Newsletter 19th November 2023

LINKED PARISHES CHRISTMAS FAYRE - TODAY!!! Our Christmas Fayre, to raise much needed funds for our Parishes takes place TODAY, Sunday 19th November, in Our Lady Immaculate school hall, from 10am until 2.30pm. Please do come along now to support our Parish Churches & have a delicious bacon roll or bowl of homemade soup, cup of tea, coffee & cake, & buy lovely Christmas gifts, toiletries, jewellery, bric a brac, cakes, toys, along with raffles & prizes & more. This is a lovely time to meet your fellow parishioners, so please come along and join the fun! Looking forward to seeing you there!
Mass for deceased loved ones: will be held in Our Lady Immaculate Church on Friday 24th November at 7:30 PM.
Articles for the Parishioner Magazine: Christmas Day edition. We would be very grateful for any contributions you might like to make, especially items of parish news, from yourself, our schools, parish organisations or any suitable articles, obituaries etc. All articles should be with the editor at theparishioner@hotmail.co.uk by the 26th Nov. Many thanks.

SVP SPRINGFIELD CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE APPEAL: We will be making our appeal for Christmas gifts for the children of our SVP supported families on Sunday 19th November at St Augustine of Canterbury Church. There will be gift tags on the tree for you to buy a gift up to £15 per child. All gifts should be returned to the Box unwrapped after Mass by the 10th December.
Many thanks to you all once again for your continued support of this Appeal and for supporting the work of SVP Springfield Conference.

SVP CHELMSFORD – GIFT APPEAL: 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 on 25th/26th Nov. We are supporting: The Angel Tree Project which delivers donated gifts to the children of prisoners, the Women’s Refuge and families and individuals supported by the SVP locally. We are asking for sweet and savoury items; chocolates, biscuits, etc. and toiletries; shampoo, conditioner, shower gels, toothpaste. Individual food and toiletries items can be brought in and placed in the collection boxes at the back of OLI and HN Churches the weekends of 25/26th November and 2/3rd December. Please ensure that gifts are new and food is in use by date until at least the end of January 2024. No second-hand clothing, goods or toys, please. Thank you in advance for turning your concern into action.

AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED "RED WEDNESDAY": 22nd November. Support for Faith and Freedom. Christians around the world are being persecuted because of their faith. You can show your support for the Suffering Church by wearing something red. Many churches and cathedrals will be lit red. Please spread the word and use social media to make Red Wednesday 2023 a campaign that cannot be ignored. The outside of Our Lady Immaculate Church in Chelmsford will be lit up in red from Sunday 19th November to Sunday 26th November as a sign of solidarity and support for Faith and Freedom. https://acnuk.org/our-campaign...

PARISH CHRISTMAS DRAW: Our Parish Christmas Draw will take place on Friday 8th December. Please return counterfoils with the money in an envelope and place in the Sunday's collection plate or return to the Parish Office. Many thanks!

CHRISTMAS FLOWER COLLECTION AT ST AUGUSTINE: We will be having a collection for Christmas Flowers on Sunday the 11th December. Thank you in advance for helping make the Church so beautiful for the birth of Our Lord.

SCHOOL ADMISSIONS - CERTIFICATE OF CATHOLIC PRACTICE FORMS: Fr Martin will be signing the ‘Certificate of Catholic Practice’ forms in Our Lady Immaculate Church between 17:30-18:30 on Thursday 14th December 2023 and Tuesday 9th January 2024. He will have the Certificate of Catholic Practice forms available, if families could please bring their child's baptism certificate with them.

SILENT RETREAT-BE STILL MY SOUL: Fri 8th - Sun 10th December 2023.Organised by Allegra Mutanda. Venue: Sion Community, Brentwood. Our theme focuses on the need to learnt the 'art' of being still and at rest in the midst of a busy and noisy society. Guest speaker: Grace Nowakowska, full-time lay missionary member of Sion Community. This silent weekend retreat during Advent offers us the opportunity to spend time with the Lord in quiet prayer and reflection. 40-HOURS of CONTINUOUS Adoration, spiritual guidance & prayer ministry included. For more information or to book, visit https://sioncommunity.org.uk/a...

DIVINE MERCY DEVOTIONS: Take place in the Church of the Holy Name after the 7:30pm Mass on Monday 20th November. All very welcome.

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP DEVOTIONS: will be held immediately following the 10:30am Mass on Saturday, 25 November at Our Lady Immaculate church. All welcome.

HOLY ROSARY OF THE CRUCIFIXION PRAYER GROUP: Meets every Wednesday in St Philip's Priory Chapel at 6:15pm. All are welcome to join us in praying this beautiful devotion.

PRIORY CHAPEL PRAYER GROUP: Every Wednesday in St Philip's Priory Chapel between 7:00pm and 7:45pm. Prayers, Litanies and devotions, all very welcome to attend.

FOR CURRENT VACANCIES IN BRENTWOOD DIOCESE: Across the schools and departments please see: https://www.dioceseofbrentwood... New this week: Learning Support Assistant in St Peters Catholic Primary School in Billericay

THE SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: provides practical help and support where possible for those who need it. Are you lonely, in need of help, or do you know someone who is? If so, contact us on 07876 551150 to arrange a visit. All calls are completely confidential.

HOSPITAL AND SICK VISITS: If you or a member of your family go into hospital, or are sick and housebound, please inform the Parish Office so a priest or member of the Legion of Mary can visit you.

THE SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: provides practical help and support where possible for those who need it. Are you lonely, in need of help, or do you know someone who is? If so, contact us on 07876 551150 to arrange a visit. All calls are completely confidential.

HOSPITAL AND SICK VISITS: If you or a member of your family go into hospital, or are sick and housebound, please inform the Parish Office so a priest or member of the Legion of Mary can visit you.