These popular lunches start again on Friday 16th February, 12.30pm to 2pm in the Parish Centre and continue throughout Lent. For £5 come and enjoy homemade soup, bread and fruit. All proceeds to charity.
Catholic Women's League
The next Business meeting is on Monday, 12 February at 2pm in the Newman Room.
Rich Meal/Poor Meal - Saturday 24th February in Parish Centre
A Lenten Global Dining Experience with a difference! 9% of the world owns 86% of the wealth. 70% share less than 3% of the world's wealth. Are you up for an interesting challenge this Lent? 6.30pm for 7.00pm in Parish Centre. £5 a ticket. Please contact Jim 07986538578, Fran 07981741788 or Cathy 07762107920 to reserve a place. Live Simply Group.
CHURCH PREMISES MANAGER, St Clement’s, Leigh-on-Sea
£16-£20,000 Pro Rata. Undertaking/organising planned and reactive maintenance of the church building and church yard. Email mac@mac-jude.uk for a Job Description. Closing Date 2nd March 2018.
Parish/Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes Monday 23rd - Saturday 28th July 2018
Five nights (full board) travelling with British Airways via Toulouse and staying at the Grand Moderne Hotel will cost £665 per pilgrim. Please indicate your interest by putting your name on the list in the Parish Office.
Adoremus: National Eucharistic Congress September 2018
If you are interested in attending the National Eucharistic Congress being held in Liverpool from 7th-9th September 2018 further details and booking forms are available from the Parish Office.
A First Formal Proposal for the Renewal and Restructuring of our Diocese - Stewards of the Gospel
For a few weeks now we have been in receipt of the ‘First Formal Proposal’ document and DVD/video message from Bishop Alan. The Proposal and video message are available to view on the Diocesan website: www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/bishop. If you require a hard copy please let me know (01702 552373) or leave a request at the parish office. The Proposal shares with us some of the thoughts Bishop Alan and his team have as to how the Diocese might restructure itself in the future to ensure that we can more effectively evangelise, sharing with faith and confidence the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ within our parishes as well as surrounding communities. The Proposal specifically refers to the place of our own parish in any forthcoming restructuring. We are being asked by the Bishop to take time to carefully and prayerfully study the document and discuss it with family, friends and fellow parishioners. An opportunity is being arranged for us to come together as a parish family to share views, hopes and any concerns in relation to the Proposal, with our response in due course being conveyed to the Diocese. Bishop Alan stresses that this is a ‘first’ Formal Proposal; a lot more discussion and consultation will yet be required! A Parish Meeting is being arranged for 10.30am on Saturday,
17th February, 2018 (commencing after the 10am Mass) in the Parish Centre. The Bishop’s video message will be shown on that occasion. For any unable to attend on 17th February, I would be grateful to receive your thoughts in writing (via the parish office) or by emailing: obrjam@btinternet.com. Many thanks.
Francis O’Brien - Steward of the Gospel
Presentation Evening - Evangelisation and Discipleship
The Gilbert Room of the Parish Centre, Tuesday 20th February 2018 at 7.30pm
Pope Francis tells us in Evangelii Gaudium that: “The Church which ‘goes forth’ is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice. An evangelising community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, He has loved us first (cf 1 Jn 4:19)”. As we move forward as a Parish with our Stewards of the Gospel initiative and following on from our Parish Mission, Father Kevin invites you to come and hear about an exciting new initiative being launched in our parish soon. Learn about discipleship and the joy of evangelisation.
Counters & Folders
Counters: Jacky Hoggett & Eileen Wilson
Folders: Angie Martin & Joseph Martin
Sacrament of Confirmation
Anyone who wishes to begin preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation should send their name to Fr Kevin by the end of February together with an email address. Names need to be sent in BEFORE THE START OF LENT which is when the preparation begins. Applicants should have reached their fourteenth birthday by the end of August 2017.
Dates for your Diary
Wednesday, 14th February Ash Wednesday
21st, 28th February ) Marriage Preparation
7th - 14th March )
12th & 19th May First Holy Communions
20th May Confirmation
Church Security
Following on from what Fr Kevin wrote in the Newsletter last weekend about a number of recent incidents of theft and vandalism in the church, and mindful of the need to balance the desire for access to the church and security, it has been decided that the church will remain open from early morning until 1pm. After that time access can be had to the church using the door on the north side of the building (from the courtyard) and by using an access code which can be obtained from the Parish Office. It is vitally important that this code not be written down but memorised; it should not be generally disclosed, otherwise the whole object of the exercise will be undermined. We will review how this works in a couple of months time. In the meantime, do continue to be vigilant during the times that the church is open.
Sanctuary Lamp
The lamp burns for Gareth Lewis, RIP.
Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of
Barbara Sheaf, RIP who died on 24th January. Her body will be received into the Church at 6.15pm on Sunday 18th February and her Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Monday 19th February at 11am.
Please Pray for the Dead on their anniversaries
Fr Donald Mills, Fr Charles Snell, Fr John Joyce, Catherine Shanahan, Gordon Watts, Jessie Hempstead, Annie Jackson, Monica Crighton, Cajetan Soares, Tony Trigg, Eric Wallen, Mary Mulhern, Mary Gleeson, Patrick O’Donnell, Martin Ryan, Daphne Rickard, Ivy Spratt, Christina Riddell, Joan Stanley, Malcolm Atkinson, Patricia Garnett, Anthony Ashwell-Rivens, Elaine MacDonald, Amy Read, John Armstrong, Doreen O’Leary, Alice McGiff, John McCarthy, Ernest Treston, Eleanor Walsh, Veronica Collins, Mark Bragard, Michel Fitzgerald, Maire Beckwith & Douglas Ellegard.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Friends in Christ
As on so many occasions, the Gospel of this Sunday shows us that the mission of Christ, his Apostles and the Church, is to bring the message of salvation to all people: Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to all creation. St Paul says this good news cannot be kept locked-up. As I wrote last week, during the Lenten season we are going to begin to look at ways in which we can become more deliberate and intentional disciples of Jesus: by becoming in the first instance, more convinced ourselves, and then using that conviction to bring Jesus to those who are hungering for Truth in their lives. Please pray for this initiative for evangelisation so that, as a Parish Family, we may become intentional disciples of Jesus Christ.
I have to share with you some concerns I have as a result of recent criminal incidents in our church. Over the last year there have been several occasions when attacks have been made on the building causing damage and the theft of money. This is always distressing, as we not only have a beautiful church but we have been able to keep it open from dawn to dusk each day. However, the nature of these intrusions and the vandalism caused, are making me review the security of the premises. We have a duty to keep the church accessible, but I am ever-more conscious that there could be more serious damage, sacrilege or worse if we do not take some action. This is a great pity, as many people drop into the church during the day to pray and I am reluctant to have the place locked. I am looking a way whereby people may gain access securely during the day if they wish to pray, but in the meantime I would encourage you all to visit the church often, which is in itself a deterrent to those who would treat the House of God in a profane manner. Please pray to the Guardian Angel of our church for this protection, as well as making acts of reparation for these sins of profanation.
Next week in our Parish we shall be celebrating the Solemnity of Our Lady of Lourdes. As the feast falls on a Sunday this year, and as we are dedicated to Our Lady, this takes precedence over the normal Sunday liturgy and the Readings and prayers at the Mass will be taken from the 11th February. There will be a drinks reception in the St Clement Room following the 11.30 Sung Mass next Sunday. In the meantime, we commend ourselves most fervently to Mary’s intercession and protection at this time.
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale
5th Sunday in Ordinary time: Order of Service
Parish Mass Book page 134
Preface of Sunday 3
First reading Job 7: 1-4, 6-7
Psalm Response at 11.30am Mass
Second reading Corinthians 9: 16-319, 22-23
Gospel Mark 1: 29-39
Eucharistic Prayer 3
5th Week in Ordinary Time
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday 3 February
5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30 Exposition & Confession
Sunday 4
8am Mass Barrington Gray† Anniversary
9.30 Mass Rose & Charles D’Souza Wedding Anniversary - Thanksgiving
11.30 Mass Intentions of Michael & Patricia Westoby 50th Wedding Anniversary
4pm Mass Extraordinary Form Peter Griffin†
5.30 Vespers & Benediction
Saint Agatha, Virgin, Martyr
Monday 5
10.15am Requiem Mass Frances Ryan†
Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
Tuesday 6
9am Mass Barbara Sheaf†
Feria
Wednesday 7
9am Mass Kevin Hopley†
10.30 Newman Room Mothers’ Prayers
5pm Body in Church Adrian Dann†
Saint Jerome Emiliani
Thursday 8
10.15am Requiem Mass Adrian Dann†
5pm Body in Church Helen Blanche Cotton†
7 Contemplative Prayer silence, simplicity & stillness
Feria
Friday 9
9.30am Mass with Our Lady of Lourdes School Intentions of Peter O’Sullivan
2.15pm Requiem Mass Helen Blanche Cotton†
St Scholastica, Virgin
Saturday 10
10am Mass Bernard Ward† Anniversary
10.30 Exposition & Confession
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes
5.30 Vigil Mass Carmen Ashley† Anniversary
6.30pm Exposition & Confession
Sunday 11
8am Mass Martin Densham†
9.30 Mass The People of the Parish
11.30 Mass Tony Trigg† Anniversary
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Four Lent Talks at Nazareth House
Thursday Evenings in Lent, beginning at 7.30pm
presented by The Southend Deanery in the Diocese of Brentwood
- ending with devotions and Benediction
- Priests available to hear Confessions
‘The Ministries to which we are called’
Thursday February 22nd
Fr. Gerry Drummond, Parish Priest of Rochford and Hockley and Catholic Chaplain to Southend Hospital.
The Pastoral Care of the Sick and the Dying
Thursday March 1st
Brian Holt-President of the Comitium for the Legion of Mary
‘Be it done unto me…’
Thursday March 8th
Fr. Graham Smith, Parish Priest of Southend and Prittlewell
Diocesan Director of Vocations
'Here I am Lord’
Thursday March 15th
Speaker to be confirmed: The Pastoral Formation of our Young People
Abbotswick and Beyond…
Rich man/Poor man Supper
Many thanks to all those who attended the film night last week when £100 was raised. This will be shared between CAFOD and RSN for refugee work. Our next event is: A Lenten Global Dining Experience! Saturday 24th February in the Parish Centre, 6.30pm for 7.00pm. £5 a ticket. Please contact Jim 07986538578, Fran 07981741788 or Cathy 07762107920 to reserve a place. Live Simply Group.