This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for the intentions of Clare Chadwick.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
PAULINE SHAW, RIP who died on Monday, 10th February. Her funeral will take place on Wednesday, 23rd April at 3.30pm at Southend Crematorium.
JOHN COLIN REYNOLDS who died on Monday, 17th March. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 30th April at 5pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 1st May at 3pm.
MARJORIE JAY who died on 10th April. Funeral details to follow.
Requiescant in pace
Altar Servers
If you are available to serve during Holy week for the services below, please sign your name on the list in the Sacristy.
Maundy Thursday (rehearsals at 2pm)
Good Friday (rehearsals at 11.30am)
Easter Vigil (rehearsals at 10.30am)
Dates for your Diary
Monday, 14th April—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
Assisted Dying
The important vote for all MPs on the assisted suicide legislation, known as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, is likely to take place on 25th April.
The charity Right to Life UK has a simple online mechanism to allow people to contact their Member of Parliament and it only takes a few moments to submit a message to ask an MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law. It can be accessed here:https://righttolife.org.uk/asvote. Right to Life has also distributed postcards for the faithful to send to their MP’s on this subject which can be found at the back of church.
Holy Week Posters
Posters for Holy Week are now available at the back of the Church. Please take one to display in your window.
Vacancy at St Benard's High School
PREMISES MANAGER
Full-time - 37 hours per week, 52 weeks a year (including additional hours at the weekend when required)
Scale 21 - 28 (£32,115 - £37,938)
June start
Calling all team leaders – we are looking to recruit a Premises Manager to manage our Premises Team and Cleaning staff.
The role will be challenging at times so you will need to be organised and adaptable to issues that might arise. You will manage our Premises Team and Cleaning staff across the school, resolving issues quickly and effectively to maintain a safe, clean, secure and pleasant learning environment for students, staff and visitors.
As part of the Premises team, you will take responsibility for the maintenance and security of the site, ensuring a safe environment, be responsible for site security, Health & Safety maintenance and lettings alongside the Senior Caretaker and Premises Team.
The successful candidate must have a proven track record in a maintenance role ideally working within a school or similar environment.
If you would like to apply, please complete the Support Staff Application Form found on the Vacancies page on our website and email it to recruitment@stbernards.southend.sch.uk.
Church Repository
Please note the Church repository will be closed over the Easter weekend.
Centenary Celebration Concert Sunday 14th September at 3pm
As you will now be aware our Church building is 100 years old this year. It opened on 8th September 1925.
We are going to celebrate this with a Centenary Concert in the Church on Sunday 14th September at 3pm.
We envisage an uplifting hour of music with community hymns, and songs from the Sea of Voices Choir and from some of the children from our Catholic Schools.
This will be followed by Coffee & Cake in the Parish Centre.
Please keep this date free if you can. It would be wonderful to have a packed church to celebrate our 100th year in this beautiful building. Jo Ronan
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.
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
Recruitment notice
The Secular Clergy Common Fund (‘Big M’) is looking to appoint a new CEO. It makes grants to our sick and retired priests and looks after two Catholic cemeteries in London.
The role is 0.6FTE and offers flexible working and a salary of £50k-£60k pro rata.
For further details contact Angela Rowe secretary@secularclergy.org.uk
Closing date 28th April 2025.
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.
Sanctuary Lamp
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for the intentions of Fiona O’Sullivan.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of
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.
JOHN COLIN REYNOLDS who died on Monday, 17th March. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday, 30th April at 5pm and his Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, 1st May at 3pm.
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
Altar Servers
If you are available to serve during Holy week for the services below, please sign your name on the list in the Sacristy.
Maundy Thursday (rehearsals at 2pm)
Good Friday (rehearsals at 11.30am)
Easter Vigil (rehearsals at 10.30am)
Dates for your Diary
Monday, 14th April—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
Assisted Dying
The important vote for all MPs on the assisted suicide legislation, known as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, is likely to take place on 25th April.
The charity Right to Life UK has a simple online mechanism to allow people to contact their Member of Parliament and it only takes a few moments to submit a message to ask an MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law. It can be accessed here:https://righttolife.org.uk/asvote. Right to Life has also distributed postcards for the faithful to send to their MP’s on this subject which can be found at the back of church.
Baptisms
We congratulate the parents of Alfred Bucik who was Baptised recently at Our Lady of Lourdes. May God bless him and his family as he grows in His knowledge and love.