Dear Parishioners,

Cherishing life, Accepting Death is the title of this year’s DAY FOR LIFE, an appropriate theme as we ponder the prospect of the Assisted Dying Bill to be debated by Parliament on 11^th September.
Preaching at Mass earlier in the year, Pope Francis said, “The two texts in the day’s liturgy (Acts 20:17-27 & John 17:1-11) say the word ‘goodbye’: Paul entrusts his own to God, and Jesus entrusts his disciples to the Father”
Before the images of Paul who weeps, kneeling on the beach and that of Jesus weeping in his heart as he leaves his disciples, Pope Francis recommended that we reflect on ourselves and ask ourselves: “who will be the person to close my eyes? What will I leave?”
He noted: “Paul and Jesus, in these passages, both do an examination of conscience: ‘I have done this, this and this’. And thus it is good to ask oneself, in a sort of examination of conscience: ‘What have I done?’ And to do so with the awareness that it is good for me to imagine myself at that moment: one never knows which ‘see you later’, ‘see you soon’, ‘see you tomorrow’, ‘until we meet again’ will become our final ‘goodbye’”.
The Holy Father then invited further reflection: “Am I prepared to entrust to God all of my loved ones, to entrust myself to God? To say that word which is the Son’s word of entrustment to the Father?”
Pope Francis also encouraged us to find a little time to read Chapter 16 of the Gospel according to John or Chapter 19 of the Acts of the Apostles. These are “the farewell of Jesus and the farewell of Paul”.
“In the light of these very texts, it is important to think that one day I too will have to say that word: ‘goodbye’. “To God I entrust my soul; to God I entrust my history; to God I entrust my loved ones; to God I entrust all”.
He concluded, “let us commemorate Jesus’ goodbye as we pray “that Jesus, died and risen, will send us the Holy Spirit so that we learn this word, learn to say with all our strength this last word: ‘goodbye’”. The moment of that utterance we leave in God’s hands.

Despite the distraction of the holidays please do remember to contact your MP asking them not to vote for the Assisted Dying Bill.

Fr John

Dear Parishioners,

Fiona Bruce MP and the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group have written requesting your help.

As many of you will know, Rob Marris MP is trying to legalise assisted suicide.
This battle will be won or lost in constituencies – many MPs we have spoken to are saying that they will “see what their constituents have to say” before making up their minds. The more your MP realises that there is opposition in their constituency, the more likely they will be to vote against. It really is essential that you do all you can to influence their decision. You really will make a difference.
Please could you:

1. Make contact with your MP using this tool http://notoassistedsuicide.org.uk/ or, you can also use this link http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/
2. Ask for a meeting at one of their local constituency surgeries. At the meeting, there are two things that need to be communicated:

• Say that you would like them to oppose the Bill
• Say that you would like them to turn up on Friday September to 11th to vote against the Bill.

Crucially, we then need you to let us know the results of your efforts. We need this intelligence as it helps us to calculate whether or not we can win the vote.
If you cannot get to see your MP, please write to them in your own words setting out why you oppose assisted suicide using this link (some helpful evidence-based arguments are available here). http://notoassistedsuicide.org.uk/

Also Archbishop Peter Smith has written: “I strongly urge all Catholics to contact their own MP as soon as possible to express their concern about the dangerous impact which such a Bill would have on the most vulnerable people. MPs do listen to their own constituents. What is needed is more and better palliative care, not assistance with suicide.” I recommend these excellent websites: the Bishops Conference www.catholicnews.org.uk/assisted-suicide and the Anscombe Bioethics centre www.bioethics.org.uk “
Remember that every charity for the disabled is adamantly opposed to this Bill! Although parliament is in recess the Assisted Dying Bill will be debated after their return on September 7th. Please act now.

Fr John

Dear Parishioners,

Yet again on Weld Day we were blessed by good weather and a congregation that grows by the year. I’m grateful to those who donated the ice cream, the wine, the strawberries and the cream, as are all who enjoyed them. Over 300 cornets and tubs of ice cream disappeared down children’s throats – help by not a few adults.
The school did a great job in tidying the garden and erecting the gazebo that protected the altar. Early Sunday morning, as a team of men set about organising the site, I reflected that most of this work would better be done the day before and as I scratched my head to remember the arrangements of last and previous years I concluded that the day needs an organising committee. The first Weld Day was overseen by a small group, but gradually over the past six years almost all the organisation has fallen back back to me.
Only a few days before, I had reported to the Parish Forum that the Bishop has asked the clergy to set about handing over the organisation of their parishes and their associated activities to parishioners. He requested this as a welfare measure to prevent burnout and illness among his priests as many take on responsibility for more than one parish and their associated schools, in a world where administration increases by the year and is accompanied by demands for greater accountability and transparency.
So, asks Bishop John of the clergy: free yourselves from administration and property management so that you have more time for the important services that are specific to you and your vocation. At the Forum, I announced that a strategy to form organising groups/committees to take full responsibility for many aspects of parish life must now be a priority for our parish with its three churches and their communities.
Many already exist: Finance, Maintenance, Website, Marriage and Baptism preparation, the choirs, Cafod, Trafficking, Flower guild, the dependable long standing Women’s group and the Knights, Eucharistic Ministers, Readers, Life, Church cleaning and SVP to mention just a number that come to mind as I type. Some of these function exceedingly well, others need reinvigorating, and nearly all need to look at membership. But even this number leaves some aspects of parish life neglected.
Please give this matter serious thought over the holidays, let me have your ideas and in September we shall begin the process.

Fr John

Dear Parishioners,

Some time ago the Bishop wrote a letter inviting people to write to him and share ideas on how our diocese should organise itself and move forward as a Christian community in the 21^st century. He received a massive response both by letter and email and has consolidated many of the questions and suggestions into a questionnaire to gauge opinion on a wide range of issues such as the appropriate age for First Communion, Confirmation, lay involvement in the management of the diocese, the mission of our schools, a diocesan development plan and, Chris Carr will be delighted to learn, whether we should have permanent deacons. All in all there are 33 questions, most of which require ticking either a Yes or a No box.
The paper questionnaire is available at the back of the church or may be answered online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Salford2015 or by the diocesan website at http://www.salforddiocese.net  Please note that you must respond before Friday 7^th August.

As the new Parish Priest, last Sunday I celebrated Mass in St Hubert’s Dunsop Bridge and afterwards met and discussed a number of issues with parishioners. Mgr Chaloner is to remain in retirement living in the Presbytery and has kindly agreed to celebrate a 10am Mass on Sundays in St Hubert’s. Midweek I shall celebrate a Mass on Tuesdays at 9.30am and whenever required. Then after the holidays on the 6^th September I shall again celebrate the Sunday Mass and afterwards meet with the whole parish in Thorneyholme School to arrange how best we all may contribute to the growth and organisation of the parish within the parish of Our Lady of the Valley.

Teenager Betty Ward, a Dunsop parishioner, writes “My unruly, curly hair is one of my defining features and up until a few years ago I couldn’t bear to think of losing it. However, I met a brave young girl who at the age of 11 was diagnosed with alopecia and began losing her hair. The thing is you don’t just lose your hair; you lose your confidence and feel self-conscious. Please help me support the Little Princess Trust which provides real hair wigs to children with hair loss by sponsoring my hair donation. For me, my hair will grow back but for some children it never will. Help make a little girl feel like a princess again.” So Betty will donate her hair and also hopes to raise money by people sponsoring her. Text BWRD56 followed by £2/£5/£10 to 70070 or go to euphuistically www.justgiving.com/bettyward.

Happy Weld Day!

Fr John

Dear Parishioners,

Today I celebrate Sunday Mass in St Hubert’s, Dunsop Bridge, and afterwards shall meet with parishioners to begin the process of shaping our three very different Catholic communities into a cohesive Missionary Parish – as Pope Francis has asked us to become. Thankfully we have behind us the successful amalgamation of St Michael and St John’s Clitheroe with St Mary’s Sabden, in the process of which both communities generously shared, learned and benefited from each other.
Today I have only three aims. The first is to organise a general meeting of St Hubert’s community at which a couple of representatives from Clitheroe and Sabden will be invited to share the stories of their journey to amalgamation and respond to any anxieties which may exist within the Dunsop Bridge community. The second is to arrange for a midweek morning Mass in St Hubert’s (not on Sabden’s Wednesday)! The third is to organise a meeting with a member from the parish finance committee, Mgr Chaloner and a Dunsop representative to discuss finance.

On a different topic, in the 1800’s a Pedlar’s Trunk was discovered at Samlesbury Hall where it had lain hidden in a priest hole for 200 years. The Trunk contained all that was necessary for the celebration of Mass (but disguised as a pedlar’s wares) and is thought to have been used by our martyrs St Edmund Arrowsmith and/or St John Southworth. In 1892 the Trunk was sold at general auction to a local Catholic man who recognised its religious significance. Subsequently it was handed over to the care to Stonyhurst College. The College has loaned it as part of an exhibition at Samlesbury Hall over the coming year. If you would like to visit the exhibition, the Hall is open for visitors Sunday to Friday 11am – 4pm but closed on Saturdays and occasional Fridays. (To check opening times contact 01254 812010). This is a golden opportunity to introduce your children to Lancashire’s Catholic heritage and have a day out.

Finally we celebrate the beginnings of our parish next Sunday on Weld Day, beginning with Sunday Mass at 10.30am in the garden, followed by a parish picnic. A complementary glass of wine, strawberries and ice-cream are provided by kind sponsors – you bring along the family, a picnic and some sunshine.

Fr John