We Pray For Our Sick
Christine Noden, Tina Doveaston, Pat Lynch, Rose Craft, Teresa Yates,
Addi Brady, Gerard Rodgers, Ben Wilson, Patricia Fleming, Nicky Wigmore, Brita Irons, Eileen Wilson, Patricia Spikin, Sandra Fagan, Edna Wallace,
Beryl Dixon, Nan Carrit, 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,
Justin Stark, Monica Neate, Mark Braley, Margaret Roberts, Roy Widdecombe, Anne Breen, David Blyth, Lynne Hilkene, Johanna Lynch, Janet Woods,
Thomas Corrigan, Mary Boyce, June Moncaster, Breda Lynch,
Sheila McBrearty, Anthony King, Norma McCleverty, Belinda Balazsi,
Edward Martin, Joanna Luciani, Pauline Wilsher, Simon Marshall, Johnnie Pool, Kriston Barnes, Barbara Sheaf, Maria Clark, Antonella McConalogue,
Josephine Griggs, Coleen Worley, Fr Jean Laurent Marie, Eddie McConalogue, Georgina Cornwell, Pat Armstrong, Lorraine Hart, Dawn Deleigh, Noel Kolb, Wyn McCafferty, Annie Holland, Fr Martin Buckley, Peter Wilkinson, Chas Taylor, Martha Braun, John Lavery, Ivor Knight, Linda Dean, Brian Beresford,
Rebecca Peake, Connor Bourke, Mattia Mollica, Sharon Levill,
Bernadette Lane, David Kislingury, Hannah Harris, David Askew, Frank Nagle, Sr Imeda, Joanna Wright, Tracy White, Harry Buckingham, Maureen Ward,
Jane Jowers, Jim Scott, Henry De Souza, David Clark, Les Sweeney,
Doreen Troughton, Marguerite Harris, Marie Rubbert, Patricia Abram and children Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Lucy Price, Mary Isherwood,Frazer Gregory, baby Talia Emery, Hattie Seymour and
Aoife O’Sullivan.
Vacancy - De La Salle School, Basildon
Our school is popular, oversubscribed, and achieves progress for students that is amongst the highest ranked in the country (in the top 3% for Progress 8). There are 750 pupils on roll, with the potential for a Sixth Form. We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed Catholic, with a particular focus on moving the school from “Good” to “Outstanding,” building on the excellent work of our existing headteacher who is retiring this year. All the details are on www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk, and visits to the school are welcomed – contact Michelle Harrison on 01268 281234. Closing date 5th February.
Vacancy - De La Salle School, Basildon
Our school is popular, oversubscribed, and achieves progress for students that is amongst the highest ranked in the country (in the top 3% for Progress 8). There are 750 pupils on roll, with the potential for a Sixth Form. We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed Catholic, with a particular focus on moving the school from “Good” to “Outstanding,” building on the excellent work of our existing headteacher who is retiring this year. All the details are on www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk, and visits to the school are welcomed – contact Michelle Harrison on 01268 281234. Closing date 5th February.
Parish Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who supports the 200 Club. The results of the January draw are as follows:
1st prize £150 73 Mrs M C N T Clark
2nd Prize £100 59 Mr I Jennings
3rd Prize £75 6 Mrs V Clancy
4th Prize £50 75 Mrs M Whines
5th Prize £25 32 Mrs S Burgoyne
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.
Baptism Preparation
The next preparation sessions will take place on Tuesday 26th January & Tuesday 2nd February in the Parish Centre, beginning at 8pm. For further information, please contact Paul & Diane Watts on 01702 478396.
ABC - About Being Catholic
The series of talks designed to give an insight into the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church recommences this Monday, 25th January at 8pm: Confirmation and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. You are welcome to attend some or all of these talks: if you would like more information please speak to Fr Kevin or telephone Pat O’Connell on 01702 712123.
Money Matters
Offertory: Thank you for your generous offerings received last weekend, which amounted to £1,373.21.
Counters: Toni Cousins, Mary Cook & Jacky Hoggett.
Newsletter Folders: Pauline Jordan & Maureen Ward.
Film Night
Many thanks to all those who attended the Friday Film night and made it such a success. It was a very enjoyable and entertaining evening, raising £300 in the process. A very generous donation made it possible for us to send Fr Dominic and the Calais refugee project, a cheque for £1,300.00.
Look out for the next Friday Film Night in early March!
The Live Simply group.
Film Night
Many thanks to all those who attended the Friday Film night and made it such a success. It was a very enjoyable and entertaining evening, raising £300 in the process. A very generous donation made it possible for us to send Fr Dominic and the Calais refugee project, a cheque for £1,300.00.
Look out for the next Friday Film Night in early March!
The Live Simply group.
Scripture Group
Fr Con Joyce’s Scripture Group will meet in the Parish Centre 8pm-9pm on Thursday, 28th January. These meetings are held to give us a better understanding of the Bible, to encourage us to read it and so help us to come closer to Jesus in our daily lives as Christians. All welcome.
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society is hosting a James Bond-themed Charity Ball at The Rayleigh Club, Hullbridge on Friday 12th February 2016. Tickets are priced at £50 per person and guests will enjoy a Martini Reception, a delicious 3 course dinner in the Crystal Dining Room, and various 007 themed surprises throughout the evening. There will be a charity raffle and silent auction as well as our own fun ‘Casino Royale’, and dancing.To reserve tickets, or to donate a raffle or an auction prize, please contact Julie 01268 784544 / 07912277413 / jabbott@bccs.org.uk
Serving the Homeless
This Sunday is National Homelessness Sunday. Please remember in your prayers all those that are homeless, in temporary accommodation or who live in fear of losing their home.
Next Sunday there will be a collection in aid of ‘Serving the Homeless’ to support the local projects that we work with. This month we have already been able to give £3,000 to Southend YMCA to prepare and furnish three more rooms for their young clients. Many of these young people have come out of care and have no family support at all. We are also continuing to support HARP’s training programmes that help to integrate homeless people back into the community and teach them new skills. We are also continuing to spend £100 per month on fresh meat, milk and cheese for the day and night shelters run by HARP.
Please be as generous as you can, and thank-you again for the wonderful support that you have given us over many years.
Jo Ronan ( Chair Serving the Homeless)
Vacancy - St Peter’s RC Primary School, Dagenham
Class teachers- Reception/Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 for September 2016
Head teacher Mr Dan Craft. St Peter’s RC Primary Dagenham RM9 6UU are looking to appoint outstanding practitioners who can help us on our journey from good to outstanding. We are looking for teachers with drive and ambition who relish a challenge and who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of our young people. Please contact the school on 02082706524 or through the website http://st-peter.bardaglea.org.uk/ Closing date 29th January.
Vacancy - St Peter’s RC Primary School, Dagenham
Class teachers- Reception/Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 for September 2016
Head teacher Mr Dan Craft. St Peter’s RC Primary Dagenham RM9 6UU are looking to appoint outstanding practitioners who can help us on our journey from good to outstanding. We are looking for teachers with drive and ambition who relish a challenge and who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of our young people. Please contact the school on 02082706524 or through the website http://st-peter.bardaglea.org.uk/ Closing date 29th January.
Third Sunday of the Year
Dear friends in Christ
At the conclusion of each of the Scripture Readings at Mass we are told: The Word/Gospel of The Lord. This is a statement of fact since, whenever we read or hear the words of the Bible we are listening to God Himself speaking to us. It would be difficult for us to know Jesus really well if we were not familiar with His life and teachings. In this Sunday’s Mass we hear the beginning of the Gospel of St Luke, who tells us he has resolved to write down the life of Christ so that we may know the truth of the teachings we have received. Each of us, according to the unique circumstances of our life, has the obligation to know Christ and His doctrine in depth, This obligation lasts as long as our path here on earth shall continue; since as with any relationship, we can always discover more and more about the one who is the object of our love and desire. Jesus Christ is the centre of the universe and of our individual lives, and so we constantly, until the end, want to discover more and more about Him. The so-called plain man’s faith (I believe it all, even though I don’t know what it is) is not sufficient for a Christian in the world who is confronted each day by confusion and a lack of light regarding Christ and His Church. We daily encounter problems - moral, ethical, doctrinal - within our work and families, so we need (as St Paul says) to have a response for those who call us to account for the hope that we have. We Christians need to have the answers which allow us to counter the arguments of those who denounce us, and to know how to present these answers in a positive and attractive way. It is more and more important, in the widespread lack of faith to have, as near as possible, a complete and precise knowledge of Catholic teaching. This is why, in the words of Blessed John Henry Newman any child well instructed in the Catechism is, without realising it, a true missionary. If we study our Faith, and undertake to get to know Jesus in the Scriptures, then we will be able to open the doors of life for so many others. God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Third Sunday of the Year
Dear friends in Christ
At the conclusion of each of the Scripture Readings at Mass we are told: The Word/Gospel of The Lord. This is a statement of fact since, whenever we read or hear the words of the Bible we are listening to God Himself speaking to us. It would be difficult for us to know Jesus really well if we were not familiar with His life and teachings. In this Sunday’s Mass we hear the beginning of the Gospel of St Luke, who tells us he has resolved to write down the life of Christ so that we may know the truth of the teachings we have received. Each of us, according to the unique circumstances of our life, has the obligation to know Christ and His doctrine in depth, This obligation lasts as long as our path here on earth shall continue; since as with any relationship, we can always discover more and more about the one who is the object of our love and desire. Jesus Christ is the centre of the universe and of our individual lives, and so we constantly, until the end, want to discover more and more about Him. The so-called plain man’s faith (I believe it all, even though I don’t know what it is) is not sufficient for a Christian in the world who is confronted each day by confusion and a lack of light regarding Christ and His Church. We daily encounter problems - moral, ethical, doctrinal - within our work and families, so we need (as St Paul says) to have a response for those who call us to account for the hope that we have. We Christians need to have the answers which allow us to counter the arguments of those who denounce us, and to know how to present these answers in a positive and attractive way. It is more and more important, in the widespread lack of faith to have, as near as possible, a complete and precise knowledge of Catholic teaching. This is why, in the words of Blessed John Henry Newman any child well instructed in the Catechism is, without realising it, a true missionary. If we study our Faith, and undertake to get to know Jesus in the Scriptures, then we will be able to open the doors of life for so many others. God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Pray for the Dead
Please pray for our dead on their anniversaries:
Fr John O’Sullivan, Fr John Hibbert, Fr Alfred Field, Bp Patrick Casey, Fr John (Jack) Clifford, Canon John Byrne, Sarah Mann, William Hands, Kathleen Cooke, Phylis Faulkner, Ida Wallace, Bridget McGrath, Huguette Farrelly, Vera Plummer, May Fazio, Elsie Tyrell, Phyllis Collins, Michael MacDermott, Gloria Dickens, Maud Darnell, Frank Russell, Edward Armitage, William Cooper, Robert Waller, Mark Solecki, Maureen Leyden, Gerrard Tait, Carmel Bridget Abi-Aad, Joyce Ellen Reilly, Noel Calnan, May Ferry, Norah Kelly, Wyndham Richards & Mary Abel.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Second Sunday of the Year
Dear friends in Christ
The Gospel for this Sunday places before us the familiar scene of the Wedding at Cana. St John makes it sound as though Jesus was there because His Mother had been invited. It was quite normal for the women who knew the family to help in the preparations. This was the context for Mary noticing that they were in need of more wine! It looks at first as if Jesus is going to refuse the request His mother makes. But Mary, who knows the Heart of her Son so well, behaves as though he has acceded to her request immediately: Do whatever He tells you, she says to the servants. St John Paul II in a Homily at Pompeii in 1979 comments:
Why do Mary’s prayers have such efficacy before God? The prayers of saints are the prayers of servants: whereas those of Mary are the prayers of a Mother, whence they receive their efficacy and authoritative character. As Jesus’ love for His Mother is limitless she cannot ask for anything without being heard… nobody asked the Blessed Virgin to intercede with her Son on the distressed couples behalf. Above all, Mary’s heart, which never fails to have pity on the unfortunate… impelled her to take upon herself the task of intercessor and beg her Son for the miracle: even though nobody had asked her to… if Our Lady acted thus without being asked, how would it have been if they had asked?
This miracle of Jesus shows the power of praying with and through the Saints, especially of Mary, and encourages us to make our prayer both daring and full of confidence. God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale