Assisted Dying
In response to letters our Member of Parliament has received around the proposed Bill on Assisted Suicide, our MP has stated that he is as yet undecided on how to vote. If you have not already done so, please take part in his survey on this vital issue which can be found here: Assisted Dying He is eager to know the views of his Constituents.
If you have already filled it out, but know of others in Southend West & Leigh who have yet to contribute their thoughts, then please feel free to encourage them to take part.
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Voluntary—John Stanley (1713-1786)
Postlude: Toccata—Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
Responsorial Psalm
Candles for the Forty Hours’ Prayer-Thursday 28th to Saturday 30th November
These can be had in the Sacristy (£5) and will burn before the Blessed Sacrament with your intention written on the base. The remaining lamps will be used as the Sanctuary Lamp throughout the coming year.
The Watching rotas are on a table at the back for the church covering the three days; please complete each thirty minute period with at least two names. Thank you!
Dates for your Diary
Monday, 25th November—Journey in Faith (RCIA) 8pm Parish Centre
Friday 22nd November—Sung Latin Requiem Mass 7pm
Thursday 28th-Saturday 30th November—Forty Hours’ Prayer
Friday 20th December—Annual Carol Service 7pm
Saturday 15th—Friday 21st March 2025—Parish Mission led by the Redemptorists
Saturdays 10th & 17th May 10.30am—First Holy Communion Masses
Sunday 1st June 2025—Visitation & Confirmation
Sunday 22nd June—Corpus Christi Procession 4pm
Monday 21st—Friday 25th July—Lourdes Pilgrimage
Monday 8th September Centenary of the Opening of our Church
OLOL Annual Christmas Carol Service
We are looking for helpers in the hall at the Carol Service, to serve refreshments (teas, mulled wine, mince pies etc). Please contact Darrell Binding on 07825 686249 if you are able to help.
HARP
Will you consider donating £10 to help a homeless person during the forthcoming Christmas period?
Between 3rd and 10th December every donation made to HARP will be doubled—thanks to the national Christmas Big Give Challenge. This means, if you donate £10, we will receive £20!
Please visit the HARP website to donate, www.harpsouthend.org.uk, or give your donation to Linda Wall. Thank you for your continuing generosity and for supporting our local homeless people.
Sea of Voices Choir
The choir will be holding an informal Carol and cakes concert in the Parish Centre on Sunday 15th December from 3pm - not a formal concert, as in past years, as we will be asking for audience participation in singing well known carols, as well as us singing some of our repertoire. We will ask for charity donations on that afternoon.
Parish Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who has supported the 200 Club this year. The results of the October draw are as follows:
1st Prize £150 16 Mrs S Burgoyne
2nd Prize £100 178 Mr A Tisi
3rd Prize £75 101 Mr P Fisher
4th Prize £25 38 Mr P Collingwod
There has been a significant drop in members over the past few months. Would you consider taking part in the 200 Club? 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.
Repository
We are pleased to say we have a good selection of Christmas cards and a few Calendars plus our usual stock of Mass cards, Rosaries and other pious objects. Do come along and see us in the Repository or at the Parish Bazaar this weekend.
JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA
This continues on Monday, 25th November 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 Newman 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.
Catholic and aged between 18 - 30?
Join a group for faithful young adults for faith-based discussions. Presentations on relevant theological or ethical issues, evening prayer, exposition and benediction. If you are interested, then contact Max on 07783506474 for more information or to confirm your place. Food and drink will be provided.
The next session: Thursday 28th November at 7pm in Sacred Heart Church Hall (SS1 2QB) featuring a presentation by Fr. Graham Smith on Vocations including marriage, religious life, priesthood and secular work.
A Christmas Party!
Your parish SVP (Society of St Vincent de Paul) Conference is delighted to announce the date and place of its annual ‘Christmas Party’ to which all senior members of the parish are most warmly invited!
Our ‘Christmas Party’ is being held in the Parish Centre on Saturday, 7th December, commencing at 2pm and concluding at 4pm! Carols, good company and Christmas fare will pleasantly ease you into the seasonal spirit!
If you—or someone you know—would like to join us on this happy parish occasion please call/text Sallie Pollock on 07450 277956 You will be most welcome!
The Two Elizabeths - 20th Anniversary Concert
The Two Elizabeths (Elizabeth Dunlop and Elizabeth Upsher) are pleased to announce our anniversary concert celebrating 20 years of singing together!
We are fortunate to have Andrew Palmer accompanying us and Victor Patterson covering the Christmas items.
We do hope you can come and join us on Sunday, 1st December in our celebrations and share an evening of music that we have enjoyed performing through the past 20 years. Please pay on the door - save the date and get Christmas started with this fun evening.
We will be donating to St Saviours church organ and servery refurbishment fund and also Great Ormond Street Hospital - the hospital is very close to Elizabeth Upsher's heart as it cared for her grandson earlier this year with a very happy outcome.
Tickets £10 available at the door. Seasonal refreshments will be served.
We look forward to seeing you there!!!
St Joseph's Canvey is looking for Foundation Governors
Are you a practising Catholic?
Are you effective at forging links with the local and wider community?
Do you have skills that might be useful in a primary school like strategic leadership? recruitment? using data?
The Governing Body of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Canvey Island is looking for foundation governors. The term of office is usually for 4 years from date of appointment.
The governors work as a team, in close co-operation with the headteacher and staff. The core responsibilities of the governing body are:
Ensure clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction
Hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
Oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent
In addition to this, foundation governors are appointed specifically to ensure:
That the religious character of the school is preserved
That the school is conducted in accordance with its trust deed
That the religious education curriculum is in accordance with the Bishop’s policy for this Diocese
Are you able to give some of your time to a local Catholic school? We'd love to have you onboard. If you're interested in applying but you don't feel you have the experience, training will be provided to those that wish to expand and develop their skills.
If you would like to know more about the becoming a governor, please contact Frank McEvoy, the Chair of Governors, by email: fmcevoy@assisicatholictrust.com.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Missio Red Boxes
I have received the Missio Calendar 2025 . If you have not received one personally from me please take one from the back of the Church (in the usual place on the ledge). If you have a box to be opened please let me have it either personally or leave in the Office not later than Sunday 1st December.
Thank you.
Joan Caunce Secretary.
St. Bernard's High School Sixth Form Open Evening
Thursday 28 November 2024—6.30pm to 8.30pm
We would be delighted to welcome to our Sixth Form Open Evening prospective students who are interested in joining St Bernard’s High School’s Sixth Form in September 2025. www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk
We welcome applications to our mixed Sixth Form from students of all faiths and none, who meet our entrance requirements and are seeking a school with a Christian ethos.
St Bernard’s High School is a welcoming, inclusive school’. Ofsted 2023
‘Leaders have high expectations of pupils in terms of learning and behaviour. Pupils live up to these expectations.’ Ofsted 2023
‘The behaviour of students is exemplary both in lessons and throughout the school as they strive to live out the mission statement, ‘Love one another as I have loved you’. (Diocesan Inspection, 2024)
Behaviour for learning is outstanding, fostered through extremely positive teacher-student relationships’. (Diocesan Inspection, 2024)
www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk, Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 7JS
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary time
Dear friends in Christ
The penultimate Sunday of the liturgical year presents us with a picture of the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgment.
Dear friends in Christ
The penultimate Sunday of the liturgical year presents us with a picture of the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgment. According to the Prophet Daniel in the First Reading, and the words of Our Lord Himself, this is something full of awe and even dread—for the enemies of God. For the Faithful, this is something to anticipate with hope and expectancy. The Church teaches us through Sacred Scriptures and the Catechism, that there will be a personal individual judgement for each of us after our death, to determine our eternal destiny. There is another Final Judgment at the end of the world, when Christ will come in glory, to judge the living and the dead. Each of us will have to stand alone before our Creator and give an account of lives. In these days that speak to us so much of the final realities: Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell, may we be found ready and waiting for the coming of The Lord.
We approach the end of another year in the life of the Church with the celebration of Christ the King next weekend and this leads us to the final days—before the start of Advent—to our Annual Day of Solemn Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration, the Forty Hours’ Prayer. I encourage now, to make some space in our diaries for spending some extra time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, so that we may experience the Kingship of Jesus enthroned in our hearts and lives, and make a worthy preparation for Advent and the celebration of the Incarnation. It can also be a time of prayer in preparation for our entering into the Jubilee Year 2025, beginning on Christmas Day, which is designated the Year of Hope.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr Jean-Claude Selvini’s father—Roland Selvini—who died peacefully on Tuesday morning in Paris, at the great age of 100! His Requiem Mass will be offered on Tuesday morning. I have assured fr Jean-Claude of our prayers for his father and for all the family at this time. May he rest in peace.
May God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Readings of Year B
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 8
Saturday 16
St Edmund of Abingdon, Bp
5.30pm Vigil Evelyn Shevket, RIP (Anniv) (MC)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 17 November
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time—World Day of the Poor
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Intentions of Donny D'Cruz (AJ)
11.30am Mass Audrey Demers, RIP (JS)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 18
Dedication of the Basilicas of Ss Peter & Paul, App
9am Mass Eileen Hamilton, RIP (Anniv) (JPB)
Tuesday 19
Feria
9am Mass Paul Watts, RIP (IS)
Wednesday 20
Feria
No 9am Mass
10.45am Requiem Mass Marie Kharas, RIP
Thursday 21
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
9am Mass Patrick Faught, RIP (ES)
Friday 22
St Cecilia, V, M
12Noon Mass Holy Souls
7pm Sung Latin Requiem Mass Holy Souls
Saturday 23
St Clement, I, P, M
10am Mass Intentions Donny D'Cruz (AJ)
10.30-11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 24 November
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
8am Mass Maureen Regan, RIP (CR)
9.30am Mass Paul Watts, RIP (M&PS)
11.30am Mass Edward Trindle, RIP (RO'C)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Richard (Dick) Ashton, Fr John Harden, Fr James Linburgh, Mgr Edward Watson, Canon Martin Hancock, Kathleen Macauley, Mrs Alice Kelly, Jack Hosmer, Florrie Peck, Charlotte Roberts, Bert Russell, Maureen Deeks, John Cheswick, George Livermore, Celia Ashley, Marcia Clarke, James Rourke, Agnes Fitzgibbons, Emily Harriet-Upcroft, Boleslaw (Charlie) Czogalik, Peggy Ingham, Finbar Hayes, Ada Mundy, Brian Slattery, Josephine Phelps, Paul Pearman, William Shanahan, Rene Bragard, Victor Gubbins, Anne Jordan, Patricia Breslin, William Lewis, Harry Stanley, Constance Dobson, Enos (Alan) Ash, Tina Kentish, Jonathan Marshall & Kathleen McKee.
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.”