Dear Parishioners,

“May there never again be wars, but always the desire and commitment to peace and fraternity among peoples,” the Pope said in his traditional noontime Angelus address on New Year’s Day, delivered before a crowd of more than 100,000 gathered in St. Peter’s Square. He added: “Prayer is at the root of peace.” He also asked Catholics to remain loyal to their Church and honour Mary, the Mother of God.

Fr Frankie and I wish you a happy New Year as we also thank you for the cards and other gifts we received: I have never eaten so many mince pies as this year! Also our thanks go to all who decorated the church and prepared and helped with the ceremonies. I’m sure none will begrudge a special mention of Jane and her team who descended on the church even before Bishop John had left and worked solidly for the following five hours to so splendidly decorate the church and sanctuary. (Perhaps this is the moment to mention that they would welcome new members – no previous experience required!)

Bishop John enjoyed his visit to our outpost of Salford diocese and although time constraints prevented him meeting with the many parishioners who filled St M & J’s he was able to join in the hall after Mass with the many who had packed St Marys and enjoy tea and delicious cakes, some of which went home with him in a doggy bag. He now intends to whizz swiftly round the other 157 parishes in similar fashion! He was as impressed with us as we were by him.

Last Sunday evening Mark Paver, while visiting his family over Christmas joined us for a meal and wishes to be remembered to you all.

This year’s marriage preparation course begins next Sunday, 11^th January at 1.30pm in the Presbytery. This is compulsory for all who wish to marry here. So, if you know anyone who is thinking of marrying before March 2016 please invite them to contact me or Fr Frankie as soon as possible.

RCIA resumes on Thursday in the Presbytery.

Please also note that the next Parish Forum will be in Sabden on Wednesday, 14^th January. Peter White completed his three year (non-renewable) term as Chairman in November and Mike Bradley was elected to succeed him. We thank Peter for the commitment and enthusiasm that he brought. The secretary may be renewed and Margaret Donnelly was voted for a second term.

Fr John

Dear Parishioners,

Our Lady of the Valley is the first parish of the diocese to be visited by our new bishop. Bishop John will come next Sunday, to celebrate the 9.30am Mass in Clitheroe and then the 11 o’clock in Sabden.
Last Monday at his installation Bishop John preached without notes and everyone I spoke with was impressed by his style and what he said. He is a bishop very much in the style of Pope Francis.
Because Mass in Sabden will remain at the usual time Bishop John will not be able to meet many parishioners in Clitheroe but don’t let that deter your attendance. He will be principle celebrant and will preach, so do come along and by your presence show him what an active and vibrant parish we are.
At the end of his installation he asked everyone to join him in a simple daily prayer: Stay with us Lord on our journey. I’m not too sure where this journey will take us but mark my words, Salford diocese is certainly going to move!

No doubt you have noticed the two glass lecterns in the sanctuary and I’m most grateful to Tony Hargan who drew the plan, ordered the reinforced glass, supplied the glaziers with the measurements and then assembled them. To have a similar lectern built (they can’t be bought off the shelf) would cost over £1,200. Ours were built for only £250 each and one of them was paid for by a kind donor.

The Comedy and Carols evening was a huge success with the Radio Lancashire team impressed by the numbers who came on such a dreadful night. The comedians were very good (the local boy was given the loudest reception!) and the congregation sang wonderfully well, ably led by our music group. The retiring collection for Olive Aid raised £382. To listen to the programme, tune into Radio Lancashire at mid-day on Christmas Eve morning.
One of the comedians praised our church and then as he looked at the sanctuary commented: ‘And this is where Gothic meets IKEA!’ I don’t need to mention that out of respect, the Blessed Sacrament had been removed from the Tabernacle.

Christmas cards, carrying the times of all Christmas week services will be delivered to all parishioners’ homes. If by chance you don’t receive one then it is because we don’t know your address!
During these coming busy two weeks please remember to pause and sanctify each day by a few minutes of quiet prayer.

Fr John

Dear Parishioners,

Please remember in your prayers Bishop John Arnold who tomorrow, Monday 8^th December, will be installed the eleventh Bishop of Salford.

Bishop John Arnold

Bishop John was born in Sheffield in 1953, schooled in the Midlands and after reading Law at Oxford for a short time practiced as Barrister in London before deciding that his vocation lay in the priesthood.
He was ordained for Westminster Archdiocese in 1983 where he served as a hospital chaplain and on the staff of Westminster Cathedral before being appointed Parish priest of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St George in Enfield. After 8 years he returned to Westminster to take up the reigns as Chancellor and Vicar General before being ordained an auxiliary bishop in 2006.
So he comes to us with a wealth of experience and ready to face the many challenges that the decreasing number of diocesan clergy and demographic changes present.
We wish him many years in the service of the Lord and assure him of our prayerful support in this new calling.

Fr John

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Pope Francis’ message to delegates gathered in London for Santa Marta Conference on Human Trafficking- “We must never forget the suffering of so many men, women and children.”

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“I extend greetings to you and all the delegates gathered for the conference to discuss continued efforts in the fight against human trafficking. I am deeply grateful to all present for your resolve in combating this evil and for your commitment to carry on the work begun at the conference held in the Vatican in April of this year. Your labours to promote ongoing dialogue on the legal remedies to human trafficking and on the essential care of those who suffer this enslavement are especially important because of the hidden nature of this crime. We must never forget, nor may we ignore, the suffering of so many men, women and children whose human dignity is violated through this exploitation. I thank the Home Secretary of the British Government, the Metropolitan Commissioner of Police, and the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales for organizing this event and the delegates who demonstrate anew their commitment by their participation in this initiative. In assuring you that the Church remains steadfast in her pledge to combat human trafficking and to care for the victims of this scourge, I offer the promise of my prayers that Almighty God may bless and guide your efforts.

Franciscus P.P.”

Dear Parishioners,

As the world moves into shopping overdrive we shoudn’t forget that Advent is primarily a time in which to prepare ourselves spiritually to celebrate the great feast of Christmas. How? Pope Francis has commented: “In their daily routine, St. Joseph, together with Mary, shared a single common centre of attention: Jesus. They accompany and nurture the growth of the Son of God made man for us with commitment and tenderness, reflecting on everything that has happened. In the Gospels, St. Luke twice emphasizes the attitude of Mary which is also that of St. Joseph: she “kept all these things, pondering them in her heart”. To listen to the Lord, we must learn to contemplate, feel his constant presence in our lives, and we must stop and converse with him, give him space in prayer. Each of us should ask ourselves, “How much space do I give to the Lord? Do I stop to talk with him?” Ever since we were children, our parents have taught us to start and end the day with a prayer, to teach us to feel that the friendship and the love of God accompany us. Let us remember the Lord more in our daily life, especially this Advent!”

Walk with Me booklets are on sale (£1) to help you put aside a short period each day for quiet reflection and prayer.

Two years ago, I introduced you to Olive Aid. This is a charity which helps all Palestinians who have lost their olive trees, usually their only source of income, to the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on the West bank and that dreadful security wall. Olive trees are precious: just twenty trees can sustain a family for a year. Olive Aid is a self-help project run by Bethlehem’s Catholic University (most of whose students are Muslim) which provides needy families with 3 year old olive saplings. Christian and Muslim alike are helped but the project particularly aims to stem the emigration of Christian families who suffer the most in the conflict. Today, Christians in Bethlehem constitute less than 15% of the population. Fifty years ago, Christians living in the birthplace of Jesus made up more than 70% of the population. You can buy a tree for £25. For details see me or go to www.oliveaid.com It is a Christmas Charity that I support and a number of parishioners have joined with me over the past couple of years in buying trees.

Finally, now is the time to consider whom you will invite to Come Home for Christmas. Invite a friend or relation who may have slipped from practice to join you at Mass and come home for Christmas. (Watch a short video at www.catholicscomehome.org)

Fr John

Dear Parishioners,

Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King, who reigns over Heaven and earth. But does He reign in our hearts? Or does He seem a distant Person whom we hope to meet one day in Heaven? Do we experience the new spiritual life He gave us in Baptism? On Sunday night we begin a week-long Parish Mission. Everyone is invited to come closer to Jesus during this week, letting the Lord himself speak to us through his Word, and asking Him to renew and enliven all the gifts and graces He has already given us in Baptism and in Confirmation. He wants to do this for us! We merely have to respond to Him and his invitation to know Him personally and intimately. Our relationship with the Lord is more important than any other. Take this opportunity to be with Him this week, so that you will really be able to celebrate His birth at Christmas. This is a great opportunity not only to receive special spiritual blessings for you and your family, but to pre-pare your heart for this coming Advent. The mission will be led by Barbara Ma-son, who has given retreats, missions, talks all around the world and has a number of catholic publications to her name. Ideally please come to all the nights of the mission but if your time is pressured please don’t be afraid to attend one or two.

• Please bring a Bible.
• We will meet in St Michael and St John’s parish hall from 7.30 – 9pm, Sunday 23 Nov. through Friday 28 Nov. except on Wednesday and Friday when we will be in St Michael and St John’s Church.

“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since ‘no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.’ (Pope Paul VI). The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms” (EG, no. 3). Pope Francis from ‘Joy of the Gospel’

Fr Frankie

Dear Parishioners,

This Sunday in Clitheroe our First Communion children join us for Mass before going over to the school to learn about prayer while their parents join me to reflect on prayer in family life. In Sabden this session will be on Saturday morning. Then at next Sunday’s masses in both churches the children return to celebrate prayer in their lives and for the first time the new Youth choir will lead the singing in Clitheroe.

The Parish Forum meets on Wednesday when a new chair will be elected. The constitution states: The forum is chaired by a parishioner elected by the forum to serve for three years. He/she may not serve for two consecutive periods. So we shall thank Peter White who has carried the torch well for the past three years and invite him to fulfil his final task and supervise the election of his successor. Margaret Donnelly, the secretary, has also completed a three year term but, unlike the chair, may stand again for election.

Many parishioners may remember when baptisms were conferred on Sunday afternoon at around 3 o’clock in most churches and the congregations consisted of maybe a dozen close family and friends. Times have changed and now the majority of baptisms are attended by congregations of 50 or more with relatives travelling considerable distances and are usually followed by a family party. Mid-afternoon is considered rather late to accommodate this and so we baptise at 12noon. While Fr Frankie is here this doesn’t present an insuperable problem but increasingly Sundays are becoming more congested and, of course, Fr Frankie is only here for another two years at the very most. So for Clitheroe, I propose to move Baptisms to 12.30 on Saturdays. Saturday has an evening Mass so the noon Eucharistic service, which is attended by fewer and fewer, will cease but Exposition, Reconciliation and the Rosary will continue.
Another development is the increasingly frequent requests for more than two Godparents: 6 is not unknown! Church regulations envisage either a single or two Godparents. If there are two, they may be of one or either gender.
The Godparents task is an important one. They are to take an interest in the child’s spiritual development and help the parents with this responsibility. So, for instance, if parents can’t bring a child to Mass then the Godparent should! Church regulation is that at least one Godparent must be a practising Catholic and the other at least a baptised Christian. Sadly, experience is that when there are more than two Godparents they are unlikely to take a real interest in the child.
So come along for a lively debate on Wednesday.

Fr John