Assisted Suicide Bill update
Last year, MPs narrowly voted to support Kim Leadbeater’s dangerous assisted suicide Bill at Second Reading.
There’s still time to stop it.
The Independent newspaper, shows that at least 36 MPs who supported the Bill made it clear they did so only to allow time for further debate or they have concerns that mean they won’t commit to supporting the Bill at Third Reading.
With the vote passing by a margin of 55, just 28 MPs switching their stance to oppose the Bill would ensure it is defeated at Third Reading.
With more awareness of the serious risks, arising from the committee stage, many MPs could change their position.
If enough do, we can defeat this Bill at Third Reading and stop it from becoming law.
You can make a difference right now, by contacting your MP, to say, vote NO, at Third Reading.
It only takes a couple of minutes of your time, using our easy-to-use tool, which you can access by clicking the button below.
Thank you.
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
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Choral Dorien—Jehan Alain (1911-1940)
Postlude: Prelude in B Minor BWV 544—J S Bach (1685-1750)
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.
Mini Vinies
The next meeting for the Mini Vinies will take place in the Parish Centre on Monday, 10th March from 5.15pm to 6.30pm. Mini Vinie Committee.
Dates for your Diary
Monday, 3rd March—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
World Day of Prayer
This year’s World Day of Prayer Service takes place on Friday 7th March at 10.30 am at St Saviour’s Church, Kings Road, Westcliff-On-Sea SS0 8LL followed by tea/coffee.
This years service is prepared by the Christian women of the Cook Islands on the theme ‘I made you wonderful’.
We are very fortunate to have the children from St Helen's Primary School to take an active part in the service. We invite everyone to join us in praying together.
We are also holding a coffee-singalong concert at St Clement’s Church in aid of funds for this year’s World Day of Prayer service. 10.30 am.—concert (45 minutes) by The Two Elizabeths will start at 10.40am, followed by coffee, homemade cakes, bring and buy. All welcome—entry is free.
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.
If you would like transport to and from Walsingham please leave your name and contact details at the Parish office, as Sacred Heart are organising a church.
Coach leaving Sacred Heart at 7:30am
Pick up at Our Lady of Lourdes at 7:45am
Arrival Walsingham 11am
Depart Walsingham 5pm
Arrival Our Lady of Lourdes 8:15pm
Arrival Sacred Heart 8:30pm
£24 per adult - Children under 16 go free
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.
JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA
This continues on Monday, 3rd 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 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.
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.
St Vincent's Centre Southend upcoming events
By taking part in our events at St Vincent’s Southend, you will directly contribute to life-changing support for vulnerable individuals in Southend. The impact of your involvement reaches far beyond just attending, it helps us provide food, temporary accommodation, mental health support and pathways to employment for those who need it most. Your presence at these events is not just an act of generosity; it is a statement of compassion, leadership and commitment to social good. We applaud you for being part of something so meaningful and making a real difference in the lives of so many.
Why Your Support Matters
By taking part in our events, you will directly contribute to life-changing support for vulnerable individuals in Southend. The impact of your involvement reaches far beyond just attending, it helps us provide food, temporary accommodation, mental health support and pathways to employment for those who need it most. Your presence at these events is not just an act of generosity; it is a statement of compassion, leadership and commitment to social good. We applaud you for being part of something so meaningful and making a real difference in the lives of so many.
Auction Items for Our Events
We are also looking for auctionable items for our events. This could be in the form of products, services, gift vouchers, experiences, or exclusive packages. These items will be auctioned on the night and the funds raised will directly support the life-changing work we do at St Vincent’s Centre Southend. Your donation, big or small, will have an incredible impact and in return, we will ensure your generosity is recognized.
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.
Flower & Craft Festival 2025
This year’s festival will be on Saurday, 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
Can you help?
We have a parishioner who has become frail and has asked if anyone could give her a lift to Mass. She lives in Leigh and attends the 11.30am Mass.
If you are able to help please contact the Parish office.
St Bernard's High School Vacancies
Catering Assistant – to start as soon as possible
Part-time, 3 Days Per Week (Wed-Fri), Term Time Only including training days. 10.00am – 2.00pm Scale 2 (£24,027) / pro rata actual salary £6,680
Closing Date: 10 March 2025, 9.00am. Interviews: w/c 10 March 2025
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 interested, please fill in an application form found on our website under https://www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk/about-us/vacancies/ and email it to recruitment@stbernards.southend.sch.uk
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