no dates yet as to when this might happen.  Some churches are expected to open on 4th July (maybe even earlier, but we will have to wait for guidance from the bishop.)  Things have indeed changed as of  this morning.  The new date for those first churches to open fort private prayer is now 15th June.

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WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THIS?

I hope and pray that you are all keeping well in these difficult days.  Stay safe.

The Church, like everyone else is now looking towards a strategy of what will happen at the end of this lock down.  Our Church leaders have made it clear that  they will be guided by what the Government has to say, and will adhere to all the government guidelines when that time arrives.

WATCH THIS SPACE

A Call for financial Help

As with every part of industry, the church is also missing your weekly contributions.  After the next three weeks of lockdown, St Patrick's and St Malachy's will be down about £12,000.

I am hoping people are putting their weekly donation in their envelopes and will appear once the churches are re-opened  - I can only hope! 

Welcome

It is wonderful to see so many people taking the chance to pop onto the web site over the past week.  Now that we seem to have worked out the sound issues, I hope that you are able to enjoy the live streamed mass wherever you are.  It is great to know that so many are watching. (Last Sunday there were 175 people online and on Tuesday this week there were 95 people).

Just a reminder that on Sunday this week thee are 2 masses, one at 9:30am and one at 11:30am which will be in sign language, we  would be delighted if you are able to join us for either of these two Masses.

Sound & live streaming

Some people are having problems with the sound when Mass is being live streamed, you need to go to the bottom right of the picture with your mouse and turn on the volume.  It cannot be seen until you put the mouse over the point on the bottom right of the picture.  Hope this helps.

This coming Sunday, there will be 2 masses live streamed.  The usual 9:30am Mass and then an 11:30am Mass in sign language.

Prayer for a Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen

Salford Diocese pilgrimage to Lourdes 2020

This years pilgrimage has been cancelled.

Morning prayer

I have ceased with morning prayer via video, as not a single person had joined in over the past week.  It was worth a try!

The Lords Day at Home

the PDF file below is a liturgy which has been put together by the Bishops.  They hope it will help you with celebrating your faith at home.

Including the prayer for a spiritual communion, that I will be using everyday at Mass.

Something new

Morning prayer of the church

Due to these odd times, I thought it might be a nice idea to start the day with  the morning prayer of the church.  This prayer is said by millions of priests, nuns, brothers and lay people round the world.

If you would like to join in, on Monday morning you will find a video of me praying the morning prayer of the church, and if we could say it together at 8:30am this will unify our prayers.

You can find the prayers on line, try universalis and see all the prayers there.

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The Two Popes

I don't usually recommend films, but this is something a little different.  The Two Popes (available only on Netflix) is the extraordinary story of our current Pope Francis and Benedict, Pope emeritus.  It a very touching insight into the lives of two ordinary men, called to do something very extraordinary.  If you are able to track it down, I would recommend it to your viewing.

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In conjunction with the Diocese of Salford

One day longer than the Diocese

31st July — 7th August inclusive

There is a meeting for anyone interested in finding out more.

Meeting Tuesday 21st January at St Patrick’s Church at 7pm

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Deanery Candle for Lourdes - 

NEXT SUNDAY is the last chance to get your prayer slips in.
There is only one week left before we head off to Lourdes for this years pilgrimage.  As always, if you would like to have someone prayed for specifically, would you please add their name to the slip below, cut the slip off the newsletter, and give it to Fr. Jim next week.  We will be having a large candle, and all the names of the  people will be added to it as it is left burning opposite the Grotto in Lourdes. We ask a donation of £1 towards the cost of the candle, or whatever you would like to give. Thank you.

Sign Class

We have now finished our classes, I hope thaty you have enjoyed them and that you have learned a little of what it is  to communicate with someone who is deaf.  Thanks to all who joined in the class.

oOo

Learning sign language.

On one of the buttons at the top of this page (intro to BSL) you will find a 10 week course on learning sign language, (we have just finished week 5).  Each week there is a video, along with instructions and vocabulary.  If you follow this course and are prepared to practice; by the end,  you will be able to hold a conversation with a deaf person.  Why not join in?

....When the Missionaries of Charity Brothers opened a house in a remote part of Ethiopia in 2018, the first person they took in was an 8 year old child. He arrived very ill and severely malnourished. He died soon after. His name, translated from the local language, was: “I HAVE FOUND MY BROTHER”. Brothers Marc and Ruben and our friend Cal in Manchester have composed this song for all those for whom we have become brothers, and whom we love as the brothers and sisters that God gave us through our mission. The song is about three true stories of extraordinary people. The first one is Steven, a 12 year old child in Kolkata who even terminally ill with AIDS could not stop dancing. The second is our Harry here in Manchester , whose dementia has erased every memory from his mind... but a song that we sing together every time we visit him. The last one is one of our boys in the young offenders prison in Lima, Peru. He was completely broken by his being in a gang, but our circus group brought him back to the joy of living. To them and countless others, all our love and admiration.

Organ recital

Funeral arrangements for the Late Anne Dunne

The Funeral for the Late Anne Dunne will be on Tuesday 29th January at 10.00am in Church followed by internment at Moston Cemetery at 11:30am.

People have asked! So. here is Early Notice of Station Masses for Lent!!
March 13th, St Anne’s higher Openshaw,  March 20th St Anne’s Crumpsall, March 27th St Margaret Mary New Moston, April 3rd Christ The King Newton Heath, April 10th Parish of the Holy Spirit.  All Masses start at 7:30pm  April 17th Penitential Service St Clare’s Blackley @ 7pm

Lourdes 2019

It will soon be time to sign up for the Pilgrimage to Lourdes for September this year.  Please watch the newsletter for when the information about dates and costings become available.  But now is the time to think about whether you would like to come or not.  If it has been a while, or if you have never been to Lourdes before, why not think about coming along and joining in this wonderful experience of a pilgrimage crossed with a happy holiday!

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We have returned!!

                                    Salford Diocese 86th Lourdes pilgrimage - 2018
                                                                                                                 St Chads Deanery group

To see more, please go to the "Parish Pilgrimage" button at the top of this page!

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Pope Francis explains the Hail Mary phrase by phrase. 

And he remembers a mother who had an amazing gift of counsel. Here's the advice she gave her son:  We all recite the Hail Mary, but how many of us know its true meaning? What is the prayer really saying?  In the book, "Mary, Mother of All" ("María, Mamma di tutti"), Pope Francis himself teaches us the meaning of the words of this essential prayer.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace - The Angel Gabriel calls Mary "full of grace" (Lk 1:28); in her, the pope explains, "there is no room for sin, because God has chosen her from all eternity to be the mother of Jesus, and has preserved her from original sin." "The Word became flesh in her womb. We, too, are asked to listen to God, who speaks to us, and to accept His will. The Lord always speaks to us

."The Lord is with you - What happened in a unique way in the Virgin Mary, Francis says, "happens on a spiritual level in us as well when we welcome the Word of God with a good and sincere heart, and put it into practice. It happens as if God were to become flesh in us; He comes to live in us, because He makes His home in those who love Him and obey His Word. It's not easy to understand this, but, yes, it's easy to feel it in your heart." "Do we think that the incarnation of Jesus is only a past event, that it doesn't affect us personally? Believing in Jesus means offering Him our body, with the same humility and courage as Mary."

Blessed are you among women - How did Mary live her faith? "She lived it," the pope answers, "in the simplicity of the many daily occupations and worries of every mom, such as providing food and clothing, and taking care of the house... Precisely this normal existence of the Virgin was the ground on which a singular rapport and profound dialogue between her and God, between her and her Son, developed."

Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Mary is receptive, but not passive, Francis explains. - "Just as she receives the power of the Holy Spirit at a physical level, but then gives flesh and blood to the Son of God who takes form in Her, so also on a spiritual level, she receives grace and responds to it with faith. For this reason, Saint Augustine says that the Virgin 'conceived in her heart before in her womb.' She conceived faith first, and then the Lord."

Holy Mary, Mother of God - The Mother of the Redeemer, the pope continues, "precedes us and constantly confirms us in the faith, in our vocation, and in our mission. With her example of humility and readiness to obey God's will, she helps us to translate our faith into a joyful proclamation of the Gospel, without borders.”

Pray for us sinners - In order to explain the meaning of this passage of the prayer, Francis relates an anecdote:  "I remember how once, at the Shrine of Luján, I was in the confessional, in front of which there was a long line. There was also a young man who was very modern, with earrings, tattoos, all those things... And he had come to tell me what was going on with him. It was a big problem, very difficult. And he said to me, 'I told my mom all of this, and my mom said: Go to the Blessed Virgin and she will tell you what to do.' Now, that's a woman who had the gift of counsel. She didn't know how to solve her son's problem, but she pointed out the right path: go to the Blessed Virgin, and she will tell you. This is the gift of counsel. That humble, simple woman gave her son the best advice. In fact, the young man said to me, 'I looked at the Blessed Virgin and I felt that I should do this, this, and this...' I didn't need to talk; his mom and the young man himself had already said everything. This is the gift of counsel. You moms, who have this gift: ask that it be given to your children. The gift of counseling your children is a gift of God."

Now, and at the hour of our death - Let us entrust ourselves to Mary, Pope Francis says, "so that she, as the Mother of our first-born brother, Jesus, can teach us to have the same maternal spirit towards our brothers, with a sincere ability to accept, to forgive, to strengthen, and to infuse confidence and hope. And this is what a mom does." Mary's path towards Heaven began "with that 'yes' she spoke in Nazareth, in reply to the heavenly Messenger who announced to her God's will for her. In reality, that's exactly how it is: every 'yes' to God is a step toward Heaven, toward eternal life."

oOo

Early Notice regarding the Easter Service Times 2018

Easter Services 2018 – All services will be at St Patrick’s Church (except Sunday)

Holy Thursday – Mass of the Lord’s Supper  7:00pm

Good Friday – Stations of the Cross 11:00am

Good Friday – Service of the Lord’s Passion 3:00pm

Easter Saturday – Vigil Mass of the Resurrection  6:30pm

Easter Sunday – Mass of Easter 9:30am ST MALACHY’S

Easter Sunday – Mass of Easter 11:00am ST PATRICK’S with SJMDP

Please Note – Funeral details - This week

St Patrick's Old Boys Association

The Old Boy's will be joining us for Mass next Sunday (19th November), where we remember all those past students of St Patrick's who have been taken home by the Lord.  

We welcome the Association, and pray for all their members, living and deceased.

- oOo-

You are invited to a series of talks for Advent!

JOURNEYING WITH ADVENT FAMILIES

What can a penniless foreign widow, an elderly barren woman and a young Virgin mother tell us today about welcoming Jesus, God-with-us? 

Join us at Wardley Hall for our Advent series:

Dates:

1st December: Ruth, Naomi and Boaz: Promise Foretold

8th December: Zechariah, Elizabeth and John the Baptist:       Promise Foreshadowed

15th December: Mary, Joseph and Jesus: Promised Fulfilled

Time: 10:30 – 12:30 (Tea and coffee provided)

Format: Prayer and Lectio Divina; reflection on Scripture passages and their relevance for today; discussion.

Presenters: Sister Joan Kerley, FMSJ and Maria Kidd 

Contact: 1. Marie Sartini, Bishop’s PA, Wardley Hall, Worsley M28 2ND; 0161 794 2825 E: Marie.sartini@dioceseofsalford.org.uk   

2. Sister Joan Kerley, FMSJ; 0161 9717842; E: joankfmsj@gmail.com 

Cathy Fitzpatrick's report on the opening of "Hope in The Future"

Given to St Patrick's Parish Sunday 8:10:17

Wednesday 4^th October – Call to the Cathedral for the launch of the programme “Hope in The Future”.

On Wednesday night I, along with Father Jim and parishioners from St Patrick’s and St Malachy’s churches went to the cathedral for the launch of the Bishop’s new Programme, “Hope in The Future”.

Each church was presented with a display of St. Damion’s Cross – St Damiano.

This is the cross that St Francis used in his daily prayer.   While he was at prayer one day, he received the message from God to rebuild my Church.  Realising sometime after, the message was much bigger than simply building churches, it was about the building up of faith, witness and people, and to bring new energy and spirit into the universal Church.  This was the birth of the Franciscan spirit, and Francis spent the last twenty years of his life spreading the message of simplicity, prayer, poverty, kindness, fraternity and community. throughout the world.

No wonder our present pontiff chose the name “Francis".

It is this same spirit we wish to nurture in our own Diocese of Salford, so that we can rebuild our churches, not with bricks and mortar, but with faith, prayer and charity.

The “Hope in the future” programme is a challenge to build on the good work already being accomplished in all our parishes.  The programme is very much, building upon what we already have, serving the particular needs of the local community, reaching out to parishioners who do not regularly attend church, and caring for our own local community.

“Hope in the future” is inspired by the teachings of Pope Francis in developing a missionary parish.

To achieve this, I am asking for volunteers to help form a parish team – this is an invitation to set out on a journey with the Lord, as a missionary disciple, as Fr. Jim and our other diocesan priests cannot do this on their own.

If you think –

You have a deep interest in the parish, and have a commitment of the church

Have an understanding to grow in the understanding of the mission

Have time and the willingness to make an effective contribution

Have ability to listen, with respect for others opinions

Have a love for people, with the ability to inspire others who are not members of the team

And are able to work as part of a team

We would like you to volunteer.

See Either Cathy Fitzpatrick or Fr Jim.

The first steps, once we have a team in place, is to meet together, may be a few times before Christmas, and each meeting will be no more than an hour in length.

Members of the Parish Team, must see their roll as partners with the Parish Priest, working closely together for the good of the whole parish.

The parish team will keep everyone informed through the newsletter.

                                                                                                                                        oOo

• Sessions are a mix of input, conversation and reflection.
• The atmosphere aims to be relaxing, reflective and conversational.
• We are all on a journey.  When we journey together we support each other and learn from each other.
• Anyone who is Open to LISTENING, to LEARNING, and to SHARING will enjoy and benefit from these sessions.
• If you wish to attend some or all of the Conversations please ring or text Theresa Davis at 07 415 713 274.