Serving the Homeless
A very sincere thank you to everyone who attended our Service of Carols and Poems and for your very generous donations that evening, which amounted to £979. The Committee wish all of you a very happy and blessed New Year.
Our next event is Sunday lunch at the Park View Suite in Chalkwell Park on Sunday 26th January, 12.30 for 1.00pm. Tickets cost £20 and are available from any member of the Committee or please ring Linda on 01702 558217.
Parish Evangelisation Team
The next meeting will be on 6th February 2020. We are always open to new members coming along with new ideas and fresh legs!
Invitation to an Open Meeting - Sancta Vita Secondary School
Are you concerned about Catholic Secondary Education? Come and be part of a vision for change. A new type of private Secondary School in London with a Catholic ethos and praxis realistically accessible to families from all income groups. Come and hear how this can be done. Have your Questions answered. For full details go to www.sanctavitaschool.org.uk
VENUE: Thursday 30th January 2020 7.30pm-9.30pm Challoner Hall, Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick Street, London, England. (nearest underground station Piccadilly Circus).
White Flower Appeal
The Society for the Protection of Unborn children (SPUC) will be holding its annual appeal this weekend. SPUC is currently campaigning to stop the decriminalisation of abortion, which means taking abortion outside the law. This is the most dangerous threat to unborn children and their mothers in decades.
Please be as generous as you can to help us defeat this latest attack on unborn babies and their mothers, and to stop abortion getting even worse in this country by decriminalisation.
Journey of Faith (RCIA)
A series of informal talks, designed to give an insight into the teachings and traditions of the Catholic church, will continue on Monday 13th January at 8pm in the Parish Centre with Journey of Faith (The Holy Spirit & the Sacraments). You are welcome to attend some or all of these talks; if you would like more information please speak to Fr Kevin.
Reverse Advent Calendar
It’s not too late to bring the gifts donated by the Advent Calendar Appeal for our local prison at Chelmsford. The Live Simply Group are collecting and preparing the backpacks so that they can be distributed via the Chaplaincy.
Please bring any of the items specified to the Church over the next few days and we will make sure they are delivered. Don’t worry if a backpack is not complete, any contribution will be gratefully received.
Thank you. Enquiries - Cathy 07762 107920 or Fran 07981 741788.
Sea of Voices Choir
Our community choir returned to singing on Thursday and we have welcomed some new members! It’s still a good time to join as we are learning new songs for a summer concert. We especially would like to welcome any singers who sing alto and bass. Gentlemen: we need your voices in particular! Contact Darrell 07825686249 or email seaofvoiceschoir@outlook.com for information or speak to a choir member.
Parish Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 2020
In order to try and get the best deal possible, we are now planning a seven day pilgrimage, 18th to 25th November 2020. The tour will start in Galilee and end in Jerusalem, staying at 4-Star hotels in Jerusalem and Tiberias.
The cost will be approximately £1500/£1600 per person (depending on numbers), there is a single room supplement of approximately £550. The price includes half board, 23kg hold/10kg hand luggage, meals and beverages on flights, an air-conditioned bus in Israel/Palestine, entrance fees, English speaking guide, hotel porterage, gratuities for guide/hotel staff.
Anyone interested might like to indicate this to the Parish Office.
Dates for your Diary
Saturdays 16th & 23rd May First Holy Communions - 10.30am
1st Thursday of every month Meeting of Parish Evangelisation Team 8pm
We Pray for our Sick
Peg Larman, Alice Hennessy, Ian Irwin, Sylvia Clancy, Vita D’Souza, Patricia Vanner, Amy Louise Fox, Sarah Savage, Bill O’Connell, Sheena Reeves, Janet Weale, Charlotte O’Neil, Ella Williams, David Kislingbury, Mark Shepherd, Eileen Bines, Frank Bramley, Mark Hartley, Austin Butler, John Lavery, Paul Keane, Rosemary Bragard, Pat Lynch,Maureen Gooding, Dympna Addecott, Ben Wilson, Christian Ryan, Mike Rubbert, Tina Doveaston, Addi Brady, Patricia Fleming, Nicky Wigmore, Rose Craft, Nan Carrit, Eileen Wilson, Patricia Spikin, Sandra Fagan, Edna Wallace, Beryl Dixon, Nick Evans, Vicky Jack, 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, Georgina Cornwell, Antonella McConalogue, Eddie McConalogue, Sharon Levill, Annie Holland, Ivor & Joanne Knight, Brian Beresford, Rebecca Peake, Connor Bourke, Mattia Mollica, Bernadette Lane, Irena Solecki, Ianto Bellis, Doreen Troughton, Marguerite Harris, Andrew Exley, Richard Collins, Elizabeth McConalogue, Kean Smith, Keith Maliff & children Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Connie Price, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price & Frazer Gregory.
Please Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Canon Francis Dobson, Fr John King, Fr Gilbert Basil Pearson, Fr Neville Banks, Fr Kenneth Green, Canon Charles Kuypers, Catherine Ramsay, Hubert Carlyon, Mary Tomlinson, Ryan Allen, Margaret Bonsor, Juan Billena, Mabel Payne, Joe De Lobel, Leslie Murray, Derrick Whithil-Smith, Mary Cooper, Tim McCarthy, Lily Johnson, Eileen Watson, Georges Egidio, Dr Robert Clark, Catherine Mills, Pat Rogers, Patricia Manning Eric Major, John Mayo, Anna Sokl, Elsie Nicol, Rose-Margaret Gilbert, Mary Ann Foley, Nancy Hume, Annie Shea, Gordon Wallen, Brigid Connolly, Violet Read, Gabriel Craven, Patrick Connolly, Brenda Campbell, Germaine Cave-Palmer, Renée Warburton, Robert Garson-Gratidge, Breeda Hayes, Bridget Kelly, Maud Reddy, Catherine Woods, Eugene Regan & Barry Anderson.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
The Epiphany of The Lord
Dear Friends in Christ
I wish you all a very happy New Year!
The twelfth day of Christmas celebrates the arrival of the Magi, who come to Jesus with their famous gifts. They represent the nations to whom Jesus is revealed at the start of His life on earth. Like them, we have to overcome the many obstacles that prevent us from reaching Christ in this life.
Dear Friends in Christ
I wish you all a very happy New Year!
The twelfth day of Christmas celebrates the arrival of the Magi, who come to Jesus with their famous gifts. They represent the nations to whom Jesus is revealed at the start of His life on earth. Like them, we have to overcome the many obstacles that prevent us from reaching Christ in this life.
I am very grateful for the many greetings received over this Christmas season; your cards, gifts and generous Christmas Offerings. As ever, each year I am overwhelmed and humbled by the expressions of prayer and support that are shown. It is one of the great joys and graces of being a Parish Priest. As Vicar General of this Diocese for the last five years - and now entering a second term in this role - I try to assist the Bishop in his governance of the Diocese; but I often say that my main work and passion is, being your Parish Priest. This is because it keeps me grounded and is the reason why I am a priest!
Thank you once again this year for all the help that is given to me and to the ‘plant’ for the Christmas celebrations; a tremendous amount of time and hard work is given to preparing everything: from the Crib to the flowers, the cleaning and general attention to all the details which help to dignify our worship of God. Thank you all!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
The Sunday Homily is available as a podcast at LourdesLeigh.org
The Epiphany of The Lord
THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD - Sunday 5th January
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Intentions of Grahame Addecott (GA)
9.30am Mass Essie Glauda, RIP (Anniv) (CC)
11.30am Mass Claire Mellish, RIP (Anniv )(MS)
4.00pm Mass Frances Ryan, RIP (Anniv)(PR) - Extraordinary Form
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 6 Feria of Christmastide
9.00am Mass Terence & Maisie Renehan, RIP (Anniv) (MH)
Tuesday 7 St Raymond of Penyafort, Pr
9.00am Mass Carol Palmer, RIP (Anniv) & Ints of Heidi Federmann (HF)
Wednesday 8 Feria of Christmastide
9.00am Mass Ellen Walsh, RIP (Anniv) (MC)
Thursday 9 Feria of Christmastide
9.00am Mass James Rourke, RIP (LW)
Friday 10 Feria of Christmastide
12Noon Mass Evelyn Roots, RIP (Anniv) (SR)
Saturday 11 Feria of Christmastide
10.00am Mass Intentions of Mary Cook (SD)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confession
THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD Sunday 12th January
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Sybil Swann, RIP (KE)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Joe de Lobel, RIP (Anniv) (VC)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Patrick Flynn, RIP (MD)
5.30pm Blessing of Babies & Benediction
The Sacrament of Penance is available on request
Services from the church are live streamed
Counters & Folders
Counters: Jacky Hoggett & Eileen Wilson
Folders: Tom O’Callaghan & Rita O’Callaghan
Year of the God Who Speaks - the Gospel of Matthew
Fr Adrian Graffy will lead an exploration of the Gospel of Matthew, the lectionary gospel for Sundays in 2020, from 7 pm until 8.30 pm on Wednesday 15th (changed from 22nd) January, and Wednesday 29th January at the Catholic Church of Christ the Eternal High Priest, Gidea Park. Admission is free, but please book your place by email to GPstudydays@gmail.com Copies of the recently published ‘Revised New Jerusalem Bible’ will be on sale for £30 (reduced from the normal price of £39.99). Full details and video of earlier talks available on www.whatgoodnews.org
Parish Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who supports the 200 Club. The results of the November draw are as follows:
1st prize £150 120 Mr F Lawrence
2nd Prize £100 70 Mrs I Cranidge
3rd Prize £75 188 Mrs C Bush
4th Prize £50 92 Mrs Samantha Miller
5th Prize £25 26 Miss J Gibbons
The 200 Club continues to provide funds to support the running of the Parish Centre. At the moment we are 27 members short of our target. If you would like to join, forms are available from the back of the church or ring Linda Wall on 01702 558217.
Lourdes Ladies
The winning ticket for the ‘Tower of Treats’ was blue 296-300 - R. Conlon. Thank you to all who took part.
Health & Safety
Please park only in the designated spaces in the Courtyard outside the Parish Centre. Please do not double-park or block-in other cars. If there are no bays available this means the Courtyard is full!
When lighting votive candles, please use only the designated holding cups; NEVER place lit candles on any other surface, or under other candles. If there are no free spaces then leave the unlit candle to the side and it will be lit later. Thank you!