Information

1st September – 4th October 2025

Christ, the Ruler of All, is still in the boat with us. He calls us not to fear, but to trust, to pray, and to care - for creation and for one another.

The tenth World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, celebrated on 1st September 2025, is the official start of the Season of Creation, a time of sustained prayer and action which lasts a month and four days. During this season we are encouraged to pray and engage in community events in order to deepen our relationship with God, our neighbour and the earth we share, being ever more attentive to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.

The theme of Pope Leo XIV’s message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is ‘Seeds of Peace and Hope‘.

The Papal Message can be read at https://www.cbcew.org.uk/care-of-creation-2025-papal-message/

The Catholic Bishops' Conference for England and Wales and the Lead Bishop for the Environment, Bishop John Arnold, has called for Catholics to take action to address our environmental crises.
https://www.cbcew.org.uk/bishops-message-for-season-of-creation-2025/

Season of Creation Prayer

Season of Creation 2024

About this year's symbol:

Foundation Governors

We are looking to fill four positions for Foundation Governors at three of our Primary Schools. Two are required at St Joseph’s School, one at Sacred Heart School Leigh and one at Twelve Apostles School.

To become a Foundation Governor you must be a practicing Catholic, with an interest in working alongside other governors, the Headteacher and staff, for the good of our young children.

For more information, please contact:
St Joseph’s School: 01942 606395
Sacred Heart School: 01942 674226
Twelve Apostles School: 01942 674312

or speak to Fr. Kieran after Mass or the chair of governors for each school:
Mr Phil Heaton: St Joseph’s
Mrs Kathyrn Perry: Sacred Heart
Mrs Paula Crawley: XII Apostles

Foundation Governor – Sacred Heart Primary School (Hindley Green)
A vacancy has arisen for a Foundation Governor at Sacred Heart School. Foundation Governor need to be practising Catholics, usually from within the parish. The role will involve meetings throughout the year and involvement in the life of the school. If you are interested or would like to chat about the role, please let me know either after Mass or via email. Fr Carl

St John Rigby College – (Wigan) - Governor Vacancies
Would you be interested in contributing to the leadership of St John Rigby Catholic sixth form College in Wigan, by joining the Governing body? Further information about this role can be obtained by contacting the college via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone on 01942 214797.

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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 10th February 2025.

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

Season of Creation

'....as we approach the end of this Pope-given season ... we need to carry our pro-active concern beyond the 4th of October. Care of this gift should become part of our way of life, a constant and on-going part of our decision-making. I am not talking about ‘saving the planet’. The planet will look after itself one way or another. What I am talking about is valuing a gift from a loving and generous God.
We unite in celebrating creation in every Mass, knowing that Our Lord takes what we offer and transforms it into His New Creation, the Bread of Life.'

The Rt Rev Paul Swarbrick
Bishop of Lancaster

Join others in preparing for the season by reading the Season of Creation Prayer Card

Read the Message from Pope Francis for today's Day of Prayer for Creation

The Church needs your support. If you help pleasen bring your donation to Church when we are open, or you can put your offering through the letterbox at Sacred Heart, (Leigh) St Joseph’s, Holy Family or St Richard's (Please remember to put your Gift Aid number on the envelope if you are signed up for Gift Aid), or you may want to set up a standing order, the bank details are as follows:

HSBC 99-101 Lord St, Liverpool, L2 6PG sort code 40-29-12 account No. 51545205.

Online giving website:
The Archdiocesan online giving website is now ready to be used and can receive both one-off and regular monthly donations. Each parish has its own unique link on the website and a church photograph is shown to provide additional reassurance to donors that they are donating to their parish. All donations will go to the parish selected by the donor. There is a Gift Aid option. Please visit this page: https://donate.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/
There is a detailed guide on how to donate on the website. If any parishioners would like support with this, please contact. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with name and telephone number and we will endeavour to call to assist as quickly as possible.

The links for the various parishes are:

St Margaret Clitherow : https://donate.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/st-margaret-clitherow-boothstown
St John Rigby : https://donate.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/st-john-rigby-atherton
St Edmund Arrowsmith’s: https://donate.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/st-edmund-arrowsmith-leigh

Making an offering to the parish by text message:

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:

Sacrament of Reconciliation: The first Saturday of the month. It normally begins at 11.00am and concludes at 11.50am. Adoration takes place during this time and Mass is celebrated at midday. However, in May because of First Holy Communions it will be celebrated on the 10^th May and will begin at 10.00am with Mass at 11.00.

St John Rigby

St Margaret Clitherow

All Saints and St. Lewis

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child or adult at risk, do not delay in contacting the police, using 999 if a child or adult is believed to be in immediate danger.

It is the policy of the Catholic Church in England and Wales to report all allegations of abuse to statutory authorities, regardless of whether the abuse occurred recently or in the past, or whether the accused person is living or deceased.

If you are in any role within the Catholic Church in England and Wales, you must refer allegations directly to the safeguarding office for your diocese or religious congregation, or directly to the Police.

If you are a member of the public, please refer allegations directly to the police and also to the safeguarding office in your diocese; (the relevant Diocesan safeguarding office can be located using the interactive map on the links page of the CSAS website www.csas.uk.net - contact details will be shown when you click on the relevant area of the map). You can also contact CSAS by telephoning 0207 901 1920 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Liverpool Archdiocesan Safeguarding Office offer free and accessible online training which can be undertaken on your own personal computer.

To access the training follow these steps:

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register your interest.

Your email should contain your name, email address, the name of the parish and your role in the parish; if you don’t have a specific role just state ‘Other (parishioner)’.

Wigan is the Local Authority for schools in the area.

The Archdiocese of Liverpool Education Department supports Catholic schools in their provision of a quality education with an emphasis on personal, spiritual and moral formation as well as on academic progress.

Secondary School and Sixth Form College

We are lucky to have a Catholic High School and 6th Form in the area. St Mary's is a well regarded school and takes pride in its efforts to nurture, support and encourage all pupils who attend.

St Mary's Catholic High School and Sixth Form College

Primary Schools

Our Secondary School is partnered with the Catholic Primary Schools in the Leigh area:

At the beginning of Advent 2021, in a reorganisation of the Archdiocese, Leigh Deanery was merged with churches in the Wigan area to form Wigan and Leigh Deanery. It covers not just Wigan and Leigh but also many of the smaller villages and towns surrounding the towns. Deanery priests meet no less than eight times a year and at least twice a year with the Deacons of the Deanery. Fr Gordon Abbs was appointed Dean in Advent 2021. His term of office runs until 29^th Feb 2024.

View the Pastoral Letter regarding Families of Parishes for Wigan and Leigh Deanery.

For a full list of churches in the new deanery please click here.

The churches in the Leigh area are part of the Wigan and Leigh Deanery. This in turn is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. You can find more information about the Archdiocese by following this link:

https://www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/

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.

This year's Confirmation Celebration will take place on December 4th at St Joseph's, Leigh and will involve the parishes in the Leigh area. Please check your parish notices for further information regarding preparation for this sacrament.

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.

Season of Creation

Foundation Governors

Foundation Governors

Message from the Archbishop

Season of Creation 2024

Supporting the Church Financially

Mass Times In The Area

St Edmund Arrowsmith

St John Rigby

St Margaret Clitherow

All Saints and St. Lewis

Reporting Abuse

Safeguarding

Schools in the Leigh area

Secondary School and Sixth Form College

Primary Schools

Astley

Atherton

Boothstown

Croft

Golborne

Higher Folds

Hindley Green

Hindsford

Leigh

Lowton

Westleigh

Wigan and Leigh Deanery

Archdiocese of Liverpool

Celebrating the Sacraments

Baptism

Holy Communion

Reconciliation

Confirmation

Marriage

Anointing the Sick

Contacts