St Vincent de Paul Society Awareness Month
Welcome the Stranger
Strangers are all around us: sometimes they come from close by, like a next door neighbour; other times they come from half way around the world. Whatever their origins and however different their backgrounds might be from our own, they are all people with needs: loneliness, hunger, sickness, poverty. Locally, we provide practical assistance by donating basic clothing and toiletries to the ex-offenders hostel.
Lord, let us see everyone as a friend.
St Vincent de Paul Society Awareness Month
Welcome the Stranger
Strangers are all around us: sometimes they come from close by, like a next door neighbour; other times they come from half way around the world. Whatever their origins and however different their backgrounds might be from our own, they are all people with needs: loneliness, hunger, sickness, poverty. Locally, we provide practical assistance by donating basic clothing and toiletries to the ex-offenders hostel.
Lord, let us see everyone as a friend.
Parish Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who supports the Parish 200 Club. This month’s winners are:
1st prize £150 83 Mr G Collard
2nd Prize £100 150 Mr C Wall
3rd Prize £75 70 Mrs I Cranidge
4th Prize £50 86 Mr F Maguire
5th Prize £25 175 Mrs K Liddell
Catechesis for Children
Catechesis for children in secondary school will start on Saturday 18th October 14:30 to 15:30 in the Parish Centre. Meetings will be held every other Saturday.
It is a fantastic opportunity to improve your Catholic formation and meet other youths. Those interested please leave your details in the Parish Office.
Catechesis for Children
Catechesis for children in secondary school will start on Saturday 18th October 14:30 to 15:30 in the Parish Centre. Meetings will be held every other Saturday.
It is a fantastic opportunity to improve your Catholic formation and meet other youths. Those interested please leave your details in the Parish Office.
Parish Christmas Bazaar - 6th December 2014
Our first Parish Bazaar in our new centre is fast approaching. Anyone interested in running a stall, or helping out either on the Friday setting up, or on the day of the Bazaar please come along to a short meeting on Monday 6th October at 8pm in the Newman Room.
If you are unable to come to meeting, but feel you could offer your help please contact either Sue on 07816141492/01702 479646 or Angela on 07940183452
Training for Altar Servers
Training sessions will commence on Tuesday 30th September at 4.30 pm in the Sacristy. Training is open to all those who are over eight years old and have received the Sacrament of Holy Communion. All those wishing to participate must register beforehand. Please note the training sessions are subject to a minimum of two participants. The sessions are spread over a period of five to six weeks. For all those wishing to participate, please contact Gerry Dillon (Parish MC) on 01702 712187.
Training for Altar Servers
Training sessions will commence on Tuesday 30th September at 4.30 pm in the Sacristy. Training is open to all those who are over eight years old and have received the Sacrament of Holy Communion. All those wishing to participate must register beforehand. Please note the training sessions are subject to a minimum of two participants. The sessions are spread over a period of five to six weeks. For all those wishing to participate, please contact Gerry Dillon (Parish MC) on 01702 712187.
Memorial Garden
Please continue to respect the ambience of the Memorial Garden between the Church and the Parish Centre. The Garden is a cemetery and each of the squares is, or will be, a grave for ashes. It is important that we preserve this area as a place of prayer and reflection; please ensure that it is not used as a play-area. An outdoor Altar is soon to be installed there which will emphasis this sense of a sacred space . Thank you.
Memorial Garden
Please continue to respect the ambience of the Memorial Garden between the Church and the Parish Centre. The Garden is a cemetery and each of the squares is, or will be, a grave for ashes. It is important that we preserve this area as a place of prayer and reflection; please ensure that it is not used as a play-area. An outdoor Altar is soon to be installed there which will emphasis this sense of a sacred space . Thank you.
Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi - 25th to 30th April 2015
If you are interested in joining this Pilgrimage, 3 nights in Rome, 2 nights in Assisi, Saturday to Thursday – Half Board, £705, return flight from Gatwick direct to Rome, please sign your name on the list in the Parish Office. Thank you.
Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi - 25th to 30th April 2015
If you are interested in joining this Pilgrimage, 3 nights in Rome, 2 nights in Assisi, Saturday to Thursday – Half Board, £705, return flight from Gatwick direct to Rome, please sign your name on the list in the Parish Office. Thank you.
Sanctuary Lamp
We pray for the departed on their anniversaries
Pope John Paul I, Fr Bernard Wakeling, Fr Michael Hopkins, Canon William O'Neill, Rudolph Banocy, Elizabeth Barker, Arthur Sanctuary, Mary Fletcher, Charles Bartley, Madeleine Beckett, Edith Riley, Vera Osborne, Mark Hillson, Ethel Bartley, Annie Thompson, Annie Levay, Lily Bentley, Patrick Quinn, John Martin, Percy Sentinella, William Spedding, Margaret Price, Sarah Duffy, Sophie Shapiro, Eileen Pearson, Ursula Turner, John Butler, Kathleen Wetton & Tom Atkinson.
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year A
First Reading Ezekiel 18:25-28
Second Reading Philippians 2:1-11
Gospel Matthew 21:28-32
Preface of Sunday 3
Eucharistic Prayer 3
Saturday 27th September
Sunday 28th September
8.00am Mass Alfred & Dorothy Mansell, RIP
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Intentions of Mark Shepherd
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Year 2, Psalter Week 1
9.15am Mass: Deceased members of Young & Hall Families
Tuesday 23rd St Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Pr
9.15am Mass: John & Pat Moon, Valerie Griggs, RIP
Wednesday 24th Our Lady of Walsingham
9.15am Mass: Jack Houlihan, RIP (Anniv)
Thursday 25th Feria
9.15am Mass: Holy Souls
Friday 26th ss Cosmas & Damian, Mm
12 Noon Mass: Margaret & Frank Butt - Golden Wedding Anniversary
Saturday 27th St Vincent de Paul, Pr
10.00am Mass Intentions of Vita de Souza
Confession – the Sacrament of Penance – is also available on request
Holy Rosary is said after morning Mass during the week
Twenty-fifth Sunday of the Year
Dear friends in Christ
There are times in our lives when we especially feel that God is giving us special impulses and graces to follow him. The Readings of the Mass this Sunday remind us that God calls us to Himself in a variety of ways and at differing times; but the reward is always the same. Many people live their lives without even knowing the basic truth that Christ has brought salvation into the world; and that salvation is possible for each and every member of the human race. There are many people who will or will not find Christ because of our example. None of us should ever be indifferent to the fact that so many do not know Jesus Christ. St Gregory the Great exhorts us: Each one should examine themselves to see how energetically they are working in the vineyard of the divine Sower. Perhaps we have not dedicated everything we have to the service of the Lord. The people who really work for Him…are those who are anxious to win souls and bring others to the vineyard.
There is room for everyone in the vineyard of the Lord: young and old, rich and poor, men and women, be they in the prime of life or in their sunset years, whether they have time to spare or no time at all. The sick and the young are especially able to make an important contribution to the work of the salvation of souls, as the Second Vatican Council reminds us: Children too have an apostolate of their own. In their own measure they are true living witnesses of Christ among their companions….On all Christians accordingly, rests the noble obligation of working to bring all people throughout the whole world to hear and accept the divine message of salvation (Ap.Ac.12). This then, is the vineyard; the field in which we are called to fulfil our mission to be salt and light to the world. May God bless you!
Fr Kevin Hale
Thank you
Joan and Joe Hurley and family would like to thank everyone for their many good wishes, messages of sympathy and Mass cards on the recent death of Joe’s brother, Father Andrew Hurley. Thank you for your prayers, love and support over this difficult time. It has been much appreciated.
Governor Recruitment
The Governing Body are mindful of the need to identify potential Governors so that when the Governing Body needs to recruit a new Governor there are potential Governors who can be contacted. I am therefore writing to Deanery Parishes to invite anyone who may be interested in becoming a Foundation Governor at St Bernard’s to visit the school on the Governors’ Day, Tuesday 3 February 2015.
Anyone interested in attending should contact the Clerk to the Governors, Mrs Sue Clancy, at the school. Her e-mail address is as follows: sjc@stbernards.southend.sch.uk