We Pray for our Sick
Christine Reid, Rose D’Souza, Jimmy & Pauline Martin, Ben Dench, James Fegan, Muriel Matthews, David Lesley, 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 Kharas, Garry Pearman, Patricia Ann Darroch, 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, John Lavery, Paul Keane, Rosemary Bragard, Pat Lynch, Ben Wilson, Christian Ryan, 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, Johnny Pool, Edward Martin, Joanna Luciani, Pauline Wilsher, Simon Marshall, Kriston Barnes, Hugh Isaacs, 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 & baby Forest Gallagher.
We Pray for the Repose of the Souls of
CHRISTINE WISE RIP who died on 21st January. Her body will be received into the Church on Thursday, 16th March at 5pm and her Requiem Mass will take place on Friday 17th March at 9.30am followed by burial at Hall Road Cemetery.
MARIA FITZAKERLEY RIP who died recently. Her funeral will take place on Friday, 10th March at 10.15am at Sutton Road Cemetery Church, followed by burial at Sutton Road Cemetery.
TERRY COCKERALL RIP who died on 29th January. Funeral details to follow.
ROY BUCK RIP who died recently. Funeral details to follow.
Requiescant in pace
Music at 11.30am Mass on Sunday
Prelude: Adagio for the Elevation in D—Guiseppe Paolucci (1726-1776)
Postlude: Fugue in C— Ignazio Fiorillo (1715-1787)
Response to Psalm
Days of Fasting and Abstinence
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the only days of obligatory fasting throughout the world (Can. 1251). The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year (Can. 1252).
According to Canon Law, abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year (Can. 1252).
Those under 14 years of age, the sick, the elderly and frail, pregnant women, are not required to abstain.
Deanery of Southend Lent Talks 2023
Wednesday evenings at 7pm—Eastwood Parish—St Peter’s
59 Eastwood Road North, Leigh on Sea SS9 4BX
Questions & Answers facilitated by Fr Jeff Woolnough
March 1st Fr Graham Smith
The Gospel According to John
March 8th DVD Presentation
Dr Scott Hahn—The Eucharist in Scripture
Part One—The Lamb’s Supper
March 15th DVD Presentation
Dr Scott Hahn—The Eucharist in Scripture
Part Two—The Fourth Cup
March 22nd DVD Presentation
Dr Scott Hahn—The Eucharist in Scripture
Part Three—Consuming the Word
Dates for your Diary
Monday 20th February—Journey in Faith-RCIA continues
Saturdays 13th & 20th May—First Holy Communion Masses 10.30am
Sunday 28th May—Pentecost Sunday—Confirmation Mass 11.30am
Sunday 11th June—Corpus Christi Procession 4pm
Saturday 8th July—Flower Festival
Earthquake Relief Charities
Please donate via Aid to the Church in Need or CAFOD websites.
Church Courtyard Parking
Please use only the allocated bays for parking in the courtyard of the church. If there are no vacant bays this means the courtyard is full. You can also use on-road parking! Please DO NOT double-park or block-in others. Also, please do not drive across the West doors of the church. These directives are for the health and safety of everyone.
200 Club
There are a number of 200 Club winners' cheques which still have to be paid into a bank account. If you have been a winner within the last five months, can you please check that your winning cheque has been paid into your account. If not, can you please take it to your bank as soon as possible. Thank you.
Sacrament of Confirmation
This will take place on Pentecost Sunday, 28th May. Any adult or young adult (who must have reached the age of fourteen by 1st September 2022) may apply. Please send an email with your name and contact details to mrscatherineharris@gmail.com by Ash Wednesday, 22nd February.
Serving the Homeless
Our next event is a Quiz Evening in St Margaret's Church Hall on 11th March, 7pm for 7.30pm. The cost is £5 per person, bring your own drinks and nibbles.
If you wish to book a table (up to 10 people) or a place with another team, please ring any Committee member or Linda Wall on 01702 558217.
Repository
The Repository is situated at the rear of the Church in the old Baptistry and will be open following the 5.30pm Vigil Mass and after the 9.30am and 11.30am Masses on Sundays.
We have a good selection of cards and small gifts. Over the next few weeks we hope new stock will be arriving in time to celebrate those special occasions of St.Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter. If you can’t see what you are looking for, please don’t hesitate to ask. After Easter, cards and gifts should be available in time for First Holy Communions and Confirmation.
Repository Volunteers
We are looking for more volunteers to help with the above. With enough people we can then form a Rota so that individuals need only help out on a 2 or 3 weekly basis. If interested please give your name and contact at the Parish Office or speak to Cynthia.
40 Days for Life
Starting from Ash Wednesday 22nd February to Friday 31st March
We are holding a peaceful, prayerful witness outside Southend medical centre MSI (Marie Stopes International) an Abortion provider.
We are there to offer help to women in crisis pregnancies.
Please come and pray.
For more information about times please contact Mary & Francis Connolly 07478765010.
If you have been hurt by Abortion please contact www. rachelsvineyard.org.uk Pam: 0785-1331816
Sick & Housebound
If you have have a family member, or are aware of someone who is sick or housebound and would wish to receive any of the Sacraments, please advise Father Kevin.
World Day of Prayer Friday 3rd March
This year’s World Day of Prayer Service takes place on Friday 3rd March at 10.30am at St Alban’s Church, St Johns Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 7JY, followed by tea/coffee. Car parking is available at North Road and Cliffs Pavilion car parks.
All are welcome to this years Service which is prepared by the women of Taiwan on the theme ‘I have heard about your faith’
The Universe Catholic Weekly Newspaper
The Universe Catholic Weekly Newspaper is true to its mission of being “a light to guide the world, and a mirror to reflect it”. Keeping Catholics informed about their faith and bringing them ever closer to God. In order to keep our high standard going and maintain a strong weekly Catholic voice at a time when it is much needed in the world, please consider taking out a subscription.
We have an excellent website full of trustworthy articles and an online shop with all subscribers receiving a 10% discount.
Order your Digital 2 weeks FREE introductory offer by calling Michelle on 0743 661 7650 or email: michelle.jones@universecatholicweekly.co.uk
We invite you to submit articles/news and celebrations about your local parish activities
Below is the link to the latest edition of the Universe Catholic Weekly:-
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School & Nursery
If your child is eligible to attend Nursery, please clink on the link below to find more information about Our Lady of Lourdes School Nursery
Bereavement Support Group
The Group meets on the third Tuesday of every month in the Parish Centre (Bernadette room) at 2pm. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 21st February.
We are aware that this time may not be convenient for everyone who feels they need support following the loss of a loved one. We are therefore considering a possible change of day and time. For example Saturday morning or afternoon or a weekday morning or evening might be more convenient for people.
The Group is open to people who have experienced loss and bereavement and who feel they might find sharing their experience with others in a confidential and caring environment. We try to ensure that nobody is under any pressure to talk but participants are gently encouraged to express their feelings supported by other Group members and experienced Counsellors. If further information is required please contact the Parish Office or phone Cynthia on 07783 094312 with your name and contact number.
If interested please give your name, contact details, and preference of day/ time to the Parish Office. Thank you.
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
Over these current Sundays of Ordinary Time, Jesus expounds the moral law as He teaches the people in His Sermon on the Mount.
Dear friends in Christ
Over these current Sundays of Ordinary Time, Jesus expounds the moral law as He teaches the people in His Sermon on the Mount. Many of His listeners thought what He taught was extraordinarily demanding. Jesus teaches that from the beginning God established unity and indissolubility in Marriage. For the followers of Christ, the clear and simple formula is that matrimony means one man and one woman for life. Pope Pius XI famously stated: Marriage was protected, confirmed and elevated not by human laws, but by the very author of nature, God Himself, and by the restorer of that nature, Christ our Lord. This law therefore, cannot be subject to the variable choice of men, not even by the contrary judgement of the spouses themselves (Casti conubi). This teaching has been also affirmed and reaffirmed by all the subsequent Popes, Councils and Synods of the Church. The intrinsic nature of Marriage, as established by God in the Bible, is what gives substance and foundation to our world and human relationships. In Christian Marriage—especially when it is Sacramental—there is a powerful sign of the permanent love of God in our world: a sign and symbol of God’s enduring concern to support us on the pilgrimage through this life to eternal life. We are in the middle of National Marriage Week, which whilst not an exclusively Christian initiative, gives us the occasion to celebrate, reflect on, and rejoice in, this great Sacrament in Christ and the Church. At a time when there are all-too-few Marriages, and when family life is weakened by secularising influences, our focus is thanksgiving to God for all those who persevere in this sacred bond. We remember all those who are discerning Marriage too, and we hold in prayer and the support of our affection, those who struggle in their relationships and family life. None of us claims perfections in the way we live the Christian vocation, which is why together we strive for virtue and perfection through the living of the virtues of enduring love.
At the Mass his weekend we shall pray for all of these intentions, and offer the blessing of the Church to those who live the Sacrament of Marriage, especially any who celebrate a significant anniversary this year.
God bless you all, your homes and your families.
Msgr Kevin Hale