Cleaner Required
Would you be able to spare an hour a week between 10am and 1pm, to help clean our church ? 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.
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary time
Dear friends in Christ
The first reading of Holy Mass this Sunday tells us of David's escape from King Saul.
Dear friends in Christ
The first reading of Holy Mass this Sunday tells us of David's escape from King Saul. Even though David could have retaliated and killed Saul while he slept, David chose the more arduous path and preferred to preserve Saul’s life. David’s behaviour on this and other occasions demonstrates his greatness of soul. His largeness of spirit won for him first the admiration and then the friendship of his most bitter enemy, and also of the people. Above all, it won for him the friendship of God. The Gospel also invites us to be magnanimous, to have a big heart, like the Heart of Jesus. He exhorts us to bless those who curse us, to pray for those who persecute us. It calls upon us to do good without expecting anything in return, to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. This is one of the basic tenets of this Jubilee Year of Hope: the merciful Father awaits us, above all in the Sacrament of Divine Mercy—Confession and Reconciliation. One of the best ways that we could live and celebrate this Jubilee Year would be to return to the Sacrament of Confession. Lent is fast approaching, and so too is our Parish Mission in the second week of Lent. My prayer is that each one of us will be able to experience the merciful and magnanimous Heart of God the Father in this beautiful Sacrament of Mercy. As we prepare for Lent and the Mission, I ask you to each make an examination of life. Try to encourage someone who has strayed, to return to Holy Mass and the Sacraments. Above all, be a conduit of mercy in the way we live our relationships with those around us. St Teresa of Avila, in her characteristically direct manner writes: Do not be like those good souls who, even if they lead a life of prayer, stay anchored to the ground like toads content with catching lizards, instead of soaring toward God. Do not let your soul and spirit shrink, for you may lose many benefits…Do not let your soul hide in a corner, because then instead of striving for sanctity you will simply come up with other imperfections, and many more of them (Way of perfection, 72.1).
This week we mark the third anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine. I shall be at the Prayer Vigil on Monday morning in the Ukrainian Cathedral in London which will be attended by London Church Leaders. For these last three years we have prayed at every Sunday Mass for lasting peace in Ukraine and I stated at the start of the conflict that we would continue to do so until there is permanent peace. We also invoke the intercession of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, each day at the end of Mass with this intention in mind. Please redouble your prayers for peace at this crucial time.
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Readings of Year C
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 5
Saturday 22 February
The Chair of St Peter the Apostle
5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 23 February
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Holy Souls
9.30am Mass Jim & Teena Rockell, RIP (K&LW)
11.30am Mass Terri Baker, RIP (MW)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 24
Feria
8.30am Mass Sr Anna Tracey (AH)
Tuesday 25
Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Sheila Newman (RO’C)
Wednesday 26
Feria
9am Mass John Bernard Holland, RIP (Anniv) (MH)
Thursday 27
Feria
9am Mass Canon Francis Gilbert RIP (FM)
Friday 28
Feria
12Noon Mass Intentions of Pamela Weaver (MR)
Saturday 1 March
St David, Bp
10am Mass Bill Hoggett, RIP (Anniv) (JH)
10.30-11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Vigil Maureen Gooding, RIP (VJ)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 2 March
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass The People the Parish
9.30am Mass Ann Henning, RIP (DJ)
11.30am Mass John Walsh, RIP (MW)
4pm Mass Rosemary Bragard, RIP (JC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Please pray for the repose of the soul of
PAULINE SHAW, RIP who died on 10th February. Her funeral service will be at Southend Crematorium on Wednesday, 26th March, 3.30pm.
BOBBY NEWMAN, RIP who died on Thursday 20th February.
Requiescant in pace
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Deacon Dwight Hayter, Fr Gerard Murphy, Fr Clifford Beecroft, Fr David Chapman, Fr John Wall, Canon Aloysius Roche, Mgr Jules Van Meenen, Mary Wildman, Joseph Mills, Vincent Sullivan, Dominick Fanning, Maire Callanan, Lloyd Rodney, William Shanahan, Ernest Tobias, Olive Cale, Rose Cook, Amelia Mullins, Roger Billena, Anne Florence, Marie Bartley, Violet Nottle, Mary Sobota, Beau Winter-Myers, Maddalena Forte, Mary Tyson, Ronald Kitto, Janet Hurley, Michael Nils Irons, John Holland, Violet Smith, Adolphus Miller, Claire Sharpe, Sarah Bent, Emily Norwood, May Cooper, Mabel Smith, Micael Kiernan, Rose Brookes, Aoife O’Sullivan, Christopher Kolwitz, Joe North, Joshua (Charlie) Peace, Cecil Ford, Harvey Martin, Gertrude Ettershank, Stephen Fontana, Bruno de Santis, Alfred George Holding, Margaret Carstairs, Paul Vermeulen, Patricia Hopper, Ada Chapp, Jim Acaster, Michael Sheaf & Sylvia Langley.
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.”
Dates for your Diary
Monday, 24th February—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
Saturday 5th July—Flower Festival
Monday 21st—Friday 25th July—Lourdes Pilgrimage
Monday 8th September Centenary of the Opening of our Church
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham—24th May 2025
Join Bishop Alan and other parishes around the Diocese of Brentwood in Walsingham to celebrate the Jubilee Year of Hope. 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.
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for the intentions of Mary Christine Clark.
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Voluntary—Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
Postlude: Sonata Fugata—Francesco Durante (1684-1755)
Flower & Craft Festival 2025
This year’s festival will be on Saurday,t 5th July from 11.00am to 4.30pm. We are asking you once again to get creative, in flowers, arts and crafts.
The theme this year is the hymn, ‘O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy Hand has made…….’
So the focus is on creation, but this year we are also celebrating the opening of our beautiful church 100 years ago. We are also in a Jubilee Year, the focus of which is ‘Hope.’ We are to be pilgrims of hope in our very troubled and dangerous world. So there are many themes to choose from. Photographers, artists, needleworkers, carpenters and gardeners, we would like as many people as possible to be involved in creating a beautiful and powerful message for our local community of Leigh.
We are not asking for professionalism, although professionals are very welcome indeed ! Just your enthusiasm.
If you would like to be involved in creating something for 5th July please contact me at mcronan@btinternet.com or speak to me after 9.30 mass on Sundays.
Jo Ronan
Feast of St Joseph 19th March 2025
The National Novena to St. Joseph will take place from the 10th—18th March 2025 at St. Josephs Church in Maidenhead, for the intentions of all those who support their work. Masses are at 10am every day of the Novena, except Sunday when it is 11am. These Masses will be available to Zoom via the Mill Hill website.
See Poster at the back of the Church for website details and to request a Novena prayer booklet.
Thank you. Joan Caunce, Secretary.
OLL Ladies Group
We meet again on Thursday 27th February at 10am in the Parish Centre. All ladies are welcome to come and relax in good company over tea, coffee and cake at just £1 subs per Meeting, plus a Raffle.
At this Meeting we hope to have a bit of ‘member participation’ in-as-much as ladies are encouraged to bring along an item to show and tell, it might not be a family heirloom but something interesting with a story behind it. Plus, bring along a favourite book, travel experiences etc to share.
The ideas are endless so don’t be shy, come along and join in the fun, meeting friends old and new.
Parish Fundraising
Thank you to everyone who currently supports the 200 Club. Over the past few years, the money raised from this account has been used to help pay for the redecoration of the reredos, also the bells, as well as other maintenance work. It has now become necessary to replace the boiler in the Presbytery which has come to the end of it’s life, so future funds will be allocated to this.
During the last twelve months we lost a number of members. Would you consider joining the 200 Club? If so, forms are available at the back of the church. Alternatively, you can telephone Linda Wall on 01702 558217.
The winners of the draw this month are:
1st Prize £150 52 Miss F DeSouza
2nd Prize £100 122 Miss S Hippard
3rd Prize £75 148 Mrs M Irwin
4th Prize £25 2 Mrs K Prendergast
Fairtrade—Sunday 9th March—8.30am-11.30am
The Fairtrade stall will resume this year on 9th March. Please come and support this initiative, helping our brothers and sisters around the world who struggle to survive. Fairtrade products are sold to give the farmers, together with other projects a fair price for their work. Products are produced in a sustainable way, helping to look after our common home. The Pope is asking us to be 'Pilgrims of Hope' to others and this is a great way of demonstrating that.
Thank you for all the support you have given us to date.
Jubilee Icon—1st & 2nd March in the Lady Chapel
CAFOD commissioned an artist from Ethiopia to create an Icon to celebrate this Jubilee Year: 'Pilgrims of Hope'. We are fortunate enough to have it for two days as it travels around Britain. As we journey through this year as Pilgrims of Hope we pray that we may be 'tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind'. For more information on the Icon or the Jubilee Year please go to CAFOD's website www.cafod.org.uk
Repository
We are open after all weekend Masses. From this weekend we have Mantillas in stock in Black lace or white lace . Also why not be an ‘early bird’ and browse our stock of special cards for Mothers Day and Saint Patrick’s Day.
We will shortly also have a selection of Easter cards plus a good selection of cards for Masses, Birthdays, Get well cards etc. Please come along and browse our stock. If you cannot find what you want please ask one of the Volunteers.
St Bernard's High School Vacancies
Part Time Cover Supervisor/Bank Supply Teacher
Hours: Casual
Our school is looking to replenish the number of our Cover Supervisors/Bank Supply Teachers who can be contacted for either planned or last minute absence to supervise students in their lessons.
If you are happy to be contacted for occasional work, this role might appeal to you!
If you would like to apply, please complete the Teaching Application Form found on the Vacancies page on our website and email it to recruitment@stbernards.southend.sch.uk.
Part Time Food & Nutrition Technician
Two Days Per Week (14 hours a week), Term Time Only 8.30am-4.00pm
Scale 5-6 (£24,790 - £25,183) / pro rata actual salary £8,042 - £8,169)
We are seeking to appoint a pro-active and enthusiastic Food & Nutrition Technician to support the smooth running of our friendly Technology department. Experienced technicians desirable but not essential.
You will be preparing materials/ingredients and maintaining equipment to ensure the teaching environment is kept to a high standard. The technician will ensure stock control is managed, and materials/ingredients are prepared for classes to assist teaching staff. The technician will also work alongside department members to support learning for students and provide general support to the teacher in the classroom environment.
Receptionist
Five Days Per Week, Term Time Only Plus Two Weeks, 8.30am – 4.30pm Scale 7-12 (£24,294 - £26,421)/pro rata actual salary £21,852 - £23,766)
We are seeking to appoint a full-time Receptionist to join our friendly admin team at St Bernard’s High School. The Receptionist will be the face of the school, as the first point of contact either by phone or once on site. You will provide a professional receptionist service to the school as well as secretarial support to teaching staff. If you have the ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively, be committed to maintaining confidentiality at all times, and be able to deal with difficult situations effectively, come join our team.
Pastoral Support Assistant
Five Days Per Week, Term Time Only, 8.00am – 4.00pm Scale 7 –12 (£24,294 – £26,421) (Pro rata actual salary £20,827 – £22,650)
An opportunity has arisen for a Pastoral Assistant to join our Pastoral Team. We are looking for a positive, enthusiastic and approachable professional to support Heads of Year and work alongside Learning Mentors supporting identified students. You will be joining a successful, friendly and supportive department within a high-performing school, supporting students from Years 7 – Y13. You will need to be able to work flexibly and provide support, motivation and guidance to students. You will liaise with our Heads of Year and Learning Mentors with pastoral concerns and investigations of incidents.
St Bernard’s High School is a vibrant Catholic girl’s school from Years 7-11 with a co-educational mixed Sixth Form. Our school is ranked one of the top schools in Southend, and we are in the top 20% of schools across the country for our progress with students and our outcomes. It is a warm and welcoming school where our Catholic values underpin our day to day life.
Exam Invigilators
The school is looking to recruit further Exam Invigilators to join its bank of staff who oversee examinations in the school. Training will be given.
Hourly rate: £10.50
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 becoming part of the team, please fill in a non-teaching application form found on our website underhttps://www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk/about-us/vacancies/ and email it to recruitment@stbernards.southend.sch.uk
Brentwood Catholic Youth Service—Summer Lourdes Pilgrimage 19th—26th July 2025
Open to anyone in school year 10 and above. Join the BCYS for our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes, supporting the adult pilgrimage in a week of prayer, service and fun!
All details can be found at www.bcys.net/events. Funding and bursary opportunities are available.
Cleaner Required
Would you be able to spare an hour a week between 10am and 1pm, to help clean our church ? 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.