Anderton St Joseph's        
                Newsletter
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

23rd March 2025  


 There were some present at that very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’
  And he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vine dresser, “Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?” And he answered him, “Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig round it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” 
  Luke 13:1-9 

Sat 22nd
17.00Vigil Mass at St Mary’s Chorley 

Sun 23rdTHIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
09.30Mass at St Mary’s
11.00Mass – Winifred Collinson 
Confessions after Mass as required 
15.00 Holy Hour at St Mary’s. Adoration, Evening Prayer (15.40) and Benediction)

Mon 24th

Tues 25th THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD 
10.00Mass - Parishioners 

Wed 26th 

Thurs 27th 

Fri 28th 
10.00 Mass - Margaret Webster 
- followed by Stations of the Cross 

Sat 29th 

Sun 30th FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT   
11.00Mass – Winifred Walsh 
12.00Baptisms

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND THE HOUSEBOUND: 
Pope Francis, Joan Bailey, Francis Brennan, Anne Byrne, 
Mary Patricia Case, Gerard Clarke, baby Henry Curtis, Leo Duffy, 
Clare Edwards, John Fearnhead, Pat Font, Tom Fraser, William Freeman, Bob Goulding, Rosemary Hough, Cathy Hull, Mary Johnston, Archbishop Emeritus Patrick Kelly, John Kerfoot, 
Bill King, Emma King, Val McGlade, Janet McGowan, Fintan McPeake, Teresa Martin, 
Fr Laurence Mayne, Ellen Morris, Irene O'Neil, Heidi O’Neill, Barrie Swift, Josette Walsh, 
Lorraine Waugh, Jean White, all at Grove House & Marley Court. 

RETIRING COLLECTION: On 23rd March there is a special national collection to support the shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham. 

BAPTISM BOOKINGS DATES:  30th March, 27th April, 8th June, 28th June, Baptisms on these dates will take place at 12.00 noon. Could those who have returned baptism forms please let me know which date they want for their child’s baptism, if they have not already done so? 

ARCHDIOCESE PILGRIMAGE TO ROME IN NOVEMBER 2025
More places have become available for the Pilgrimage to Rome in November. Dates are Friday 7th - Thursday 13th November. Please email Mpmmurphypat@aol.com for further details and booking forms.

PILGRIM CROSS IS AN ANNUAL EASTER PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM, open to all ages and backgrounds. Walk for one, three, or seven days in community before celebrating Easter in the historic ruins of Walsingham Abbey. With routes ranging from 5 to 20 miles a day, there’s a challenge for everyone – from families with young children to those ready for the full 100-mile journey. Luggage is transported, and support is available along the way. To register and join a group, visit pilgrimcross.org.uk 

CATHOLIC HERALD: Could you please inform St Mary’s parish office if you would be interested in buying the Catholic Herald newspaper. It is now monthly and costs £5. We can get copies, but we need to know if there is some interest in purchasing these papers. Thank you.

SVP SOCIAL EVENT - TUESDAY 8TH APRIL
“An afternoon to meet and catch up with friends”
St Joseph’s Anderton SVP are hosting a get together social afternoon and tickets are now on sale for this event. It's being held on Tuesday 8th April,
13.30 – 16.00 at Fairview Community Centre, Highfield Road, Adlington* Entry tickets cost £3 and this includes afternoon tea.
Please note that places are limited and entry is by ticket only. To buy your tickets please see either Pat Whitehead or Linda Hoole. Everybody is most welcome and we are hoping this will be the first of many!!! 
*Return transport is available upon request for anybody who may struggle getting there - please see any members of our SVP to request this.

CHORLEY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS JUBILEE YEAR MASS took place at St Mary’s on 18th March. Feast of Blessed Roger Wrenno (martyr Chorley weaver) and John Thules. We hosted 650 pupils and staff from the Junior Schools (including St Joseph’s Anderton) and from Holy Cross Catholic High School. Yr 6 pupils represented the Junior schools. It was a truly splendid occasion with the sun shining and all the pupils were a credit to their schools. The readers, altar servers and the musicians were very good. Thank you to the priests who concelebrated and supported their schools. A huge congratulations to Mr Lindley, Mrs Huddy and the Headteachers from the Junior Schools.

EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES AND THE TURIN SHROUD
We are very lucky to have Mike Pietrzyk, a speaker from Michigan USA, visiting the Archdiocese of Liverpool. We have invited Mr Pietrzyk to speak to us on Monday 28th April at 18.30 in St Mary’s parish centre about Eucharistic Miracles. This will be a day after the canonisation of Bl. Carlos Acutis in Rome. A further visit will take place on Saturday 3rd May, in the same parish centre, and we will have a talk about the Shroud of Turin and the secrets that the forensic evidence tells us with the new technology we have available to scientists. 
Please book the dates in your diary and come and hear the amazing evidence that will astound you about the Passion of Christ and the true reality of Jesu’s presence
in Holy Communion.

MOSES AND THE BURNING BUSH (picture on front of newsletter) Exod 3:13-15 
Then Moses said to God, ‘I am to go, then, to the sons of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you.” But if they ask me what his name is, what am I to tell them?’ And God said to Moses אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה “ehyeh asher ehyeh” (I Am Who Am). This’ he added ‘is what you must say to the sons of Israel: “I Am has sent me to you.”’ And God also said to Moses, ‘You are to say to the sons of Israel: “יְהוָ֞ה YHWH (He Who Is), the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.” This is my name for all time; by this name I shall be invoked for all generations to come.’

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER

To enable you to plan ahead for Holy Week and Easter, here are the times of the Mass and other Services.

DEANERY LENTEN SERVICE OF RECONCILIATION will be held at St Gregory’s Weld Bank on Sunday 6th April at 15.00. 

Palm Sunday(13 April) – Blessing of Palms at Mass. 
Sunday 11.00 with palm procession. 

15.00 - Holy Hour at St Mary’s: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Evening Prayer (15.40) and Benediction.

Holy Week 

Mass at St Joseph’s Tuesday 15th - 10.00

Monday 14th – Wednesday 16th: At St Mary’s Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 11.00-12.00 Mass 12.00. Exposition resumes 12.30-13.00 

Wednesday 16th: 19.30 Chrism Mass at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

Friday 18th: 10.30 - Stations of the Cross at St Joseph's followed by Confessions
Easter Sunday 20th - 11.00 Mass at St Joseph's

PLEASE NOTE- no Maundy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper or Service of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday at St Joseph's. These are taking place at St Mary's - see below.

THE PASCHAL TRIDUUM AT ST MARY’S:
Maundy Thursday 17th: 19.00 The Lord’s Supper – with watching at the Altar of Repose until Night Prayer at 21.30. Confessions after Mass.
Friday 18th: 15.00 St Mary’s - The Passion of the Lord. Confessions follow as required.
Holy Saturday 19th: 11.00 Confessions. 12.00 Paschal Food blessing for the Polish and then the Ukrainian communities. 20.15 – Easter Vigil and Mass of the Resurrection.
Easter Sunday 20th April: 09.30 Mass at St Mary’s


Divine Mercy Service: Sunday 27th April 15.00 Sacred Heart Chorley.


CHORLEY AND PRESTON HOSPITALS: Please contact St Joseph's Chorley (262713) if any member of your family is admitted into Chorley Hospital and needs a visit. In urgent cases or emergency please ask the ward staff to call the duty Chaplain on his bleep/phone. For the chaplaincy service at Royal Preston Hospital Tel: 01772 522435. For the chaplaincy service at Wigan Infirmary Tel: 01942 822324. 


Parish Priest: Fr Francis Marsden
Secretary: Mr Frank Webster 
Parish Office: St Joseph’s Presbytery, 28 Bolton Road, Adlington, PR6 9NA
Wednesdays 10.00-13.00
Tel: all calls now to 01257- 262537 (St Mary’s Chorley)

E-mail: stjosephs.anderton@tiscali.co.uk
Parish Website: www.stjosephsanderton.com

ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL Registered Charity No. 1199714
























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