Novena to St Joseph - Sunday 10th to Tuesday 19th March 2019 – OLI Church, Chelmsford
Our Lady Immaculate Parish, Chelmsford, is celebrating a novena to St Joseph to pray for the Church, for vocations to the diocese of Brentwood and for all your intentions. The novena to St Joseph is from 10th until 19th March. Each day of the novena there will be Mass at 7pm (preceded by confessions at 6.30pm) and the Mass will end with the novena prayers to St Joseph. Please join us in our novena prayers.
Unwanted Gift Sale - 3rd March
Thank you to those who have donated to the sale. Unfortunately, we haven't received enough donations to make it feasible to hold the sale this weekend. We will continue to accept donations and as soon as we have enough to offer you, we will hold the sale. If you have any unwanted gifts that you wish to donate, please leave them in the old Baptistery. Hopefully we can hold the sale very soon. Many thanks. Sue and Angela.
Is God calling you to be a priest?
There is a monthly vocations group for those who would like to find out more about a possible vocation to the priesthood. There will be a talk, time of prayer and some food. The sessions take place at St Edmund of Canterbury church, 9 Traps Hill, Loughton, IG10 1SZ. Tuesdays 5th March, 2nd April, 7th May, 4th June & 2nd July. Please contact Fr Mark Swires, Vocations Promoter for more information: vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org
Lenten Talks 2019
The schedule for this year’s Lenten Talks, which all take place in Nazareth House on Wednesdays at 7.30pm is as follows:
13th March Fr Angelus Houle ‘Spiritual Warfare’
27th March Mark Lambert ‘The Culture of Life vs The Culture of Death’
3rd April Fr Andrew Forus ‘The healing power of Confession’
10th April Fr Jeff Woolnough ‘Mary at the foot of the Cross’
Sacrament of Confirmation
Our Bishop, Alan Williams, will be making his Visitation of the Parish on the 19th May 2019 and conferring the Sacrament for our young adults and anyone else wishing to be Confirmed. Candidates must have completed their fourteenth year by the end of August 2018. Please email office@lourdesleigh.org if you wish to apply. Preparation sessions will begin on Sunday 10th March.
Lenten Lunches
These begin on Friday 8th March at 12.30pm for the duration of Lent. Delicious home made soup, bread, cheese coffee etc. Only £5 donation to charity.
Journey of Faith (RCIA)
A series of informal talks, designed to give an insight into the teachings and traditions of the Catholic church, continues on Monday 4th March at 8pm in the Parish Centre with Journey of Faith (The Mass - Sacrifice & Holy Communion). You are welcome to attend some or all of these talks; if you would like more information please speak to Fr Kevin.
Knights of St Columba - St Patrick’s Social Evening
Saturday 16th March at St Peter’s Mazenod Hall, 59 Eastwood Road. Irish stew or jacket potato included in price - Irish Dance troupe. Bring your own drinks. 7pm to 10.45pm. Tickets: Adult £10, 5-16 years £7, under 5 free, from Bruno 01701 528766, Ian 07503 465249, Liam 07952 954833.
APF
The National Novena to St Joseph will take place from 10th to 18th March. The Mill Hill Missionaries prepare for the Feast of St Joseph with a special Novena of Masses, to ask for God’s blessing on their society and the intentions of all who support their work. You are invited to send in your petitions and/or request a Novena booklet to join in home prayer. Please write to Fr Brain Oswald MHM St Joseph’s Missionary Society, 58 Cookham Road, Maidenhead SL6 7HT or email novenamhm@gmail.com. Thank you. Joan Caunce, Secretary.
Lenten Retreat 2019
The Vicariate for Evangelisation would like to invite you to join the LENT RETREAT 2019, 'Walking Together with Jesus' offered by the Jesuit's Mission Team via Pathways to God. All you have to do is to register individually ON LINE and you will receive, free of charge, daily prayers and meditations that you can fit around your own schedule. There is however an option to meet weekly with a small group to reflect together at the end of each week. This is optional but if you decided to form a small group, Pathways to God will send you a leader's guide to follow on registration. The Website details to sign up is: www.pathwaystogod.org.
Dates for your Diary
Saturdays 11th & 18th May First Holy Communions - 10.30am
Sunday 19th May Visitation and Confirmation
Monday 22nd-Saturday 27th July Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes
1st Thursday of every month Meeting of Parish Evangelisation Team 8pm
We Pray for our Sick
Terence Larman, Colin Cheeseman, Bill O’Connell, Sheena Evans, Janet Weale, Charlotte O’Neil, Ella Williams,,David Kislingbury, Mark Shepherd, Eileen Bines, Frank Bramley, Mark Hartley, Gillian Oldham, Basil Emmerson, Austin Butler, Christine Robinson, John Lavery, Paul Keane, Rosemary Bragard, Rose Craft, Maureen Gooding, Dympna Addecott, Pat Lynch, Christian Ryan, Mike Rubbert, Tina Doveaston, Addi Brady, Ben Wilson, Patricia Fleming, Nicky Wigmore, Nan Carrit, Eileen Wilson, Patricia Spikin, Sandra Fagan, Edna Wallace, Beryl Dixon, Nick Evans, Vicky Jack, Lyn Gopee, Mary Boyce, Kristin Hallenga, Anne O’Neill, Cheryl Shallis, Anthony McEvoy, Justin Stark, Sheila Netherton, David Blyth, Janet Woods, Lynne Hilkene, June Moncaster, Laura & Anne Breen, Breda Lynch, Maria Clark, Roy Widdecombe, Johanna Lynch, 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, Lorraine Hart, Linda Dean, Wyn McCafferty, Antonella McConalogue, Eddie McConalogue, David Clark, Georgina Cornwell, Annie Holland, Ivor & Joanne Knight, Brian Beresford, Rebecca Peake, David Clark, Connor Bourke, Mattia Mollica, Sharon Levill, Bernadette Lane, Maureen Ward, Irena Solecki, Lanto Bellis, Doreen Troughton, Marguerite Harris, Andrew Exley, Richard Collins, Niqui Denkmayer, Elizabeth McConalogue, Kean Smith, Mick Cordingley and children Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price, Connie Price & Frazer Gregory.
Please Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Mgr Canon Patrick O’Donnell, Fr Brian Galvin, Fr Francis Hastings, Fr Malachy Kelly, Canon Joseph Whitfield, Fr Thomas Lawton, Fr John Gordon, Patricia Sellers, Hugh Gallacher, Maria Vanden Heuvel, Patricia Church, Margaret Ellis, May Perkins, Esperanza Reyes, Bernard McCarthy, Ena Bartley, Mary Smith, Doris Conner, Danielle Sutherland, Sandra McGran, Philip Thomas, Anthony Conlon, Hannah Harris, Johnathan Grindley, Stanley Rumsey, John Burke, Miss Sydney Compton, Edward Baigent, Elsie Killman, Janet Harris, Teresa Rumsey, Henry Delaney, John Button, Constance Ryan, Joyce Quinn, Pamela Jones, Peggy Choppin, Vincent Ingham, Christopher Tyler & Joe Swann.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Friends in christ
The Readings of the Mass this Sunday bring to mind the theme of magnanimity: greatness of soul, largeness of heart. The Saints have always been those who manifest this virtue of magna anima, showing their largeness of spirit whenever they initiated anything for the sake of Christ and His Church. We are called to the same love: great in our human relationships, in evaluations and dealings with other people, seeing everyone as a child of God.
Dear Friends in Christ
The Readings of the Mass this Sunday bring to mind the theme of magnanimity: greatness of soul, largeness of heart. The Saints have always been those who manifest this virtue of magna anima, showing their largeness of spirit whenever they initiated anything for the sake of Christ and His Church. We are called to the same love: great in our human relationships, in evaluations and dealings with other people, seeing everyone as a child of God. Greatness of soul proves itself above all in a willingness to forgive, in matters large and small, whether it be people close to us in our lives or distant. The opposite of the Christina spirit to carry around in our hearts grievances, harbouring grudges and feeding hurtful memories. Our Lord in the Gospel calls us to have a heart like His Heart. St John Chrysostom says: Nothing makes us like unto God so much as being always ready to forgive. On the Cross Jesus taught this: Father forgive them as He prayed; immediately adding the mitigating reason: For they know not what they do. These words show the greatness of the sacred humanity of Jesus. This we hear in the Gospel this Sunday: Love your enemies…pray for those who persecute you. Jesus always asks the same of those who are His own. The first martyr, Saint Stephen, died asking pardon for those who killed him. Are we then not to pardon the comparatively trivial things that happen to us each day? Mary shows us greatness of soul too, which she lived in all the facets of her life with God and with her neighbour.
With every blessing!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Sunday 24th February
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Intentions of David Holmshaw & Helen Cobb (EH)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Intentions of Kristina Coeur de Lion (BT)
9.30am Mass Jim & Teena Rockell & Fred & Doreen Wall, RIP (Anniv) (K&LW)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 25 Feria
9.00am Mass Marcia Clarke, RIP (M&BH)
Tuesday 26 Feria
9.00am Mass Michael Irons, RIP (Anniv) (JV)
Wednesday 27 Feria
9.00am Mass Carol Wareing, RIP (Anniv) (A&JM)
2.00pm Requiem Mass Gilbert Oldham, RIP
Thursday 28 Feria
9.00am Mass Aoife O’Sullivan, RIP (Anniv) (MO’S)
Friday 1 March ST DAVID, Bp, Patron of Wales
12Noon Mass Bill Hoggett, RIP (Anniv)(JH)
12.30pm Exposition after Mass until
8.00pm Holy Hour & Benediction
Saturday 2 St Nicholas Owen, M
10.00am Mass Relations and friends of the Braggard & Underwood Families (RB)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confession
EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Sunday 3rd March
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Frank Maguire, RIP (FO’B)
9.30am Mass Pamina Edgeley, RIP (Anniv) (SN)
11.30am Mass William Pearson, RIP (Anniv) (SP)
4.00pm Mass Alan Bush, RIP (LL) - Extraordinary Form
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
The Sacrament of Penance is available on request
Services from the church are live streamed
Counters and Folders
Counters: Jacky Hoggett & Eileen Wilson
Folders: Angie Martin & Joseph Martin
Lenten Retreat 2019
The Live Simply group has decided to join the Lent retreat 2019, ‘Walking together with Jesus' as advertised in the newsletter this week. We meet on Monday mornings from 10.15-11.45 in the Parish Centre. If anyone wishes to join us they will be very welcome.
OLOL Ladies Group
The Ladies Group next meet on Thursday, 28th February with a welcome return talk by Rosemary Patson who will tell us more about First World War horses,and other animals!! Come and enjoy good company, cake and coffee.
NB: Ladies who have booked for the Parliament trip in May need to pay £20 for the coach. There are only 2 places left so don't miss out!
Gaudeamus Concert - Saturday, 23rd March 2019 at 7.30pm
Gaudeamus choir are once again performing at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. We are a chamber choir of 26 voices based in Leigh-on-Sea. We sing a wide range of music from the middle ages to the present day, unaccompanied and accompanied by piano, organ or orchestra, but are particularly noted for our unaccompanied a capella singing. The main work to be performed is Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli, along with Gorecki's Totus Tuus and Motets by Bruckner, Poulenc, and Messaien. All are welcome and tickets will be available at the door (£10). For more information please contact Nigel Warwick-Brown (07402324626).