Newsletter 27th September 2026

Mass Readings for Sunday, 27th September 2026 - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading: Ezekiel 18: 25-28
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Second Reading: Philippians 2: 1-11
Alleluia: John 10: 27
Gospel: Matthew 21: 28-32

PARISH OFFICE:  The Parish Office will not be open this week on Thursday 1st October.

PARISH CHRISTMAS FAYRE - SUNDAY 22nd 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 22nd November. Donations of toiletries, new items, lovely 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.

MASS CHANGES/ADDITIONS: From next week the following mass changes/additions will me made - At St Augustine's there will be an additional mass every Wednesday at 7:30pm.  At Our Lady Immaculate, every Thursday from 8th October at 7pm - there will be Exposition and Adoration with Evening Prayer.

CERTIFICATE OF CATHOLIC PRACTICE – SCHOOL APPLICATIONS
Parents applying for Catholic school places must obtain a Certificate of Catholic Practice. This is issued to parishioners who regularly attend Mass as practising Catholics.  Fr Barto the Parish Priest will be available for two signing sessions in Our Lady Immaculate Parish Hall between 5-7pm. These are drop in sessions and Certificate of Catholic Practice forms will be provided. You will need to bring your child's baptism certificate with you. 
    Secondary applications: 21st October, 5–7pm
    Primary applications: 9th December, 5–7pm

CATECHIST TRAINING & RESOURCES DAY:  Saturday 7th November: from 10am–3pm. Brentwood Ursuline High School - Free event. This is for Catechists for First Holy Communion, Confirmation and RCIA from across the Diocese.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 26/27, CONFIRMATION 26/27: Application forms can be found online. The deadline for final applications to the First Holy Communion programme is the 12Noon on Monday 28th September.  Please note there have been some changes to the dates of these programmes, please seen online for the most up to date information as some date information has changed.

RCIA 26/27 PROGRAMME: The new RCIA programme begins on
Wednesday 7th October at 7:30pm in the Our Lady Immaculate
parish hall. All are welcome to this introductory session to find out more.

PARISH READERS:  On Wednesday 30th September there is a retreat evening and formation evening in Our Lady Immaculate Church for all readers beginning at 6:30pm.

THE LEGION OF MARY: Meet every Tuesday at 10am in OLI Parish Hall. If you would like to pray and put your faith in action, then come along and help us spread the faith through local ministry and community outreach. All warmly welcome.

CAFOD APPEAL FAMILY FAAST DAY: is on Friday 2nd October. Cafod envelopes will be available at the Masses on 3rd/4th October. Please feel free to take one from the back of the church and return it next week. Thank you

ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY CATHOLIC STUDENTS:  Fr Barto celebrates Mass every Friday 12:15pm at MAB118 at Anglia Ruskin Chelmsford Campus during Term time. You are most welcome.

BRENTWOOD YOUTH MASS: is in the Brentwood Cathedral this Thursday on the 1st October. Refreshments from 6pm in the Hall, Mass begins at 7:30pm. All Welcome.

CHELMSFORD CATHOLIC YOUNG ADULTS GROUP (CCYA)   Dates for your diary – the CCYA will be taking place every two weeks on a Friday in the Blessed Sacrament Hall from 7pm till 8.30pm.  The next two dates are: 2nd & 16th October 
Anyone aged between 18 and 35 are warmly welcomed.

DEDICATION OF OUR LADY IMMACULATE CHURCH: On Tuesday 20th October at 12:30pm there will be a celebration of 160 Years after the  Dedication of Our Lady of Our Lady Immaculate Church. More details to follow.

FOUNDATION DAY TALK - Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre
The Community invite you to their Foundation Day Talk on Friday 9th October at 2pm.  Venue: 74, HOWE CLOSE, COLCHESTER CO4 3XD. Speaker: Dr Cormac Begadon. The talk is entitled: ‘Between Faith and Fortune - The Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre, Atlantic World and the Paradox of Religious Benefaction in the 18th century’.

For more information and to book your place: https://canonesses.co.uk/event/foundation-day-2026/

CHELMSFORD CATHOLIC YOUNG ADULTS GROUP (CCYA) Dates for your diary – the CCYA will be taking place every two weeks on a Friday in the Blessed Sacrament Hall from 7pm till 8.30pm.  The next two dates are: 2nd & 16th October. Anyone aged between 18 and 35 are warmly welcomed.  
                                                                                                                                                                 HEALTH AND WELLBEING SESSIONS: The next sessions will take place on Saturday 3rd and Wednesday 7th October in the Blessed Sacrament Church hall at 10am. All sessions are free, however, donations are grateful received for refreshments.

SVP OLI: Next Sunday, 4th October there will be tea, coffee,  home baked cakes and savoury items served in Our Lady Immaculate Church Hall after 9.00 and 12.00 mass.

Many thanks for your continued generous support in the work of the SVP.

ROSARY DURING OCTOBER: The Rosary will be prayed before all weekend Masses in OLI and Holy Name churches for the month of October. It will start 25 minutes before each Mass.  All most welcome.

SVP Fund-Raising for South Sudan - 10th October - Hall of Games - St Augustine's 7 p.m. for a 7:15 starTickets £7.50 from an  SVP member or e-mail  TwinningSudan@svp.org.uk.  Bring your own drinks and nibbles.  Tea, coffee and cakes available at the interval.  Please do join us.

KNIGHTS OF ST. COLUMBA ANNUAL LECTURE: On Wednesday 7th October at 8pm. Clare Bailey the Director of Youth Ministry for Brentwood Youth service will be leading the lecture entitled "Why Youth Ministry." All are most welcome and the talk will begin after the Mass at 7:30pm in St Augustine of Canterbury Church.

ADOREMUS 2026: - SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER 10AM - 6PM  This year, after major Eucharistic events in Liverpool and Birmingham, the Adoremus Eucharistic Festival comes to London. It will take place on Saturday 10th October 2026.  For more information see poster at back of the church.

FIRST FRIDAY MASS IN OUR LADY IMMACULATE CHURCH: This Friday there is an additional Mass on the 2nd October at 7:30pm in Honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

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

Patrick KAVANAGH Requiem Mass on Tuesday 29th September at 1:30pm in Our Lady Immaculate Church. 
Ann GOLDSMITH Requiem Mass on Wednesday 30th September 2:30pm. in Our Lady Immaculate Church.  
Peter HAMILTON Requiem Mass on Tuesday 9th October at 2:00pm in Holy Name Church.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND HOUSEBOUND OF OUR PARISHES, (AND ALL WHO ARE SICK.)
John Coggins, James Patient, Susan Ager, Helen Bastian, Annie Blake, Maureen Byrne, Marie Callahan, S.Casimir OSM, Valerie Cummins, Doreen Cornish, Antonia Dias, Victoria Docherty, Madeleine East, Troy Erickson, Marta Fevola, Teresa Foster, Martin Fox. Moreen Healy, Michael Hoare,  Shelia Hughes, John Grainger,  Robert Godfrey, Peter Hamilton, Connor Hickey, Gary Iliffe,  Maureen Leatherdale, Stuart Lucas,  Anne Lowden, Kevin Lyons, Jim Machin,  Maura Magee,  Shelia Mayo, Donny McColl, Henry McKeon, Monica McShane, Anne Newland, Ann McDonald, Margaret O'Sullivan Christine Staines, Patrick Waters, Anja Welsh-Smyth, Thomas Welsh-Smyth,  Paddy Westrip, Gayle Williams, Mary and Rodney Jefferies, Xi and Donald, Charles, Susie and Irene.