First Holy Communion 2027
If your child is going into Year 3 or above and you wish for them to make their First Holy Communion in May 2027, please submit the application by Friday 4th September.
This should be done via the parish website, under Sacraments - Communion
(https://lourdesleigh.org/sacraments)
We will be in touch after this date to confirm preparatory sessions for the children. Please note that these take place on a Saturday (once a month) at 4pm-5:15pm.
Latest Assisted Suicide Bill
The fight against assisted suicide is entering a critical phase. If you haven’t already written to your MP asking them to vote against the bill being introduced in Parliament proposing a change in the law to permit assisted suicide, but would like to, the Right to Life website asks your MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law. If you click on this, you will be asked for your postcode and a letter is automatically generated to your MP. It takes about 30 seconds.
Seniors Exercise & Balance Class
The Seniors Exercise & Balance class has closed for the Summer and will re-open on Tuesday, 1st September. All welcome.
Flower Festival
Thank you again to all who took part in the Flower Festival.
£327.09 cash donations for HARP were made on the day. Any electronic donations on the day will be added.
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel of the Mass this Sunday, Jesus warns us of allowing pernicious weeds to grow among the good wheat in our lives.
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel of the Mass this Sunday, Jesus warns us of allowing pernicious weeds to grow among the good wheat in our lives. The weed of which He speaks was widespread in the Middle East, resembling wheat and difficult to distinguish. The Fathers of the Church have understood this to be an allegory for false teaching, which is not easy to distinguish from the truth, above all at the beginning; but if error is allowed to flourish it always has catastrophic effects on the souls of God’s faithful. This may resonate with us still today. So, the lesson is clear: we need to shape our lives, our hearts and our consciences with the truth of the Gospel and the unerring teaching of the Church, especially in matters of faith and morals. We read the Word of God, we study the Catechism, we seek guidance, in order to see the world through the lens of God’s providence. To live as God’s children in this world, it is necessary that we use all of the means to ensure our sound formation in matters of faith and doctrine. Let’s use the means at our disposal, and look in the correct places, to ensure that we never allow the seeds of dissension and error to take any root in our lives.
This weekend our Diocesan Pilgrimage departs for Lourdes. I will be joining them this week with a group from our area as well as a group of our young adults. We all assure you that we hold the Parish Family very much in our thoughts and prayers during these days, especially the sick and elderly, those suffering and alone and those in any particular need at this time. I will offer the Mass we celebrate at the Grotto for all your intentions. May Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Bernadette grant us a safe journey there and back!
God bless you all!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 18th July
5.30pm Vigil Mass Holy Souls
6.30pm—7.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 19th July
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
8am Mass Intentions of Blake Mackay (SD)
9.30am Mass Kitty Lydon, RIP (ML)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 20th
St Apollinaris, Bp,M
9am Mass Intentions of Maura Irwin (PL)
Tuesday 21st
St Laurence of Brindisi, Pr, D
9am Mass Holy Souls (ML)
Wednesday 22nd
St Mary Magdalene
9am Mass Kitty Lydon, RIP (LW)
Thursday 23rd
St Bridget of Sweden, Rel,
9am Mass Ann Widdecombe, RIP (IS)
Friday 24th
St Charbel Makhlouf, Pr
12Noon Mass Victims of the Venezuela Earthquake (IS)
Saturday 25th July
St James, Ap
10am Mass Holy Souls
10.30am—11.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass People of the Parish
6.30pm—7.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 26th July
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
8am Mass Intentions of Sue Maxfield (JL)
9.30am Mass Kitty Lydon, RIP (CB)
11.30am Mass Holy Souls
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Edmund Dobson, Fr Patrick Taylor, Deacon David Balmer, Fr John Boardman, Fr Michael Hannan, Fr Dermot Moore, Fr James Cooney, Fr James McEvoy, Fr Godfrey Anstruther OP, Fr John Hones, Bill Prior, Margaret May Orme, David Finnigan, Reginald Copley, Caroline Hardy, Kathleen Butt, Jane Bickmore, Charles fletcher, Jane Mawdsley, Alice collins, Aislinn Lane, Elsie Witty, Irene Huggett, Frank McEvoy, Pamela Johnson, Francis Howard Kenney, Geraldine Hayter, Joan Farmer, Winifred Martin, Marian Bukowski, Leonard Betts, Arthur Koch, William Rhodes, David Hall, Eva Bartley, Silvester Smolarczyk, Marie Ann Brand, Anthony Downey, John Maguire, Stefan Nowacki, John O’Brien, Gertrude Mortelman & Carmina Czogalik.
We pray for our sick
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 soul of
BRIAN CRAWLEY who died on Saturday, 6th June. His Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday, 29th July at 11am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
Requiescat in pace
Parish Fundraising—200 Club
The winners of the June draw are:
1st Prize £150 45 Mr W Bertram
2nd Prize £100 108 Mrs L Mapson
3rd Prize £75 66 Miss L Young
4th Prize £25 22 Miss V DeSouza
The funds raised from the 200 Club now contributes 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 and are part of Aid to the Church in Need.
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.
Flower Festival
A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the Flower and Craft Festival on Saturday.
The church looked beautiful and so many people commented on the wonderful music and feeling of peace in the church during the day.
Special thanks to the ladies that helped to put all the displays together on Friday; those of you who were present in the church on Saturday to welcome and talk to visitors, and Jan and the ladies that provided the teas and refreshments all day. The theme of the Beatitudes was a lovely introduction for non-Christians who visited to understand what our faith is about. A lot of people knew nothing about the Beatitudes and did not know what the word meant.
I have not yet been told how much was raised for HARP but there were some very generous donations on the day.
Thank you again,
Jo Ronan & Theresa Whitaker
OLOL Ladies Group
Would ladies please note there will NOT BE A MEETING NEXT WEEK.
The summer Buffet Luncheon on 23rd July is by ticket only at £10 per person. This weekend is the last chance to purchase a ticket by contacting Jan on 07775620890
Tickets will NOT be available on the day. Arrival is 11.45am.
Please watch this space for information on when we all meet again in September. We wish all our ladies a very happy and peaceful summer.
Repository News
Would Parishioners please note that after next weekend, 25th/26th July, the Repository will be closed until September. Mass cards will be available from the Parish Office on weekday mornings only during this period.
Certificates of Catholic Practice
Please note Fr Kevin will be issuing Certificates of Catholic Practice in September/October.
Sea of Voices Anniversary Summer Concert
This year marks the tenth anniversary of our Sea of Voices community choir and we’ll be holding our Summer concert on Sunday 26th July at 3pm in the parish centre. All funds raised will go towards the purchase of a new electric piano organ for use in the church and by the choir in the parish centre, so please mark the date in your calendars now! Tickets at £5 are now available to buy from the Parish office. Any help towards the concert e.g. teas and coffees and donations of raffle prizes would be very much appreciated- thank you! Contact Darrell Binding mobile 07825686249.
St John Bosco Children’s Camp—Summer 2026
Final Places – Summer Holiday Opportunity. The St John Bosco Children's Camp is held near Brentwood. It is an activities camp including archery, fishing, Aqua Park visit, football, kayaking and much more. Final places are currently available for children currently in school year 5 – 7 (i.e. aged 9 - 12 on 31st August 2026) to spend a week at camp. Week One 25th July – 1st August or Week Two 1st – 8th August. The camp is run with a Catholic ethos and is for all children, especially those who may not otherwise have a summer holiday. Suggested donation £200, but fully funded places are also available thanks to generous grants. All application details are at www.boscocamp.co.uk
Talks on the Gospels
Jesus opens the Scriptures to his disciples
Let Him do this for you through these inspirational talks from Brant Pitre
Wednesday 7.30pm in the Parish Centre
July 22nd The Four Gospels