Twenty-Seventh Sunday in ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
The parables that Jesus preaches are often allegories of God’s love for His people.
Dear friends in Christ
The parables that Jesus preaches are often allegories of God’s love for His people. So with the parables of the workers in the vineyard. Palestine was full of vineyards and the symbol here is of Israel not living-up to her divine calling. The vineyard is also a symbol of the Church and therefore of each one of us. Yet the true vine is Christ who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us, who through the Church remain in Christ without who we can do nothing. (Vat II, LG 6) Each day of our lives we have opportunities to give good fruit to God. We can give Him the frustrations that we encounter in the course of daily events, and we can turn these into occasions to offer a smile, a friendly word or an act of pardon. In our work especially, God looks for the good fruits we can produce for the good of others and the common well-being of society. Every noble human reality can and should be sanctified and offered to God for our holiness and for the making holy of our world.
I was very touched last weekend by the many acts and words of kindness and gratitude that I received on the completion of twenty years as Parish Priest of Leigh. Especial thanks for the proceeds of the crafty collection that was done without my knowledge! I had only wished that it was a modest marking of that milestone, so I am much appreciative of the efforts everyone made to celebrate the occasion. I like to think that it wasn't about me as a person, but rather about the fact that we can love the Priesthood and can be grateful for the blessings that God showers upon us within the Parish Family; and this, in spite of human limitations. As I said in my Homily last weekend: even if we find ourselves so lacking in the Christian and human virtues, we have to acknowledge that we are all a work in progress! For this we must rely wholly on the grace of God. Thank you so much once again, for tolerating my weaknesses and inadequacies, and for your great generosity!
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Readings of Year A
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 8
Saturday 7 October
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
5.30pm Vigil Mass Adrian Ausareny, RIP (AA)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 8
8am Mass Intentions of Mary Christadaul (SM)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Maureen Stevenson, RIP (P&BO’C)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
6.30pm Body in Church Dorothy Rodgers, RIP
Monday 9
St John Henry Newman, Pr
10am Requiem Mass Dorothy Rodgers, RIP
Tuesday 10
St Paulinus of York, Bp
9am Mass Special Intention of Tony Hickey (SM)
Wednesday 11
St John XIII, P
9am Mass Intentions of Mark Shepherd (CH)
Thursday 12
Ss Ethelburga, Hildelithe & Cuthberga, Rel
9am Mass Thomas Cherian, RIP (Anniv) (BC)
Friday 13
St Edward the Confessor, King
12Noon Mass Intentions of Biju Cherian & Cissy Biju (BC)
Saturday 14
St Callistus I, P, M
10am Mass Peter Boardman, RIP (HS)
10.30-11.30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass Intentions of Tádgh Morgan—new baby (KM)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 15 October
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Sir David Amess, RIP (Anniv) (RP)
9.30am Mass John & Anne Young, RIP (LY)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Alfred Clements, Pope Pius VII, Fr John Dempsey, Fr Patrick Malin, Mgr Matthias Kearney, Mgr Canon Michael McKenna, James Roberton, Joyce Mary Mycroft, Henry Hart, Thomas Gunnel, Ronald Ballard, Mary Chin Ing Sawyer, Julia Shields, Amelia Eaglesfield, Mary Clark, Moira O’Riordan, Francis Gurney, Charles Cutter, Arthur Hooper, Chloe Watts, Valerie Martin, Thomas Patrick Costello, Joan Lucey, Eric Phillips, Irene Earl, Stanley Greaves, Teresa Morton, Winifred Archer, Adele Cumbo, Caroline Cussen, Annie Dunne, George Masi, Kathleen Linnet, Eva Riley & Christopher Adams.
We Pray for our Sick
Richard Poole, Pamela Uglietti, Michael Mapson, Deana Ince, Susan Griffin, Eva Paviour, Gy Rampersaud, Mary O’Sullivan, Ian Spacie, Bobby Newman, Paul Watts, Christine Reid, Rose D’Souza, Jimmy & Pauline Martin, James Fegan, Muriel Matthews, David Lesley, Kenneth Biebuyck, Zach Stokes, Andrew Stokes, Noel Conroy, Marjorie Jay, Paul Sutton, John Murphy, Jennifer Biebuyck, Moira Scott, Jill Yates, Leonora Maguire, Brian Mountier, Renata Butler, Margaret Bartle, Tony Downey, Kristy Monferrari, Fred Ring, Russell Short, Marie Kharas, Garry Pearman, Patricia Ann Darroch, Patricia Vanner, Amy Louise Fox, Sarah Savage, Bill O’Connell, Charlotte O’Neil, Ella Williams, David Kislingbury, Mark Shepherd, 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 Poole, 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, Florence Hownam & children: Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Connie Price, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price, Frazer Gregory & baby Forest Gallagher.
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for the intentions of the Hurley & Pinsent Families.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
DOROTHY RODGERS who died peacefully on Friday 1st September. Her Body will be received into the church on Sunday, 8th October at 6.30pm and her Requiem Mass will take place on Monday, 9th October at 10am followed by committal at Sutton Road Cemetery.
JOHN WILLIAMS who died on Saturday 2nd September. His Requiem Mass will take place on Monday, 23rd October at 1pm followed by committal at Basildon Crematorium.
Fr BERNARD O’BRIEN former Parish Priest, who died on Friday, 22nd September. Requiem Mass—Friday, 13th October, 12.45pm, St Paul’s, Cantley, Doncaster.
Requiescant in pace
Responsorial Psalm at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Andante in E Flat—Friedrich Marburg (1718-1795)
Postlude: Glory and Praise to the Highest—Johann Krebs (1713-1780)
Responsorial Psalm
Dates for your Diary
Monday 9th October—Journey in Faith (RCIA) continues—8pm Newman Room
Thursday 30th November—Saturday 2nd December—Forty Hours’ Prayer
Friday 15th December—Carol Service—Serving the Homeless
Monday 22nd—Saturday 27th July 2024—Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes
JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA
RCIA will meet on Monday, 9th October 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 Church. 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.
OLL School Fireworks Night
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School and Nursery in Leigh-on-Sea is hosting a spectacular professional fireworks display on Saturday 28th October.
Tickets are £7pp (children under 3 are free) and can be booked on www.ticketsource.co.uk searching ‘Our Lady of Lourdes Fireworks’. Gates open for food at 5.30pm, with the display starting at 7pm.
We hope to welcome many of you to our school grounds for this fantastic evening, in aid of PTA fundraising.
Repository 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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time—Month of the Holy Rosary
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel of this Sunday’s Mass, Jesus challenges us with the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard—the challenge is: do we fulfil what is asked of us; do we live the virtues of obedience according to our state in life?
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel of this Sunday’s Mass, Jesus challenges us with the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard—the challenge is: do we fulfil what is asked of us; do we live the virtues of obedience according to our state in life? Throughout His life, Our Saviour underwent many trials and in them all He was obedient to the Will of God the Father. St Thomas Aquinas said that a very good sign of obedience is our willingness to obey others. Pride inclines us to do our own will and to seek what exalts us, not to wish to be directed by others, but to direct them. Obedience is opposed to this pride. The only Son of the Father came down from Heaven to save us, to cure our pride, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death on the Cross. Jesus wants to teach us this path of self-denial and to help us see that it is an act of love to subject ourselves to the good will of others.
By a long tradition, dating from the 1570’s, the first Sunday of October has been observed as Rosary Sunday. This was established by Pope Saint Pius V in thanksgiving for the victory at the Battle of Lepanto. As then, so now, we have the most powerful weapon of the Rosary to bring about peace in our world. Let us take-up these spiritual weapons powerfully especially in this month—Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us!
I give thanks to God this weekend for the twenty years that I have been able to serve as your Parish Priest. Please do join me after 11.30am Mass this Sunday in the Gilbert Room of the Parish Centre, to mark this milestone. I ask God to continue to bless you all as I make thanksgiving to God for all that I have been able to both offer and receive in those years. God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale