Latest News
Mass Times
Sunday 11.00am
Wednesday 6.00pm
Friday 12.00 Noon.
Mass Times Locally
(At the time of writing, please check individual websites for up to date times.)
St Marys - Leyland: Saturday 6pm. Sunday 10am.
St Peter and Pauls - Mawdesley: Saturday 5pm
St Gregory's - Weldbank: Sunday 9.30am & 6.30pm
St Mary Magdalene - Penwortham: Sunday 11am
St Teresa's - Penwortham: Saturday 6pm Sunday 9.30am
Our Lady Help of Christians - Tarleton: Sunday 10am
St Marys's - Euxton: 8.30am - 10.30am
St Josephs - Wrightington: Sunday 9.30am & 5.000pm
FATHER GRAEME DUNNE, OUR DEAN WRITES
‘Dear Parishioners,
Since the SYNOD and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan, a number of initiatives have been put in place across the Archdiocese. The one that impacts us most of all is the formation of Families of Parishes within each Deanery. For some of us, this has already been happening on a small scale for some time, especially where parishes share the one priest. However, the new Families of Parishes will help us support each other and share our resources. Best efforts have been made to put closely linked parishes together into each family. The families for our Deanery are as follows:
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St Gregory’s Weld Bank, St Oswald’s Coppull, St Mary’s Euxton, Ss Peter & Paul Mawdesley & St Agnes Eccleston
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St Mary’s, Sacred Heart, St Joseph’s Anderton
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St Joseph’s Chorley, St Chad’s, St Bede’s, St Joseph’s Withnell, St Joseph’s Brindle
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St Mary’s Leyland, St Catherine’s Farington, St Oswald’s Longton, St Mary Magdalen & St Theresa’s Penwortham & our Lady Help of Christians Tarleton
In the near future, groups of parishioners together with the priests of each family will meet to explore how this support and sharing can best be implemented. At this stage, nothing other than who the families are, has been finalised and so it is up to us all to come up with how each family will function. It is hoped that support and some direction will be given to us by the Archdiocesan Pastoral Team. These are challenging but also exciting times, working together and guided by the Holy Spirit we will be stronger and better able to face the future.
God Bless us & keep us.
Fr Graeme (Dean) & Priests of the Deanery
NEW HYMN BOOKS
If you would like to place a dedication in one of the new hymn books, please fill in the little yellow card (in the porch), enclose it in the small manilla envelope, together with a suggested donation of £7. (Remember £7 is only a suggestion – feel free to donate less if you wish). We have dedicated 55 hymn books so far so there are still plenty available to dedicate.
ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL: MESSAGE FROM FR
PHILIP INCH, EPISCOPAL VICAR FOR PARISH MISSION
From September 1st, 2023, Fr Gerald Anders will continue in his post as Parish Priest at St Agnes Eccleston (alongside Ss Peter and Paul, Mawdesley). He will reside at St Agnes. He will cease to be Parish Priest, after 17 years, in Our Lady Help of Christians, Tarleton.
Mgr. John Goddard will become parochial administrator of Our Lady Help of Christians in Tarleton. This will be undertaken bearing in mind the developing relationships between the two parishes of Penwortham, Longton, Leyland, Farington and Tarleton.
Large Print Mass Sheets
We have had enquiries about larger print Mass sheets, so we have been investigating! It seems that we can only obtain the date-specific ones in batches of 50. We have found a printing firm which does single copies of non-specific dates, without the readings of the day, and have ordered 5 of these. Please use one if it helps, they are available in the porch.
Comments welcome to Eileen or Andrew.
MASS INTENTIONS
If you would like a Mass to be offered for a specific intention,
please complete the little card (You’ll find these on the table in the porch) and hand it to Father Anders or Eileen, using the envelope provided. As you know, he will do his very best to say your Mass on your preferred date, but this is not always possible. Some people have asked how much money should be enclosed. The average Mass offering is £10 - £15.
VOLUNTEERS AT ST AGNES
On recent newsletters you will have read an appeal for more help with various tasks in our parish, and thank you to those of you who have responded. We are still in need of more flower helpers, and ‘trainees’ for the children’s liturgy. If you can help with either of these things, please let Eileen Howard know.
RED MISSION BOXES
Thanks to all who use the red boxes as a way of contributing to the work of the Missions, and thanks to parishioners who organise this way of raising money.
CHORLEY FOOD BANK
Roughly 21.3% of the population of the UK is living below the poverty line – that’s roughly 1 in 5 people. Rising energy prices, uncertainty in employment, pay issues, the aftermath of Covid19, are among the factors which contribute to this alarming figure. The food bank is so stretched at the moment that it can scarcely meet demand.
Please be generous in donating goods as you have been for many years. Also, remember that some of the cash contributions made via the “charity basket” is forwarded to the Chorley food bank. We recently sent a cheque for £300. Let us try to keep giving what we can during 2023.
“When I was hungry you gave me to eat”. Matthew 25:35
It has been mentioned often on recent newsletters the church has lost out financially over the period of Covid -19, income has reduced considerably and we are all being asked to ensure we keep up with our weekly offerings. If you are not currently able to attend church, weekly offerings can be given via standing order, the form is available in the church porch or via this website (contacts Page) and can be dropped in at the presbytery.
FATHER MICHAEL’S WINDOW
The lovely memorial to Father Michael is now in place as you can see. We are immensely grateful to Daniel Burke and his team at Lightworks, Clitheroe for their patient and painstaking work over the last year; each piece of glass carefully chosen, hand cut, painted and fired, sometimes several times. Almost four hundred sections make up the window, each beautiful in its own right. You may have a favourite section, the lamb, the draped cross, the face of Jesus, the lilies (Fr Michael’s favourite flower) or something else; but every time it is viewed, may we remember with love our own Father Michael, his work, his wisdom, his kindness, his faith and inspiration. As we thank God for him, we pray, may he rest in peace