Newsletter 9th November 2025

First Reading: Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 46: 2-3, 5-6, 8-9
Second Reading: First Corinthians 3: 9c-11, 16-17
Alleluia: Second Chronicles 7: 16
Gospel: John 2: 13-22

NOVEMBER LISTS OF THE DEAD: During the month of November, Masses are offered for the repose of the souls whose names are placed on the sanctuary during the month of November. Envelopes and lists are available at the back of the churches, please return to a Priest, Sacristan or Parish Office.

MASSES FOR DECEASED LOVED ONES:  Will be held at 7:30PM on the following dates:
St. Augustine of Canterbury - Friday 14th November.
The Church of the Holy Name - Friday 21st November.
Our Lady Immaculate - Friday 28th November.

GRAVE BLESSINGS DURING NOVEMBER: 
Our Lady Immaculate and St Augustine Church graveyards - After the 9am Masses on the 9th of November. 
Chelmsford Crematorium, Sun 9th Nov. 2pm - meet in main car park. 
Lawns Cemetery in Great Baddow - Sunday 16th November at 2pm. 

Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School tours SEPTEMBER 2026 INTAKE: are holding their school tour for prospective parents on 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: With only two weeks to go now until our Parish Christmas Fayre, we are particularly looking for donations of toiletries, Christmas foods, bottles for the bottle stall, new items & jewellery to help make our Parish Christmas Fayre go with a swing!  With many thanks for your generosity.  It would be very much appreciated if items could be left in the boxes at the back of all the parish churches or handed directly to the Parish Office. For all enquiries please contact Anne on 01245 257463.

PARISH CHRISTMAS DRAW: Our Christmas Draw tickets will be handed out after all Masses this weekend. Please do take as many books as you can to sell to friends & family. £300 1st prize, plus lots of lovely Christmas hampers & festive prizes to be won. Please return the sold counterfoils and money by placing them in an envelope marked ‘Christmas Draw’ & putting them in the Sunday collection basket or leaving them with the Parish Office.  This, together with the delightful Christmas Fayre, is our main Parish fundraiser.  Many thanks in advance for your generous support!

CAKE STALL FOR CHRISTMAS FAYRE: If anyone would like to bake a cake for the cake stall at our Parish Christmas Fayre, Donations can be left at OLI parish hall am  or OLI school hall pm,on Friday 21st November or brought in on the day of the Christmas Fayre in OLI school hall on that Sunday morning.  With many thanks!

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA) – JOURNEY OF FAITH:  Our next session will be at New Hall School -The Barn at 7pm before Fr Andrew Robinson's lecture on the 13th November. Please contact the Parish Office if you would like to join the group.

PARISH BANQUET: 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 and there are now only 40 places left before people will be placed on awaiting list. Full details are on the poster on the church noticeboards, or e-mail paulcrittell@icloud.com for more information.
OLI Organ Fund: Appeal for Donations: 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. We are in great need of more donations to hit our funding goal and donations greatly appreciated.

SVP CHELMSFORD CHRISTMAS GIFTS:  We would like your help in reaching out to those in need by providing gifts for children and adults this Christmas. Please donate an age-appropriate gift for a child or mother by selecting a gift tag from SVP members who will be outside the churches next week on 15th/16th  Nov.

Lecture Series on Matthew’s 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:

13th Nov: What is distinctive about Matthew’s Gospel? (Part 2)
20th Nov: The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard – Surprises!
4th Dec: Matthew’s interpretation of Easter Day

VACANCY: St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Billericay are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and motivated Higher Level Teaching Assistant to join our team. For more information about the position and to apply, please visit:- https://www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk/Vacancies/Details.aspx?VacancyId=114585 Closing date is Midday on 24th November 2025.

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING ST CECILIA'S DAY: honouring the patron saint of music, with a musical quiz night at 7 pm on Saturday 22nd November at St. Augustine's Church. The evening will be led by some of our young people, raising funds for their HCPT pilgrimage to Lourdes with the BCYS next summer. 
Expect plenty of smiles,varied live music and questions, a raffle and a few surprises along the way. There will also be tea, coffee and homemade cakes on sale to keep your minds fuelled. Come along, bring your friends and join the fun, everyone is welcomed even the non quizzers! No fee, no booking. Donations welcome.

THE PARISHIONER MAGAZINE: Our next edition of The Parishioner Parish magazine will come out on Christmas Day. We would be very grateful for any contributions you might like to make, especially items of parish news from yourself or parish organisations or any suitable articles, obituaries etc. All articles should be with the editor at theparishioner@hotmail.co.uk by the 23rd November. With thanks.

SVP Chelmsford Coffee Morning and Christmas Crafts Fundraiser: This Sunday, 9th of November, after the 9am and 12 Noon Masses in OLI. Please come and support this event to raise much needed funds.Thank you for your continued support, your donations are greatly appreciated. 

LECTURE: Fr Nicholas King SJ, renowned biblical scholar and translator, will explore how Dei Verbum, the Second Vatican Council’s document on Scripture, still guides our reading, study, and prayer of the Bible. The Catholic Biblical Association hosts the talk at Christ the High Priest Church, Gidea Park, Romford (RM2 6DH), 11am, Saturday 22 November 2025. Admission is free. The event will be livestreamed and later available at www.whatgoodnews.org

BAPTISMS THIS WEEKEND: We welcome Jazzlyn as the newest member of our Catholic community this weekend. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

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 on 07936 579230, or contact the Parish Office.

THE LEGION OF MARY: Support many through their prayer and in person ministry across the Parish. The meet in OLI on Tuesdays at 10am and Holy Name on Thursdays at 7pm. New members welcome.

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

Gerald WESTRIP (RIP) Requiem Mass on  Thursday 27th November at 11am in Holy Name Church
Patrick FRANKLIN (RIP) Funeral Service on Friday 28th November at 11am in Our Lady Immaculate Church. 
Shelia BEARFIELD (RIP) Memorial Mass on Monday 8th December at 11:30am in St Augustine of Canterbury 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,  Shelia Hughes, John Grainger, Robert Godfrey, Connor Hickey, Cathy Ingram, Patrick Langan, Maureen Leatherdale, Stuart Lucas, Margaret Lowrey, Anne Lowden, Jim Machin,  Maura Magee,  Shelia Mayo, Henry McKeon, Monica McShane, Donny McColl, Anne Newland Margaret O'Sullivan, Christine Staines, Maureen Sullivan, Patrick Waters, Anja Welsh-Smyth, Paddy Westrip, Gayle Williams, Shirley Willis.