This July has been a stand-out month for many in our diocese. We saw the return of the much-loved Madonna del Rosario to Manchester streets and found out more about the exciting cathedral restoration project. Schools and families have been saying goodbye as pupils prepare to move on to new chapters in their lives, whilst some of our parishes may have welcomed newly-ordained deacons - the first in our diocese.
But perhaps the thing that has got people of all ages talking the most, is the weather. But as temperatures subside, Bishop John warns the threat has not. In a stark message to people across the diocese, he says this week is the wake-up call we need to understand that climate change is real, and it's already here.
We hope you enjoy this month's e-newsletter. We'll be back in touch in September with more news and updates from across the diocese.
Bishop John: It’s time to sprint towards climate action
This week, we’ve witnessed temperatures never before reached here in the UK.
In our own diocese, temperatures also saw record highs, as some parishes nudged 40 degrees and firefighters battled flames in nearby communities.
But as the temperatures subside, Bishop John warns that the threat has not gone away and urges us to change the habits of our everyday lives to take action on climate change.
To help, we've compiled a list of resources from our colleagues at The Laudato Si Centre to guide us on taking action and reveal why this is so critical to our catholic faith. Click the button below to read more or watch the video above to hear Bishop John's message in full.
We would like to wish all pilgrims travelling to Lourdes this week a safe and blessed trip. We'd also like to thank all of our volunteers who make this fantastic experience possible.
Please stay tuned on our social media and website for updates on how to pray along at home.
Hundreds gather for return of the Italian Procession
We were delighted to see the wonderful Madonna del Rosario procession returning, after 3 years away. The procession, organised by the Manchester Italian Association, took place on Sunday 3 July. This much-loved tradition began in 1890 and has been halted only three times since then – during the First World War, the Second World War, and the coronavirus pandemic.
The procession honours Our Lady of the Rosary and features colourful statues and banners celebrating the varied parishes and groups that form Manchester’s vibrant Italian community.
Bishop John walked with the procession from its historic starting point at St Michael’s Church, Ancoats, to its end at St Peter’s Square, outside the Town Hall. It was wonderful to see so many parishes holding their colours high in a visible celebration of Italian culture and faith in Manchester.
We'd like to say thank you to the Manchester Italian Association for organising this wonderful experience and to everyone who came along on the day.
Diocese celebrates ordination of four new deacons
Last month, we were delighted to celebrate the ordination of four new deacons. Deacons are a new role in our parishes, so we decided to find out a little more about deacons and the roles they play in our parish communities.
As part of our ongoing commitment to a more sustainable future, we are working hard to reduce our carbon emissions across the diocese.
Our environmental team has already calculated a carbon baseline – an inventory of sources of carbon emissions – for our buildings. Now we’re looking to understand more about our emissions resulting from travel, including our parishioners’ travel to and from church.
To help us calculate this, we would greatly appreciate your help by completing this survey.
The survey should take approximately five minutes to complete and all responses are anonymous. Please provide as much information as possible.
Our formation department is delighted to announce a new programme of regular retreats to help nurture our spiritual lives.
The day retreats will be led by Donna Worthington and explore a range of topics, including John of the Cross' Spiritual Canticle, key Bible stories, and different prayer techniques.
Sessions will be hosted at the new centre at Our Lady of Lourdes and St Gerard Majella, Brownedge Road, Lostock Hall.
Please note – a minimum of 15 people are required for a retreat to be offered. Click below for more information on themes, dates, and how to register.
As another school year draws to a close, we are delighted to share some of the fantastic work our schools have been doing.
Once again, our young people are leading the way in taking action to combat our environmental emergency, with countless examples of fantastic work from schools right across the diocese. As always, prayer and spirituality play a central role in all of our schools, whilst fundraising and charitable endeavours highlight how schools are putting their faith into action. Read more by clicking the button below.
We wish all of our staff, pupils, and their families a peaceful, well-deserved break. If you have any news you would like to share, please get in touch at communications@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
We were delighted to welcome the Mercy Bus back to our diocese this July! This fantastic initiative responds to Pope Francis' repeated call to go out of our churches and into the streets by meeting God's people where they are.
This year, the bus was stationed in Tesco Extra car park in Salford, before parking up outside Our Lady of the Assumption church in Burnley. Priests from the diocese were onboard and available to hear confessions, have a chat, and give blessings to those who passed by.
The bus is the brain child of Father Frankie Mulgrew, parish priest of St James and All Souls in Salford, who first brought the Mercy Bus to our diocese in 2016.
He said: "It's the ministry of Jesus. Yes, Jesus had spoken in the synagogues, but then he went out into market squares, he went out to mountain tops, he went to restaurants and had meals with people. Wherever mercy needed to be put and injected, Jesus went to those places."
Restoring the Glory of Salford Cathedral’s Interior
On Sunday 3rd July, we held an information session for Phase 2 of our Cathedral Restoration Project. The information boards that were on display in the cloisters are now in the cathedral, to the right of the entrance (behind the desk).
Phase 2 of our project relates to the internal repairs and restoration of the cathedral, beginning in Spring 2023. The main aim of the internal restoration is to conserve our cathedral, renewing its interior and ensuring our sanctuary in the city is fully sustainable and a source of spiritual inspiration for future generations. As part of this we will seek to provide full equal and integrated access across the building. The boards currently on display in the cathedral and available here provide visual examples of the work that will take place. They include:
Reordering of the cathedral, including relocating the altar.
Additional seating for our increasing congregation.
Redecoration of the cathedral to restore original design features that have been lost over the years.
Schools set to lead climate action after inspiring summit
Young people from our diocese are striving to lead us to a sustainable future after meeting for a key environmental summit.
The summit comes on the back of a dynamic programme from the Guardians of Creation project – a nationwide Catholic-based initiative led by some of the most inspirational environmentalists in the UK and being piloted here in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford.
The day included a range of powerful and inspiring sessions, which saw students present their ideas for a more sustainable future, before taking part in tree planting and meditation sessions, and finally burying a time capsule of their hopes and ideas and closing with a prayer.
Click below to hear more about their thoughts and ideas.
Throughout 2022, a relic of St Bernadette will travel from the Upper Basilica in Lourdes, crossing the English Channel to begin a much-anticipated tour of the UK. The relic, a section of St Bernadette’s thigh bone, will visit every Catholic cathedral across the country. Salford Cathedral will host the relic from the 20-21 September 2022.
Further details will be announced on our diocesan website and social media channels soon.
Over the coming weeks, we have a number of different events lined up for you to enjoy - from opportunities for prayer, spiritual retreats, music events, and the next in our Hope in the Future series of events.
Mass for LGBTQ+ Catholics Saturday 30th July, 3pm St Augustine's Church, Grosvenor Street, All Saints, Manchester, M15 6BW
We are delighted to announce that we will be introducing a series of regular Masses for LGBTQ+ Catholics, and their friends and families. Our next Mass will take place at 3pm on Saturday 30th July at St Augustine’s RC Church, Grosvenor Street, Manchester. All are welcome to attend.
Exhibition of papal visit extended due to popular demand Our Lady of Grace church, Prestwich, M25 1AS
Open until Sunday 31st July 2022
Find out more about St John Paul II’s historic papal visit by exploring a fantastic exhibition at Our Lady of Grace Church, in Prestwich.
The exhibition has been open for a number of weeks, but due to popular demand, it has now been extended until Sunday 31 July. It can be visited between 9am and 6pm Monday to Saturday and between 8am and 12 noon on Sundays.
Digital Missionaries Training Day – ‘How can parishes be digital missionaries in a post-Covid world’ Provided by the Department of Communications
Saturday 3rd September 2022, 9:30am – 12:30pm
Cathedral Centre, Salford, M3 6DP
Retreat Programme: John of the Cross’ Spiritual Canticle Our Lady of Lourdes and St Gerard Majella, Brownedge Rd, Lostock Hall
Saturday 10th September 2022, 11.30am
Our formation department is delighted to announce a new programme of regular retreats to help nurture our spiritual lives.
The first retreat will take place on Saturday 10th September 2022, when attendees will be invited to explore John of the Cross’ remarkable Spiritual Canticle.
This fascinating retreat will be led by Donna Worthington and will be hosted at the new centre at Our Lady of Lourdes and St Gerard Majella, Brownedge Road, Lostock Hall.
It will run from 11.30am to 3pm, including a 30-minute lunch, and will cost £20.
To register an initial interest for the retreat (or any others in our series) please call the parish office on 01772 335387 or email office@saintgerards.org.uk by Monday 29th August 2022. Please include your name, contact details, and the retreat(s) you are interested in attending.
Please note – a minimum of 15 people are required for a retreat to be offered.
Do you have some good news to share?
We are always looking to hear news from our parishes.
How have you been making Hope in the Future a reality in your parish?
Prayer groups?
Charity work?
Events like Alpha or Nightfever?
Holding deanery gatherings?
Shared leadership teams?
