Sheila West 08/10/2021 Sheila West 08/10/2021

Tea/Coffee Mornings in the Parish Centre

Please join us for tea, coffee and cake in the Parish Centre after the 9am Mass on Mondays and Thursdays and after the 8am, 9.30am and 11.30am Masses on Sundays.

We look forward to seeing you again!

Sheila West 08/10/2021 Sheila West 08/10/2021

HARP

HARP urgently requires all items of clothing for men and women especially coats, jeans and jumpers. These should be taken to the Bradbury Centre in York Road or, alternatively, ring Linda on 01702 558217 for collection.

Sheila West 08/10/2021 Sheila West 08/10/2021

St Bernard's High School Year 12 Open Evening

St Bernard’s High School, Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 7JS.

A Catholic Academy for Arts and Science
Wednesday 10 November 2021 - 7.00pm to 9.00pm

We would be delighted to welcome to our Open Evening prospective students who are interested in joining St Bernard’s High School’s Sixth Form in September 2022.

We welcome applications to our mixed Sixth Form from students of all faiths and none, who meet our entrance requirements and are seeking a school with a Christian ethos.

‘The school is welcoming and inclusive. In 2015, many pupils made significantly better progress than other pupils nationally’ Ofsted 2016

'The gifted, able and talented programme provides challenging enrichment across all year groups and is acknowledged by the NACE Award' Ofsted 2016

‘St Bernard’s High School is an outstanding Catholic school…Attainment and
progress of students is outstanding’ (Diocesan Inspection, 2017)

www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk

Sheila West 08/10/2021 Sheila West 08/10/2021

Brentwood Catholic Children's Society

Please find attached an electronic version of our Autumn Newsletter which we hope that you will enjoy reading; it includes a round-up of our very successful diocesan-wide sponsored walks The Relay 100, and some information about how our work is adapting post-pandemic.

We have also included our Christmas card flyer should you wish to purchase some of our religious-themed cards.

Sheila West 08/10/2021 Sheila West 08/10/2021

Retrouvaille Virtual Weekend - October 2021

Rediscover Your Marriage – Retrouvaille simply means ‘rediscovery' and is a programme that offers you the chance to rediscover yourself, your spouse, and a loving relationship in your marriage. Tens of thousands of couples having difficulties in the marriage and even heading for divorce have successfully saved their marriages by attending and using the tools provided. There is no group therapy or group work.

For confidential information about ‘Retrouvaille’ or to register for the programme commencing with a ‘Virtual’ weekend on 21st –24th October 2021… Call or text +44 788 7296983 or +44 797 3380443 – or Email retrouvailleukinfo@gmail.com or visit www.retrouvaille.org.uk

Kevin Hale 02/10/2021 Kevin Hale 02/10/2021

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear friends in Christ

The liturgical readings at Mass this weekend express God’s divine plan with regard to the relationship of Marriage and family life.

Dear friends in Christ

The liturgical readings at Mass this weekend express God’s divine plan with regard to the relationship of Marriage and family life. This teaching was a true revelation and surprise to the disciples of Jesus and the demands of this holy vocation are no less remarkable in our own day. Our task is to proclaim this doctrine loud and clear. I recall some words of St Pope John II: It is a fundamental duty of the Church to reaffirm strongly… the doctrine of the indissolubility of Marriage. To all those who, in our times, consider it too difficult, or indeed impossible, to be bound to one person for the whole of life, and those caught up in a culture that rejects the indissolubility of Marriage and openly mocks the commitment of spouses to fidelity; it is necessary to reaffirm the good news of the definitive nature of the conjugal love that has in Christ its foundation and strength (Familiaris Consortio,22). The dignity and stability of Marriage is of the greatest importance to the future of families, of children and of society itself. Let us remember to pray daily for all those who experience difficulty in the living of this vocation; for those preparing for this sacrament; and for all those recently married and who are nurturing the wonderful gift of family.

This weekend we welcome Fr John Downey of the Comboni Missions (Verona Fathers) who will speak to us about the work of his Missionary Order and request our practical charity.

Across our Diocese this weekend, there is also the launch of our project for sustainability at a time of heightened awareness of the care we must show for all of the created world. You will find some literature at the back of church which you may like to take and study at home.

October is the month of the Holy Rosary—let us take-up our beads once again with a renewed piety and devotion and pray the mysteries of the lives of Jesus and Mary. We can do this as individuals, as families and as a Parish Family: at home, whilst travelling or in the church. I call to mind what Pope Francis said last year on the Feast of the Holy Rosary: I invite everyone to rediscover, especially during this month of October, the beauty of the prayer of the Rosary, which has nourished the faith of the Christian people through the centuries. I invite you to pray the Rosary, and to carry it in your hands or in your pockets. The recitation of the Rosary is the most beautiful prayer we can offer to the Virgin Mary; it is a contemplation on the stages of the life of Jesus the Savior with his Mother Mary and is a weapon that protects us from evils and temptations.

God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale

Sheila West 02/10/2021 Sheila West 02/10/2021

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Month of the Holy Rosary

5.30pm Vigil Mass Intentions of Lucrecia Conlu (JC)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

8am Mass Una Young, RIP (KE)
9.30am Mass Lucille Tarrobal & Jose Conlu, RIP
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
4pm Mass Gilberte Cook, RIP (K&LW) (1962 Missal)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

Monday 4
St Francis of Assisi, Rel
9am Mass Thomas Henry Gunn, RIP (FM)

Tuesday 5
St Faustina Kowalska, Rel
9am Mass Paddy & Dette Nolan & Margaret Martin, RIP (Anniversary) (A&JM)
4.30pm Body in Church: Gilberte Cook, RIP

Wednesday 6
St Bruno, Pr
9am Mass Holy Souls
11am Requiem Mass Gilberte Cook, RIP

Thursday 7
Our Lady of the Rosary
9am Mass Fely Valenzuela, RIP (JC)

Friday 8
St Osyth, Rel
12Noon Mass Fr Colin Watling, RIP

Saturday 9
St John Henry Newman, Pr
10am Mass Thomas Patrick Costello, RIP (KC)
10.30-11.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

Sunday 10 October

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

5.30pm Vigil Mass Sukhjivan Lal Bhandari, RIP (CdS)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

8am Mass Intentions of Sarah Diggines (JL)
9.30am Mass John & Doreen Harley-70th Wedding Anniversary (PL)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

Sheila West 02/10/2021 Sheila West 02/10/2021

Pastoral Letter

Also available on the Diocesan Website

Pastoral Letter for
The launch of Brentwood Diocesan Laudato Si’
Invitations, Commitments and Actions

27th Sunday of Year B
(conclusion of the Season of Creation)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In today’s first reading, from the Book of Genesis, we heard about the creation of Eve, from the rib of Adam. In the Gospel Jesus tells us, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs.”

These two images chime deeply with this pivotal moment in the life of our planet. God’s creation was gifted to us in that same Book of Genesis. Adam and Eve are asked to “till” and “keep” the earth – to steward it, care for it, and cherish it. Yet as we consider the children in the Gospel, so precious in Jesus’ sight, we have to ask ourselves what kind of world we are handing on to our children, and children yet unborn? This summer has seen wild fires raging in Southern Europe, traumatic flooding in India, Pakistan and America, and a devastating earthquake in Haiti. There can be no doubt that weather patterns are shifting, and it is the poorest people in the world who are often the ones that are suffering the most.

So how can we respond? Our faith roots us in a Biblical landscape full of natural images – lakes and mountains, fish and sheep, fig trees and olive groves, wheat and lambs. Pope Francis says, “The Lord was … in constant touch with nature, lending it an attention full of fondness and wonder.” The Pope wrote those words in 2015, in a letter addressed to the whole world. It is called Laudato Si’ and these are the first words of a prayer of St Francis of Assisi – they translate as, Praise Be.

“Praise Be to brother sun and sister moon,” writes St Francis as he continues referring to all creation as brother and sister. In those simple words he reminds us that we are all inter-connected. St Thomas Aquinas, the great Philosopher and Theologian, said “In every living creature there is a trace of the Trinity.” In Laudato Si’ Pope Francis draws together these centuries of prayer and wisdom, and asks us urgently to “Listen to the Cry of the Earth, and the Cry of the Poor.”

Now, in the autumn of 2021, we find ourselves at a moment which will define how human beings respond to the challenges of Climate Change. In less than a month world leaders gather in Glasgow, and the decisions they make will affect us all. So today you are receiving information about what the Diocese is doing, and what you are invited to do, as individuals and as a parish. As part of this, each of us are asked to make three personal pledges, three ways in which we will act differently. This is not just another environmental campaign; it is an integral part of our faith. In making your personal pledges – in working to heal the planet, and in striving for justice for the poorest people in the world – you are a living witness to Jesus Christ: do not be afraid to tell people why you are doing whatever you choose to do.

Let me now offer some very personal words. I have been deeply blessed in my life to explore mountains, often in Scotland. Mountains are part of the Biblical landscape, where they are places of encounter with God. For me, they are places where I see the immense scale, detail, force and wonder of God’s creation. There are moments when I have savoured the stillness and peace of an unparalleled view from a mountain peak. I sense God, and such moments inspire me to pray. So as I see the destruction of God’s creation due to the effects of climate change, I take the pledges that I make today very seriously. I will be eating less meat; I will be walking more often; I will be praying much more regularly on the challenges to God’s Creation and the urgent issues around climate change.

Today, I am also mindful of my role as Shepherd of the Diocese. It is a feature of our Church that much good work can remain hidden. This weekend, unusually, we are shining a light on what we do, so that you know about it and can share it. For over thirty years Brentwood Diocese has firmly refused to invest in tobacco or weapons manufacturers, into addition to those who produce pornography, or those who make chemical products that go against our teaching that all life is sacred. Now we have added to this; in the last three months we have divested completely from companies that produce or trade fossil fuel. In 2018 we became an employer that pays the real living wage, lifting families from poverty. The electricity and gas used in almost all our Diocesan buildings now comes from renewable sources.

To reinforce these Diocesan actions, and our personal pledges, today I urgently encourage every school and parish to work towards the Cafod LiveSimply award; this will have a great effect across East London and Essex. The Diocese is full of natural beauty, and we can help to enhance that, creating new havens for wildlife, volunteering with local charities, and growing fruit and vegetables on our land. Personally, I am very pleased to be helping to lead work which will seriously examine our use of energy in the Diocese, most especially in our buildings, and you will hear more about that in your own parish during 2022.

In an interview, Mother Teresa, now a Saint of our Church, was once asked about how her work with the poorest people in Calcutta could possibly make a difference, as there were so many of them. She replied, “Is what I am doing to serve the poor just a drop in the ocean? Yes. It is. But many drops make a different ocean.”

Our personal pledges are drops in the ocean – but there are, at least, over 45,000 committed Catholics in our Diocese. That’s 135,000 pledges! Making sacrifices; listening to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. In this way, in the name of Jesus Christ, we can help to make a different ocean.

I ask you, with me, to offer it all in prayer:
“Teach us afresh, Lord, to care for our common home in the way that you care for us
Teach us afresh, Lord, to see ‘a trace of the Trinity’ in every part of creation
Teach us afresh, Lord, the precious truth that each person we meet
is a sister or brother of your Son, Jesus Christ.”

Yours in Christ and Mary
Bishop Alan Williams, sm