Certificates of Catholic Practice
These Certificates can be collected from the Parish Office 09.00-13.00 each Thursday and Friday over the coming weeks.
Journey of Faith—RCIA
This continues on Monday, 6th October 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.
OLOL Ladies Group
We meet on 9th October in the Parish Centre and are very pleased to welcome back Val, who will be putting us through some ‘gentle paces’ with her very popular exercise class with music, so there is plenty for everyone to join in whether standing or sitting.
NB: Would ladies please note there will be a prompt start at 10am, so ideally arrive early and find a seat. Refreshments will not be available until the exercise class has finished.
We hope everyone has an enjoyable morning and as usual we will have tea,coffee and cake plus our fun Raffle. Subs just £1.
NB: PROPOSED COACH OUTING
We are planning a coach outing to Cambridge on Thursday 6th November for the Ladies Group. The cost per person is £20 and we anticipate the Coach will leave from outside the Church at 9.45am. At our Meeting on 9th October we will be taking names of those interested, plus a deposit.
MISSIO Red Boxes
I have received the Autumn 2025 Missio magazines. If you have not been given one by me personally please take one from the back of the Church (in the usual place). If you have boxes that need empyting please let me have them ASAP. Thank you. Joan Caunce, Secretary
Repository
We are pleased to announce that some new stock has arrived including Rosaries, bracelets and some statues. In addition to our popular selection of cards (all at only £1 each) we now have cards for those special Wedding Anniversaries ie Silver, Ruby and Gold.
Please come and have a browse, and if you cannot find what you are looking for please ask one of the Volunteers for assistance.
Young Vincentians
The next meeting for the Young Vincentians will take place in the Parish Centre this Monday, 6th October from 5.15pm. Young Vincentian Committee.
ST BERNARD’S HIGH SCHOOL YEAR 6 OPEN MORNINGS
Monday 6 October, Wednesday 8 October and Thursday 9 October from 9.30am to 10.30am.
Invitation by appointments only, please contact the school reception to book Office@stbernards.southend.sch.uk
Tel: 01702 343583 www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
Once again this week we hear from the Prophet Amos after his return from the desert of Samaria. he finds the leaders of the chosen people wholly given over to the pleasures of the world, which he describes in details before telling them their destiny: exile!
Dear friends in Christ
Once again this week we hear from the Prophet Amos after his return from the desert of Samaria. He finds the leaders of the chosen people wholly given over to the pleasures of the world, which he describes in detail before telling them their destiny: exile! This was indeed fulfilled a few years afterwards. The liturgy of this Sunday warns that an excessive concern for the things of this world will inevitably lead to a neglect of God and each other. The famous parable of Jesus—Dives and Lazarus—tells of a man who fell into this very trap. Instead of gaining Heaven by using his wealth for good, he lost it forever. If you are familiar with the composition Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus—variations on a folk song by Ralph Vaughan Williams—you will understand the pathos that this parable conjures up musically. Our life on earth is a testing ground for our generosity, summed-up by the wisdom of God that: it is better to give than to receive. As we listen again to the readings at Mass, we can examine ourselves to see whether our detachment is a real expression of our closeness to Jesus, so that we can possess Him for all eternity. St Augustine records the story of his own conversion thus: How lovely I suddenly found it, to be free from the glamour of those vanities, so that now it was a joy to renounce what I had been so much afraid to lose. For you cast them out of me, O true and supreme Loveliness, you cast them out of me and took their place instead, you who are sweeter than all pleasure, yet not to me flesh and blood; brighter than all light, yet deeper within than any secret; loftier than all honour, but not to those who are high and mighty in their own estimation (Confessions 9,1,1).
May God bless you in all you do!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Preface of Sunday 4
The Nicene Creed
Saturday 27
St Vincent de Paul, Pr
10am Mass Charles & Alice Whitefield, RIP (FM)
10.30—11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Mass Intentions of Anita Lupton
6.30-7.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
28 September
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Rebecca Clarke, RIP (Anniv) (IR)
11.30am Mass John Butler, RIP (RB)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 29
St Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels
9am Mass Intentions of Michael Darragh (MD)
Tuesday 30
St Jerome, Pr, D
9am Mass Intentions of Terri Wright (AW)
Wednesday 1 October
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, V, D
9am Mass Liam Dunne, RIP (A-MC)
4.30pm Body in Church Michael Satelle, RIP
Thursday 2
The Holy Guardian Angels
No 9am Mass
10am Requiem Mass Michael Satelle, RIP
Friday 3—Cafod Fast Day
Votive Mass of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus—First Friday
12Noon Mass Janet Weale, RIP (Anniv) (AW)
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until Holy Hour 7—8pm
Saturday 4
St Francis of Assisi
10am Mass Alan Ward, RIP (ML)
10.30—11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Mass Special Protection for Family
6.30-7.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
5 October
8am Mass Private Intention (JL)
9.30am Mass Paul Sutton, RIP (JP)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
4pm Mass Private Intention
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Pope John Paul I, Fr Bernard Wakeling, Fr Michael Hopkins, Canon William O’Neill, Fr Michael Hopkins, Elizabeth Barker, Arthur Sanctuary, Mary Fletcher, Charles Bartley, Madeleine Beckett, Edith Riley, Vera Osborne, Mark Hillson, Peter Vella, James Gallacher, Ethel Bartley, Annie Thompson, Annie LeVay, Lily Bartley, Patrick Quinn, John Martin, Percy Sentinel, William Spedding, Ronnie Olliffe, Margaret Price, Rudolph Banocy, Sarah Duffy, colleen Worley, Sophie Shapiro, Eileen Pearson, Ursula turner, John Butler, Kathleen Jetton & Tom Atkinson.
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.”
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
MICHAEL PATRICK SATELLE who died on Monday, 8th September. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 1st October at 4.30pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 2nd October at 10am, followed by burial at Sutton Road Cemetery..
ANNA PUCINO who died on Monday, 15th September. Her funeral Service will be held at 9.30am on Friday 10th October , followed by burial at Sutton Road Cemetery.
ALAN WARD who died on Thursday, 18th September, His Requiem mass will take place at 11am on Monday, 27th October followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
LAKSHMAN PERREIRA who died on Wednesday, 10th September. Funeral details to follow.
Requiescant in pace
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for the intentions of the Lambert Family.
Dates for your Diary
Monday 29th September Journey in Faith (RCIA) 8pm Parish Centre
Thursday 6th November Parish Requiem 7pm
Thursday 27th-Saturday 29th November—Forty Hours’ Prayer
Saturday 16th May 10.30am—First Holy Communion Mass
Sunday 7th June—Corpus Christi Procession 4pm
Certificates of Catholic Practice
These Certificates can be collected from the Parish Office 09.00-13.00 each Thursday and Friday over the coming weeks.
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: In F—Johann Krieger (1649-1725)
Postlude: Sonata per Organo—Giovanni Pergolesi (1710-1736)
Cafod Harvest Fast Day - 3rd October
This Fast Day, Cafod returns its focus to striving to provide safe drinking water for communities. Cafod’s work - giving practical support & advice to help communities establish & maintain safe wells - enables women & children avoid the often dangerous walks to find water & also gives children the time to go to school. Please continue to pray for Cafod & if you are able to make a donation for their work, you can do so through gift aid envelopes or the electronic donation device at the back of church.
You can find out more about Cafod’s work online https://cafod.org.uk/fundraise/family-fast-day?form=givetoharvest2025
Parish Fundraising—200 Club
The winners of the draw this month are:
1st Prize £150 104 Mr C Regan
2nd Prize £100 150 Mr C Wall
3rd Prize £75 57 Mrs S Phillips
4th Prize £25 23 Mrs A Burry
The funds raised from the 200 Club will now contribute to the overall costs of the tuition and expenses of trainee priests who, on completion of their formation, will be available for mission appointments strengthening the Church within Nigeria and elsewhere in the world. These missionary priests are known as Spiritans.
Please support this fundraising. There are some places available in the 200 Club, and if you wish to join, there is a monthly regular donation of £5. Forms are available at the back of the church. Alternatively, you can telephone Linda Wall on 01702 558217.
Journey of Faith—RCIA
This continues on Monday, 29th September 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.