We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Henry Tilley, Fr David Coghlan, Fr Hugh Verity, Fr David Papweorth, Fr Stephen Keane, Ethel Morgan, Patrick Blissett, DaranPersaud, Josephine Alani, Lily de Lobel, Maria Robinson, Vincent Glauda, Teresa Booty, Doris Lowe, Leonard Stevenson, Christopher Barrago, William Smith, Joseph Herinckx, Ronald Hall, Les Smith, Len Murray, James Jones, Dawn Pursey, John Dillon, Kathleen Horwood, Gerard Rogers, Magdalaine Rubeck, Philippa Soggre, Jean Kerr, Philomena Stone, Arthur John Watkins & Frank Mann.
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
THOMAS HADEN, RIP who died on Sunday, 19th July. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 26th August at 4.30pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 27th August at 1.30pm followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
MICHELE FRANZOLIN, RIP who died recently.
Requiescant in pace
Congratulations
We offer our prayerful good wishes to Brian and Maureen Devine who celebrate their Diamond Wedding Anniversary with Holy Mass this Thursday. May God renew and reward them in their marriage and family life and grant them the graces and blessings of a lifetime of devotion!
First Holy Communion 2027
If your child is going into Year 3 or above and you wish for them to make their First Holy Communion in May 2027, please submit the application by Friday 4th September.
This should be done via the parish website, under Sacraments - Communion
(https://lourdesleigh.org/sacraments)
We will be in touch after this date to confirm preparatory sessions for the children. Please note that these take place on a Saturday (once a month) at 4pm-5:15pm.
The Priests return to the Brentwood Diocese!
Fr. Eugene O'Hagan and Fr. Martin O'Hagan - formerly of the celebrated singing trio 'The Priests' - invite you to join them at a one-off charity weekend, hosted by and in support of the Brentwood Catholic Children's Society.
Choose from an elegant Gala Dinner or sophisticated Charity Luncheon, both being held at a stunning Grade II listed manor house. Enjoy fine dining and seize a rare opportunity to see Fr. Eugene and Fr. Martin perform in an intimate and exclusive setting - this is an occasion not to be missed!
9th-10th October at The Lawn, Rochford - for full details and to purchase tickets, please visit www.bccs.org.uk/get-involved/events-campaigns/ or contact Julie Abbott 07912 277413
Certificates of Catholic Practice
Please note Fr Kevin will be issuing Certificates of Catholic Practice in September/October.
Repository News
Would Parishioners please note that the Repository is now closed until September. Mass cards will be available from the Parish Office on weekday mornings only during this period.
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
This Sunday's Gospel presents us with the familiar yet ever-surprising account of the feeding of the five thousand.
Dear friends in Christ
Dear friends in Christ
This Sunday's Gospel presents us with the familiar yet ever-surprising account of the feeding of the five thousand. It is a passage we have heard many times, and yet it never loses its power to reveal something new about the Heart of Our Lord. The disciples see only scarcity. Five loaves and two fish are plainly insufficient for such a great crowd. Their instinct is practical enough: Send the crowds away. Christ, however, teaches them another way. He asks them to place into His hands the little that they have. It is there, in the offering of what seems inadequate, that the miracle begins.
How often we are tempted to think that our own gifts are too small to make any difference: a few moments of prayer amidst a busy day, a word of encouragement to someone who is lonely, an act of forgiveness that costs us dearly, or a quiet work of charity that no one else will ever notice. Yet the Gospel reminds us that God does not ask us first for abundance. He asks for generosity. What we entrust to Him, however modest it may appear, He is able to multiply beyond our imagining.
The miracle also points us towards the Holy Eucharist. St Matthew tells us that Jesus took the loaves, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples. These familiar actions anticipate the Last Supper and every celebration of the Mass. The same Lord who fed the hungry crowd continues to nourish His Church with the Bread of Life. We come before Him with our poverty, our anxieties and our hopes, and He never sends us away empty.
Finally, there is a beautiful detail that is easily overlooked. After everyone had eaten their fill, twelve baskets of fragments were gathered up. Nothing was wasted. God's generosity is never careless; His providence is abundant, yet it calls forth gratitude and responsible stewardship. We are invited not only to receive His gifts with thanksgiving but also to use them wisely in the service of others. As we gather for Mass this Sunday, may we bring to the altar whatever we have to offer—our joys and disappointments, our strengths and weaknesses, our faith however imperfect. In the hands of Christ, even the smallest offering becomes the occasion of grace.
With every blessing!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 1st August
St Alphonsus Mary de’ Liguori, Bp, D
5.30pm Vigil Mass Fidelis & Lourdesmary Pallis, RIP (DL)
6.30pm—7.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 2nd August
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
8am Mass People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Holy Souls
11.30am Mass Kitty Lydon, RIP (NB)
4pm Mass Paul Hiscock, RIP
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 3rd
Feria of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
9am Mass Marion Clark, RIP (CC)
Tuesday 4th
St John Vianey (Curé of Ars), Pr
9am Mass Maureen Mann, RIP (Anniv) (RM)
Wednesday 5th
The Dedication of the Basilica of St Mary Major
9am Mass Robert Dresner, RIP (Anniv) (BD)
Thursday 6th
The Transfiguration of the Lord
9am Mass Denise MacDermott, RIP (Anniv) (AC)
Friday 7th—First Friday
Ss Sixtus II, P and his Comps, Mm
12Noon Mass Samuel Patchai, RIP (Anniv) (RP)
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until Holy Hour 7—8pm
Saturday 8th August
St Dominic, Pr
10am Mass Boleslaw (Charlie) & Carmina Czogalik, RIP (DB)
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 9th August
NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
8am Mass Jim Monoghan, RIP (Anniv) (JA)
9.30am Mass Fred & Doreen Wall, RIP (Anniv) (LW)
11.30am Mass Bryan & Mary Sills (Golden Wedding Anniv) (MS)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Thomas Jordan, Fr Richard Rowe, Deacon Frederick Wall, Fr Henry Tilley, Fr David Coghlan, Fr Hugh Verity, Pope Paul VI, Max Button, Margaret Ring, Noel Auger, Cecelia Newton, Phyllis Fairman, John Higgins, Maureen Mann, Walter Owen, Stella Blackburn, Sister Vincent (St Edith), Catherine Hayes, Timothy O’Shea, Anthony Poulton, Denise MacDermott, Robert Dresner, Jim Collins, John Joseph Sandford, Phyllis Mabel Burke, Arthur Holdstock, Michael Christopher Edwards, Gy Rampersaud, Phylis Glazebrok, Peter Matthews, Clarice Gannon, Margaret Taylor, Sheila Mazzag, Teresa Baxter, Lilian Sutton, Andrea Uglietti, Maria Figg, Richard Collins & Paul Sutton.
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.”
Sanctuary Lamp
The Sanctuary Lamp burns for the living and deceased members of the Dzwig Families.
First Holy Communion 2027
If your child is going into Year 3 or above and you wish for them to make their First Holy Communion in May 2027, please submit the application by Friday 4th September.
This should be done via the parish website, under Sacraments - Communion
(https://lourdesleigh.org/sacraments)
We will be in touch after this date to confirm preparatory sessions for the children. Please note that these take place on a Saturday (once a month) at 4pm-5:15pm.
Sea of Voices Anniversary Summer Concert
The choir would like to give a big thanks to all who supported our 10th Anniversary concert last Sunday and also for their donations of raffle prizes. We raised £389 towards the purchase of a new piano organ for use by the choir and church. The type of instrument we currently use is valued at over £2,000 so we have a way to go so some extra fundraising may be required!
The choir is now on its Summer break and returns to sing on Thursday 3rd September to start our Christmas programme of carols and songs. New members very welcome to join us - contact Darrell Binding on 07825686249 or email seaofvoiceschoir@outlook.com.
Certificates of Catholic Practice
Please note Fr Kevin will be issuing Certificates of Catholic Practice in September/October.