Pentecost Sunday (B)
This Week's Feast Days
Most weeks there may well be a number of feast days. We don’t necessarily celebrate them all. Some saints are more important in certain parts of the country than others and will be celebrated more on a local level, whilst other saints will be celebrated everywhere. So each week we will comment on the feast-days that we should celebrate in our regional Church.
Sunday, May 19th - Pentecost Sunday (B)
Monday May 20th - Mary, Mother of the Church
Tuesday, May 21st - Weekday of Ordinary Time
Wednesday, May 22nd - Weekday of Ordinary Time
Thursday, May 23rd - Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest
Friday, May 24th - Weekday of Ordinary Time
Saturday, May 25th - St Bede the Venerable, Priest, Doctor of the Church (memorial)
Sunday, May 26th - The Most Holy Trinity (B)
Please click this link to view live streamed masses from St Margaret Clitherow Churches
Sunday Readings
Pentecost Sunday - Year B
First Reading – Acts 2:1-11
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.
Second Reading – Gal 5:16-25
The fruit of the Spirit.
Sequence
Veni Sancte Spiritus, Holy Spirit, Lord of light.
Gospel Reading – John 15:26-27; 16:12-15
The Spirit of truth will lead you to the complete truth.
Psalter: Week 3
Weekdays: Ordinary Time Week 7
May - the Month of Mary
May is the month of Mary and the month where we try and pray the Rosary.
St Therese described the Rosary as a long chain that linked heaven and earth. When we pray, we hold one end and Mary holds the other.
Pope Francis says ‘The Rosary is Spiritual Medicine’ and in a tribute to St Pope John Paul II written after the Pontiff’s death in 2005, Pope Francis recounted how St John Paul prayed 15 decades of the Rosary each day, and his example has inspired Pope Francis to do the same.
Let us try and pray the Rosary during this special month of May because…’a world at prayer is a world at peace.’
This week the Rosary will be led by the Legion of Mary after the midday Mass on Monday and Tuesday at Sacred Heart, Leigh and St Joseph's.
Rosary & Benediction will be held in St Ambrose Barlow Church on Sundays in May at 3.00pm
Or make a retreat based on The Magnificat, with Jesuit Ministries on their Pray as You Go website.
Newsletters
There are four newsletters published weekly in the Leigh area, you can access current and past editions here:
St Edmund Arrowsmith Newsletters (St Joseph's and Sacred Heart, Leigh)
St Margaret Clitherow Newsletters (Holy Family, Boothstown; St Ambrose Barlow, Astley)
St Lewis, St Catherine's & All Saints Newsletters (Croft, Lowton & Golborne)
St John Rigby Newsletter (Sacred Heart, Hindley Green; St Richard's, Atherton)
( Newsletters download as pdf files in a new window.)
News Bites
- THE POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY 2024:
For the Formation of Men and Women Religious and Seminarians
We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel. - Barnabus:
The SVP are having a summer adult clothes collection over the next two weeks for the Barnabus charity. Please bring along your surplus adult clothes in plastic bags for us to pass on. - Ladies Group:
The next ladies chat & cuppa group meeting will be held on Thursday 23rd May at 2pm in St Ambrose Hall. - Churches Together:
The next social evening is on Thursday 23rd May at 7.30pm in Holy Family Hall. All are welcome. - May Crowning:
At parishioners’ request we will joyfully crown the statues of Our Lady in Holy Family and St Ambrose Barlow churches for the month of May during Masses on Sunday 26th May. This is a lovely custom which lets us give thanks to Mary for her intercession for us and for our parish and world.
CAFOD News
CAFOD Sudan Appeal:
‘The people of Sudan need our urgent help. CAFOD 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 sill there. Donations may still be made this week in an envelope marked ‘Sudan’, or directly through the CAFOD website.
CAFOD's Prayer for Peace in the MIddle East
CAFOD’s Israeli-Palestinian Crisis Appeal
Donate to CAFOD’s Israeli-Palestinian Crisis Appeal at cafod.org.uk/ipc
CAFOD have already sent £100,000 to, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) who are already supporting 10,000 families caught up in the fighting in Gaza.
Climate Change:
CAFOD have a petition on their website regarding recent changes made by the UK Government regarding their approach to dealing with the climate crises. Click here to find out more.
Live Simply
Reflect:
The Church receives the Gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us to spread the Good News
Pray
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.
(Trad.)
Act
This week can we really open our hearts and minds to the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Take time to consider the gifts that you have been given. Use them for the good of others.
Challenge
Following the principles of Laudato Si commit to trying to:
- Part of the prayer above is 'And you will renew the face of the earth.' Our world is suffering, both in an environmental/ecological sense, but also as a world community. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can effect change. We can begin with small things in our own lives - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
- Find space in our daily life to listen to and appreciate the Lord in our daily lives. Look at the birds in the air, the plants and trees in our gardens and surroundings. Rejoice with God in his creation......and take steps to protect what we have in your own individual way.
Prayer for Peace
Loving Father,
May hatred be turned into love,
fear to trust,
despair to hope,
oppression to freedom,
occupation to liberation,
that violent encounters
may be replaced
by loving embraces,
and peace and justice
could be experienced by all.
Children's Liturgy
St Richard's - Children's Liturgy takes place every Sunday at the 9.30am Mass.
Sacred Heart - Children's Liturgy takes place every Sunday at the 11.00am Mass.
St Ambrose Barlow – Is held once a month with a planned celebration on the first Sunday of every month. Next celebration is on May 5th during the 11:00am mass.
Holy Family – We have a few volunteers but need several more to be able to run a rota in a similar way to St Ambrose. If you would like to volunteer, please speak to either Fr Paul or to Liz in the parish office as soon as possible.
Please note that all volunteers must complete a DBS form with the Archdiocese to comply with safeguarding which is paramount in all parish activities.
Thank you for your generosity
Celebrating the Sacraments
Baptism
Please contact your Parish Office to make an appointment to meet with the Priest or Deacon. Baptisms usually take place on Sundays.
Holy Communion
Children in Year 4 at Primary Schools are invited to make their First Communion during that year. Preparation for the Sacrament may take place in school or by attending a series of meetings with parents or guardians.
Reconciliation
Children in Year 5 or 6 will be invited to make their First Act of Reconciliation (Confession). For continuing celebration of the sacrament, please refer to your local church. Quite often Reconciliation is available before Mass or by contacting the priest to make an appointment.
Confirmation
Preparation for this sacrament is usually arranged through the Archdiocesan Youth Ministry Team ' Animate' for young people in Year 8 or older who attend Catholic Secondary Schools.
Marriage
If you would like to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage, please contact your Parish Priest either directly or through the Parish Office to discuss. He will provide you with the necessary paperwork. Please remember to make arrangements well in advance.
Anointing the Sick
If you would like your Parish Priest to visit a family member who is sick and housebound, please speak to him or contact the Parish Office and a visit will be arranged.
Ukraine
Pope Francis
Pope Francis gave us this invitation.... ‘let us persevere in our closeness and in prayer for the dear Ukrainian people who are experiencing immense cruelty’
Praying for Peace in Ukraine and the World
Exposition will now be at Sacred Heart (Leigh) Church on Tuesdays and St Joseph’s Church on Wednesdays.
Exposition will begin at 11.30am and will conclude with midday Mass.
In the event of a Funeral Mass at midday, Exposition will be cancelled.
Archbishop Malcolm has approved the launch of an Archdiocesan urgent and major appeal to support Ukraine. Text numbers have been set up for anyone wanting to make a financial donation. All donations will be sent to the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London.
TO DONATE TEXT:
• HELPUKRAINE to 70085 to donate £2
• HELPUKRAINE to 70450 to donate £3
• HELPUKRAINE to 70460 to donate £5
• HELPUKRAINE to 70470 to donate £10
Texts will cost the donation amount, plus one standard network rate message
Contacts
St Joseph's Centre - 01942 673517
Fr Carl Mugan - 01942 392922 (St Richard's & Sacred Heart.)
Fr Paul Grady - 0161 790 2390 (Holy Family, St Ambrose Barlow & St Gabriel's)
Fr Kieran O'Grady - 01942 673517 (Sacred Heart & St Joseph's)
Fr Gordon Abbs - 01942 273851 (St Lewis, St Catherine's & All Saints)
St Margaret Clitherow
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St Edmund Arrowsmith
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St John Rigby
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St Catherine of Sienna and All Saints, Golborne & St Lewis, Croft
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Deanery
At the beginning of Advent 2021, in a reorganisation of the Archdiocese, Leigh Deanery was merged with churches in the Wigan area to form Wigan and Leigh Deanery. It covers not just Wigan and Leigh but also many of the smaller villages and towns surrounding them. Deanery priests meet no less than eight times a year and at least twice a year with the Deacons of the Deanery. Fr Gordon Abbs was appointed Dean in Advent 2021. His term of office runs until 29th Feb 2024.
For a full list of churches in the new deanery please click here.
Archdiocesan Links
There are several items of interest available from the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
New resources now available include:
- Prayer & Other Resources
- Family Prayer Cards
- Life During Lockdown in the Archdiocese
- Mental Health
- Readings and Reflections for those who are Bereaved
The Liverpool Catholic website also has up to date information on the Church's Policy regarding Coronavirus and lots of other useful information.