Parish Priest - Fr Pat Fr Pat's website with current notices

Our Lady & St Edward's Webmaster OLSE Parish Web Pages

Deacon Peter Williams

March 2008

Dedicated to the People of the Parish and their Activities

Easter Season

On this page:

Bible Study Wednesdays 9.45-10.30 am in the Parish Centre
St Paul's 'Epistle to the Romans' - Thought for the week, from Chapter 12,
'...though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ,
and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body.
So we are to use our gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us.''

Bible Study : next meeting Wed 30th April

 

Forthcoming Events

Thursday 1st May Ascension Day

Sunday 11th May Whitsunday

Sunday 11th May to Saturday 17th May Parish Holiday to Lake Garda

Sunday 18th May Trinity Sunday and "Sunshine Walk"

Thursday 22nd May Corpus Christi

Sunday 22nd June Malham Walk

Sunday 29th June Walking Group Social Evening

News in Brief

Carbon Footprints
The bill on the reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is currently on its way through Parliament. The Catholic Press reports that more than 260 members of religious orders are to lobby the House of Commons to urge a greater reduction than that proposed, namely not 60% by 2050 but at least 80% over the same period. The members, who represent 40 different orders would also like to see Britain's share in emissions through aviation and shipping to be included in the calculations. Sr Pat Robb of the Congregation of Jesus said , "We are desperate for Christians to take reponsibility for the damage being done to God's beautiful Creation, which is also hurting the poor." Sr Nuala Motley of the Presentation Sisters in Manchester pointed out the link to their work on sustainable living currenlty being studied by her Order in England and Ireland. Among other groups involved in these movements are the De La Salle brothers, Bishop Pat Lynch of Southwark diocese, Cafod, Worth Abbey and many more, some travelling from as far away as Newcastle.

Sunday 21 April Parish Walk to Hornby and the Lune Valley
(photo album in preparation)

Wednesday 19th March Passover Supper
This event was once again a great success. Without raising the cost, even though numbers were slightly down on last year, we were able to give £125 to Kalomo. Photos from this year's celebration, voted by those attending as a great start for the services of Holy Week, are now available under Seasons - see Passover . As Passover recalled the sacrifice of the Paschal lamb the main meal is a lamb dinner, but all the other parts of the meal are explained and illustrated here. Don't forget to book early next year - the limit is necessarily about 50!

Friday 7 March Fr Bernard Woods, former Parish Priest of Our Lady's, celebrated the 40th Anniversary of his Ordination with Mass at 7.00 pm at St Cuthbert's, Blackpool and a gathering in the parish club afterwards. About 60 of our parishioners joined a large crowd of St Cuthbert's parishioners for this event. During the week the primary school presented a 'This is Your Life' feature which included photos of events in which Fr Bernard was involved over the 12 years that he served our Fulwood parish. A photo album is now available for this event. Many of the photos used in Blackpool can still be seen on these web pages, from the liturgy, especially children's liturgy to parish walks, from ecumenical trips to the Passover, from the smallest children to the Youth Group, and the elderly.

Congratulations to Graham Cookson and Bernard Jones
who received Silver Medals from the Guild of St Stephen after Christmas for ten years service on the altar

An Easter Egg for St Walburge's!
It has been announced - 13th March - that English Heritage have awarded a grant £134,000 to help with the maintenance of this important and historic building. It's of course much more than that for the Catholic people of Preston and Lancashire, a powerful symbol of their faith.

World Youth Day 7-23 July 2008 in Sydney, Australia
15 Young People of the Diocese who will represent the Diocese of Lancaster will be joining some 500,000 young people from around the world!
At the moment they are busy fundraising with 'hotpot dinners, bag packing, bingo nights, jumping out of planes..'. but have not neglected the spiritual side, attending a Retreat at Ushaw alongside young people from the Leeds Diocese. Actually the final numbers are guesswork and could well be more as the 'guest star' this year is the Pope himself! More on the Diocesan Youth website.

St Anthony's website is not available at present - information needed! BUT
Folk Dancing sessions are held there every Tuesday except during August, 7.30 pm - 10 pm PLUS
St Patrick's Eve Ceili 16 Mar 8 pm-midnight

Ordination Fr Michael Campbell OSA will be ordained Bishop in the Cathedral on Monday 31st March.

St Clare's and English Martyrs are both appealing to their parishioners to write to their MPs about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill now passing through Parliament, and to protest about the proposed experiments in cloning. (See Links)
English Martyrs are also trying to start a new YCW group in Preston for the 18-30 aged group. Do contact them if you are interested.
St Andrew's, Cottam have arranged a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in May, which will be led by Fr Adrian Towers.

Holidays 2008

May Parish Holiday to Lake Garda, Italy

October Parish Holiday to Weymouth

Photo Albums

Saturday 8 September 2007 Churches Together - Pilgrimage to Saltaire & Pudsey
The September walk, the following day, was unfortunately too wet for taking photos.

Sunday 14 October 2007 Parish Walk - Bolton Abbey and the Valley of Desolation

Sunday 25 November 2007 Parish Walk - Around Rivington
Sunday 27 December 2007 Parish Walk - Around Grasmere - enjoyable despite the rain but also too wet for photos!

Sunday 3 February 2008 Parish Walk - Hoghton to Witton Park

Cards and books are available from the back of church. Many thanks to Mandy! Mary managed the bookstall at the back of church for many years but retired at Christmas, 2005. This is a vital resource for the parish - please support it as much as you can See the Bookstall page.

News - Home and Abroad - 'Reverencing the Earth'
Don't just give up a few chocolates for Lent -
the latest discussions in Rome and England should spark some ideas!

It was reported recently that there is a lot of discarded waste floating around in the Pacific, which, if it gathers together, would be equal to the size of America....	Church circles in Rome are buzzing with environmental issues. Many religious communities are now having discussions and attending lectures on how to be good stewards of the earth. The Diocese of Westminster is asking, Who is my neighbour? and talking about giving practical help, for example, to migrants. Abstinence = Switching off an unnecessary light	Back home, an alliance of Catholic organisations passed a resolution last week at their Conference of Religious in Swanwick to unite with Cafod, the Justice and Peace movement and the Integrity of Creation network in a campaign to persuade the Government to introduce tougher targets on reducing carbon emissions.	The subject of carbon emissions is due to be debated in Parliament after Easter. We have just 20 years to reduce our emissions, said Sean McDonagh, the Columban keynote speaker at Swanwick, before we reach a point where the situation is irreversible!
		A 'Carbon Fast' has been proposed by the Anglican Bishops of Liverpool and London. "It is the poor who are already suffering the effects of climate change. To carry on regardless is to fly in the face of Christian teaching."

St Francis de Sales: "Everyone should pray for half an hour each day, except when they are very busy.
Then they should pray for an hour."

Reminder - Prayer and Meditation
Do you find it difficult to pray, to be quiet and relaxed, to keep focused, even if only for a few moments?
Save one or two of these pages and try them out... Also includes a Visit to Fernyhalgh and links to other sites)

Forthcoming Events	Tabor School of Prayer Sharoe Green Lane Regular Courses and Talks or just drop in for a visit
See our porch notice board

REMINDERS Peace and Justice Information and links, inspired by the Lancaster FAITH & JUSTICE COMMISSION Catholic History in the Fylde

	Regular Notices
Wednesdays 9.45 - 10.30 am 2008 Bible Study St Paul to the Romans	Mondays 1.00pm - 2.45pm Mother & Toddler Group Parish Centre	The Sacramental Programme for 2008 has now begun	Wednesdays 7.00 - 9.00 pm Youth Group (Yrs 8-10)
Fridays 12.30rm-time Mass in the school chapel, Our Lady's High School All parishioners welcome	THE SACRAMENTS Baptism, Reconciliation, Communion and Confirmation		Bookshop Mandy has lots of books, cards and children's books, many new ones, suitable for the present season
New Readers in church are always welcome	1st 3 Sundays of every month Youth Forum 7 - 9 pm at Ladywell : Prayer - Faith - Friendship - Life Details - contact Fr Philip Conner on 725193		See Children's Liturgy for many mimes, readings etc
Can't find the page you want? Use the site map.	Fair Trade Pledge a chance to contribute to a Better Deal for the Third World The Parish has taken a pledge to do its best on all Parish occasions to use only Fairtrade tea and coffee and other products		Parish Council Representing the People of the Parish

Information needed on many activities - e.g. the Impact group, the young snooker players and the youth group