Pray for the Dead
Please pray for our dead on their anniversaries:
Cardinal John Carmel Heenan, Fr William Philpot, Deacon Norman Wiseman, Canon Denis Petry, Fr James Ethrington, Marie Elliott, Olive Potter, Alice West, James McHugh, Alan Gloyne, Bernard Culham Bridget Curtis, Tom Doran,
Robert Drew, Clare Murphy, Emma Harley, Francis Whelan, Dorothy Stuart,
Sydney Hambion, Thomas Horner, Dr Gerry Leyden, Marie Daniels,
Sidney Hempstead & Pear Scaife.
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.
Thirty-first Sunday of the Year
Dear friends in Christ
The autumn season is well and truly upon us and with the start of November this week we once again begin to reflect upon the eternal truths: death, judgement, heaven and hell. Tuesday is the Holy Day of All Saints and Wednesday the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed: the Holy Souls. As Catholics we keep these sacred days as the celebration of the life of the Blessed in Heaven and then the hope of the Souls in Purgatory - and our hope too - for life eternal. The whole point of religion is to get us to heaven, and attain this as soon as possible after our life on earth. The Church reminds us with urgency in November to pray earnestly for the Holy Souls. This we do by assisting at Mass (especially on 2nd) by praying for them, and by visiting their places of burial. One lovely custom for the month of November is the Blessing of Graves. This year we will revive this custom as a Deanery by making a joint-visit to Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend, on Sunday 13th November. At 3pm - the Hour of Mercy - we are invited to gather at the large Cross inside the Cemetery for some introductory prayers, Then with our priests we can process to the graves of our Departed family members and friends to bless them. We can also take lighted lamps, which will be lit from the Paschal Candle, and leave those on the graves as a sign of our faith and hope in the Resurrection. These wind-proof candles can be bought from the Repository at the back of church (three pounds each) and brought along to the Cemetery on the day. I hope many of you will be able to join us on Sunday week - even if you do not have family buried there - as we can together pray for their eternal repose and also in the hope that we all share of the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 29th October Our Lady on Saturday
10.00am Mass Jim Scott, RIP (MS)
5.30pm Vigil Mass Deceased members of McMahon & Swanton Families (AS)
Sunday 30th - Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Robert Morgan, RIP
9.30am Mass Dennis Jordan, RIP (Anniv) (PJ)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 31st Feria
9.00am Mass Maria Parkinson, RIP (MM)
Tuesday 1st November ALL SAINTS - Holy Day of Obligation
9.30am Mass Holy Souls
12Noon Mass Michael Irons, RIP (JV)
8.00pm Mass The People of the Parish
Wednesday 2nd ALL SOULS
9.00am Mass Marie Hale, RIP (Anniv) (KH)
12Noon Mass Holy Souls
8.00pm Mass Intentions of the Holy Father
Thursday 3rd St Martin of Porres, Rel
9.00am Mass Tom Mannion, RIP (VW)
Friday 4th St Charles Borromeo, Bp
12Noon Mass Intentions of CWL (CWL)
12.30pm Exposition after Mass until
8.00pm Holy Hour & Benediction
Saturday 5th November Our Lady on Saturday
10.00am Mass Una McAnulty, RIP (CB)
5.30pm Vigil Mass Vera De Souza, RIP (LD)
Sunday 6th - Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Peter Herzog, RIP (Anniv) (JL)
9.30am Mass Holy Souls
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
4.00pm Mass Helen Hiscock, RIP (MH) - Extraordinary Form
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Dates for your diary
Thursday, 10th November
Annual Parish Requiem Mass for those who have died in the past year - 8pm
Sunday 13th November
Cemetery Visit - 3pm
Thursday 24th November-Saturday 26th November
Forty Hours Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
Saturday 3rd December
Christmas Bazaar - 10.30am
Friday 16th December
Carol Service (Serving the Homeless)- 7pm
Saturday 6th & 13th May
First Holy Communion Masses - 10.30am
Sunday 18th June
Corpus Christi Procession - 4pm
Saturday 22nd July
Walsingham Centenary Pilgrimage
Blessing of the Graves
This will take place on Sunday 13th November at Sutton Road Cemetery. It will start at 3.00pm with prayers at the large cross and be followed by the blessing of individual graves.
Steward of the Gospel – Diocesan Consultation
“How can we sustain and encourage the growth of our Catholic community in the coming years?” You are warmly invited to join with fellow parishioners on Saturday 5th & 19th November to together respond to this important Diocesan consultation. There are 12 questions to ponder: Questions 1-6 we shall consider on 5th November; Questions 7-12 on 19th November. Both meetings from 2.00 - 4.00 pm. Prompt starts and finishes guaranteed! All ages are welcome! Please do try to come! If you can, please let Jan Lewis know - on 01702 478105 or janlewis123@btinternet.com – so we can be properly organised. Outcomes from this consultation will help guide the path of our Diocese over the next 15/20 years – please do your best to take part! For parishioners prevented from making one or both of the meetings, a short questionnaire will be included in the parish newsletter next week seeking your ideas and views! Please pray for a fruitful outcome to this endeavour, both for our Diocese and for our parish. Thank you for your support! Francis O’Brien
Christmas Bazaar 3rd December 2016
This years Bazaar is just around the corner, we would not be able to have this annual family and community event without all of your fabulous donations! If you’ve been meaning to have a good clear out now is the time!!
We are now ready for all donations of bric a brac, books, grand draw prizes, sweets, craft, toys, new gifts and toiletries and anything else in a new or
re-saleable condition. (No jumble or electrical please).
Can we please ask that all donations are left at the back of the church in the old baptistery apart from donations of bottles for the bottle stall, which will be collected over one weekend a bit nearer the time, due to problems with storage. Prize draw tickets will be handed out and available at the back of the church after masses from this weekend.
Many thanks in advance and if you have donations you would like collected or any suggestions/ideas for stalls, or would like to help setting up or on the day but couldn’t make the meeting, please call Sue on 07816141492.
ABC - About Being Catholic
Following Fr Kevin’s Introductory Talks, the series informal talks designed to give an insight into the teachings and traditions of the Catholic church continues every Monday, starting at 8pm in the Parish Centre. 31st October: Divine Revelation - Sacred Tradition. 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 712123.
Social Events and Choir news
Social events. Our next event with be a Parish New Year’s Eve Disco party through to midnight. Tickets available from November. A St Patrick’s night is being planned for next year along with a Michael Buble tribute evening later in 2017. We would welcome a few more volunteers to serve on the committee and/or help with functions. Raffle prizes always welcome!
Margueriteville CMC. Next country music evening at St James Church Hall, Elmsleigh Drive is Saturday 29th October with guest artist Chis Mezza. November 26th sees BBC Essex Radio country host and singer Steve Cherelle return. Christmas party night is on 10th December (Ticket only available now at £10) with Peter Shaw entertaining.
Sea of Voices. Our Community choir resumes after half term break next Wednesday through to early December and will start preparing for some seasonal singing! New members always welcome to join us! There’ll be a chance for parishioners to hear us in December as well.
All enquiries for Social events to Phyllis Sadowski (07969465518) and Darrell Binding (Margueriteville and Sea of Voices) 07825686249.
Baptisms
We congratulate the parents of Nancy Smith, Albert Hennessy, Evie Abel,
Alexandra Romal, Zander Butcher, Teegan Hayde, Jack Curnock, Oscar Perotton, Jaime Ayerbe & Alice Meyers who were Baptised recently at Our Lady of Lourdes. May God bless them and their families as they grow in His knowledge and love.
Baptism Preparation Evenings
The next Baptism Preparation Evenings will take place on Tuesday 1st and Tuesday 8th November, 2016 beginning at 8 pm in the Parish Centre. If you wish to attend please ring Catherine Harris on 07733327295.
Serving the Homeless
A big thank you to everyone who supported our ‘Italian Night with Magic.’ We made almost £800 on this event and have been able to purchase 25 sleeping bags, bag liners, bed rolls, pillows and pillow cases for the new night shelter that will be operating at Leigh Road Baptist Church from 1st December.
We invite everyone to our ecumenical Carol Service at Our Lady of Lourdes on Friday 16th December at 7pm, followed by mince pies and mulled wine in the Parish Centre. There will be a collection taken to support Southend YMCA projects, which help many young homeless youngsters in this town. Thanks again for your continuing support. Jo Ronan (Chairwoman, Serving the Homeless).
Job Vacancy
Finance Assistant required to support the Finance Office at Cathedral House, Brentwood. The role is part-time, working four days a week (28 hours). If you – or any of your family or friends – are interested in this role, please first contact recruitment@dioceseofbrentwood.org for a copy of the job description and person specification. You should then send in your CV, with a covering letter demonstrating how your experience and skills match the essential requirements and attributes of the role as per the job description and person specification. Closing date for CVs/applications is Friday 11th November 2016. Interviews week commencing 21st November 2016.
Scripture Group
Fr Con Joyce’s Scripture Group will next meet in the Parish Centre 8pm-9pm
on Thursday, 3rd November. Fr. Con will be talking about the prophets. All welcome.
Rotas available at the back of Church
November Eucharistic Ministers and Readers rotas and Tea/Coffee rotas for the Parish Centre. There is also a new Newsletter Folding rota as all teams have been moved up by one week.
Counters & Folders
Counters: Shirley Murphy & John Murphy.
Newsletter Folders: Bobby Newman & Emma Beardsell.
Pray for the Dead
Please pray for our dead on their anniversaries:
Canon Thomas Bishop, Canon Richard Gay, Alice Conway, Joyce Jones,
Helen Lesley, Doris Payne, Mary Russell, William Upsher, Walter Kilman,
Edward Hullett, Mary Peomore, Eileen Clark, Philip Modica, Mick Burke,
Andrew Mitchelmore, Marie Hale, Mary Shanahan, Lilian Rombaut, Paul Evans, Maria Lynch, Winifred Allen, Elizabeth Spivey, Bob O’Toole, Dorothy Bartley,
Lily Kenny, Irene Fanning, Mary Pinsent, Arthur (Rob) Hood & Margaret Scales.
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.
Thirtieth Sunday of the Year
Dear friends in Christ
Once again this Sunday the subject of prayer occupies our minds in the Readings of Mass. Last week Jesus told us the importance of persevering prayer; this week the parable teaches us the difference between true piety and false piety. Jesus reminds us that humility has to be the foundation of our dealings with God. He wants us to pray like needy children desirious of His mercy. St Alphonsus Liguori advises us: God wants you to go to Him with confidence. Bring to Him your work, your projects, your fears and whatever interests you. Act with a trusting and open heart. For God does not speak to those who never speak to Him. We may not experience any special feelings when we pray; and this shouldn’t bother us. What is most important is that we imitate the Publican in the Gospel parable: he did not stand upright and profess to be something he was not; rather, he saw himself humbly the way God saw him. Unlike the Pharisee - whose prayer was not heard because of his pride - the Publican knew why he needed to stand at the back of the Temple, not daring even to raise his eyes to Heaven. The whole of the Christian life, we could say, consists in our learning how to make the journey from the front to the back of the Temple. Like Our Lady - to whom we go with especial devotion in this Month of the Holy Rosary - we want to remain close to The Lord in all of the circumstances of life and in constant conversation with Him. God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale