Bereavement Support Group
We are pleased to announce that the Bereavement Support Group has re- started and meets every third Tuesday of each month. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, 19th April.
The Group is open to all men and women who have experienced loss and bereavement and are welcome to join us in a warm, friendly and confidential environment. We will meet in the Bernadette room, Parish Centre, and sessions begin promptly at 2pm. Refreshments are available.
If further information is required please contact: Cynthia on 01702 477384.
Missio-Red Box Holders
I have received the Spring Missio Magazines. If you have not received one from me personally please take one from the ledge at the back of church. If there are any boxes that need emptying please let me have them or leave them in the office for me to collect. Thank you Joan Caunce Secretary 01268 757505
Is God calling you to be a Priest?
The next Enquirers’ Evening for those considering or interested in a vocation to the priesthood is on Tuesday 5th April at St Edmund of Canterbury Church in Loughton. The speaker will be Mgr Kevin Hale.
For further information please contact Fr Mark Swires vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org
Brentwood Catholic Children's Society
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society has several charity Gold Bond places for the TCS London Marathon taking place on the iconic London course on Sunday 2rd October 2022. If you would like to be considered for one of our places and think you could raise a fundraising total of £1800 before Gift Aid, please email Julie jabbott@bccs.org.uk All information is available on our website where our application form can be downloaded: https://www.bccs.org.uk/fundraising-and-events/all-events/tcs-london-marathon
Please note that the closing date for applications is Friday 8th April.
Walsingham House Team 2022/23
Be part of the Walsingham House Team 2022/23: If you will be 18+ in September, and are looking for an exciting gap year opportunity, deepening teamworking and practical skills in a context of youth leadership, and developing your faith, then a year on the Walsingham House Team could be perfect for you. For more information please contact Joseph Beattie, by emailing josephbeattie@dioceseofbrentwood.org or calling 01277 373959. There is an open afternoon from 2-4pm on Sunday 10th April; for more information and to register, go to www.bcys.net/events/whopenday/
Save the Date! Saturday 3rd September 2022
The March for life (M4L) will take place on Saturday 3rd September 2022. The theme this year is ’10 Million Too Many’ since to date around 10 million children have been legally aborted in the UK.
African Art & Craft Exhibition
There will be an African Art and Craft Exhibition and sale on Saturday April 2nd from 11am to 3pm at Leigh Community Centre in aid of Kofup ( St Helen’s Charity for Kenya).
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.
Third Sunday in Lent
Dear friends in Christ
One of the most graphic and oft commented upon passages in the Bible is the moment when Moses encounters God in the Burning Bush.
Dear friends in Christ
One of the most graphic and oft commented upon passages in the Bible is the moment when Moses encounters God in the Burning Bush. There are several reasons why God revealed Himself in this way. First, God reveals Himself as a fire in that it is an image of His holiness. All through the Bible, fire is used as a picture of the purifying and refining quality of God’s holiness. This is further evidenced when God commands Moses to remove his sandals “for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Here God was emphasising to Moses the distance between the divine and the human. God is transcendent in His holiness, so Moses was not allowed to come close to Him. Holiness involves separation. God’s holiness means that He is set apart from everything He has made.
Second, God revealed Himself to Moses out of the Burning Bush as an image of His glory. Though this manifestation was frightening its purpose was to reveal the sheer majesty of God and to stand as a visible reminder to Moses and his people during the dark times ahead. Importantly, God gave Moses His own personal name: God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM". This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I AM has sent me to you”. There are several reasons why God did this. The Egyptians had many gods by many different names. Moses wanted to know God’s name so the Hebrew people would know exactly who had sent him to them. God called Himself I AM, a name which describes His eternal power and unchangeable character. By identifying Himself as “I AM,” God is declaring that He always exists in the immediate ‘now’. He isn’t bound by time as we are. There was never a time when God was not. He has no fixed point when He was born or brought into being. He has no beginning nor end. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.
Today, the only way for us to come into the presence of a holy God is to become holy ourselves. This is why God sent Jesus to be our Saviour. We could never keep God’s Law by our own power, but Jesus shows us how to, with perfect holiness. When Jesus died on the Cross He took away all of our unholiness, exchanging His righteousness for our unrighteousness. The grace that God has shown through the Cross enables us to approach the Holy One—not as Moses did, hiding his face in fear—but by faith, trusting and believing in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
On Friday 25th March—Solemnity of The Annunciation—Pope Francis will Consecrate Russia and The Ukraine to The Immaculate Heart of Mary. He will do this during a Penitential Service in St Peter’s Basilica at 5pm, Rome time. At the same time a Papal Delegate will make the Act of Consecration in Fatima. In the apparition of 13 July 1917, in Fatima, Our Lady had asked for the Consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart, stating that if this request were not granted, Russia would spread its errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecution of the Church. The good, she added, will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be destroyed. We shall also make this Act of Consecration on that day here in the Parish which will take place at the end of the midday Mass this coming Friday 25th, and will be repeated during the Lenten Devotions and Benediction in the evening. Please make an effort to join with Pope Francis in this important Act of Consecration, to help bring about peace in Europe and for the conversion of the people of war and violence.
May God bless you on this continued pilgrimage towards Easter!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Third Sunday in Lent
Third Sunday of Lent
Liturgy:
Readings of Year C
The Apostles’ Creed
Preface of Lent 1
5.30pm Mass Guy Bragard, RIP (Anniv) (RB)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
8am Mass Antony Mills, RIP (SM)
9.30am Mass Fred & Doreen Wall, RIP (Anniv) (L&KW)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 21
Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Lucrecia & Jose Conlu
Tuesday 22
Feria
9am Mass Henry Nye, RIP (PG)
Wednesday 23
Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Fintan Healy (MW)
Thursday 24
Feria
9am Mass Dec'd Members of the Caunce Family (JC)
Friday 25
THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
12Noon Mass Charles & Alice Whitefield, RIP (FM) With the Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to The Immaculate Heart of Mary
7pm Way of the Cross & Benediction
Saturday 26 March
Feria
10am Mass Tony Trigg, RIP (Anniv) (AT)
10.30-11.30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 27 March
Fourth Sunday of Lent—Lætare Sunday
5.30pm Mass The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
8am Mass Lucille Tarrobel, RIP
9.30am Mass Barbara Ann Neagle, RIP (Anniv) (DB)
11.30am Mass John Joseph Swann (Joe), RIP (Anniv) (MD)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Sidney Williams, Canon Arthur Holmes, Fr John Sherlock, Mgr Canon Alfred Gilbey, Fr Denis Hall, Fr James Earley, Fr Henry Peace, Edmund Easterby, Francis Spratt, Frances Joseph Foley, Edward Hance, Agnes Edward, Catherine Davis, Ann Whiteley, John Fowler, Denis Reid, Nora McLeod, Imelda Maguire, Bernard Cody, Violet Day, Ernest Hardy, Fred Hopkins, Ted Wheeler, Katerina Deyanovitch, JohnArcher, Paul Reid, Maud Phyllis King, Marie Nichols, Peter Gouch, John Rombaut, Boleslaw Bendkowski, Mary Hardy, Nancy Mallif, Ethel Bull, Sarah Armstrong, Marian Treston, Kathleen Robinson, John Head, Edmund Thompson, Moira Keenan, Kirk Waltraud, Jessie Carlyon, Lily Dawson, Kenneth May, Allan Thompson, Derek Taylor, Victor Moule, Kathleen Farrell & Terence Larman.
We Pray for our Sick
Gerry Clarke, Dominic De Souza, Val Tisi, Ann Owen, Gerry Clark, 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, 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, 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, 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.
We Pray for the Repose of the Soul of
TOM O’CALLAGHAN, RIP who died on 9th March. His body will be received into the Church on Thursday, 31st March at 5pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Friday, 1st April at 9.45 am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
Requiescant in pace
Sanctuary Lamp
The Sanctuary Lamps burn for the intentions of the Uglietti Family and the Holy Souls.
Dates for your Diary
Wednesdays March 23rd & 30th—Marriage Preparation Evenings
Saturdays 14th & 21st May—First Holy Communion Masses
Wednesday 25th May—Visitation of the Bishop & Confirmation
Sunday 19th June—Corpus Christi Procession
Saturday 10th September—Flower Festival
Music at 11.30am Mass on Sunday
Prelude: Improvisation on the Introit 'Oculi mei semper and Dominum'
Postlude: Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV 665 - J S Bach (1685-1750)
Ukraine Appeal
We thank you all sincerely for the volunteer support and donations appeal for Ukraine. All the donations that have been collected either at Rayleigh Megacentre, Our Lady of Ransom or Leigh Community Centre will be making their way to Moldova in the safe hands of the charity UK AID https://www.uk-aid.org/ via Megacentre Rayleigh who forged this link. At this time we have ceased collecting donations. Thank you ALL. The response from this local area has been staggering.
If anyone would like to know how to offer further practical support this can be made through Aid to the Church In Need:
https://acnuk.org/news/ukraine-charity-rolls-out-emergency-aid/
or via the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London:
https://www.ucc-gb.com/post/helpukraine-emergency-appeal
These Charities are working on the front-line to bring humanitarian relief and the funds will go there directly.
Lourdes Pilgrimage
There is hope that there will be a Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes: 24-29th July. If there was sufficient interest, there could be a group from our Parish which would join with the Diocese as in previous years.
The flight will depart from London Heathrow on 24th July at around midday and return on Friday 29th July at about 6pm. The cost per adult, which includes 5 nights full board staying at the 4 Star Grand Hotel Moderne Soubirous (closest to Sanctuary) and return luxury coach transfer from Lourdes airport will be £780. There is a £200 supplement for a single room.
If anyone would be interested, could you please register this by giving your name into the Parish Office.
Donation to Aid to the Church in Need
Thank you for your kind gift to Aid to the Church in Need; we really appreciate your solidarity with those who are suffering at this time. We gratefully acknowledge the sum of £1,000 received by us at ACN UK which we are assigning according to your wishes; to help those suffering in Ukraine.
As you stand with ACN you are supporting those in such need, as we work with the local Church – through Bishops, Priests, Sisters and the faithful. From Syria to Ukraine, and in more than 130 countries, you and the dear friends of ACN offer the Hope of Christ amidst so much suffering. Thank you!
As a bishop in Ukraine once said to me, so pertinently for today: “The help from your benefactors is our existence. You are assured of our daily prayers in all your own needs and difficulties. Thank you. For you are the Amen of our prayers for this people of suffering - and we have hope.”
May you be truly blessed and may Our loving Lord support you in your faithful endeavours this Lent. You are in the hearts, prayers and Masses of those helped by your charity.