Sheila West
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear friends in Christ

When we gather each week for Holy Mass we do so, according to Saint Augustine, to be fed at the two tables of God’s Word and His Sacrament.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Kevin Hale
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear friends in Christ

We are now well into this Jubilee Year which began on Christmas Eve with the opening of the Holy Door by Pope Francis in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Kevin Hale
Baptism of the Lord

Dear friends in Christ

This weekend we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan River.

Baptism of the Lord
Kevin Hale
The Epiphany of the Lord

Dear friends in Christ

May I begin this first message of 2025 wishing you all every health, peace and blessing for the New Year!

The Epiphany of the Lord
Kevin Hale
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

Dear friends in Christ

I wish you all the peace and blessings of this Christmas week in abundance!

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

Dates for your Diary

Monday, 23rd September—Journey in Faith (RCIA) 8pm Parish Centre

Thursday 14th November—Annual Requiem Mass 7pm

Friday 22nd November—Sung Latin Requiem Mass 7pm

Thursday 28th-Saturday 30th November—Forty Hours’ Prayer

Friday 20th December—Sea of Voices Carol Service 7pm

Saturday 15th—Friday 21st March 2025—Parish Mission led by the Redemptorists

Sunday 1st June 2025—Visitation & Confirmation

Monday 21st—Friday 25th July—Lourdes Pilgrimage

Burials in the Memorial Garden

The Memorial Garden was created for the burial of the Ashes of Parishioners. This can be requested at any time and the burial done at a time convenient to families.

Each tile in the Garden is a plot. They are numbered for easy reference but not engraved with names. The names of those buried there are recorded in the Burial Register of the Parish and displayed in the Memorial Book which is in the wooden case near the door to the Sacristy.

We ask families not to put memorials in the Garden to prevent it from becoming cluttered but encourage flowers and plants to be placed there.

The cost of the work to prepare and secure each grave is one hundred and fifty pounds. We also ask that a donation to the Parish be made for the plot.

The Memorial Garden is situated close to the North side of the church so that our Faithful Departed may be close by where the Mass is daily celebrated, for the living and the dead, and so that they are close to us in their final resting place.

Over the Altar there is the statue of Christ The Good Shepherd based on an image found in the Roman Catacombs dating from the end of the third century. It was used by the early Church to symbolise the rest that the soul of the departed finds in eternal life.

The front of the Altar bears the Greek Cross and cipher in mosaic:

IC XC NI KA—Jesus Christ Conquers!

Fairtrade

The next Fairtrade sale will be on Sunday 6th October 8.30-11.30am.
We aim to support our brothers and sisters in developing countries giving them a fair price for the goods that they produce.  Come and buy your tea, coffee, honey, chocolate and so much more.  There are information cards with most of the products telling you how the product is produced.  Thank you for the support you have given to date.


Live Simply Group

Upcoming Baby Loss Support Service - Essex

Saying Goodbye, (part of the Mariposa Trust) are coming to Chelmsford in October with a very special Baby loss remembrance and support service (part of a UK and Ireland chain of events).  The Mariposa Trust’s core objective is to support people who have lost babies at any stage of pregnancy, at birth, or in infancy. It was founded in 2012, by Zoe and Andy Clark-Coates, who saw a critical lack of support for people like them, who had gone through baby loss. With over 258,000 babies being lost yearly in the UK alone, the charity needed to be able to offer not only a comprehensive package of befriending and support but also national baby loss remembrance services (called Saying Goodbye Services), for people to join together and remember the children they had lost. 12 years on, over 200 services have taken place at Cathedrals and Minsters across the UK, US, and France, and 2024 will see 25 services across England, Wales, Ireland, France and the US. 

On the 13th October at 6pm, in Chelmsford Cathedral, we will be hosting one of our Saying Goodbye Services and as this is the most local service to you this year we wanted to share this information with you.

 So who is the service for?

 Anyone who has either personally lost a baby at any stage of pregnancy, at birth, or in early years, or who has been affected by family members' or friends' loss.  Whether the loss was recent or 80 years ago, everyone is welcome to attend. We have also extended the services, and gladly welcome anyone who is grieving the fact that they haven't had children. This may be due to circumstance, infertility, or for other reasons - but all are welcome. Babies and children are also invited to come with their families, as the Saying Goodbye service is truly a family event for all.

 We know that as 1 in 4 women suffer miscarriage and baby loss, you will have contact with a significant number of people who have either personally suffered baby loss, or who have a partner or family member that has, so we wanted to ask if you would help us in promoting the service.

 To read more on the charity, please see the Saying Goodbye website, which you can find at: www.sayinggoodbye.org


OLL Ladies Group

Our next Meeting is on Thursday 26 September from 10am in the Parish Centre. All ladies in the Parish are welcome to join us with admission just £1.00 including refreshments.     Next week we plan to have a relaxing time sharing our favourite poetry and books. No problem if you feel you have nothing to share just come along and enjoy the company. In the coming months we have an interesting programme of guest speakers and some “in house entertainment “ plus our usual fun Raffles.  

Accommodation Needed

A young family in the parish are in urgent need of accommodation in the Leigh, Westcliff, Southend, Rochford area. Ideally three bedrooms with bathroom and kitchen facilities. If you know of anything or can possibly help in this regard, please contact Francis O'Brien on 07845874331.

Accommodation (2 bedroom) also needed for widower and his teenage son. If you can help please ring 07947 241974.

Help with Gardening

Can You Help?

Are you able to help for a couple of hours per week to help keep the gardens and grounds around the church tidy and weeded?

You do not need to be a wonderful gardener, most of the work is dead heading, and removing dead plants and weeds, especially the bindweed which gets everywhere!

If you can give even an hour a week it would help.

Please contact Clare or Steve Fleming, or give your details to the office and we will contact you. Alternatively you can find us in the church gardens on a Friday morning.

Thanks very much,

Jo Ronan

Mission Appeal 28th/29th September

The Daughters of Divine Love is an International Congregation founded in Nigeria in 1969 and a member of the Missionary Sisters of England and Wales. They educate, care for, and add value to the lives of the less privileged in society. Their charity home in Nigeria and school for indigent children in Kenya provide care and education for orphans, motherless, abandoned children, street children/teenagers, and children with special needs/HIV. Their aim is always to serve the less privileged and the marginalized in society. In everything that they do, the love of Christ impels them to respond to the cry of the poor and the vulnerable  with concrete actions".

Following the guidelines of the Bishops of England and Wales, the appeal includes a short reflection on the liturgy of the day. This is followed by a reference to the work of the Missionary Sisters and also to the vocation of being a missionary that belongs to us all by virtue of our Baptism and the implications of that.

JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA

This begins on Monday, 23rd September 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.

Sea of Voices Summer Concert Tickets

Our Autumn concert is being held at the Parish Centre on Sunday 29th September from 3pm. Tickets £5 will be available from the parish office or direct from Darrell on 07825686249 email seaofvoiceschoir@outlook.com.

Refreshments will include servings of home baked cake; cake donations from home bakers are very welcome, delivered at the Centre at teas and coffees after all Sunday masses, along with any raffle donations please. Thank you!

All funds raised are going to @peterbatesjourney, a fundraiser for brain tumour treatment for one of our choir member’s nephew. Peter’s current treatment cannot be funded further by the NHS, hence the need to fundraise for private medical treatment. Details of Peter’s journey can be read on Gofund.me/24a35357

Repository

We are open after Masses every weekend with some new stock including Statues and Rosaries. We have a good selection of cards for various occasions, plus a few books for children.

You are welcome to come and browse and if you do not see what you are looking for please ask one of the Volunteers. NB. The Repository is open at weekends only.

Homeless Shelter

At this moment the details are a little sketchy, but we have been asked if we would be able to put a team of volunteers together to run a homeless shelter this coming winter. The shelter is likely to run from December through to the end of March 2025. The shelter will be central and not at the Sacred Heart Church. If you would like to volunteer, please contact the Parish office by email in the first instance to record your interest. southend@brcdt.org

As more information becomes available, we will of course share. Thank you.

Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Primary School

Class Teacher—Upper Key Stage 2—MPR/UPR—Full time—Required January 2025. This could be a fixed (two term) or permanent position

Our Lady of Ransom Catholic School is looking to appoint an enthusiastic and highly-motivated class teacher to join our friendly and dedicated team. (The successful applicant will teach one of our Year 5 classes, until the end of this academic year)

Our Lady of Ransom was judged to be an an OUTSTANDING Catholic school (S48 Inspection, May 2022) and a GOOD school by Ofsted in January 2023.

Our school provides a happy, calm atmosphere with delightful children, a wonderful learning environment and supportive colleagues, governors and parents.

The successful candidate will need to be a strong practitioner committed to achieving high standards of pupils' learning and capable of teaching imaginatively. They will be willing to be involved in all aspects of school life.

The post would suit an experienced teacher who is either a practising Catholic or willing to support the strong Catholic ethos of our school.
The Governing Body is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare
of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The appointment is subject to satisfactory references, medical and enhanced DBS checks.
Visits to the school are welcomed and encouraged.
For more details please contact Mr. Parascandolo (Head Teacher) via the school office (01268 785741)
For an application form please visit the school website www.olorcps.net
Closing date: Thursday 17th October 2024 (4pm)
Interview date: w/c 21st October 2024
We reserve the right to call for interview and appoint prior to the closing date.