Burnley Catenians celebrated President's Sunday on the Feast of St Peter and St Paul. We were privileged to join five first Holy Communicants and their families to participate in a concelebrated Mass (three priests and one deacon) at St Mary's. Coffee in the Parish Rooms followed (with a cake sale) and then lunch at Burnley Rugby Club.

 

 

 

 July 2025's Catenian Poster promoting the Festival of Catholic Life at Oscott 26-28 July.

 

 

Burnley Catenians held their annual family bowls event at Greenhill.  The winners were Deacon Theo and Tom Wilkinson (KSC) with Fr David and Mick Armfield runners up.  In spite of mixed weather, the event was very enjoyable. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two more images from Burnley Catenians

 

The first is the Association's June 2025 poster which references the formation of the Assciation by the Bishop of Salford, Louis Casertelli, in June 1908 and the link to Bishop John Arnold.

 

The second shows Burnley Catenians Past President John McNabb presenting a cheque for £500 from the President's Charity Fund to MacMillan Cancer Support at Burnley General Hospital. 

 

 

 

Blessed Trinity RC College presents Grease

Blessed Trinity RC College is back with another hit musical at Burnley Mechanics.

Following on from successful performances of Little Shop of Horrors, Jesus Christ Superstar and High School Musical they bring Grease.

Grease is a rock and roll musical about teenage love and friendships set in the 1950s
Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical follows the story of Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson, who meet during the summer and then reconnect during their first year of high school. 

Tickets: £8 Adults / £5 Under 16s / £20 Family of 4 (2 Adults, 2 Under 16s / 1 Adult, 3 Under 16s) - available from the Mechanics Box Office.

 

 

 

 

A poster from the Catenians for May 2025

 

 

To book, please contact Mick Armfield  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

Burnley Catenians Celebrated the end of Presidential Year with an event at the Kettledrum Inn. Guests enjoyed a meal followed by Lancashire Folk songs by Brother Peter Marsland with support from retiring President John McNabb who also received a farewell gift from incoming President Jim Livesey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Important Breaking CAFOD News

 

Chance to Double Your Donation to CAFOD this Weekend - No one should have to worry about losing their livelihood because of drought as Lokho and her community did, who were featured in last weekend's Fast Day appeal. On this Family Fast Day weekend only your donations will be doubled, up to £80,000, thanks to a group of generous CAFOD supporters. Together we can double our impact!

If you haven’t already donated to the CAFOD Lent Family Fast Day appeal or you can afford to give a little more then this weekend is a great time to do so. If you are able, think about pledging a monthly gift and your first three payments will be doubled. Please donate today or tomorrow (15th/16th March) to help people like Lokho build a safety net and prepare for whatever comes. Thank you for your support last weekend and thanks for all your previous generous support of CAFOD in our Parish of the Good Samaritan. To Donate this weekend and double your donation use the following link:

 

https://donors.cafod.org.uk/page/matchedlent25

 

To see the latest update to the parish CAFOD webpage just head over there using this link:

 

http://www.goodsamaritanparish.org.uk/index.php/home-page/cafod

 

 

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Burnley Catenians next event is the annual curry night at the Usha restaurant on Wednesday 21 May.  More details below.

 

 

Burnley Catenians welcomed their third new member in the last six months as Bukas Okey-Amichi from St John the Baptist Church, Padiham was enrolled at the February 2025 meeting. Welcome Bukas and Rebecca. The photos show Bukas with Burnley President John McNabb and Membership Officer Mick Armfield.

 

 

 

Another piece from the Catenians: 

 

Following a Circle meeting in Autumn 2024, the Circle’s 1920 Charter (on display at every meeting) suffered damage. Circle Membership Officer, Brother Mick Armfield undertook to repair the glass.

When removing the damaged glass he found, behind the actual Charter, another formal document titled The Catenian Association Charge which bore the signatures of the original members as well as the Charge (now a Pledge). Reference to minutes of the early meetings has enabled us to identify the signatories. This charge document has now been framed and is displayed in St Mary’s Parish Rooms (the venue for Circle Council meetings), courtesy of Fr David, together with an explanatory sheet which details the actual Charge and gives the names of the founding Brothers of the Circle.

 

 

 

Burnley Catenians have had a busy few months:

We welcomed two new members  Jordan Holsgrove and Philip Needham

 

(l-r) Circle President John McNabb, Jordan Holsgrove, Philip Needham and Mick Armfield (Circle Membership Officer) 

 

We held our annual pie night at Rolls Royce, Barnoldswick

 

 

We went to the Mechanics to see an Eagles Tribute Band and dined in the Bistro

 

 

 

 

 

We held a very successful Ladies' Night Dinner Dance at Nelson House when 86 Brothers, Ladies and guests enjoyed the food and entertainment.

 

 

 

 Look out for events in 2025, parishioners will be welcomed at many of them

 

Churches Together in Burnley are Blessing the Town Centre Crib with Carols on Saturday 30 November at 1pm with refreshments to follow.

 

 

 

KSC Council 110 are holding their Chrismas Cracker event in St John's Parish Rooms on Friday 6 December.  Tickets are £5 and are available from Ray Williamson (0794 026 0034), Bernard Mullin (0780 086 7554) or Trevor Ireland (0752 601 4568)

 

 

 

The Catenians would like to invite Parishioners to join them for the Christmas meal which follows the Circle meeting on Wednesday 11 December at Nelson House.  The meal will be at 20:15 and will be followed by Christmas Carols, price £25.

The menu will be:

• Vegetable Soup;
• Roasted Turkey, roasted potatoes, new potatoes, pigs in blankets, cauliflower cheese, parsnips, carrots and gravy;
• Christmas pudding, served with cream;

• Coffee and mints.

Bookings to Terry Hephrun This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0789 659 8854

 

 

 

Burnley Catenians and friends had a great night dining at The Kettledrum then watching the St Cuthbret's production of The Wizard of Oz.

 

 

Events organised by the Knights of St Columba and the Catenians over the next month

 

Burnley Catenians Annual Ladies' Night will be held at Nelson House on Friday 15 November - booking arrangements above.  All welcome.

 

The Annual KSC Mass for Deceased Brothers will be celebrated at St Mary's on 9 September at the 0930 Mass.  All welcome

 

Burnley Catenian Circle's Mass for Deceased Brothers will be held at the Chapel, Blessed Trinity RC College on Wednesday 13 November at 1830 prior to the monthly meeting and meal at Nelson House.  All welcome.

 

Burnley Catenians  have had another busy few months.  Here are some images from various events:

 

 A group from the Family Bowls event with the winners Myles Moore and Tom Wilkinson (KSC) in the centre.

 

The Circle was pleased to welcome a new member, Philip Needham, in September.

 

 

Philip and Kelly Needham with Circle President John McNabb

 

 

Philip, John and Mick Armfield, Circle Membership Officer

 

The Circle, with guests, enjoyed the annual Pie Night at Rolls Royce, Barnoldswick

 

Circle members and guets enjoyed a trip to the Mechanics to dine and see Talon, an Eagles Tribute Band.

 

 

 

 

 

The group was delighted to see some artwork from Mary Marsland dispayed in the bar area.

 

 

 

Job Vacancies at Theodore House, Stonyhurst

Housekeeping staff needed, permanent part-time (days/hours to be negotiated) and temporary ad hoc assistance (paid by the hour in cash).

Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Full time guest and domestic administrator required from September.

Job specs: https://www.theodorehouse.com/vacancies/

June 2024

Burnley Catenians have had a busy few months.  Here are some of the images:

 Michael Jones was presented with a scroll to mark 40 years ' membership.

 

     

There was an end of Circle Year Meal at the Palazzo

 

 

Peter Tiernan was presented with his 50 year membership certificate by Mark Conroy, Great Britain National President.

 

      

Charitable donation cheques were presented to Pendleside Hospice and BFCitC Food Bank.

 

 

  

25 Members and Guests saw the Simon & Garfunkel Story concert at the Mechanics preceded by a meal in the Bistro

 

 

With the KSC, we organised the 2024 Walk for Life

 

 

Members, parishioners and guests enjoyed the Wednesday Buffet at the Usha and added to the President's Charity Fund.

 

 

Details of the Blessed Trinity RC College production at the Mechanics:

 

 

Further information about the Walk for Life on Bank Holiday Monday 27 May 2024

 

 

          

 

Burnley KSC Council 110 and Burnley Catenians are again organising a Sponsored Walk for Life on Bank Holiday Monday 27 May 2024.  Details on the poster below.  Sponsor forms will be available.

 

 

Burnley Catenians Spring 2024 Activities

 

Burnley Catenians are holding another Curry Night at the Usha on Wednesday 22 May. 

All welcome.  Details on the poster below:

 

 

 

January 2024

 

KSC 110 Club closed after 61 years on Yorkshire Street

 

The Knights of St Columba Burnley Council 110 has announced that it is closing the KSC 110 Club.  The doors were closed for the final time after a darts match on Thursday 18 January.

The KSC Club moved from a small property on back Manchester Road to the building at the corner of Yorkshire Street and Albert Street in May 1962.

Since then the Club has been the base for the KSC for its community, spiritual, social and sporting activities. Over time, the Club expanded into adjacent properties and, on a number of occasions, redeveloped all three floors of the building.

At the present time, the Club has a multi-purpose lounge on the ground floor, a function room on the first floor and a games room on the top floor.

Council 110 Grand Knight, Tony Young, said “This is a very sad day for all of us involved in the KSC in Burnley, but I’m afraid the Club has suffered from a loss of its traditional clientele and it has been impossible in current trading conditions for the Club to take enough money over the bar to pay all the bills. The last few months have not been helped by restricted access as a result of the construction work at our front door. We are very grateful for the sympathetic approach taken by some of our suppliers, but there are really no prospects for us to increase trade to the level that would be required.

“We are also grateful for all our members and customers who have supported us for 61 years. Over that time we have seen parties for weddings, baptisms, birthdays and funerals. We have been a consistent venue for live music and have had some well-known names appearing at the club including Mike Harding (at Burnley Folk club), Les Dennis, Frank Carson, Jimmy Cricket, Emile Ford and even a punk rock group. Our children have often had their first experience of work here and we thank all the people who worked and volunteered here over the years. We provided a lot of sporting activities for our members, including football, cricket, table tennis, snooker and darts teams. Unfortunately, in recent years, the number of teams have diminished which in turn has contributed to the decline in Club use. We have also welcomed thousands of football supporters on their way to and from Burnley FC matches.

“The Club has been the base for the KSC fundraising activities and we have raised many thousands of pounds for local, regional and national charities - most recently the Handicapped Children’s Fellowship and the Georgia Fourie Butterfly Fund at Holly Grove School.

“This will not be the end for the Knights of Saint Columba in Burnley as we move towards our Centenary in 2025. We will continue with our work and intend that the money raised from the sale of the property will enable us to continue to support the Roman Catholic Church, our schools and other good causes and KSC 110 will continue to fund raise for charities.”

 

 

Knights and Catenians support for Blessed Trinity RC College Prize Night.

 

KSC Burnley Council 110 and Burnley Catenian Circle sponsored prizes at this year's Blessed Trinity Awards Night.  The photos show two individual winners and a group photo with Terry Hephrun (Past Grand Knight and current Circle President) with guest of honour Councillor Afrasiab Anward MBE (Leader of Burnley Borough Council.

 

 

 

 The results of this year's KSC Christmas Draw

 

 

 

For the latest CAFOD News click here

 

This year's Blessed Trinity RC College Carols

 

 

Details of a prayer vigil for the conflict iin Israel/Palestine organised by Building Bridges.

 

 

 For information about the Catenian Bursary Fund scan the QR code.

 

 

You've heard it from Cardinal Nichols - Catenians strengthen Catholic communities. If you want to learn more about what we do, or you want to get involved with your local group then please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

A group of Burnley Catenians joined a concert by a Beatles Tribute Band, the Upbeat Beatles, at Burnley Mechanics Theatre.  They enjoyed an excellent pre-show meal in the 1855 Bistro. 

 

     

Forthcoming events: Mass for Deceased Brothers at Blessed Trinity RC College Chapel at 1830 on Wednesday 8 November followed by the monthly meeting and meal; Ladies' Night Dinner Dance at Nelson House on Friday 17 November; December meeting, Christmas meal with Carols also at Nelson House on Wednesday 14 December.  Please get in touch for more information.

 

Event coming up in November for Burnley Catenians.

 And for KSC

 

 

You will all no doubt be shocked and deeply saddened by what has unfolded over the last two weeks in Israel and Gaza. CAFOD is in close contact with its partners in the region and is putting in place emergency plans to help those in most need as soon as it is safe to do so. However, one essential thing that we all can do is pray for peace. Here is a prayer from CAFOD to help us do that.

 

 

For more information on the situation in the Holy Land and all the latest CAFOD news just visit the CAFOD Group's webpage:

 

Click here to view the CAFOD Group's webpage

 

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Monday 9th October was the Feast Day of Saint John Henry Newman.
If you've ever been puzzled as to your lot in life, this little article by him may help...

Click here to view

 

The CAFOD Group page has just been updated. To read the latest news on the tragic situations in Morocco and Libya, how CAFOD are helping and how you can help just click here. You can also sign an open letter to Rishi Sunak regarding the recently passed Illegal Immigration Act by clicking the above link. Many thanks for your continuing generous support.

 

 

A programme of events, from Building Bridges in Burnley,

from September to December 2023.

 

 

The CAFOD Group page has just been updated. To read the latest news and take part in CAFOD's campaign action to "Stop Cowboy Lenders", just click here! Many thanks to Fr Brian for raising funds for CAFOD's Ukraine Appeal and congratulations to him on the occasion of his 40th anniversary of ordination.

 

 

BURNLEY COUNCIL 110 BROTHER COMPLETES MARATHON CHARITY CYCLE RIDE

 

Brother James Capstick, KSC Action and Youth Officer has completed a cycle ride of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. James completed the 1600-mile route in under a fortnight staying at B&Bs and, in the absence of a better offer, in a tent or the support van.

The route is one of the longest defined coastal routes in the world; James started at Malon Head, County Donegal and finished at Kinsale, County Cork.   James planned to undertake the challenge pre-pandemic but finally managed it this year. The ride was in memory of the great Pat Smullen, nine times Irish champion flat race jockey who sadly died of pancreatic cancer at 43. James coped with the vagaries of the Irish weather and a challenging route. He was ably assisted by his support team – PGK Trevor Ireland in a hired Intack van.

The amount raised currently stands at £1,400 (for Cancer Research Ireland for whom Pat did so much to raise awareness.

James said: “The memories of the magical country and the generosity of its people will never fade”.

James is no stranger to marathon fund raisers. In 2022, he cycled to all 10 English Rugby League (The Bet Fred Super League) grounds, covering 300 miles in just four days. The marathon was in aid of the Rob Burrow Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Centre. In 2021, he cycled from Burnley to Leeds (via Inverness) and raised more than £2000 – again for MND. He has also run marathons in support of his fund-raising activity.

We look forward to his next adventure – Pennine Way on a unicycle, Route 66 on a tandem, James?

Please look at the KSC page on this website for photos

 

Burnley Catenians held their first Family Bowls afternoon for five years at Greenhill Bowling Club in sun blessed conditions. Winners were Circle Treasurer Peter Nuttall and KSC Council 110 Brother Myles Moore. Circle President Terry Hephrun with Janet were runners up - again. Thanks to Mick Armfield for organising.

Terry with Miles and Peter with their prizes

Group of semi finalists and supporters

 

 

 

 

 As part of the 2022/23 Catenian President's Charity, John and Jancie McNabb recently handed over a cheque for £400 to MacMaillan Cancer Support.

 

The photo shows John and Janice flanked by Kelly and Danielle from Mcmillan.

 

Burnley KSC and Catenians held a sponsored Walk for Life on May Bank Holiday.  The 10k route took us along the canal, through Bank Hall and to Netherwood and Rowley and back finishing with refreshments in KSC 110 Club.  In addition to KSC, Catenians and parishioners, we were joined by a group from the Hidden Gem in Manchester.  As usual in Burnley, the weather was glorious.

 

 

James Capstick, St Mary's parishioner and KSC Action & Youth Officer has offered his thanks to all parishioners who helped him raise £1100 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association by sponsoring him in the recent Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon. He is always very grateful for the support and generosity.

His next fund raising venture will be cycling The Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland from Malin Head to Kinsale - 1,600 miles in total. The journey will be 11 to 25 June. This time he will be raising money and awareness for Irish Cancer Research in memory of Pat Smullen, nine times champion jockey. Donations can be made online:   justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jamescapstick . Your amazing support help will be very much appreciated - again.

 

May 2023

 

Have a look at the Catenians page for updates about the new Catenian Assocation National President - who is from Burnley Circle.

 

 

 

KSC Burnley Council 110 had a Celebration Night at KSC 110 Club with Good Samaritan Parish Priest Fr David and Friends providing the musical entertainment.

Council 110 Grand Knight Tony Young handed over cheques for £1000 each to Holly Grove School’s Georgia Fourie Butterfly Fund and to the Catholic Fellowship for the Handicapped following the last year’s fundraising activity.

Then two Council members received the KSC Award for Meritorious Service. Past Grand Knight Trevor Ireland was recognised for his contribution to Council welfare during the Covid pandemic, his support for the Church not least his practical help in providing transport to African priests to serve the Good Samaritan parish and his practical involvement in the Council’s organisation of the Province 21 Christmas poster campaign and, this year, the Easter posters. This year alone the Council has delivered in excess of 40,000 Christmas posters and 27,000 Easter posters to help spread the Gospel message. Trevor has also been the support team on many of the Council Action and Youth Officer James Capstick’s amazing fund-raising efforts.

Spiritualistic and Welfare Officer Steve Hird was unwell on the night and will receive his Award later. His work on welfare of Brothers, wives and widows is exceptional and he offers the Council detailed monthly reports on his activities. Steve also helped with the poster campaigns transporting the posters from printer to Post Office thus saving costs.

Mrs Ita Thomas received a bunch of flowers for her work as Secretary to the Christmas poster campaign.

Mrs Maureen Heys received a bunch of flowers for her help with the catering at the Club on matchdays and other occasions.

Three priests received the KSC Member of Honour Certificates. Fr Job and Fr Benjamin are based at St John the Baptist Church in Good Samaritan Parish. Fr Peter Hapgood-Strickland was formerly an Anglican priest working in Burnley and has recently been ordained in the Roman Catholic Church. He is a regular supporter of the Monday night KSC quiz in spite of being based in Ramsbottom.

KSC Supreme Director for Action and Social, Stephen McMillan was present for the evening and took away a cheque for £1000 for the Let the Children Live charity. Bro Stephen kept attendees up to date with the results of the KSC Grand National Draw which was made concurrently in Glasgow.

Finally, £695 was raised on the night for CAFOD which was made up to £1000 by Province.

 

Please see the KSC page for photos of the event.

 

 

 

 

For more information on KSC and Catenian activities please refer to the relevant page.

 

April 2023

 

As this awful earthquake fades into yesterday's news and then into non-news in the public's mind, please don't forget:

(click on the poster above to go there)

 

 

 

26/12/22

 Have a look at the Catenians page for the latest updates.