Newsletter 5th October 2025

First Reading: Habakkuk 1: 2-3; 2: 2-4
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Second Reading: Second Timothy 1: 6-8, 13-14
Alleluia: First Peter 1: 25
Gospel: Luke 17: 5-10

Our Lady Immaculate Catholic 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.

SCHOOL ADMISSIONS – CERTIFICATE OF CATHOLIC PRACTICE FORMS: Fr Martin will be available to sign ‘Certificate of Catholic Practice’ forms in Our Lady Immaculate Church on Thursday 9th October, between 4.30pm and 6.00pm. Forms will be provided, but families are asked to bring their child’s baptism certificate with them.  

BISHOP ALAN'S VISITATION ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8th: Please join Bishop Alan for a celebratory Mass for our communities this Wednesday at 7:30pm in Holy Name. There will be light refreshments available in the Parish Hall afterwards

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. 

SECOND COLLECTION THIS WEEKEND FOR Cafod Family Fast Day. The Family Fast Day was on Friday 3rd October. There will be a collection in Church this weekend. Thank you for your generosity.

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 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.

SAINT ÓSCAR ROMERO TALK: Archbishop John Wilson (Archbishop of Southwark), will be giving a talk on Saint Óscar Romero, in the Cathedral Parish Hall on Wednesday 8th October at 7.30pm.  All welcome. 

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.

PARISH OFFICE UPDATE: We are delighted to announce the purchase of a new property on New London Road, close to Our Lady Immaculate Church. This will provide a new home for the Parish Office and accommodation. Works will shortly be under way, and we look forward to sharing the date of the office relocation very soon.

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.

RCIA Thinking about the Catholic Faith? If you are curious about the Catholic Church, or wondering whether this might be the path for you, come along to our RCIA introductory session on Thursday at 7.30pm in St Augustine’s Church. This is a gentle, welcoming space for adults to explore what Catholics believe, ask questions, and meet others who are also seeking.

KEEP THE DATE MUSIC QUIZ IN ST AUGUSTINE CHURCH: Come and join us in a celebration of St Cecilia's feast day, a musically themed quiz at 7pm in the Church Hall on the 22nd November. This is being organised by young people in our Parish to raise funds for their trip to Lourdes next year with HCPT. More information to follow. 

BCCS COLLECTION: Thanks to your generosity, a total of £1,160.29 has been raised across the four Chelmsford parishes (Including Blessed Sacrament) for the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society. The Chelmsford Knights of St Columba, on behalf of BCCS, express their sincere gratitude for your support.

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 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.

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

6 Nov: What is distinctive about Matthew’s Gospel? (Part 1)
13 Nov: What is distinctive about Matthew’s Gospel? (Part 2)
20 Nov: The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard – A Parable of Surprises
27 Nov: Matthew’s interpretation of Easter Day

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.

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 you can offer.

BAPTISMS THIS WEEK: We welcome Troy and Harry 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.

Edward SCOTT (RIP) Requiem Mass Tuesday 7th October at 2pm in St Augustine Church
Grazia PAOLA (RIP) Requiem Mass on Thursday 9th October at 1pm 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.