Music at 11.30am Mass on Sunday

Prelude: Adagio (Symphonie V) - Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937)

Postlude: Prelude in B minor BWV 544 - J S Bach (1685-1750)

Dates for your Diary

Wednesday 25th May Visitation of the Bishop & Confirmation

Saturdays 14th & 21st May First Holy Communion Masses

Thresholds of Hope Question

Thresholds of Hope Question: What does it mean to talk about a woman as Mother of God and Mother of the Church? Input will be given by Fr Martin Hardy, parish priest of St Thomas of Canterbury, Grays today Sunday, 6th February.

To join this Zoom meeting simply forward a contact email to adultformationvicariate@dioceseofbrentwood.org. For more information go to www.thresholdsofhope.co.uk

Sea of Voices Choir

After our Christmas/New Year break, our choir returns to singing from Thursday 10th February from 7.45pm at the Parish Centre. We will be working towards some form of summertime concert.

We are always looking for new members to join the choir, so if you fancy giving it a try or know someone who might, please come along on a Thursday evening or contact Darrell first on 07825686249. Thank you.

Vacancy - St Thomas More School

We are seeking an experienced Estates Manager to work 21 hours per week managing all aspects of the MAT’s properties including upkeep, care, maintenance, security, Health & Safety and facilities management in line with statutory and regulatory requirements. Please see www.assisicatholictrust.com for full job details or telephone the school on 01702 344933.

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

Vacancy for Cleaners at Our Lady of Lourdes School

2x permanent contract

44 weeks per year - term time plus 5 non-pupil days plus 4 weeks school closure
10 hours per week (2 hours daily)
Hours to be discussed, preferably late afternoon

Scale 1 (£9.25 per hour)

We are seeking a school cleaner for our friendly school. Experience of cleaning in a school environment is desirable but not essential. The duties will include:

• Cleaning certain parts of the school site

• Vacuuming carpeted areas and washing floors

• Sweeping uncarpeted areas

• Emptying and cleaning bins

• Spot cleaning of spillages

• Cleaning desks, seats and skirting boards

• Cleaning toilet areas and replenishing toiletries

• Cleaning doors and windows

• Checking stock levels of cleaning materials

• Reporting all defects/hazards immediately to the caretaker or supervisor

We value all of our staff as each team member makes a positive difference to the lives of young people. If you are committed to the wellbeing of pupils and want to contribute to the cleanliness of the learning environment we will welcome your application.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, should we have sufficient applicants to shortlist. Therefore we recommend you apply early.

For more information on the role and to arrange a visit of the school please contact Mrs Sarah Daves on finance@ourladyoflourdes.southend.sch.uk

Applications close 17th February 2022 

COVID-19 Precautions

From 27th January the country returned to 'Plan A' of Covid precautions. Face coverings are no longer a legal requirement in public indoor venues, including places of worship. Anyone displaying symptoms of Covid-19 should stay at home. Scientific evidence tells us that transmission is via oral or nasal aerosol; touch transmission is minimal. We ask everyone to continue to be vigilant by taking the necessary sanitary precautions when in church: sanitising hands and respecting the space of others; you may wish to continue using a face-covering. The Holy Water stoops may now be filled again. The Sign of Peace can be given in a manner that should respect the desire of others and this may suggest non-contact. When coming to Holy Communion you are reminded that if you wish to receive on the tongue then you should come last in the queue; everyone please, should remember to remove masks before receiving. This is to ensure practicality and above all, reverence for the Sacred Host and the avoidance of mishaps.

Sick and Housebound

For much of the last two years it has been extremely difficult to make home visits to our sick and housebound either in their homes or our local care establishments. Sometimes it has been possible only with difficulty and risk to attend the dying at home and in hospital. Now that restrictions are relaxed it will be possible again to resume those periodic visits to the sick and housebound to bring them the Sacraments. Sadly, over this period many of our Parish Family have gone to their eternal rest. If you know of someone—a relative or friend—who is housebound or in a Home and would appreciate receiving the Sacraments, please give their names to Fr Kevin, so that arrangements can be made for one of the priests to visit and minister to them.

Confessional Box

Frequent users of the Confessional Box will have noticed that it has been given a much-needed makeover! The interior has been been made more soundproof, and the ambience more dignified, as befits the beautiful Sacrament of Reconciliation—Confession. The hope is that it will receive even greater use!

Loving Our Planet ( A day of prayer and reflection for our planet)

The Live Simply group invite you to a day of prayer and reflection on Saturday, 19th February from 10am-4pm at St Clements Church, Leigh-on-Sea. The day will focus on topics such as: Pollution and waste; the land and agriculture; Wildlife; Humankind; What can we do?

Each theme will last for approximately one hour and be led by people from various churches in Leigh.
Please come for all or part of the day.

Mums, Dads and Toddlers Coffee Mornings

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.

Recycling Sack for CAFOD

A pink sack can be found at the back of the church. Please donate your old mobile phones, jewellery, stamps (used or album collections) and other limited electronic gadgets. Details of accepted items are on the leaflets at the back of church. These will then be recycled and the money raised will go to CAFOD.

Many thanks. Live Simply Group.

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.

St Vincent's Southend Charity Dinner & Auction

Would anyone in the Parish be interested in gathering people from OLOL for our Black Tie event. We have tables available of 4 or 8. It is focused on bringing people together and businesses that may be like minded in what the SVP does.

Saturday 26th February at The Boatyard, 6.30 for 7pm with live band. Tickets for 3 course meal, plus welcome drink £80. Black Tie.

For tickets and more information please contact southendenquiry@svp.org.uk or ring 01702 592980.

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.

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.

Estates Manager

We are seeking an experienced Estates Manager to work 21 hours per week managing all aspects of the MAT’s (Multi Academy Trust’s) properties including upkeep, care, maintenance, security, Health & Safety and facilities management in line with statutory and regulatory requirements. Please see www.assisicatholictrust.com

for full job details or telephone the school 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.

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

Diocesan Vacancies

Headteacher
Holy Cross Primary School, Harlow
Starting salary L17 – L23 (£63,745 - £73,660). Required for September 2022.

The Governors of Holy Cross invite applications from experienced, enthusiastic and suitably-qualified practising Catholics, to play a key role in the leadership and management of our school to continue to build on our successes.

Deadline for applications: 12:00 pm on Monday 21st February 2022. For further information please contact Karen Slater, PA to Headteacher, on 01279 424452 to arrange this. Alternatively if you would like an application pack please contact Karen Slater by email: karenslater@holycross-pri.essex.sch.uk.

Other positions currently available include:

Catholic Schools Executive Leader (CSEL), Our Lady of Grace Trust, Newham - applications close 11th February, required for September 2022.

Headteacher, Holy Cross Academy, Harlow, effective from September 2022, applications close 21st February, required for September 2022.

Further details of these vacancies and others are available from the diocesan website https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/departments/education/vacancies/school-vacancies/

Vacancy - St Bernard's High School

St Bernard’s High School require Exam Invigilators for this year’s exam season.

£9.50 per hour.

Deadline for applications: Monday 21 February 2022

Application Form on our website: www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk under shared information/vacancies.

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear friends in Christ

On Wednesday—feast of Our Lord's Presentation in the Temple—we conclude the celebration of the Christmas mysteries. Mass begins at the Crib with the blessing and procession of candles. It is the feast of light, as we are reminded as we sing the words of Simeon: Lord, you can let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation. It is a moment full of symbolism and beauty as Mary and Joseph present Jesus to the Father. We may see ourselves in this Gospel picture which is a reminder that we were presented to God at our Baptism. At the moment of our Baptism, we were presented to God and incorporated into the life of the Blessed Trinity. Our vocation is to live this offering first made on that occasion, so as to live as children of God in the light.

The fourth Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary is a meditation on the Presentation of Jesus; we see it every time we are in our church depicted to the right of the Adoration of the Magi. The current restoration and decoration work being undertaken on the Rood and Calvary will further harmonise these elements so that we will see something of the original beauty of these figures as when they were unveiled almost one hundred years ago.

On Thursday we celebrate the double feasts of St Anne Line—a native of Essex— and St Blaise, fourth century bishop in Armenia. Saint Blaise is believed to have been a physician who eventually became a "physician of souls." People often turned to Saint Blaise for healing miracles. In 316, the Governor of Cappadocia arrested then-bishop Blaise for being a Christian. On their way to the jail, a woman set her only son, who was choking to death on a fish bone, before Blaise and he cured him. Later when he was imprisoned the woman came to him and brought two fine wax candles in an attempt to dispel the gloom of his darkened cell. From this grew the custom of seeking his intercession for protection against diseases of the throat and so we may receive a special blessing for this—using blessed candles—on Thursday after Mass.

I wish you all a blessed week ahead!

Msgr Kevin Hale