Scripture Group

Fr. Con's Scripture Group will next meet in the Parish Centre 8pm-9pm on Thursday, 25th May.  All welcome.

GIFT AID

Thank you to all those Parishioners who gift-aided their offerings last tax year 2016/17.  In order to save on postage and printing, we will only be providing letters to those Parishioners who require one to complete their tax return for HMRC.  If you require a letter, please email the Parish Office at office@lourdesleigh.org.  If there are any changes to your circumstances such as change of address or you are no longer a tax payer, please advise the Gift Aid organiser via the Parish Office.  Thank you.

Come Holy Spirit - Journey towards Pentecost

Thursdays 6.45-7.30 A short talk followed by CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER in the Lady Chapel. "The way to self-fulfilment is the way of self-emptying. In Gethsemane and on Calvary Jesus entered the great self emptying that had been his own birth. As God had to let go of Himself in order for the Word to become flesh, so Jesus had to let go of himself humanly in order to return and blaze the trail for us to follow. ‘Where I am going… you will follow later’ (Jn 13:36)". What can this mean for each of us? COME HOLY SPIRIT AND LEAD US AND GUIDE US.

Diocesan Centenary Pilgrimage to Walsingham Saturday 22nd July

The main celebration of our Centenary this year will take place at Walsingham and will be a Diocesan-wide event.  There will be no Vigil Masses in the Diocese that evening in order to encourage as many as possible to go on this pilgrimage.  Two coaches will travel from our Parish at a cost of £10 per adult, £5 per child.  The coach will leave Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 8am and depart from Walsingham no later than 5pm.

If you would like to book a ticket for the coach please call in at the Parish Office as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.  Monies should be paid at the time of booking.  The Parish Office is open from 9am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.  Alternatively, put your name and cash/cheque (payable to Our Lady of Lourdes) in an envelope and post it through the Presbytery door.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Dear Friends in Christ

The Fourth Sunday of Easter presents us with the image of Jesus our Good Shepherd.   Often in the Gospel of St John Jesus says I am…reflecting the words of God spoken to Moses from the Burning Bush: I Am Who I Am. In this way Our Lord identifies Himself with the Godhead. In all of these beautiful expressions that Jesus employs He above all wishes us to understand that He is the Way. By following the lead of the Good Shepherd we are assured that we shall never stray from the fold of Christ’s Church.

On this Sunday each year we are asked to contemplate the Shepherds of the Church - our Bishops and Priests - and pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  The Church that Jesus Christ founded is hierarchically arranged so that there are Shepherds to sanctify, teach and govern. Every baptised person shares in these gifts of Christ but it is through the priesthood and religious life that a permanent and visible sign is given to the world of the care of Christ the Good Shepherd. Pope Francis has recently said that the Parish always remains the basic structure of the Church.  The Parish is led, governed and sanctified by the priest appointed to be in the place of Christ as Good Shepherd. At the present time, we are fortunate in our Diocese to have a good provision of priests; but we never take this for granted and future provision of vocations must always be our concern. There are six young men in formation for the priesthood in our Diocese at this time; we have just accepted another four for the seminary this year. This is an encouraging number in these times. Do pray for them, that they will persevere in the vocation we believe God has given them to serve the Church in this way. Also pray that there might be a vocation from our own Parish: it is many years since there has been a priest from Leigh! Pray that some young people may answer the call Christ makes to be fishers of men.  

God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale

Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Fourth Sunday of Easter - Sunday 7th May 

Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Bertha Nesnas, RIP (Anniv) (SC)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession

8.00am Mass Maureen Regan, RIP (CR)
9.30am Mass Ellie & David Nash - 1st Wedding Anniversary (AW)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
4.00pm Mass Intentions of Liz Drury (LD) - Extraordinary Form
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

Monday 8 Feria
9.00am Mass Intentions of the Ward Family (FM) 

Tuesday 9 Feria
9.00am Mass David Reynolds, RIP (Anniv) (VC)

Wednesday 10 Feria
9.00am Mass Sister Mary Juliana (RM)

Thursday 11 Feria
9.00am Mass Christine Fisher, RIP (RB)

Friday 12 St John Houghton, Pr, M
12Noon Mass Joyce Wilkinson RIP (Anniv) (PW)

Saturday 13 Our Lady of Fatima
10.30am First Holy Communion Mass

The Holy Rosary is prayed after morning Mass during the week

Fifth Sunday of Easter - Sunday 14th May 

Saturday 5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession

8.00am Mass Edmund Sheehy, RIP (MR)
9.30am Mass Intentions of James Meek (MG)
11.30am Mass May Downey RIP (Anniv) (MD)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction 

The Sacrament of Penance is available on request

Baptisms

We congratulate the parents of Charlie Wright and Indigo Gillan who were Baptised recently at Our Lady of Lourdes.  May God bless them and their families as they grow in His knowledge and love.

Deputy Head Vacancy

Holy Family Catholic Primary School (Witham) seeks to employ a committed Catholic to the post of Deputy Head from September 2017. (Salary Range L8-L11). Closing date 18/5/17. Interviews 24/5/17. For more details see Job scene or contact the school on 01376 513418 or email: admin@holyfamilyrc.essex.sch.uk.

Brentwood Cathedral Choir

Brentwood Cathedral Choir has commissioned a new Missa Brevis, for choir and organ, from the composer Diana Burrell, for the Diocesan Centenary. Diana Burrell is a parishioner at the church of Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, Harwich, and her most recent commission was for the BBC Symphony Orchestra at London’s Barbican Centre. The Missa Brevis will receive its first performance at the 11.30am Mass in Brentwood Cathedral on Sunday 18th June. Parishioners are very warmly invited to this celebration of the Diocesan Centenary.

Tales from a Tudor Kitchen Maid

You are warmly invited to an afternoon with Eileen aka Anghared on Monday 22nd May, who shares her experiences as a "Tudor Maid "at Kentwell Hall.  The afternoon promises to be informative and amusing so please join us from 2-4 pm in the Parish Centre. Tickets are £2.50 and include tea and homemade cakes and are available from Cynthia 01702-477384 or Jan 07775620890 or after Mass during the week and weekends.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Upminster

DEPUTY HEADTEACHER required for September at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Upminster.  Please see the advert on the following website:

https://ats-haveringschools.jobsgopublic.com or contact Bernadette Matthews, Head Teacher, on 01708 220277 for information. Closing date: Monday 15th May

Serving the Homeless

The East Essex Players are arranging a fundraising meal at the Maharaja Restaurant on Bread and Cheese Hill in Benfleet on Wednesday 17th May with all the profits being donated to the local charity, Serving the Homeless. It costs £13 per person and places can be booked through Margaret 475784 or Linda 558217.

St. Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Rochford, Essex SS4 1RF

Deputy Headteacher required.  Salary: Leadership Group Scale: 7-11 Group 2, NOR 212 visits from applicants are recommended.  Please contact Mrs. Amanda Kipps (School Business Manager) by telephone (01702 547918) or email admin@st-teresas-pri.essex.sch.uk  to arrange an appointment and request an application pack. Applicants must use the Catholic Education Service (CES) forms.  closing Date: Monday 15th May 2017.  Shortlisting date: Tuesday 16th May 2017Interview date: Monday 22nd May 2017.

Counters & Folders

Counters: Bob Hall & Eileen Wilson
Folders: Amanda Phipps & Clare English

The Diocese of Brentwood – 100 Years in Pictures

We have published a Souvenir Booklet to mark our Diocesan Centenary, 110 pages with more than 300 colour and black & white photographs.  Copies are now available at the Repository for £7.

APF Missio

I have received the 2016 APF results from Missio recently, the Red Box collection amounted to £1,251 and the direct donations amounted to £1,140, a grand total of £2,391.  Thank you all very much.  If you do not have a Red Box and would like to have one please do not hesitate to contact me.  If you have a Red Box and you are a Tax-payer would you please consider signing a Gift Aid Declaration.  Contact me if you would like a form.  I have put the poster from Missio showing the results at the back of the Church.  Thank you.  Joan Caunce, Secretary, 01268 757505.

Scripture Group

Fr. Con's Scripture group will start fortnightly on Thursday 11th May at 8pm in the Parish Centre.  We will be looking at the readings for the two following Sundays.

Gift Aid

Thank you to all those Parishioners who gift-aided their offerings last tax year 2016/17.  In order to save on postage and printing, we will only be providing letters to those Parishioners who require one to complete their tax return for HMRC.  If you require a letter, please email the Parish Office at office@lourdesleigh.org.  If there are any changes to your circumstances such as change of address or you are no longer a tax payer, please advise the Gift Aid organiser via the Parish Office.  Thank you.

Come Holy Spirit - Journey towards Pentecost

Thursdays 6.45-7.30 A short talk followed by CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER in the Lady Chapel. "The way to self-fulfilment is the way of self-emptying. In Gethsemane and on Calvary Jesus entered the great self emptying that had been his own birth. As God had to let go of Himself in order for the Word to become flesh, so Jesus had to let go of himself humanly in order to return and blaze the trail for us to follow. ‘Where I am going… you will follow later’ (Jn 13:36)". What can this mean for each of us? COME HOLY SPIRIT AND LEAD US AND GUIDE US.

Diocesan Centenary Pilgrimage to Walsingham Saturday 22nd July

The main celebration of our Centenary this year will take place at Walsingham and will be a Diocesan-wide event.  There will be no Vigil Masses in the Diocese that evening in order to encourage as many as possible to go on this pilgrimage.  Two coaches will travel from our Parish at a cost of £10 per adult, £5 per child.  The coach will leave Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 8am and depart from Walsingham no later than 5pm.

If you would like to book a ticket for the coach please call in at the Parish Office as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.  Monies should be paid at the time of booking.  The Parish Office is open from 9am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.  Alternatively, put your name and cash/cheque (payable to Our Lady of Lourdes) in an envelope and post it through the Presbytery door.