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 the intentions of Roland Clark, RIP.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
LEONORA MAGUIRE, RIP who died recently. Funeral details to follow.
SUSAN JANE O’NEILL, RIP who died on 18th December. Her funeral will take place on Tuesday, 21st January at Southend Crematorium, West Chapel at 2pm.
Requiescant in pace
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: In dulci jubilo BuxWV 197—Dieterich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
Postlude: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Erh—Georg Böhm (1661-1733)
Reading at Weekend Masses
"Christ is always present in his word since it is he himself who speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the Church" [Second Vatican Council]. With the new Lectionary being a fresh chance to hear Christ speaking to us, bringing us together with others, now could be an opportunity to use your talents to read at Mass?
Readers at weekend Masses generally read in pairs every 4 or 5 weeks, and are only rostered to read at the Mass they normally attend. Rotas are flexible so you can always swap if something comes up and you are unable to read on a weekend. The opportunity to read is available to both children and adults. Training / practice are available if you've not read before or are returning to reading.
If you're interested, please contact Jackie Sullens (j.sullens@btinternet.com) who'll be happy to explain what's involved and to arrange some practice so you can consider further whether you'd like to join our group of readers. Thank you.
Lourdes Jubilee Year Pilgrimage
The Pilgrimage to Lourdes, flying with BA, will depart Heathrow on Monday 21st July 07.35am—Arrive Toulouse 10.25am, returning on Saturday 26th July 10.45am—arriving at 11.45am.
The 5-night package price is £895 per pilgrim sharing, single supplement is £225, staying at the 4 star Grand Hotel Moderne Soubirous (closest to Sanctuary).
This includes 5 nights full-board and return luxury coach transfer from Lourdes airport to the hotel.
Please leave your name and contact details with the Parish Office soon, as places are limited.
OLOL Ladies Group
To all Ladies in the Parish, our next Meeting for the New Year is in the Parish Centre on Thursday 16th January. This will be a relaxed social morning with a selection of Board games, or sharing news, books or just catching up with friends old and new following our Christmas break. Amazingly we will be celebrating our 7th year of the Ladies Group (where has the time gone? ) We always welcome new members with subs still only £1 per Meeting.
For any Ladies out there who are interested, please just come along and introduce yourself. We try to keep the Group as informal as possible so there is no form filling, and ladies are free to join us as and when they wish.
On behalf of Cynthia, Jan, Jo and Jane we wish you a very happy , peaceful and healthy New Year !!
Thank You from Fr Selvini
I would like to say "Thank you very much" to all those parishioners who sent Christmas greetings and gave Christmas gifts this Christmas. Your generosity is much appreciated! I wish you all, and your loved ones near or far, a very happy and holy year 2025.
Repository
We will re-open on the weekend of January 11th/12th. Please visit us and browse around our stock of Rosaries and other Religious items. We have a few copies remaining of the new Sunday Missal.
If you are interested in the new Weekday Missal please note this is due for Publication in early April. As we have received a number of enquiries, and if you are interested in purchasing a copy, would you please leave your name and contact details with one of the volunteers.
Dates for your Diary
Monday, 13th January—Journey in Faith (RCIA) 8pm Parish Centre
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
JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA
This resumes on Monday, 13th January 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.
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph
Dear friends in Christ
I wish you all the peace and blessings of this Christmas week in abundance!
Dear friends in Christ
I wish you all the peace and blessings of this Christmas week in abundance!
As we gather with family and friends at this time, we celebrate the unique and beautiful family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Whilst we may feel our experience of family life is far from ideal at times, we can be sure of the prayers of the Holy Family to support us, as we live the joys, sufferings and experiences of life together. This weekend, to mark the Feast, our Bishop has written a Pastoral Letter which will be read at the Masses.
Thank you all for the many greetings that you have sent over the Christmas celebration: your greetings cards, gifts and Christmas Offerings which are so much appreciated. The first greeting of the angels at the birth of Jesus was: Glory to God in the highest! This is the primary motive for everything we do as Christians: that God is glorified in all things. We extend our thanks as a Parish Family to all those who have arranged the Christmas liturgies and decorations: the many people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that God’s House and the family of the Church are fittingly prepared and arranged to give the fullest glory to God that we can.
I would very much like to place on record my deepest gratitude to the other priests who live in the Parish, especially Fathers Joyce and Selvini. The help they offer is invaluable—particularly by visiting the sick—which allows me to give time to my Diocesan duties. We especially remember the father of Father Selvini—Roland Selvini—who died last month; Christmas without our parents is difficult, so we remember him and all those of you who have had a bereavement during this last year; may they rest in the peace of our Saviour.
We have just begun the Jubilee Year of Hope initiated by Pope Francis, which continues throughout 2025 until Epiphany 2026, as a time of special grace and pilgrimage. It is also the Centenary of our church which was opened and consecrated in September 1925. Part of our celebration of these two events will be the Parish Mission in the second week of Lent. In the meantime, I wish you all every grace, peace and blessing for the New Year ahead!
Msgr Kevin Hale
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph
Liturgy:
Readings of the Holy Family Years ABC
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Christmas 2
Saturday 28
The Holy Innocents, Mm
5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 29 December
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph
8am Mass Adrian Dann, RIP (Anniv) (SD)
9.30am Mass Paul Watts, RIP (GM)
11.30am Mass Intentions of Margaret Huish (MR)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 30
Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
9am Mass Steve & Agnes McManus, RIP (Anniv) (SW)
Tuesday 31
Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
9am Mass Intentions of Rose D'Souza)(JA)
6-7pm Holy Hour with Te Deum and Benediction for the end of year
Wednesday 1 January
Mary, the Holy Mother of God
12 Noon Mass Maureen Regan, RIP (Anniv) (CR)
Thursday 2
Ss Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bpp, Dd
9am Mass Peggy Larman, RIP (TL)
Friday 3
Feria of Christmas Time—First Friday
12Noon Mass Ian Spacie, RIP (VS)
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until Holy Hour 7—8pm
Saturday 4
Feria of Christmas Time
10am Mass Paul Watts, RIP (FG)
10.30-11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Vigil Marie O'Connor, RIP (MT)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 5 January
The Epiphany of the Lord
8am Mass Intentions of Mrs Angela Slough (OLOR)
9.30am Mass John Harley(RIP), Nina Clarke(RIP) & Emma Harley(RIP) (PL)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
4pm Mass Essie Glauda, RIP (Anniv) (KC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Canon John Byrne, Fr Brian Reeves, HH Pope Benedict XVI, Canon Patrick McKenna, Fr Jim Wilkinson, Fr Denis Cantwell, Catherine Rankilor, Doreen Foley, Nora Phillips, Adrian Dann, Francis Cook, Peter Whale, Frederick Thomas Ross, Stephen McManus, Anna Siani, David Scott-Frame, Sylvia Sippitt, Louis Mooney, George Lane, Leslie Dawson, Mary Reilly, Michael McGaughey, Thomas Woolcott, Francis Hayes, John Sinclair, Joan Gubbins, Kate Lessons, Kathleen Lewin, Gregory Power, Maureen Guihen, Emily Swann, Mary O’Toole, Annie French, Jules Deuss, Ethel Milo, Simon Burgoyne, Violet Jackson, Millicent Ransom, Joseph Hazell, Eileen Murray, Maureen Regan, Helen Cotton, Peter Quinn, Charles D’Souza, Len Gardner, Hannah Flintoff, Eileen Bull, Frances Ryan, Brita Irons, Len Plummer, Anthony Ryan, Hilda Edwards, Walter Burden, Ricky (Lola) Clarke & Marie Fitzakerly.
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 the intentions of Stephen & Clare Fleming.
Carol Service
A huge thanks from all those involved in the Carol Service on 20th December. £859 was raised for the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society (BCC) and YMCA Southend.
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Quand le Sauveur Jesus Christ et Chantons je vous prie Jean-Francois Dandrieu—1682—1738
Postlude: Improvisation on "We three Kings" David Lasky (20th Cent.)
Dates for your Diary
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