St Mary's Parish Horwich
Weekly Newsletter
Sunday 7th June (Trinity Sunday)
Message from Fr Richard
Today is the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. They used to say that no preacher likes having to explain the doctrine of the Trinity because its so complicated. But the Trinity is not complicated to explain, it’s just hard to comprehend. Put simply, as Christians we believe in One God who is three Persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). But spelling it out like that is just the beginning. It takes a lifetime of journeying in faith to comprehend what this means and we will never fully comprehend it in this life. That’s because the Trinity is a mystery of our faith. A ‘mystery’ is not a problem to solve however, but a great Truth that surrounds us, like swimming in a great ocean. We do however progress in knowledge of God by trying to follow the commandments that Jesus gave us: to love him and to love each other as he has loved us. The key to knowing God is following Jesus Christ, even to the Cross. It’s at the Cross that the doctrine of the Trinity is revealed in all its glory because here the Son in fullness of love and obedience offers himself to the Father revealing the unity of their communion which is the fullness of divine love revealed (the Holy Spirit).
Liturgy this week
Fr Richard will continue to celebrate Mass privately in church this week. These Masses are live-streamed. This is available on YouTube where we have our own Parish channel: ‘St Mary's RC Horwich’. Click on the following link to access this: St Marys YouTube channel
The timetable for the week is as follows:
Tuesday 9th – 10am Mass
Wednesday 10th– 10am Mass
Thursday 11th – 10am Mass (St Barnabas Apostle)
Friday 12th – 10am Mass
Note - Mass on Saturday morning will not be live-streamed. However, there will be two live-streamed Sunday Masses:
Sunday (Corpus Christi) – 6:30pm (Saturday Vigil) & 10:30am Sunday morning
Fr Richard is still accepting Mass Intentions. Simply put them in an envelope in the normal way and post them through the Presbytery door.
Prayer List
Please remember in your prayers this week:
Our sick and housebound: Sheila Rudd, Stephen Tootill, Evelyn Smith and Vivienne Dickinson.
Lately Dead: Eamon Lynch.
Please also pray for all NHS staff, chaplains and those working to care for the sick and all those affected by the coronavirus. Pray also for those who have recently lost loved ones and have been unable to have a Requiem Mass in church because of the restrictions imposed on church liturgy.
Parish Secretary Our Secretary returns to work this week (still working from home). Answerphone messages can be left for her by calling (01204) 468209 (select option 1), or Email: secretary.stmaryshorwich@gmail.com For all other communications and questions please call the same number (468209) and select Option 2 to speak with Fr Richard.
Fr Richard's email address is: richard.howard@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Planning for Church Re-opening
We hope that the church will re-open in the coming weeks for private prayer. It is therefore sensible to plan on gathering a team of volunteers to act as stewards and cleaners who can make the church ‘COVID 19 secure’ when it does re-open. We will need to be careful about this, so if you are under 70 and not in a ‘vulnerable’ category and would like to volunteer for this role, then please email Fr Richard with your name and contact details for more information.
Prayer Resource - Lord's Day at Home
If you would like to say the prayers along with the livestream of Mass, the Lord's Day at Home resource can help you. You can find the Lord's Day at Home resource for Trinity Sunday by clicking here.
Hope in the Future Prayer Cycle
There were a number of small mistakes in the Hope in the Future Prayer Cycle distributed earlier this year. The corrected Hope in the Future Prayer cycle can be found by clicking here.
Message from CAFOD
The Parish recently received a letter from Michael Oakford at CAFOD, thanking everyone at St Mary’s Parish for our recent donation of £899.98, which included the money raised for Family Fast Day and some smaller individual donations. Michael writes: “Your Lent donations mean that we can stand by communities in the long run and…we can be there when an emergency strikes and reach people in urgent need.” Thanks for your generosity.
Bolton Destitution Project
The Destitution Project (DP), based in Bolton, which Churches Together in Horwich and Rivington recently supported with £1000 donation, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The Destitution Project provides a safe environment, where asylum seekers and refugees can find friendship, food and practical help. The Destitution Project thanked Bolton Council for Voluntary Service for its nomination and for all its support in helping it to grow and develop. Representatives of The Destitution Project will receive the award from Sir Warren Smith KCVO KStJ JP, Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, later this summer. Furthermore, two volunteers from the Project will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Sunday Collection
Because the Parish survives on the generosity of our parishioners, you are invited to set aside the amount you would normally give each week (using offertory envelopes if you have them) and save them up until Sunday Mass resumes. Alternatively, you may put your offertory through the Presbytery door, in your normal offertory envelopes, or in any kind of envelope if you don't use offertory envelopes. This can of course be done anonymously; simply write 'Sunday Collection' on the front. Thanks again to those who have posted financial offerings through the Presbytery door. This is much appreciated.
Online Giving to the Parish
In light of the ongoing situation, the Diocese is making it easier for anybody to make a financial donation to our Parish. If you would like to do this at home and you have access to the internet, simply click on the following link: https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/supporting-your-parish-financially/ This will take you to the Diocesan website which gives instructions on how to set up a Standing Order or make an online donation to St Mary’s Parish.
Mass for the forthcoming Sunday (Corpus Christi)
If you would like to prepare for next Sunday by meditating on the Scripture readings, but cannot get a Mass sheet, the texts are:
First Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16
Responsorial Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Gospel: John 6:51-58
To view the daily and Sunday Mass Readings for up to a week in advance, go to: www.universalis.com
