Manchester Outrage

MANCHESTER OUTRAGE

Pope Francis has sent a message expressing his deep sadness over the Manchester terrorist attack and his concern for the injured and killed, invoking God’s blessings of peace, healing and strength upon all.

Bishop John writes:

“The citizens of Manchester and the members of the Catholic community are united in condemning the attack on the crowds at the Manchester Arena.  Such an attack can have no justification.  I thank the emergency services for their prompt and speedy response which saved lives.  We join in prayer for all those who have died and for the injured and their families and all affected by this tragedy.  We must all commit ourselves to working together, in every way, to help the victims and their families and to build and strengthen our community solidarity”.

6th Sunday of Easter – 21st May 2017

Dear Parishioners,

The Bishops of England and Wales have written a joint letter encouraging Catholics to play an active part in the coming General Election. While voting for any particular political party is a matter of conscience, the bishops encourage us to use our vote at this pivotal time. They begin with a quotation from Pope Francis’ letter Evengelii Gaudium: “An authentic faith … always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it. We love this magnificent planet on which God has put us, and we love the human family which dwells here, with all its tragedies and struggles, its hopes and aspirations, its strengths and weaknesses. The earth is our common home and all of us are brothers and sisters.” These words of Pope Francis, the Bishops write, encourage us to approach this General Election with a positive determination to consider carefully all that is at stake. An important duty of every UK citizen with the right to vote is to take part in the General Election. Please make sure that you are registered. Please do vote.

The letter can be found at catholicnews.org.uk/election17 and I shall refer to it in my homily at the weekend.

Among a number of issues highlighted by the Bishops is the sanctity of human life, reminding us that in 2015, Parliament voted overwhelmingly to protect society’s most vulnerable people, by preventing the legalisation of assisted dying. Much of the success of the campaign that preceded this vote was led by the campaigning group, “Right to Life,” an organisation which this parish supports.

In this connection, Arnold Marsden writes: “Fifty years ago this year the abortion act was passed, and since then eight million unborn babies have been destroyed. The unborn child is unable to defend itself, and relies on us for its very life; and the parable of the good Samaritan warns against walking by on the other side. A week on Monday, the Bank Holiday of 29th May, we host our annual sponsored walk, to raise funds for “Right to Life” to help it fight the constant battle on behalf of these children. Archbishop Kelly our own Bishop John along with several priests will join us along with many other walkers from the northwest. If you are unable to walk and collect sponsorship, you may sponsor our own Fr John or Fr Kevin or any other walker. This is a once a year effort to support this cash-strapped campaigning group in its efforts to defend life from the womb to the grave.”

Finally, a reminder that the new Mass schedule begins on 10th June.

Fr John

4th Sunday of Easter – 7 May 2017

Dear Parishioners,

Today we celebrate Vocations Sunday. The Bishop wrote recently to priests: “We have a very encouraging eight applicants for the selection conference this year, which is certainly an answer to prayer. If we have a good number of successful candidates, the Vocations Sunday second collection will be of all the greater importance this year and in coming years. Please do all you can to spread this good news and call on people’s generosity in helping to prepare our future priests.”

Two of ‘our’ past students, who you will well remember, are to be ordained this year: Mark Paver will be ordained to the priesthood on 22nd July in Salford Cathedral and Callum Brown to the diaconate at Oscott College with priesthood following next year.

Finally, you will be pleased to learn that Ratna Babu Pairdha, the seminarian we sponsored in India, was ordained to the priesthood on 27th of March. I offer my and his gratitude to all who contributed.

Fr John

Prayer for Vocations

Loving Father,

touch and transform us by the joy of your love.

Make us missionary disciples, empowered to carry the love of Christ to our neighbour.

May young people be inspired by our example to take up the path of Christian discipleship and dedicate their lives to the service of the Gospel.

Raise up new vocations by the power of your Holy Spirit to the priesthood and the consecrated life:

send us men and women, inspired to be living signs of your mercy.

Grant us all an openness of heart,

that we might readily respond to your call,

and proclaim with joy the Good News to the whole world. 

Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

3rd Sunday of Easter – 30th April 2017

Dear Parishioners,

As announced at last weekend’s Masses, on 10th May at the Parish Forum we shall discuss how best we may respond to the Bishop’s request that we rearrange the weekend schedule of Masses so that one priest is able to celebrate the current two Masses in Clitheroe and one each in Dunsop and Sabden.

My hope is that during this meeting a consensus will develop that will enable us to make a firm decision.

Two questions have been asked of me. Could we experiment with Mass at different times and then choose the most appropriate? Will we have a ballot? The answer to both is: No.

Experimentation with times of Mass would only cause confusion, so we must work to agree a final and binding decision.

There will be no ballot because I’m looking for a consensus. For this to emerge there should be a frank exchange of views coupled with a generous willingness to give and take a little on all sides. If necessary a show of hands, only by those attending the meeting, may be required to move the discussion along.

A few parishioners have mentioned that since Clitheroe is the largest community, has two Masses and that the Masses on Sunday morning will remain at the times agreed with Sabden over seven years ago, then Clitheroe should be willing to offer some form of concession.

So, a reminder of the options which are under review.

5pm Saturday evening Mass in Dunsop necessitating the Clitheroe evening Mass moving forward to 6.30pm or possibly transferring to Sunday evening, at a time to be agreed.

Or a 4.30pm Saturday evening Mass in Dunsop followed by the usual 6pm Mass in Clitheroe.

To be honest, having two Saturday evening Masses would not offer a real choice to the parish as a whole and I’m not too sure that the Bishop would be happy with this suggestion.

Nothing is decided, so let’s talk about these and any other possible options not yet suggested.

Above all I ask you to pray that as a community we arrive at a reasonably satisfactory consensus.

Fr John

Prayer and Praise

These meetings now continue on the last Thursday of the month after the 7.30pm evening Mass,  8.10-9.10pm.  The remaining two meetings before the summer break are on Thursday 25 May and Thursday 29 June.  We will carry on with music, scripture, adoration and praise.  Fr Kevin

 

2nd Sunday of Easter – 23rd April 2017

Dear Parishioners,

Easter Week and the planned changes around the diocese begin to be implemented, not least in our own parish.

On Wednesday night, the Dunsop Bridge Catholic Community met in St Hubert’s Church in response to the Bishop’s request that we arrange our weekend schedule of Masses so that one priest is able to celebrate the current two Masses in Clitheroe and one each in Dunsop and Sabden.
Our current schedule is a 6pm Saturday evening Mass (more correctly, the First Mass of Sunday) in Clitheroe, 9.30am in Clitheroe, 10am in Dunsop and 11am in Sabden. This schedule cannot be managed by one priest.

After discussion, it was agreed that the Sunday morning Masses in Clitheroe and Sabden remain as they are and that the Dunsop celebration move to a new time.
Every option was discussed including an early morning Sunday Mass and evening Masses on either Saturday or Sunday and eventually settled on a Saturday evening Mass at 5pm.
However, a 5pm Saturday evening Mass followed by Clitheroe’s 6pm Mass cannot be managed by one priest.
The meeting concluded with a request that I ask St Michael and John’s parishioners whether they would agree to their Saturday evening Mass reverting to the old time of 6.30pm?

So, the choice is:

5pm in Dunsop, followed by 6.30pm in Clitheroe, Sunday masses remaining the same.
or, 4.30pm in Dunsop followed by the usual 6pm in Clitheroe. Sunday Masses remain the same

But there is another possibility: a Sunday evening Mass in Clitheroe in place of the Saturday evening Mass, as follows:

5pm Saturday evening Mass in Dunsop

9.30am Sunday morning Mass in Clitheroe

11am Sunday morning Mass in Sabden

4pm Sunday evening Mass in Clitheroe.

What do you think?  Opinions please

Fr John

Palm Sunday – 9th April 2017

HOLY WEEK

This week we embark on a journey that will take us from the joy of Palm Sunday through the suffering and sorrow of Holy Week to the triumph and celebration of Easter.

Maundy Thursday

Clitheroe 8.00pm Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

We commemorate the last meal that Jesus ate with his disciples in which he washed their feet and instituted the Eucharist. Afterwards he walked to the Garden of Gethsemane where the Apostles were unable to stay awake and pray with him. In darkness he was arrested. We commemorate this by the removal of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose. As a community we respond to Christ’s words, “Could you not watch with me one hour?” by watching with Christ from 9.00pm until Compline (the Church’s night prayer) at 10.00pm.

Good Friday

http://artedgeek.com/sites/default/files/cgialfa Today is a day of Fast and Abstinence

Clitheroe 9.00am Stations of the Cross

Sabden 10.00am Stations of the Cross

Clitheroe: 10.00am Ecumenical Service at Trinity Methodist  followed by procession of the Cross to Castle Gate

Sabden: 11.00am Ecumenical Service at the Village Cross

Clitheroe 3.00pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

Jesus died at the ninth hour, three o’clock in the afternoon.  We gather in mourning to hear St John’s account of Jesus’ Passion; to pray for all for whom Christ died; to venerate the cross on which he died; and to share the fruit of his redeeming death in Holy Communion.

Holy Saturday

Clitheroe 8.00pm Easter Vigil

In darkness, the Easter fire and the blessing of the Paschal Candle

celebrate Our Saviour’s resurrection from the dead and the victory of light over darkness. Extended readings recall God’s redeeming acts throughout history that culminated in the Resurrection.  The Easter Water is blessed and we are invited to commit ourselves afresh to Christ by renewing our baptismal promises. This Vigil Mass is the most important Service of the whole year and should be attended even in preference to Mass on Easter Sunday itself.

Easter Sunday

Dunsop Bridge 9am Mass & Renewal of Baptismal Promises

Clitheroe 9.30am Mass & Renewal of Baptismal Promises

Sabden 11am Mass & Renewal of Baptismal Promises

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