The Parish of "Our Lady Of Furness"

This information was originally published in the Newsletter on Sunday, 18th May

We are hoping that this Patronal Feast and the nine day Novena proceeding it will be a wonderful celebration of our newly formed parish of Our Lady of Furness. It gives us all an opportunity to come together to share and celebrate our faith and the great Catholic heritage of our town. Please enter into the occasion as fully as possible.

We need your prayers, your presence and your gifts and talents for the day to be a success.

If you can help in any way then please sign the lists at the back of church. We will need help with catering, stewarding, transport, cleaning, setting up and just general help.

For the Mass itself we would like servers and singers from all the churches to come together.   (Times for practice will be announced soon).

The Novena will begin on Wednesday 28^th May at 7.15pm at St Mary’s and will take place every evening at the same time for nine days concluding on Thursday 5^th June.

The Mass will take place at 12.10pm on the Saturday and Bishop Michael Campbell will preside and bless the nine images of Our Lady of Furness.

Afterwards there will be an afternoon of fun and activities which will include:

• football competition for the youth
• live entertainment,
• bouncy castles,
• refreshments,
• a hog roast and
• a street party.

In the evening there will be a Ceilidh for the adults with pie and peas. Further information will follow.

NOVENA

Wednesday28^th May – Thursday5^th June at 7.15pm at St Mary’s

PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE

11.00am          Gather for Processions
(starting from St Pius, St Columba, Sacred Heart and Holy Family).

12.10pm          Mass

1.30pm            Street Party, Hog Roast, and Buffet.

2.30pm.           Entertainment

3.00pm            Children’s Entertainer

3.30pm            Musical Concert

4.00pm            Conclusion

7.30pm            Ceilidh

TRANSPORT

If you need a lift to and from the Novena prayer sessions or to the Mass, please add your name to the list at the back of church.  We will try our best to help you get there.

The Parish Youth Group meet again next week,

Wednesday 7th May

Hindpool Centre, Nelson Street

7-845pm

The whole parish are having

First Holy Communion celebrations on the 22nd June.

More information nearer the time.

The Sacred Triduum will take place at St Mary’s Church.

◾The Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday evening 7pm
◾Morning Prayer on Good Friday 10am
◾The Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday afternoon 3pm
◾Stations of the Cross on Good Friday evening 7pm
◾Morning Prayer on Holy Saturday 10am
◾The Easter Vigil on Easter Saturday 8pm

The next Our Lady of Furness Youth Group meeting will be on

Wednesday the 7th May

at the Hindpool Centre, Nelson Street,

7-845pm. 

The celebration will now take place on Saturday, 7th June.
Please note the change of date.

It was originally intended to hold the celebration on the Feast of the Visitation (31st May) but, because of Bank Holidays and School Holidays, it was decided, at the meeting on 11th March, to move the celebration to the following weekend.

This will be a Parish Feast Day, a day of celebration for the whole parish, preceded by a 9 day Novena to Our Lady of Furness, culminating on the feast itself.

The Novena will start on Thursday, 29^nd May.  We will gather for prayer in St Mary’s at 7pm every evening.  On 7th June, we will gather at each church:  Sacred Heart, Holy Family, and St Columba’s and process to St Mary’s carrying the image of Our Lady of Furness. There will be a Mass and procession at St Mary’s and a blessing of the statues.  This will be followed by refreshments and a celebration in the Hindpool Centre.

More details will be announced as arrangements are developed

More meetings are planned to follow through the arrangements needed for each of the church communities to take part in this celebration.  Would  anyone able to help with the planning and organisation of the Feast Day please contact Fr Francis or the Parish Office.

The next “Coffee & Chat” session dates for your diary are:

• Tuesday 18^th March at 2.00pm
• Thursday 1st May at 2.00pm

£1 entry – Cake Stall – Bingo – Quiz – Raffle.

Parishioners from all our churches are most welcome.

All couples getting married this year are invited to attend a meeting on Saturday 22^nd March in Holy Family Social Area, Ostley Bank, Barrow, from 2pm-4pm.

Sacred Heart School will be holding an Easter Coffee Morning on Tuesday 8^th April from 9.30am.
There will be music, dance and prayers. Tea, coffee and Easter Cakes will be served. All are welcome.