First Sunday of Lent
Dear friends in Christ
We have begun the pilgrimage that is Lent, by receiving the imposition of ashes last Wednesday—the outward sin of our desire for inner conversion and purification.
Dear friends in Christ
We have begun the pilgrimage that is Lent, by receiving the imposition of ashes last Wednesday—the outward sign of our desire for inner conversion and purification. The essence of this holy time—a gift from the Church each year—is so that we may become closer to Our Lord, more committed to His Church and more detached from the passing nature of this life. I urge you to use this Lent as a unique opportunity to achieve with more fervour, all that we should be doing throughout the entire year. There are several helps to our spirituality in these days: the liturgical timetable, reading matter available at the back of church, the various series of Talks you will find published in this Newsletter, to name a few. Above all, try to persevere in what you promise Our Lord and arrive at Easter feeling that this Lent has been a true time of renewal for you.
I remind you to pray this weekend for those from across our Diocese and Parish (fourteen from Leigh) who with their Sponsors are presented to the Bishop this Sunday afternoon in our Cathedral. Also, for our young adults who next weekend will begin their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation at Pentecost. May God increase their love and devotion to His Holy Church in this intense time of preparation for the Sacraments. Pope Leo, in his Lenten Message, gives us a simple programme for this time:
Lent is a call to conversion: a call to hope, to trust in God and his great promise of eternal life. Let us ask ourselves: Am I convinced that the Lord forgives my sins? Or do I act as if I can save myself? Do I long for salvation and call upon God’s help to attain it? Do I concretely experience the hope that enables me to interpret the events of history and inspires in me a commitment to justice and fraternity, to care for our common home and in such a way that no one feels excluded? May the Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope, intercede for us and accompany us on our Lenten journey.
We can read the full text of the Holy Father’s Lenten Message.
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
First Sunday of Lent
Liturgy:
Readings of Year A
The Apostles’ Creed
Preface of 1st Sunday of Lent
Saturday 21st February
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
5.30pm Vigil Janet Weale, RIP (TW)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 22nd February
First Sunday of Lent
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Jim & Teena Rockell, RIP (Anniv)(K&LW)
11.30am Mass Sheila Cox, RIP (SS & LS)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 23rd
Monday of the First Week of Lent
9am Mass Special Intention (JL)
Tuesday 24th
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
9am Mass Intentions of Mary Gavin (PL)
Wednesday 25th
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent
Mass 9am Intentions of Bridget Scholastica Helen D'Cruz (AJ)
Thursday 26th
Thursday of the First Week of Lent
9am Mass John Bernard Holland, RIP (Anniv) (MH)
Friday 27th
Friday of the First Week of Lent
12Noon Mass Saverio & Anna Pucino, RIP (LP)
7.00pm Way of the Cross & Benediction
Saturday 28th February
Saturday of the First Week of Lent
10am Mass Bernard Ward, RIP (Anniv) (MW)
10.30-11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Vigil Martin Joslin, RIP (Anniv) (SJ)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 1st March
Second Sunday of Lent
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Bill Hoggett, RIP (Anniv) (JH)
11.30am Mass Tony & Kathleen Lynch, RIP (AL)
4pm Mass Holy Souls
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Mgr Canon PatrickO’Donnell, Fr Brian Galvin, Fr Francis Hastings, Fr Malachy Kelly, Canon Aloysius Roche, Fr Gerard Murphy, Rev John Wall, Jim Kenny, Caroline Graham-Males, Mary Wildman, Joseph Mills, Vincent Sullivan, Dominick Fanning, Maire Callanan, Rodney Lloyd, William Shanahan, Ernest Tobias, Olive Cale, Rose Rook, 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, Michael 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.
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.”
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for the deceased members of the Uglietti Family and Friends.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of
ROSSENIE SANDOVAL who died on Saturday, 24th January. Her funeral will take place on Friday, 27th February at Southend Crematorium, West Chapel at 10am.
Requiescat in pace
Dates for your Diary
Monday, 23rd February—Journey in Faith (RCIA) 8pm Parish Centre
Saturday 16th May 10.30am—First Holy Communion Mass
Sunday 24th May—Visitation and Confirmation—11.30am Mass
Sunday 7th June—Corpus Christi Procession 4pm
11th July—Flower Festival
Sunday 19th to Friday 24th July—Lourdes Pilgrimage
Lent Parish Talks
Nourishing our faith this Lent
Do you want this Lent to be a bit more than giving-up chocolate or alcohol?
Do you sometimes wonder what it really means to say you have a relationship with Jesus?
Would you like a deeper appreciation of Jesus’ Passion, death & resurrection & its meaning for our lives?
If your answer to any of these questions, or questions like them, then why not come along to our Lenten series of talks by the Scripture scholar Brant Pitre, running in the daytime & in the evening? No need to book.
Jesus the Bridegroom: Unveiling the Love of Christ in the Passion and the Sacraments
Monday 23rd February 10.30 – 12.00, following coffee in the Parish Centrel after Mass.
Wednesday 25th February 7.30 – 9pm in the Parish Centre
1. The Jewish Roots of Holy Week: The 7 Last Days of Jesus
Offered in 2 ways – fortnightly or as a retreat/study day
Saturday 7th March retreat/study day
10 am – Mass
10.30 – 11.00 Exposition
11.00 – 11.15 Welcome, tea/coffee in the Parish Centrel
11.15 – 12.45 1st talk & discussion
12.45 – 1.30 Shared table lunch
1.30 – 3.00 2nd talk & discussion
3.00 – 3.30 Prayer
3.30 – Tea/coffee & depart
If you can’t make it for the whole day come for the morning or afternoon.
Mon 9th March 10.30—12.00 following coffee in the Parish Centre after Mass.
Mon 23rd March 10.30—12.00 following coffee in the Parish Centre after Mass.
Wednesday 11th March 7.30–9pm in the Parish Centre
Wednesday 25th March 7.30–9pm in the Parish Centre
Want more info? Contact Heather 07885 737393, heatherward55@gmail.com
Lourdes Pilgrimage 2026
The 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.
Brentwood Cathedral Lenten Lectures
These will take place at Brentwood Cathedral Parish Hall commencing Wednesday 25th February 2026 at 7.30pm
The theme this year is: “What does it truly mean to be Catholic?” This invitation is to the whole Diocese of Brentwood. All Welcome!
Talk 1 Wednesday 25th February. Abbot Hugh Allan, O Praem.
“I Believe…” Living and Proclaiming the Catholic Faith—7.30pm
Talk 2 Wednesday 4th March. Rev Msgr Kevin Hale, VG.
Being Catholic and the call to holiness as seen in the lives of some recently canonised saints—7.30pm
Talk 3 Wednesday 11th March. Mr Mauro Iannicelli.
Prayer as the Foundation of our Catholic Life—7.30pm
Talk 4 Wednesday 18th March Rev Msgr John Armitage.
The uniqueness of Catholicism for British Society—7.30pm
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham—23rd May 2026
Join Bishop Alan and other parishes around the Diocese of Brentwood in Walsingham. 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 to come please leave your name and contact details with the Parish Office.
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”.
Repository News
Together with a number of beautiful statues and Rosaries, we now have a lovely painting of the Last Supper for sale. This can be viewed in the Repository area during the week, as well as weekends when we are open after all Masses.
OLOL Ladies Group
We meet on Thursday 26th February from 10am, all ladies welcome. We will be having a relaxing, but what promises to be an enjoyable morning with a variety of table games, so come along and join in the fun. Subs are £1 with refreshments.
Friends of the Holy Land
Following the recent pulpit appeal Friends of the Holy Land would like to thank all parishioners for £3016.07 raised for Christians in the Holy Land, at a time when they are most vulnerable. Please continue to remember our work in your prayers, giving our brothers and sisters strength to continue.
CAFOD Lent Fast Day - 27 February
This CAFOD Fast Day is focusing on helping families adapt to the effects of climate change. In South Sudan, devastating floods are destroying farmland but CAFOD's local partners help local families to develop ingenious solutions like floating gardens that can grow food above flood water. In Zimbabwe they are helping families grow drought resistant crops.
Our parish support this Fast Day will help more of our global neighbours put food on the table. Please pray for the work of CAFOD and envelopes / electronic giving is available at the back of the church if you are able to make a contribution to their work. Thank you.
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
This is the final Sunday (Quinquagesima in the former Roman Calendar) before we begin Lent.
Dear friends in Christ
This is the final Sunday (Quinquagesima in the former Roman Calendar) before we begin Lent. Ash Wednesday is a matter of days away, and we should have a plan in place for our living of the Forty Days that comprise the sacred and penitential season of Lent.
Within the Newsletter you will find various initiatives for Lent this year, together with the liturgical celebrations that characterise this time. Lent is known as the Springtime of the Church since during his time our lives are renewed and we are invigorated with the grace of God, to serve Him better and become more devoted disciples of Jesus.
This is also the time when those discerning a call to become Catholic intensify their preparation for the Sacraments, either at Easter or later in the year. Next Sunday they will make a pilgrimage to Brentwood Cathedral and they are presented to our Bishop in the Rite of Election; there are fourteen from our own Parish. Please pray for them and their Sponsors.
This Saturday is the occasion of the Installation of the new Archbishop of Westminster—The Most Reverend Richard Moth. With our Bishop I shall be attending the ceremony and I remind you to pray for his intentions as he takes-up this huge responsibility of shepherding that great Archdiocese.
May God bless us as we make our own personal pilgrimages through this Lent that lays ahead of us!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Liturgy
Readings of Year A
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 5