Dear friends in Christ
The Kingship of Christ is a strange kingship, by the values of this world.
Dear friends in Christ
The penultimate Sunday of the liturgical year presents us with a picture of the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgment.
Dear friends in Christ
The Readings of the Mass this weekend teach us an important lesson in charity, Christian almsgiving and generosity.
Mrs SUZANNE (SUE) REYNOLDS who died on 7th November. Her body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 20th December at 5pm and her Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 21st December at 2pm, followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
Requiescat in pace
Prelude: Voluntary—Johann Pepusch (1667-1752)
Postlude: Sonata per Organo—Giovanni Pergolesi (1710-1736)
Monday 18th December—Journey in Faith (RCIA) continues—8pm Newman Room
Monday 22nd—Saturday 27th July 2024—Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes
If returning to school expenses in the New Year are a worry for you please contact the parish SVP on 07845874331.
The Society is always available to help families or individuals experiencing financial difficulty. All matters are dealt with confidentially. The society appreciates the continued support it receives from our parish community.
Join us for an enriching evening of spiritual preparation and reflection as we anticipate the joy of Christmas. The esteemed Rev. Fr. Jose Maria Ezpeleta, RCJ, Vicar General of the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus Congregation, will lead our Advent Recollection Talk.
5pm—Recollection Talk by Rev. Fr. Jose Maria Ezpeleta, RCJ
6pm to 8pm— Penitential Service and Individual Confessions
This event is an excellent opportunity for members of the Southend Deanery parishes to deepen their Advent journey. A penitential service will be held after the talk, offering a time for reflection and spiritual renewal. For those seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation, priests from our Deanery will be available to hear confessions until 8pm.
We warmly invite all parish members to join us in this time of prayerful recollection. Let us come together to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ this Advent season.
Merry Christmas in advance.
Fr. Alex Poblador, RCJ
As we approach this festive time of year, particularly after what has been a really challenging year for so many people, our thoughts often turn to people who are less fortunate than ourselves.
The ongoing cost of living crisis has forced many people to make difficult decisions about whether to eat, heat or pay their rent. As a result, more and more people have been forced into homelessness in Southend and Essex. Many of those people are currently sleeping rough or sofa surfing, not knowing where their next meal will come from, without a safe place to call home or family to turn to for support.
This is why we are extremely grateful for the support you’ve provided us with in the past. I wanted to thank you for this and ask if you could support us again this Christmas? A gift of just £10, or whatever you can afford, will help us do more for people who need us.
You can donate online at harpsouthend.org.uk or give your donation to Linda Wall who will pass it on to HARP
Dear member of Serving the Homeless 200 Club
Please note that the final draw will take place on Monday 18th December 2023. On that date the balance of all monies received into the 200 Club Account will be divided in half, with 50% to be distributed as prize money and 50% transferred to the Current Account of Serving the Homeless.
Please remember to cancel your Standing order by the end of December. Any monies received into the 200 Club Account after the 18th of December will be transferred to the Current Account of Serving the Homeless to form part of the final distribution.
Thank you all for your magnificent support over the last 30 years.
RCIA will meet on Monday, 18th December 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 begin at 8pm, are held in the Newman Room of the Parish Centre (the door is beside the Memorial Garden) and usually last just over an hour. Names may be given in advance to Fr Kevin or the Parish Office.
Evenings for Vocations enquirers
We are planning to continue the Evenings for Vocations enquirers in the new year on Tuesdays 6th February, 5th March, 9th April, 7th May and 4th June. Canon John Harvey has kindly agreed to host the evenings at the Cathedral.
Vocations Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden
This is a day pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden in North London.
We are open as usual after all Masses at weekends only. We still have a small selection of Christmas cards and gifts, plus Advent Calendars. If you do not see what you are looking for please ask one of the volunteers for help.
We apologise that we do not have cards from the Latin Mass Society due to the suppliers re-printing problems.
A very big ‘thank you’ to everyone who visited our stall at the Parish Bazaar, plus the very positive and encouraging comments we received.
Headteacher vacancy at St Helen’s Catholic Primary School required for September 2024 – Due to the current headteacher taking the decision to retire after 20 years in the post, an exciting opportunity has arisen for an inspiring and creative leader to join the team at St Helen’s Catholic Primary School. Further information and application documents can be found on the following websites – www.st-helens.southend.sch.uk and www.assisicatholictrust.com.
The 2024 Diocesan Directory now available from the back of the Church—£2.95
The St Vincent Centre is doing wonderful work in Southend helping the poorest amongst us.
You can help the food bank there by bringing a tin of something with you when you come to mass and putting it in VINNIE'S BIN, which will be in the OLD BAPTISTERY.
This will be emptied twice weekly.
St. Vincent de Paul Society(SVP), Our Lady of Lourdes & St. Joseph
I have received the Missio Calendar 2024. If you have not received one personally from me, please take one from the back of the Church, on the ledge, usual place.
Thank you. Joan Caunce, Secretary.
All our supporters, please vote and share for our St Vincent's Southend Video clip for the Charity Film Awards as we have been nominated as the Charity supporting people in our community.
Hearts without Homes | Smiley Charity Film Awards
Liturgy:
Readings of Year B
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Advent I
Saturday 9
St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin
5.30pm Vigil Mass Joseph & Stella Gallo, RIP (RG-G)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 10 December
Second Sunday of Advent
8am Mass Caroline Goeghegan, RIP (GG)
9.30am Mass Lucrecia Conlu, RIP (JC)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 11
Monday of the Second Week of Advent
9am Mass Meg Cheeseman, RIP (RO'C)
Tuesday 12
Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
9am Mass Fr Bernard O'Brien, RIP (RO'C)
Wednesday 13
St Lucy, V, M
9am Mass Alan Myles, RIP (CB)
Thursday 14
St John pf the Cross, Pr, D
9am Mass Fr Bernard O'Brien, RIP (SH)
Friday 15
Friday of the Second Week of Advent
12Noon Mass Mary Morgan, RIP (EM)
7pm Serving the Homeless Carol Service
Saturday 16
Saturday of the Second Week of Advent
10am Mass Maria Louisa Page, RIP (Anniv) (LS)
10.30-11.30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
Sunday 17 December
Third Sunday of Advent—Gaudete
8am Mass John McCarthy, RIP (Anniv) (M&RMcC)
9.30am Mass Hilary Barry, RIP (MI)
11.30am Mass Winnie McClafferty, RIP & Noel Dixon, RIP (A-MM)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Fr Geoffrey Pye, Fr Eamonn Magrath, Fr George Carolan, Fr William Evers, Fr Francis Kerrigan, Fr Gerard Kerr, Fr John Evers, Fr Bentley, Karen Anderson, Hilda Eid, Georgina Francis, Ann Dunbar, Francis Mullan, Ivy Heale, Cecilia Upset, William Anderson, Marie O’Carroll, John Burke, Ronald Clarke, Eugene Grant, Alexander Black, Baby Felicity Garland, Peter D’Angerville, Bernard Duane, Mary Slattery, Sallie Walker, Patrick Sheehan, Angela Evelyn Joyce, Doreen Murphy, Clarice Bregazzi, Thomas McInnerney, Francis Gavin, Anthony Troughton, Charles Hughes, John Mayfield, Paul Corpe, Mary McQuaid, Francis O’Neill, Eileen Byczynski, Larraine Moore & Maria Page.
Carol Emerson, Kitty Lydon, Isabel Coombs, Lucy Moreno, Jose Luis Lira, Richard Poole, Pamela Uglietti, Michael Mapson, Deana Ince, Susan Griffin, Gy Rampersaud, Mary O’Sullivan, Ian Spacie, Bobby Newman, Paul Watts, Christine Reid, Rose D’Souza, Jimmy & Pauline Martin, James Fegan, David Lesley, Zach Stokes, Andrew Stokes, Noel Conroy, Marjorie Jay, Paul Sutton, John Murphy, Jennifer Biebuyck, Moira Scott, Jill Yates, Leonora Maguire, Brian Mountier, Renata Butler, Margaret Bartle, Tony Downey, Kristy Monferrari, Fred Ring, Russell Short, Marie Kharas, Garry Pearman, Patricia Ann Darroch, Patricia Vanner, Amy Louise Fox, Sarah Savage, Bill O’Connell, Charlotte O’Neil, Ella Williams, David Kislingbury, Mark Shepherd, Breege McCaffrey, Mark Hartley, John Lavery, Paul Keane, Rosemary Bragard, Pat Lynch, Ben Wilson, Christian Ryan, Tina Doveaston, Addi Brady, Patricia Fleming, Nicky Wigmore, Rose Craft, Patricia Spikin, Sandra Fagan, Edna Wallace, Beryl Dixon, Nick Evans, Vicky Jack, Mary Boyce, Kristin Hallenga, Anne O’Neill, Cheryl Shallis, Justin Stark, Sheila Netherton, David Blyth, Janet Woods, Lynne Hilkene, June Moncaster, Laura & Anne Breen, Breda Lynch, Maria Clark, Roy Widdecombe, Johanna Lynch, Anthony King, Norma McCleverty, Belinda Balazsi, Johnny Poole, Edward Martin, Joanna Luciani, Pauline Wilsher, Simon Marshall, Kriston Barnes, Hugh Isaacs, Dawn Deleigh, Lorraine Hart, Linda Dean, Georgina Cornwell, Antonella McConalogue, Sharon Levill, Annie Holland, Ivor & Joanne Knight, Brian Beresford, Rebecca Peake, Connor Bourke, Mattia Mollica, Bernadette Lane, Irena Solecki, Ianto Bellis, Marguerite Harris, Andrew Exley, Elizabeth McConalogue, Kean Smith, Keith Maliff, Bradley, Florence Hownam & children: Thomas Ball, Liam Davis, Connie Price, Albert Chambers, Fergus Grant, Mary Isherwood, Lucy Price, Frazer Gregory & baby Forest Gallagher.
This week the Sanctuary Lamps burn for the intentions of the deceased members of the McGeoghegan Family and Susan Griffin and Family.
