3rd Sunday of Lent (A)

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, March 8th - 2nd Sunday in Lent (A)

Monday March 9th - St Frances of Rome, Religious

Tuesday, March 10th - Weekday of Lent

Wednesday, March 11th - Weekday of Lent

Thursday, March 12th - Weekday of Lent

Friday, March 13th - Weekday of Lent

Saturday, March 14th - Weekday of Lent

Sunday, March 15th - 4th Sunday in Lent (A)

Sunday Readings

Third Sunday in Lent (A)

First Reading – Exod 17:3-7
Give us water to drink.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 94:1-2, 6-9
O that today you would listen to his voice:
'Harden not your hearts.'

Second Reading – Rom 5:1-2, 5-8
The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.

Gospel Reading –  John 4:5-42
A spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Psalter: Week 3
Weekdays:  Week 3 in Lent

Lent 2026

Stations of the Cross:

During Lent we will have several opportunities to take part in this devotion each week:

Monday - 

Tuesdays - Sacred Heat, Leigh: 12.30pm

Wednesdays  - Holy Family Church: 6.30 pm led by Parishioners.

Fridays - Sacred Heart, Hindley Green: 6.00pm; 
                St Richard's, Atherton: 7.00pm;
                St Ambrose Barlow Church: 7.00pm, led by Deacon Bob

Online Stations:

The Stations of the Cross at St Lewis's

The Stations of the Cross at St Catherine of Siena and All Saints

The Stations of the Cross with Cardinal Vincent Nichols

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.)

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.

Prayers

A selection of prayers covering various subjects. Each prayer opens on a new page.

Powerful Words from Pope Leo XIV

Prayer for Peace

Ukraine

Jubilee Prayer

The Rosary

Season of Creation Prayer

Remembrance Sunday

Links to prayer based websites:

Pray As You Go

Sacred Space

Universalis

Wellsprings - this site hasn't been updated for sometime, but the content has a useful selection of prayers.

CAFOD News

FAMILY FAST DAY
Friday 27th February. By fasting and giving what you save, you join in Christ’s compassion and help another family put food on the table.
Pick up an envelope in Church and return it next weekend or donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope

CAFOD: Response in Gaza
Your donations to Gaza since the start of the conflict have been a vital lifeline. Right now, CAFOD's partner, Caritas Jerusalem, is delivering essential medical treatment to displaced people and providing medicines to treat chronic illnesses. We have helped 1,400 households with cash to buy supplies in the last month and we are currently feeding 2,000 people with new stocks of flour and rice. Despite the restrictions on aid coming into Gaza, CAFOD's local partners are working tirelessly to help people. And with your ongoing support, they will do all in their  power to keep doing so. You can find out more about how you can make a difference in Gaza at cafod.org.uk. Thank you for backing our work through holding collections for our Family Fast Day appeals and for continuing to pray for peace in the Middle East.

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. Any young person who is in year 8 or above, have made their First Holy Communion and would like to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation can register for Sacramental preparation at www.liverpoolcalled.co.uk/confirmation. The website for registration is open and will close on 13th February

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.

Read more: Celebrating the Sacraments

News Bites

• THE POPE'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH 2026:
  For disarmament and peace
  Let us pray that nations move towards effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.

Please also refer to the Events page and individual newsletter pages for more social activities in the area.

Please refer to St John Rigby's Newsletter for information regarding St Richard's One Hundred Years Celebration and
Important news regarding Sacred Heart Church, Hindsford

• Deacon Bernard Worden R.I.P. and Deacon Dennis Vint R.I.P.
  I heard the sad news last Sunday morning that Deacon Bernard had died. On Thursday morning I received further sad news that Deacon Dennis had died.
  These two men served God and the people of this parish with such dedication, deep faith, and warm and friendly personalities. We were blessed as a Parish to have Bernard and Dennis as our deacons. Please pray for their families. May Bernard and Dennis rest in God’s peace and love, as they now enter paradise surrounded by all their loved ones who gone before them. Fr Kieran
• Chrism Mass
  The Chrism Mass is on the 1st April this year in the Cathedral. Various coaches are leaving from local churches. Please check details on the lists at the back of churches.If you would like to go please print your name and contact details on the form at the back of churches
• The Irenaeus: Pilgrimage through Lent
  The Irenaeus Centre would like to invite you to a series of Lenten Evenings held on Tuesdays at 7pm on the following dates: 3, 10, 17, 24 March. For more information and Zoom links please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Parish Development Strategy:
  It has been announced about the beginning of the Parish Development Strategy in our Deanery. This means that we will be taking a close look at all the parish communities in the deanery. In our parish (St Margaret Clitherow) I have asked a number of parishioners to help in these early stages by joining a ‘Steering Group. Over the coming months we will prepare some ideas for the future. Changes are inevitable over the next couple of years, so let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will give us all some guidance.
• S. P. U. C. White Flower Appeal
  There will be a second collection at both Holy Family and St Ambrose Barlow Masses on the weekend of 14th - 15th March in support of the tireless efforts of SPUC to uphold the sanctity of life at every stage. Please remember them in your prayers and give generously. Thank you.
• Garden Rescue at Holy Family:
  Grateful thanks to the parishioners who keep the grounds at Holy Family as attractive as they are. There is however, more to be done to smarten things up before our Easter celebrations. Could you spare a couple of hours on Saturday 14th March at 11.00am to help with some  tidying up? Please bring your own tools. E.g. Gloves, secateurs, trowel, hand fork, loppers, shears etc.
• Ladies Group
  Ladies, in future our meetings will be every SECOND Thursday of the month. Our next get together will be Thursday 12th March in St Ambrose Barlow Church Hall.
• St Ambrose Barlow Guides
   We are having a Bag2school clothing collection on 12th March. If you have any old clothes, footwear, bags, belts, shoes, towels, bedding sets these would be most welcome. We hold two of these collections per year which helps to boost our unit funds. (Chance for you to have a spring clean too). Bags can be dropped off in the porch at the back of St Ambrose Barlow church for the next two Sundays or please drop on Thursday evenings in St Ambrose church hall between 7 and 9pm. If you are unable to drop off, for collection of bags please contact Delia on 07753 929476, Thank you.
• Holy Family Mothers Day Cafe:
  Sunday 15th March. Please come along to the hall after the 9.30am mass, along with the usual tea and toast there will be extra special free treats for everyone. All Welcome
• Confession and Exposition
  From Wednesday 11th March, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed between 6-7pm each Wednesday at St Richards Church (until further notice), with the opportunity for confession available during the hour.
• Archbishop John's Pastoral Letter 14th / 15th February
• The Annual World Day of Prayer - 6th March 2026
  Two Services will held this year at Christ Church Pennington, 12.00pm and 7.00pm. It has been prepared by the Christian women of Nigeria. All are very welcome!
• Family Walk during Lent : 
  At the last Parish Council meeting of St Margaret Clitherow parish, it was discussed having a family walk during Lent. This will take place after the 11am Saturday morning mass at  Holy Family Church and will be for about an hour. We would then have tea and coffee in the Parish Hall. Everybody is welcome.

• Read more: News Bites

Live Simply / Laudato Si

Reflect:
The encounter between Jesus and the Woman of Samaria teaches his disciples that God’s mercy is without limit - even to those who are outcast or are not of the Jewish nation.

Act:
Today's Gospel reading reminds us of our Baptism - we are called by God to share the Good News of Jesus' redemption. How do we do this on a daily basis? 
Jesus saw the Samaritan Woman just as she was and yet he still chose to interact with her. He longs for her to become the person she was created to be. During Lent we have the chance to become who we truly are by embracing the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
   
Pray:

Challenge

In the spirit of Laudato Si:

• We are shown the importance of water in a theological sense in today's Gospel. Many people throughout the world suffer from a shortage of water. This week use the water which we have such easy access to wisely and without waste.
• Friday's Family Fast Day gave us a chance to affect the lives of others through our self-denial. Please ensure you give generously to the Family Fast Day collection
• Take the opportunities offered by your Lenten practices to conserve and recycle the things you use.
• As the earth starts to warm up after the winter, sow  seeds in trays and keep them in a warm place to germinate.
• Now is a good time to collect rainwater in water butts for use during the drier months.
• The earth is coming back to life as Spring approaches. Take time to seek out, rejoice and give thanks for all that you see.
• In the turmoil that exists in our world today, commit to bringing peace into the world by creating small acts of peace in your own life
• Can you commit to the Big Lent Walk and raise funds for life saving water in areas of the world where such a luxury is scarce.?
• Check your insulation is sufficient during this cold spell ensuring that heat is not wasted.
• Now is the time to recycle!! Don't just throw stuff away, but look at how it may be repurposed, regifted. Find out where cards and trees can be recycled, rather than them becoming part of a land fill site.

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 – Children's Liturgy recommences on Sunday September 13th during the 11.00am Mass

St Edmund Arrowsmith Churches - Little Church/Children’s Liturgy will return at all three Masses of St Edmund Arrowsmith Churches on the weekend of 7/8th September.

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 Francis 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.

Tea and Coffee

• HOLY FAMILY TEA AND COFFEE
  Tea and Coffee will be served next Sunday 1st February. All welcome.
• Holy Family Mothers Day Cafe:
  Sunday 15th March. Please come along to the hall after the 9.30am mass, along with the usual tea and toast there will be extra special free treats for everyone. All Welcome
• SACRED HEART, LEIGH TEA & COFFEE
  Tea & Coffee will be served after the 11.00am Mass next Sunday 25th January. All are welcome.
  
• ST RICHARD'S
  Special Coffee Morning 
  11 January 2026 – Coffee and tea will be served after Mass on Sunday at St Richards parish centre. In aid of pancreatic cancer charities.
• ST AMBROSE BARLOW TEA & COFFEE
  Tea, coffee and toast are served in the hall each Sunday after the 11.00am Mass. Take this opportunity to get to know your fellow parishioners!
  Tea and coffee are also served after the 9.15 Mass on a Tuesday mornng.