Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The image of a banquet is often used in the Bible to represent salvation and the intimacy of relationship that we shall have with God.
Dear friends in Christ
The image of a banquet is often used in the Bible to represent salvation and the intimacy of relationship that we shall have with God. Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with me (Rev 3:20). God repeats over and over again, His desire to engage in a loving dialogue with his creatures, a dialogue, which will take definitive form in Heaven. What so far has been our response to the thousand petitions we are constantly receiving from the Lord? How is our prayer? Are we entering into close relationship with the Lord? Do we excuse ourselves from leading lives of greater dedication? Do we feel responsible for bringing the divine invitation to others? Are we concerned about the salvation of the people we know? There are no good excuses for missing the banquet of the Lord. The excuses the people give in the parable of the Mass this Sunday are essentially the same sort of excuses people use today. The problems lies in giving priority to earthly realities over eternal realities. St Augustine exclaims: Help us, Lord, to disown our vain excuses. We want to attend the banquet ... Don't allow our pride or sensuality or attachments or idle curiosity to get in the way of our attendance. Make sure that we show up...Who, after all, is going to be there? Beggars, the sick, the crippled, the blind ... We will arrive as the poor people that we are. We have been invited by the wealthy one who became poor for our sake, thereby enriching the poverty of the poor. We will come as sick people, since we need the divine doctor to cure our ills. We will come as lame people, and we will tell him: 'Keep steady my steps according to thy promise' (Ps 118:133). We will come as blind people and we will ask him: Lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death' (Ps 12:4).
God bless you all in this coming week!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Readings of Year A
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 1
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
Monday 16
St Margaret Mary Alacoque, V
9am Mass Gilberte Cook, RIP (MH)
Tuesday 17
St Ignatius of Antioch, Bp, M
9am Mass Intentions of Kath O’Connor (MI)
Wednesday 18
ST LUKE, Evangelist Feast
9am Mass Intentions of Evelyn Mackay (SD)
Thursday 19
Ss John de Brebeuf & Isaac Jogues, Pre, & Comps, Mm
9am Mass Mary Comey, RIP (Anniv) (MC)
Friday 20
Feria
12Noon Mass Charles & Alice Whitefield, RIP
Saturday 21
Feria
10am Mass John Harley, Nina Clarke & Emma Harley, RIP (PL)
10.30-11.30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 22 October
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Thomas Patrick Costello, RIP (Anniv) (KC)
9.30am Mass Peter Boardman, RIP (AP)
11.30am Mass Mark Solecki, RIP (Birthday) (IS)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Canon Roderick Grant, Mgr Canon Christopher Creede, Fr Bernard Clay, Francis Jones, Martha Tanner, Phyllis Koch, John Young, John Murray, Anne Young, Olga Ballard, Mary Aitken, Mary Smith, Kathleen Chambers, Florence Cody, Ada Redington, Patricia Kendall, Charles Edwards, William Brooks, Johanna Gromnicka, Margaret Kenney, Josephine Platt, Annie Barton, Anthony Isaacs, Joan Erwood, George Gatward, David Thomas, Kevin Hopley, Monica James, Elizabeth Winchester, Veronica McCullough, Dr. Brian Quinn, Denis Jordan & Sybil Swann.
We Pray for our Sick
Yvonne Ashwell, Lucy Moreno, Jose Luis Lira, 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, 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.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
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.
Mrs MURIEL MATTHEWS—details of funeral to be announced
Requiescant in pace
Responsorial Psalm at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Voluntary in G John James (c.1730)
Postlude: Toccata in G Minor Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
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
Thursday 9th November—Annual Requiem for the deceased of the Parish Family in the last year 7pm
Friday 10th November—Sung Latin Requiem 7pm
Friday 15th December—Carol Service—Serving the Homeless
Monday 22nd—Saturday 27th July 2024—Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Thank you and Goodbye from Serving the Homeless
On Sat 7th October we held our last fundraiser, A wine Tasting, at St Margarets Hall, Lime Ave. We raised £1,000 for the projects that we support. Thank you to all who took part.
We decided at our AGM in March that this would be our final year of operation, due to the age of our Committee and the lack of new representatives from our parishes. It has been a privilege to have been able to work together with the Methodist and Anglican churches in Leigh to provide support for homeless people in the Southend area over the last 33 years. We would like to thank all those who over the years have supported us with their attendance at events, membership of our 200 Club and their prayers.
When we started all those years ago there was very little support for the young single homeless in the town, but we are delighted that there are now many other organisations that will carry on working to alleviate the plight of the homeless.
We would like to invite you all to our final Carol Concert on Friday 15th December at 7pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, and afterwards for refreshments at our closing event.
Anyone who has a Standing Order or direct debit with us should cancel them from the beginning of Jan 2024.
I would also like to give my personal thanks to everyone who has served on the Committee since 1990.
Jo Ronan
Missio - World Mission Sunday (Sunday 22 October)
The Holy Father invites all Catholics to contribute to a special collection for Missio, his charity for world mission. Please support Missio in helping missionaries to work alongside communities throughout the world that are poor or in need , regardless of their background or belief.
To donate please see the Freepost envelopes at the back of the Church to send direct to Missio or place in the church collection.
Thank you.
Joan Caunce, Secretary.
FREE Little City Sessions
Is your child in Nursery or preschool?
Come along to a FREE Little City session at our school on the 7th November!
Go shopping in the supermarket; be a hairdresser; treat the poorly animals in the Vets: the possibilities are endless!
Simply go to https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/leigh-on-sea/our-lady-of-lourdes-catholic-primary-school-and-nursery and book your space!
World Day of Prayer Fundraising Event
COFFEE MORNING AND BRING AND BUY including homemade cakes to support the local WORLD DAY OF PRAYER Committee - a COFFEE/CONCERT given by THE TWO ELIZABETHS.
With guest performers
to be held on
SATURDAY 21st October 2023
10.30 a.m. – 12.00 NOON
(Concert lasts around 45 minutes)
St Clements Church,
Leigh Broadway SS9 1AR
EVERYONE WELCOME no entry charge
OLL Ladies Group Meeting
Ladies Group next Meeting is Thursday 19 October starting at 10 am. We are very pleased to welcome another Guest Speaker: Jean Quarmby who will be telling us about her experiences of “Growing up in Iraq” in the years following the 2nd World War. All ladies in the Parish are welcome to come. Refreshments are available and are included in the Subs of £1.00 plus we have a fun Raffle. Why not come and enjoy the company of friends old and new in a warm, friendly environment. New Members are always welcome.
JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA
RCIA will meet on Monday, 16th 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.
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.
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
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.