Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - World Mission Sunday
Dear friends in Christ
Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar—and to God what belongs to God.
Dear friends in Christ
Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar—and to God what belongs to God. It is one of those Gospel sayings that we can hear so often that we risk missing how radical it really is. The Pharisees and Herodians come to Jesus with a question designed to trap Him. Is it lawful to pay the tax to Caesar or not? If Jesus says yes, He risks appearing to approve of Roman occupation. If He says no, He can be accused of rebellion. Either answer seems to put Him in difficulty. But Jesus does not allow Himself to be drawn into their trap. He asks them to look at the coin. Whose image is on it? Caesar’s. Then comes His remarkable answer: Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar—and to God what belongs to God.
The coin bears Caesar’s image. But we bear the image of God. That changes everything. We can give Caesar a coin. We can fulfil our civic responsibilities. We can be good citizens, contribute to the common good, and take seriously our responsibilities in the society in which we live. But there is something Caesar can never claim: our worship, our conscience, our ultimate allegiance. Those belong to God.
And perhaps this is the question the Gospel quietly places before each of us this Sunday: What have I given to God? It is perhaps easy to give God an hour on Sunday. It is much harder to give Him our whole heart. It is easy to say that we believe in God. It is more demanding to allow that belief to shape the way we speak, spend, forgive, work, vote, serve, and treat the person standing before us.
Everything we have ultimately comes to us as a gift. Our life, our abilities, our relationships, our time, our possessions—even the opportunities we sometimes take for granted. We are not the absolute owners of these things. We are stewards. And so Jesus' words are not simply about separating religion from politics. They are about putting everything in its proper place.
Perhaps this week we might pause and ask ourselves: Where in my life have I allowed something other than God to become too important? Is it money? Success? Politics? Reputation? Comfort? The opinions of others? Even our worries can sometimes occupy a place in our hearts that belongs to God alone. The good news is that He calls us back to Himself because He knows that we become most fully ourselves when we remember whose image we bear.
Last Saturday Our Holy Father Pope Leo appointed Bishop Timothy Menezes as the eighth Bishop of Brentwood. Bishop Menezes is Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham, and we welcome him as our new Shepherd. Our new Bishop has extensive pastoral experience, having been a Parish Priest, Bishop’s Secretary, Dean of the Cathedral, Vicar General and a Bishop for the last two years. We assure him of our prayers and best wishes as he comes to us and formally takes up his post on 3rd December. At the same time we pray with thanksgiving to God for the twelve years that Bishop Alan Williams has given in service to our Diocese, and that he will have a long and happy retirement. God bless all of us in this Diocese together our new Bishop. May God and His Blessed Mother watch over and protect Pope Leo as he recovers from his recent surgery.
Msgr Kevin Hale
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of Year A
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 1
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - World Mission Sunday
Saturday 17th October
St Ignatius of Antioch, Bp, M
10am Mass Intentions of Clare Finnett (NG)
10.30am—11.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
6.30pm—7.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 18th October
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Intentions of Evelyn Mackay (SD)
9.30am Mass Intentions of Charles Sławik
11.30am Mass Bill & Moya Campbell, RIP (Anniv) (LL)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 19th
Feria
9am Mass David Thomas, RIP (Anniv) (PT)
Tuesday 20th
Feria
9am Mass Susan Griffin, RIP (K&LW)
Wednesday 21st
Feria
9am Mass Sybil Swann, RIP (Anniv) (EH)
4.15pm Body in church Nicholas Hutchins, RIP
Thursday 22nd
St John Paul II, P
9am Mass Mark Solecki, RIP (IS)
2pm Requiem Mass Nicholas Hutchins, RIP
Friday 23rd
St John of Capistrano, Pr
12Noon Mass Josephine McGuigan, RIP (MC)
Saturday 24th October
St Antony Mary Claret, Bp
10am Mass Charles & Alice Whitefield, RIP (FM)
10.30am—11.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
6.30pm—7.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 25th October
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Intentions of Luke McGregor (SD)
9.30am Mass Holy Souls in Purgatory
11.30am Mass Martyn Assirati, RIP (ST)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Bernard Clay, Canon William O’Neill, Edward Chares, William Brooks, Johanna Gromnicka, Margaret Kenney, Josephine Platt, Annie Barton, Anthony Isaacs, Joan Erwood, George Gatward, David Thomas, Kevin Hopley, Monica James, Elizabeth Winchester, Kenneth Biebuyck, Veronica McCullough, Dr Brian Quinn, Denis Jordan, Sybil Swann, Norman Halligan, Clara Donnelly, Catherine Hevey, Thomas Gunn, Eileen Morgan, Florence D’Yos, Sue Fry, Michael Standing & Seamus Graham.
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 souls of
NICHOLAS HUTCHINS, RIP who died on Saturday, 5th September. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 21st October at 4.15pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 22nd October at 2pm, followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
DOREEN HARLEY, RIP who died on Monday, 28th September. Her body will be received into the church on Tuesday, 27th October at 4.15pm and her Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday, 28th October at 11am, followed by committal at Sutton Road Cemetery.
Requiescant 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
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
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Improvisation
Postlude: Choral (Pièces en style libre, Op. 31) - Louis Vierne (1870-1937)
Cashless Society
Thank you for bearing with us through the renovations to the website. Hopefully you are finding the current offering helpful and informative. Now we are finished, we can offer recurring donations online. Please consider this as the new form of the offertory collection. If everyone receiving this by email were to contribute £5 weekly, this would easily eclipse all other giving we receive in total. If this seems too much, perhaps consider, say, £10 monthly: it’s up to you.
If you are a UK taxpayer, Gift Aid permission gives us an extra 25p on every £1 you give. If you are a higher rate tax payer, you claim the rest of your tax paid on your donations made with Gift Aid. So a donation of £400 becomes £500 for the parish, but only costs you £300! If you make an account on our website, you have control of your payments, and can track your total donations for the tax year. You should include your Donations on your tax return, giving you your tax rebate. Gift Aid is a government incentive for donating to charities: please take advantage of it! Increase the amount you give at no cost to you, and—if you unfortunately find yourself in a higher tax bracket—then your giving will also give you some cash back.
Collecting and processing the offertory plate takes the time of many volunteers. If you can switch to online donations, this burden will could evaporate completely…
Online Donation
You can now make recurring donations online: please consider this as a new, simpler form of the offertory collection.
If everyone reading this were to give £3 weekly, this would exceed all our usual donations.
World Mission Sunday
Today 18th October 2026 we are celebrating 100 years of World Mission Sunday. Pope Leo has chosen the theme ONE IN CHRIST UNITED IN MISSION.
There are prayers cards at the back of the church from Pope Leo. Please pray for the work o f this mission and give what you can to this vital collection.
To donate please use the MISSIO envelope at the back of the Church.
Thank you Joan Caunce Secretary 01268 757505.
Journey in Faith—RCIA
This begins on Monday 19th October 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.
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.
Brant Pitre's talk on ‘How Did We Get The Bible?’
What would you say to someone who says Catholicism isn’t biblical? Have you ever wondered how we got the Bible? Join us in the Parish Centre on Monday 19th at 10.30 or Wednesday 28th at 7.30pm when we will look at these issues & more as well as enjoying some lively discussion.
OLL Ladies Group
We meet on Thursday 22 October in the Parish Centre at 10am so please arrive early for refreshments and prior to our Guest Speaker. We are very pleased to welcome back Jackie Sullens who is one of our popular speakers. This time Jackie will be presenting some of her family history, so who knows what might come out of the cupboard?? ( or the attic ). We have a fun Raffle plus refreshments and subs at only £1. All ladies in the Parish are welcome to join us.
Certificates of Catholic Practice
Please note Fr Kevin will be issuing Certificates of Catholic Practise in September/October, Tuesday—Friday 9.00—13.00. Please call into the office to complete the form.
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.
Repository News
We have some new stock, including Statues, plus a few items from Lourdes, in addition to books and a large selection of cards. Please feel free to browse and ask our volunteers for assistance if you can't find what you are looking for.
St Helen’s Parish Westcliff, Job Vacancy
Person required for paid position of Finance Co-ordinator to cover maternity leave 15 hours per week. If you or any of your family/friends are interested, please first contact the Parish office for a job description and person specification, next send in your CV, with a covering letter demonstrating how your experience and skills and attributes match the essential requirements of the role.
Closing dates for CVs /applications Tuesday 27th October. Interview Date Tuesday 3rd November
Contact 01702 342324 Email westcliff@brcdt.org