The Two Elizabeths - 20th Anniversary Concert

The Two Elizabeths (Elizabeth Dunlop and Elizabeth Upsher) are pleased to announce our anniversary concert celebrating 20 years of singing together!
We are fortunate to have Andrew Palmer accompanying us and Victor Patterson covering the Christmas items.

We do hope you can come and join us on Sunday, 1st December in our celebrations and share an evening of music that we have enjoyed performing through the past 20 years. Please pay on the door - save the date and get Christmas started with this fun evening.
We will be donating to St Saviours church organ and servery refurbishment fund and also Great Ormond Street Hospital - the hospital is very close to Elizabeth Upsher's heart as it cared for her grandson earlier this year with a very happy outcome.

Tickets £10 available at the door. Seasonal refreshments will be served.
We look forward to seeing you there!!!

St Joseph's Canvey is looking for Foundation Governors

Are you a practising Catholic?
Are you effective at forging links with the local and wider community?
Do you have skills that might be useful in a primary school like strategic leadership? recruitment? using data?

The Governing Body of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Canvey Island is looking for foundation governors. The term of office is usually for 4 years from date of appointment.
The governors work as a team, in close co-operation with the headteacher and staff. The core responsibilities of the governing body are:
Ensure clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction
Hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
Oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent
In addition to this, foundation governors are appointed specifically to ensure:
That the religious character of the school is preserved
That the school is conducted in accordance with its trust deed
That the religious education curriculum is in accordance with the Bishop’s policy for this Diocese

Are you able to give some of your time to a local Catholic school? We'd love to have you onboard. If you're interested in applying but you don't feel you have the experience, training will be provided to those that wish to expand and develop their skills.

If you would like to know more about the becoming a governor, please contact Frank McEvoy, the Chair of Governors, by email: fmcevoy@assisicatholictrust.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Missio Red Boxes

I have received the Missio Calendar 2025 . If you have not received one personally from me please take one from the back of the Church (in the usual place on the ledge). If you have a box to be opened please let me have it either personally or leave in the Office not later than Sunday 1st December.
Thank you.

Joan Caunce Secretary.

St. Bernard's High School Sixth Form Open Evening

Thursday 28 November 2024—6.30pm to 8.30pm

We would be delighted to welcome to our Sixth Form Open Evening prospective students who are interested in joining St Bernard’s High School’s Sixth Form in September 2025. www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk

 We welcome applications to our mixed Sixth Form from students of all faiths and none, who meet our entrance requirements and are seeking a school with a Christian ethos.

 St Bernard’s High School is a welcoming, inclusive school’.  Ofsted 2023
‘Leaders have high expectations of pupils in terms of learning and behaviour.  Pupils live up to these expectations.’  Ofsted 2023
‘The behaviour of students is exemplary both in lessons and throughout the school as they strive to live out the mission statement, ‘Love one another as I have loved you’. (Diocesan Inspection, 2024)
Behaviour for learning is outstanding, fostered through extremely positive teacher-student relationships’. (Diocesan Inspection, 2024)

 www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk, Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 7JS 

Parish Christmas Bazaar - Sunday 24th November, 8.45am - 1.00pm

Our Annual Parish Bazaar is next Sunday and we urgently need your help and generosity. Please bring all your unwanted gifts, toiletries, bottles, raffle prizes or bric-a-brac that you would like to donate, and leave them in the Old Baptistry.

Draw tickets are now available at the back of church, please take and share with family and friends, returning the counterfoils to the Parish office before next weekend. Raffle tickets are also on sale this week for the two Christmas Hampers.

Any Great British Bakers!? Please get baking and drop any of your delicious offerings at the Parish Centre on Saturday.

If you would like to help on the Saturday to help set up, or on the Sunday, please contact us.

Sue Lawford—07816 141492
Angela Clements—07940 183452—email angelaclements47@gmail.com.

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Liturgy:
Readings of Year B
The Nicene Creed
Preface of Sunday 7

Saturday 9
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
5.30pm Vigil George Wislocki, RIP (Anniv) (PW)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession

Sunday 10 November
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
8am Mass Deceased relatives of the Clancy Family (JL)
9.30am Mass Pauline Godfrey, RIP (MI)
11.30am Mass The Dead of the Wars
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

Monday 11
St Martin of Tours, Bp
9am Mass Paul Watts, RIP (UO)

Tuesday 12
St Josaphat Bp, M
9am Mass For intentions of Priests (ML)

Wednesday 13
Feria
9am Mass Adrian Dann, RIP (SD)
4.30pm Body in Church Paul Watts, RIP
5.30pm—6.30pm Holy Hour for Sacredness of Human Life

Thursday 14
Feria
9am Mass Holy Souls
12.30pm Requiem Mass Paul Watts, RIP
7pm Annual Parish Requiem Mass

Friday 15
St Albert the Great, Bp, D
9.30am Memorial Mass Michael Mapson, RIP
12Noon Mass Pearl Scaife, RIP

Saturday 16
St Edmund of Abingdon, Bp
10am Mass Intentions of the Watts Family (VS)
10.30-11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Vigil Evelyn Shevket, RIP (Anniv) (MC)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession

Sunday 17 November
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time—World Day of the Poor
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Intentions of Donny D'Cruz (AJ)
11.30am Mass Audrey Demers, RIP (JS)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries

Canon Denis Petry, Fr Terence Howes, Fr James Allis, Fr Edwin Sheehan, OFM, Dorothy Stuart, Sydney Hamilton, Thomas Horner, Dr Gerry Leyden, Marie Daniels, Sidney Hempstead, Pearl Scaife, Lucy Tombleson, Joan Lucey, Donald Galvin, Eileen Stanshall, Anne Britt, Isobel Good, Joan Read, Albert Rogers, Jane Conway, John Owen, Rene Solecki, John William Cavanagh, Jack O’Riordan, Vincent Kelly, John O’Neill, Kathleen McIlwee, Richard Sparrow, Louisa Hurst, Sydney Pullen, Myriad Hubbard, Mary Capon, John Cousins, Ethel Dennison, Luciana Garuti, Edna Hutchings & Edith McCouat.

We pray for our sick

The Sick List is available on the website main menu, under Worship.

We pray for the sick of our parish

“Father,
by the power of your Spirit
you have filled the hearts of your faithful people
with gifts of love for one another.
Hear the prayers we offer for our relatives and friends.
Give them health of mind and body
that they may do your will with perfect love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.”

— Roman Missal: For relatives and friends

Sanctuary Lamp

This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for Janet Violet Mack, RIP.

Please pray for the repose of the souls of

PAUL WATTS, RIP who died on Friday, 11th October. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 13th November at 4.30pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 14th November at 12.30pm followed by committal at Sutton Road Cemetery.

MICHAEL MAPSON, RIP who died on Tuesday, 10th September. His Memorial Mass will take place on Friday 15th November 9.30am.

MARIE KHARAS, RIP who died on Wednesday, 16th October. Her Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday, 20th November at 10.45am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.

Requiescant in pace

Dates for your Diary

Monday, 11th November—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

Saturdays 10th & 17th May 10.30am—First Holy Communion Masses

Sunday 1st June 2025—Visitation & Confirmation

Sunday 22nd June—Corpus Christi Procession 4pm

Monday 21st—Friday 25th July—Lourdes Pilgrimage

Monday 8th September Centenary of the Opening of our Church

Assisted Suicide Bill

On Wednesday between 5.30–6.30pm the Bishops of England and Wales will join in an hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. We will do the same in our Parish so that this Bill will not come into Law.

If you haven’t already written to your MP asking them to vote against the bill being introduced in Parliament proposing a change in the law to permit assisted suicide, but would like to, the Right to Life website [https://righttolife.org.uk/] has a tab marked Take Action and a further tab which says ask your MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law. If you click on this, you will be asked for your postcode and a letter is automatically generated to your MP. It takes about 30 seconds.

Annual Parish Requiem

This Mass will be celebrated on Thursday evening of this week, 14th November at 7pm

We invite all those who have experienced the loss of a loved-one in the last year to attend, as well as all members of our Parish Family who would wish to pray for the souls of the Faithful Departed at this time.

Candles for the Forty Hours’ Prayer-Thursday 28th to Saturday 30th November

These can be had in the Sacristy (£5) and will burn before the Blessed Sacrament with your intention written on the base. The remaining lamps will be used as the Sanctuary Lamp throughout the coming year.

Music at 11.30am Mass

Prelude: Air for a Remembrance—Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-87)

Postlude: O Rest in the Lord...postlude for Remembrance—Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Responsorial Psalm

A Christmas Party!

Your parish SVP (Society of St Vincent de Paul) Conference is delighted to announce the date and place of its annual ‘Christmas Party’ to which all senior members of the parish are most warmly invited!

Our ‘Christmas Party’ is being held in the Parish Centre on Saturday, 7th December, commencing at 2pm and concluding at 4pm! Carols, good company and Christmas fare will pleasantly ease you into the seasonal spirit!

If you—or someone you know—would like to join us on this happy parish occasion please call/text  Sallie Pollock on 07450 277956  You will be most welcome!

Holy Souls Box

During November we customarily keep the memories of our Beloved Dead in our prayers. Their names will be placed under the Altar by using one of the envelopes at the back of church (please add your Gift Aid number) and placing it in the box provided, including an offering if you can, for Holy Souls Masses.  In this way, we present them to God in the Masses and Offices during this month of the Holy Souls.

JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA

This continues on Monday, 11th November 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.

Baptism Preparation Sessions

Due to unforeseen circumstances the next Baptism Preparation session will now be on Tuesday 26th November instead of Tuesday 12th November. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.