Counters: Jacky Hoggett & Eileen Wilson
Folders Angie Martin & Joseph Martin
A Day with Mary - Saturday 7 April - Our Lady of Canvey & English Martyrs, Long Road, Canvey Island
A DAY WITH MARY is an open day of prayer held in a Catholic church or shrine. It emphasises worship of the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to Our Lady. You are welcome to join the event for a little while or for the whole day.
It includes the Mass, Scripture, Rosary, Meditations on the Passion, Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, Processions of the Blessed Sacrament and of Our Lady, Act of Consecration, Theological Instructions, Hymns, a programme on the story of Fatima and periods of rest with refreshments. The Sacrament of Penance is readily available. There is a bookstall and the opportunity to enrol in the Brown Scapular (consecration to Our Lady) and Miraculous Medal if so wished.
Vacancy
Person required for paid position of Admin Manager in the offices of Holy Family Parish, Benfleet. 20 hours p.w. timing of work can be negotiated. If you – or any of your family/friends – are interested, please first contact
Fr. Eduard Fartan on 01268 792082 or the office on 01268 799649 – or send an email to priest@holyfamily-church.org for a job description and person specification. You should then send in your CV, with a covering letter demonstrating how your experience and skills match the essential requirements and attributes of the role. Closing date for CVs/applications is Tuesday 3rd April.
Spring Walk
Why not sign up for HARP’s Prittle Brook Spring Walk? Taking place on Sunday 22rd April 2018 at 2pm, it’s a 3½ mile Sunday afternoon stroll along the Prittle Brook Greenway from Priory Park to Belfairs Park – raising vital funds for HARP.
Every step you take will show you’re supporting local homeless people. What’s more, with each entry you will receive a FREE HARP Spring Walk T-shirt and also enjoy a well-earned cup of tea and slice of cake afterwards at the Woodlands Centre at Belfairs Park. This is a great afternoon out and knowing you are helping Southend’s homeless community rebuild their lives and live independently makes it even better! https://www.harpsouthend.org.uk/spring-walk-2018.
St George’s Country Dance - Saturday 21st April
Organised by Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Social Committee, 7.30pm-10.30pm (doors open 7pm). Tickets £8 or family £25. Raffle. Bring your own nibbles & drinks. Live band ‘The Musicmakers’ with caller. Tickets will be on sale after 9.30am Mass on Sunday or from Phyllis 07969 465518, Darrell 07825 686249, Irene 07449 471612. Tickets will also be available from the Parish Office.
Coast to Coast Rosar
After similar events in Poland and Ireland, we plan to pray the rosary around the coast on Great Britain in April this year. The event, which is scheduled for Sunday, April 29, will pray specifically for our country, for peace and for the upholding of the dignity of human life. This 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. Our Parish will pray the Rosary on the waters-edge at The Crowstone bottom of Imperial Avenue at 3pm that Sunday. Visit the website for more details: www.rosaryonthecoast.co.uk
Calling all Women of the Parish
It is hoped to start a new group for women in the Parish after Easter. Why not come along on Monday 9th April and share your thoughts and ideas, meet friends, have a chat and enjoy delicious tea and homemade cakes !! Women of all ages welcome, even if you can only come for a short time join us from 2 until 4 p. m. in the Parish Centre. This is a fantastic opportunity to start something new, so see you there!
Flower Festival 16th June 2018
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.
Good Friday - Walk of Witness
This starts at our Lady of Lourdes Church/Leigh Road Baptist Church at 10.30am, goes along Leigh Road, meets people from St. Michael's and Westcliff URC at the junction of Leigh Road, King's Road and Mount Avenue at 10.45 and continues along Leigh Road to Chalkwell Park.
Rotas
The April Eucharistic Ministers and Readers Rotas are now available at the back of the Church.
Missio
APF Boxholders. I have received the Spring 2018 Missio magazine. If you have not received one from me personally, please take one from the back of the Church in the usual place. There will be an appeal for Red Boxes on the weekend of 5th/6th May. Thank you. Joan Caunce, Secretary Tel: 01268 757505.
PARISH FUNDRAISING
Thank you to everyone who supports the 200 Club. The results of the February draw are as follows:
1st prize £150 170 Mrs J Caunce
2nd Prize £100 154 Miss I Solecki
3rd Prize £75 2 Mrs K Prendergast
4th Prize £50 188 Mrs C Bush
5th Prize £25 99 Mrs E Gurney
The 200 Club continues to provide funds to support the running of the Parish Centre. Forms are available from the back of the church or ring Linda Wall on 01702 558217.
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.
Dates for your Diary
12th & 19th May First Holy Communions
20th May Confirmation
Health & Safety
Over the last few weeks some important work has been completed to help us comply with Health & Safety regulations. We would ask you to note, as a result, all of the emergency exits in the church and Parish Centre. There are five the church: the three mains doors at the back of church, the Sacristy, and in addition now, the door in the Lady Chapel; please note the nearest exit to you in case of an emergency. At each of the places where there are votive candles there are now fire blankets for use in case of a fire, as well as several extinguishers. Please note that no children are allowed to go into the choir gallery unless accompanied at all times by an adult. Above all, please be vigilant!
Sanctuary Lamp
The lamp burns for the intentions of John Holland, RIP.
We pray for our sick
Anne Currid, David Gurney, Maureen Gooding, Paul Keane, Mabel Addecott, Christian Ryan, Arthur Mills, Mike Rubbert, Teresa O’Brien, Maureen Deekes, Noel Fagan, Patricia Abram, Tina Doveaston, Pat Lynch,Rose Craft, Addi Brady, Ben Wilson, Patricia Fleming, Nicky Wigmore, Brita Irons, Eileen Wilson, Patricia Spikin, Sandra Fagan, Edna Wallace, Beryl Dixon,Nan Carrit, Nick Evans, Vicky Jack, Lyn Gopee, Mary Boyce, Kristin Hallenga, Anne O’Neill, Cheryl Shallis, Anthony McEvoy, Justin Stark, Sheila Netherton, David Blyth, Dympna Addecott, Janet Woods, Lynne Hilkene, June Moncaster, Laura & Anne Breen, Breda Lynch, Roy Widdecombe, Johanna Lynch, Maria Clark, Sheila McBrearty, Anthony King, Norma McCleverty, Belinda Balazsi, Edward Martin, Johnnie Pool, Joanna Luciani, Pauline Wilsher, Simon Marshall, Kriston Barnes, Josephine Griggs, Noel Kolb,Colleen Worley, Antonella McConalogue, Fr Jean Laurent Marie, Dawn Deleigh, Eddie McConalogue, Georgina Cornwell, Lorraine Hart, Wyn McCafferty, Linda Dean, Annie Holland, Martin Buckley, Chas Taylor, Martha Braun, John Lavery, Ivor & Joanne Knight, Brian Beresford, Rebecca Peake, David Clark, David Askew, Connor Bourke, Mattia Mollica, Sharon Levill, Bernadette Lane, David Kislingury, Maureen Ward, Jane Jowers, Irena Solecki, Doreen Troughton, Marguerite Harris, Andrew Exley, Rosemary Arscott, Lanto Bellis, Richard Collins, Niqui Denkmayer, Elizabeth McConalogue, Kean Smith and children Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Lucy Price, Connie Price, Mary Isherwood, Frazer Gregory, baby Talia Emery and Hattie Seymour.
Please Pray for the Dead on their anniversaries
Fr John Sherlock, Mgr Canon Alfred Gilbey, Fr Denis Hall, Fr Joseph Tuohey, Canon William Toft, Lily Dawson, Kenneth May, Derek Taylor, Victor Moule, Kathleen Farrell, Leo winter, Jane Adamson, Herbert Maddocks, Pamela Shenstone, Winifred Lawson, Ellen O’Connor Hugh Devine, Kathleen (Kit) Collins, Ann Turner, Frederick Duggans, Bessie Higley, Sheila Townsend, Alan Read, Veronica Redhouse, Bartholemew Guihen, Geraldine Gwilliam, Herbert Robertson, Mary Leonard & Marjorie Nolan.
May their Souls & the Souls of all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
Fifth Sunday of Lent Sunday - 18th March 2018
This weekend we enter the final two weeks of Lent: Passiontide. This is the part of Lent when we consider the last days of Our Lord before his saving Death and glorious Resurrection. We try to enter into the mystery of the Passion by our reflecting on the various accounts we find in the Gospels; by following the Way of the Cross and by trying to unite all of our crosses with the sufferings that Jesus undertook for our sins. Every time we think about these scenes our predominant thought should be: Jesus suffered all of this for love of me. This itself fills us with great gratitude for all that we have been given and helps us to understand everything in the light of things eternal. Next week - Palm Sunday of the Passion - we will hear St Mark’s account of the Passion; this prepares us for what will follow in Holy Week: the three days, or Sacred Triduum, in which we recall the farewell Passover, His death on Calvary and His rising to life again on the third day.
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT - Sunday 18th March
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil Mick & Sheila West (40th Wedding Anniv)
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass Guy Bragard, RIP (Anniv) (RB)
9.30am Mass The People of the Parish
11.30am Mass Madelaine Sighe, RIP (MR)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 19 ST JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
9.00am Mass Adrian Dann, RIP (T&RO’C)
Tuesday 20 Feria
9.00am Mass Stewart Williams, RIP (A&ML)
Wednesday 21 Feria
9.00am Mass Tommy Byrnes, RIP (II)
Thursday 22 Feria
9.00am Mass Michael O’Connor (I&MI)
Friday 23 Feria
6.30am Mass Frank Baynes, RIP (LL)
12Noon Mass Mary Somers, RIP (F&JO’B)
8.00pm Stations of the Cross & Benediction
Saturday 24 Feria
10.00am mASS Peter Robinson, RIP (F&JO’B)
10.30am-11.30am Exposition & Confession
PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD - Sunday 25th March
Saturday 5.30pm Vigil The People of the Parish
6.30pm–7.30pm Exposition & Confession
8.00am Mass René Van Montfort (M&JMcC)
9.30am Mass Bill Pearson, RIP (SP)
11.30am Mass Kay Dodd, RIP (CC)
(preceded by Blessing & Procession of Palms)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction