6th Sunday of the Year (C)
This Week's Feast Days
Most weeks there may well be a number of feast days. We don’t necessarily celebrate them all. Some saints are more important in certain parts of the country than others and will be celebrated more on a local level, whilst other saints will be celebrated everywhere. So each week we will comment on the feast-days that we should celebrate in our regional Church.
Sunday, February 16th - 6th Sunday of the Year (C)
Monday, February 17th - Weekday in Ordinary Time
Tuesday, February 18th - Weekday in Ordinary Time
Wednesday, February 19th - Weekday in Ordinary Time
Thursday, February 20th - Weekday in Ordinary Time
Friday, February 21st - Weekday in Ordinary Time
Saturday, February 22nd - The Chair of St Peter, Apostle
Sunday, February 23rd - 7th Sunday of the Year (C)
Sunday Readings
6th Sunday of the Year (C)
First Reading – Jer 17:5-8
A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, a blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord.
Second Reading – 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20
If Christ has not been raised, your believing is useless.
Gospel Reading – Luke 6:17, 20-26
How happy are you who are poor. Alas for you who are rich.
Psalter: Week 2
Weekdays: Ordinary Week 6
Gaza Appeal
You have raised an amazing £1,372.24 for our brothers and sisters sheltering in Holy Family Church Gaza.
In addition, there were numerous cards and messages of love, support, prayers and encouragement which was delivered by Bishop James Curry to Fr Gabriel Romanelli on the 20th January whilst visiting Jerusalem with the Holy Land Commission of Bishops. In the darkness of war, your incredible acts of generosity and kindness represented a shining light of hope, reminding our brothers and sisters in Gaza not to lose faith in God, and that we care.
We have also received £1,100 from two donors making the total sum raised in St Margaret Clitherow Parish a whopping £2,472.24.
St Joseph Church and Sacred Heart Church of St Edmund Arrowsmith Parish have raised the incredible sum of £1,805.
The total funds raised by our two parishes in Leigh Deanery amounts to £4,277.24 which was matched by another generous donor making a grand total of £8,554.48 going to Holy Family Church Gaza.
Well done and “thank you” to everyone who has helped in raising this remarkable amount of money for a very worthy cause.
Newsletters
There are four newsletters published weekly in the Leigh area, you can access current and past editions here:
St Edmund Arrowsmith Newsletters (St Joseph's and Sacred Heart, Leigh)
St Margaret Clitherow Newsletters (Holy Family, Boothstown; St Ambrose Barlow, Astley)
St John Rigby Newsletter (Sacred Heart, Hindley Green; St Richard's, Atherton)
St Lewis, St Catherine's & All Saints Newsletters (Croft, Lowton & Golborne) (opens in new window)
( Newsletters download as pdf files in a new window.)
News Bites
- THE POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 2025:
For vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ's mission in the priesthood and religious life - JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS
Silent Retreat, 7-9 March 2025
Led by Moria Meeghan at the Irenaeus Centre, L22 1RD. Residential places are available. £95 Residential, Non- Residential with meals £70 and Non-Residential (self-catering) £30. To book and for more information contact:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 0151 9491199 - Date for your diary:
Friday 28th February Evening - Celebration and Presentation for Fr Paul Grady - 7.30pm Holy Family Church followed by refreshments in the Hall. Please indicate numbers if you are attending on the sign up at the back of church for catering purposes. - HCPT Coffee Morning and Raffle 2nd March:
There will be a coffee morning and raffle to raise funds for the HCPT on Sunday 2nd March at the Holy Family Parish Hall. Raffle tickets will be on sale at the 11.00 Mass at St Ambrose on 23/2 and at the 6.00 Mass on 01/3. Tickets will be on sale at Holy Family at the 9.30 Mass on the 02/3 and in the Hall at the coffee morning. - Charity Concert for Wigan Samaritans:
The Cheshire Chord Company will perform at 7pm on Saturday 8th March at Brookfield Hall, Westhoughton in aid of Wigan Samaritans. Tickets £10. For tickets call 07580 832800. - Walsingham Trip Easter 2025.
Anyone interested in going to Walsingham with the XII Apostles group at Easter 2025, please contact Therese Thompson on 07780064502 ot Jessica Sanderson on 07540797574. - Holy Family Tea and Coffee after Mass:
The next tea and coffee will be on Sunday 16th February after the 9.30am Mass. There will also be delicious cakes to buy and a raffle. All proceeds from these will go to Cafod.
Please come along. All are welcome. - Please also refer to the Events page and individual newsletter pages for more social activities in the area.
Mass Times In The Area
Below are the normal mass times for the churches in the area, but please check the newsletters for any changes which may occur during certain periods, e.g. funerals, holidays, feast days.
St Edmund Arrowsmith
Mass times for St Joseph's, Leigh and Sacred Heart, Leigh
Day | Time | Church |
Saturday (Vigil) | 4.30 pm | St Joseph's |
Sunday | 9.30 am | St Joseph's |
11.00 am | Sacred Heart | |
Monday | ~ | ~ |
Tuesday | 12 noon | Sacred Heart |
Wednesday | 12 noon | St Joseph's |
Thursday | 10.00 am | Sacred Heart |
Friday | 9.30 am | St Joseph's |
Other Services:
Saturday 3.45 - 4.15 pm Sacrament of Reconciliation
St John Rigby
Mass times for St Richard's, Atherton and Sacred Heart, Hindley Green
Day | Time | Church |
Saturday (Vigil) | 5.00 pm | Sacred Heart |
Sunday | 9.30 am | St Richard's |
11.00 am | Sacred Heart | |
Monday | 10.30 am | Sacred Heart |
Tuesday | 10.30 am | St Richard's |
Wednesday | 10.30 am | Sacred Heart |
Thursday | 10.30 am | St Richard's |
Friday | ~ | ~ |
St Margaret Clitherow
Mass times for Holy Family, Boothstown, St Ambrose Barlow, Astley and St Gabriel's community, Higher Folds
Day | Time | Church |
Saturday (Vigil Mass) |
10.00 am 6.00 pm |
Holy Family St Ambrose Barlow |
Sunday | 9.30 am | Holy Family |
11.00 am | St Ambrose Barlow | |
Monday | ~ | ~ |
Tuesday | 9.15 am | St Ambrose Barlow |
Wednesday | 7.00pm | Holy Family |
Thursday | 10.00 am | Holy Family |
Friday | 10.00 am | St Gabriel's School |
All Saints and St. Lewis
Mass times for St Catherine of Siena and All Saints, Golborne and St Lewis, Croft
Day | Time | Church |
Saturday (Vigil) | 5.00 pm | All Saints |
Sunday | 9.00 am | St Lewis |
10.30 am | All Saints | |
Monday | ~ | ~ |
Tuesday | 10.00 am | St Lewis |
Wednesday | 9.30 am | All Saints |
Thursday | 10.00 am | St Lewis |
Friday | 9.30 am | All Saints |
Other Services:
Wednesday 10.00am - 11.00am, All Saints - Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Saturday 4.30pm, All Saints - Sacrament of Reconciliation
Jubilee Prayer
The official Prayer allows pilgrims from all over the world to use the same words to express
gratitude to God for the Jubilee experience and request the grace of forgiveness.
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Ukraine
Pope Francis
Pope Francis gave us this invitation.... ‘let us persevere in our closeness and in prayer for the dear Ukrainian people who are experiencing immense cruelty’
A Prayer for Ukraine
Loving God,
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid,
that you will be close to them and protect them.
We pray for world leaders,
for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.
We pray for the world
that in this moment of crisis,
we may reach out in solidarity
to our brothers and sisters in need.
May we walk in your ways
so that peace and justice
become a reality for the people of Ukraine
and for all the world.
Amen.
(From the CAFOD website. Link opens in new tab.)
Prayer for Peace
Today is the 58th World Day of Prayer for Peace.
The theme chosen by Pope Francis this year:
Forgive us our trespasses…grant us your peace
In a world hungry for revenge and where ‘sorry’ really does seem to be the hardest word, Pope Francis has boldly chosen ‘forgiveness’ as the central theme for World Peace Day 2025. This is in stark contrast to the calls for ‘revenge’ and ‘an eye for an eye’ that are currently played on repeat by our politicians and amplified by the media.
Do we really have the faith to believe that when we choose to forgive then God will grant us peace?
The Pope informs us that it is only from a genuine conversion on all levels - personal, local and international - that true peace will be
able to flourish.
CAFOD News
CAFOD WORLD GIFTS:
A range of virtual charity gifts that help transform the lives of families and communities living in poverty. When you choose a gift, you support the area of work that the gift represents. Funds to support include Health, Water, Education and Emergencies. Click on the logo above to be taken to the World Gifts web page. (Opens in a new tab.)
CAFOD's Prayer for Peace in the Middle East (Opens in a new tab.)
Live Simply / Laudato Si
Reflect:
Today's Gospel of the Beatitudes considers the differences between what humankind often perceives to be success and what is important in the eyes of God.
Pray:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Act
This week we pray that we will learn to be people who define success by the values of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Encourage each other to be kind, generous, caring and considerate of others.
Challenge
In the spirit of Laudato Si:
- February brings an increase in activity in nature to remind us that warmer days are right around the corner. Why not take a moment in your garden or a local park to notice what you see, hear and feel?
- Now is the time to start planting seeds indoors for any vegetables you want to grow this year.
Children's Liturgy
St Richard's - Children's Liturgy takes place every Sunday at the 9.30am Mass.
Sacred Heart - Children's Liturgy takes place every Sunday at the 11.00am Mass.
St Ambrose Barlow – Is held once a month with a planned celebration on the first Sunday of every month. Next celebration is on Sunday 2nd February during the 11:00am mass.
Holy Family – We have a few volunteers but need several more to be able to run a rota in a similar way to St Ambrose. If you would like to volunteer, please speak to either Fr Paul or to Liz in the parish office as soon as possible.
Please note that all volunteers must complete a DBS form with the Archdiocese to comply with safeguarding which is paramount in all parish activities.
Celebrating the Sacraments
Baptism
Please contact your Parish Office to make an appointment to meet with the Priest or Deacon. Baptisms usually take place on Sundays.
Holy Communion
Children in Year 4 at Primary Schools are invited to make their First Communion during that year. Preparation for the Sacrament may take place in school or by attending a series of meetings with parents or guardians.
Reconciliation
Children in Year 5 or 6 will be invited to make their First Act of Reconciliation (Confession). For continuing celebration of the sacrament, please refer to your local church. Quite often Reconciliation is available before Mass or by contacting the priest to make an appointment.
Confirmation
Preparation for this sacrament is usually arranged through the Archdiocesan Youth Ministry Team ' Animate' for young people in Year 8 or older who attend Catholic Secondary Schools.
Congratulations to all the young people in the area who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation recently. May your lives be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Marriage
If you would like to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage, please contact your Parish Priest either directly or through the Parish Office to discuss. He will provide you with the necessary paperwork. Please remember to make arrangements well in advance.
Anointing the Sick
If you would like your Parish Priest to visit a family member who is sick and housebound, please speak to him or contact the Parish Office and a visit will be arranged.
Message from the Archbishop
Jack Traynor
Following the announcement in December of the miraculous cure of John (Jack) Traynor, the Archdiocese of Liverpool will be celebrating this historic moment with Mass followed by a drink’s reception at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King on Tuesday 18th February at 7pm. All are very welcome to attend. More information and a booking form will follow.
For more info
Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP, has officially declared the case of John (Jack) Traynor as a miracle. Jack was a pilgrim on the archdiocese's first official pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1923 and was cured dramatically of epilepsy, paralysis of the right arm and paraplegia during the pilgrimage. Arc hbishop Malcolm said: “Given the weight of medical evidence, the testimony to the faith of John Traynor and his devotion to Our Blessed Lady, it is with great joy that I declare that the cure of John Traynor, from multiple serious medical conditions, is to be recognised as a miracle wrought by the power of God through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes.” (Dec 2024)
Fr Paul
For 9 years Fr Paul has been your parish priest in St Margaret Clitherow parish. In that time he has steered the parish through some challenging situations. He is without doubt one of our most gifted priests.
In the light of this I have asked him to go to Wigan to be the parish priest of the 3 church community of St William’s. This is made up of St Mary’s, St John’s and St Patrick’s churches. This community needs to be led very sensitively and I am sure that Fr Paul is the right man for this.
I know this will come as a shock to you.
I am delighted to be able to say that I am sending a priest to be your parish priest, Fr Francis Agada. He is a missionary of St Paul (MSP). He has been in Kirkby for the last two years. He is full of life and energy and so will be able to carry on where Fr Paul is leaving off.
These changes will take place in the early part of January 2025. Please keep me and all our priests in your prayers as we keep you in ours.
Archbishop Malcolm