Dear friends in Christ
During this forty-day period between Easter and the Ascension of Our Lord, the Church asks us to keep our eyes on Heaven, our eternal homeland.
Dear friends in Christ
In the Gospel of this Sunday St John paints another beautiful icon for us of Jesus as The Vine.
Dear friends in Christ
In an early text by Saint Justin, Martyr, c.150 AD we read: On Sundays there is an assembly of all who live in towns or in the country... This is the first day, on which God transformed darkness and matter and made the world; the day on which Jesus Christ our Saviour rose from the dead.
A series of informal talks, designed to give an insight into the teachings and traditions of the Catholic church, continues on Monday 12th March at 8pm in the Parish Centre with Morality & Social Justice (Matthew 25). You are welcome to attend some or all of these talks; if you would like more information please speak to Fr Kevin.
As part of our Evangelisation and Discipleship project, we are organising a festival of flowers to be held on Saturday 16th June. The aim is to involve as many parishioners as possible in decorating all the windowsills in the church. The theme will be, The Saints. Each display to be inspired by the saints portrayed in the stained glass windows. We hope that this event will encourage the people of Leigh to visit our beautiful Church.
We hope that organisations, groups, families or individuals will volunteer to take responsibility for one window display. A list will be available to choose from.
This is not a competition. Please do not feel that you have to be a professional flower arranger to take part! Garden flowers and greenery, together with any symbols or items representing the Saints in the window that you have chosen, would be ideal.
If you are interested in taking part, or would like to know more, please contact:
Theresa 335122 or Jo 474062
Thank you so much for your support for this initiative which we hope will produce confidence and growth in our Parish community. If you couldn't make the first meeting, DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU! You will still be welcome at our next meeting on Tuesday 13th March at 7:30pm in the Gilbert Room when we will begin studying Sherry Weddell's book Forming Intentional Disciples together. This programme has transformed and deepened the faith of many people. For those who already intend to come to the next meeting, why not start your evangelisation training now by inviting two other people from the parish to join you at the next meeting? Please remember to pray for this ongoing initiative.
Dear Friends in christ
We hear of the incident when Jesus cleanses the Temple in the Gospel of this Sunday. It was a prelude to the Passion, and is one of those rare moments when Our Lord is filled with a righteous anger for the abuse of His Father's house. This passage from St John reminds us too, of the special and sacred nature of the places where God dwells amongst His people. Our churches are holy and consecrated, set aside for the specific purpose of worship, so that we may have places on earth wherein we can encounter the living presence of God.
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT - Sunday 4th March
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Adrian Dann, RIP (K&LW)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Sandie Hippard - Special Intention (K&LW)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Ann O’Connell, RIP (MD)
4.00pm Mass Kathleen Kelly, RIP - Ex Form (M&MD)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 5 Feria
9.00am Mass Alfredo Tisi, RIP (T&VT)
Tuesday 6 Feria
9.00am Mass Jan Harris, RIP (Anniv)(LY)
Wednesday 7 Feria
9.00am Mass Charles & Alice Whitefield, RIP (FM)
5.00pm Body in Church Pamina Edgeley, RIP
Thursday 8 Feria
9.30am Requiem Mass Pamina Edgeley, RIP
Friday 9 Feria
6.30am Mass Barbara Sheaf, RIP (CR)
12Noon Mass Margaret Randall, RIP (C&AB)
Saturday 10 Feria
10.00am Mass Sheila Yorke, RIP (SC)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confession
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT - Sunday 11th March - Lætare Sunday
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Frank & Moira Keenan, RIP (FK)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Intentions of Marie Fitzakerley - 90th Birthday (JL)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Mervyn Calton, RIP (RC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We would like someone who could turn News items with dates into Events on the website, to keep the calendar up-to-date. About 5 minutes for each item. You need a computer, but it's not very technical. You might need to liaise with the office occasionally.
Presents a series of Four Lent Talks at Nazareth House-Thursday Evenings in Lent, beginning at 7.30pm - ending with devotions and Benediction - Priests available to hear Confessions.
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…
We congratulate the parents of Jack Chilvers, Robert Stubbington, Henry Binns & Lola-Mae Langley-Horton who were Baptised recently at Our Lady of Lourdes. May God bless them and their families as they grow in His knowledge and love
The next Baptism Course will be held on Tuesdays 6th and 13th March at 8pm in Parish centre. Please telephone Diane Watts on 01702 478396.
Counters: Bob Hall & Sandra Hippard
Folders: Tom O’Callaghan & Rita O’Callghan
When a Mass is requested, we will allocate a date if you specifically request one (e.g. an anniversary or similar), otherwise the intention will be written in the Mass Intention Book, and it will be offered when it comes round in the order in which they are booked. Please indicate if you would be happy if the Mass is celebrated outside the Parish (especially in cases where there are many requests for the same person; the Mass can often be offered by another priest sooner). Hopefully this will prevent the diary from becoming full weeks ahead, especially when someone requires a date urgently for someone.
There will be a Parent’s Meeting on Thursday 8th March at 8pm in the Parish Centre for parents who have a child making their Reconciliation & First Holy Communion this year.
On Sunday, April 29, at 3:00pm parishioners and priests from the Southend deanery will gather on the beach at the Crowstone, Chalkwell Beach at the bottom of Chalkwell Avenue to pray the rosary. This prayer event is taking place all around the coast in the UK. The date will mark 50 years since the Abortion Act coming into effect. Organisers say the mass-rosary prayer will help combat the “present threats to faith, the dignity of the human person and to peace”, and encourage a “re-flourishing of our Faith”. The organisers said.“We believe that if the rosary is prayed by about a million along the borders of the country, it may not only change the course of events, but open hearts of our compatriots to the grace of God,” If you want to know more then please visit https://www.rosaryonthecoast.co.uk
New boxes of envelopes for those in the Gift Aid Scheme will be available for collection on 10th/11th and 17th/18th March. If you wish to gift aid your weekly offering by using envelopes, please complete a Gift Aid Form, available at the back of Church, and either hand it in to the Parish office or place it in the offertory collection. You will then receive a box of envelopes for your weekly collection.
We have our Annual General meeting on 12th March at 7.30 at St. Margaret’s Church Hall, Lime Ave Leigh. We would welcome anyone who would like to find out more about what we do. (But don’t worry you won’t be forced to join!) Our next event is a meal at East on 22nd March at 7.30. Tickets are £15 and are available from Linda, 558217, Theresa, 335122 or from Jo 474062.
We are very sad to announce that due to a decline in numbers the above has sadly closed. The CWL has had a presence in the Parish, along with Westcliff, for approximately 96 years. It is hoped to continue some of our popular events such as Lenten Lunches and the Afternoon Tea. In due course, it may be possible to start a new group open to all women in the Parish. Watch this space for more information!
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.
These popular lunches started 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.
The National Novena to St Joseph will take place from 10th to 18th March 2018 at St Joseph’s Church in Maidenhead and at Herbert House, Freshfield, Liverpool. Each year the Mill Hill Missionaries prepare for the Feast of St Joseph, their patron, with a special Novena of Masses and prayers to ask for God’s blessing on their Society and the missionary outreach of the Church, as well as for the intentions of all those who support their work. You are invited to send in your petitions and/or to request a Novena booklet to enable you to join in from home by praying the daily Novena prayer. Please write to Fr Liam Cummins MHM, St Joseph’s Missionary Society, 58 Bookham Road, Maidenhead, SL6 7HT, or email novenamhm@gmail.com.
A series of informal talks, designed to give an insight into the teachings and traditions of the Catholic church, continues on Monday 5th March at 8pm in the Parish Centre with Matrimony & Holy Orders. You are welcome to attend some or all of these talks; if you would like more information please speak to Fr Kevin.
