Society for the Protection of Unborn Children - SPUC
There will be a collection after each Mass next weekend for this worthy cause; please give as generously as you can.
APF Boxholders
The Missio Calendar 2017 is now at the back of the church in the usual place ready for collection if you have not already received one. Joan Caunce, 01268 757505.
Christmas Shoebox Appeal Update
The destination of your filled shoeboxes this year was to Bulgaria and Zambia. Thanks on behalf of all the children.
Dates for your Diary
11th February Start of the Diocesan Centenary year celebrations Feast of our Lady of Lourdes - Mass 12 Noon, followed by Parish lunch in parish Centre
22nd March Centenary Mass at Brentwood Cathedral
Saturday 6th & 13th May First Holy Communion Masses - 10.30am
Saturday 22nd July Walsingham Centenary Pilgrimage
24th September to 1st October Parish mission
Monday 24th/Friday 28th July Parish Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Please Pray for the Dead on their anniversaries
Canon Patrick McKenna, Fr Francis Heenan, Canon John Bloomfield, Fr Jim Wilkinson, John Sinclair, Joan Gibbins, Kate Lessons, Kathleen Lewin, Gregory Power, Maureen Guihen, Emily Swann, Mary O’Toole, Annie French, Jules Deuss, Ethel Milo, Simon Burgoyne, Violet Jackson, Millicent Ransom, Joseph Hazell, Eileen Murray, Maureen Regan, Len Gardner, Hannah Flintoff, Denis Cartwell, Eileen Bull, Len Plummer, Anthony Ryan, Hilda Edwards,Walter Burden, Ricky (Lola) Clarke, Francis Heenan, Lena Austin, Lucien Staw, Eric Tarrant, Niall Cooney, Essie Glauda, Mary Herbert, Arthur Jackson, Ivy Whiting, Phyllis Sullivan, Patricia Dear, Sibyl Hardy, Gerald Vickers, Minnie Fogarty, Brian McInerney, Blodweh Owen, Louise Marsden & Hester Masi.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
The Priests of the Parish join in wishing you all the joy and grace of the birth of our Lord.
The Priests of the Parish join in wishing you all the joy and grace of the birth of our Lord.
December Week IV and the Christmas Octave
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Saturday 17
5.30pm Vigil Mass Tony Poulton & Anne & Albert Shaves, Deceased
6.30 Exposition & Confession
Sunday 18
8am Mass Paul Emmerson, Deceased, Anniversary
8.30 Confession
9.30 Mass The People of the Parish
10.30 Confession
11.30 Mass Marcia Clarke, Deceased
12.30 Confession
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Weekday of Advent
Monday 19
9am Mass Rafael Menacho, Deceased, Anniversary
9.30 Confession
Weekday of Advent
Tuesday 20
9am Mass Delia & Michael McHale, Deceased
9.30 Confession
Weekday of Advent
Wednesday 21
9am Mass Bernadette Perry, Deceased
9.30 Confession
8pm Penance Service
Weekday of Advent
Thursday 22
9am Mass Clare Chadwick, Deceased
9.30 Confession
Weekday of Advent
Friday 23
12noon Mass Jim Kennedy, Deceased
12.30pm Confession
Weekday of Advent
Saturday 24
10am Mass Graham & Dympna Addicott, Wedding Anniversary
10.30-noon Confession
The Nativity of the Lord
Saturday 24
5pm Carols
5.30 Vigil Mass Deceased relations & friends of Braggard & Underwood Families
10.30 Carols
11pm Mass The People of the Parish
Sunday 25
8am Mass Private Intention
9.30 Mass Private Intention
11.30 Mass Private Intention
Saint Stephen, the first martyr
Monday 26
10am Mass Intentions of Altar Servers & their Families
Saint John, Apostle, Evangelist
Tuesday 27
10am Mass Alison Shepherd, Deceased
The Holy Innocents, Martyrs
Wednesday 28
9am Mass Tim & Betty O’Leary, Deceased
Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Bishop, Martyr
Thursday 29
9am Mass Ugo Gardin, Deceased, Anniversary
11am Mass with the Bishop and Seminarians — All welcome
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph
Friday 30
12noon Mass Steve & Agnes McManus, Deceased, Anniversary
Seventh Day of Christmas Octave
Saturday 31
10am Mass Anna Siani, Deceased, Anniversary
Dates for your Diary
Saturday 11th February Start of the Diocesan Centenary Year celebrations
Feast of our lady of Lourdes - Mass 12 Noon followed by lunch in
Parish Centre
Wednesday 22nd March Centenary Mass at Brentwood Cathedral
Saturday 6th & 13th May First Holy Communion Masses- 10.30am
Saturday 22nd July Walsingham Centenary Pilgrimage
Monday 24th to Friday 28th July Parish/Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes
24th September to 1st October Parish Mission
Sanctuary Lamp
The lamp burns for the deceased members of the Hall, Quinn & O’Malley Families.
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society
BCCS send their grateful thanks for your kind donations of gifts for the children.
Counters & Folders
Counters:
19th December - Jan Lewis, Sandie Hippard & Nina Bridgeman
28th December - Linda Wall & Sheila West
Newsletter Folders:
30th December - Angie Martin & Joseph Martin.
Third Sunday of Advent
On this middle Sunday of Advent the Church bids us be joyful - Gaudete - as we prepare for the arrival of Christ. As Christians we are required to make this joy evident to the world by the manner of our lives.
Dear Friends in Christ
On this middle Sunday of Advent the Church bids us be joyful - Gaudete - as we prepare for the arrival of Christ. As Christians we are required to make this joy evident to the world by the manner of our lives. We do this by listening again to the voice of St John the Baptist who asks us to reform our lives by going into the desert, finding space and peace amidst the business of the world, so that the message can be heard. Practically this can be achieved by small gestures such as living simply through self-denial, using religious-themed greetings cards, preparing a Crib in our homes. This involves being counter-cultural as the world around us continues on its usual cycle of materialism and consumerism with often little reference to the event of the Incarnation. St John the Baptist reminds us that we have to stand ready by the constant call to reform our lives.
Next Sunday, the Fourth of Advent, there is the custom of the Blessing of the figures of the Infant Jesus at the end of Mass; please ask the children to bring their figures along so that they can be blessed ahead of them being placed in your Cribs on Christmas Day. During 9.30am Mass this weekend children are invited to present a gift for a child in need which will be distributed by the Brentwood Catholic Children's Society.
Thank you once again for the generous support you gave to the Parish Bazaar last weekend. £1,753.47 was raised and this will be equally divided between the weekly running costs of the Parish Centre and support for Persecuted Christians, especially in the Middle East through the Aid to the Church in Need Charity. God bless you all in yours efforts to remain faithful to Christ this Advent!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Third Sunday of Advent
Sunday 11th December - Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Henryk Konieczka, RIP (Anniv) (MK)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Elaine Lambert, RIP (AC)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish - Children’s Gift Mass
11.30am Mass Peter Parsons, RIP (BP)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe
9.00am Mass Stefano Forgione, RIP (A)
Tuesday 13 St Lucy, V, M
9.00am Mass Mike & Winnie McHale, RIP (WM)
Wednesday 14 St John of the Cross, Pr, D
9.00am Mass Peter Parsons, RIP (BP)
Thursday 15 Feria
9.00am Mass Marcia Clarke, RIP (PM)
Friday 16 Feria
12Noon Mass Ione & Robert Waite, RIP (NB)
Saturday 17 Feria
10.00am Mass Patrick Burke, RIP (Anniv)(RO)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confessions
The Holy Rosary is prayed after morning Mass during the week
Sunday 18th December - Fourth Sunday of Advent
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Tony Poulton & Anne & Albert Shaves, RIP (PP)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Paul Emmerson, RIP Anniv (AE)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Marcia Clarke, RIP (LW)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
The Sacrament of Penance is available on request
Mass for Vocations to the Priesthood
Thursday 29th December (Feast of St. Thomas of Canterbury, Patron Saint of Pastoral Clergy) at 11am here at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. The Bishop will celebrate the Mass with other Priests of the Diocese; our Seminarians and Enquirers will also be present. All are welcome.
New Year’s Eve Party
Celebrate New Year dancing to Phyl’s disco at the Parish Centre’s upstairs Gilbert Hall and join in the traditional Auld Lang’s Syne at Midnight! Party starts 7.30pm ending 12.15am. Bring your own drinks and nibbles! Tickets: Adult £7.50 and £20 for a Family ticket (2 adults and children), available in December from the Lourdes social committee: Darrell Binding, Phyllis Sadowski and Marian Long. Raffle prize donations welcome! All proceeds to Lourdes Parish Centre.
Book a table and buy tickets by Phoning Darrell 07825686249, email parishcentrecommittee@gmail.com or find one of us after Sunday Mass teas and coffees in the Parish Centre.
Christmas Eve Lunch 1pm - Sacred Heart School
We are planning a Christmas lunch for those who may be alone this Christmas. We hope to serve Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings as well as celebrate with Christmas Carols with friends from our community.
We hope too that Father Graham Smith may be able to mark the occasion with a special service before all of the fun. Tickets are now available, please contact the school office to book your ticket on 01702 534546.
Scripture Group
Fr Con Joyce’s Scripture Group will next meet in the Parish Centre 8pm-9pm on Thursday, 15th December. Fr. Con will be talking about the Prophets. All welcome.
HARP - Thank you!
The committee of ‘Serving the Homeless’ would like to extend their thanks and Christmas greetings to all who have supported our work this year. With the help of your donations, participation in events and membership of the 200 Club, we have been able to:
Furnish 3 more rooms for Southend YMCA to house young homeless clients, ‘The Tom Moulton Suite’, and provide £2000 towards the refurbishment of their music studio.
Spend £200 per month on fresh meat, milk and cheese to provide meals at all the properties run by HARP, as well as an annual amount of £3,500 for training programmes, (80% of clients are under 25)
Collect large amounts of dried foods and clothing from participating churches each week to be given to HARP clients.
Buy 5 vacuum cleaners and an industrial washing machine /tumble dryer for the night shelter.
Support the development of the ‘White Heather House’ to accommodate 18 homeless women.
Provide another £1500 to support the Churches Winter Shelter programme.
Provide 25 sleeping bags, bag liners, roll mats, pillows, pillow cases and fleece blankets to Leigh Road Baptist Church to set up a new night shelter.
Provided monthly donations to Oasis Café, Leigh to buy ‘suspended’ meals for the homeless.
In all we have spent £16,000 on your behalf this year. We invite you to join us on Friday 16th December at 7pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Church for a short Carol Service, followed by mince pies and mulled wine in the Parish Centre. Wishing you a very happy Christmas and New Year. (The raffle for a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne(retailing £125-140) will be drawn.)
Jo Ronan