Our weekly newsletter
4th OCTOBER 2026 – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
MASS TIMES
Monday 10.00am Weekday Mass
Tuesday 10.00am Weekday Mass - 7.00pm Divine Mercy Prayers
Wednesday 10.00am Weekday Mass – OUR LADY OF THYE ROSARY
7.00pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction
Thursday 10.00am Weekday Mass
Friday 10.00am Weekday Mass with School Children – St JOHN HENRY NEWMAN
7.00pm October Rosary Prayers - followed by refreshments
Saturday 10.00am Weekday Mass
5.30pm Sunday Vigil Mass
Sunday 10.30am 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mass, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers
Saturday 3rd October – Vigil
Mary
Catherine K & Joan S
Sunday 4th October
Anthonia & Megan
Joan M & David
Saturday 10th October – Vigil
Cinderella
Linda & Catherine K
Sunday 11th October
Ronnie & Tabore
Anthonia & Kay
Masses and Prayer Intentions This Week
Lately Dead: John Ryan.
Anniversaries: John Joseph Dalton (B/day).
Others: Sayers & Riley Families & Paul & Anne White, For all the sick of the Parish,
Our Lady & St Peregrines Care & Prayers to St Blaise. For those in hospital,
Including - Fr B Wilson, Joan Smith, Noreen Leonard & Christine Orr.
Bidding Prayers: Reader: Jesus, the stone rejected by the builders,
Response: has become the corner stone.
Comments on today’s Bible Readings:
1st Reading: A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah:
The vineyard in the Kingdom of God – who cares for it? Isaiah foretells that the people will reject the Kingdom of God.
2nd Reading: A Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians:
Keep faith with God’s word. It will repay you 10 -fold.
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew:
The Kingdom of God will be handed over to a pagan people who will be converted to the ways of God.
PLEASE JOIN US AFTER MASS THIS SUNDAY IN THE SCHOOL HALL FOR REFRESHMENTS AND THE 100 CLUB DRAW FOR THE SEPTEMBER WINNER. WHO WILL RECEIVE £285?
Many thanks to Frs. Peter, Anthony and Francisco for celebrating all Masses during the last fortnight.
MARRIAGE MATTERS
Loving and honouring each other and the Lord.
When you married you took each other for better, for worse. God experienced the ‘worse’ when his ‘bride’, the Jewish people, rejected him by worshipping other gods. The ‘worse’ for you may be when your spouse mocks your beliefs. Have you shared your hurt, let them know your pain? Remember, though, that God has loved the ‘worst’ in you.
Memorial Book: The following names are included for OCTOBER
Anthony Peter Jones, Christina Saunders, Cliff Roche, Dominic Cheshire, James Hayden, Jane Kemmer, Joan Roscoe, John Greenwood, John Smith, Keith Kilbourne, Maria Bay Nguyen, Marie Smith (Maguire), Mary Owen (Collins), Matthew Riley Snr, Monica Szal, Norman Martin, Raymond Matthews (B/day), Richard Dalton, Robert Craig (B/day), Samuel Taylor, Steven John Pennington, Teresa Tierney, Veonica Burton, Wendy Fyvie, William Jeffries,
Michael Regan.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God. Rest in Peace.
NOTICES:
PRAISE NIGHT:
The parish is organising a Praise night on Friday 16th October at 7pm. Everyone is warmly invited to come along and celebrate with us. Please bring your family and friends to join us for an evening of joyful praise and worship. We have invited neighbouring churches from other Christian denominations to join us making this a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and to praise God together as one Christian family, featuring: St Stephen’s Parish Choir, Angelic Voices Choir, Born to Worship Choir, Musical Instrumental medley. Kindly register using the Eventbrite link by scanning the QR code on the flyers pasted on the church doors and notice boards. Please feel free to come along on that day even without prior registration.
OCTOBER ROSARY DEVOTIONS: We started our usual Rosary devotions to Our Lady last Friday and will continue every Friday at 7pm in October, except next Friday which is our special Praise Night. We will finish each week with the usual refreshments provided by the Social Group.
DIVINE MERCY GROUP: Please join us this Tuesday at 7pm for The Chaplet of Divine Mercy Prayers. If you haven’t been to these Prayer Sessions before, please give it a try. There is a pamphlet with all prayers which are easy to follow. The whole Session lasts less than half an hour.
MISSIO RED BOX APPEAL – LAST WEEKEND:
Fr. Frank Downs MHM sends his thanks for making him so welcome last weekend and especially to those who agreed to use a Red Box for their loose change donations.
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY, will be on the Saturday & Sunday 17th & 18th October. We will have the collection buckets available for your donations towards MISSIO that weekend, many thanks.
PIETY STALL CHRISTMAS STOCK: We have introduced lots of new items during the week. Please have a look at the display. There are sure to be items you will need; Christmas cards with holy messages in particular. All items priced.
ADORATION AND BENEDICTION: Please join us for half an hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction every Wednesday at 7pm. This has become a very popular half hour spent in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.
RECEPTION OF SACRAMENTS: All those who desire to be received into the Catholic Church or are interested in receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Eucharist or Confirmation should kindly approach Mary Wilding to be registered or send an email to the parish.
LETTERS AGAINST ISOLATION:
We are launching a letter-writing drive to fight loneliness. Letters Against Isolation is a volunteer-run charity that sends friendly handwritten letters to older people in care homes and community programmes. Our goal is 100 letters over the next three months. Please join us! Just a short, warm note can brighten someone’s day. Simply write your letter and drop it in the box at the church entrance and we will do the rest. Copies of the LAI guidelines and ideas for your letter are also available in the church entrance. This costs nothing except a little of your time; so please consider participating.
DROYLSDEN FOOD BANK: Please can you help, we are very short of the following tinned items, Spaghetti, Baked Beans, Vegetables, Tuna, Fruit, Meat, Soup, Tomatoes and Potatoes. As always, we are short of Breakfast Cereals, Long Grain Rice, Biscuits, Jam and cartons of Juice. Many thanks to all our St Stephen’s contributors, we would be lost without you. Stella Chorlton.
MASS TIMES
Monday 10.00am Weekday Mass
Tuesday 10.00am Weekday Mass - 7.00pm Divine Mercy Prayers
Wednesday 10.00am Weekday Mass – OUR LADY OF THYE ROSARY
7.00pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction
Thursday 10.00am Weekday Mass
Friday 10.00am Weekday Mass with School Children – St JOHN HENRY NEWMAN
7.00pm October Rosary Prayers - followed by refreshments
Saturday 10.00am Weekday Mass
5.30pm Sunday Vigil Mass
Sunday 10.30am 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mass, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers
Saturday 3rd October – Vigil
Mary
Catherine K & Joan S
Sunday 4th October
Anthonia & Megan
Joan M & David
Saturday 10th October – Vigil
Cinderella
Linda & Catherine K
Sunday 11th October
Ronnie & Tabore
Anthonia & Kay
Masses and Prayer Intentions This Week
Lately Dead: John Ryan.
Anniversaries: John Joseph Dalton (B/day).
Others: Sayers & Riley Families & Paul & Anne White, For all the sick of the Parish,
Our Lady & St Peregrines Care & Prayers to St Blaise. For those in hospital,
Including - Fr B Wilson, Joan Smith, Noreen Leonard & Christine Orr.
Bidding Prayers: Reader: Jesus, the stone rejected by the builders,
Response: has become the corner stone.
Comments on today’s Bible Readings:
1st Reading: A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah:
The vineyard in the Kingdom of God – who cares for it? Isaiah foretells that the people will reject the Kingdom of God.
2nd Reading: A Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians:
Keep faith with God’s word. It will repay you 10 -fold.
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew:
The Kingdom of God will be handed over to a pagan people who will be converted to the ways of God.
PLEASE JOIN US AFTER MASS THIS SUNDAY IN THE SCHOOL HALL FOR REFRESHMENTS AND THE 100 CLUB DRAW FOR THE SEPTEMBER WINNER. WHO WILL RECEIVE £285?
Many thanks to Frs. Peter, Anthony and Francisco for celebrating all Masses during the last fortnight.
MARRIAGE MATTERS
Loving and honouring each other and the Lord.
When you married you took each other for better, for worse. God experienced the ‘worse’ when his ‘bride’, the Jewish people, rejected him by worshipping other gods. The ‘worse’ for you may be when your spouse mocks your beliefs. Have you shared your hurt, let them know your pain? Remember, though, that God has loved the ‘worst’ in you.
Memorial Book: The following names are included for OCTOBER
Anthony Peter Jones, Christina Saunders, Cliff Roche, Dominic Cheshire, James Hayden, Jane Kemmer, Joan Roscoe, John Greenwood, John Smith, Keith Kilbourne, Maria Bay Nguyen, Marie Smith (Maguire), Mary Owen (Collins), Matthew Riley Snr, Monica Szal, Norman Martin, Raymond Matthews (B/day), Richard Dalton, Robert Craig (B/day), Samuel Taylor, Steven John Pennington, Teresa Tierney, Veonica Burton, Wendy Fyvie, William Jeffries,
Michael Regan.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God. Rest in Peace.
NOTICES:
PRAISE NIGHT:
The parish is organising a Praise night on Friday 16th October at 7pm. Everyone is warmly invited to come along and celebrate with us. Please bring your family and friends to join us for an evening of joyful praise and worship. We have invited neighbouring churches from other Christian denominations to join us making this a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and to praise God together as one Christian family, featuring: St Stephen’s Parish Choir, Angelic Voices Choir, Born to Worship Choir, Musical Instrumental medley. Kindly register using the Eventbrite link by scanning the QR code on the flyers pasted on the church doors and notice boards. Please feel free to come along on that day even without prior registration.
OCTOBER ROSARY DEVOTIONS: We started our usual Rosary devotions to Our Lady last Friday and will continue every Friday at 7pm in October, except next Friday which is our special Praise Night. We will finish each week with the usual refreshments provided by the Social Group.
DIVINE MERCY GROUP: Please join us this Tuesday at 7pm for The Chaplet of Divine Mercy Prayers. If you haven’t been to these Prayer Sessions before, please give it a try. There is a pamphlet with all prayers which are easy to follow. The whole Session lasts less than half an hour.
MISSIO RED BOX APPEAL – LAST WEEKEND:
Fr. Frank Downs MHM sends his thanks for making him so welcome last weekend and especially to those who agreed to use a Red Box for their loose change donations.
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY, will be on the Saturday & Sunday 17th & 18th October. We will have the collection buckets available for your donations towards MISSIO that weekend, many thanks.
PIETY STALL CHRISTMAS STOCK: We have introduced lots of new items during the week. Please have a look at the display. There are sure to be items you will need; Christmas cards with holy messages in particular. All items priced.
ADORATION AND BENEDICTION: Please join us for half an hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction every Wednesday at 7pm. This has become a very popular half hour spent in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.
RECEPTION OF SACRAMENTS: All those who desire to be received into the Catholic Church or are interested in receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Eucharist or Confirmation should kindly approach Mary Wilding to be registered or send an email to the parish.
LETTERS AGAINST ISOLATION:
We are launching a letter-writing drive to fight loneliness. Letters Against Isolation is a volunteer-run charity that sends friendly handwritten letters to older people in care homes and community programmes. Our goal is 100 letters over the next three months. Please join us! Just a short, warm note can brighten someone’s day. Simply write your letter and drop it in the box at the church entrance and we will do the rest. Copies of the LAI guidelines and ideas for your letter are also available in the church entrance. This costs nothing except a little of your time; so please consider participating.
DROYLSDEN FOOD BANK: Please can you help, we are very short of the following tinned items, Spaghetti, Baked Beans, Vegetables, Tuna, Fruit, Meat, Soup, Tomatoes and Potatoes. As always, we are short of Breakfast Cereals, Long Grain Rice, Biscuits, Jam and cartons of Juice. Many thanks to all our St Stephen’s contributors, we would be lost without you. Stella Chorlton.
