Second Sunday of Lent
CORONAVIRUS ADVICE:
There will not be Communion from the Chalice until further notice.
Please be sensitive when receiving Holy Communion, conscious that hands can also carry bacteria.
This also applies to how we give the Sign of Peace.
The Holy Water stoops will also remain empty for the time-being.
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Sunday 8th March 2020
Dear Friends in Christ
This Sunday we hear of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. St Bede comments on this passage of the Gospel saying that Our Lord in a loving condescension allowed Peter, James and John to enjoy for a very short time the contemplation of the happiness that lasts forever, so as to enable them to bear adversity with greater fortitude. There is no doubt that the memory of those moments beside Our Lord on the mountain helped those Apostles through many difficult times. Our existence is a journey towards Heaven, our final and definitive homeland. It is a journey that is sometimes harsh and laborious because sometimes we have to go against the prevailing tide, and struggle against the enemies both inside and outside of ourselves. But God is at our side to strengthen and encourage us, in the same way He was at the side of those three Apostles on the mountain. When God grants you the grace of feeling His presence, and desires that you should speak to Him as your most beloved friend, tell Him about your feelings with all freedom and confidence. Without waiting for Him to come close to you, He hastens towards you when you seek His love, and He presents Himself to you, granting you the graces and remedies that you need. He only waits for one word from you in order to show you that He is beside you and wants to listen to you and console you. Other friends, those who are friends in the world, have times that they spend talking together and other times when they are separated, but between God and yourselves if you want, there need never be a time of separation (St Alphonsus).
Dear Friends in Christ
This Sunday we hear of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. St Bede comments on this passage of the Gospel saying that Our Lord in a loving condescension allowed Peter, James and John to enjoy for a very short time the contemplation of the happiness that lasts forever, so as to enable them to bear adversity with greater fortitude. There is no doubt that the memory of those moments beside Our Lord on the mountain helped those Apostles through many difficult times. Our existence is a journey towards Heaven, our final and definitive homeland. It is a journey that is sometimes harsh and laborious because sometimes we have to go against the prevailing tide, and struggle against the enemies both inside and outside of ourselves. But God is at our side to strengthen and encourage us, in the same way He was at the side of those three Apostles on the mountain. When God grants you the grace of feeling His presence, and desires that you should speak to Him as your most beloved friend, tell Him about your feelings with all freedom and confidence. Without waiting for Him to come close to you, He hastens towards you when you seek His love, and He presents Himself to you, granting you the graces and remedies that you need. He only waits for one word from you in order to show you that He is beside you and wants to listen to you and console you. Other friends, those who are friends in the world, have times that they spend talking together and other times when they are separated, but between God and yourselves if you want, there need never be a time of separation (St Alphonsus).
May the continuation of this Lenten pilgrimage help us deepen our friendship with Jesus Christ through prayer and charity. May God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
The Sunday Homily is available as a podcast at LourdesLeigh.org
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Sunday 8th March
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Guy Bragard, RIP (Anniv) (RB)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Patrick Fenoughty, RIP (AL)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Paul Convoy, RIP (D)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 9 Feria
9.00am Mass Joe Swann, RIP (Anniv) (MD)
Tuesday 10 Feria
9.00am Mass Intentions of Julia Federmann (HF)
Wednesday 11 Feria
9.00am Mass Intentions of Kol Thelis (AT)
Thursday 12 Feria
9.00am Mass Patrick Byrnes, RIP (SG)
Friday 13 Feria
6.30am Mass Rev John O’Neill, RIP (FM)
12Noon Mass Intentions of Ian & Maura Irwin (CO’B)
8.00pm Way of the Cross & Benediction
Saturday 14 Feria
10.00am Mass Teresa O’Brien, RIP (Birthday) (MO’B)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confession
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT Sunday 15th March
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Frank & Moira Keenan, RIP (Anniv) (FK)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Alan Knell, RIP (CO’B)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Mervyn Calton, RIP (Anniv) (RC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
The Sacrament of Penance is available on request
Services from the church are live streamed
We pray for our sick
Anne Owen, Adrian Barclay, Patricia Ann Darroch, Peg Larman, Ian Irwin, Sylvia Clancy, Patricia Vanner, Amy Louise Fox, Sarah Savage, Bill O’Connell, Janet Weale, Charlotte O’Neil, Ella Williams, David Kislingbury, Mark Shepherd, Eileen Bines, Breege McCaffrey, 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 Joseph Whitfield, Fr Thomas Lawton, Fr John Gordon, Fr Edmund Meyer, Fr Maurice Roche, Mgr Canon David Michael Corley, Fr William Luby, Teresa Rumsey, Henry Delaney, John Button, Constance Ryan, Joyce Quinn, Pamela Jones, Peggy Choppin, Vincent Ingham, Christopher Tyler, Joe Swann, Theresa Ketterer, Joseph Collins, Lionel Clarke, Richard Young, Margaret Houston, Benjamin Dawson, Leo King, Edith Smith, Eileen Greaves, George Burnham, Lydia Upton, Maura Hanley, Eric Wilding, Stefan Zyms, Frank Keenan Snr, Philip Hale, Eleanor Hayes & June Whik.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
Please Pray for the Repose of the Souls of
Sheena Reeves, RIP. Her Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Monday, 16th March at 9.30am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
Jack Pearson, RIP who died on Thursday, 13th February. His body will be received into the Church on Tuesday, 17th March at 5pm. His Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday 18th March at 11am followed by burial at Woodside Cemetery.
Bruno DeSantis, RIP who died on Friday, 28th February. His Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Friday, 3rd April at 11am followed by burial at Sutton Road Cemetery.
Margaret Carstairs, RIP who died recently. Funeral details to follow.
Dates for your diary
Sunday 29th March Consecration of England to Mary - 3pm
St Peter’s Church, Eastwood
Saturdays 16th & 23rd May First Holy Communions - 10.30am
1st Thursday of every month Meeting of Parish Evangelisation Team 8pm
Lent Talks at St Peter’s, Eastwood Road North, Leigh SS9 4BX presented by our Deanery Clergy
Weds 11th March The Gospel according to Matthew - Fr Gerry Drummond
Weds 25th March The Gospel according to Luke –Fr Eduard Fartan
Weds 1st April The Gospel according to John - Fr Graham Smith
All presentations begin at 8pm. Host & Facilitator Fr Jeff Woolnough
England to be Rededicated to Our Blessed Lady
This Re-dedication on 29th March is a both a personal promise of the people of our country, and a renewal of the entrustment vows made by King Richard II in Westminster Abbey in 1381. King Richard sought the protection of Our Lady in the face of great political turmoil. At this point, England received the title ‘Mary’s Dowry’; meaning that England was ‘set aside’ as a gift, a dowry, for Our Lady under her guidance and protection.
On Sunday 29th March at 12noon, The Re-dedication will take place throughout the country. As King Richard II once gave England as a gift to Our Lady, so we are invited to give ourselves, as the people of this country, to Mary. We respond to this invitation on the day of Re-dedication in two ways; by making a personal promise (the “Angelus Promise” in which we proclaim our own “Yes” in union with Mary through the words of the Annunciation) and a communal entrustment (this Act of entrustment of England to the Virgin Mary is a prayer of profoundly historic and spiritual nature, bringing together the prayers of surrender and dedication that have echoed through our history). Our personal promise brings us closer to Mary, the first disciple of Christ. In this we unite in her joy by following her openness to God’s call. Our communal entrustment unites us together as the people of our country in prayer, by renewing the vows of dedication made to Mary by our ancestors. All parishes, schools and Catholic organisations in the country are invited to become a host for this dedication.
This re-dedication takes place during our Year of the Word – the God Who Speaks, at the time when we celebrate God’s Word becoming Flesh. Resources and more information can be found at the national site, cbcew.org.uk
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 9th March at 8pm in the Parish Centre with Journey of Faith (The Beatitudes). You are welcome to attend some or all of these talks; if you would like more information please speak to Fr Kevin.
Charity Fundraising
Dan and James McEvoy will be running the Brighton marathon on 19th April in memory of their dad, Jim McEvoy, whom many of you knew and loved.
They will be raising money for cancer research. If you would like to support them, then you can donate via this link: https//fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/team/dan-and-james-run-the-brighton-marathon-2020
Havens Hospices
A new hospice for Southend, Castle Point and Rochford will be opening this spring, and we want you to be a part of it.
Thanks to the kindness and generosity of thousands of local people, we have been able to reach our overall target of £17.2 million and are now on-track to open the new Fair Havens very soon for patients and families.
Based in Prittlewell, it will be able to care for twice as many patients, offer more treatments and support more families in a welcoming and therapeutic environment which contrasts with the stark, clinical atmosphere many people want to avoid at the end of their lives.
This is your hospice for your local community.
It is likely that you’ll know someone who has benefited from hospice care or may do in the future. All our care is completely free of charge, thanks to people like you.
We’d like to invite you to look around the building before we officially open, so we can explain more about the impact the hospice will have on your community.
Up to 15th March, we are holding tours of the new Fair Havens in Prittlewell, with the chance to meet some of our team with refreshments available afterwards.
These must be booked online at www.havenshospices.org.uk/nfhtours or by calling 01702 220 305.
If you’re unable to attend, there are plenty of other ways to continue your loyal support to the charity, for example make a small monthly donation or consider becoming a volunteer.
We are also having our annual Havens To Havens Walk on 17th May, and we’re producing limited-edition keepsake flowers to mark this milestone in the history of Havens Hospices. For more information and to secure your own handcrafted flower, visit our website.
We really hope you can attend and see how your gifts are truly ‘Making every day count’ for our patients and families.
First Holy Communion 2020
There will be a Parent’s Meeting on Thursday 12th March at 8pm in the Parish Centre for parents who have a child making their Reconciliation & First Holy Communion this year.
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!
Sacred Heart Night Shelter
The Night Shelter urgently require: men’s boxer shorts (small/medium), mens jogging trousers (small/medium), mens coats. Ladies long sleeved cotton tops (small/medium) jeans size 10/12 and ladies coats. Please leave any donations in the Sacristy. Thank you.
Counters & Folders
Counters: Jacky Hoggett & Brian Mountier
Folders: Pauline Jordan & Maureen Ward
Coronavirus Advice
You will find the most recent advice on the Coronavirus available on the Diocesan website www.dioceseofbrentwood.net and also on the website of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales www.cbcew.org.uk
First Sunday of Lent
Dear Friends in Christ
Every year on the First Sunday of Lent the mood of this sacred season is set with the reading of the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness. Our Forty Days of Lenten prayer and penance try to imitate this time Jesus spent in preparation for his public life and Passion. Each of us can resolve to do this generously and joyfully, remembering that the only real joy in this life - as opposed to superficial happiness - is that which comes from an intimacy with Christ.
Dear Friends in Christ
Every year on the First Sunday of Lent the mood of this sacred season is set with the reading of the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness. Our Forty Days of Lenten prayer and penance try to imitate this time Jesus spent in preparation for his public life and Passion. Each of us can resolve to do this generously and joyfully, remembering that the only real joy in this life - as opposed to superficial happiness - is that which comes from an intimacy with Christ. Lent is traditionally a time for preparing to receive the Sacraments. Please pray for those who will be Received into Full Communion with the Church at Easter; especially from our own Parish: Michael Jones, Sabine Whittington and Simon Jones This Sunday they will attend the Rite of Election in our Cathedral together with all those throughout the Diocese who will receive the Easter Sacraments.
During 11.30am Mass this Sunday I shall be Commissioning eleven members of the Parish Family as Extra-Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, whom I have invited to undertake this precious role. Please pray that, like those existing Extra-Ordinary Ministers they will be exemplary in Faith and Eucharistic piety. Also, pray for our young adults who this weekend begin their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation at Pentecost.
One practical project this Lent will be the start of the restoration of the reredos or altar piece of our church. This portrays the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Over the decades it has become faded with the passage of time and smoke from heating and candles. Work will begin this week on the bottom panel - the Annunciation - removing the browned varnish, cleaning, repainting and re-gilding the figures and then sealing it again. We hope that by the completion it will all look quite splendid again. If anyone would like to make a donation towards this work, then please do have a word with me.
I wish you the grace of perseverance as we continue our Lenten endeavours together towards Easter. God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
The Sunday Homily is available as a podcast at LourdesLeigh.org
First Sunday of Lent
First Sunday of Lent Sunday 1st March
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Aoife O’Sullivan, RIP (Anniv) (MO’S)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Paul Broderick, RIP (BH)
11.30am Mass Bill Sullivan, RIP (CB) With the Commissioning of new
Extra- Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
4.00pm Mass Peter Griffin, RIP (Anniv) (SG) - Extraordinary Form
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 2 Feria
9.00am Mass Charles & Alice Whitefield, RIP (F/M)
Tuesday 3 Feria
9.00am Mass Intentions of Tony & Valerie Tisi (STH)
Wednesday 4 Feria
9.00am Mass William Pearson, RIP (SP)
Thursday 5 Feria
9.00am Mass Christine Robinson, RIP (MF)
Friday 6 Feria - Family Fast Day
6.30am Mass Jeffrey White, RIP (TA)
12Noon Mass Jan Harris, RIP (Anniv) (LY)
12.30pm Exposition after Mass until
8.00pm Holy Hour & Benediction
Saturday 7 Feria
10.00am Mass Marion Payne, RIP (CP)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confession
SECOND Sunday of Lent Sunday 8th March
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Guy Bragard, RIP (Anniv) (RB)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Patrick Fenoughty, RIP (AL)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Paul Convoy, RIP (D)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
The Sacrament of Penance is available on request
Services from the church are live streamed