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.
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.
Seniors Exercise & Balance Class
The Seniors Exercise & Balance class has closed for the Summer and will re-open on Tuesday, 1st September. All welcome.
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
The shorter form of this Sunday's Gospel are two of the shortest Parables Jesus told.
Dear friends in Christ
The shorter form of this Sunday's Gospel are two of the shortest Parables Jesus told. For the early Saints, the treasure and the pearl ultimately point to one reality: Christ Himself and the Kingdom of God. Once a person truly discovers Him, everything else finds its proper place. The man in the parable sells all he has—not reluctantly, but in his joy—because he has found something of infinitely greater value.
St. John Chrysostom observed that the treasure is hidden because the glory of the Gospel is not immediately obvious. Like treasure buried beneath the earth, Christ's riches are discovered by those willing to look beneath the surface. He also noted the beautiful contrast between the two parables: one man unexpectedly stumbles upon the treasure, while the merchant spends his life searching for the perfect pearl. God calls people in different ways—some are surprised by grace, while others find Christ after a long spiritual journey.
Origen saw another layer of meaning. He taught that the "field" can represent the Scriptures, within which the treasures of God's wisdom are hidden. The more we pray and study, the more we uncover the riches that God has placed there. The pearl of great price, he says, is Christ Himself—the fullness of truth that surpasses every other treasure.
St. Augustine reminds us that many people walk over the field without ever seeing the treasure beneath their feet. Faith opens our eyes to what the world cannot see. To "sell everything" is not simply to give away possessions but to reorder our hearts, placing God above every earthly attachment. These ancient reflections offer a timely challenge. In a world that constantly tells us to accumulate more, Jesus invites us to ask a different question: What is truly worth everything? The Fathers answer with one voice: Christ. Every sacrifice made for Him is not ultimately a loss but an exchange for a treasure that can never fade. May we never stop seeking the pearl of great price, and may we have the wisdom—and the joy—to recognise the treasure when we find it.
We have just returned from our Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes on Friday evening. Thanks be to God for the graces received—seen and unseen—during those days, and I assure you that the spiritual and material needs of the Parish Family were uppermost in our intentions. God bless you as we enter the holiday period, and may those of you travelling enjoy good rest and relaxation!
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of Year A
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 6
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 25th July
St James, Ap
5.30pm Vigil Mass People of the Parish
6.30pm—7.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 26th July
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
8am Mass Intentions of Sue Maxfield (JL)
9.30am Mass Kitty Lydon, RIP (CB)
11.30am Mass Tom Hayden, RIP (Lambert family)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 27th
Feria of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
9am Mass Intentions of Sue Hibbert (MS)
Tuesday 28th
Feria of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
9am Mass Holy Souls
4.30pm Body in Church Brian Crawley, RIP
Wednesday 29th
Ss Martha, Mary & Lazarus
9am Mass Intentions of Lambert Family ( Ruth’s Anniv) (PL)
11am Requiem Mass Brian Crawley, RIP
Thursday 30th
St Peter Chrysologus, Bp, D
9am Mass Msgr Gordon Read—50 years of Ordination (M&JC)
Friday 31st
St Ignatius of Loyola, Pr
12Noon Mass Canon Francis Gilbert, RIP (FM)
Saturday 1st August
St Alphonsus Mary de’ Liguori, Bp, D
10am Mass Holy Souls
10.30am—11.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
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 Holy Souls
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr John Harding, Fr Bernard (Brian) McGilloway, Fr Michael O’Sullivan, Daisy Houlihan, Frederick James Hardy, Mrs Pearce, David Bavin, Margaret Hughes, Bertha Dokk-Olsen, Emma Alexander, Anne Owen, Mirren Button, Dorothy Pogue, Basil Hall, Ruth Lambert,Rrory Forge, Richard Wallner, Leo Frances Ring, Paul Swann, Irene (Molly) Kerry, Irene Hall, Caroline Richards, Patricia Mansfield, Mary Ellen Fiddes, Eleanor Lawson, Sylvia Gosling, Ethel Warwick, Olive Scott-Hansen, Winifred Bailey, Bernard Martin, Frances Murray & Teresa Fitzgerald.
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 intentions of the Sullens, Keable, Piscina & Pearce Families.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of
BRIAN CRAWLEY who died on Saturday, 6th June. His Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday, 29th July at 11am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
Requiescat in pace
Repository News
Would Parishioners please note that after this weekend, 25th/26th July, the Repository will be closed until September. Mass cards will be available from the Parish Office on weekday mornings only during this period.