St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales) - Job Vacancy

The St Vincent de Paul Society is an international Christian charity providing      practical help to those in need through local community projects and a network of 10,000 volunteer members. 

We are seeking to recruit a Part-time Fundraising Officer to join our team at the Society’s busy National Office in London SE17. Fundraising Officer - £20,000k pro rata.  Part time:  18.75  hrs p/w.  You will manage the Society’s Friends direct giving scheme as well as being responsible for general donation management.  You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills, a good telephone manner, highly organised and computer literate (Especially working with databases and spreadsheets). You will have a good understanding of the Catholic Church structure and have empathy for the work of the SVP.  Ideally you will have at least 2 years working for a charity in a fundraising/marketing role.  Applications are invited from individuals who can empathise with the Society’s ethos and work.  Please visit our website: www.svp.org.uk.   For an application pack and further details contact Matthew Stockton on 020 7703 3030 or E-mail: matthews@svp.org.uk

Closing date: Thursday 10^th April 14.  Interviews: WC 14^th April 14

Mothers’ Prayers

On Wednesdays after Mass and Rosary we shall be having a Mothers’ prayers meeting in the Parish centre.  This is when we pray for our children, grandchildren, the unborn and children of the world.  We would be delighted if more people could join us for this very powerful intercessionary time.

First Holy Communion 2014

There will be a parent’s meeting on Wednesday 2^nd April at 8pm in Our Lady of Lourdes School Hall for those parents who have a child making their First Holy Communion in May.

Baptisms

We congratulate the parents of Leo Burgess and Sophia Hey who were Baptised recently at Our Lady of Lourdes. May God bless them and their families as they grow in His knowledge and love.

Parish Fundraising

Thank you to everyone who currently supports the Parish 200 Club. This month’s winners are:

             1^st prize            £150                    11                    Mr J O’Brien

             2^nd Prize           £100                  185                    Mr J Kidney

             3^rd Prize             £75                  163                    Mr K Wall

             4^th Prize             £50                  178                    Mr Antonio Tisi

             5^th Prize             £25                  174                    Mrs S Lawford

The 200 Club has been, and still is an important part of the fundraising for our new parish hall and provides a steady monthly income. Over the past few months numbers have fallen and we would like to reach our ‘200 member’ target again.

Subscription is £5.00 per month, either by cash, cheque or direct debit. If you would like to join, please fill in a form which can be found at the back of the church or ring Linda Wall on 01702 558217.

Girls and Boys Wanted for Fun and Adventure

55^th Leigh Scouts currently has spaces in Beavers, Cubs and Scouts for girls and boys aged 5 ½ to 14.  Our groups meet on a Tuesday evening and enjoy loads of activities every week, including arts, crafts and cooking, games & sports, learning skills like map-reading and first aid and finding out about lots of other different things too.  Everyone earns badges to wear on their uniforms, we go on lots of outside trips to places like the woods, the beach and park, and everyone is offered the chance to go on a fun camp every Summer.  If you’d like to find out more please contact Bernadette Barber- 07712 648443 or Bernadette@chadwickcc.com

An Easter Concert

The Two Elizabeths - featuring Elizabeth Dunlop and Elizabeth Upsher with special guests giving an evening of beautiful music for Holy Week on Friday 11 April at Leigh Road Baptist church, Marguerite Drive, Leigh 7.30 p.m.. Tickets £7.50 from www.lrbc.org.uk/boxoffice or Elizabeth Dunlop 01702 713530. In aid of LRBC Build Fund and Collection taken for Peaceful Place.

Sanctuary Lamp

This week the lamp burns for the intentions of the Siani Family.

We pray for the departed on their anniversaries

Canon William Toft, Blessed Pope John Paul II, Fr Ronald Roberts, Canon Charles Loughran, Alan Read, Geraldine Gwilliam, Herbert Robertson, Mary Leonard, Marjorie Nolan, Eugene Read, Winifred Maguire, Albert Thorne, Ronald Black, Daisy Spicer, Vera Stuart, Lt Cdr James Scott, Marjorie Bowen, Leslie Poole, Stella Finn, Jean Bethell, Donald McMahon, Catherine Nelson, Baby Ben Blaker, Catherine Dace, Nora White, Charles Thompson, Elizabeth Tyrell, Bernard Foley, Peggy Cockerell, Robert Lee, Kitty Stanley, Patricia Quinn, Dr Ronnie Shapiro, Leslie Drayton, Rene Sanctuary & Harry McNally. 

We pray for our sick

Pat Lynch, Rose Craft, Teresa Yates, Addi Brady, Gerard Rodgers, Ben Wilson,    Patricia Fleming, Nicky Wigmore, Brita Irons, Eileen Wilson, Margaret Orme,  Patricia Spikin, Patricia Breslin, Sandra Fagan, Edna Wallace, Beryl Dixon, Anthony Gwatkins, Nan Carrit, Paul DeNaeyer, Jim Quinn, Nick Evans, Margaret Harrington, Lyn Gopee, Kristin Hallenga, Anne O’Neill, Cheryl Shallis, Vicky Jack, Vera Farrow, Anthony McEvoy, Sheila Netherton, Dympna Addecott, Marcia Clarke, Barbara Blaker, Justin Stark, Andrew & Monica Neate, Stella Hale, Margaret Roberts, Roy Widdecombe, Anne Breen, David Blyth, Ellen Laurence, Lynne Hilkene, Johanna Lynch, Janet Woods, Thomas Corrigan, Mary Boyce, June Moncaster, Breda Lynch, Sheila McBrearty, Anthony King, Norma McCleverty, Belinda Balazsi, Kathleen Farrell, Edward Martin, Joanna Luciani, Pauline Wilsher, Simon Marshall, Johnnie Poole, Nicola Hanna, Kriston Barnes, Trudy Sighe, Barbara Sheaf, Antonella McConalogue, Josephine Griggs, Maureen Regan, Coleen Worley, Fr Jean Laurent Marie, Eddie McConalogue, Georgina Cornwell, Pat Armstrong, Lois McLennan, Lorraine Hart, Dawn Deleigh, Noel Kolb, Wyn McCafferty, Joan Fairchild, Maria Clark, Annie Holland, Chas Taylor, Fr Martin Buckley and children Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Peter Robson, Lucy Price and Frazer Gregory.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Year A
First Reading Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13
Second Reading Ephesians 5:8-14
Gospel John 9:1-41
Preface of the Fourth Sunday of Lent
Eucharistic Prayer 1
The Apostles’ Creed
Mass book page 164

Saturday 29th March
5.30pm Vigil Mass Vera de Souza RIP 
6.30pm Exposition and Penance

Sunday 30th  March
8.00am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Ints Gerry & Rosemary Dillon (50th Wedding Anniversary) 
11.30am Mass Deceased members of Caden Family
5.30pm  Vespers & Benediction

Year 2, Psalter week 3

Monday 24th Feria
9.15am Mass Bernard Ward RIP

Tuesday 25th Feria
9.15am Mass Peter Griffin, RIP 

Wednesday 26th Feria
9.15am Mass Ints Betty Clark
5.00pm Body in Church:  Jan Harris RIP

Thursday 27th Feria
9.15am Requiem Mass Jan Harris RIP

Friday 28th Feria
6.30am Brian & Maureen Devine
12.00pm Deceased members of Kennedy Family

8.00pm Stations of the Cross & Benediction

Saturday 29th March Feria
10.00am Mass Deceased members of the Siani & Butler Families
10.30am Exposition and Penance

Confession – the Sacrament of Penance – is also available on request
Holy Rosary is said after morning Mass during the week

Third Sunday of Lent

Dear friends in Christ

The liturgy of this Sunday - especially the long Gospel of the Woman at the Well - speaks to us of our deepest thirst: to have the presence of Christ within us a spring of living water welling-up to eternal life!  Please continue to pray for those who are preparing for the Sacraments at Easter here and elsewhere in the Church.

This week sees the retirement from the Parish Office of Mrs Jan Lewis, who has been working for the Parish for some years now.  Jan is known to many of you as a life-long Parishioner and has, over the last decade, been a tremendous source of help and encouragement to me.  First of all in her capacity as the first Fundraising Secretary for the building project and more recently in the Parish Office.  Her efficiency, skill and dedication have been so appreciated by all of us who have enjoyed working with her.  She now takes a well-earned break from the routine of daily employment and I am happy that she is handing-over the reins to Mrs Simone Dann who will administer the Office Monday-Wednesday.  

Also this week - after advertising and interviewing - we have appointed a Custodian of the Parish Centre: Mr Stephen Fleming.  He is now the person responsible on a daily basis for the management and security of the building.  Any queries about the fabric and bookings should go through the Parish Centre Committee: parishcentrecommittee@gmail.com 

On a more personal note: I was delighted with the appointment last weekend, of a very close and dear friend of mine - Fr Robert Byrne - as Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham.  Fr Robert is a member of the Congregation of the Oratory of St Phillip Neri (whose portrait hangs in our church) and who has for the last couple of years been the Ecumenical Officer of the Conference of Bishops; prior to that he was superior of the Oxford Oratory.  It seems to me an inspired choice of a priest who has the necessary skills required to be an Apostle in the Church today.  His episcopal consecration will be on 13th May, feast of Our Lady of Fatima; I ask you to hold him very specially in your prayers.

God bless you!

Fr Kevin Hale

Pray for the repose of the soul of Jan Harris

Pray for the repose of the soul of Jan Harris, who died on Thursday, 6th March.  Her Body will be received into the Church on Wednesday, 26th March at 5pm.  Her Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday 27th March at 9.15 am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.

Money Matters

Thank you for the generous offerings received last weekend, which amounted to £1,643.12 and for the CAFOD donations of £965.

Counters are Jacky Hoggett, Katy Edwards & Vanessa Ashcroft.

Newsletter Folders are Linda Wall and Lisa Hall.

Baptisms

We congratulate the parents of Connie Price, Matilda Heath, Florence Hines and Oliver Crowhurst who were Baptised recently at Our Lady of Lourdes. May God bless them and their families as they grow in His knowledge and love.

Thank you

Una O’Keefe and family wish to thank Parishioners for their prayers and support during Neil’s long illness and for Masses and messages of sympathy on his death.  Mass will be offered for your intentions.

CWL

The CWL are having a Social Meeting on Monday 24th March at 2 pm in the Parish Centre, Newman Room.  If you have ever thought about coming, please do join us, you will be very welcome.

ABC - About Being Catholic

The series of informal talks designed to give an insight into the teachings and    traditions of the Catholic Church continues every Monday starting at 8 pm in the Sacristy.    24th March:  God’s Unseen Creation.

You are welcome to attend some or all of these talks; if you would like more information please speak to Fr Kevin or telephone Anne Aldridge, Tel 352395.

Serving the Homeless

The Annual General Meeting of Serving the Homeless will take place on Monday 31st March at 7.45 pm in St Margaret’s Church Hall, Lime Avenue, Leigh on Sea. Everyone is welcome to attend.