Newsletter 12th October 2025

First Reading: Second Kings 5: 14-17
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 98: 1, 2-3ab, 3c-4
Second Reading: Second Timothy 2: 8-13
Alleluia: First Thessalonians 5: 18
Gospel: Luke 17: 11-19

OUR LADY IMMACULATE PRIMARY SCHOOL TOURS SEPTEMBER 2026 INTAKE: Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School are holding their school tours for prospective parents on Monday, 20th October at 1.45pm, Thursday, 6th November at 10am and Tuesday, 18th November at 1.45pm.  Places are limited so please telephone the school office on 01245 353755 to book the tour.

PARISH CHRISTMAS FAYRE - SUNDAY 23rd NOVEMBER: We are now starting to collect items for our forthcoming Parish Christmas Fayre, which will be at 10am in OLI school hall on Sunday 23rd November. Donations of toiletries, new items, bric a brac, jewellery, Christmas food, bottles for the bottle stall, toys, etc will be very much appreciated and can be left in the boxes at the back of Our Lady Immaculate Church, Holy Name Church or handed directly to the Parish Office. Thank you in advance for your generosity supporting this very enjoyable event, which raises much needed funds. For all enquiries please contact Anne on 01245 257463.

SECOND COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND MISSIO: Sunday 12 October – Next Sunday is World Mission Sunday when the Holy Father invites all Catholics to support Missio – his charity for world mission – through a special collection. This day of prayer, solidarity and giving unites Catholics worldwide to share the Good News of God’s love which has the power to transform and heal our world. 

QUIZ NIGHT AT BLESSED SACRAMENT HALL: After the success of last year’s Quiz Night, Chris from the Knights of St. Columba has kindly offered to host another Quiz.  The date for your diary is this coming Saturday 18th October, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 each are on sale now.  You can buy your tickets on the night.  Tables of 8 or less.  Either make a group or make friends by joining a group!   Please bring your own drinks and refreshments.  There will also be a raffle £1 per ticket.

ROSARY BEFORE MASSES: Before all Sunday Masses during the month of October the rosary will be prayed in Our Lady Immaculate and Holy Name churches.

KNIGHTS OF ST COLUMBA CAKE SALE AT ST AUGUSTINE CHURCH: after the 9am Mass on Sunday,  19 October. You are cordially invited to come along and buy whole cakes or slices, and donations of cakes to sell will be welcomed.  Bring them along to the Mass or e-mail thompsoncjt01@blueyonder.co.uk to arrange for collection.

LECTURE SERIES ON MATTHEWS GOSPEL: Fr Andrew Robinson will be leading a series of Thursday evening talks on the Gospel of Matthew. Each session runs from 7.30–8.30pm at The Barn, New Hall School, The Avenue, Boreham, Chelmsford CM3 3HS. Tea and coffee will be served from 7.00pm. All are warmly invited. Dates below:
6th Nov:     What is distinctive about Matthew’s Gospel? (Part 1)
13th Nov: What is distinctive about Matthew’s Gospel? (Part 2)
20th Nov: The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard – A Parable of         Surprises
27th Nov: Matthew’s interpretation of Easter Day

PARISH BANQUET: Organised by the Knights of St Columba. New Hall will be hosting a Parish Banquet for the Chelmsford parishes (and friends) on 25th April 2026.  This is an ideal opportunity for all the Chelmsford parishes to come together socially. Full details costs and menus are on the poster on the noticeboard, or e-mail thompsoncjt01@blueyonder.co.uk for more information.

SVP CHELMSFORD FUNDRAISING: We are holding our Coffee Morning in Our Lady Immaculate Church Hall today. We will be serving coffee, tea and soft drinks, as well as delicious home- baked cakes and sausage rolls after 9.00 am and 12.00 am masses. Thank you for your continued support, your donations are greatly appreciated. 

OLI ORGAN FUND: Appeal for Donations: Our much-loved but very tired church organ at Our Lady Immaculate has finally reached the end of its life. We are now working towards replacing it with a new instrument that will serve the parish for years to come.If you would like to support the Organ Fund, please give donations in at Mass in a clearly marked envelope, or contact the parish office. Every contribution, large or small, will help bring new life, and music to OLI.

CHARISMATIC PRAYER GROUP: We are starting a new Charismatic prayer group which will meet on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm at The Holy Name hall. Come along for an evening of prayer, bible readings and inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Please contact Maggie on 07958 318239 for more details.

CARITAS ENVIRONMENT SHOWCASE: All parishioners are warmly invited to join Caritas Brentwood on Saturday, 15th November 2025, for a morning dedicated to celebrating and exploring our shared call to care for our common home. The event will include engaging discussions, refreshments, and an opportunity to explore the hosting parish church and its grounds. We will be joined by inspiring speakers from The Ecological Conversion Group and Laudato Si’ Animators, who will help us reflect on how we can live out our faith through care for creation. To find out more and register, please visit: https://CARITAS-ENV-25.eventbrite.co.uk

JOIN OUR MISSION BECOME A BCCS TRUSTEE: Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society is seeking new Trustees with experience in fundraising or marketing to help us grow and continue supporting the wellbeing of children and families in need. Your professional skills could make a real difference, helping to shape the charity’s future and strengthen our vital services. If you’d like to find out more, or know someone who might be interested, please contact our Director, Bernadette Fisher, at bfisher@bccs.org.uk

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA) – JOURNEY OF FAITH: We now have twelve enquirers on the programme. This is truly a wonderful number. Please keep them all in your prayers on their Faith Journey. Our next session will be at New Hall School -The Barn at 7pm before Fr Andrew Robinson's Lecture on the 6th November. Please contact the Parish Office if you would like to join the group. 

DONATIONS NEEDED: We are collecting men’s winter coats in good condition, ideally waterproof or showerproof, for around one thousand asylum seekers who will soon be arriving at Wethersfield. Coats can be given to the priests at Sunday Mass or brought directly to the Parish Office. Thank you in advance for your support.

BAPTISMS THIS WEEK: We welcome Ciara, Lena and Felix to our Catholic community. Please pray for them and their families. 

THE SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: The SVP provides practical help to those in need. If you or someone you know could use support, call us confidentially at 0207 7033030, 07936 579230, or contact the Parish Office. For furniture project donations or assistance, call the furniture bank directly on 0330 0436474.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAVE DIED RECENTLY AND ALL FAMILIES WHO MOURN.

Maurice DESILVA (RIP) Requiem Mass on Saturday 11th October at 2pm in Our Lady Immaculate Church. 
Enid MACLEOD (RIP) Requiem Mass on Thursday 16th October at 11am in Our Lady Immaculate Church.
John ROBINSON (RIP) Requiem Mass on Friday 17th October at 2pm in Holy Name Church. 

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND HOUSEBOUND OF OUR PARISHES, (AND ALL WHO ARE SICK.)
Susan Ager, Helen Bastian, Annie Blake, Maureen Byrne, Marie Callahan, Valerie Cummins, Doreen Cornish, Antonia Dias, Victoria Docherty, Peter Dodson, Madeleine East, Troy Erickson, Marta Fevola, Mary Fletcher, Teresa Foster, Michael Hoare,  Mike Healy, Shelia Hughes, John Grainger, Robert Godfrey, Connor Hickey, Cathy Ingram, Maureen Leatherdale, Stuart Lucas, Margaret Lowrey, Anne Lowden, Jim Machin,  Maura Magee, Barry & Shelia Mayo, Henry McKeon, Monica McShane, Donny McColl, Margaret O'Sullivan, Christine Staines, Maureen Sullivan, Patrick Waters, Anja Welsh-Smyth, Paddy Westrip, Gerald Westrip, Gayle Williams, Shirley Willis.