Please pray for the repose of the souls of
JOHN SCAIFE, RIP who died on Sunday, 6th September. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 14th October at 4.15pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 15th October at 2pm, followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
NICHOLAS HUTCHINS, RIP who died on Saturday, 5th September. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 21st October at 4.15pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 22nd October at 2pm, followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
DOREEN HARLEY, RIP who died on Monday, 28th September. Funeral details to follow.
Requiescant in pace
Music at 11.30am Mass
Prelude: Improvisation on the introit
Postlude: Ciacona in E minor BuxWV 160—Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
Dates for your Diary
Thursday, 12th November—Annual Parish Requiem—7pm
Sunday, 22nd November—Christmas Bazaar 8.30am—1pm
Thursday 26th-Saturday 28th November—Forty Hours’ prayer
Friday, 18th December—Annual Carol Service—7pm
Saturday, 8th May—First Holy Communion Mass—10.30am
Sunday, 16th May—Confirmation Mass—11.30am
Sunday 30th May—Corpus Christi Procession—4pm
Brant Pitre's talk on Peter & the Papacy
Wednesday 14th October 7.30pm in the Parish Centre - Have you ever had people say to you things like "The Church is just man-made, we don't need it." or "We don't need a Pope telling us what to do!" & been stuck for a satisfying answer? Brant Pitre's talk on Peter & the Papacy answers objections like these & feeds our faith in the Church as a divine institution.
Flower & Craft Festival
For the last 9 years my sister Theresa and I have organised and presented a Flower & Craft Festival in Our Lady of Lourdes Church to reach out to and introduce our Church to our local community. Each year we chose a different theme which would show different aspects of our faith. These included, Saints, Parables & Miracles, Sacraments, Hymns & Psalms etc. Each year we have invited St Clements and more recently St James’s to take part as an expression of Christian unity. Our local Homelessness Charity, HARP, have also taken part each year with contributions from their clients.
However, sadly, we have decided that that we are not able to continue doing this anymore.
Over the years we have been helped by many people who have agreed to create a piece of art or craft or decorate a window sill. We have also had many helpers to put up the displays the day before the Festival. A special mention must go to Jan who has organised the provision of refreshments for the last 9 years, and Marion who has provided our music. We have also had many people who would be in the church to greet visitors and answer any questions.
We thank you all.
If anyone would like to have a go at arranging something similar…… or indeed something completely different, (it does not have to be on such a large scale,) please contact Fr Kevin with your ideas. It is a good idea to have a small group involved as the organisation of any event is time consuming!
Once again thank you to everyone who has helped make the Flower & Craft Festival so prayerful and rewarding over these last 9 years.
Jo Ronan
Journey in Faith—RCIA
This begins on Monday 12th October at 7.30pm 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 are held in the Parish Centre and last for one hour. Names may be given in advance to Father Kevin or to the Parish Office.
Those interested in reading or learning more before the course begins may wish to purchase a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church from the Catholic Truth Society, or listen to The Catechism in a Year podcast with Fr Mike Schmitz.
OLOL Ladies Group
We will be meeting on Thursday 8th October from 10am in the Parish Centre. All ladies are welcome with subs at just £1.
Although are numbers have risen to 35 we can always squeeze a few more into this very popular Parish Group. If you have a special skill, a story to tell you would be very welcome.
So, Thursday is one of our famous and fun Quiz mornings presented by none other than our very own queen of quiz setters, Jan Lewis. Not a quizzer? No problem, just come along and enjoy a chat, coffee and cake. All this plus a great Raffle.
Parish Christmas Bazaar - Sunday 22nd November, 8.30am - 1.00pm
We’re getting ready for our Parish Christmas Bazaar, and we need your help to make it a wonderful success! This year the Bazaar will be on Sunday 22nd November, running all morning from 8.30am until 1pm. Put the date in your diary and come along for breakfast and a little shopping too!
If you are free to offer an hour or two on the day, please call or message Sue on 07816 141492.
Donations Needed for Our Parish Christmas Bazaar
Alll donations are most welcome but we’re especially looking for donations of:
Unwanted bottles of alcohol – perfect for our bottle tombola and raffle prizes.
Unwanted jewellery – costume or fine, to add sparkle to our jewellery stall.
Unwanted toiletries – always popular on our “Smellies” stall!
If you have any of these items tucked away at home, please consider donating them to support the Parish.
Donations can be left in the old Baptistry. If you need us to collect, (locally), just give us a call
Sue 07816 141492 Angela 07940 183452
Every contribution helps – and together, we can make this year’s Bazaar the best yet!
Thank you for your generosity and continued support.
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School
✨ Come along to our Open Evening! ✨
We’d love to see you there! Come and experience it for yourself, meet the staff, explore what we have to offer, and see what makes us special. 💛
Certificates of Catholic Practice
Please note Fr Kevin will be issuing Certificates of Catholic Practise in September/October, Tuesday—Friday 9.00—13.00. Please call into the office to complete the form.
Repository News
We have some new stock, including Statues, plus a few items from Lourdes, in addition to books and a large selection of cards. Please feel free to browse and ask our volunteers for assistance if you can't find what you are looking for.
Seniors Exercise & Balance Class
10am Tuesdays
Parish Centre
£6
You are invited to join the Exercise & Balance Class for Seniors which is held every Tuesday morning in the Parish Centre. The class starts at 10am and lasts one hour. Exercises are done to music and each session costs £6.
Young Vincentians
Please note there will not be a meeting on Monday, 5th October.
Our next meeting is on Monday 12th October from 5.15pm. Young Vincentians Committee.
MISSIO Red Boxes
I have received the Autumn Missio magazines. If you have not already received one from me personally please take one from the back of the Church (usual place). If anyone has a box that is ready for paying in to the Bank please give it to me personally or leave in the office for me to collect. Thank you. Joan Caunce 01268 757505.
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel, a father asks his two sons to go and work in his vineyard.
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel, a father asks his two sons to go and work in his vineyard. The first says, I will not, but later changes his mind and goes. The second says, Certainly, sir, but does not go. It is a very simple story, but perhaps it is a little too close to home. How often do we say the right thing? We know what God asks of us. We know that we should pray, forgive, make time for Him, come to Mass, be patient, generous and charitable. We can even be very good at saying, Yes, Lord. But saying yes is not the same as going into the vineyard. The vineyard is where the work is done. It is there that our faith becomes real. And perhaps there is also something encouraging in the first son. His initial answer was wrong, but his story did not end there. He changed his mind and went. That is the hope held out to every one of us. Our past failures do not have to determine our future. It is never too late to say yes to God—not merely with our lips, but with our lives. The Christian life is not about appearing to be good; it is about actually doing the will of the Father. Every morning the Lord sends us into His vineyard. He sends us to our families, to our workplaces, to our schools and, indeed, to our parish. There is work to be done: kindness to offer, burdens to carry, forgiveness to give, prayers to make and people to bring closer to Christ. The question is not simply, What do I say to God? The more important question is, What do I do for God? May we have the humility to recognise when we have said no, the courage to change our minds, and the generosity to go where the Lord sends us. For at the end of the day, it is not the words Yes, Father that matter most. It is whether we actually went into the vineyard. And the vineyard is waiting.
May God bless you all!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of Year A
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 6
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 26th September
Ss Cosmas and Damian, Mm
5.30pm Vigil Mass Holy Souls
6.30pm—7.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 27th September
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Rebecca Clarke, RIP (Anniv) (IR)
11.30am Mass Susan Griffin, RIP (CB)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 28th
St Wenceslaus, M
9am Mass Valerie Griggs, RIP & Dec'd members of the Moon Family (SM)
Tuesday 29th
SS Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels
9am Mass Intentions of the Sanctuary Family (PT)
Wednesday 30th
St Jerome, Pr, D
9am Mass Lakshman Perera, RIP (Anniv) (JP)
Thursday 1st October
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, V, D (Lisieux)
9am Mass Susan Griffin, RIP (EH)
Friday 2nd—First Friday
The Holy Guardian Angels—Harvest Fast day
12Noon Mass Holy Souls
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until Holy Hour 7—8pm
Saturday 3rd October
Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
10am Mass Holy Souls
10.30am—11.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass Janet Weale, RIP (TW)
6.30pm—7.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 4th October
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Stephen Hymas, RIP (Anniv) & Kathleen Hymas (GM)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Intentions of Peter & Erin Underwood (MT)
4pm Mass Paul Hiscock, RIP (MH)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Fr Jordan Godfrey, Pope John Paul I, Fr Bernard Wakeling, Fr Michael Hopkins, Canon William O’Neill, Marion McNamara, Theresa O’Riordan, Elizabeth Barker, Arthur Sanctuary, Mary Fletcher, Charles Bartley, Madeleine Beckett, Edith Riley, Vera Osborne, Mark Hillson, Peter Vella, James Gallacher, Ethel W Bartley, Annie Thompson, Annie Levay, Lily Bartley, Patrick Michael Quinn, John Martin, Percy Sentinel, William Spedding, Ronnie Olliffe, Margaret Price, Rudolph Banocy, Sarah Duffy, Colleen Warley, Sophie Shapiro, Eileen Pearson & Ursula Turner.
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.”