Declaration of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith “Dignitas Infinita” on Human Dignity
Declaration of the Holy See on some aspects of the Dignity of Human Life, including gender issues.
It can be read here:
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/04/08/240408c.html
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
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham – 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 contact the Parish office.
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.
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>
Cleaner Required
Would you be able to spare an hour a week between 10am and 1pm, to help clean the Lady Chapel ? 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.
Art Exhibition
There will be a stunning Exhibition of Portraiture and some other subject matter by Parishioner Austin Butler at the Leigh Community Centre commencing Monday 15th April until Friday 24th May. Art walls are the large stairwell wall and the upstairs hallway. Austin has won National Awards for his painting. Full colour catalogues available and information at the Exhibition.
Second Sunday of Easter
Dear friends in Christ
The Octave Day of Easter renews our joy and hope in the Resurrection of Our Lord
Dear friends in Christ
The Octave Day of Easter renews our joy and hope in the Resurrection of Our Lord! The Gospel calls to our minds and hearts the moment on that same evening when Jesus confers His power to forgive sin on the Church. The Apostles are given the Divine mandate to forgive sins in His name. Since the year 2000 we celebrate the feast of Divine Mercy this Sunday. It was this Day that year that St Pope John Paul II Canonised Sister Faustina Kowalska announcing her as a modern day Apostle of Divine Mercy. As we listen again to the words of Jesus addressed to the Apostles on that evening of the Resurrection in the Upper Room, let us ask ourselves if we are generous in approaching Jesus and seeking His Divine Mercy often.
Our prayerful good wishes go to the eight who were initiated into the Church last weekend during the Easter Vigil; this Sunday during 11.30am Mass Tommy Brunning and Katelyn Gallacher will be Baptised, Confirmed and receive First Holy Communion. Pray for all of them that, they may be faithful to what they promise and receive what is promised to them!
Thank you for the many personal greetings I have received this Easter and for your many kind gifts as well as the generous Easter Offerings. As we celebrate the Easter season over the coming weeks, may we always do so fully conscious of the privilege we have, of belonging to the Catholic Church, the Church founded by and on Jesus Christ—our glorious Catholic Faith!
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Second Sunday of Easter—of Divine Mercy
Liturgy:
Readings of Year B
The Apostles’ Creed
Preface of Easter 1
Saturday 6
Saturday within the Octave of Easter
5.30pm Vigil Mass Linda McDonald, RIP (AT)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 7 April
Second Sunday of Easter—of Divine Mercy
8am Mass Simone Dann's Intentions (MC)
9.30am Mass Fred & Doreen Wall, RIP (Anniv) (K&LW)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
2.30pm Devotions for The Divine Mercy
Monday 8
The Annunciation of the Lord
9am Mass Intentions of Bob & Barbara Braden-Brown (CF)
Tuesday 9
Tuesday after the Second Sunday of Easter
9am Mass Ian Irwin, RIP (Anniv) (MI)
Wednesday 10
Wednesday after the Second Sunday of Easter
9am Mass Frank & Barbara Blaker, RIP (JH)
4.30pm Body in church Fr John McCollough
Thursday 11
St Stanislaus, Bp, M
10am Requiem Mass Fr John McCollough
Friday 12
Friday after the Second Sunday of Easter
12Noon Mass Mr A. Macdonald (JM)
Saturday 13
Saturday after the Second Sunday of Easter
10am Mass Armo Collini, RIP (RT)
10.30-11.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Vigil Mass Christine Keenan, RIP (Anniv) (FK)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 14 April
Third Sunday of Easter
8am Mass Deceased Relatives of the Lewis Family (JL)
9.30am Mass John Adams, RIP (HR)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Deacon Geoffrey Piper, Fr Thomas Adkins, Fr Anthony Lawson, Fr Patrick Donohoe, Canon Owen O’Neil, Mary McKenzie, Michael Maloney, Miriam Cunniffe, Marjorie Pollard, James Tully, John Welham, Laurence Westwood, Will Coveney, Robert Ellis, Anthony Irons, Clare Ann Houlihan, James Poskitt, Mary McKeever, Esther Martin, Frances Phillips, Ian Irwin, Christopher Bennett, Francis Hoe, Patrick Manning, Patricia Logan, Frank Nagle, Winifred Duffield, Patricia Abram, Jean Connolly, Lilian Larman, May Provera, Andrew Trayner & Eileen Goodwin-Self.
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.”
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for all the souls in purgatory, especially abandoned souls.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
FATHER JOHN McCOLLOUGH His body will be received into church on Wednesday, 10th April at 4.30pm and his Requiem Mass will be on Thursday, 11th April at 10am.
FATHER GEORGE TOWLER who died on Thursday, 4th April at Frimley Park Hospital near Ascot.
Father Towler was born on 3 September 1937 at Romford. He grew up in Holy Family Parish, Dagenham was educated for the priesthood at Wonersh and Ordained on 16 June 1962 by Bishop Wall at Brentwood Cathedral. He was Assistant Priest at Chelmsford OLI (1962-1971, gaining a B.Sc in Economics at the London School of Economics in 1967), and Brentwood Cathedral (1971-1973). He was a full-time teacher (1973-1989) residing in London (1973-1980), Rochford (1980-1981) Brentwood Cathedral (1981-1986), Upminster (1986-1989), teaching for much of that time at St Cedd’s Secondary School, South Ockendon. He was appointed Parish Priest at Danbury & South Woodham Ferrers (1989-1997) and Wickford (1997-2002). He retired in 2002 to Downham and thereafter to Stock and then Ascot. He served as Diocesan Administrator for the Secular Clergy Common Fund.
Details of his funeral will follow once arrangements have been made.
Requiescant in pace
Dates for your Diary
Saturdays 11th & 18th May—First Holy Communion Masses
Sunday 19th May—Sacrament of Confirmation
Sunday 23rd June—Fortieth Anniversary Mass of Fr Kevin Hale 11.30am
Saturday 6th July—Flower Festival
Monday 22nd—Friday 26th July 2024—Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Macrocarpa Tree
The tree in the garden of the Parish Centre has been under observation for some time now as it is severely diseased. A Tree Surgeon has been examining it for ten years and with a recent second opinion, have concluded that it is two thirds dead! It now poses a potential danger to the surrounding area. Sadly, we have discerned that the only course of action is to remove the tree completely from the garden. It does not have a preservation order on it. This is obviously sad since it is a feature, but there is no other option given the deterioration and condition of the tree. However, it will mean that we can grass the garden so that there will be a better lawn which will serve well for Parish functions in the future.
OLL Ladies Group
Would all ladies please note that the Meeting scheduled for next Thursday 11th April has unfortunately had to be postponed, due to a Requiem Mass taking place. We hope that the talk on Oberamagau will be re-arranged at a later date. We apologise for this unforeseen change of plan and hope to see you all again very soon. Please watch this space for the date of our next Meeting.
Repository
The Repository will be open this weekend as usual, after the Easter weekend break. Please feel free to come and browse. We are pleased to say we have some gifts and cards for First Holy Communions, plus cards for Confirmation and other special occasions.