Parish Fundraising 200 Club
The winners of the December draw are:
1st Prize £150 151 Mrs J Hurley
2nd Prize £100 93 Miss S Hippard
3rd Prize £75 163 Mr K Wall
4th Prize £25 26 Miss J Gibbons
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.
SVP Tea Party
The Parish SVP are hosting a Tea party for our elderly Parishioners, on Saturday 14th February between 2pm and 4pm, in the Parish centre. If you would to come along please phone Janet on 07786 901488.
Repository
We are open at weekends after all Masses. We have a few Calendars left, reduced to half price. We also have the new 3 Year Sunday Missal and a small selection of Mantillas ,plus our usual selection of beautiful statues and Rosaries. Any special requests please ask one of the volunteers for help.
Fruition—Fair Trade Fruit from Columbia
Saturday 14th February 7.30-9.00pm at The Lounge, The Stables, Leigh Road Baptist Church
This charity, Fruandes, was set up 20 years ago to support those living in extreme poverty in Columbia. The farmers are supported and paid a fair price for their produce. Today Fruandes generates fair trade income for 384 families.
The founder Giovanni Porras will be talking about the work they do and give us a taste of the delicious dried fruit they produce.
Please come along and support this event and our brothers and sisters in Columbia.
For more information contact Cathy on 07762 107920
Young Vincentians
Our next meeting is on Monday 26th January from 5.15pm. Young Vincentians Committee.
World Day of Prayer 2026
This years World Day of Prayer Service takes place on Friday 6th March at 10.30 am at Kings Road United Reformed Church, 91 Crowstone Road, Westcliff-On-Sea SS0 8LH followed by tea/coffee.
This years’ service is prepared by the women of Nigeria on the theme “I will give you rest, come”.
Assisi Catholic Trust
WE NEED ONE MORE FOUNDATION TRUSTEE:
Assisi Catholic Trust is currently seeking a foundation Trustee with experience or confidence in HR; to support the development of people strategy or experience to support our flourishing capital strategy covering buildings, digital infrastructure and technology and our asset management plan.
If you, or someone you know, have these skills and a heart for supporting Catholic education, we would love to hear from you. Trustees play a vital role in ensuring strong oversight, value for money and long‑term planning.
If interested, please contact the CSEL, Mrs Ackred, at the registered office of Assisi Catholic Trustoffice@assisicatholictrust.com for an informal discussion.
St Bernard's High School
Part-Time Minibus Driver (10 hours a week; 3.00-5.00pm Monday to Friday) – Start 13 April 2026
Scale 6 (£25,989), pro rata actual salary £6,022
The School is seeking to appoint a part-time Minibus Driver to drop off new Year 7 students from school who live in the local area.
You will need a D1 or D1(101) on your driving licence.
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
We have contemplated the early life of Jesus from His Birth to the Epiphany and now we come to the River Jordan where he has been Baptised and Saint John the Baptist points Him out: Behold the Lamb of God.
Dear friends in Christ
We have contemplated the early life of Jesus from His Birth to the Epiphany and now we come to the River Jordan where he has been Baptised and Saint John the Baptist points Him out: Behold the Lamb of God. These words had serious overtones to those who knew the meaning of the paschal lamb. The blood of the sacrificed lamb was smeared on the doorposts of the Jews on the night of their liberation from slavery in Egypt. All of that was a prefiguring of the true Lamb, Jesus Christ, the victim of Calvary on behalf of all mankind. Christian art has represented Jesus Christ—God and man—as the Paschal Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. Each time we attend Holy Mass we hear these words of Saint John the Baptist: they are calling Him out, pointing us to Him, telling us to pay attention: Jesus, the Lamb of God is in our midst. There is nothing sentimental about this imagery as we reflect on the blood of the Lamb, poured-out for the sins of the world, poured-out for our salvation. In the Mass, Jesus the Lamb of God, is both Priest and Victim who pleads our cause before the Father. May we be constant in the attention we give Him and always endeavour to receive Him worthily under roof of our soul.
Our website has had an update. The new format is simple to navigate, shows information clearly, and hopefully will help us access Parish information easily. We are grateful to the expertise of those who have collaborated in making this important channel of communication possible.
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgy:
Readings of Year A
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 1
Saturday 17th January
St Antony, Ab
5.30pm Vigil Brendan Cashell, RIP (MT)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 18th January
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Essie Glauda, RIP (Anniv) (KC)
9.30am Mass Ray Hastings, RIP (JL)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 19th
St Wulstan, Bp
9am Mass Intentions of the McPhillips Family (MC)
Tuesday 20th
St Fabian, P, M
9am Mass Bernardette Lane, RIP (Anniv) (MM)
Wednesday 21st
St Agnes, V, M
9am Mass Frances Emmerson, RIP (Anniv) (AE)
Thursday 22nd
St Vincent, Deacon, M
9am Mass Charles & Alice Whitefield, RIP (FM)
Friday 23rd
Feria
12Noon Mass Intentions of Paul Stern (PW)
Saturday 24th January
St Frances de Sales, Bp, D
10am Mass Alan Bush, RIP (CB)
10.30-11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 25th January
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Mary Jordan, RIP (MC)
9.30am Mass Anita Lupton, RIP (K&LW)
11.30am Mass For Neuza Sousa, RIP at Christmas (DS)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Canon Charles Kuypers, Mgr Canon David Donnelly, Fr John Meehan, Bp Bernard Ward, Fr Christopher Quirke, Pope Benedict XV, Bp Arthur Doubleday, Canon Patrick Hartley-Anderson, Fr John O’Sullivan, Maud Reddy, Catherine Woods, Eugene Regan, Barry Anderson, Sheila Hobson, Anne Ryan, Bernard Leonard, Gilbert Oldham, Georgina Cornwall, John F Dillon, Irene Axson, Dora Arnott, Teresa Moule, Courtney Choat-Kelly, Kathleen Goddard, Hubert A Conally, Jimmy Baker, Catherine Morris, Frances May Emmerson, John Mansfield, Charles Paterson, Christie Wise, Rose Nice, Isabel King, Doreen Troughton, Mary Vermeulen, John Dillon, T. Fitzpatrick, Mary Lilian Clarke, Ellen Rose Brooks, Sarah Mann, William Hands & Barbara Sheaf.
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
JOAN BARR who died on Monday, 17th December. Her Requiem Mass will take place at St Peter’s Church on Friday, 23rd January at 11.45am followed by committal at Southend Cemetery followed by a reception in St Peters Church Hall.
CHARLES MOGHABGHAB who died on Saturday, 3rd January. His funeral service will take place on Thursday, 29th January at 12.45pm followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
Requiescant in pace
Dates for your Diary
Monday 19th January Journey in Faith (RCIA) 8pm Parish Centre
Saturday 16th May 10.30am—First Holy Communion Mass
Sunday 24th May—Visitation and Confirmation—11.30amMass
Sunday 7th June—Corpus Christi Procession 4pm
11th July—Flower Festival
Sunday 19th to Friday 24th July—Lourdes Pilgrimage
Lourdes Pilgrimage 2026
The proposed Pilgrimage to Lourdes next year, flying with BA, will depart Heathrow on Sunday 19th July 17.05pm—Arrive Toulouse 20.05pm, returning on Friday 24th July 19.05pm—arriving at 19.50pm.
The 5-night package price is £910 per pilgrim sharing, single supplement is £245, 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. On-line booking is available from Monday, 12th January.
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Pavan and Galliard 'The Earl of Salisbury'—William Byrd (1543-1623)
Postlude: Master Tallis's Testament—Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Sacrament of Confirmation
This will take place on Sunday 24th May, 2026 during the 11:30 Mass.
Any adult or young adult (who must have reached the age of fourteen by 1st September 2025) may apply. Please send an email with your name and contact details to mrscatherineharris@gmail.com by Friday 6th February, 2026.