Dates for your Diary
Saturday 22nd July Walsingham Centenary Pilgrimage
Monday 24th-Friday 28th July Parish/Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes
7th October - 15th October Parish Mission
Please Pray for the Repose of the Soul of
John Kidney, RIP who died on Saturday 1st July. His Body will be received into the Church on Monday 17th July at 5pm and his Requiem Mass will be held on Tuesday 18th July at 9.30am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
Please Pray for the Dead on their anniversaries
Canon Francis Gilbert, Fr Walter Walsh, Fr John Watson, Paddy Shanahan, William O’Neill, Selwyn Lewis, Ita McCullough, Joan Gendall, Felix Keenan, Annie Briggs, Maria Chadun, Mary Bray, Irene Harvey, Margaret O’Callaghan, Elsie Maczka, Stanislaus Dulewicz, Michael O’Connell, Betty Gray, Dorothy Cole, Kathleen Scaife, Margaret Simpson, Monica Gray, Patricia Armstrong, Josephine Russell, Ronald Gibson & Robert Wright.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Friends in Christ
Jesus often speaks to us about the joy that comes from self-denial. In the Gospel of this weekend we hear the well-known words in which Jesus invites us to share His yoke, His burden. It is the Gospel text much related to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The oft-proclaimed paradox of the Christian life is to be found in this way: accepting the difficulties and contradictions of life so as to be more liberated and also more united with Christ. Our love of God is nourished in prayer and reception of the Sacrament, in the constant struggle against our defects, in the unceasing effort to maintain a living presence of God throughout the whole of our days, in our relationships with others and even in our times of rest. The Blessed Eucharist is, above all, the spring at which our love of God is perpetually refreshed and strengthened.
Dear Friends in Christ
Jesus often speaks to us about the joy that comes from self-denial. In the Gospel of this weekend we hear the well-known words in which Jesus invites us to share His yoke, His burden. It is the Gospel text much related to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The oft-proclaimed paradox of the Christian life is to be found in this way: accepting the difficulties and contradictions of life so as to be more liberated and also more united with Christ. Our love of God is nourished in prayer and reception of the Sacrament, in the constant struggle against our defects, in the unceasing effort to maintain a living presence of God throughout the whole of our days, in our relationships with others and even in our times of rest. The Blessed Eucharist is, above all, the spring at which our love of God is perpetually refreshed and strengthened.
The Diocesan Centenary Exhibition which has been on display in Brentwood for the last six months will be coming to our Parish Centre next weekend and can be viewed after all of the Masses in the St Clement Room. All are welcome and a Bookstall is also available.
This Sunday evening is the occasion of our Annual Parish Meeting. As in previous years the invitation to attend is extended to the entire Parish Family. However, I invite in a particular way all who offer their time and talents to the Parish as a means of my expressing gratitude to you all. Please do try and come along if only for a short time. The Meeting will begin at 6.30pm with the Reports from the Parish Groups and then flow into the Garden Party.
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday 2nd July
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Vera & Henry De Souza, RIP (FDS)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Teresa Yates, RIP (MW)
9.30am Mass Lynn Tait, RIP (BH)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
4.00pm Mass Marion & Robert Caunce, RIP - Extraordinary Form (JC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 3 ST THOMAS, Ap
9.00am Mass Alexander McFarlane, Jr, RIP (PJ)
Tuesday 4 St Elizabeth of Portugal
9.00am Mass Intentions of Vivien Clancy (JL)
Wednesday 5 St Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Pr
9.00am Mass Frank Clancy, RIP (Anniv) (VC)
Thursday 6 St Maria Goretti, VM
9.00am Mass Intentions of David & Eileen Gurney (60th Wedding Ann) (JL)
Friday 7 Feria
12Noon Mass Intentions of the CWL
12.30pm Exposition after Mass until
8.00pm Holy Hour and Benediction
Saturday 8 Our Lady on Saturday
10.00am Mass Alison Shepherd, RIP (Anniv) (CH)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confessions
The Holy Rosary is prayed after morning Mass during the week
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday 9th July
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Ted Wilson, RIP (Anniv) (EW)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Intentions of Renata Butler (Rosary Group)
9.30am Mass David Ward, RIP
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
The Sacrament of Penance is available on request
Scripture Group
The Scripture Group will meet Thursday 6th July at 8pm for last meeting before summer break.
Flat for Renting
A Parish property in close proximity to the church is available for renting at the market rate of £750 pcm. Anyone interested should contact the Parish Office.
Quiz & Chips Night
Quiz & Chips Night
This will be held in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Centre on Saturday 22nd July, 6.30pm for 7pm start. Maximum 8 people per table. Prizes for the winners. Fish & Chips will be served, bring your own drinks and nibbles. £10 per person. Raffle donations gratefully received. All proceeds go to the Parish Lourdes Fund.
Baptism Preparation Evenings
The next Baptism Preparation Evenings will take place on Tuesdays 4th and 11th July in the Newman Room of the Parish Centre at 8pm. Details from Paul and Diane Watts on 01702 478396.
APF Boxholders
If you have not had your box opened in the last six months would you please give it in to the office or to me personally in the next few weeks. I have received the Summer Missio, if you have not already received one from me please take one from the back of the church in the usual place. Don't forget to collect your emptied boxes from the back of the church. Thank you. Joan Caunce, 01268 757505.
SVP St John Bosco Children’s Summer Holiday Camp
The SVP St John Bosco Camp offers children aged 8-13 a sports and activity based holiday on a campsite in the Essex countryside. Run with a Catholic ethos, the camp is especially for children who may not have any other holiday this year.
The boys’ camp runs for two weeks during the Summer holiday, from 22nd July to 5th August, and the girls’ camp runs for one week from 5th to 12th August. Please note that the boys’ camp age range is 8 to 13 while the girls’ is 9 to 12. Children are accepted for one week only. The suggested camp donation is £145 for a child to stay at camp for a week. If you require any further information or application forms then please contact either the Boys booking secretary (PaulHayes 07534065347 6-9pm only) or Girls booking secretary (Gemma O’Flaherty 07491811167 between 6pm and 9pm). It is advisable to book early, as preferences for specific periods may not be possible. Forms can also be obtained from www.svpboscocamp.org.uk. Enquiries and bookings can also be dealt with by emailing bookings@svpboscocamp.org.uk.
Sick & Retired Clergy Fund
Thank you for your very generous donations which amounted to £1,074.97.
Accommodation Required
Denis Collins, an ex-Parishioner who now lives in Colchester, is starting a job at South Essex College in September (Southend) working three days per week, Weds, Thurs and Friday. If there is any parishoner who might have a spare room for any or all of those nights please ring 01206 824276. Father Swires, my Parish Priest, who will happily provide a reference on request.
Serving the Homeless
Sincere thanks to those parishioners who purchased raffle tickets for our Grand Summer Draw. These will be on sale throughout the summer from any member of our Committee or, alternatively, please contact Jo Ronan 474062, Linda Wall 558217 or Nina Bridgeman 472536. Tickets cost £1 each or you can purchase a book of 5 tickets for £5.
Art Exhibition & Sale
The Live Simply Group invites you to an exhibition & sale of beautiful original paintings & craft from Kenyan artists in the Parish Centre. The work will be on display from 10.30am Saturday 15th July until 8.00pm; and then again, on Sunday 16th July, from 8.30am until 2.00pm. Refreshments will be available. All proceeds will go to Kenyan Orphan Fund & Ugandan Project. Why not pop in after Mass or tell your friends?
CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players
Bishop Robert Barron's ground-breaking Pivotal Players series concludes this week on July 3, 2017 at 8:00 pm in the Parish Centre, with two converts to Catholicism, John Henry Newman and G.K. Chesterton. John Henry Newman came into the Church as a convert and used his prodigious intellectual gifts to help the Church better understand its identity and mission. G.K. Chesterton, a nineteenth century literary convert, shows that the fundamental disposition of effective evangelisation is joy, and that life in Christ is a day-to-day encounter with an abundant and surprising offer of grace. Newman and Chesterton show us how to effectively engage our culture in challenges of truth in matters of religion, that is too often befuddled by Christ and suspicious of the Church.
Counters & Folders
Counters: Mary Cook & Jacky Hoggett
Folders: Tom O’Callaghan & Rita O’Callaghan
HARP
Thank you to all the parishioners who have donated items of food and clothing recently. We would also like to thank the Committee of Serving the Homeless for their weekly donations of meat and other fresh foods, which are used to provide nourishing meals every day. This month's wish list: night-pack items, UHT milk, bottles of squash. We would also like wire coat hangers, which will be used for an art project that our vulnerable clients are currently working on.
Diocesan Centenary Exhibition
This will be available in the Parish Centre at Our Lady of Lourdes, Leigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, before & after Mass on Saturday 8th July (5.30pm) and Sunday 9th July (8.00am, 9.30am & 11.30am). Free Admission. All are welcome. Bookstall available.