We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Emile Nkumu, Cardinal John Carmel Heenan, Mary Peomore, Eileen Clark, Philip Modica, Mick Burke, Andrew Mitchelmore, Marie Hale, Mary Shanahan, Lilian Rombaut, Paul Evans, Maria Lynch, Sheila McBrearty, Peter Moore, Winifred Allen, Elizabeth Spivey, Dorothy Bailey, Bob O’Toole, Dorothy Bartley, Lily Kenney, Irene Fanning, May Pinsent, Arthur (Rob) Hood, Margaret Scales, Marie Elliott, Olive Potter, Alice West, James McHugh, Alan Gloyne, Eileen Waskett, Bernard Culham, Bridget Curtis, Tom Doran & Suzanne Reynolds.
We pray for our sick
We pray for the sick of our parish
“Father,
by the power of your Spirit
you have filled the hearts of your faithful people
with gifts of love for one another.
Hear the prayers we offer for our relatives and friends.
Give them health of mind and body
that they may do your will with perfect love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.”
Please pray for the repose of the soul of
MARY SAUNDERS, RIP who died on Wednesday, 21st October. Her body will be received into the Church on Sunday, 22nd November at 6.15pm and her Requiem Mass will take place on Monday, 23rd November at 10am, followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
Requiescat in pace
Dates for your Diary
Thursday, 12th November—Annual Parish Requiem—7pm
Sunday, 22nd November—Christmas Bazaar 8.30am—1pm
Thursday 26th-Saturday 28th November—Forty Hours’ prayer
Sunday 29th November—Sea of Voices Annual Christmas Concert—3pm
Friday, 18th December—Annual Carol Service—7pm
Saturday, 8th May—First Holy Communion Mass—10.30am
Sunday, 16th May—Confirmation Mass—11.30am
Sunday 30th May—Corpus Christi Procession—4pm
Blessing of Graves
Father Graham will be at Sutton Road Cemetery on Sunday 8th November at 2pm. We all gather by the large cross near the entrance for a short service and then Father will attend individual graves to bless them. You are very welcome to come and join us.
Journey in Faith—RCIA
This continues on Monday 2nd November at 7.30pm and is specifically for those who are not Catholics but who are enquiring with a view to finding out more about the Catholic Faith and Reception into the Church. These evenings are held in the Parish Centre and last for one hour. Names may be given in advance to Father Kevin or to the Parish Office.
Those interested in reading or learning more before the course begins may wish to purchase a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church from the Catholic Truth Society, or listen to The Catechism in a Year podcast with Fr Mike Schmitz.
Can you help?
One of our elderly parishioners is no longer able to drive to Mass on a Sunday. She lives independently at her home in Treecot Drive in Leigh on Sea.
If you are in a position to give her a lift from her home to Mass and back on a Sunday, please contact the Parish Office.
Sea of Voices Annual Christmas Concert
Our Christmas Concert is scheduled for Sunday 29th November at 3pm at the Parish Centre. Tickets £5 will be available in early November and as usual will be sold from the Parish office. All funds raised will go to a charitable cause (to be announced). Donations for the raffle will be gratefully received.
OLOL Ladies Group
We meet next week on 5th November in the Parish Centre from 9.30am for a prompt start at 10am.
This week we are very pleased to welcome back our Guest Speaker, Gina Marshall, who will be presenting part 2 of her talk on the life of Agatha Christie. This second talk by Gina will include some interesting slides.
All ladies in the Parish are welcome to attend and enjoy the morning along with a fun raffle, coffee and cake. Subs remain at just £1.
Parish Fundraising—200 Club
The winners of the October draw are:
1st Prize £150 166 Mr A Rourke
2nd Prize £100 27 Mr R Calton
3rd Prize £75 73 Mrs M Clark
4th Prize £25 125 Miss A Emmerson
SVP Awareness Month
November is the St Vincent De Paul's awareness month. There will be a short address following each Mass. Our local group tries to offer companionship, through befriending, and practical help for individuals and families in the community. If you think you would like to join our Parish group, please contact Sallie Pollock on 07450 277956.
The Young Vincentians of the Parish are very proactive in fundraising activities to support the Parish SVP. Last year we raised almost £1000, which we gave to them to use as they deemed necessary. Please support us in our continuous fundraising—we wish to give to those less fortunate than ourselves. “It is in giving that we receive”. Young Vincentians
Repository News
We are open after all Masses at the weekend PLUS we look forward to seeing you at our stall at the PARISH BAZAAR, when we will have a large selection of Christmas cards, Advent Calendars, Calendars for 2027, a few Christmas gifts including Nativity sets, Christmas candles and a small selection of Diaries for 2027 (which include Mass details). For November we have some votive candles in remembrance of the dead.
PLEASE NOTE: Items for Christmas are not available until the Bazaar on 22nd November.
Parish Christmas Bazaar - Sunday 22nd November, 8.30am - 1.00pm
We’re getting ready for our Parish Christmas Bazaar, and we need your help to make it a wonderful success! This year the Bazaar will be on Sunday 22nd November, running all morning from 8.30am until 1pm. Put the date in your diary and come along for breakfast and a little shopping too!
If you are free to offer an hour or two on the day, please call or message Sue on 07816 141492.
Draw tickets are now available at the back of the Church after all Masses, to be completed & returned to the Parish Office with payment as soon as possible please.
Donations Needed for Our Parish Christmas Bazaar
Alll donations are most welcome but we’re especially looking for donations of:
Unwanted bottles of alcohol – perfect for our bottle tombola and raffle prizes.
Unwanted jewellery – costume or fine, to add sparkle to our jewellery stall.
Unwanted toiletries – always popular on our “Smellies” stall!
If you have any of these items tucked away at home, please consider donating them to support the Parish.
Donations can be left in the old Baptistry. If you need us to collect, (locally), just give us a call
Sue 07816 141492 Angela 07940 183452
Every contribution helps – and together, we can make this year’s Bazaar the best yet!
Thank you for your generosity and continued support.
Poppy Appeal
Poppies will be available at the back of church before and after all Masses this weekend.
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Fireworks Night Friday 6th November
Join us for a fantastic evening of fireworks, fun and family entertainment at our school!
Don't miss out on what promises to be a wonderful evening for the whole family!
Book your tickets now and secure your place: www.ticketsource.com/our-lady-of-lourdes-pta
Please help us spread the word by sharing this event with family and friends.
We can't wait to see you there!
MISSIO RED BOX
Thank you to all who donated to the World Mission Sunday Appeal. If anyone has a box needing to be emptied please give it to me personally or leave in the office for me to collect.
Please let me have any boxes by Sunday 22nd November 2026.
Thank you. Joan Caunce, Secretary, 01268 757505.
Seniors Exercise & Balance Class
10am Tuesdays
Parish Centre
£6
You are invited to join the Exercise & Balance Class for Seniors which is held every Tuesday morning in the Parish Centre. The class starts at 10am and lasts one hour. Exercises are done to music and each session costs £6.
Southend SVP Afternoon Tea Fundraiser
Venue: Roslin Beach Hotel
📅 Date: Monday, 7th December 2026
🕜 Time: 1:30 pm
💷 Cost: £39.50 per person
To book your place or for further information, please contact:
📧 NesperM@svp.org.uk
📞 07549 128877
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Our Lord reminds us that the whole of the Christian life is summed up in two great commandments: to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.
Dear friends in Christ
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Our Lord reminds us that the whole of the Christian life is summed up in two great commandments: to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. Everything else in the spiritual life flows from these two commandments. Our faith is not simply a matter of fulfilling obligations, but of allowing the love of God to shape our hearts, our words, and our actions each day.
As we approach the Solemnity of All Saints next weekend, the Church invites us to look towards the great company of those who have gone before us in faith. The saints are not merely figures from the distant past, nor are they people whose holiness is beyond our reach. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ who show us what it means to love God wholeheartedly and to serve our neighbour generously. Their lives remind us that holiness is not reserved for a chosen few, but is the calling of every Christian.
The saints also teach us that the love of God must become visible in ordinary life: in the patience we show within our families, in the kindness we offer to those who are lonely, in the forgiveness we extend to those who have hurt us, and in the faithfulness with which we fulfil our daily duties. The way to heaven is found not in extraordinary achievements, but in allowing Christ to transform the ordinary circumstances of our lives with His grace.
The month of November, which follows All Saints, has a particular place in the heart of the Church. We remember the faithful departed, pray for the souls in Purgatory, and entrust our loved ones to the mercy of God. The Church reminds us that death does not have the final word: our hope rests in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, and who has promised eternal life to those who believe in Him. During November, I encourage you to remember your departed family members and friends in your prayers, to have Mass offered for them where possible, and to visit a cemetery if you are able. These are not simply acts of remembrance; they are expressions of our Catholic faith in the Communion of Saints, in the power of prayer, and in the resurrection of the dead.
As we move towards the end of the Church’s year, may these coming weeks help us to lift our eyes beyond the passing concerns of this world towards the promise of eternal life. May the saints inspire us, may our prayers sustain those who have died, and may the love of God and neighbour remain the guiding principle of everything we do. May Our Blessed Lady, Queen of All Saints, pray for us, that one day we may join the saints in the glory of heaven, where love is perfected and God will be all in all. With every blessing in Christ.
Msgr Kevin Hale