St Bernard's Virtual Open Evening
Due to the recommendations of the DFE we are not holding an Open Evening for Year 5 students who wish to make an application for September 2021 intake. To view our tour of the school, parents should log on to www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk and then go to Admissions and Virtual Open Evening. If they wish to apply to us they must complete our Supplementary Information Form and send it to the school with supporting documentations, as per the admissions policy, before the 31st October 2020. Documents are available under Admissions, Key 3 & 4 on our website along with our Admission Policy 2021-2022 and 2021 Supplement Information Form.
If any parent has any queries on admissions they can email or telephone our Admissions Officer at cls@stbernards.southend.sch.uk or 01702 608004.
Serving the Homeless
Our Grand Summer Raffle is well under way with at least 18 hampers to be won. The draw will take place at our September Committee meeting. Tickets cost £5 per book and are available from Linda Wall 01702 558217 or any member of the Committee. Thank you for all your support.
Vivien Clancy, RIP
Some prayer cards in memory of Vivien Clancy are available at the back of the church; you are welcome to help yourselves.
Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr John Harding, Fr Michael O’Sullivan, Daisy Houlihan, Frederick James Hardy, Mrs Pearce, David Bavin, Margaret Hughes, Bertha Dokk-Olsen, Emma Alexander, Mirren Button, Basil Hall, Ruth Lambert, Rory Forge, Leo Francis Ring, Paul Swann, Irene (Molly) Kerry, Irene Hall, Caroline Richards, Mary Ellen Fiddles, Eleanor Lawson, Sylvia Gosling, Ethel Warwick, Olive Scott-Hansen, Winifred Bailey, Bernard Martin, Frances Murray & Teresa Fitzgerald.
We Pray for our Sick
Margaret Owens, Russell Short, Paul Bloomberg, Marie Karaf, Richard Collins, Christine Reid, Gilberte Cook, Garry Pearman, Anne Owen, Adrian Barclay, Patricia Ann Darroch, Peggy Larman, Sylvia Langley, 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, Elizabeth McConalogue, Kean Smith, Keith Maliff & children, Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Connie Price, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price & Frazer Gregory.
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
We are hearing some of the parables of Jesus, as recorded by St Matthew, over these current Sundays
Dear friends in Christ
We are hearing some of the parables of Jesus, as recorded by St Matthew, over these current Sundays. Why did Jesus speak to the crowds in parables and not just tell them directly what He wanted them to know and learn? He Himself says that the mysteries of God are not for everyone and that for some they need to be told as simple metaphors; it reminds us, that before God we have to be very simple, uncomplicated, like children, so that we can learn the things of God well. The parable of the wheat and the weeds this Sunday is easy for anyone to grasp. In any part of the world, but especially in the Middle East, the problem of weeds, or cockle, is a serious one, and even more serious when you can’t distinguish one from the other. The Fathers of the Church, for example St John Chrysostom, understood the weeds to be a metaphor for false doctrine, which is not easy to distinguish from the Truth. This is true above all at the beginning, because it is proper to the devil to mix falsehood with the Truth; and if error is allowed to flourish it always has catastrophic effects on the people of God. This parable has lost none of it’s relevance for our time: many people are confused; many Christians have fallen asleep and have allowed the enemy to sow bad seed with total impunity. All Truth now seems up for questioning and debate, everyone seems to have their own ‘truth'. If we are to be faithful to the requirements of our Catholic vocation, we need to be continually awake and alert so that the Evil One does not come and sow cockle — the seeds of falsehood and error — alongside the truth that Christ and His Church have communicated to us. Let us keep this vigilance by using the Word of God, and the perennial teachings of Holy Church, before our eyes; keeping ourselves informed and well-formed in the tenets of our Catholic Christian Truth: keeping our eyes on Jesus.
It has been beautiful to see many more of the Parish coming back to church and Mass after all these weeks. Many are still nervous about going out and venturing too far from home; enclosed spaces are still precarious places for many of us. However, we are ensuring that the church building is safe and hygienic and we hope that many more will feel comfortable and able to be at Mass again in the coming weeks. If we are attending, it is very important that we continue to observe the guidelines carefully, especially the social distancing. Thank you to our volunteers who have been stewards and cleaners: without this help we could not keep the church ready in the way we need to. As the weeks go on, I hope that we can introduce another Sunday morning Mass and the Vespers and Benediction; this will depend upon demand and the availability of volunteers for stewarding and cleaning, as well as ensuring there is adequate time between the Masses for ventilation. From this Monday we will change the times when the church is open since the times around Mass seem most popular for visits. The more volunteers we have the more we can keep our buildings ready for the worship of Almighty God. If you can help, please go to the website and sign-up there.
Thank you all once again and God bless you in this coming week!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 18 July
5.30pm Vigil Mass Andrew Regan RIP (Anniversary) (R)
6.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament — livestreamed
Sunday 19
8am Mass Intentions of Bill & Josie Russell RIP (Anniversary) (JL)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition & Benediction — livestreamed
Monday 20
St Apolinaris, Bp, M
9am Mass Canon John Taylor RIP
Tuesday 21
St Lawrence of Brindisi, Pr, D
9am Mass Fr William Wells RIP
Wednesday 22
St Mary Magdalene
9am Mass Frank Edgeley RIP (Anniversary) (SN)
St Bridget of Sweden, Rel
Thursday 23
9am Mass Msgr John Coghlan RIP
St Charbel Makhlouf, Pr
Friday 24
12 noon Mass Charles & Alice Whitefield (FM)
St James, Ap
Saturday 25
10am Mass Canon John Ducket RIP (DCA)
10.30am Holy Hour: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
6.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament — livestreamed
Sunday 26
8am Mass Vivien Clancy RIP (CF)
11.30am Mass Brian Jones RIP (EC)
5.30pm Holy Hour: Vespers & Benediction — livestreamed
Revised Church Opening Times
From Monday 20 July the church is open weekdays as follows:
Monday-Thursday
9am-11am
9am Mass
Friday
11am-1pm
12 noon Mass
Saturday
10am-11.30am
10am Mass
10.30am Holy Hour
You may visit freely for private prayer
You must book to attend Mass
Guidelines for attending Mass
The Mass is mostly what you are familiar with. However, to ensure we keep within the Government guidelines on religious services, there are some changes we have to make. We ask for your assistance in complying with these.
The most notable changes are at Communion
Before the Priest starts to administer Holy Communion he holds up the Host and says “The Body of Christ” — we all respond “Amen”
As Communion begins the Stewards position themselves at the front in the centre aisle and on the wings
The queue is a single file — family groups may remain together, but separate groups must maintain 2m distance from the person in front
The Stewards indicate to each pew when they should make their way to the priest — please wait for the Steward!
We start with the centre pews, from the front
Once the centre aisles have finished, we continue with the south aisle from the front: go to the back of the church, down the centre aisle to the priest, then return to your seat
Finally, the north aisle also begins from the front — go to the back of the church, down the centre aisle to the priest, then return to your seat
As you approach the priest at the prie-dieu at the front, please remain standing and with arms outstretched — the priest will also have his arms outstretched and place the Host into your hand
Communion may not be received on the tongue
Communion blessings cannot be given
Communion is in silence: as he gives you the host, the priest will not say “The Body of Christ”
As you receive the Host in your hand, do not respond — do not say “Amen”
General points
At the end of Mass the Stewards indicate when you should leave — from the back of the Church, starting with the centre pews, then each wing
Exit out of the south and north wing doors
As you leave, maintain 2m distance from other people
Do not loiter or socialise as you exit
The Stewards are here to guide you through the changes — please follow their directions!
Keep children with you at all times
There are no toilets available: none in Church, and the Hall is closed — please return home if needed
Please keep to these guidelines! If we cannot follow them, the church must close again.
Thank you for your understanding.
St Bernard's Virtual Open Evening
Due to the recommendations of the DFE we are not holding an Open Evening for Year 5 students who wish to make an application for September 2021 intake. To view our tour of the school, parents should log on to www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk and then go to Admissions and Virtual Open Evening. If they wish to apply to us they must complete our Supplementary Information Form and send it to the school with supporting documentations, as per the admissions policy, before the 31st October 2020. Documents are available under Admissions, Key 3 & 4 on our website along with our Admission Policy 2021-2022 and 2021 Supplement Information Form.
If any parent has any queries on admissions they can email or telephone our Admissions Officer at cls@stbernards.southend.sch.uk or 01702 608004.
Parish Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who supports the 200 Club. The results of the June draw are as follows:
1st prize £150 (166) Mr A Rourke
2nd Prize £100 ( 74) Mr Michael O’Brien
3rd Prize £75 (198) Miss L Hall
4th Prize £50 (38) Mrs M Gooding
5th Prize £25 ( 73) Mrs M C N T Clark
Pray for our Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Edmund Dobson, Fr Patrick Taylor, Deacon David Balmer, Fr John Boardman Jones, Fr Michael Hannan, Fr Dermot Moore, Fr James Cooney, Fr James McEvoy, Fr Godfrey Anstruther, OP, Bill Prior, Margaret May Orme, David Finnigan, Reginald Copley, Caroline Hardy, Kathleen Butt, Jane Bickmore, Charle Fletcher, Jane Mawdsley, Alice Collins, Aislinn Lane, Elsie Witty, Irene Huggett, Frank McEvoy, Pamela Johnson, Francis Howard Kenney, Geraldine Hayter, Joan Farmer, Winifred Martin, Martin Bukowski, Leonard Betts, Arthur Koch, William Rhodes, David Hall, Eva Bartley, Silvester Smolarczyk, Marie Ann Brand, John Maguire, Stefan Nowacki, John O’Brien & Gertrude Mortelman.
Pray For Our Sick
Russell Short, Paul Bloomberg, Marie Karaf, Richard Collins, Christine Reid, Gilberte Cook, Garry Pearman, Anne Owen, Adrian Barclay, Patricia Ann Darroch, Peggy Larman, Sylvia Langley, 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, Elizabeth McConalogue, Kean Smith, Keith Maliff & children, Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Connie Price, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price & Frazer Gregory.
Sacrament of Confession
If anyone would like to go to the Sacrament of Penance, please do ask Father Kevin. It will need to be in one of the side chapels or even in the open-air as the Confessionals cannot be used at the preset time due to the hygiene issues.
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Parable of the Sower, which is the Gospel of this Sunday, is full of rich teaching for us about the way the Word of God is received and spread throughout the world.
Dear friends in Christ
The Parable of the Sower, which is the Gospel of this Sunday, is full of rich teaching for us about the way the Word of God is received and spread throughout the world. It is also a parable for us to meditate on how we receive the word of faith that comes to us individually. God hopes that we will be good soil, that will receive His grace and bear fruit. The greater our generosity towards God, the better and more abundant will be the fruit we produce. St John Chrysostom comments: The only thing that matters, is that we should not be a beaten-down thoroughfare, or rocky ground, or thorns but that we should be good soil…Our hearts must not be that path from which the enemy, like the birds, snatches the seed trodden underfoot by passers-by. Our hearts must not be the rocky ground where the shallowness of the soil causes the seed to germinate immediately, so that it is scorched by the sun. Our hearts must not be a thistle-bed of human passions strangled by the cares of this world.
This is now the second weekend of public worship resumed. It has been a relief and a joy for many of us to be back at Holy Mass. This can only continue if there are sufficient stewards to volunteer keeping the church as a safe environment for those who come in. We have begun with a slightly reduced schedule of Masses which is necessitated due to the need to clean and air the building. I am also one priest saying all of the Masses currently. I am grateful for your understanding and your great support in making the Masses possible. A number of Parishes and churches have not yet resumed collective worship, so we are fortunate here to have been able to achieve this. Please continue to use the website for the booking-in of Mass and volunteering to steward and clean.
Please pray for Adrian Lowe who is Ordained a Priest this weekend in Colchester. Father Adrian will be going as Assistant Priest to my home Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Wanstead. God grant him a long and fruitful priestly ministry!
May God bless all of you, and thank you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Saturday 11 July
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
6.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament — livestreamed
Sunday 12
8am Mass Intentions of Issac Bennett (AF)
11.30am Mass Intentions of Brendan Dempsey and Karen Morgan (DT)
5.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition & Benediction — livestreamed
Monday 13
St Henry II, Roman Emperor
9am Mass Intentions of Bernardette Timothy (KA)
Tuesday 14
St Camillus de Lellis, Pr
9am Mass Patricia Armstrong RIP anniversary
Wednesday 15
St Bonaventure Bp, D
9am Mass Canon Francis Gilbert RIP
Thursday 16
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
9am Mass Vivien Clancy RIP (CB)
Friday 17
12noon Mass Frank and Mary Cope RIP (MG)
Saturday 18
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
10am Mass Intentions of Blake Mackay (SD)
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
5.30pm Vigil Mass Andrew Regan RIP anniversary
6.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament — livestreamed
Sunday 19
8am Mass Bill and Josie Russell RIP anniversary
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition & Benediction - livestreamed
Pray For Our Sick
Paul Bloomberg, Marie Karaf, Richard Collins, Christine Reid, Gilberte Cook, Garry Pearman, Anne Owen, Adrian Barclay, Patricia Ann Darroch, Peggy Larman, Sylvia Langley, 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, Elizabeth McConalogue, Kean Smith, Keith Maliff & children, Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Connie Price, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price & Frazer Gregory.
Pray for Our Dead on Their Anniversaries
Fr John Watson, Canon Daniel Harnett, Fr Edmund Dobson, Fr James McEvoy, Betty Gray, Dorothy May Cole, Kathleen Scaife, Margaret Simpson, Monica Gray, Patricia Armstrong, Josephine Russell, Ronald Gibson, Robert Wright, Margakita Ekers, Mary James, Andrew Wardle, Hope Bailey-Pillow, Jarman Madeleine Bullock, Joan Slatterly, Norah Jordan, Donald Joyce, Ellen Gardner, Joseph Ketterer, James Dawson, Andrew Regan, Mabel Buckley, Bill Prior, Margaret May Orme, David Finnigan, Reginald Copley.