Dear friends in Christ
This Sunday we hear Saint Luke narrate the story of the Prodigal Son, a parable so well known to us. In this story we hear Jesus describe the tragedy of what happens when we separate ourselves from the love of God.
Fourth Sunday of Lent—Lætare Sunday
Liturgy:
Readings of Year C
The Apostles’ Creed
Preface of Lent 2
Saturday 29
Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
5.30pm Vigil Colleen Mary Green, RIP (JG)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 30 March
Fourth Sunday of Lent—Lætare
8am Mass Rev Fr Michael Kidney, RIP (JL)
9.30am Mass Patrick Ignatius, RIP (Anniv) (RP)
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 31
Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
9am Mass Tadeusz Warchoł, RIP (AW)
Tuesday 1 April
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
9am Mass Jim & Margaret Martin, RIP (ML)
Wednesday 2
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
9am Mass Bobby Newman, RIP (K&LW)
Thursday 3
Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent
9am Mass Michael Connolly, RIP (ML)
5pm Body in church Bobby Newman, RIP
Friday 4
Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent
10.30am Requiem Mass Bobby Newman, RIP
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 12.30pm until
7pm Holy Hour & Benediction
No Midday Mass
Saturday 5
Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent
10am Mass Ian Spacie, RIP (VS)
10.30-11.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
5.30pm Vigil Intentions of Julian Tisi (MT)
6.30-7.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confession
Sunday 6 April
Fifth Sunday of Lent
8am Mass The People of the Parish
9.30am Mass Fred & Doreen Wall, RIP (Anniv) (K&LW)
11.30am Mass Anne Martin, RIP (MW)
4pm Mass Holy Souls
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
We Pray for the Dead on their Anniversaries
Bp (Hugh) Christopher Budd, Fr Ronald Roberts, Canon Charles Loughran, Fr George Towler, Canon William Toft, Pope John Paul II, Alan Read, Geraldine Gwilliam, Herbert Robertson, Mary Leonard, Marjorie Nolan, Tom Lydon, Eugene Read, Winifred Maguire, Albert Thorne, Ronald Black, Dasy Spicer, Vera Stuart, Lt Cdr James Scott, Marjorie Bowen, Leske Poole, Stella Finn, Jean Bethell, Vi Coveney, Christine Fisher, Patrick Maloney, Donald McMahon, Catherine Nelson, Baby Ben Blaker, Catherine Dace, Nora White, Charles Thompson, Elizabeth Tyrell, Bernard Foley, Peggy Cockerel, Robert Lee, Kitty Stanley, Patricia Quinn, Patrick Dunbar, Dr Ronnie Shapiro, Leslie Drayton, Rene Sanctuary, Harry McNally & Antonia Dona.
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.”
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for Thomas Byrnes, RIP.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
BOBBY NEWMAN, RIP who died on Thursday 20th February. Her body will be received into the church on Thursday, 3rd April at 5pm and her Requiem Mass will take place on Friday, 4th April at 10.30am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
DAVID KISLINGBURY, RIP who died on Friday, 7th March. His body will be received into the church on Tuesday, 8th April at 4pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday, 9th April at 10am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
TIMOTHY McCARTHY who died on Sunday, 2nd March. His Requiem Mass will be take place on Friday, 11th April at 11am followed by committal at Southend Crematorium.
PAULINE SHAW, RIP who died on Monday, 10th February. Her funeral will take place on Wednesday, 23rd April at 3.30pm at Southend Crematorium.
Requiescant in pace
Holy Week Services
Palm Sunday of the Passion: 13th April
Vigil Mass 5:30pm 12th April
8:00am Mass
9:30am Mass
11:30am Mass Preceded by Blessing of Palms and Procession
5:30pm Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
Confessions after all Masses
Monday of Holy Week
9:00am Mass
Confessions after Mass
Tuesday of Holy Week
9:00am Mass
Confessions after Mass
Ash Wednesday
9:00am Mass
Confessions after Mass
11:00am Mass of Chrism in Brentwood Cathedral
Maundy Thursday
9:00am Office of Lauds
7:00pm Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Watching at the Altar of Repose until Midnight
Confessions after Mass; Compline 11:45pm
Good Friday
9:00am Office of Reading and Lauds
10:00am Children’s Way of the Cross
3:00pm Solemn Liturgy of Our Lord’s Passion
7:00pm Way of the Cross
Confessions after all the Services
Holy Saturday
9:00am Office of Reading and Lauds
Confessions 11:00am-12noon
8:30pm Easter Vigil and First Mass of Easter
Easter Sunday 20th April
8:00am Mass
9:30am Mass
11:30am Mass
5:30pm Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
Weddings
Congratulations to Nathaniel Conroy & Rebecca Ball who were married recently.
Baptisms
We congratulate the parents of Isaac Doerr who was Baptised recently at Our Lady of Lourdes. May God bless him and his family as he grows in His knowledge and love.
Mini Vinies
The next meeting for the Mini Vinies will take place in the Parish Centre on Monday, 31st March from 5.15pm to 6.45pm. Mini Vinie Committee.
Music at 11.30am Mass
Incoming: Prelude—John James (c.1730)
Outgoing: Largo Staccato and Fugue—Peter Prelleur (1705-1741)
Dates for your Diary
Monday, 31st March—Journey in Faith (RCIA) 8pm Parish Centre
Saturdays 10th & 17th May 10.30am—First Holy Communion Masses
Sunday 1st June 2025—Visitation & Confirmation
Sunday 22nd June—Corpus Christi Procession 4pm
Saturday 5th July—Flower Festival
Monday 21st—Friday 25th July—Lourdes Pilgrimage
Monday 8th September Centenary of the Opening of our Church
The Shroud of Turin Exhibition
Join us on Thursday 10th April at Sacred Heart Church Hall from 7pm for a talk on The Turin Shroud. On the following Monday 14th April, at the beginning of Holy Week, we travel with Father Graham by coach to view a full-sized replica of The Turin Shroud and explore the exhibition at St George’s Cathedral, Southwark.
The coach leaves Sacred Heart Church at 10am, St John Fisher Church at 10:10am, London Road opposite Nazareth House 10:20am and Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 10:35am. Adults £20 – Children under 16 travel free.
The Exhibition is free to enter. Please contact Sandy Rand 07470 820994 to book your place.
JOURNEY OF FAITH—RCIA
This continues on Monday, 31st March 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.
Lenten Talks
Life in the Spirit Seminars 2025 Brentwood Diocese
The Life in the Spirit Seminars are designed as an introduction to a life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. They provide an opportunity for you to find out more about that life, and to be helped in taking the first steps of a new, dynamic relationship with the living Lord.
Director of Education
Bishop Alan is seeking to appoint a Director of Education to promote and implement his vision for Catholic education within the Diocese. This is an inspiring, rewarding and fulfilling position as the Diocese serves a network of 90 schools, providing for the formation and educational needs of some 40,000 children and young people.
The successful candidate will have extensive leadership experience in an education context, a strong grasp of current educational issues (including CMATs’ evolving role within the parish, diocese and local community); excellent leadership and management skills; and a deep knowledge and understanding of Catholic education as structured in this country.
Closing date for applications: Monday 7 April at 12 Noon
More information here: www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/diocese/working-for-us/
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham—24th May 2025
Join Bishop Alan and other parishes around the Diocese of Brentwood in Walsingham to celebrate the Jubilee Year of Hope. We will celebrate Mass at the Basilica before walking the Holy Mile to the grounds of Walsingham Abbey to celebrate Vespers and Benediction on the site of the Holy House.
If you would like transport to and from Walsingham please leave your name and contact details at the Parish office, as Sacred Heart are organising a coach.
Coach leaving Sacred Heart at 7:30am
Pick up at Our Lady of Lourdes at 7:45am
Arrival Walsingham 11am
Depart Walsingham 5pm
Arrival Our Lady of Lourdes 8:15pm
Arrival Sacred Heart 8:30pm
£24 per adult - Children under 16 go free
Gift Aid Envelopes
The Gift Aid boxes containing Offertory and Charity envelopes for the financial year 2025/2026 are available for collection at the back of the Church.
Special collection boxes are also available for donors who contribute by Standing Order. They contain only charities designated by the Diocese, including Christmas and Easter offerings.
Missio Red Boxes
I have received the Spring 2025 Missio magazines. If you have not received one from me personally please take one from the back of the Church on the ledge in the usual place. Thank you. Joan Caunce, Secretary.