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.
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for Ezinne, her person, her intention and the fulfilment of her vocation.
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: All' Elevazione—Padre Martini (1706-1784)
Postlude: Andante—Maurice Greene (1699-1755)
Dates for your Diary
Monday 5th February—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—Friday 26th July 2024—Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes-Monday 22nd-Friday 26th July2024
The Parishes of Leigh-on-Sea, Southend & Prittlewell will travel together to Lourdes in July. The cost is approximately £760 per adult sharing, with an additional £180 for a single room. (Plus transfer to airport and Brentwood donation).
Package Inclusions: Return flights with British Airways from Heathrow including 23kg hold-luggage, 4 nights full-board in the 4* Grand Hotel Moderne (closest to the shrine), fully guided with walking tour & full religious itinerary.
Please register your details (name, number of seats requested, contact number & email address) with the Parish Office as soon as possible.
National Marriage Week 7—14th February 2024
Below we share a reflection penned by a married couple of our Parish:
ROSES AND ASHES
Have you started thinking about Lent yet? This year St Valentine’s Day, falls on Ash Wednesday. So how to combine red roses with fasting and ashes?
When we marry we profess in our vows to follow our paths of life together, no matter what that may mean. We commit to being more than just alongside each other. We promise to love and to cherish one another: to do all that we can to enable our spouse to be happy in this world and in the next, and to grow to be all we can be ourselves. That is our calling.
What of our path through Lent? It’s similar as we look to understand ourselves and learn how we can realise the unending love of God inviting us to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection at Easter. We seek change in ourselves in order to pay special attention to both God and our spouse. Our gift to our spouse is to help them become who God made them to be; who they have the capacity to be. The outcome of this depends on how we respond to the graces given to us. So, how can we grow to be the best help mate for our spouse, and to be more fully appreciative of them, and be closer to God?
We believe it’s about communication with our spouse and with God; how can we do that when we are so busy? There’s always the children, the parents, work and even our church commitments.
Perhaps we can agree some resolutions for Lent to help us?
• Pope Francis has simple guidance for couples. He says, each day include, “Thank you, Please, I’m sorry”. Or how about:
• leave the phones away from the dining table and from the bedroom.
• get a practice of saying a daily prayer together - the Lord’s Prayer, the Angelus, the Magnificat - are just a few options.
Each day take some time to check in with each other …. Maybe ask “Tell me something about your day today and how do you feel about that”.
This February is a LEAP YEAR, one more day in the month to love each other. We’re thinking of doing something DIFFERENT for the 29th to express our love. Would you like to give some thought to any of the above notions for your relationship?
Brian & Maureen Devine
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: Celebrating our Faith in the Sacred Liturgy
Wednesday, February 28th—Fr Mark Reilly PP Hornchurch: Towards the Holy Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope
Wednesday, March 13th—Fr Graham Smith PP Southend: How to be Holy
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.
OLOL Ladies Group
Our next Meeting in the Parish Centre is on Thursday 8th February from 10am. All ladies welcome with subs being £1.00 plus a fun Raffle.
We are very pleased to welcome our latest Guest Speaker, Viv Bird, who will be giving us a talk ‘Tales of a flight attendant ‘ which we are sure will be interesting with plenty of light hearted humour thrown in. All ladies in the Parish are welcome to hear Viv and also enjoy tea/ coffee and cake (before Lent is upon us!!).
Journey of Faith—RCIA
RCIA will meet on Monday, 5th February 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 St Clement 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
We have some new stock so please take a minute to visit us and have a browse, especially at our new selection of various sized Statues.
We also have new Mass cards and Sympathy cards plus a selection of Anniversary, Baptism cards etc. If you can’t find what you are looking for please ask one of the volunteers.
Please note the Repository is only open after Weekend Masses.
Parish 200 Club
It has become apparent that some parishioners have inadvertently deleted their standing orders to the Parish 200 Club. If you would like to rejoin could you please fill in a form at the back of the church and return it to the office, marked for the attention of Linda Wall. Thank you.
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.