APF Boxholders
I have received the Summer 2018 Missio magazine. If you have not received one from me personally please take one from the back of the church in the usual place. If you have not had your box opened in the last six months would you please leave it in the office or give it to me personally. (Not relevant of course to those people who took a box recently at the appeal). Thank you.
Joan Caunce, Secretary 01268 757505.
Flower Festival
A big thank-you to everyone who made the Flower Festival on Saturday 16th such a success. To everyone who donated flowers and greenery, to those who took on the creation of the wonderful window and chapel displays, to those who worked tirelessly all day serving refreshments and Marion who provided the wonderful spiritual soundtrack for the day, a huge pat on the back! It was a real blessing to welcome so many into our Church who had either never been there before, or who had not been inside a Church for many years. There were a few tears shed as people told their stories. It was a very uplifting experience.
An amazing £511 was donated on the day for 'Serving the Homeless.'
With gratitude,
Jo and Theresa
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday 17th June 2018
The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed…but it grows into the largest shrub of all. We hear these words in the Gospel this Sunday. Our Lord chose a few men to begin the work of evangelisation. For the most part they were humble fishermen, unlettered men, with evident defects and only a few resources. Looking at things form a purely human perspective, it is impossible to explain how these men could have spread the teachings of Christ to the whole known world in such a short space of time. They faced so many obstacles, and there was much opposition to overcome. St John Chrysostom sees in this parable of the mustard seed, Jesus urges his disciples to have faith and to be confident that the spreading of the Gospel will be carried out in spite of everything. We need to remember that it’s not our efforts that count in the end, but that it is God’s Church. If we keep sight of our smallness, and also the power of grace, we will always be strong in whatever God asks of us. If we do not keep our eyes fixed on Jesus we become discouraged and pessimistic and will give up easily when tempted or when difficulties arise. As we go about our efforts as a Parish, to evangelise, let’s always remember that the victory belongs to Christ, who has already triumphed and calls us to do great things with Hi
Dear Friends in Christ
The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed…but it grows into the largest shrub of all. We hear these words in the Gospel this Sunday. Our Lord chose a few men to begin the work of evangelisation. For the most part they were humble fishermen, unlettered men, with evident defects and only a few resources. Looking at things form a purely human perspective, it is impossible to explain how these men could have spread the teachings of Christ to the whole known world in such a short space of time. They faced so many obstacles, and there was much opposition to overcome. St John Chrysostom sees in this parable of the mustard seed, Jesus urges his disciples to have faith and to be confident that the spreading of the Gospel will be carried out in spite of everything. We need to remember that it’s not our efforts that count in the end, but that it is God’s Church. If we keep sight of our smallness, and also the power of grace, we will always be strong in whatever God asks of us. If we do not keep our eyes fixed on Jesus we become discouraged and pessimistic and will give up easily when tempted or when difficulties arise. As we go about our efforts as a Parish, to evangelise, let’s always remember that the victory belongs to Christ, who has already triumphed and calls us to do great things with Him.
With every blessing for this coming week!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org
ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Sunday 17th June
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Bertha & Tony Nesnas, RIP (SC)
9.30am Mass Jim & Teena Rockell, Fred & Doreen Wall, RIP (K&LW)
11.30am Mass Claire Melish, RIP (MS)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 18 Feria
9.00am Mass Fr Michael Kidney (60th Anniv Priesthood) (JL)
2.00pm Requiem Mass Peter Sloan, RIP
Tuesday 19 St Romuald, Ab
9.00am Mass Alison Shepherd, RIP (CH)
2.00pm Requiem Mass Catherine Barewish, RIP
5.00pm Body in Church: Arthur Mills, RIP
Wednesday 20 St Alban, Protomartyr of Britain
10.45am Requiem Mass Arthur Mills, RIP
Thursday 21 St Aloysius Gonzaga, Rel
9.00am Mass Will & Vi Coveney, RIP (MC)
11.00am Deanery Schools Year 6 Leavers Mass
Friday 22 SS JOHN FISHER, Bp & THOMAS MORE, Mm
12Noon Mass Tom & Benita Skellon, RIP (RM)
Saturday 23 St Etheldreda, Abbess, V
10.00am Mass Betty Gray, RIP (Anniv) (JH)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confession
THE NATIVITY OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST - Sunday 24th June
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil William Armstrong, RIP (Anniv) (JA)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Ints of Amy & Andy Kwasnica (25th Wedding Anniv) (MC)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Winnie Barrett, RIP (MF)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
The Sacrament of Penance is available on request
We pray for our sick
Margaret Owens, Basil Emmerson, Christine Robinson, Rosemary Bragard, Mark Wilson, Noel Kolby, John Lavery, David Gurney, Paul Keane, Rose Craft,Maureen Gooding, Mabel Addecott, Christian Ryan, Mike Rubbert, Pat Lynch,Teresa O’Brien, Maureen Deekes, Tina Doveaston, Addi Brady, 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, Mary Boyce, Kristin Hallenga, Anne O’Neill, Cheryl Shallis, Anthony McEvoy, Justin Stark, Sheila Netherton, David Blyth, Dympna Addecott, Janet Woods, Lynne Hilkene, June Moncaster, Laura & Anne Breen, Breda Lynch, Maria Clark, Roy Widdecombe, Johanna Lynch, Sheila McBrearty, Anthony King, Chas Taylor, Norma McCleverty, Belinda Balazsi, Johnnie Pool, Edward Martin, Joanna Luciani, Pauline Wilsher, Simon Marshall, Kriston Barnes, Hugh Isaacs, Josephine Griggs, Colleen Worley, Dawn Deleigh, Antonella McConalogue, Fr Jean Laurent Marie, Eddie McConalogue, Georgina Cornwell, Lorraine Hart, Wyn McCafferty, Linda Dean, Annie Holland, Martin Buckley, Martha Braun, Jane Jowers, Ivor & Joanne Knight, Brian Beresford, Rebecca Peake, David Clark, David Askew, Connor Bourke, Mattia Mollica, Sharon Levill, Bernadette Lane, David Kislingury, Maureen Ward, Irena Solecki, Lanto Bellis, Doreen Troughton, Marguerite Harris, Andrew Exley, Rosemary Arscott, Richard Collins, Niqui Denkmayer, Elizabeth McConalogue, Kean Smith, and children Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price, Connie Price, Frazer Gregory and baby Talia Emery.
Please Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Bp Bernard Patrick Wall, Fr Vincent Dutton, Fr Edward Thomas, Florence Ellis, Anne Ryan, Gertrude Drew, John William Gillman, Angeline Sweet, John Oliver, Audrey Conlon, Ange Locamilleri, John Callaghan, Brenda Dorey, Alfred Mansell, Kathleen Michael, Michael Woolcott, Bridget Parsons, Eileen Ketterer, Angela Balcombe, Mary Wright, Doreen Faux, Patricia Larman, Francis Woodward, Sidney Baldwin, & Anthony Gwatkin.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
Please Pray for the Repose of the Souls of
CATHERINE BAREWISH, RIP who died on Saturday 2nd June. Her Requiem Mass will be held on Tuesday 19th June at 2pm followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
ARTHUR MILLS, RIP who died on Monday 14th May. His body will be received into the Church on Tuesday 19th June at 5pm and his Requiem Mass will be held on Wednesday 20th June at 10.45am, followed by committal at Southend Cemetery.
PETER SLOAN, RIP who died on Wednesday 6th June. His Requiem Mass will be held on Monday 18th June at 2.00pm.
BARBARA ADAMS, RIP who died on Thursday 7th June. Her Requiem Mass will be held on Monday 2nd July at 10.00am, followed by committal at Southend Cemetery.
BRIDIE SATELLE, RIP who died on Saturday, 9th June. Her body will be received into the Church on Wednesday 27th June at 5pm and her Requiem Mass will be held on Thursday 28th June at 10.30am.
Counters & Folders
Counters: Jacky Hoggett & Eileen Wilson
Folders: Angie Martin & Joseph Martin
Children’s Liturgy
A big thank you to Carol Carlile for all her hard work and dedication in organising Children’s Liturgy for the last 15 years. I am the new person who is taking over organising it and if anyone would like to volunteer - it involves 9.30 Mass once every six weeks (all liturgical papers & ideas given) - please contact me on
01702 428990. Thanks.
Sam Miller
The Annual Kwasnica Meal at East (33 Alexandra St, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1BW)
The Annual Kwasnica meal at East to raise funds for us to go to Lourdes with the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service is back! We will be spending a week in the service of sick and elderly pilgrims as well as having the opportunity to deepen our own faith. However, we need to pay for our own travel and accommodation. To help us on our way, please join us for a scrumptious 'all you can eat' Chinese meal, raffle (donations welcome) and great company. Tickets will be £14 (adult) and £6.50 (child) and are available on the door. Drinks are additional. All are welcome and we look forward to seeing you there! For more information please contact Amy on 07847517148.
Many thanks.
Joseph, Rachel and Jacob Kwasnica.
The Two Elizabeths - Elizabeth Dunlop & Elizabeth Upsher
Pupils & Guests present: A Summer Afternoon Concert on Sunday 1 July 2018 in aid of Havens Hospices
Tickets cost £10.00 (inc cake and tea ) Please note the time—2.00 p.m. in the Parish Hall, St Helen’s Road, Westcliff SS0 7JP
Please ring Elizabeth 01702 347369 to book your seats. (Please do book in advance for catering purposes). All profits go to Havens Hospices. We look forward to seeing you there!!!!
OLL ‘Leigh Ladies Group’
The above group will meet on Thursday 21st June, 10.30 - 12.30 in the Parish Centre, when we look forward to an interesting talk on ‘The Hillside Animal Sanctuary’ & ‘Horses of World War I’. Come & join us for refreshments & social company.
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Evangelisation Team
The first meeting of the Parish Evangelisation Team (PET) was held on Thursday, 7th June, with thirty parishioners attending. One objective of the PET is to help strengthen the faith and formation of those present and to this end we started with a short, informative talk on our need to pray if we seek to deepen our relationship with God – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Another PET objective is to encourage us in identifying opportunities to share our faith with others and some members described the ordinary, everyday situations they had taken to share their faith along with a hand of friendship. Congratulated were the organisers of our parish Flower Festival (Saturday 16th June) for initiating this occasion with its intention of drawing newcomers into our beautiful church, hopefully sowing seeds of curiosity, maybe faith! Since we have all received the Lord’s command , ‘Go make disciples of all nations..’, all parishioners are considered members of the PET and all are invited to its meetings, to be held in the Parish Centre on the first Thursday of each month (with the exception of August), 8-9pm.
Next meeting: Thursday, 5th July.
Tea/Coffee & Homemade Cakes
Every Monday, Wednesday (by the Carmelites) & Thursday after 9am Mass. Why not pop into the Parish Centre, meet friends and enjoy coffee and cake! Tea/Coffee Rotas are now available for collection at the back of Church.
Parish Centre - call for help one hour per week
To keep the Parish Centre looking pristine and clean, we are looking for some more volunteers to help support the existing cleaning team. No heavy lifting involved. If you are able to help your support would be much appreciated. Please contact the Parish Office or Steve on 0792 939 1890. Thank you.
St Thomas More Alumni Memorial Mass & Social
The annual St Thomas More Alumni Memorial Mass & Social will take place at 8pm on Thursday 21st June in the school at Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff. All past pupils, governors and members of staff are invited to attend to remember those deceased members of the school community and, after the Mass, enjoy a few drinks and a sumptuous buffet whilst renewing acquaintances with past school friends and former teachers/colleagues.
APF Boxholders
I have received the Summer 2018 Missio magazine. If you have not received one from me personally please take one from the back of the church in the usual place. If you have not had your box opened in the last six months would you please leave it in the office or give it to me personally. (Not relevant of course to those people who took a box recently at the appeal). Thank you.
Joan Caunce, Secretary 01268 757505.
Mass of Thanksgiving for Marriage and Family Life
The parish has received a number of invitations to this Mass which Bishop Alan will be celebrating in the Cathedral on Saturday 14th July at 4pm. If you are celebrating a significant anniversary this year and would like to receive an invitation, please speak to the parish priest.
I would also like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to another event occurring about the same time: a two-day conference taking place at St Mary’s University, Strawberry Hill, entitled ‘Understanding Sex and Gender’ aimed particularly at those involved in education. For information visit
Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Friends in christ
The First Reading of the Mass this weekend tells of the expulsion of our first parents from paradise. This is a sign that men and women would come into the world in a state of separation from God; we call it Original Sin. They lost the inheritance that they should have left to their descendants; the consequences of their sin of disobedience were immediately experienced by the offspring of Adam and Eve: Cain killed Abel out of envy. In the same way all evil, be it personal or social, finds it origin in the sin of the first man. Baptism completely forgives the guilt and the punishment of Original Sin, but it does not free us from its effects.
Dear Friends in Christ
The First Reading of the Mass this weekend tells of the expulsion of our first parents from paradise. This is a sign that men and women would come into the world in a state of separation from God; we call it Original Sin. They lost the inheritance that they should have left to their descendants; the consequences of their sin of disobedience were immediately experienced by the offspring of Adam and Eve: Cain killed Abel out of envy. In the same way all evil, be it personal or social, finds it origin in the sin of the first man. Baptism completely forgives the guilt and the punishment of Original Sin, but it does not free us from its effects. Man remains prone to error and to death; Original Sin was a sin of pride. Each of us falls into the same temptation of pride when we seek to occupy - in society, in our private lives, in everything - the place that belongs to God. When we see ourselves confronted with a world that sometimes seems to be profoundly disturbed, we cannot simply fold our arms and shrug like a person overwhelmed by a situation about which he can do nothing. We may not be capable of making great life-changing decisions, but we do have to play our part in those matters that God has put within our reach, so as to give life and our world a Christian orientation and purpose.
The first Meeting of our Parish Evangelisation Team (PET) took place on Thursday and a number of good ideas have been aired which we can explore in the months ahead. Everyone in the Parish is part of this Team since the work of spreading the Faith is a work for all of us. The PET will meet every first Thursday of the month, 8-9pm. Last Sunday, our Corpus Christi Procession was another sign of our witness and evangelisation and as ever, it was good to see how many people came along to profess Faith in Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. Thank you to all those who participated and helped: the Altar Servers, Catechists, Tilbury Brass Band and the Ladies who provided the Tea afterwards.
God bless you all!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org