Leigh Pastoral Area

Thursday, November 20, 2008

NATIONAL YOUTH SUNDAY

This coming Sunday - the Feast of Christ the King - is National Youth Sunday.  This year’s theme is “Reclaim the Futureâ€?. It continues the LiveSimply message of recent years by inviting us to think about how we can live sustainably in our communities. To Reclaim the Future means to look forward with hope and expectation, recognising the power we have to make a positive impact on our world. What we are able to do here and now makes a difference to the way the world is for future generations.

Brilliant God,
we celebrate your wonderful world
and we thank you for the gift of your creation.
On this National Youth Sunday
inspire us, we pray,
to Reclaim the Future!
Help us to see how our actions today
will make a difference tomorrow,
and bring us together in faith
to make that difference a positive thing.
Amen.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

CONFIRMATION 2009

If you are in Year 10 at High School, or older, and would like to be confirmed next year, application forms will be made available in St Mary’s High School before the end of term. 

If you would like further details before then, please contact Fr Steve or Fr John if you live in the parishes of St Joseph’s, Our Lady of the Rosary, Twelve Apostles and Sacred Heart, Leigh;  or Fr Paul and Fr Dave if you live in the parishes of St Richard’s, Sacred Heart, Holy Family, St Ambrose Barlow and St Gabriel’s.  Contact details can be found under the ‘Information’ section on this website.

Silence

Silence with God…
we do not create it,
we never ‘achieve’ it,
we cannot possess it.
We simply enter it.
It is a gift.

Lord, calm my restless brain,
dissolve the knots of tension,
and touch my heart,
so that your peace may permeate my whole being
as gently as flowing water.

(from Angela Ashwin)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Congo: Bishops protest at ‘silent genocide’

The Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo have issued a “cry of grief and protest,” saying that they are “disturbed and overcome by the human tragedy in the east and northeast Democratic Republic of Congo.  The great massacres of the population, the planned extermination of the youth, the systematic robberies used as a weapon of war…a cruelty and exceptional violence is once again being unleashed upon the local people who only ask that they can live in a decent manner in their homeland. Who is willing to take interest in this situation?”

The Bishops criticise the UN peacekeeping force, saying that “the most deplorable fact is that the violence is taking place right before the eyes of those whose duty it is to maintain peace and protect the civilian population.”

In order for this conflict to come to an end, the Bishops ask that the national and international community increase humanitarian aid to the people in refugee camps; inviting the Congolese population to “a national alert to live as brothers and sisters in solidarity and national cohesion”; and ask the Congolese government to “exercise the functions of their power to protect the population and the borders,” and they invite the international community to “make a sincere commitment to respect international law.”

There will be a special collection in all the parishes of the Pastoral Area for CAFOD’s Congo Crisis Appeal on Sunday 30th November 2008.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Psalm 72

It is good for me to be with the Lord and to put my hope in him.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES 2008

CHRISTMAS EVE

6.00 pm St Gabriel’s & St Richard’s

6.30 pm Sacred Heart, Leigh

7.00 pm Twelve Apostles

9.30 pm St Richard’s

11.30 pm Holy Family & St Ambrose Barlow

Midnight Sacred Heart, Leigh

CHRISTMAS DAY

8.30 am St Joseph’s

9.00 am Holy Family

9.30 am St Richard’s

10.00 am Sacred Heart, Leigh

10.30 am St Joseph’s

11.00 am Holy Family, St Ambrose Barlow & Our Lady of the Rosary

LINKS

St Mary’s Catholic High School, Astley
http://www.st-maryshigh.wigan.sch.uk

Twelve Apostles Catholic Primary School, Westleigh
http://www.twelveapostles.wigan.sch.uk

Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Boothstown
http://www.boothstownholyfamily.wigan.sch.uk

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Leigh
http://www.leighsacredheart.wigan.sch.uk

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Hindsford
http://www.athertonsacredheart.wigan.sch.uk

St Ambrose Barlow Catholic Primary School, Astley
http://www.saintambrosebarlow.wigan.sch.uk

St Richard’s Catholic Primary School, Atherton
http://www.saintrichards.wigan.sch.uk

St Gabriel’s Catholic Primary School, Higher Folds
http://www.saintgabriels.wigan.sch.uk

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Leigh
http://www.saintjosephs.wigan.sch.uk

Archdiocese of Liverpool
http://www.archdiocese-of-liverpool.co.uk

Animate Youth
http://www.animateyouth.org

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
http://www.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk

Archdiocese of Liverpool - Prayer & Spirituality
http://www.irenaeus.co.uk

Archdiocese of Liverpool Vocations Office
http://www.liverpoolpriestvocations.co.uk

Catholic Church in England & Wales
http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk

CAFOD
http://www.cafod.org.uk

Searching, Exploring, Finding
http://www.life4seekers.co.uk

CASE: The Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation
http://www.caseresources.org

Home Is A Holy Place
http://www.homeisaholyplace.org.uk

Sacred Space - Daily Prayer Online
http://www.sacredspace.ie

Diocese of Salford
http://www.salforddiocese.org.uk

The Vatican
http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm

Mass Times in Leigh Pastoral Area

Holy Family, Boothstown
Sundays 9.00 & 11.00 am
Weekdays Wed 7.00 pm, Thu 10.00 am, Sat 10.00 am
Holydays 9.15 am & 7.00 pm

St Richard’s, Atherton
Sundays 6.00 pm (Sat), 9.30 am & 6.30 pm
Weekdays Tue, Wed, Fri 9.15 am
Holydays 12.00 noon & 7.00 pm

St Ambrose Barlow, Astley
Sundays 11.00 am
Weekdays Tue 9.15 am, Wed 9.00 am (with St Mary’s High School)
Holydays As announced

St Gabriel’s, Higher Folds
Sundays 6.00 pm (Sat)
Weekdays Fri 10.00 am
Holydays 1st M prev 7.00 pm, 2.45 pm (with St Gabriel’s RC School)

St Joseph’s, Leigh
Sundays 8.30 & 10.30 am
Weekdays Mon, Wed, Thu, 3rd Sat 12.00 noon
Holydays 1st M prev 7.30 pm, 9.15am, 12.05pm

Twelve Apostles, Westleigh
Sundays 6.30 pm (Sat)
Weekdays As announced
Holydays As announced

Sacred Heart, Leigh
Sundays 9.30 am
Weekdays Tue & Thu 12.00 noon
Holydays As announced

Our Lady of the Rosary, Westleigh
Sundays 11.00 am
Weekdays As announced
Holydays As announced

Sacred Heart, Hindsford
See St Richard’s & St Ambrose Barlow

Clergy Details

Leigh Pastoral Area is served by a team of four priests who work together across the area.  Each priest has the particular care of one or more parishes.

Fr Steve Cooper (St Joseph’s, Leigh)
Address:  St Joseph’s Presbytery, Mather Lane, Leigh WN7 2PR
Tel:  (01942) 673517
Email:  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Fr James Preston (Sacred Heart, Leigh, Twelve Apostles & Our Lady of the Rosary)
Address:  Sacred Heart Presbytery, Walmesley Road, Leigh WN7 1YE
Tel:  (01942)  673517
Email:  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Fr Paul Seddon (St Richard’s, St Ambrose Barlow & Sacred Heart, Hindsford)
Address:  St Richard’s Presbytery, Mayfield Street, Atherton, Manchester M46 0AQ
Tel:  (01942) 883395
Email:  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Fr Dave Heywood (Holy Family & St Gabriel’s)
Address:  Holy Family Presbytery, 208 Chaddock Lane, Boothstown, Worsley, Manchester M28 1DN
Tel:  (0161) 790 2390
Email:  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The Pastoral Area is also fortunate to be served by four deacons:
Rev Deacon Robert Hewertson
Rev Deacon Anthony Arrowsmith
Rev Deacon William Parr
Rev Deacon Dennis Vint

Information about Leigh Pastoral Area

Leigh Pastoral Area is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool.  There are nine parishes served by four priests.  The nine parishes are grouped into two communities.  Each community has a patron saint and is served by two priests.

St Margaret Clitherow incorporates the parishes of:
Holy Family, Boothstown
St Ambrose Barlow, Astley
St Gabriel’s, Higher Folds
Sacred Heart, Hindsford
St Richard’s, Atherton

Priests:  Fr Paul Seddon & Fr Dave Heywood

St Edmund Arrowsmith incorporates the parishes of:
St Joseph’s, Leigh
Twelve Apostles, Westleigh
Sacred Heart, Leigh
Our Lady of the Rosary, Westleigh

Priests:  Fr Steve Cooper & Fr John Finch

Saturday, November 15, 2008

ADVENT RECONCILIATION SERVICES

Tuesday 9 December
7.30 pm   Twelve Apostles

Wednesday 10 December
7.30 pm   St Richard’s

Thursday 18 December
7.30 pm   St Joseph’s

Monday 22 December          
7.30 pm   Holy Family

Friday, November 14, 2008

PRISONERS’ SUNDAY

This Sunday, 16th November, is a Day of Prayer for Prisoners and their Dependents.

We pray for the tens of thousands of men, women and teenagers held in our prisons today.  We pray for prisoners’ families: for their mothers, fathers, children, wives, and husbands. We pray that they will be given the strength to deal with the stigma and the pain of separation.

We pray that you will support and heal those who have been wounded by the actions of others, especially the victims of crime.

We pray for all those who work with prisoners: prison officers, probation workers, social workers, prison chaplains, charity workers, and volunteers.

Your Son Jesus Christ said, “I was in prison and you visited me… whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me”. Help us to remember these words in our hearts as we go forward through Prisoners’ Sunday and into Prisons Week.  Amen.

CAFOD’S CRISIS APPEAL FOR CONGO

There will be a special collection at all Masses in the Pastoral Area on Sunday 23rd November to support CAFOD’s Crisis Appeal for Congo.

Monday, November 10, 2008

ST. RICHARD’S CHRISTMAS QUIZ NIGHT

Please make a date in your diary for the Christmas Family Quiz Night which will take place on Friday November 28th at 7.00pm in the Parish Centre. The Quiz Nights have proved very popular so far. It is a good way of getting people together and it is great fun. Please try your best to come along. Tickets will be available very soon.

LITURGY MEETING

There will be a meeting for anyone interested in helping out with the Liturgy during Advent and Christmas on Monday November 17th at 8.00 pm in the Hall at St. Ambrose Barlow. The Music Group and Singers at St. Richard’s continue to practice for Christmas. Please listen out for an announcement about the next practice time and come along and join in.