Sheila West 19/05/2017 Sheila West 19/05/2017

‘Stewards of the Gospel’ Initiative

Just prior to Easter, the Diocese requested an ‘Executive Summary’ from each parish of the responses which had been made to the ‘Stewards of the Gospel’ consultation process and the questions posed by the ‘Parish Questionnaire’ document. A copy of the ‘Executive Summary’ sent to the Diocese from our parish is included as an insert in this Newsletter, with the intention of keeping parishioners abreast of outcomes and developments with regard to this very important Diocesan initiative; please take a few moments to read and consider the document which has also been the subject of discussion at a recent meeting of the Parish Council. Thank you!
Francis O’Brien – Steward of the Gospel.

Sheila West 19/05/2017 Sheila West 19/05/2017

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.

Sheila West 19/05/2017 Sheila West 19/05/2017

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.

Kevin Hale 13/05/2017 Kevin Hale 13/05/2017

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Dear Friends in Christ
This weekend we celebrate an important anniversary: one hundred years ago on 13th May, Our Blessed Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. Pope Francis will travel to Fatima this weekend for the celebrations there and at the same time canonise the the two youngest children, Francisco & Jacinta. Lucia, who became a Carmelite nun, died as recently as 2005. By way of preparing the children for the apparitions, God sent an Angel to them in 1916, who taught them to pray and make reparation for those who do not adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament as they should: My God I believe, I adore I hope and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You. The world was in turmoil in 1917 and when Our Lady appeared to the children on six occasions between May and October of that year, it was to ask them to pray for peace. Specifically Our Lady asked the children to pray the Holy Rosary every day for peace, to make acts of sacrifice, and consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, especially Russia at that time, which was spreading the errors of Communism abroad. During the apparition on 13th July, Our Lady taught the children the much beloved prayer that many of us say after each decade of the Rosary: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of your mercy.

Dear Friends in Christ

This weekend we celebrate an important anniversary: one hundred years ago on 13th May, Our Blessed Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. Pope Francis will travel to Fatima this weekend for the celebrations there and at the same time canonise the the two youngest children, Francisco & Jacinta. Lucia, who became a Carmelite nun, died as recently as 2005. By way of preparing the children for the apparitions, God sent an Angel to them in 1916, who taught them to pray and make reparation for those who do not adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament as they should:

“My God I believe, I adore I hope and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You.”

The world was in turmoil in 1917 and when Our Lady appeared to the children on six occasions between May and October of that year, it was to ask them to pray for peace. Specifically Our Lady asked the children to pray the Holy Rosary every day for peace, to make acts of sacrifice, and consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, especially Russia at that time, which was spreading the errors of Communism abroad. During the apparition on 13th July, Our Lady taught the children the much beloved prayer that many of us say after each decade of the Rosary:

“O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of your mercy.”

St Pope John II made the Consecration of the world to Mary’s Heart in 1983 and indeed many of the events in his own life — not least the assassination attempt — have a direct relation to the messages of Fatima. Perhaps the most striking phenomenon was the miracle of the sun that took place on the occasions of the final apparition, 13th October 1917. Over 70,000 people witnessed the sun dance in the sky and then come crashing down to the earth; this miracle had been foretold by Our Lady as a proof of her apparitions and veracity of the messages. Fatima is a story that deserves to be re-read and preached in our own time. The Church is always careful to remind us that such apparitions — even when given the full approval of the Church — nonetheless enjoy a private status and cannot compel universal belief. However, when all of the Popes of the last century have endorsed Fatima and its message, and countless souls have been brought to conversion through the messages, we cannot deny that something truly supernatural occurred there and which we can celebrate loudly this year; the year in which propitiously, our Diocese was founded. May God and His Immaculate Mother bless us all!

Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org

Sheila West 13/05/2017 Sheila West 13/05/2017

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
Monday 15    Feria
9.00am     Mass Intentions of Teresa O’Brien (MI)
Tuesday 16     Feria
9.00am     Mass Intentions of Francis & Jane O’Brien (P&MR)
Wednesday 17 Feria
9.00am     Mass Lilian & Jim Fegan, RIP (JC)
Thursday 18 Feria
9.00am     Mass Intentions of Esther Clark (SD)
Friday 19     St Dunstan, Bp
12Noon     Mass John Davis-Gaye, RIP (CR)
Saturday 20 St Bernadine of Siena, Pr
10.00am     Mass Christine Fisher, RIP (II)
The Holy Rosary is prayed after morning Mass during the week

Sixth Sunday of Easter - Sunday 21st May
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Gwendoline Underwood, RIP (RB)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am     Mass Intentions of the Carmelites (Leigh-on-Sea) (SH)
9.30am     Mass Intentions of the Murphy & Price Families (K&LW)
11.30am     Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm       Vespers & Benediction