Newsletter 20th April 2025

First Reading: Acts 10:34, 37-43

Responsorial Psalm 118 "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad"

Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4

Gospel: John 20:1-9

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

As we celebrate the joy of Easter, we pray that the light of the Risen Christ fills your hearts and homes with peace, hope, and renewed faith. The empty tomb is not the end of the story, but the beginning of a new life in Christ—a life we are all invited to share.
In these days of springtime and renewal, may we all open our hearts more fully to the love of God, and extend that love to those around us. Let us continue to walk together as a linked parish community, united in prayer, service, and the joy of the Resurrection.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed and joyful Easter season.
Yours in the Risen Christ,
Frs Martin & Damien

MISSIO RED BOX 2024: A great big Thank You.
In 2024 the parishes of OLI and HN raised £999.27 through the Red Boxes and personal giving, contributing to the wonderful work done by Missio and MHM, bringing the Eucharist and working together to improve the lives of communities who are poor or in need, here and across the world. Please see the Missio website for details of their incredible work and keep our missionaries in your prayers. See the Team if you'd like further info or if you'd like a Red Box. Thank you again.

SVP CHELMSFORD: Coffee Morning, next Sunday 27th April, in Our Lady Immaculate Church Hall. We will be serving coffee, tea and soft drinks, as well as delicious home- baked cakes and sausage rolls after 9.00 am and 12.00 am masses. All are warmly welcome.

MASS FOR MIGRANTS: The Dioceses and Ethnic Chaplaincies of Brentwood, Southwark and Westminster invite you to a celebration of the annual Mass for Migrants on Monday, 5th May 2025, 2pm at Westminster Cathedral. The Mass will celebrate the contributions made to the faith, life and work in the UK by all those from other countries who make a home here. Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, MAfr OBE, will be both celebrant and preacher. For more information or to join the banner procession, visit: https://www.caritasbrentwood.o....

BRENTWOOD URSULINE - 125th ANNIVERSARY MASS: To mark our 125th anniversary, we invite past and present staff and students to attend an anniversary Mass at Brentwood Cathedral at 11.15am on Saturday 26th April 2025, followed by a community celebration at Brentwood Ursuline, from 1pm-5pm. For further details and to book a place at the event, please refer to the school's website: www.brentwoodursuline.co.uk

DIOCESAN PILGRIMADE TO WALSINGHAM: for young people (18+), Saturday 24th May 2025. A group of representatives from the BCYS (aged 18+), will join Bishop Alan and other parishes on pilgrimage to Walsingham, with opportunities for readers, servers, musicians and singers during the day. There will be Mass at the Basilica, walking the Holy Mile to the grounds of Walsingham Abbey, Vespers and Benediction.To apply to join the BCYS group and find more information, please visit www.bcys.net/events

EMAIL SCAM: Unfortunately this week there have been a number of emails sent to parishioners that look like they are from Fr Martin asking for help from a made up gmail account. Please ignore them or contact the Parish Office if unsure.

DEANERY PARISHES' PILGRIMAGE TO ROME: This winter between Monday the 24th - Friday 28th November we are planning a pilgrimage to Rome, flying from Stansted Airport. For itinerary details see https://www.chelmsfordcatholic.... More details on how to book to follow.

DATE FOR THE DIARY: Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham on the 24th May 2025. Join Bishop Alan and other parishes around the Diocese of Brentwood in Walsingham to celebrate the Jubilee Year of Hope. We will celebrate Mass at the Basilica before walking the Holy Mile to the grounds of Walsingham Abbey to celebrate Vespers and Benediction. More details will soon be available about how to book your place on the coach leaving Chelmsford.

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!

CAFOD LENTEN APPEAL: Thank you to everybody at Holy Name and OLI for your recent generosity to our Cafod appeal. We have raised £1569.80. This includes £166 from our soup lunch and £48 raised from donations given for the Holy Communion dress initiative both at Holy Name. Thank you!

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 further 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.

Mary ANTHONY (RIP) Requiem Mass on Friday 2nd May at 2pm at Our Lady Immaculate Church.

Anne Ehigie IGBINEWEKA (RIP) Funeral Service on 7th June at 2pm in 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, Cathy Ingram, 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.