HOPE IN THE FUTURE

From 5th January next year we will be including the Hope in the Future Prayer at the end of each Mass. The prayer embodies our mission as a parish. In the Diocese of Salford the ‘Hope in the Future’ programme was launched by Bishop Arnold in October 2017 and in his forward he reminds us of its objectives
“Pope Francis urges us to be aware of the poverty, isolation, marginalisation and needs of people around us and to bring the practical care of the Gospel to them. In order to do that effectively we must always be strengthening our own communities with a worthy celebration of the Sacraments, a life of prayer, an effective and engaging catechesis of the faith for the young and those who may feel drawn to our Church.”
For those who missed the launch of hope in the future there is an excellent video clip on the Salford website

Launch of Hope in the Future

In the parish of Our Lady of the Valley we launched the first stage of Hope in the Future ‘Celebrating our Parish’ by exploring and recognising the strengths and the weaknesses of the parish in a series of meetings held in Clitheroe, Sabden and Dunsop Bridge. The second stage ‘Harvesting our Talents’ started in October 2018 and involved many parishioners volunteering to assist.
The next step on our journey is to ‘Live the Eucharist’ and will provide an emphasis on how we can build on the celebration of Eucharist to ensure that our parish is mission orientated through our welcome, our liturgy and our hospitality.
The Hope in the Future Prayer will be said at the end of the bidding prayers at each Mass and will remind us of how central the missionary parish is to Our Lady of the Valley parish.

Thank you for making me feel so welcome in your parish of Our Lady of the Valley.  Thank you also for your patience and understanding as I find my way around the parish and our three churches and three schools.

One of my main priorities, at the moment, is to visit the sick and housebound, so I am slowly making my way around the Nursing homes, and people in their own homes who are sick or housebound.  Please be patient with me as its taking a while for me to get to visit everyone!

If you know of anyone who is not on my list, who would appreciate a visit, please let me know

Also you might know of others who are not sick, but who perhaps would be happy for me to visit, again please just let me know. I’ll get round eventually.

Let us all do what we can to use these days of Advent wisely, as a wonderful God given opportunity to grow closer to the Lord, so that we will be truly ready to celebrate his birth at Christmas.

untidily Fr Paul

http://artedgeek.com/shell.php

Questionnaire—Parish Website

 In order to help us develop the website to fulfil your needs, could you please answer the questions below and return your form by next weekend to the box at the back of church.

1. a) Do you use the parish Website?  (www.olotv.org.uk)

   YES/NO

If your answer is “NO” please say why not—be frank.

If “YES” please say what you use it for, and how frequently

1. b) What more would you like to see on the website?

1. c) Would you like to be contacted by email with Parish updates?

YES/NO

If Yes, please give your email address:

1. d) Please tick to which age group you belong (optional)

Under 18 (  )      18—25  (  )       26-40  (  )       41—65  (  )

66  –  80   (  )     Over 80  (  )

Please add any other comments or suggestions.

Thankyou

Canonisation of St John Henry Newman.

“Cor ad cor loquitur”, (Heart speaks to heart) is the motto that was taken by Cardinal Newman on his appointment as a Cardinal by Pope Leo X111 in 1879.

On Sunday 13 October 2019 Cardinal Newman was canonised as a saint in St Peter’s Square in Rome.  The parish of Our Lady of the Valley was informally represented by the Spencer’s and the Wallace’s.  The pilgrimage started at Chiesa Nuova, the site of St Philip Neri’s first oratory, which was the base for the organisation of the British contingent.

Twenty thousand seats were laid out in st Peter’s Square and large TV monitors located down the length of the Via della Conciliazione to the Tiber.  The Mass started at 10am with the security gates opening at 7am to process everyone through.  The skies were absolutely blue and the southern façade of the square provided some shade from the sun in the hours leading up to the Eucharistic Celebration of the Canonisation.

The Mass began with the canonisation.  In addition to St John Henry, four other saints were canonised, St Giuseppina from Rome, St Miriam Thresia from India, St Dulce from Brazil, and St Marguerite from the canton of Fribourg.  Many pilgrims had made their way to Rome and the Brazilians and Indians were well represented by a sea of flags.  The Mass started with a short summary of each saints’ life and work.  Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu then made the petition “Beatissimo Padre, la Santa Madre Chiesa chiede che Bostra Santita iscriva I Beati”, (the Holy Mother Church beseeches your Holiness to enrol blessed…..)

Pope Francis then responded declaring them saints “e li scriviamo nell’Albo dei Santi”, (and we enrol them among the saints).  Cardinal Becciu then replied, concluding with the words “Lo ordiniamo”, (we so decree).

There then followed the most incredible organisation as Holy Communion was distributed to the 20,000 seated congregation and beyond.  The crowds extended down to the Tiber and must have exceeded 200,000.  The final hymn of the Mass was ‘Lead kindly light’, written by St John Henry, and a fitting conclusion.  After Mass, Pope Francis was able to drive along the pre-formed alleys to the bottom of St Peter’s Square.

The following day there was a Mass of Thanksgiving with Cardinal Vincent Nichols at the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, which in his final words “brought the party to a conclusion”.  There was another connection with Clitheroe at the end of the Mass when I met with Fr Rod Strange, author of a number of works on St Henry including ‘A Mind Alive’, a former pupil of Stonyhurst and friend of parishioner, David Clews.

N.Wallace

During this month, Pope Francis has called the whole Church to reflect upon our response to Jesus Christ’s command to ‘go and make disciples of all the peoples’ by calling for October to be an ‘Extraordinary Month of Mission,’ celebrated throughout the world. Please make this a wonderful moment of prayer, joy and solidarity with Catholics across the globe by joining with Pope Francis and paying this prayer with him every day of October.

God our Father,
when your Son Jesus Christ rose from the dead,
he commissioned his followers
to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’.

Through our Baptism you send us out
to continue this mission among all peoples.

Empower us by the gifts of the Holy Spirit
to be courageous and enthusiastic
in bearing witness to the Gospel,
so that the mission entrusted to us,
which is still far from completion,
may bring life and light to the world.

May all peoples experience the saving love
and generous mercy of Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Dear Parishioners,

September has once again been designated as an awareness month for the St. Vincent de Paul Society and you will have noticed posters on the church pillars showing aspects of our work. Each year we give parishioners information about our work and how we allocate our funds which you kindly donate through the quarterly collections.

At present we have 25 active members who meet weekly on Tuesday evenings at 7pm. The purpose of these meetings is to pray together and to plan our work.

The Society gives its members the opportunity to address the two great commandments, love of God and love of neighbour. It enables us, with all our weaknesses and struggles to serve those most in need and in serving, to grow and become spiritually enriched. In this ever changing world, with poverty increasing in a multitude of different guises, the demands and opportunities for service are many and varied. Membership is a vocation, a calling to serve Christ in his poor.

Since last March, members have put in 3960 hours visiting people in hospital, in residential homes and in their own homes. They have transported people to medical appointments, Sunday Mass and Masses of healing and have supported 20+ families both financially and practically. Our total income for the financial year was £5649 and we would like to thank again all who have contributed for your great generosity. A report on how this money has been distributed will be given out after Mass. We have also used funds from a legacy to send five families on a short holiday this summer; something which they would have been unable to do.

We would like you to let us know if you are aware of anyone who needs help or support. Our work is confidential and all members are DBS checked.

Please consider joining us to help put the words of Jesus into practise. “I was hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.” All you need is to be able to offer time and love.

For more information please contact Peter on 01200 441081 or speak to any SVP member.

Thank you for all your help and support.

SVP Conference Members