Welcome to the Church of
St Mary of the Assumption
Burnley
Address: St Mary's Presbytery, 3 Todmorden Rd, Burnley, BB10 4AU
Tel no. 01282 422 007
Church entrance on Yorkshire Street, just around the corner from Todmorden Road.
St Mary's Parish Safeguarding Representatives:
Carole Biddulph 07944 407 765
Diane Orrel 07497 519 153
(please note, these numbers are only for Safeguarding issues)
If for some reason you're unable to get through, in an emergency contact police or Social Services
On this Page:
Masses | Other Notices | Knights of St Columba | Christmas Masses
Christmas Celebrations | Reasons to Be Cheerful |Live Streaming
Prayers and Reflections | Foodbank | CAFOD Updates
Other Pages in this section:
Introduction | Mass & Confession Times | Where to Find Us | Virtual Tour of St Mary's
Sister Churches - Links | A Walk Around St Mary's | St Mary's Groups
St Mary's Photo Album | St Mary's History
Our Local Primary School (opens in a separate window)
MASSES AND OTHER SERVICES: MONDAY 17th FEBRUARY 2025 TO SUNDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2025
There will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament starting 30 minutes before each weekday Mass, Monday to Friday (Except before Funerals)
Please note the changes this week.
Monday Holy founders of the Servite Order
9.30am St. Mary’s
Tuesday Weekday
9.30am St Mary’s
10.00am Funeral Mass at St. John’s for Angela Allen RIP
Wednesday Weekday
9.30 am Christ the King 7.00pm St John’s
Thursday Weekday
9.30am St Mary’s 10.00am St John’s
Friday St Peter Damien
12.00 noon St. Mary’s preceded by Reconciliation from 11.30am to 11.55am
Saturday The Chair of St Peter
9.30 am St Mary’s, followed by Reconciliation with Exposition: 10.30 to 11.30 am
Vigil Masses:
6.00 pm St John’s preceded at 5.15 pm until 5.55pm with Reconciliation and Exposition
6.30 pm St Mary’s
Sunday Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Christ the King: 9.15 am and 5.00 pm
St Mary’s: 10.00 am (This Mass will be live-streamed on the parish website*).
St John’s: 10.45 am
(*A recording of the Mass will be available later from Sunday afternoon)
Stay with us Lord on our journey
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“The Mass is the most perfect form of Prayer”—Pope Paul VI
week's Masses
MESSAGE OF THANKS FROM CARITAS Thank you so much to your parishioners who continue to pray for children, families and individuals experiencing poverty, homelessness and disadvantage. We are so very grateful to receive the combined total of £509 from the Caritas Sunday collection. Please understand what a help this will be towards our many expenses to support those coming to us for help.
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Mass Dates - For Your Diary LENTEN STATION - As part of the Deanery Lenten Station Mass programme, Bishop John will celebrate Mass at St Mary’s church on Thursday 27th March at 7pm
CHURCHES TOGETHER IN BURNLEY SERVICE - There will be a Churches together in Burnley Service at St Mary’s on Pentecost Sunday 8th June at 6.30pm. |
HOME BLESSINGS WITH DEACON THEO Thanks to those who have already had their home to be blessed by Deacon Theo. If anyone else would like to have their home blessed, please arrange a convenient time by getting in touch with Deacon Theo on 01282 422007 or email: |
PLANNING MEETING "FUN-D-RAISING" We will be discussing ideas and making plans for fund raising events across the Parish, at a meeting at St Marys presbytery on Tuesday 18th February at 7pm. Have you had an idea and need help to make it happen, or already have events booked, would like to help - please come along and share!! Any issues with the 18th - Give Margaret Pickles 07751 025178 a ring with any thoughts and ideas and she'll bring your input along to the meeting. Being part of the group is great socially, and gives satisfaction when things go well. Join in! |
SALFORD DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES 2025 CALL FOR YOUNG HELPERS Each year Salford Diocese takes hundreds of people on pilgrimage to Lourdes. Many pilgrims are sick, elderly or disabled and so require additional care. A dedicated team medical and care experts work alongside volunteers from across the diocese to support these pilgrims. Deacon Theo first volunteered in Lourdes as a 16-year-old, and it was an important moment on his path towards ordination. We would like to invite any young adults to consider travelling to Lourdes with us as volunteers. Volunteers must be 16 or over and we propose to join a volunteer group within the diocese which will provide the group leaders responsible for those under 18. The special young adult price of the pilgrimage for those travelling overland by coach is £669 which includes all travel, accommodation, and meals. Volunteers will also need to purchase volunteer shirts to wear while on shift. Travel by coach will leave on 30th July and return 7th August. The Catenian Association has a bursary of £100 available for any qualifying Catholic volunteer age 16-24. The Knights of St Columba provided money last year to support young diocesan pilgrims and that money is still available. Other fundraising may be possible to further reduce the cost. As a starting point could those interested in joining a young adults (16-35) volunteer group contact Deacon Theo at Please register interest with Deacon Theo by Sunday 23rd February
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THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION Confirmation is now to be celebrated by each Deanery throughout the Diocese of Salford. Bishop John will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation for St John Vianney Deanery at St. Mary’s church, Burnley on Tuesday 1st July. Young people living in the parish, who are in school year 8 or older and who have been through the parish Sacramental Programme are now eligible to be prepared to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. If you are interested please contact Fr David by 31st March, who will give you a. letter providing details of the programme of catechesis and a Parental Consent/Application Form. We will also be promoting the Sacrament through Blessed Trinity Catholic College. |
WHO WANTS TO PLAY SHOPKEEPERS!? The Home Produce Stall at St Mary’s after 10.00 Mass needs help please! Could you help run the stall selling the home-made food once in every few weeks? We have the ‘bakers and makers’ so you would only need to serve the customers which is a great chatty occasion, and help set up before Mass. It would be once every 4 - 5 weeks, or so. If you can add to the home made goods for sale, that would be a bonus—but not necessary. Call Christine on 01282 435 098 to find out more. Thank you. |
CHRISTIAN MEDITATION AND REFLECTION SESSIONS AT SAINT MARY'S The Sessions will be in St Mary’s Parish Rooms, and will consist of four sessions taking place on Fridays onthe following dates: 7th and 21st March; 4th and 25th April. Each session commences at 12:40pm and will last approximately 1 hour, all are free of charge and can be attended as a block or on an individual basis. No booking is required, and everyone is welcome. Please feel free to bring a packed lunch along as there will be a short break for refreshments at the start of each session in the Main Parish Hall followed by Meditation and Reflection in the Newman Room. I hope you can join us for this timely opportunity which will span Lent and Easter |
"Beautiful Christmas Gifts" Whilst all gifts are appreciated but some come in multiples, or perhaps the wrong colour, or maybe they are just too small.....! There is a box at the back of St John’s where such gifts can be donated and then will be used for future Parish fund raising. All gifts are welcome and "Thanks".
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MOBILE PHONE COLLECTION On behalf of Fr Emmanuel we want to thank everyone who donated a mobile phone and helped with the collection. We got 97 mobiles plus accessories such as chargers, cases, headphones etc. Fr Emmanuel plans to come on 16/02/2025 and will collect the phones and a cheque from the Rotary Club for his charity in Nigeria |
CHURCH STEWARDS
Huge thanks to our stewards who make attendance at church possible as we continue to work at remaining safe whilst in church. Please call Fr David if you would like to join this invaluable team.
POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER INTENTION FEBRUARY 2025 For vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ’s mission in the priesthood and religious life. Lord make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring love. Where there is offence, let me bring pardon, Where there is discord let me bring union. Where there is error let me bring truth, Where is doubt, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness let me bring your light. Where there is sadness, let me bring joy. Amen
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PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME 2025 Following the Information meeting which took place on Thursday 16th January, the families of the children eligible to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion are now having their “One to one appointments” with the catechists and priests of the parish. If you have any questions please contact Fr David |
Father, I am choosing to rest in you and to allow your peace to calm me in my difficulties, and to strengthen me with the courage to face the challenges with your Spirit by my side. |
KSC QUIZ NIGHT KSC QUIZ NIGHT AT ST MARY’S PARISH ROOMS Our next quiz night will be on Monday 17th February at 8pm in St Mary’s parish rooms and will be led by Deacon Theo.
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FOREIGN CURRENCIES, PENNIES, MEDALS AND GOLD If you have any of these items please bring them to church and place them at a box at the back of each church. The parish has received over £500 from what has already been raised.. Thank you. |
175TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST MARY’S OPENING On 2nd August 1849 St Mary’s was opened by Bishop Brown, and a week of celebrations followed. We celebrate this septaquintaquinquecentennial anniversary(!!). We pray for the continued work within The Good Samaritan parish and all parishes to which it is ‘Mother Church’. |
CAFOD NEWS – FEBRUARY 2025
Jubilee Debt Justice Campaign - In this Jubilee Year CAFOD is calling for debt justice alongside the whole Caritas Internationalis family. The world is currently facing the most acute debt crisis in history. Fifty-four countries – from Kenya to Sri Lanka – are facing debt distress. As Pope Francis says, “With the strength of the Spirit, we need to offer an answer here and now to the cries of the world. To hear them we must go out and be a ‘Church-on–the-move’ that reaches out like the Good Samaritan.”
Please sign CAFOD’s online petition: https://action.cafod.org.uk/page/161357/petition/1. If you can, please ask others to sign the petition.
TUESDAY CLUB AT ST MARY’S
The Tuesday club meets every Tuesday from 1pm to 3.30pm in the Parish Rooms at St Mary’s. We have games of Bingo, refreshments and a good “catch up” with friends. All are welcome from across the parish. For more information please contact Marie tel 07427770970.
MONDAY MORNING MASS AT ST. MARY’S
Tea and toast will be served in the parish rooms after 9.30am Mass on Mondays.
This will be organised by the Legion of Mary who will commence their weekly meeting at 10.30am in the Newman Room. All are welcome.
SOCIAL GROUP AT ST. MARY’S
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PARISH BONUS BALLGAME—WINNERS!
Thanks to all who have supported the bonus Ball game and it will continue each week.
The winning Bonus ball number for Wednesday 12th February was number 17
Congratulations to last week’s winners who are as follows:
St John’s ~ Jill St Mary’s ~ Margaret Christ the King ~ Mary
Please claim your prize from the appropriate sacristy.
BURSARIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANT TO “ HELP YOU TO HELP OTHERS”
The Catenian Association offers financial support to young Catholics (aged 16—24) who are involved in development projects which help less fortunate people, (including Diocesan and HCPT Pilgrimages). For more information go to catenianbursary.com
ST JOHN THE BAPTIST MEMORIAL CORNER
Take a look at the two very interesting volumes of information regarding all those named on the war memorial at Saint John’s. They can be found in the memorial corner.
They have been compiled by one of our parishioners Linda. Her extensive work has involved studying a number of Internet sites, such as ancestry.com, the Commonwealth War Graves, British newspaper collection at findmypast and many more.
We thank Linda for her, thoroughly detailed research.
COST OF LIVING SUPPORT
This is a grocery targeted for those people who are having difficulties with the cost of living crisis. You pay a registration fee of £5 for the year, and can then shop weekly (or more often if need be) for £4 per visit — the usual ‘shop’ is equal to about £20/£30 in any other supermarket.
The two shops are 1) in the shopping centre square above New Look, and 2) Valley St near the cemetery. They’re open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm. Just drop in, see and buy!
The people of the parish have given donations and goods, through and in addition to the excellent work of Blessed Trinity College, who have raised over £14,000 since they started.
You are asked to continue to put food into the collection point in many supermarkets, as well as using the Blessed Trinity site for financial donations at https://tinyurl.com/ BlessedTrinityJustGiving. St John’s will continue to accept money gifts, in an envelope clearly marked dropped into the presbytery letterbox.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PARISH BY STANDING ORDER
You can make your contributions to the parish online by Standing Order; Please contact your bank and inform them that payment should now be made as follows:
Name: The Salford Diocesan Trust : The Good Samaritan Parish
Sort Code: 205558
Account number: 50404640.
Many thanks.
KNIGHTS OF ST. COLUMBA CONTINUE THEIR WORK
Although the KSC 100 Club has closed the work of the Knights goes on. They are a group of laymen dedicated to support the missions of the Catholic Church, while also putting a strong emphasis on Faith, Family and Fraternity. The KSC have raise tens of thousands of pounds for Pro-Life charities, Hospices and support our own communities, such as raising money to help social events and the youth in their spiritual growth. We welcome new members who will join in our work. Any further question please email Tom Wilkinson:
“I used to have an open mind, but my brain kept falling out!”
Here’s one of the Quotes sent from a parishioner on the website. There are many more—and Quips!
Have a laugh! Enjoy the wisdom! Send us one of your own favourites!
We’re all deeply into our new way of life and most of us we need to look for the silver linings. Till things go back to normal, let’s try to cheer each other up. Parishioner Tony Waters, who many of you may know from St Mary’s, has contacted us with a brilliant idea. In the current climate, why not have a series of items on reasons to be cheerful?…we reckon that anything that lightens up some of the doom & gloom has got to be good! We’ll publish them on the website, and in the Newsletter when space allows.
Email us with your suggestions to
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- So much unseasonal sunshine
- People smiling because you are deliberately avoiding them
- The fresh green of the springtime trees
- Young families out together for their walk
- Unexpected meetings and chats
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Join the fun—share the joy! Tell us your Reasons to be Cheerful! 😃
Video Recording Of Sunday Mass For The Parish
Like last week, we will be again uploading onto the parish web site a video recording of this Sunday’s Mass from St Mary’s
This should be available from late morning/early afternoon on Sunday. Thanks to all those who have helped to make this possible:
Video Recording: http://goodsamaritanparish.org.uk/index.php/view mass
Other Live-streamed Masses
The National Shrine in Walsingham; www.walsingham.org.uk
The Good Shepherd parish in Colne; www.goodshepherdpendle.org.uk.
You can also find the Readings for Mass each day on www.universalis.com
It is also possible that these streams will offer the Triduum services. The latter will coincide with our parish worship (if you see this Newsletter before the weekend is over).
FR DAVID’S REFLECTION
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer Intentions in Ordinary Time
● A deeper understanding between Christians and Jews
● Those who suffer persecution oppression and denial of human rights
● Europe
● Seafarers
MESSAGE FROM POPE FRANCIS ABOUT RECONCILIATION
These words from the Holy Father should help us while the Sacrament is not currently available:
“Do what the catechism says. It’s very clear. If you don’t find a priest to go to confession, speak to God. He’s your Father. Tell Him the truth: ‘Lord. I did this and this and this. Pardon me.’ Ask His forgiveness with all your heart with an act of contrition, and promise Him, ‘afterwards I will go to confession.’ “You will return to God’s grace immediately. You yourself can draw near, as the Catechism teaches us to God’s forgiveness, without having a priest at hand.”
“The greatest miracle accomplished by Jesus for Simon and the other disappointed and tired fishermen, is not so much the nets filled with fish, but to have helped them to not fall victim to disappointment and discouragement in the face of setbacks. He opened the way for them to become heralds and witnesses of His word and of the Kingdom of God”.
COMMUNITY GROCERY
This is a grocery targeted for those people who are having difficulties in the cost of living crisis. You pay a registration fee of £5 for the year, and can then shop weekly (or more often if need be) for £4 per visit — the usual ‘shop’ is equal to about £20/ £30 in any other supermarket. The two shops are 1) in the shopping centre square above New Look, and 2) Valley St near the cemetery. They’re open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm. Just drop in, see and buy!
The people of the parish have given donations and goods, through and in addition to the excellent work of Blessed Trinity College, who have raised over £14,000 since they started.
You are asked to continue to put food into the collection point in many supermarkets, as well as using the Blessed Trinity site for financial donations at https://tinyurl.com/BlessedTrinityJustGiving.
St John’s will continue to accept money gifts, in an envelope clearly marked dropped into the presbytery letterbox. Thank you all.
CAFOD NEWS
Campaigns Update – Pope Francis has announced he will be attending the global UN climate conference COP28 in Dubai this month. He’s called for political leaders at the COP28 talks to prevent the climate crisis from causing even greater tragedies for communities that have contributed least to causing it. We can support his message by asking our MP to act on the Pope’s call. To take part just follow the link: https://action.cafod.org.uk/page/137965/action/1
CAFOD’s World Gifts – Christmas is fast approaching, but don’t worry CAFOD have the best unusual presents for your friends and family that can make a real difference to people living in poverty. World Gifts are CAFOD range of gifts that help those families in most need across the world. For each gift you buy this Christmas, you will receive a beautiful gift card to pass on to your loved one. For the latest selection visit the CAFOD website or pick up a brochure at the back of our three parish churches: https://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk/
The present church building dates back to 1849, but its history dates back far beyond, to the days when the Catholic Church was persecuted in England, to secret masses at Towneley Hall and the time of priest holes.
There eventually came a time towards the end of the 18th Century when Catholics were tolerated and in the early 19th century a chapel was built at Burnley Wood, which became the direct predecessor of today's St Mary of the Assumption church.
During the 19th and into the 20th Centuries the parish grew, and nowadays St Mary's is a lively and outgoing parish with lots going on - see our Parish Groups page.
Saturday Vigil 6:30pm
Sunday Mass10:00
For other Masses, please see the Latest Newsletter
Mon - Weds - Fri: 12:00 - 12:30
Saturday Morning: 10:00 - 11:30am
St Mary of the Assumption, Burnley.
Entrance on Yorkshire Street, just around the corner from Todmorden Road.
Take a virtual tour of St Mary's church by clicking here.
With thanks to the former St Mary's Gem Church website (now defunct)
A Walk Around St Mary's (opens in separate page)
Church History in Outline, including former Parish Priests (opens in separate page)
A Short History of St Mary's, Burnley -
a comprehensive booklet by Margaret Durkin, BA, to mark the church's first centenary in 1949
(opens in separate page)
NEW! Added 26th Aug 2019 -
Silent Film of Canon Morrissey's Funeral, 1903
A Mitchell and Kenyon Film - when the page opens, click on the "Watch for Free" button - fascinating!
Parish War Dead (opens in separate page)
Links to our sister Churches in the Burnley Catholic Community:
Magnifying glass original (amended here) by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay. With thanks.