WEEKDAY MASS TIMES THIS WEEK
Masses during the week are on Monday, Wednesday,Thursday and Friday at 9:30am.
Please note there is No Mass on Tuesday. There is a Funeral on Monday 16th Dec at 12:15pm.
GRAND PRIZE DRAW WITH CHRISTMAS HAMPERS
Please join us for “Coffee, Cake and Carols” from 12 Noon on Sunday 15th December in the Parish Hall for our annual “Great Christmas Hamper Draw”. Raffle tickets can still be purchased after the masses and online by emailing Iain at bloggeriain@gmail.com
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (Confessions) – Monday 16 December 7pm
There will be three priests available to hear confessions. Confessions will also be available in Polish. A priest is always available for confession every Saturday evening from 5-5:45pm and on request at any reasonable time.
CHRISTMAS OFFERINGS
Your offering at Christmas Masses is your gift to the Parish Priest and forms a major part of his income for the year. If you are making a payment online via your bank as a special collection, please indicate this is a Christmas Offering. You can gift aid your offerings as usual. Thank you.
CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES
Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24 December
5pm – Family Mass with a Nativity Tableaux
7pm Vigil Mass
9:30pm – Carols before Mass
10pm – Mass during the night.
Christmas Day – Wednesday 25 December
9am and 11am
CHRISTMAS NATIVITY
We are continuing rehearsals for our wonderful Christmas Nativity which takes place at the 5pm Christmas Eve Mass. The rehearsal dates are 15th and 22nd December straight after 11am Mass. These generally will last no longer than 30 minutes. Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us on 07946138307. Sam and Danielle.
LITURGICAL EVENTS AT BRENTWOOD CATHEDRAL
Please join us on Sunday 22nd December at 4pm lasting about an hour and a quarter in Brentwood Cathedral for our annual Service of Nine Lesson’s and Carols. This is a most beautiful Service of Music and Readings for Advent and Christmas and perhaps the high point of the Cathedral Choir’s Choral Year.
It is always very popular and well attended.
In addition to the Choir Carols there are also popular Carols for everyone to sing. The Choir will be accompanied by Stephen King, the Cathedral Organist. A wonderful celebration in preparation for Christmas. All are welcome!
BAPTISMS
If there are parents wishing to have their children baptised at St. Edmund of Canterbury please could you kindly contact your parish priest Fr Adrian Lowe as soon as possible. For first time parents there is a Baptismal Programme run by Mrs Sharon Chalk. Baptisms take place on Saturdays at 12.30pm
OUR CHRISTMAS MARANATHA AT THE SION COMMUNITY
Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, CM15 9BX, is on Thursday 18th December. The evening begins with Mass at 7pm followed by Prayer and Praise and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Our Celebrant is Fr. Paschal Uche and everyone is very welcome.
ST EDMUNDS of CANTERBURY CATHOLIC PARISH
(Financial Accounts Summary for Fiscal Year 2023 to 2024)
Overall, the parish statement of income and expenditure for the financial year ended 2023-2024 showed a deficit of £1.3k, which is a significant improvement on the previous year deficit of £60.4k [which, of course, included some significant exceptional repair costs to the Church]. The target for the current financial year 2024-2025 is to achieve a positive surplus of £25.4k.
The parish income including second collections for 2023-2024 [£157k] was broadly in line with the previous year [£164k], and is expected to increase to over £200k for the current year. This is mainly attributed to an increase in the gift aid monies of 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, which are expected to be received in this current year collectively, and a 3% increase in the offertory collection channels.
Budgeted Expenditure has increased in total from £158k to £176k for the year 2023-2024. The reason for the increase are extraordinary costs such as ordination costs.
Note that in the previous financial year 2023-2024, we had a fire audit and a health and safety audit, which have led to the expected additional repair costs in the 2024-2025 financial year. We can confirm at this stage of the current financial year that, except for the fire audit, all recommendations have been implemented, accounted for and passed on re-inspection.
For queries or questions about the accounts, please contact loughton@brcdt.org.
John Fitzmaurice, Chairperson Parish Finance Group
“AWAKE LONDON”
A Catholic Bible convention and Healing ministry on Saturday 21st December 2024 from 11am to 5 pm led by Fr.Shinoj Francis and Anointing Fire Catholic Ministry UK at Catholic Parish of Christ The King, 455 Chingford Road London,E4 8SP. Convention includes: Praise and Worship, Holy Mass, confession, Healing service and Eucharistic Adoration, spiritual sharing, sessions for children (www.afcmuk.org). Free car parking available.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK
Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Brenda Bryant, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Remy, Geraldine Taylor, James Wright, Pamela Gibson, Geraldine Stains, Linda Moriarty, Andrew Godsave, Victoria Leahy, Jean Collins, Barbara Searl, Amelia Burns,
Lyn Povey, Mason Family and all our loved ones who are unwell.
ST JOSEPH THE WORKER CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL, HUTTON
ARE LOOKING TO APPOINT A DEPUTY HEADTEACHER FOR APRIL 2025
For more information and a full advert, visit our school website: https://st-joseph-the-worker-catholic-primary-school.secure-primarysite.net/recruitment-1/
Applications Close: Tuesday 28th January 2025 at 12pm
Interviews: Tuesday 11th February 2025 at 9am
Visits welcome. Please contact Mrs Lesley Willats on 01277 227282 or admin@st-josephworker.essex.sch.uk for an application pack or to arrange a visit.
TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
- SEN TA, 31 hours p/w, ASAP
- Teacher of French, Full time, January 2025
- Teacher of English, Full time, January 2025
- Teacher of Maths, Part Time, January 2025
Please visit the school’s website https://www.tchs.org.uk/about-us/employment/ for further job information.
ST JOHN FISHER CATHOLIC PRIMARY, LOUGHTON
- Site Manager( Full-Time/Part Time Hours), ASAP , Closing Date 5th Jan, 2025
- HLTA, ASAP, Closing Date 5th Jan, 2025
For further details please visit www.ourladyoffatimatrust.essex.sch.uk or alternatively call Mrs Irene Nelson, H.R. Manager on 01279 425383.
ST LUKE’S CATHOLIC ACADEMY, HARLOW
- EYFS Practitioner, ASAP, Closing Date 5th January, 2025
For further details please visit www.ourladyoffatimatrust.essex.sch.uk or alternatively call Mrs Irene Nelson, H.R. Manager on 01279 425383.
THREE SCHOOLS ACROSS OUR LADY OF FATIMA TRUST
- Midday Assistants, ASAP , Closing Date 5th January, 2025
For further details please visit www.ourladyoffatimatrust.essex.sch.uk or alternatively call Mrs Irene Nelson, H.R. Manager on 01279 425383