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Month of the Rosary October is the month traditionally devoted to the recitation of the Holy Rosary: this ancient form of prayer has much to recommend it! It is simple and easily remembered, and can be done anywhere at any time. As most people know, it consists of reciting the “Hail Mary” ten times, while reflecting on some aspect of the life of Jesus or Mary: sometimes people complain that it is just “pointless repetition”, but the ten “Hail Marys” serve as a timekeeping and focussing device, to keep our minds and hearts in the right place as we think about the story of Salvation. Available in the porch is a little leaflet with a guide to the Rosary: if you have never tried it, of perhaps did once but gave up, why not have (another) go this October! We will be reciting the Rosary after weekday Masses this month, starting this coming Tuesday. Though you don’t need Rosary beads to pray the Rosary (hint—you have ten fingers!) you can easily obtain them online from a variety of shops—such as our own Cathedral Books at www.cathedralcentrebooks.com
Hope in the Future Though interrupted, as so many things, by the pandemic, the Diocesan Hope in the Future programme continues: this Sunday in a special Holy Hour Bishop John is launching Stage Four: “Proclaiming the Good News.” Our schools and the celebrations of baptism, weddings, funerals, Christmas and Easter liturgies bring a significant number of people into contact with our parish. These times provide us with opportunities to engage people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Fourth Stage will place an emphasis on providing formation to deepen this engagement. You can join Bishop John at the Cathedral at 3.00 p.m. this Sunday, and the Holy Hour will be live streamed at churchservices.tv/salfordcathedral
Macmillan Coffee Morning Many thanks to those who served, those who baked and those who scoffed cakes and biscuits in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief at our coffee morning last Sunday ! Well done everyone!
“Getting Together The next meeting is this coming Tuesday 5th October, from 1.00—3.00 p.m. in the Parish Centre. Come and be entertained by the singing and light entertainment of Patrick Fallon—and there’s a raffle! All very welcome!
CAFOD Family Fast Day Please leave your CAFOD envelopes from last Friday’s Family Fast Day (or any other donations) in the CAFOD box at the back of the Church: if you didn’t pick up a leaflet about the CAFOD Cop26 Climate campaign last week, please grab one today! Thanks for your support of the most needy and vulnerable in our world.
Mass for the LGBTQ+ Community On Saturday 9th October, the Diocese will be celebrating Mass for members of the LGBTQ+ community, their families, and friends. The Mass will take place at 3.00 p.m. at Holy Name Church, Oxford Road, Manchester, and will be followed by refreshments. All are most welcome.
The Assisted Dying Bill Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has written an open letter inviting Catholics to pray for the defeat of the Assisted Dying Bill, due to be debated in the House of Lords in October. It encourages them to write to peers at the House of Lords stating the reasons why they oppose this legislation and particularly explain from personal experience the reasons why this change in the law should be opposed. Discussion and communication about this important matter is vital for the defeat of the Bill and in our diocese, Bishop John is asking all parishioners to act now by praying, writing and sharing. You can find out more details about how to help oppose the bill in Bishop Sherrington’s letter on the Diocese of Salford's website at https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/action-on-the-assisted-dying-bill/
The “Forget-Me-Not Café” If you are interested in volunteering to help out in any way, and are available once a month on a weekday morning please contact Annmarie Thetford on 0743 200 4256, or leave your name and contact number with Father James and Annmarie will get back to you (please get in touch even if you already volunteered last year). Please also think if there are families that might benefit from this venture, and begin to extend invitations to them! Thank you.
The Saint Joseph Project It is hoped (transport problems permitting!) that the statue will be arriving late October, and I am tentatively planning a celebratory Mass to install and bless the statue sometime in November—perhaps linked to the Holy Souls and all those whose funerals we celebrated during the lockdown. While you can donate anytime, I am setting a deadline for names to be included in the Memorial Book of this Sunday 3rd October.
Primary School Open Days Our Primary School is hosting Open Days for parents interested in Reception places in September 2022. They are on Monday 4th October at 9.30 a.m. & 1.40 p.m. and Thursday 7th October at 9.30 a.m. & 1.40 p.m. Please contact school for more information.
IN OUR PRAYERS … World Hunger Prayer Focus 10: THE REST OF THE WORLD “Every day too many men and women across the globe struggle to feed their children a nutritious meal. In a world where we produce enough food to feed everyone, up to 811 million people still go to bed on an empty stomach each night. Acute food insecurity affected 135 million people in 55 countries in 2019. Even more – one in three – suffer from some form of malnutrition. Eradicating hunger and malnutrition is one of the great challenges of our time. Not only do the consequences of not enough – or the wrong – food cause suffering and poor health, they also slow progress in many other areas of development like education and employment. In 2015 the global community adopted the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development to improve people’s lives by 2030. Goal 2 – Zero Hunger – pledges to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.” (World Food Programme)
If you recall, we began this series after hearing the Gospel of the Feeding of the 5,000: there Saint Andrew despairs of feeding the crowd with the small offering he has found – only five loaves and two fish. We can often feel the same way when we confront the shocking reality of hunger and malnutrition in our world. As Andrew despaired at feeding 5,000 with his paltry supply, how much more we can do the same as we contemplate over 811,000,000 people going hungry in our world today. What difference can we possibly make? Nevertheless, Jesus uses the small offering to become something greater, and the same is true for us: our small offerings, generously given, can become almost miraculous. One thing we have to offer is our prayer: we should never underestimate the power of prayer to transform situations. This series of reflections, country by country, has been an invitation to pray specifically for a particular place: not a vague “Lord, feed the hungry”, but a focussed prayer for people, circumstances and drivers that can end hunger and malnutrition. To end this series, let us pray for those things that continue to cause hunger in our world:
Pray for: Governments and world leaders, especially for an end to corruption; an end to wars and civil conflicts that so often exacerbate food poverty; sustainable agriculture which serves the needs of local populations; effective responses to climate change, which so often impact the poor; the work of aid organisations such as CAFOD, the UN World Food Programme, and so many others; the work of Caritas Internationalis, the global Catholic network of aid agencies working in so many countries worst affected.
“Lord Jesus you fed the hungry, you shared your bread with all. Your people hunger now,
and we are called to share your bread. May rains fall upon the dry and broken earth and quench your people’s thirst, so seeds grow tall and flourish, producing a bountiful harvest. May we share the blessings you give us and bring comfort to those in need. May we show love through our actions so all have enough to eat. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.” (By Helen Moriarty/CAFOD)
Requests for Masses & Prayers
Recently Deceased: Barbara Boone, Mary Rose, Ronald Parkinson, Ivan Booley.
Anniversaries: Sheridan Farrell, Ernie Kirkby, Vivienne Holt, Irene Karpluch.
NATIONAL CYCLE OF PRAYER During Ordinary Time (Autumn) we are asked to pray for these intentions: Students and Teachers; The Spread of the Gospel; The Harvest; The Fruits of Human Work and the Reverent Use of Creation; Justice and Peace in the World; All Victims of War; Young People; Prisoners and Their Families.
Holy Father’s Intention (October) Missionary Disciples: We pray that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavour of the Gospel.
DIOCESAN CYCLE OF PRAYER Let us pray for the people of the parishes of the Holy Family and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Blackburn, for Father Gerard Barry, their parish priest, and for Father Bob Hayes. We pray for the Teaching Sisters of Saint Dorothy, the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts, for the Royal Blackburn Hospital and East Lancashire Hospice, with Canon David Ryder, their chaplain, and for the parish primary schools and Our Lady and Saint John Catholic College. May Our Lady of the Rosary draw all people to her Son.
NEXT WEEK’S GOSPEL Mark 10:17-27
Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’
PRACTICALITIES
REFRESHMENTS AFTER MASS Everyone is very welcome to stay behind after Sunday morning Masses and share a cuppa! Tea and Coffee are served in the Parish Centre after 9.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. Masses.
TOILETS The toilet is located near the side entrance: children should not go out of Church unaccompanied. Please use the disinfectant wipes to clean all surfaces after every use—dispose of them in the bin but do not flush them down the toilet. Thank you.
PARISH CENTRE The Parish Centre is now open again for parish use and outside bookings. Please contact Robert Allen on 0758 320 7810 for all enquiries.
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