Vocations
The next “Enquirers’ Evening” for those considering or interested in a vocation to the priesthood is on Tuesday, 6th February at Brentwood Cathedral. The speaker will be Deacon Matúš Meleg who is training for the priesthood for our Diocese.
For further information please contact Fr Mark Swires vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org
Sacrament of Confirmation
This will take place on Pentecost Sunday, 19th May, 2024. Any adult or young adult (who must have reached the age of fourteen by 1st September 2023) may apply. Please send an email with your name and contact details to mrscatherineharris@gmail.com by Ash Wednesday, 14th February, 2024.
Right to Life: Changing Hearts and Minds—update
MPs in the United Kingdom Parliament: Dame Diana Johnson and Stella Creasy, have tabled amendments to the Government’s Criminal Justice Bill; New Clause 1 and New Clause 2 respectively.
Both amendments would decriminalise abortion, that is, remove it from the criminal law.
These amendments are very dangerous for it removes all legal protection for the unborn babies and reduces further the wellbeing of the mother’s mental and physical health.
How can you make a difference and have your voice heard about this very important issue….write to your MP
It is vital that we all “lobby our MPs” to oppose these extreme and dangerous amendments.
We expect that there will be a vote in Parliament next month.
Please contact your MP, asking them to oppose these proposals.
Click on the link below and following the guidance to send your message to your MP.
Vacancies in Diocesan Schools
Headteacher - St Joseph's Primary School, Canvey Island
Deadline for applications: 12:00 (noon), Wednesday 7th February 2024
Headteacher - St Patrick's Primary School, Collier Row
Deadline for applications: 12:00 (noon), Monday 12th February 2024
Deputy Headteacher - St Aidan's Primary School, Ilford
Deadline for applications: 12:00 (noon), Friday 16th February 2024
Headteacher - St Thomas More Primary School, Saffron Walden
Deadline for applications: 12:00 (noon), Monday 26th February 2024
Deputy Headteacher - St Peter's Primary School, Romford
Deadline for applications: 09:00 am, Monday 26th February 2024
Headteacher - St Joseph's Primary School, Harwich
Deadline for applications: 12:00 (noon), Wednesday 28th February 2024
Deputy Headteacher - Convent High School, Grays
Deadline for applications: 12:00 (noon), Friday 8th March 2024
Housekeeper Vacancy
A female Parish member is seeking the right person to assist with general domestic duties. Rate of pay £13.00 per hr for a total of 5.5 hrs per week divided into two hrs on two days and 1.5hrs on another. Late mornings/early afternoons. Full employer insurance cover. Please contact izzybee555@gmail.com for enquiries.
St Helen's Catholic Primary School Teaching Assistant Vacancy
St. Helen’s Catholic Primary School are seeking to appoint a Teaching Assistant to join our friendly team. This will be a 1 year temporary contract to cover maternity. Please see our website for full details or contact Mrs Sears on 01702 343823.
World Day of Prayer
This year’s World Day of Prayer Service takes place on Friday 1st March at 10.30am. at Avenue Baptist church, Milton Road, Westcliff-On-Sea SS0 7JX followed by tea/coffee. Car parking is available at North Road and Cliffs Pavilion car parks.
This years’ service is prepared by the women of Palestine on the theme “I beg you, bear with one another in love”.. We are very fortunate to have the children from St Helen's primary school to take an active part in the service. We invite everyone to join us in praying for peace in the Holy Land.
Little Company of Mary, 11-13 Grosvenor Road, Westcliff
We are recruiting for a maintenance person with good all-round DIY skills. Basic knowledge of electrical, heating, plumbing and hot & cold water service installations is required, with the ability to undertake all general and statutory maintenance checks on the various installations.
Previous experience in a similar role is desirable, preferably in a Care Home environment.
The successful candidate must have a good standard of record keeping and be able to work unsupervised.
Hours: 16 hours over 4 days (to be agreed)
Please submit your application to: lcm.ef@btinternet.com
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
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary time
Dear friends in Christ
The Gospel for this Sunday's Mass tells us about the cure of a man possessed by the devil.
Dear friends in Christ
The Gospel for this Sunday's Mass tells us about the cure of a man possessed by the devil. The name Belial or Beelzebub which we find in Scripture means unclean spirit. This victory over the unclean spirit is yet another proof of the coming of the Messiah, who arrives at length to free men from their most dreaded slavery: their slavery to the devil and to sin. This tormented man from Capharnaum cried out, What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. And Jesus strictly commanded him, Be silent and come out of him!.. And they were all amazed. We can also be amazed at the way God in Christ has saved us—from our sins and from all that keeps us from perfectly following Jesus. We are exhorted in the Responsorial Psalm of the Mass: O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts as at Meribah. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us to have a heart which is ever cleaner and stronger, capable of throwing off any oppressive bonds and of opening itself to God in the way that He expects of every Christian.
We are now seventy days away from Easter! In the classical Roman Calendar this Sunday was termed Septuagesima and the two successive Sundays: Sexagesima and Quinquagesima. This was and still is a helpful reminder to us that the days of the Lenten Spring are approaching; in this way, Ash Wednesday does not creep up too unexpectedly and we have time to prepare for how we shall live those Forty Days. You will see elsewhere in the Newsletter that we have a variety of spiritual exercises planned in the programme for Lent: we should start planning our diaries now! In the meantime, let us live daily in the fullness of what God has given us, not taking time or blessings for granted, so that as the hymn says: That with Thee we may appear, at the eternal
Eastertide.
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Readings of Year B
The Nicene Creed
Preface Sunday 3
Saturday 27
St Angela Merici, V
5.30pm Vigil Mass Clement Cecil Moise, RIP (LB)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 28 January
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Intentions of Margaret Huish (MR)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Mark Solecki, RIP (Anniv) (IS)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 29
Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Allan & Marian Long (JL)
Tuesday 30
Feria
9am Mass Fr Terry Murray, RIP (KD)
Wednesday 31
St John Bosco, Pr
9am Mass Joseph Galvin, RIP (F&JO’B)
Thursday 1 February
Feria
9am Mass Assunta Cotgrove, RIP (Anniv) (AMcC)
Friday 2
The Presentation of the Lord—First Friday of the Month
12Noon Mass N. J. Kurian, RIP (Anniv) (BC) Blessing and Procession of Candles before Mass
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until Holy Hour 7—8pm
Saturday 3
St Anne Line, M; St Blaise, Bp M 10am Mass John & Pat Moon, RIP (SM) Blessing of St Blaise after Mass
10.30-11.30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass Barrington Gray, RIP (Anniv) (JH)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 4 February
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Lisha Given, RIP (F&JO’B)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Intentions of Alan Bond (MR)
4pm Mass Peter Griffin RIP (Anniv) (FM)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
National Marriage Week
7-14 February is National Marriage Week. Please follow the link for some helpful and supportive material on Marriage and Family Life:
We Pray for our Sick
Danielle Osborne, Valerie Quinn, Tony Bullock, Michael Doherty, Carol Emerson, Kitty Lydon, Richard Poole, Pamela Uglietti, Michael Mapson, Deana Ince, Susan Griffin, Gy Rampersaud, Mary O’Sullivan, Ian Spacie, Bobby Newman, Paul Watts, Christine Reid, Rose D’Souza, Jimmy & Pauline Martin, James Fegan, David Lesley, 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.
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr John (Jack) Clifford, Fr Joseph Burns, Fr Enda Keenan, Fr Eric Bindloss-Smith, Maud Darnell, Frank Russell, Edward Armitage, William Cooper, Robert Waller, Mark Solecki, Maureen Leyden, Gerard Tait, Andrew ‘Mel’ Kenny, Andrew Shanahan, Claudio Catino, Carmel Bridget Abi-Aad, Joyce Ellen Reilly, Noel Calnan, May Ferry, Norah Kelly, Wyndham Richards, Mary Abel, Florence White, May Keane, William Moroney, Cissie Burnham, Elizabeth Ray, Peter Griffin, William Gannon, Patricia Robinson, Robert Jones, Kathleen Jennett, Francis Faulkner, Mary Quinn, Pamela Woodley, Myrtle Conridge, Edward Atherton, Florence Miller, James Kerr, Teresa Phelan, John Dickens & Bernard Pycroft.
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for the intentions of Charlie Kelly, RIP.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
ANTHONY SANSOM who died peacefully at home on Friday, 22nd December. His body will be received into the church on Tuesday, 6th February at 4.30pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday, 7th February at 10.30am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
BERNADETTE LANE Her body will be received into the church on Tuesday, 20th February at 4.30pm and her Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday, 21st February at 10am followed by committal at Basildon Crematorium.
BRIDGET WARD who died on Thursday, 11th January.
ISABEL COOMBS who died on Wednesday, 17th January.
FR JOHN McKEON who died on 17th January.
PEGGY McMANUS who died recently.
Requiescant in pace
Responsorial Psalm at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Duo—Nicolas de Grigny (1672-1703)
Postlude: Offertoire sur les Grands Jeux—Francois Couperin (1668-1733)
Dates for your Diary
Monday 29th January—Journey in Faith (RCIA) continues—8pm St Clement Room
Saturday 10th February—Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (transferred)—10am Solemn Mass
Thursdays: February 15th, 22nd, 29th & March 7th, 14th & 21st—'The Chosen’ 7pm Parish Centre
Wednesdays: February 21st, 28th, & March 13th & 20th;
Lenten Evenings of Reflection—7-8.30pm
Saturdays 11th & 18th May—First Holy Communion Masses
Sunday 19th May—Sacrament of Confirmation
Saturday 6th July—Flower Festival
Monday 22nd—Saturday 27th July 2024—Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes
THE CHOSEN—showing in the Parish during Lent
The Chosen is a groundbreaking historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ, seen through the eyes of those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the drama shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ revolutionary life and teachings.
Six of the episodes of this Gospel depiction will be screened in the Parish Centre on the Thursdays of Lent, beginning on 15th February at 7pm; each episode lasts one hour.
LENTEN EVENINGS OF REFLECTION
Wednesday, February 21st—Msgr Kevin Hale
Wednesday, February 28th—Fr Mark Reilly PP Hornchurch
Wednesday, March 13th—Fr Graham Smith PP Southend
Wednesday, March 20th—Fr Stephen Morrison OPræm PP Peckham
To include a preached meditation by a guest speaker, Eucharistic Adoration, Compline, Benediction and Confessions. These will be held in the church from 7–8pm followed by refreshments and a bookstall in the Parish Centre.