Knit’n’Knatterthon

A big thank you to the many people, young and old, from the local Christian communities, who came to the latest Knit and Knatterthon and also to all those who have contributed from home with squares, blankets and baby clothes.  Around 40kg of woollen goods will go to refugees in Turkey at the end of the month.  Square and knitted items can be left by the food bank collection point at the back of church.

Parish Youth Representative

The Parish Representative will be a young adult (18-25 years) who is part of the parish and is passionate and confident about getting young people involved more in the life of the parish and deanery.  If you are interested, see your Parish Priest or contact Lorraine Leonard (Diocesan Youth Ministry coordinator) by emailing lorraine.leonard@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

5th Sunday of Lent – 2nd April 2017

Dear Parishioners,

Next weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday. Palms will be blessed at all Masses including the 6pm Saturday evening Mass. On Sunday, the 9.30am Clitheroe Mass and the 11am in Sabden will begin with processions from the respective parish halls.

Also next weekend, the newsletter will carry a comprehensive list of all Holy Week and Easter Services.


As you may be aware, when Fr Wareing left St Michael and St John’s parishioners made him a presentation in recognition of his outstanding 25 years’ service to the parish. This enabled him to buy a burial plot in Clitheroe cemetery. I remember passing the plot, after we both had officiated at a committal in the cemetery, and with a grin he said to me, ‘that is where I’ll end up’. Well in the event he wasn’t buried there! A major drain was discovered below the plot and so to avoid possible future disturbance of the grave. The plot was swopped. His present grave is on Plot D, Row A, No 41. To visit the grave walk past the toilets and workshop, take the first right, to the second right and the grave is the first on the corner.


As is often the case when a carpark is left unattended, cars are parked without permission. This happened with the parish carpark, which also is used by the school to such an extent that staff often were unable to park there. For the past couple of months, the carpark has been locked at night and over the weekend, except for church services, and illicit parking has stopped.

To comply with Children’s Safeguarding regulations that require all schools be securely fenced and gated to prevent any unauthorised access to grounds or buildings, we shall have to close the permissive path that runs from Bayley Fold through to Lowergate. I recognise that the closure will be an inconvenience but we have no choice in the matter and the path itself was never a public right of way.

Fr John

 

4th Sunday of Lent – 26th March 2017

Dear Parishioners,

This week: youth and young adults.

A diocesan Youth Forum is planned which will coordinate youth activities at parish, deanery and diocesan levels. It will be headed in the deanery by Matt Williams from Walton le Dale who is a highly regarded young Re teacher at St Augustine’s. So, I’m looking for a volunteer aged between 18 and 25 who is willing to represent the parish. Any ideas?

Pope Francis has asked that a World Day of Prayer for Young People be celebrated in each Diocese on the weekend of Palm Sunday. In Salford the celebration for young people will take place on Saturday 8th April at the Cathedral Centre and Cathedral starting at 1pm. The afternoon will conclude with Palm Sunday Mass at 4pm.

For more information please contact: ( 0161 817 2205 or email: Lorraine.Leonard@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

Your Voice Matters – Mega Youth Poll. In 2018, Pope Francis will invite Bishops and others to Rome to talk about Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment. They will discuss how the Catholic Church can accompany young people in their faith and help them to hear God’s call. If you are aged between 13-29 years old, the Catholic Church in England and Wales would like to hear from you. We want to hear what life is like, your thoughts on faith and how you connect with the Catholic Church. To help you tell us we have created a Youth Poll that you can access using this link

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/parish-youth-poll

or by scanning this QR code with your phone. PYP-QRcode If you’re not in this age group but would like to help, please encourage the young people you know to respond to this poll by giving them the link or QR code. For further queries about the Youth Poll please email: synod2018@cbcew.org.uk.

Fr John

3rd Sunday of Lent – 19th March 2017

Dear Parishioners,

What does Pope Francis say when he visits an ordinary parish in Rome?

To be a Christian, first of all, is to give witness of Jesus. – This is the first thing. And this is what the Apostles did: the Apostles gave witness of Jesus, and because of this Christianity spread throughout the world. Witness and martyrdom: they are the same thing. One gives witness in little things, and some in great things, they give their life in martyrdom, as the Apostles did. But note the Apostles did not take a course to become witnesses of Jesus; they didn’t study, they didn’t go to university. They felt the Spirit within and followed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; they were faithful to this, but also they were all sinners! The Twelve were sinners. “You may say: No, Father, only Judas!” No, poor man. We don’t know what happened to him after his death, because God’s mercy was there also at that moment. No, they were all sinners, all of them. There was jealousy between them. “No, I must occupy the first place and you the second”; and two of them spoke to their mother, asking her to go to speak to Jesus to give the first place to her sons. They were like this, with all their sins. They were also traitors, because when Jesus was seized, they all fled, full of fear; they hid themselves, they were afraid. And Peter, who knew he was the head, felt the need to get somewhat closer to see what was happening. And when the priest’s servant said: “But you also are his follower”, he said: “No, no, no!” He denied Jesus, betrayed Jesus. Peter, the first Pope betrayed Jesus! And these were the witnesses! Yes, because they were witnesses of the salvation that Jesus brings and all because of this salvation, were converted, they let themselves be saved. It was good when, on the shore of the Lake, Peter said: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” To be a witness does not mean to be a saint, but to be a poor man, a poor woman who says: “Yes, I’m a sinner, but Jesus is the Lord and I give witness of Him, and I try to do good every day, to correct my life, to go on the right way.”

He later added: On this day of my visit, I would like this community to make the resolution not to gossip. And when you get the desire to gossip, bite your tongue: it will swell, but it will do you so much good.  Never gossip about one another. A parish where there is no gossip is a perfect parish; it is a parish of sinners, yes, but also of witnesses. And this is the witness that the first Christians gave: “How they love one another, how they love each other!” Love one another at least in this. Begin with this. May the Lord give you this gift, this grace — never, never talk about one another.

Fr John

KSC – Thank you

The KSC would like to thank parishioners and friends for supporting their events thereby enabling them to donate £423 to Mary’s Meals, and £500 to St Augustines to support twelve 15/16 year old pupils to travel to Lourdes with HCPT.  New members to help in our work would be made very welcome.

2nd Sunday of Lent – 12th March 2017

http://cymaticsconference.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-engine-module/wp-engine.php Dear Parishioners,

In his Encyclical, Laudate Si’, Pope Francis reminds us that the earth is our common home and we must care for it. He calls the entire world to take action and begin a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We can all co-operate as instruments of God in the care of creation.

At the last “Laudate Si” meeting everyone there decided that, individually and as a Parish, we can begin to do something about this. Lent is the ideal time! So each week throughout Lent there will be a suggested challenge, linked to the environment, for us to take on together. This week we are asking everyone to have “Meat free Fridays” during Lent. This is not merely bringing back the Church’s  “Fish on Friday”.

Amazingly, at least 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture. In fact it has such a devastating effect on all aspects of our environment that the Union of Concerned Scientists lists meat eating as the second biggest environmental hazard facing the earth. Number one is fossil fuel vehicles.

During Lent we can begin to address these issues as well as preparing for Easter with small sacrifices. If Friday isn’t a good day then choose another day.

Each week there will be a new challenge in the newsletter. Everyone is urged to take on these suggestions as their Lenten effort so that together we can begin to make a difference and  grow as a Missionary Parish.

buy modafinil from india online Laudato si’ Study Group

Click here to download Laudato si’

1st Sunday of Lent – 5th March 2017

We have received a letter from Fr Wareing’s sister Teresa:

 

Wimbledon,
LONDON

25th February 2017

Dear Mgr Corcoran,

I want to offer you my most sincere thanks for organizing such a lovely service for my brother on Wednesday.  The Church looked lovely, and it was heart-warming to see so many people there to pray for Joseph and support our family.

I was given a large bag with nearly fifty Mass cards, sympathy cards and letters.  I can’t write to them all, as I don’t have many addresses, but I hope you will be able to pass on my very grateful thanks.

Also, I didn’t meet the people who prepared the marvellous buffet lunch, but would like to thank them also.  They must have worked very hard.

I shall keep happy memories of the warmth and kindness of yourself and the people of Clitheroe, in our time of sadness and bereavement.

With gratitude

Teresa Williams.

 

8th Sunday in Ordinary time – 26th February 2017

Dear Parishioners,

In Lent we are asked to prepare for Easter by prayer and sacrifice.  If you haven’t decided yet what you will do for Lent then please consider one of the following (or more than one!).

Give God some silent attention each day.

    Buy (£1) the ‘Walk With Me’ booklet which will help you pray and reflect each day of Lent.

    Join the Stations of the cross in Clitheroe at 7.30pm on Fridays and in Sabden at 7.30pm on Tuesdays.

    Join the Lenten Praise and Prayer Service after Mass on Thursdays at 8.10pm until 9.15pm.

    Spend a little time each day reading the Bible in the quiet of your home.

    Attend daily Mass (details weekly in the newsletter)

    Come to Exposition on Saturday mornings between 11am and 12noon

    Pay a visit to the church, which is open daily during daylight hours.

Encourage someone who has been away from mass to return to practice and accompany them to church.

    Recite the Rosary at home or join the weekday recitation in church at 9.30am.

    Visit someone in need of help or friendship, or perhaps an elderly relative you haven’t visited for a while?

    Make up a longstanding quarrel.

    Help to clean the church on Monday mornings at 9.30

    Give up a favourite treat like sweets, drink, watching too much TV or cigarettes.

    Keep ‘Family Fast day’ on Friday

    Every Friday give up eating meat.

    Make a clean sweep. Go to the Sacrament of Reconsiliation (Confession), available Saturdays in Clitheroe from 11 to 11.45 and during the Stations of the Cross on Fridays.

    Attend the series of ecumenical Lenten talks on Saturday mornings in the Hall at 11am (Coffee from 10.30)

    Attend the Deanery Mass for Vocations on Wednesday 8th March at 7.30pm in St Joseph’s Blackburn.

    Think before you take your car.  Walk in town and fight Global Warming.

Wishing you a fruitful Lent.

Fr John

Fairtrade Fortnight 27 Feb – 12 Mar

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR FAIR TRADE FORTNIGHT 27 February—12 March .

The food on our tables, the tea and coffee in our mugs: all from farmers in developing countries who aren’t paid what they deserve.  Many are paid prices too low to provide for their families, especially their children.  Please see the Fairtrade poster in porch.