St Mary’s Monthly News Free or by Donation July & August 2018 across Europe. This involved long whole parish, my primary focus hours and much international will be to develop a programme travel but it did give me a buzz for Adult nurture by leading on and I thought it was all very education, study and formation in fulfilling. line with our Mission Action Plan. I always remained involved in After three years’ training, I am church life – a bellringer, choir excited at the prospect of serving member, PCC member and amongst you. My journey started Secretary, Brownie leader and with prayer; it continues to be helping to lead services. We underpinned with prayer; and I returned to St Mary’s five years am passionate about sharing the ago and knew immediately we life of prayer. I am deeply grateful were meant to be here. We felt for your support and welcome and at home. But encouragement. I ask for your something totally unexpected continuing prayers as I will pray was about to happen. I have for you. Introducing Rev Carole Barnet always had faith but I admit I did With love Carole I’m Carole, your newly ordained compartmentalise God as I tried Curate. Born into a Christian to juggle different priorities in my Patronal Festival 2018 family, my parents attended St very busy life. I certainly had not Mary’s until I was two. I was set aside space to recognise that baptised here, and when my God was tapping me on the parents moved, we attended shoulder. It was only when Stand Church in Whitefield, prompted by other people that I where my dad was Bellringing began to explore His true purpose Captain and my mum was a for my life. Through the stillness Sunday School teacher. I went to of prayer, I was astonished to school in Bury and left home at begin to discern His call to some the age of 18 to read languages at form of public ministry. Newcastle University, living in From the day the Bishop laid his Germany and Sweden as part of hands on my head at my my degree. Confirmation at the age of 11, the I met my husband, Stewart, one of Eucharist has been central to my our churchwardens, before I went very being. Initially, I trained as a to University and we married one Reader (sharing the Good News week after I graduated. We have through teaching and preaching). one daughter, Helen (now 27), However, increasingly, I felt God and we still enjoy family holidays was sending me out to walk This year we will celebrate St in Italy – great food, lovely people alongside others and to draw Mary’s Patronal Festival on and gorgeous scenery. I love people closer to Him through the Sunday 9 September 2018 – the choral singing, and was a former sharing of the sacraments. I finally Sunday closest to the Feast of the judo, badminton, tennis, netball accepted that God wanted me to Nativity of the Blessed Virgin and hockey player, but dodgy train as a Priest in His Church. Mary (8 September). We are knees now confine my activity to Specifically, I had a strong sense delighted to welcome Bishop walking. I started work in 1981 at that I should be an Ordained Local Mark Davies, pictured above with a small company in Middleton Minister (OLM). As the title Chris, to preside and preach at the where I spent my entire career. As suggests OLM ministry is both Eucharist at 10.30am. Afternoon the business grew into a global Ordained and Local and it is Tea will be served from 2.30 to enterprise, I ultimately became intended that I will exercise my 4.30pm – tickets on sale nearer responsible for all governance, ministry here at St Mary’s. Whilst the time. compliance and legal matters I will share in the ministry of the The Parish of St Mary the Virgin, Prestwich www.stmarysprestwich.org Page 1 St Mary’s Monthly News Look out for our next Twitter drugs. At this year's Greenbelt - deeper. We will hear the voice of campaign, “Living Like Mary” and beyond - USPG is urging Jesus; we will hear the voice of which starts on Monday 3 Christians to stand in solidarity God. We will discover that the September 2018, timed with the with churches in the Philippines heart of Christ, in some Patronal Festival in mind. Over a as they call for justice. The mysterious way, is hidden in my two week period we will tweet message is simple but heart and there, we will hear “I each day with images and short challenging: the gospel calls us to love you. You are precious in my reflections exploring stand up for justice. To quote eyes and I love you”. (Jean characteristics of the Blessed Martin Luther King: “true peace is Vanier) Virgin Mary as an inspiration in not merely the absence of our own faith journey. tension: it is the presence of justice.” These words were echoed by the youth of the Philippine independent church who stated: “the problem seems to be that the Philippines Adoremus is a Eucharistic administration equates silence Follow us on Twitter Pilgrimage and Congress being with peace. but silence is not @stmaryprestwich. held in Liverpool from 7-9 peace. Shutting people up, even September 2018. Organised by USPG at Greenbelt for good, does not solve the the Roman Catholic Church, problem. “ A prayer from USPG: Eucharistic Congresses are God of justice, you call us to live gatherings which promote an out your gospel and to stand in awareness of the central place of solidarity with those who are the Eucharist in the life and oppressed. given us the will and mission of the Church. The last courage to faithfully follow you International Eucharistic in the way that leads through the Congress in England was held in cross to resurrection life. Amen 1908. In 2018, participants will engage in a series of sessions focusing on different dimensions Greenbelt, the annual arts, faith of the Eucharist and the daily and justice festival takes place celebration and adoration of the during August in Blessed Sacrament. The Northamptonshire. This year the programme includes an Anglican mission society USPG ecumenical presentation on “the will have a presence at the Be Still Eucharist as a sign of the Church’s festival, advocating for human St Mary’s meditation group “Be Unity”, with input from the rights in the Philippines. Largely Still” next meets on Wednesday Church of England. A prayer for ignored by western media, 18 July at 7.45pm. the unity of the church: peacemakers and human rights Heavenly Father, you have called activists in the Philippines are us in the Body of your Son Jesus being killed, imprisoned and Christ to continue his work of beaten, including members of the reconciliation and reveal you to church. These campaigners the world: forgive us the sins refuse to be silent when they see which tear us apart; give us the mining corporations destroy the “Let us simply stop and start courage to overcome our fears land of indigenous communities; listening to our own hearts. and to seek that unity which is they refuse to be silent when Then we will touch a lot of pain. your gift and your will; through civilians get caught in the crossfire We will possibly touch a lot of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. of conflict in the south; they anger. We will possibly touch a Amen refuse to be silent about lot of loneliness and anguish. senseless killings in the war on Then we will hear something The Parish of St Mary the Virgin, Prestwich www.stmarysprestwich.org Page 2 St Mary’s Monthly News Diary Dates Monday 3 September – “Living Like Mary” Twitter Sunday 8 July – Carole Barnet ministers as a Deacon in campaign begins for 2 weeks. the parish for the first time. Sunday 9 September - Patronal Festival Eucharist at Sunday 8 July – Confirmations at St Mary’s with 10.30am and Afternoon Tea at 2.30pm. Bishop Jack at 4.00pm. found in the Wilton Chapel at St Congratulations to Owen Mary’s, near the prayer tree: Edwards thank you for your continued contributions. More information is at www. porchboxes.wordpress.com St Mary’s will be open for the Heritage Open Days 2018 on 15- 16 September – more details will be available nearer the time. On Sunday 30 September at Confirmations will be celebrated 10.30am the Eucharist will include at St Mary’s on Sunday 8 July with Pet Blessing. This is an Bishop Jack Nicholls presiding. increasingly popular custom in who was ordained Priest on 23 This year we have almost 30 the church, often celebrated June at Manchester Cathedral candidates, including eleven around 4 October (St Francis’s and presided at the Eucharist for adults, which is the largest Day) in remembrance of the first time at St Mary’s later the number in decades. Please pray Saint Francis of Assisi’s love for all same day. Above Owen is for those to be confirmed this creatures. Franciscan Priest Kevin pictured in a new green chasuble month: Mackin writes: “I believe every which is a gift from the parish. Heavenly Father, by the power of creature is important. The love we Owen continues his ministry as your Holy Spirit you give your give to a pet, and receive from a Assistant Curate of St Mary’s, now faithful people new life in the pet, can draw us more deeply into joined by Carole Barnet following water of baptism.