Please pray for the repose of the souls of
DOROTHY RODGERS who died peacefully on Friday 1st September. Her Requiem Mass will take place on Monday, 9th October at 10am followed by committal at Sutton Road Cemetery.
CHRISTOPHER KELLEHAR who died on Thursday, 7th September. His Requiem Mass will take place on Friday, 6th October at 9am followed by committal at Sutton Road Cemetery.
Fr BERNARD O’BRIEN former Parish Priest, who died on Friday morning,
Requiescant in pace
Responsorial Psalm at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Chorale Prelude—Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Postlude: Voluntary—William Boyce (1710-1779)
Responsorial Psalm
JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA
RCIA meet on Monday, 25th September and is specifically for those who are not Catholics but who are enquiring with a view to finding out more about the Catholic Faith and Reception into the Chruch. These evenings begin at 8pm, are held in the Newman Room of the Parish Centre (the door is beside the Memorial Garden) and usually last just over an hour. Names may be given in advance to Fr Kevin or the Parish Office.
Dates for your Diary
Monday 18th September—Journey in Faith (RCIA) begins—8pm Newman Room
Thursday 30th November—Saturday 2nd December—Forty Hours’ Prayer
25th—30th July 2024—Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes
CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day—Friday 6th October
This harvest fast day CAFOD is focussing on the work of the amazing mobile medical clinic which operated in 2022 in Pakistan, getting help from doctors and local health experts to communities suffering from diseases caused by contaminated water and lack of food. The mobile clinic travelled across hundreds of miles to provide that care and support.
With extreme disasters like floods occurring more and more, there is an increasing need for medical support for local communities, and CAFOD is working to help provide it.
Please pray for the work of CAFOD and if you are able to make a donation to their work, gift envelopes will be available at the back of church or you can make electronic donations at the back of the church too. Thank you.
Certificate of Catholic Practice for Schools
If you are applying for a place in a Catholic School for your child you may wish to include a Certificate of Catholic Practice. As our local Schools are currently undersubscribed with Catholics, the need for this Certificate is not as pressing as it has been previously. However, if you wish your application to be endorsed then these Certificates may be obtained from the Parish Office either on a Thursday or Friday morning between 10am—1pm.
Parish Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who supports the 200 Club. The results of the August draw are as follows:
1st Prize £150 167 Mrs M Foyster
2nd Prize £100 84 Mrs E Hall
3rd Prize £75 21 Mr A Long
4th Prize £25 152 Mr D Binding
We are still looking for new members. The subscription is £5 per month, either by cash, cheque or direct debit. If you would like to join, please fill in a form which can be found at the back of the church or ring Linda Wall on 01702 558217.
Sea of Voices Choir
Our community choir, based at the Parish Centre, have returned from Summer break to start putting our Christmas programme together for a fundraiser charity concert . It’s great that we have 4 new members but would welcome more (especially male basses and male/female tenors).
So budding singers out there, would you like to sing with us? Know anyone locally who would? Young (over 18s) or still young at heart welcome!
We meet Thursday evenings from 7.45pm to 9.30pm and costs just £3 per session. Free first time ‘see if you like it’ session. Contact Darrell 07825686249 or the Parish Office.
40 days for life
40days for life is a focused pro-life campaign. For further details please contact Contact Mary Connolly 07478765010 Madrecasita8@gmail.com.
Children's Liturgy
Children's Liturgy will resume soon. Can you spare an hour once a month to assist the leaders? Come and see what we do any Sunday at 9.30 Mass. Contact Sam 0787 967 6341 if interested.
BCCS
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society (BCCS) offers therapeutic support directly to children, young people, families and parents through their Child and Family Counselling Service (CFCS) located in their centre in Billericay. Their CFCS team consists of several experienced and highly qualified therapists working in specially adapted therapy rooms. Families can contact BCCS directly by emailing Donna Booth dbooth@bccs.org.uk who will outline the type of support that will be provided for them or their child. There is a charge for this service, but they urge any families needing support to contact them. More information is available on their website: www.bccs.org.uk
BIN A TIN FOR VIN
The St Vincent Centre is doing wonderful work in Southend helping the poorest amongst us.
You can help the food bank there by bringing a tin of something with you when you come to mass and putting it in VINNIE'S BIN, which will be in the OLD BAPTISTERY.
This will be emptied twice weekly.
St. Vincent de Paul Society(SVP), Our Lady of Lourdes & St. Joseph
Missio Red Box Holders
I have received the Autumn 2023 Missio Magazines. If have not received one from me personally, please take one from the back of the Church (in the usual place).
Joan Caunce Secretary 01268 757505.
Repository Open
After the summer break the Repository is now open. We have a very nice selection of new stock which includes a small selection of Statues. Thinking ahead to “All Souls” in November we have a selection of Graveside lights, Lanterns and some small Remembrance tokens. These will of course be available each week . You are all welcome to come and browse and if you do not see what you are looking for please ask one of the Volunteers.
If you have a short time to spare before and after a weekend Mass, please consider volunteering at the Repository. Please leave your name and contact number at the Parish Office.
Contactless Payments/Offerings
The contactless device is now permanently situated at the back of the church and may be used for Offertory and Second Collection offerings, Repository payments, candles, SVP and other stipends.
Primary School Link Adviser Opportunity
The Diocese of Brentwood is seeking to appoint a Primary School Link Adviser who is a practising Catholic, to support the Diocesan Board of Education and its family of schools. This is likely to be a part-time post of either 3 or 4 days a week, however, consideration will also be given to applicants who are seeking a full-time or secondment opportunity. The Primary Link Adviser will report to the Diocesan Director of Education and Deputy Director. It is expected that applicants will have an established and successful track record as a head teacher, a senior leader in a primary school or have recent, relevant advisory/consultancy experience. Applicants must be able to demonstrate school improvement experience and the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Working closely as part of a team, the successful candidate will:
• Support the development of Catholic schools as providers of high quality educational, religious and spiritual standards
• Play a leading role in the effectiveness of organisational services and operations
• Support projects in and across schools on an ad-hoc or commissioned basis
• Deliver training
• Participate in the formulation of local level education policy.
Further details and an application form can be obtained via the following link: Primary Link Adviser – Brentwood Diocesan Education Service or by emailing: victoriabarnes@dioceseofbrentwood.org
Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine
Escorted Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, Ireland, 16th October 2023. £699.00 per person sharing. Price includes flight, all transfers, 4 nights’ in Knock House Hotel with full board. All entertainment and excursions included. Day trips to Westport, Ballintubber Abbey, Croagh Patrick, Fr. Peyton Centre & National Museum. Single supplement £150.00.
Contact Patricia or Natali on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com.
Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel this weekend, Our Lord gives Saint Peter a memorable explanation of the nature of Christian pardon in the parable of the two debtors.
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel this weekend, Our Lord gives Saint Peter a memorable explanation of the nature of Christian pardon in the parable of the two debtors. One debtor owed ten thousand talents while the other owed a hundred denarii. The difference in value is enormous. It took six thousand denarii to make a single talent. The lesson is that God's mercy is immensely greater than our own. True mercy belongs to those humble souls who understand how much they have been forgiven. Just as the Lord is always ready to forgive us, so we must always be ready to forgive one another. And how great is the need for forgiveness in our world today - indeed in our communities and families, in our very own hearts! That is why the special sacrament of the Church for forgiveness, the Sacrament of Penance, is such a precious gift from the Lord.
In the Sacrament of Penance, God extends his forgiveness to us in a very personal way. Through the ministry of the priest, we come to our loving Saviour with the burden of our sins. We confess that we have sinned against God and our neighbour. We manifest our sorrow and ask for pardon from the Lord. Then, through the priest, we hear Christ say to us: 'Your sins are forgiven' (Mark 2:5); 'Go, and do not sin again' (John 8:11). Can we not also hear him say to us as we are filled with his saving grace: 'Extend to others, seventy times seven, this same forgiveness and mercy?' (St Pope John Paul II). Confession is a magnificent school of love and generosity.
The sacrament renews the soul and vivifies its capacity for pardon. The Church must profess and proclaim God's mercy in all its truth, as it has been handed down to us by revelation. This task belongs to every Christian. It seems especially urgent in our times.
Let us ask Our Lady for a magnanimous heart like her own. She can help us to avoid brooding over disappointments and injuries. In addition, we must continually grow in our spirit of reparation to the merciful Heart of Jesus.
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale