IN THIS PLACE WHERE WE BELONG: OUR PEOPLE, OUR PLACE OUR CREATIVITY
Burnley is working on a new Cultural Strategy - WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU !
Culture means lots of different things to different people - it’s part of our everyday lives - it’s about the things we enjoy doing - making our lives richer, meaningful and happier.
To help you think more about culture and what it might involve; ( not including Sport and Fitness)
“We all do it - we all need it - even if we don’t know we are doing it - From Museums to Galleries, Theatres to Concert Halls to the local Pub, Television to Film, Festivals to Mela - in our homes, at school, at the community centre, places of worship - on your own, with others, out in our parks and countryside. From Drama to Dance, Pop to Classical to Folk, HipHop to Ballet, Rapping to Beat Boxing, Stand Up Comedy to Spoken Word, Poetry to Storytelling, Disc Jockeying to Drawing, Painting to Pottery, Knitting to Crocheting, Book Clubs to Flower Arranging, Digital Art to Photography, Fashion to Design, Architecture to Crafting, Sculpting to Singing, Karaoke to Tattooing, Playing in a Band to Gaming and Digital Creativity. Culture is in everything we do - part of our life choices - an expression of who we are - our desires and hopes - it’s what makes life enjoyable”
What we want to hear about from you?:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SY3S3X7.
or contact please contact Anthony Preston directly -
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Please reply by Friday 17 February 2022
- What do you like to get involved in?
- Where do you get involved - on your own, in a group, with others?
- What do you get out of it?
- What do you think of what’s on offer on Burnley at the moment?
- What’s good and bad?
- Is there anything stopping you from getting involved?
- What would you like to see more of in Burnley ?
- Your name? ( if you want it included)
- If responding on behalf of a group - who are you?
- If a group involved in culture - tell us about what you do and what your especially proud of?
23/12/21
CAFOD Christmas Update - Click Here
The (almost) Annual KSC Christmas Raffle was drawn on Monday. The results are shown on the KSC page.
Afghanistan - Please Pray and Give
CAFOD/DEC Afghanistan Appeal
Please give as generously as you can:
https://cafod.org.uk/News/Emergencies-news/Afghanistan-crisis
KSC
KSC Council recently recognised the acheivements of two members - see the KSC page for more detail.
Universal Synod
Down-to-earth explanations of the very worthwhile Synodal project....
Tuesday, 7 December 7:00pm-8:00pm but register for catch-up link later
Come along to an interactive panel discussion about the Synodal Pathway in the Catholic Church in England and Wales, as we respond to Pope Francis' call and start to listen, reflect and discern where the Holy Spirit might be moving us. Find out how you can get involved in your parish and diocese. With Synod experts Fr Jan Nowotnik from the Catholic Bishops' Conference, Dr Pat Jones from Durham University and Francis Stewart from CAFOD.
Many parishes have already commenced or about to commence their synodal journeys. We hope this online discussion will be helpful to everyone interested in the Synod and inspire more people to get involved in their parish and diocesan journeys.
Please forward this invitation to anyone you think might be interested – your family, friends in the parish, your parish priest, the Synod facilitators in your parish. All are welcome. Feel free to share the registration link on social media too.
Remember that if you can't attend live, you can still register and watch it on catch-up and share the link with others afterwards.
2/12/2021
A Lovely Letter to Fr David, Fr Damien and All Parishioners
from Frs Emmanuel and Clement:
Dearest Brethren,
May the peace and blessings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be with you.
To be honest we lack words to express our gratitude to the members of Good Samaritan Parish Burnley for all the demonstration of love and affection fr Clement and I received from you. Words are not enough but we will continue to pray for each and every one of you.
It was really overwhelming as the cards poured in, emotional expressions, gifts of all kinds and so much coming from all the three churches. We will not forget you as we will carry you always in our hearts and prayers.
Blackley is not too far from Burnley and we will be very delighted if any of you visiting Manchester decides to drop by for a cup of tea or coffee in our much more humble presbytery.
Thank you, thank you and thank you.
Yours sincerely
Frs Clement and Emmanuel.
26/11/2021
Burnley Catenians celebrated their Centenary (albeit 12 months later than expected) with a banquet at Turf Moor. There were 136 diners including guests who travelled from as far away as Southampton, Ascot, Stirling and Worsthorne. The Mayor and Mayoress of Burnley and the Catenians National President were the principal guests. The photo shows Burnley Catenian Brothers and the principal guests.
24/11/2021
Pope Francis Calls Universal Synod
Pope Francis has called a Universal Synod which is taking place in every Catholic diocese across the world. The Synod is themed: "For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission". Our Diocese wants to hear from as many people as possible, those involved in the church and those who are not.
24/11/2021
The Diocese of Salford is highlighting an annual campaign to fight religious persecution for Christians around the world which returns this week with a special focus on women and young girls.
Red Wednesday is an annual initiative from Aid to the Church in Need that aims to highlight the daily suffering, oppression, violence, torture, and death endured by the Christian community the world over.
This year, Aid to the Church in Need is highlighting the plight of women and girls in particular, who in many parts of the world live under the constant threat of kidnap, forced marriage and conversion, rape, and sexual enslavement.
For further information see:
https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/red-wednesday/
21/11/2021
We're looking for a couple more people to help out with live streaming Mass every other Sunday.
It's interesting, it's easy, good on the job training given, bags of support!
Contact Mike Morris on 07929 451 566
or
email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
05/11/2021
St. Mary's Church Update
We received some encouraging news, although St Mary's church unfortunately remains temporarily closed. A new architect has been appointed to the project and over the next few weeks up to Christmas is carrying out the essential background checks and assessments that are particularly necessary for a listed building such as St Mary's church. He has also produced a works schedule which would see the necessary internal and external repairs beginning simultaneously on the second week of January. This is scheduled to be completed by the end of February and we envisage reopening in early March in time for the start of Lent. We will continue to keep you informed through the newsletter and through this website.
03/11/2021
STOP PRESS - WE'RE IN THE NEWS!
Our very own Good Samaritan Parish CAFOD Group, who are urging action at COP26 to save the earth feature in a Burnley Express article just published.
03/11/2021
We have been asked to put this on the website as it is felt some parishioners may find this cause to be of interest and may wish to support it:
"Please consider signing the petition "Support the Amess Amendment" on CitizenGO. This is to ensure access in emergency crime scenes by priests / ministers to the severely injured and dying. A priest was not allowed to adminster the sacraments to Sir David Amess. It would have been so important to him. Catholics and non-catholics alike have criticised the decision.
"It's important. Will you sign it too? Here's the link:
Support the Amess Amendment | CitizenGO
"The brutal murder of Sir David Amess, the Conservative MP for Southend West, has reverberated across the world. This appalling act was an attack on Western values of democracy and freedom. One disturbing detail emerging from this tragedy was the news that Sir David, a devout Catholic, was denied the comfort of a Catholic priest as he lay dying."
03/11/2021
Update to CAFOD Page -
Harvest Family Fast Day latest and update to COP26 letter to our local MP/List of Signatories
29/10/2021
MESSAGE FROM FR DAVID
Last weekend Fr David announced that that our wonderful Vincentian Fathers have been asked by their Superior and by Bishop John to take up a new mission in the Diocese. Therefore by 12th November, Fr Emmanuel and Fr Clement will have been transferred to the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St John Bosco in Blackley in North Manchester, which is already being run by the Vincentian Fathers.
We are very grateful for the joyful ministry of Fr Blaise, Fr Emmanuel, Fr Lawrence, Fr Benneth and Fr Clement which has greatly enriched and blessed our Parish here in Burnley over the last four years and more. We have really loved having them among us with their missionary charism and their desire to serve the poor and needy. They have made a major contribution and a lasting impression upon us all.
We know that the Vincentian Fathers will be greatly missed and their leaving will bring some questions and uncertainty. However please be assured that Fr David and Fr Damien are fully committed to doing their very best to serving and leading the Parish of the Good Samaritan. As we have planned for this eventuality, we are confident that the parish can continue to grow and flourish. We thank you for your continuing support, understanding and cooperation and ask your prayers for your priests during this time of change.
25/10/2021
Trafficking and modern slavery
See the Caritas page for links to videos and stories on this ongoing evil which destroys the lives of many men, women and children.
24/10/2021
Fr Emmanuel & Fr Clement
We are most sad to learn that we are to lose Fr Emmanuel & Fr Clement in November as they are being transferred to another parish by bishop John. No doubt the other parish's needs are even greater than ours but neverless we are very sorry to see them go.
Like our other Vincentian Missionary priests before them, they have made a terrific contibution to the life of our parish and we have been well blessed to have had the benefit of their enthusiasm, dedication and service to us.
May God go with them to their new challenge; they will remain with us in the form of happy and grateful memories.
20/10/2021
Update to CAFOD's letter to our local MP, Antony Higginbotham:
The letter has just been updated and will be circulated more widely throughout Burnley communities.
15/10/2021
Just in - our new 'Items of Interest' page kicks off with a home-grown,
internationally acclaimed football genius from our very own parish,
someone you may have never even heard of ...
15/10/2021
The parish CAFOD group tried unsuccessfully to arrange a meeting with our local MP regarding the upcoming UN Climate Conference in Glasgow, COP26. The meeting was going to involve group members, pupil representatives from our parish schools and other interested parishioners or constituents. Since Antony Higginbotham is unable to meet us, as a group we have decided to write a letter urging him to ensure our UK Government leads by example and helps secure a just climate deal for all the world. We think it is very important that he knows the views of his constituents and we are hoping parish groups or parishioners will add their signatures to this letter:
Please have your name added as a signatory to this letter (below), to do so contact Paul Carney, a member of the CAFOD group, by email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Letter to Antony Higginbotham for COP26
(updated 20/10/21)
Dear Antony Higginbotham MP
Re – A just and binding climate deal at COP 26
As you are aware, the global UN Climate Conference in Glasgow will shortly be taking place. We are writing to you to express our strong belief that it is crucial to the survival and flourishing of our planet for future generations that world leaders agree at COP 26:
• A realistic, achievable plan to tackle climate change, in particular, to prevent exceeding the 1.5°C rise in global average temperature above pre-industrial levels.
• A binding commitment to take whatever actions are necessary to implement that plan.
• That the plan and actions ensure that the most vulnerable and poorest communities in the world are protected from the worst effects of climate change, as it is these who have contributed least to global warming. This must include a properly funded, global climate mitigation fund to enable those poorest countries that are worst affected by the climate crisis to adapt to a rapidly changing environment and develop sustainable energy sources.
We ask that you bring our concerns to the attention of the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, Alok Sharma (President of COP26) and the Government as a whole. As hosts of COP26, we ask that they offer leadership to other countries and set an example for others to urgently act by slashing our carbon emissions, stopping all funding of fossil fuel projects at home and abroad and provide adequate finance to the UN Climate Fund. These will help save our planet and give our children and grandchildren a sustainable future.
In our plea, we are inspired by Pope Francis and Rt Rev John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, in our commitment to look after our common home and to hear the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.
“Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods. It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.” (Laudato Si, 25 – Pope Francis’ encyclical, 2015)
Yours sincerely
Dominic Aunger - Chair of Good Samaritan Parish CAFOD group.
Anne Marie Coppock – Treasurer of Good Samaritan Parish CAFOD Group
Paul Carney – Member of Good Samaritan Parish CAFOD Group
Fr David Featherstone - Parish Priest, Good Samaritan Parish.
17/09/2021
From This Week's Burnley Express...
Burnley kindness for Afghan refugees shines through
Our parish gets a very positive mention in this week's edition of the Burnley Express. As one of our parishioners noted, people "opened their hearts and their hands to reach out to care for their fellow humans in need."
Read all about it here
12/09/2021
Beat the Street is a free community wide initiative coming to Burnley with the aim to get residents walking, cycling, running, exploring the area, discovering new places and opportunities whilst boosting their physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Beat the Street turns towns into giant games and it comes to Burnley for six weeks from Wednesday 15 September. To earn points, win prizes and discover more about your area, you quite simply pick up a Beat the Street card from one of the distribution points and tap Beat Boxes across the Area.
The Burnley webpage and opportunity to sign up is now open!
https://www.beatthestreet.me/burnley/
11/09/2021
Afghan Refugee Appeal—WHAT A RESPONSE!
Caritas Salford requested that we collect goods for the displaced people. The parish joined forces with New Neighbours Together, the refugee charity that does so much of its excellent work from St John’s premises.
What followed was amazing! Firstly, our volunteers—a lovely group of parishioners, from teenage to ‘don’t ask!’, all our church communities, received, labelled, and stacked so much stuff! We had three lines of tables running the length of St John’s Parish Hall stacked, below and above up to shoulder height! It was five hours of intensive work, all done with great spirit and fun. Thank you all so much, and well done!
Our other volunteers were refugees who set the room up, and came to load up the van(s) to take the goods to Caritas’ depot in Manchester. They were non-stop-go! So much committed effort and at such speed! (Amongst them were a young couple who had brought goods from a mosque nearby, who stayed and got stuck in as well!) This reflects the spirit of the ‘project’ throughout.
On Friday and Saturday people came in their droves to bring their donations, from all part of our local community. There were lots of different schools, churches, mosques and other local charities from across East Lancs. All of these people were like the other hundreds of individuals who came with goods. They shone out with their kindness, generosity, and real wish to help their unknown ‘neighbours’ from the terrors of all that we have seen going on in Afghanistan.
We were also greatly assisted by three local organisations: Furniture for Education Worldwide (FEW), Calico and Emmaus who all offered transport to take the goods to Manchester. In the event the huge FEW van took the lot!! This itself felt like a miracle—the more we put in, the space never diminished until it was full!! Thanks to all three organisations.
But the greatest gift that the people and volunteers brought was their kindness, generosity, their loving care and concern for people in need. They opened their hearts and their hands to reach out to care for their fellow humans in need.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GIVING OF GOODNESS. A BRILLIANT RESPONSE BY WONDERFUL PEOPLE!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL
11/09/21
The Knights of St Columba have published details of the 2021/22 Youth Competions. For more details please see the KSC page on this website.
04/08/2021
Just In...
Bishop John was on the phone yesterday morning to appoint Fr David as the new Rural Dean of St John Vianney Deanery in succession to Fr Simon Stamp who has this week been moved from Accrington to Manchester. Fr David feels honoured to be asked to become Dean and is very pleased to know that he was nominated for the role by several of the priests of the Deanery. It comes just as he just finished his diocesan vocations role which he had done for over 15 years.
He counts on your continuing support and prayers as he takes on this new role.
Congratulations to Fr David!
23/08/2021
Update to yesterday's notice:
A chance to help financially or donate items to refugees arriving in the North West:
https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/afghanistan-appeal-2021/
22/08/2021
Concerned about the plight of those seeking refuge from the turbulent, dangerous situation in Afganistan?
Wish you could do something to help?
See this page on the diocesan website.
21/08/2021
It's not difficult -
in fact it's easier than you may think!
Can you help out?
Our live stream is a vital connection - and sometimes the only one - for many of the people in the parish, who, for whatever reason, cannot get to Mass on Sundays. We need someone to join the streaming team for an hour or two every other Sunday. Full training given. It's not so hard and it's a new skill, a new insight into how we live stream services.
Also, from time to time we need help mid-week, (for funeral Masses, weddings, etc), again an invaluable service, broadcast to many at home and abroad If you unable to commit to a Sunday, are you sometimes available during the week on an ad hoc basis?
If you think you may be interested and would like to know more, please contact Mike Morris on 07929 451 566 or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Burnley Catenians
To outline what the Catenians do and the benefits Parishioners can get out of it by joining, a short informative video has been produced. It can be viewed by visiting https://youtu.be/RtKf41p1jwA
For more information about the Catenians you can contact the Burnley Circle Membership Officer, Mick Armfield, on 01282 459424. Please give him a call. It's a great organisation to be part of.
Note 22/1/21
Unfortunately this page was somehow corrupted and the end was chopped off. Until we get the time to repair it, a snapshot dated 30/10/20 (the latest) may be found on the Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20201030071959/http://www.goodsamaritanparish.org.uk/
If we have used any of your artwork and it is not noted on the latest Wayback Machine version, please drop us a line (see Contact/Find Us Page) and we will gladly attribute your work to you.
More recent artwork (used with thanks):
Peggy Dyar (Lentent cross and candles), OpenClipart-Vectors (Baptismal font, Newsboy), aalmeidah (First Holy Communion),
Mohamed Hassan (bike rider), Clker-Free-Vector-Images (up arrow icon), PublicDomainPictures (Poppy Crosses),
v-a-n-3-ss-a (Poppy), Jeff Jacobs (nativity baubles), Rachealmarie ("Merry Christmas")
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