CAFOD Lent Family Fast Day—Friday 23rd February
This Lent Fast Day, CAFOD highlights the work it does to support hardworking communities with resources, skills and training to earn a living and feed their families. It highlights its work in Liberia through which it is providing fishermen with compasses, lifejackets and GPS systems so they can find the fish successfully and return to their homes safely. Please keep CAFOD in your prayers and consider eating simply on 23rd February and donating what you can to help their work. Gift envelops are at the back of the church, or you can donate electronically, or donate online and learn more about CAFOD's current work (www.cafod.org.uk)
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.
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham - Saturday 25th May 2024
Join Bishop Alan and other parishes around the Diocese of Brentwood in Walsingham. We will celebrate Mass at the Basilica before walking the Holy Mile to the grounds of Walsingham Abbey to celebrate Vespers and Benediction on the site of the Holy House. If you would like to come please leave your name and contact details with the Parish office.
Organ Loft cleaner required
Would you be able to spare an hour a week between 10am and 1pm, to help clean our organ loft? Whichever day suits you, and it doesn’t have to be the same day every week!
If you can help, please contact the Parish office on 01702 478078 or email office@lourdesleigh.org.
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School
Are you looking for a Nursery for your 2 to 4 year old?
Contact us to look around our learning environment!
office@ourladyoflourdes.southend.sch.uk 01702475689
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School is located in Leigh's heart along Manchester Drive, a short walk from the London Road.
Our welcoming community school is perfect for children starting Nursery in 2024.
We're proud of our family feel, which spans generations, and our vast grounds for children to play.
Excelling in music, sport, science, and a balanced curriculum, we're the ideal place for your child to flourish.
Thinking about your child as they grow, our children transition easily and happily into our Reception classes. Our children achieve well in KS2, with many children moving on to the Catholic secondary schools.
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
Journey of Faith—RCIA
RCIA will meet on Monday, 12th 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.
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.
Careers Co-ordinator Vacancy at St Bernard's High School
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week (8am–4pm) term time, plus two weeks
Start date: February/March 2024
Salary Scale: 19-24 (pro-rata salary £26,784-£29,897)
Closing Date: 26 February 2024, 9am
Interviews: tbc
Are you enthusiastic about supporting young people to make the best possible career choices?
We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic Careers professional to support students in identifying and pursuing their chosen career. You will contribute to the Careers components of the PSHE programme, arrange Careers Fairs, arrange work experience in line with Gatsby benchmarks, and support Years 11-13 with their career paths and UCAS applications.
If you would like more information about the role please see our website (www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk under About Us/Vacancies). If you are interested in applying please complete the Support Staff Application Form found on the Vacancies webpage and email it to recruitment@stbernards.southend.sch.uk.
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.
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.
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.
Vacancies in Diocesan Schools
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
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
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
The mission that Christ brought to earth was that of bringing the good news of salvation to every living creature.
Dear friends in Christ
The mission that Christ brought to earth was that of bringing the good news of salvation to every living creature. This is still the mission of the Church, which carries the command of Our Lord: Go out to the whole world and preach the Gospel to the whole of creation. Jesus does this during His time on earth by going amongst the people of Israel, curing the sick and liberating those bound by the Evil One. The mandate of Jesus to His Apostles remains clear and is the same today, even if we may find this awkward, inconvenient or we are too timid. Saint John Chrysostom anticipated all the possible excuses for not carrying out this most gratifying obligation: There is, he wrote, nothing colder than a Christian who is unconcerned about the salvation of others ... Do not say 'I am unable to help them', for if you are truly a Christian it is impossible for you to make such an admission. The properties of natural things cannot be denied them: the same thing happens with this affirmation, for it is in the nature of a Christian to act in this way ... It is easier for the sun to fail to give its light or its heat than for a Christian to cease to give light and warmth; it would be easier for light to be dark-ness. Do not say that the thing is impossible; what is impossible is the opposite ... If we order our conduct aright, everything else will follow as a natural consequence. The light of Christians cannot be hidden; a light that shines so brightly cannot be concealed. (Homily on the Acs of Apostles,20)
This coming Saturday we shall celebrate our Patronal Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (transferred from 11th) Mass is at 10am. This is always a day on which we recall the apparitions of Mary to St Bernadette in 1858 and, as we approach Lent, take to heart again her motherly exhortation that we pray and do penance! May the continued protection of Our Blessed Lady be a source of comfort and support for us in this Parish; may our homes, School, and institutions feel the maternal protection of her who at Lourdes tells us: I am the Immaculate Conception!
May Christ and His blessed Mother bless you all!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Readings of Year B
The Nicene Creed
Preface Sunday 4
Saturday 3
St Anne Line, M; St Blaise, Bp M
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
Monday 5
St Agatha, V, M
9am Mass Alec McFarlane, RIP (Anniv) (MW)
Tuesday 6
St Paul Miki and Comps, Mm
9am Mass Nick Flach, RIP (MW)
4.30pm Body in Church Anthony Sansom
Wednesday 7
Feria
9am Mass Pat Lambert (80th birthday) (LL)
10.30am Requiem Mass Anthony Sansom
Thursday 8
Feria
9am Mass Luigia Tisi, RIP (Anniv) (TT)
Friday 9
Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Brian Holt (recovery) (RP)
Saturday 10
Celebration of OUR LADY OF LOURDES (transferred)
10am Solemn Mass of the Feast—Barbara Kampf, RIP (AS)
10.30-11.30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass Tony Trigg, RIP (Anniv) (AT)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 11 February
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Alice McCrory, RIP (MS)
9.30am Mass Bernard Ward, RIP (Anniv) (MW)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Francis Richardson, Fr Alan Wilcox, Canon Bernard Manning, Pope Pius XI, Rev William Smith, Mrs Winifred Waller, Michael John Shrapnel, Teresa O’Brien, Lilian Abbott, Elizabeth Judge, Margaret O’Connor, Robert Roberton, Margaret Pearson, John Hanna Manna, Victor Maguire, Joseph Ruggiero, Barbara Blaker, Charles Taylor, Henry Moore, Catherine Burn, Modge Dutton, Emma Oldham, Veronica Read, Peter Heritage, Alice Whitfield, Eugenie Ballard, Doris Wenninger, Edmund O’Sullivan, Patrick Bennett, Charlie Oldham, John Armstrong, Victor Gosling, Carmen Ashley, John Young & Bernard Ward.