Transport required for elderly Parishioner

One of our parishioners, living in Kingswood Chase, likes to come to the Sunday mass at 11:30am every week, except for the first Sunday of the month when she attends the Latin mass at 4pm.  Her daughter usually takes her there and back but will be away for 6 weeks.

If anyone will be attending one or two of the following sessions and wouldn't mind giving her a lift there and back it would be much appreciated.

8th Dec 11.30am

15th Dec at 11:30am

25th Dec at 11:30am

29th Dec at 11:30am

5th Jan at 4pm

She is mobile with no walking aids, although an arm would be appreciated! 

If you are able to help, please contact the Parish office.

Bazaar Cake Boxes

Would anyone who kindly made a cake for the recent Bazaar please check you have the right cake box. If not please return to the Parish Centre/or please collect if you have left one behind. Thank  you!

OLOL Annual Christmas Carol Service

We are looking for helpers in the Parish Centre at the Carol Service, to serve refreshments (teas, mulled wine, mince pies etc). Please contact Darrell Binding on 07825 686249 if you are able to help.

HARP

Will you consider donating £10 to help a homeless person during the forthcoming Christmas period?

Between 3rd and 10th December every donation made to HARP will be doubled—thanks to the national Christmas Big Give Challenge. This means, if you donate £10, we will receive £20!

Please visit the HARP website to donate, www.harpsouthend.org.uk, or give your donation to Linda Wall. Thank you for your continuing generosity and for supporting our local homeless people.

Sea of Voices Choir

The choir will be holding an informal Carol and cakes concert in the Parish Centre on Sunday 15th December from 3pm - not a formal concert, as in past years, as we will be asking for audience participation in singing well known carols, as well as us singing some of our repertoire. We will ask for charity donations on that afternoon. 

Brentwood Diocesan Yearbook 2025

The 2025 Diocesan Directory now available from the back of the Church—£3.20.

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.

Advent Blog for Couples

It seems to us that Advent is a time to prepare for the coming of the light, into the world and into our relationships. The closer we get to God, the closer we should get to each other. We can, during this time, intentionally do things that will bring us closer together.  Follow the link for more information.

Vacancy at St Bernard's High School

LEARNING MENTOR

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week (8.00am – 4.00pm), term time only  
Scale 7 – 12 (£25,584 - £27,711 / pro rata actual salary £21,933- £23,757)

Closing Date: 16 December 2024, 9.00am   
Interviews: Morning of 18 December 2024
Start date:  6 January 2025

We are looking for a positive, enthusiastic and approachable professional to work alongside our Learning Mentor Team supporting identified students.

You will be joining a successful, friendly and supportive department within a high-performing school, supporting students from Years 7 – Y13.   You will need to be able to work flexibly and provide support, motivation and guidance to help students overcome barriers to their learning.

If you are interested in applying for this role, please complete the Support Staff Application Form found on our website (www.stbernardswestcliff.org.uk under About Us/Vacancies) and email it to recruitment@stbernards.southend.sch.uk. 

First Sunday of Advent

Liturgy:
Readings of Year C
The Nicene Creed
Preface I of Advent

Saturday 30
St Andrew, Ap, Patron of Scotland
Exposition resumes from 7am
10am Mass Mary Kieran, RIP (FO’B)
10.30-11.30am Confessions
4.00pm Closing Benediction of the Forty Hours’
5.30pm Vigil Intentions of Rose D'Souza (MF)

Sunday 1 December
First Sunday of Advent
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Thanksgiving for the Priests of the Parish (AD)
11.30am Mass Michael Rubbert, RIP (Anniv) (MR)
4pm Mass Fr James Patrick Hannon, RIP (Anniv) (AMcC)
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

Monday 2
Monday of the First Week of Advent
9am Mass Clare Chadwick, RIP (MI)

Tuesday 3
St Francis Xavier, Pr
9am Mass Dec'd Members of the Moon Family & Valerie Griggs, RIP (SM)

Wednesday 4
Wednesday of the First Week of Advent
9am Mass Molly Malhoon, RIP (KR)

Thursday 5
Thursday of the First Week of Advent
9am Mass Sheila Chantilly, RIP (LC)

Friday 6
Friday of the First Week of Advent—First Friday
12Noon Mass Ian Spacie, RIP (VS)
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until Holy Hour 7—8pm

Saturday 7
St Ambrose, Bp D
10am Mass Basil & Frances Emerson, RIP (AE)
10.30-11.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession

5.30pm Vigil Doctor Rebecca Brown, RIP (D&SC)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession

Sunday 8 December
Second Sunday of Advent
8am Mass Michael Mapson, RIP (LM)
9.30am Mass Clare Clarke, RIP (Anniv) (IR)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction

We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries

Fr Bartholemew (Bart) Lynch, Fr James (Pat) Hannon, Fr Brian Drea, Fr Michael Healy, Vera Spelling, Angela Lingard, Peter Haigh, Marie Sanctuary, Dilwyn Morgan, David Aldridge, Ethel Knight, Kathleen Dawson, Mrs Pat Ballard, William Kerry, Leonard Coventry, Derek Timothy, Terence Slattery, Val Brown, Delia Fleming, Liliana Petrini, Timothy Murphy, Louise De Souza, Maurice Brazier, Agnes Nisbett, Yvonne Lovett, Martha Braun, Irene Rice, Ryszard Burzynski, Vera Walls, Anne Woods, Hugh Smyth, Anne Reid, Christine Lyons, Barbara Clarke, Brigid Hill & Doris Masters.

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 the deceased members of the Dann Family.

Music at 11.30am Mass

Prelude: Desseins éternels (La Nativité du Seigneur)—Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

Postlude: Nun komm, Der Heiden Heiland BWV 659—J S Bach (1685-1750)

Responsorial Psalm

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Thank You

Father Selvini would like to thank all those parishioners who very kindly sent him and his family the assurance of prayers and Masses following the death of his dear father, Roland Selvini. Their condolences were much appreciated. A Mass for your intentions will be offered in the near future.

Lourdes Jubilee Year Pilgrimage

The proposed Pilgrimage to Lourdes next year, flying with BA, will depart Heathrow on Monday 21st July 07.35am—Arrive Toulouse 10.25am, returning on Saturday 26th July 10.45am—arriving at 11.45am.

The 5-night package price is £895 per pilgrim sharing, single supplement is £225, staying at the 4 star Grand Hotel Moderne Soubirous (closest to Sanctuary).

This includes 5 nights full-board and return luxury coach transfer from Lourdes airport to the hotel.

Please leave your name and contact details with the Parish Office soon, as places are limited.

Dates for your Diary

Monday, 2nd December—Journey in Faith (RCIA) 8pm Parish Centre

Friday 20th December—Annual 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

Transport required for elderly Parishioner

One of our parishioners, living in Kingswood Chase, likes to come to the Sunday mass at 11:30am every week, except for the first Sunday of the month when she attends the Latin mass at 4pm.  Her daughter usually takes her there and back but will be away for 6 weeks.

If anyone will be attending one or two of the following sessions and wouldn't mind giving her a lift there and back it would be much appreciated.

8th Dec at 4pm

15th Dec at 11:30am

25th Dec at 11:30am

29th Dec at 11:30am

5th Jan at 4pm

She is mobile with no walking aids, although an arm would be appreciated! 

If you are able to help, please contact the Parish office.

Repository

We are pleased to say we have a good selection of Christmas cards and a few Calendars plus our usual stock of Mass cards, Rosaries and other pious objects. Do come along and see us in the Repository or at the Parish Bazaar this weekend.