Newsletter 13th April 2025

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7

Responsorial Psalm 22 "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?"

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11

Gospel: Luke 22:14- 23:56

STATIONS OF THE CROSS DURING HOLY WEEK: This Monday at 7pm in Holy Name Church. and on Good Friday at 7pm.

EARLIER MASS TIME IN OUR LADY IMMACULATE ON WEDNESDAY: This Mass begins earlier at 9am to allow time for travel after for those attending the Chrism Mass in Brentwood Cathedral at 11am.

GOOD FRIDAY: There is a second collection for Holy Places in the Holy Land. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence for those in good health.

The Chelmsford churches together 'Walk of Witness' leaves St Augustine at 9:30am, and Our Lady Immaculate at 10am. Local churches are all scheduled to arrive in the town centre for 11am.

In addition to the solemn liturgies listed, at 7pm in Our Lady Immaculate there is a service where all are invited to contemplate the compassion of Mary through Prayer with the Servite Sisters, followed by veneration of the relic of the True Cross.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION DURING HOLY WEEK:
• Monday 14th, 6:30pm - 7pm in Holy Name
• Tuesday 15th - Morning of Mercy in Our Lady Immaculate 8:15am - 12:15
• Wednesday 16th, 7:30pm Reconciliation Service in Our Lady Immaculate Church with individual confessions available.
• Thursday 17th 6:30pm-7:30pm in St Augustine of Canterbury
• Thursday 17th 6:30pm-7:30pm in Our Lady Immaculate
• Friday 18th 9am - 10am in Our Lady Immaculate
• Friday 18th 1:30pm - 2:30pm in Our Lady Immaculate
• Friday 18th 1:30pm - 2:30pm in Holy Name

POLISH BLESSING OF FOOD: on Holy Saturday in Our Lady Immaculate Church at 12:30pm and 2pm

THE CANONNESSES OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE: warmly invite you to join them at New Hall for two special moments during the Triduum in the chapel. Firstly to join us on Good Friday at 7.30pm "Fauré Requiem" either come and sing or come and listen. And secondly to come to the Holy Saturday reflection at 10:15am. All very welcome.

LENTEN AND EASTER LECTURES IN NEW HALL SCHOOL: The final Lenten talk on the 14th April is from Dr Paul Thomas on How Science and Religion can support each other, and his personal experience of miracles. On Saturday the 19th April, at 3:30pm there is a talk on Ecofeminist theology by Anna Jeffrey, Head of Theology and Philosophy at Haileybury College, followed at 4pm by Dr Catherine Coldstream speaking on "In Sighs Too Deep for Words: Music and Silence in a Life of Prayer" with Dr Coldstream's book: Cloistered-my years as a Nun available to purchase, with a book signing. The talk takes place in New Hall Barn, near to the southern exit, to the right of the main building. Please note currently the only entrance is via Remembrance Avenue.

EASTER LILIES ENVELOPES AVAILABLE: to decorate our Churches for Easter in memory of loved ones. If you would like to make a donation in memory of a deceased loved one, please place in an envelope marked Easter Lilies and pass it to a Priest or the Parish Office by Tuesday. Many thanks for your generosity.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SCHEDULE FOR OUR CHURCHES: is available on our Church website via our website main page header. It lists all the events of Holy Week both daily and by Church across our Linked Parishes.

HOLY NAME LADIES' GROUP: Thank all Parishioners for supporting their Easter Raffle. The fantastic amount of £378 has been raised. The raffle will be drawn after Mass this Sunday.

MESSAGE FROM FR MARTIN: Many people will be aware that the collections at Christmas and Easter form the greater part of the personal income for the priests of our parish communities.
For this Frs Damien and I are truly grateful. We realise that many people now give to the parish through standing orders. In order that our auditors fully appreciate the intention of donors through the standing order scheme it would be very useful if parishioners could confirm whether they consider a proportion (2 weeks of the 52 weeks of the year) to go to the Easter and Christmas offering amounts. A simple email or note to the Parish Office would clarify our accounts. We fully appreciate that some will wish to contribute separately
to the priests at this time and this could be a one-off BACS transaction marked ‘Easter’ (with gift aid number if applicable), or a marked envelope (again with gift aid number if applicable).
You may of course wish simply to place offerings in the usual collection at the weekend or in the Easter Offering envelopes available in the back of the Church. For all this and your
continued generous support of our parishes…Many thanks!

LEGION OF MARY HOUSE ROSARY: Two members of the Legion of Mary will be happy to visit your home to say a rosary with your family during May. If you would like a visit there are sign up sheets at the back of churches or contact the Legion of Mary via the Parish Office.

HCPT MORNING IN OLI: Join Carys and Connie after Mass this Sunday for a bake sale in support of HCPT. There will also be a quiz and bingo. All proceeds will help towards a life-changing pilgrimage to Lourdes this Easter and Summer. Please do support our young people who have organise this themselves.

HCPT RAFFLE: Thank you to all the parishioners of St Augustine’s for their generosity over the last couple of weeks. The raffle raised an amazing £450 which will go towards giving disabled children a great week's pilgrimage to Lourdes this Easter!”

HOLY NAME LADIES' GROUP: Thank all Parishioners for supporting their Easter Raffle. The fantastic amount of £378 has been raised. The raffle will be drawn after Mass this Sunday.

THANK YOU FROM THE FOODBANK: This weekend is the final collection from Our Lady Immaculate and Holy Name Church. The food bank have been so very grateful for your
generous donations during this Lenten season.

ST AUGUSTINES 200 Club: We are over half way to our target of 200 shares at the moment but intend to do the first draw on Easter Sunday. To help us reach our target, see Chris at Church with cash, or e-mail thompsoncjt01@blueyonder.co.uk for instructions to pay on line. We need to have payment by Holy Saturday.

DIGITAL ORGAN IN OLI: This Holy Week, we will be trialling a new digital organ. As many at Our Lady Immaculate know, the current pipe organ is often unreliable, and restoring it we have been advised is costly. We are therefore exploring more affordable options. Some funds have been set aside for this, with fundraising planned in the coming months.

YOUNG VINCENTIANS ON THE RADIO: The Young SVP members from St John Payne Catholic School invite you to listen to their Easter Story recording on Sunday, 20th April. Their readings will be broadcast on Chelmsford City Radio and Broomfield Hospital Radio at 9am on Easter Sunday. Join us for a special time of reflection and prayer. Listen live at www.hrc.org.uk. We wish you all a happy and holy Easter, from the Young Vincentians.

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 0330 0436474.

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

Iroma BENZIE (RIP) Requiem Mass on Tuesday 15th April at 1:30pm at The Church of the Holy Name.

Mary ANTHONY (RIP) Requiem Mass on Wednesday 30th April at 2pm at Our Lady Immaculate Church.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND HOUSEBOUND OF OUR PARISHES, (AND ALL WHO ARE SICK.)Susan Ager, Maureen Byrne, Marie Callahan, Valerie Cummins, Doreen Cornish, Madeleine East, Troy Erickson, Marta Fevola, Mary Fletcher, Michael Hoare, Mike Healy, Shelia Hughes, John Grainger, Robert Godfrey, Connor Hickey, Maureen Leatherdale, Stuart Lucas, Margaret Lowrey, Anne Lowden, Maura Magee, Barry & Shelia Mayo, Sarah & Henry McKeon, Monica McShane, Donny McColl, Grazia Paola, Christine Staines, John Rees, Patrick Waters, Anja Welsh-Smyth, Gayle Williams, Shirley Willis.