Sacrament of Confirmation

The Bishop will be visiting our Parish on Wednesday, 25th May and will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on those eligible. If you are fourteen years of age, or above, from the end of August 2021, (i.e. Year 10 or above) and wish to be Confirmed in May, please send your name with this request to Fr Kevin before the end of January.

Baptism Preparation Sessions

The next Baptism Preparation Sessions will take place on

Tuesday 5th April, 2022
Tuesday 14th June, 2022
Tuesday 9th August 2022
Tuesday 4th October, 2022

They will take place the Parish Centre at 8pm. For further information, please contact Catherine or Andy Harris on 077333 27295.

Mums, Dads and toddlers coffee mornings

Starting on 24th January Mums, Dads and Carers with pre-school children are invited to get together for coffee and chat in the Parish Centre on Monday mornings from 9.30am until 11 am, during school term times, organised by the Lourdes Ladies group. Toys and books will be provided and we look forward to welcoming you.

OLL Ladies Group

Our next Meeting is on Thursday 20th January from 10.15am in theParish Centre. Our very own Jo Ronan will be presenting a Poetry morning with some of her own favourite poems.

All ladies in the Parish are very welcome….and don’t be shy..why not present one or two of your own favourite verses? No pressure! Plus, come and enjoy and relax, chat with friends new and old over coffee and cake. Subs only £1 plus a raffle.

Serving the Homeless

Our next event will be a Sunday Lunch on 30th January in the Park View Suite in Chalkwell Park. Tickets cost £20 and are available from any member of the Committee or telephone Linda on 01702 558217.

Crib Offerings

The Crib scene depicting the Nativity helps us to focus on the Incarnation of Christ and His love for the whole of humanity. Traditionally, the Offerings placed at the Crib go to help the work of the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society. This important Charity within our diocese gives constant and generous assistance to children with various needs. The Crib remains in place until February 2nd, Feast of The Presentation of The Lord.

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!

St Thomas More High School Vacancies

Chaplaincy Apprentice
We are seeking to appoint a Chaplaincy Apprentice, a new and exciting role with the opportunity to join the team of staff at St Thomas More High School. Our new Chaplaincy Apprentice will work with our staff to develop the school’s community to provide spiritual and pastoral support to the students at the school, bearing witness to the mission statement and maintaining and enhancing the distinctive Catholic nature of the school. Please see the school’s website for full details www.st-thomasmore.southend.sch.uk or telephone Miss Parr, Headteacher’s PA on 01702 344933.

Cleaners
We are looking for Cleaners to work Monday to Friday 3:45pm-6:45pm ideally or 6:00am-8:30am. If these hours would suit you and you would like to find out more, please see the school’s website for full details and an application form or telephone the school on 01702 344933 and ask for Mrs Newman, HR Co-ordinator.

Journey in Faith (RCIA)

The Journey in Faith sessions continue on Mondays. These evenings are for those wishing to discover more about the Catholic Faith with a view to Reception into the Church. If you know anyone who is interested in learning more about our Faith and wishing to become Catholic, please direct them to Fr Kevin or these evenings. They will be in the Parish Centre and begin at 8pm.

Chorister for a Day

Brentwood Cathedral will be hosting a ‘Be a Cathedral Chorister for a Day’ opportunity for boys aged 7-12 on Saturday 29th January 2022.  The day will begin at 10.30am with a welcome for families and will end with Choral Vespers at 4 pm, an opportunity for everyone to hear the boys sing.  We hope the day will be of interest to all boys who enjoy singing, whatever their prior musical experience.  We will be holding a similar day for girls later in the year.   For more details and to register a place, please visit www.cathedralbrentwood.org or telephone 01277 265288.

Be part of the Walsingham House Team 2022/2023

If you are 18+ and looking for an exciting gap year opportunity, then a year on the Walsingham House Team could be for you. Spend a year as a volunteer in a thriving young Catholic Community, working with thousands of young people from Essex and East London. We are looking for inspiring individuals who want to share their faith with other young people and are also looking to learn new skills, grow deeper in their own faith and enjoy a challenge.

For more information please contact Joseph Beattie, manager of Walsingham House, by emailing josephbeattie@dioceseofbrentwood.org or calling 01277 373959. There is more information about our work on our website (www.bcys.net) and social media @Brentwoodcys

The Thresholds of Hope

The Thresholds of Hope Question: What is the point of canon law? will be given by Fr Gary Dench, assistant priest at Brentwood Cathedral on Sunday 16th January 4.00 - 5.00 p.m.. To join this Zoom meeting simply forward a contact email to adultformationvicariate@dioceseofbrentwood.org. For more information go to www.thresholdsofhope.co.uk

16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops

As part of the worldwide consultation ahead of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, to be held in October 2023, the Diocese of Brentwood has launched the first stages of its Synodal Pathway. Each parish has been asked to make contributions by the end of January and it is important that voices from our parish are heard. 

We are therefore asking parishioners and regular worshippers to reflect on a short series of questions, under the Synod themes of communion, participation and mission and to submit their responses online.

Please visit LourdesLeigh.org/synod for full details. 

The Baptism of the Lord

Dear friends in Christ

In today's feast we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus by John in the waters of the Jordan. Though He Himself had no stain to be washed away, He wished to submit Himself to this ritual as He submitted himself to the other requirements of the Jewish Law. As a human being He submitted himself to the laws that governed the lives of the people of Israel who had been chosen by God to prepare the way for the Redeemer. John the Baptist carried out his mission with great enthusiasm in order to preach repentance ahead of the coming of the Messiah. Saint Augustine says: The Lord desired to be baptised, so that He might freely proclaim through His humility what was for us to be a necessity. By His baptism Jesus left for us the Sacrament of Christian baptism whereby we are initiated and incorporated into Christ and his body the church. This feast is an opportunity for us to give thanks to God for the graces that we received, perhaps when we were only a baby, but which has given us the possibility of eternal life.

Baptism brings us into the very life of God, and there is nothing else that we receive in our lives that is comparable. Our prayer goes up to God on this feast asking that He may keep us within the protection of his love, and always within the family of the Church. At the same time, we pray for all those who will be baptised in our church in this coming year, be they infants or adults, that together we will all build up the kingdom of God on Earth.

God bless you in the week ahead!

Msgr Kevin Hale

The Baptism of the Lord

Sunday 9 January

The Baptism of the Lord

5.30pm Vigil Mass Alex Guggisberg & Vu Que & All Holy Souls (EP)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Tommy Byrnes, RIP (Anniv) (SG)
11.30am Mass Essie Glauda, RIP (Anniv) (KC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

Monday 10
Feria
9am Mass Johanna Sadowski, RIP (CS)

Tuesday 11
Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Mary Cook (SD)

Wednesday 12
St Aelred of Rievaulx Ab
9am Mass Alice Maconkey, RIP (UO)

Thursday 13
St Hilary, Bp, D
9am Mass Tim McCarthy, RIP (PM)
5pm Body in Church Sheila de Chantilly, RIP

Friday 14
Feria
10.45am Requiem Mass Sheila de Chantilly, RIP

Saturday 15 January
Saturday Memorial of BVM
10am Mass Peter Beaumont, RIP (MR)
10.30-11.30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

Sunday 16 January
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time—Peace Day

5.30pm Mass Jean Baker, RIP (KP)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

8am Mass Joe de Lobel, RIP (Anniv) (JL)
9.30am Mass Intentions of Michael Rubbert (MR)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries

Canon Francis Dobson, Fr John King, Frances Sims, Bill Shanahan, Terence Foley, Gertrude Pulley, Doreen Newcombe, Winifred Hughes, Madelaine Moroney, Clive Vincent Allen, Stephana Gallacher, Evelyn Roots, June Dillon, Cyril Jarman, Agness O’Donoghue, Agnes McManus, Catherine Ramsay, Hubert Carlyon, Mary Tomlinson, Ryan Allen, Margaret Bonsor, Juan Billena, Mabel Payne, Joe de Lobel, Leslie George Murray, Derrick Whithil-Smith, Mary Cooper, Tim McCarthy, Lily Jessie Johnson, Eileen Watson, Georges Egidio, Dr Robert Clark, Catherine Mills, Pat Rogers, Patricia Manning, Eric Major, John Mayo, Anna Sokl, Rose-Margaret Gilbert, Mary Ann Foley, Elsie Nicol, Nancy Hume & Annie Shea.

We Pray for our Sick

Roland Clark, Kenneth Biebuyck, Zach Stokes. Andrew Stokes, Noel Conroy, Marjorie Jay, Paul Sutton, John Murphy, Mary Monaghan, Jennifer Biebuyck, Moira Scott, Jill Yates, Leonora Maguire, Brian Mountier, Renata Butler, Margaret Bartle, Tony Downey, Kristy Monferrari, Fred Ring, Ian Irwin, Russell Short, Marie Karaf, Garry Pearman, Patricia Ann Darroch, Peggy Larman, 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, Ben Wilson, Christian Ryan, Mike Rubbert, Tina Doveaston, Addi Brady, Patricia Fleming, Nicky Wigmore, Rose Craft, Nan Carrit, Patricia Spikin, Sandra Fagan, Edna Wallace, Beryl Dixon, Nick Evans, Vicky Jack, Mary Boyce, Kristin Hallenga, Anne O’Neill, Cheryl Shallis, 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, Georgina Cornwell, Antonella 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, Bradley & children: Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Connie Price, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price & Frazer Gregory.

Sanctuary Lamp

The lamps burn for Jim & Teena Rockell, RIP and Caroline Geoghegan & family.

We Pray for the Repose of the Souls of

JOHANNA SADOWSKI, RIP. Her funeral service will take place on Monday, 10th January at 3.20pm at Southend Crematorium West chapel.

SHEILA DE CHANTILLY, RIP. Her body will be received into the church on Thursday, 13th January at 5pm and her Requiem Mass will take place on Friday, 14th January at 10.45am followed by burial at Sutton Road Cemetery.

TONY McEVOY, RIP.

Dates for your Diary

Wednesday 25th May Visitation of the Bishop & Confirmation

Saturdays 14th & 21st May First Holy Communion Masses