We pray for our sick
Teresa O’Brien, Derek Timothy, John Jarvis, Maureen Deekes, Carol Halldenby, Noel Fagan, Leanor Fairbanks, Patricia Abram, 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, Vicky Jack, Lyn Gopee, Margaret Harrington,Kristin Hallenga, Anne O’Neill, Cheryl Shallis, Anthony McEvoy, Justin Stark, Sheila Netherton, David Blyth, Dympna Addecott, Monica Neate, Laura & Anne Breen, Roy Widdecombe, Lynne Hilkene, Johanna Lynch, Janet Woods, Thomas Corrigan, Mary Boyce, June Moncaster, Breda Lynch, Sheila McBrearty, Anthony King, Norma McCleverty, Belinda Balazsi, Edward Martin, Johnnie Pool, Joanna Luciani, Pauline Wilsher, Simon Marshall, Kriston Barnes, Barbara Sheaf, Maria Clark, Josephine Griggs, Colleen Worley, Antonella McConalogue,, Fr Jean Laurent Marie, Noel Kolb, Eddie McConalogue, Georgina Cornwell, Lorraine Hart, Dawn Deleigh, Wyn McCafferty, Linda Dean, Annie Holland, Fr Martin Buckley, Chas Taylor, Martha Braun, John Lavery, Ivor & Joanne Knight, Brian Beresford, Rebecca Peake, David Clark, David Askew, Connor Bourke, Mattia Mollica, Sharon Levill, Bernadette Lane, David Kislingury, Maureen Ward, Jane Jowers, Irena Solecki,Doreen Troughton, Marguerite Harris, Andrew Exley, Rosemary Arscott, Lanto Bellis, Richard Collins, Niqui Denkmayer, Elizabeth McConalogue, and children Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Lucy Price, Connie Price, Mary Isherwood, Frazer Gregory, baby Talia Emery and Hattie Seymour.
Please Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr James (Jim) McCormack, Fr John William Hayes, Canon Thomas Clarke,
Canon Michael Fitzpatrick, Fr Brendan Sheppard, Mrs Winifred Craig,Francis Thomas, Roma Morgan, John Rivens, Emma Jane Hobbs, Alfred Warner, Philip Everett, Amy Ehn, Bridget Hamblion, Pauline Cousins, Florence West,Ellen O’Leary, Agnes Theresa Brady, Edward Petronis, Michael Jones,Charles Cutler, William Ross, Eric Jeffries, Lily Mead, Michael McNamara,
Dorothy Mansell, Anna Perkins, Robert Gammon, Zoe Conroy & Joseph Dray.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
Dates for your Diary
Sunday 4th June Confirmation Mass - 11.30am
Sunday 18th June Corpus Christi Procession - 4pm
Saturday 22nd July Walsingham Centenary Pilgrimage
Monday 24th/Friday 28th July Parish Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes
7th October to 15th October Parish Mission
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.
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
KNIGHTS OF SAINT COLUMBA PILGRIMAGE TO AYLESFORD PRIORY
On Sunday 11th June join us at Aylesford Priory to celebrate the feast of Saint Columba with an open air Mass, picnic in the grounds or enjoy a meal in the restaurant and process with the Knights through the beautiful Rosary Walk in the afternoon. Adults £14 – Children Free (limited places available on a first come first served basis) Pick-Up points: Sacred Heart Church, Southchurch at 8:30am – Nazareth House, Westcliff at 8:40am – Our Lady of Lourdes, Leigh at 8:50am. To book your place please phone Mike Warren 07948 515288 or email: warrenmike@hotmail.co.uk
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.
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
11.30 am Mass in Brentwood Cathedral on Sunday 18th June. Parishioners are very warmly invited to this celebration of the Diocesan Centenary.
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 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.
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