Dates for your Diary
Monday 25th March—Journey in Faith (RCIA) continues—8pm St Clement Room
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 Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who has supported the 200 Club this year. The results of the February draw are as follows:
1st Prize £150 76 Mrs J Hoggett
2nd Prize £100 24 Miss A Emmerson
3rd Prize £75 174 Mrs S Lawford
4th Prize £25 49 Mr P Smyth
We are still looking for new members. The subscription is £5 per month, either by cash, cheque or direct debit. If you would like to join, please fill in a form which can be found at the back of the church or ring Linda Wall on 01702 558217.
Gift Aid Envelopes
Please note that boxes of Offertory Gift Aid envelopes for the financial year 2024/2025 are available for collection at the back of Church.
There are also special second collection envelopes for those parishioners who have elected to donate offertory donations by means of a Standing Order.
Thanking you for your continued generosity and support with the finances of the Parish.
Journey of Faith—RCIA
RCIA will meet on Monday, 18th March 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.
BCCS Anniversary Afternoon Tea
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society will be hosting a very special Anniversary Afternoon Tea at the Roslin Beach Hotel, Thorpe Bay, Southend-on-Sea on Tuesday 23rd April 2024 at 1pm for service at 1.30pm. They are delighted that Bishop Alan, BCCS President, will be attending as guest of honour. Tickets for the event are £34.00 per person and should be purchased before Monday 8th April directly from their event webpage: www.bccs.org.uk/get-involved/events/ Once you have purchased your tickets, please advise Julie of any special dietary requirements or seating requests by contacting her by email jabbott@bccs.org.uk or call her on 07912 277413. Guests will be seated at tables of 12.
Repository
We are open after all Masses at weekends so please feel free to come and browse our new stock. We are pleased to say we now have a large collection of Rosaries to suit all tastes/ages, plus a selection of Statues and Candles.
Cards and gifts for First Holy Communion will be available after Easter.
Just arrived are new Cards for Mass intentions, Sympathy, Get Well, Birthday etc. For the early bird we have some Easter and Mother’s Day cards, plus gifts and cards for Baptism. If you do not find what you are looking for please ask one of the Volunteers.
Flower & Craft Festival Saturday 6th July 2024
It is time to start preparations for this year’s Flower and Craft Festival! The Theme this year is ‘PRAYER.’
We would love to have as many people as possible to take part. Simply choose a prayer or prayers and think about how that can be illustrated visually with Flowers, Art work, Artefacts, Needlework etc.
The Festival day is always a very inspiring occasion with people from all faiths or none dropping into our beautiful Church. We have been overwhelmed by the positive response that there has been over the last few years to our themes.
If you would like to take part please email me at : mcronan@btinternet.com, or simply speak to me or Theresa.
If you are not sure about a suitable prayer then I have lots to choose from. Jo Ronan
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.
St Bernard's High School—Exam Invigilators required as soon as possible
Current Hourly Rate: £10.50
Invigilators should be reliable, responsible, and able to follow instructions in a calm and sensible manner. A flexible approach to working hours is essential and full training will be provided. We welcome applications from all denominations or none.
The Governing Body is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share in this commitment.
If you are interested in this position, please fill in the support staff application form found on our website under https://www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk/about-us/vacancies/ and email it torecruitment@stbernards.southend.sch.uk
Note: CVs will not be accepted.
Loving Leigh
Following on from the Bishop's request to respond to the needs of our environment and our brothers and sisters we are proposing to initiate the following projects with your help.
Fair Trade - Apologies for the last minute cancellation of the proposed Fairtrade stall last weekend. It was due to illness of the stall holder. A new date will be organised as soon as possible.
Environment - We are looking for donations of any environmentally friendly plants for the church gardens (both drought resistant and pollinators)
Volunteers needed - A charity called Your Family are looking for volunteers to help with some of their initiatives including: 'Cuppa and Chat drop in', Messy Play sessions, Food banks, 'Little love Baby Bank' and family engagement in libraries. Any travel costs will be reimbursed.
Street Pastors - Asking for volunteers who will be trained to work on the streets of Southend. They also need a treasurer.
Southend University - We plan to operate a Homework Club in the Parish Centre one day a week between 3.30-5.00pm to support young people who do not have the facilities at home to do their homework. The University will provide some mentors but if one or two parishioners could also support this initiative on a rota basis that would be great.
We hope that by putting our faith into action that we are responding to the example of Jesus and the words of our Pope.
If you are willing to help in any of the above ventures or just want to know a little more about them please ring Cathy on 07762 107920 to find out more. Thank you. Cathy, Live Simply Group.
Missio Red Box Holders
I have received the Spring 2024 Missio magazines. If you have not received one from me personally please take one from the back of the Church (Usual place). Thank you Joan Caunce Secretary.01268 757505
2024 Caritas Networking Day
Interested in the Catholic response to homelessness, welcoming refugees and migrants, assisting with the Cost of Living Crisis, or tackling the causes and effects of climate change? You are invited to the 2024 Caritas Brentwood Networking Day, Saturday 27th April, 10am – 2.30pm, at the St Edward the Confessor Church Hall, Romford (10-minute walk from Romford Station on the Elizabeth line, Bus routes from London are regular, parking is available but limited and a bike rack is also on site). This day is a chance to be sustained, share ideas and good practices with people from parishes across Essex and East London and hear about charities and resources available. Details and Registration (for free!) at www.caritasbrentwood.org/network<http://www.caritasbrentwood.org/network>
Catholic Parish Summit
The Catholic Parish Summit is taking place in Harrogate from the 12th to the 14th of June with over 1,000 parish leaders from across the country.
Our diocese has booked some places for the Summit which are available to anyone who is interested in attending. These places are free but they are limited and you will need to make arrangements for accommodation while you are in Harrogate. For more information about the Summit please visit their website: https://catholicparishsummit.com/
If you would like to find out more please email Father Dan Mason, the Episcopal Vicar for Parish Renewal at billericay@brcdt.org
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School and Nursery - Vacancy
Learning Support Assistant
Required for Summer Term Start 2024
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School has a friendly, dedicated team where everyone belongs. Our children are well behaved and enjoy coming to school.
We are looking for a learning support assistant and we hope to find someone who has experience of working, understanding and supporting children and who knows that teaching and learning is really important. Because of the demands of the 2014 curriculum, we need someone with excellent English and mathematics skills. We need someone who will be committed to our school and will be able to work with our team. We need someone who will thrive when working with children and be ready to do any reasonable task and be prepared to learn a range of new skills.
We need staff who are reliable, flexible and hard working. Ideally you will have experience in supporting children or you are able to demonstrate your commitment and skills to support our learners.
We would like you:
● To have experience or a range of skills that will enable you to support our learners
● To be able to liaise with leaders, teachers and the SENCo to provide the best level of support for
our pupils
● Be able to work well with our team and be able to think on your feet
● Know that high expectations lead to good outcomes for our pupils
● Be positive to ensure that everyone can achieve
● Have a good level of literacy and mathematics (GCSE A-C)
● Know that you are here to assist in teaching and learning
● Be calm and patient whilst setting a high standard for behaviour
An NVQ Level 2 in learning support/early years, NNEB or other equivalent qualification would be desirable.
Scale point 4
The position will be from 08.30-15.30, with a half-hour lunch break Monday to Friday, term time only.
All our applicants need to be supportive of the school’s Catholic ethos, however, we invite applications from both Catholic and non-Catholic staff
Headteacher: Mrs Sally Nutman
Visits to the school are warmly welcomed by appointment.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to support this commitment. All appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. All applications must be completed using the Catholic Education Service Application Form.
Please contact the school office via email at finance@ourladyoflourdes.southend.sch.uk or call on 01702 475689 for an application pack.
Closing Date: 25th March 2024
Interview Date: 28th March 2024
Fifth Sunday of Lent
The final part of Lent is named Passiontide. The reason for this is clear as we now start to focus our prayer and meditation on the suffering of Christ and the events that lead to His sufferings and death. Our crucifixes and images are draped in purple.
Dear friends in Christ
The final part of Lent is named Passiontide. The reason for this is clear as we now start to focus our prayer and meditation on the sufferings of Christ and the events that lead to His Passion and death. Our crucifixes and images are draped in purple. The veiled images build within us a longing for Easter Sunday. The veils seem out of place, and even counterintuitive. It can seem strange that the crucifix is covered up during Passiontide. Through this absence of images, our senses are heightened and we become more aware of what is missing. When images are unveiled before the Easter Vigil, we are reminded that we, in a sense, live in a veiled world. It is through our own death that we are able to see our true home, when the veil is lifted. Christ lifts the veil through His Resurrection. In the meantime, we must pass along the Way of the Cross. This final part of Lent could remind us of how we live our lives here: in joy and suffering, but always with the anticipation of what is to come. We can ask God in these days ahead to increase our love of the Passion of Jesus, to learn some lessons from it, and to intensify our desire to be with Jesus always.
May I please ask you to pray for Rev Matúš Meleg who is Ordained a Priest for our Diocese this Saturday in Chingford. May God grant him a long and fruitful ministry for the salvation of souls.
May God bless us in these solemn days as we prepare for Holy Week itself.
Msgr Kevin Hale
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Liturgy:
Readings of Year B
The Apostles’ Creed
Preface of Fifth Sunday of Lent
Saturday 16
Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent
10am Mass Rev John O'Neill (FM)
10.30am-11.00am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
11am First Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 17 March
Fifth Sunday of Lent
8am Mass Eric Newman, RIP (Anniv) (VA)
9.30am Mass Bernadette Lane, RIP (MR)
11.30am Mass Mervyn Calton, RIP (RC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 18
Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
9am Mass John, Pat & Peter Moon, RIP (SM)
Tuesday 19
ST JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
9am Mass Intentions of the Speirs Family (DS)
Wednesday 20
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
9am Mass Intentions of Pat Lambert (CB)
10.45 Requiem Mass Michael Lucey RIP
7pm Lenten Evening of Reflection
Thursday 21
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
9am Mass Sofia Todryk, RIP (FO’B)
Friday 22
Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
10.00 Requiem Mass Isabel Coombs
7pm Way of the Cross and Benediction
Saturday 23
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
10am Mass Bernadette Lane, RIP (S&NH)
10.30am-11.30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass Frank & Moira Keenan, RIP (Anniversary) (FK)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 24 March
PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Gabrielle Eileen Kaiser, RIO (Anniversary) (MH)
11.30am Mass Aida do Carmo Lourenco (SC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Donal Donegal, Fr Sidney Williams, Canon Arthur Holmes, Rev John O’Neill, Fr Justin Dawson, Fr James Earley, Fr Henry Peace, Alfred Marshall, Dolores Cutter, John Flynn, Gabrielle Haiser, Henry de Souza, Andrew Shanahan, John Moon, Guy Bragard, Eric Newman, Doreen Wall, Margaret Foster, Mary Blundell, Dorothy Burke, Lesley Dorey, Edmund Easterly, Francis Spratt, Francis Joseph Foley, Edward Hance, Edward Agues, Catherine Davis, Ann Whiteley, John Fowler, Denis Reid, Nora McLeod, Imelda Maguire, Bernard Cody, Violet Day, Fred Hopkins, Ted Wheeler, Katerina Deyanovitch, John Archer, Paul Reid, Maud Phyllis King, Marie Nichols, Peter Gough, John Rombaut, Boleslaw Bendkowski, Mary Hardy & Nancy Mallif.
We pray for our sick
The Sick List is available on the website main menu, under Worship.
We pray for the sick of our parish
“Father,
by the power of your Spirit
you have filled the hearts of your faithful people
with gifts of love for one another.
Hear the prayers we offer for our relatives and friends.
Give them health of mind and body
that they may do your will with perfect love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.”