Retrouvaille - A programme for couples struggling in their marriages
Rediscover Your Marriage – Retrouvaille offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your spouse and a loving relationship in your marriage. Tens of thousands of couples headed for divorce have successfully saved their marriages by attending and using the tools provided. The programme helps spouses uncover or re-awaken the love, trust and commitment that originally brought them together. It has saved many hurting marriages, even bringing reconciliation to couples that have already separated or divorced. There is no group therapy or group work.
For confidential information about ‘Retrouvaille’ or to register for the next programme commencing with a Virtual weekend on 12th -15th Nov 2020, call or text 07887 296983 or 07973 380443 – or email retrouvailleukinfo@gmail.com - or visit www.retrouvaille.org.uk
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
The liturgy of this Sunday speaks in very beautiful allegories about God’s love for His people; but also of their failure to respond.
Dear friends in Christ
The liturgy of this Sunday speaks in very beautiful allegories about God’s love for His people; but also of their failure to respond. Palestine was a land of vineyards and so both what the Prophet Isaiah says, and the Gospel parable, reveal the infinite patience of God, the owner of the vineyard. The vineyard is a symbol of the Church and therefore of each of us. We can reflect, as we hear the Readings at Mass, on how each of us responds to the call to be generous, apostolic and courageous in the way we live Faith. Are we producing fruit which is abundant and worthy of our noble calling as workers in God’s vineyard, the Church?
Our Blessed Lady always helps us to see, and produce, the good fruits of our vocation. The first Sunday of October is Rosary Sunday since it is the start of this month dedicated to the Holy Rosary and close to the feast (on 7th) of Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary. We are being asked to pray the Rosary very specially during this month for the intentions of our nation. The last six months have been a terribly difficult time for so many, and if we are to persevere, we need to surround ourselves in prayer. The Church holds up the Rosary as a powerful tool. I ask you, during this month, to try and pray the Rosary - or part of the Rosary - each day at home as families, in our Schools and as individuals in whatever way is most practical: in the church, around the meal table or even when travelling. We pray a decade of the Rosary each morning before Mass, which is offered for the needs of our Parish Family at this time: the sick, the suffering, the housebound and those in any material or spiritual need.
May God and His Blessed Mother continue to bless us!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Please pray for the repose of the soul of
Colleen Worley who died on Friday. May she rest in peace.
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 3 October
5.30pm Vigil Mass Eileen Pearson, RIP (SP)
6.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Confession available: Lady Chapel
Sunday 4
8am Mass Intentions of Tom & Rita O’Callaghan (LC)
9.30am Mass Thomas Henry Gunn, RIP (FM)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
4pm Michael Regan, RIP (RM) - Ex. Form - No general Communion
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 5
Feria
9am Mass Vivien Clancy, RIP (CC)
Tuesday 6
St Bruno, Pr
9am Mass Intentions of Eileen Scott (RM)
Wednesday 7
Our Lady of the Rosary
9am Mass Canon Michael Hazel, RIP (KH)
Thursday 8
St Osyth, Rel
9am Mass Intentions of Fr John Taylor (MW)
Friday 9
St John Henry Newman, Pr
12Noon Mass Johnathan Odwier, RIP (MW)
Saturday 10
Saturday Memorial of BVM
10am First Holy Communion Mass - Private Intention
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
5.30pm Vigil Mass Mary Daly, RIP (Anniversary) (ES)
6.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Confession available: Lady Chapel
Sunday 11
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Thomas Patrick Costello, RIP (KC)
11.30am Mass William & Eileen Pearson, RIP (SP)
5.30pm Confirmation Mass
We pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Henry Healey, Fr David Logue, Canon Edward Heery, Fr Harold Cahill, Fr Alfred Clements, Pope Pius XII, John Butler, Kathleen Wetton, Tom Atkinson, Jean-Marie Mahieu, Doris Kelly, Deric Wheeler, James Wood, Sheelagh Sheridan, Adele Petronis, Ethel Shepherd, Alan Adamson, Kathleen Lionet, Walter Wood, Daphne Sounes, James Roberton, Joyce Pycroft, Henry Hart, Thomas Gunnel, Ronald Ballard, Mary Chin Ing Sawyer, Julia Shields & Amelia Eaglesfield.
We Pray for our Sick
Ian Irwin, Russell Short, Paul Bloomberg, Marie Karaf, 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, 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.
Organ Voluntaries at 11.30am Mass on Sunday
Prelude: Allemande (Pastorale) BWV590 - J S Bach (1685-1750)
Postlude: Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 - J S Bach
Letter of Catholic Practice
If you require a Letter of Catholic Practice for School admission for the next academic year, and you are a practising Catholic, please send your child’s full name, address, telephone number and date of birth to the Parish Office. Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
First Holy Communion Masses
The First Holy Communion Masses will be taking place every Saturday in October at 10:00am. Unfortunately, due to the number restriction we have, only the Communion families will be able to attend these Masses.
You will therefore not be able to book a slot for 10am Mass on the following dates:
October 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.
CAFOD Family Fast Day- further information
Proceeds from this Family Fast Day will all be added to Cafod's current Coronavirus Appeal. Thank you if you have already contributed. Cafod is working with many local groups including churches across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - to provide practical support for keeping people safe. In Ethiopia, Covid has added to current problems with locusts and floods, and the cumulative impact on people's lives is considerable. You can find out more at www.cafod.org.uk. As well as making donations via envelopes at the back of the church, you can make donations via the website or you can donate £10 via text by texting CAFOD to 70085 (text CAFODNOINFO if you do not wish to receive marketing information from Cafod about their work). (Texts are charged at your standard message rate). You can also donate using the contactless machine at the back of church. Just make the donation on the machine, complete a gift aid envelope indicating the amount donated, put it in the collection basket and the parish will make sure the donation gets to Cafod. Thank you.
St Thomas More High School
St Thomas More High School, Westcliff are looking to recruit to our team of Learning Support Assistants to work alongside Teachers and specific students with particular needs. This is a one year contract. If this role might be of interest to you, please visit the school’s website www.st-thomasmore.southend.sch.uk for further details or telephone the school on 01702 344933.
Retrouvaille - A programme for Couples Struggling in their Marriages
Rediscover Your Marriage – Retrouvaille offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your spouse and a loving relationship in your marriage. Tens of thousands of couples headed for divorce have successfully saved their marriages by attending and using the tools provided. The programme helps spouses uncover or re-awaken the love, trust and commitment that originally brought them together. It has saved many hurting marriages, even bringing reconciliation to couples that have already separated or divorced. There is no group therapy or group work.
For confidential information about ‘Retrouvaille’ or to register for the next programme commencing with a Virtual weekend on 12th -15th Nov 2020, call or text 07887 296983 or 07973 380443 – or email retrouvailleukinfo@gmail.com - or visit www.retrouvaille.org.uk
Hearing Aid
A hearing aid was found in the Church recently. If you have lost yours, please call at the Parish Office.
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
The Gospel of this Sunday is a lesson in obedience versus disobedience. It is the Parable of Two Sons: one says he will go and work for his father in the vineyard, but doesn’t go; the other refuses to go and then thinks better of it.
Dear friends in Christ
The Gospel of this Sunday is a lesson in obedience versus disobedience. It is the Parable of Two Sons: one says he will go and work for his father in the vineyard, but doesn’t go; the other refuses to go and then thinks better of it. It always hurts to obey. It hurt Jesus to obey too, because He was fully human, as well as divine; but He did the Will of His Father and underwent His Passion and Death for our salvation. St Paul says: Christ was obedient, even to accepting death, death on a Cross.
We have all had to make ourselves obedient to the law in these recent months. Many of us would have preferred to have acted differently, but we have followed the Guidelines of Church and State for the greater good. Obedience always bring with it grace, because obedience is a virtue. We may think we know better than what we are being told - and perhaps we do sometimes - but provided we are not being asked something immoral, obedience is always fruitful. I thank all of you who have persevered in coming to Mass and being subject to the Guidance we have been given for being in church and receiving the Sacraments. These protocols are obviously far from what we would wish, but by acting in unison, we ensure the safety and security of others as well as of ourselves.
Next weekend I will begin the celebration of the deferred First Holy Communion Masses on five consecutive Saturday mornings. I would ask those parishioners who normally come to that Mass to keep it free for the children and their families. Also, please pray for our young adults who will be Confirmed at a separate Mass on Sunday, 11th October. Patiently, and obediently, we make our way forward, confident of the grace of God and the protection of His Holy Angels and Archangels whose feast days we celebrate this week.
On Thursday we begin the Month of the Holy Rosary. As previously, we shall begin the weekday Masses by praying a decade of the Holy Rosary, which we can offer for the needs of the Parish Family.
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 26 September
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
6.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Confession available: Lady Chapel
Sunday 27
8am Mass Vivien Clancy, RIP (KC)
9.30am Mass Sheila Scully, RIP (KC)
11.30am Mass Intentions of Terence Anthony Webb (VSW)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 28
St Wenceslaus, M
9am Mass Douglas Meyers, RIP (YM)
Tuesday 29
Ss Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels
9am Mass Intentions of Paul Bloomberg (CM)
Wednesday 30
St Jerome, Pr, D
9am Mass Vocations to the Priesthood (MH)
Thursday 1 October
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (of Lisieux) V, D
9am Mass Intentions of John & Elaine Sinclair (F&JO’B)
Friday 2
The Holy Guardian Angels - First Friday
12Noon Mass Intentions of Simone McCarthy & Family (K&LW)
7pm Holy Hour
Saturday 3
Saturday Memorial of BVM
10am First Holy Communion Mass - Private Intention
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
5.30pm Vigil Mass Eileen Pearson, RIP (SP)
6.30pm Holy Hour: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Confession available: Lady Chapel
Sunday 4
8am Mass Intentions of Tom & Rita O’Callaghan (LC)
9.30am Mass Thomas Henry Gunn, RIP (FM)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
4.00pm Mass Michael Regan, RIP (RM) - Extraordinary Form
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Use the NHS COVID-19 app when you come to church
Please check in with the NHS app every time you attend church
The NHS has released an app to help with Test and Trace. Please use this to check in every time you come to church.
Get the app
The NHS COVID-19 app is part of the NHS Test and Trace service in England
Check in at church
Open the NHS COVID-19 app
Select Venue Check In
Hold your phone up to the QR code on the poster
The QR code is the square black & white “barcode” (QR means Quick Response). When the app registers the code, you'll see a tick and our church’s name: Our Lady of Lourdes & St Joseph.
You cannot check into a venue using the camera app on your phone. For increased security, official NHS QR code posters can only be scanned with the NHS COVID-19 app.
What a QR code looks like
Parish Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who supports the 200 Club. The results of the August draw are as follows:
1st prize £150 (117) Mrs M Ward
2nd Prize £100 (58) Mrs P Jordan
3rd Prize £75 (111) Mr P Whines
4th Prize £50 ( 7) Mrs R Conlon
5th Prize £25 (179) Mrs V Jarvis
Diocesan School Vacancies
Please use this link address to view current vacancies. https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/departments/education/vacancies/school-vacancies/
The following vacancies are currently being recruited for:
· Teaching Assistant – St Joachim’s Primary School, Custom House, London
· Headteacher – St Thomas of Canterbury Primary School, Grays
· Deputy Headteacher – Sacred Heart Primary School, Southend-On-Sea
· Deputy Headteacher – St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Stanford-Le-Hope
· Headteacher – Holy Family Primary School, Benfleet
CAFOD Family Fast Day - Friday 2nd October
This Harvest Fast Day, Cafod focuses on a Coronavirus Appeal - survive/rebuild/heal. If you are able to share a simple family meal on 2nd October and donate to Cafod’s current campaign, Cafod envelopes are available at the back of church. Thank you.