Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
The liturgy of this Sunday speak to us of the virtue of Faith. Jesus assures us that if our faith was only the size of a mustard seed, it will nevertheless grow into something deep and sustaining.
Dear friends in Christ
The liturgy of this Sunday speaks to us of the virtue of Faith. Jesus assures us that if our faith was only the size of a mustard seed, it will nevertheless grow into something deep and sustaining. The Apostles say to Jesus: Lord, increase our faith! This is a simple but profound prayer which can be repeated often. Faith, as with all of the virtues, needs practise. Whenever we find ourselves up against our weaknesses, when we are in pain, when we encounter problems, whenever we are at Mass or in front of the Blessed Sacrament…we can say Lord, increase my faith! Whenever Saint Thomas Aquinas assisted at Mass or celebrated Mass, at the moment of the consecration it was his habit to pray: Tu rex gloriæ, Christe; tu Patris sempiternus es Filius…You are the King of Glory. You are the eternal Son of the Father. Many of us have the habit of praying at that same moment in the Mass, words we were taught to pray as children, the words of Saint Thomas the Apostle: My Lord, and my God. These occasions are moments when we want to express our faith and trust, so that the presence of Christ, so close to us, will sustain us. We should imitate the Apostles who, in spite of their defects in faith, relied completely on the Lord.
We have begun the month of the Holy Rosary. Let us not be slow in taking-up our beads and using them as the most powerful weapon in our armoury and pray for peace in our world. This has been the continual request of the Blessed Mother whenever she has appeared on earth in recent times. There is so much to pray for in these times; may we realise the great power we have to bring about change by the simple but beautiful prayer that is the Holy Rosary!
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Preface of Sunday 5
The Nicene Creed
Saturday 4
St Francis of Assisi
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 Holy Souls
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 6
St Bruno, Pr
9am Mass Dave Keeling, RIP (PL)
Tuesday 7
Our Lady of the Rosary
9am Mass Carolyn DaSilva RIP (SD)
Wednesday 8
St Osyth, Rel
9am Mass Anne Keys, RIP (JS)
Thursday 9
St John Henry Newman, Pr
9am Mass Holy Souls
Friday 10
St Denis, B and his Comps, Mm
9.30am Funeral Service Anna Pucino, RIP
12Noon Mass Holy Souls
Saturday 11
St John XXIII, P
10am Mass Paul Watts, RIP (Anniv) (DW)
10.30—11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Mass The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
12 October
8am Mass Thomas Patrick Costello, RIP (Anniv) (KC)
9.30am Mass Paul Sutton, RIP (JP)
11.30am Mass Kathleen Lynch, RIP (AL)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Henry Healy, Fr David Logue, Canon Edward Heery, Fr Harold Cahill, Fr Alfred Clements, Pope Pius XII, Jean-Marie Matieu, Doris kelly, Derick Wheeler, James Wood, Sheelagh Sheridan, Adele Petronius, Ethel Shepherd, Jean Buck, Muriel Matthews, Alan Adamson, Kathleen Lionet, Walter Wood, Daphne Sounes, Dymphna Addecott, James Roberton, Joyce Mary Pycroft, Henry Hart, Thomas Gunnel, Ronald Ballard, Mary Chin Ing Sawyer, Julia Shields, Amelia Eaglesfield, Mary Clark, Moira O’Riordan, Francis Gurney, Charles Cutter, Arthur Hooper, Chloe Watts, Valerie Martin, Thomas Patrick Costello & Paul Watts.
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
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.
ANTHONY ROBERT ABBOTT who died on Saturday, 13th September. His Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 6th November at 10am followed by committal at St Lawrence & All Saints, Eastwood.
CAROLYN DeSILVA who died recently; funeral details to follow.
Requiescant in pace
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Communion on the Hymn Tune, 'Bread of Heaven' - C H Trevor (1895-1976)
Postlude: Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV 533 - J S Bach (1685-1750)
Dates for your Diary
Monday 6th October 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.
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.”