FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (C)
10th March 2019
Dear Parishioner,
Lent begins with a reflection on the Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. The Church assigns temptation stories to
the beginning of Lent because temptations come to everybody, not only to Jesus, and we seem almost genetically
programmed to yield to them.
The first reading describes the ancient Jewish ritual of presenting the first fruits and gifts to God during the
harvest festival in order to thank Him for liberating His people from Egypt and for strengthening them during the years
of their trials and temptations in the desert.
In the second reading, St. Paul warns the early Christians converted from Judaism not to yield to their constant
temptation to return to the observances of the Mosaic Laws. He reminds them that they will be saved only by
acknowledging the risen Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
The graphic temptations of Jesus described by Matthew and Luke in their Gospels are pictorial and dramatic
representations of the inner struggle against a temptation that Jesus experienced throughout his public life. The devil
was trying to prevent Jesus from accomplishing his mission of saving mankind from the bondage of sin, mainly through a
temptation to become the political Messiah of Jewish expectations, and to use his Divine power first for his own
convenience and then to avoid suffering and death.
In this Lent let us confront and conquer temptations as Jesus did using the means he employed. Jesus sets a model for
conquering temptations through prayer, penance and the effective use of the "word of God".
SEND, O LORD: HOLY APOSTLES INTO YOUR CHURCH
Fr Sabu Pariyadan RCJ
Notices:
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LENT - DIARY DATES OF OCCASIONS FOR FAITH DEVELOPMENT
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Palms - if you have palms from previous years at home and you wish to burn them and bring the
Ashes to church, please do bring them as soon as possible.
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Eucharistic Adoration - every Sunday during Lent at 4pm in St Augustine's.
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Stations of the Cross - every Friday during Lent at 7.30pm in St Augustine's.
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Children's Stations of the Cross - 19th April 11am in St Augustine's.
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Lent Reconciliation Service - Wednesday April 10th 7.30pm at OLI
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EASTER LILIES Each year we ask for special donations for Easter Lilies to decorate the Church for
our Easter celebrations. If you would like to contribute (a suggested donation of £4.00) in
memory of a deceased loved one, please place your offering in an envelope marked Easter Lilies to
pass to Cath Lyons. Many thanks for your generosity.
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NOVENA TO ST JOSEPH - SUN 10 TO TUES 19 MARCH 2019 - OLI CHURCH, Our Lady Immaculate Parish,
Chelmsford, is celebrating a novena to St Joseph to pray for the Church, for vocations to the diocese of Brentwood
and for all your intentions. The novena to St Joseph is from 10th March till 19th March. Each day of the novena there
will be Mass at 7pm (preceded by confessions at 6.30pm) and the Mass will end with the novena prayers to St Joseph.
Please join us in our novena prayers.
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COLCHESTER Lent talk 2: Friday 15th March, by Father Chris, theme of 'Creation
and Recreation'. All welcome at Cardinal Bourne Hall at 7.30pm.
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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO POPE FRANCIS Study day at the Church of Christ the Eternal High Priest,
Gidea Park, RM2 6DH Sat 16 March. 6 years after his election we look at Pope Francis' efforts to bring renewal to
the Catholic Church. Speaker: Fr Alban McCoy OFM Conv, Dean of St Edmund's College, Cambridge. From 11am - 3pm.
Admission and refreshments free. Please bring your own lunch. Please make your booking by clicking here to Email.
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LENT TALK THIS WEEK AT OUR LADY IMMACULATE, CHELMSFORD. Wednesday 13th March - "What is
prayer?" - Fr Matthew O'Gorman. Holy Hour and confessions 6.30pm - 7.30pm with the talk at 7.30pm in the
parish hall.
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VISIT THE STATUES OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA SAT 23 MARCH A whole day of prayer and celebration at Our
Lady Immaculate church. The statues arrive at 9am and the celebrations begin with the crowning of the Statue and Mass
at 10am and there will be devotions, prayers, DVDs etc throughout the day. More details to come soon.
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IS GOD CALLING YOU TO BE A PRIEST? Monthly vocations group St Edmund of Canterbury church, 9 Traps
Hill, Loughton, IG10 1SZ. Tuesdays: 5/3; 2/4; 7/5; 4/6; 2/7. More info from Fr Mark Swires Vocations Promoter:
click
here to Email
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THE ESSEX RECUSANT SOCIETY (Brentwood Diocesan Historical Society) next meeting Sat 30 March,
2.30pm: The Grange, 93 Queens Road, Brentwood. Mr Edward Walsh (Parish Archivist) - topic 'Our Lady Of Lourdes,
Wanstead - 100 Years Old.'
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UPCOMING EVENTS AT ABBOTSWICK
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Lent retreat for young people: in school year 10-13 in preparation for Holy 8pm Tuesday 9th -
3pm Thursday 11th April. £35 includes accommodation and meals.
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Charity football match: for ages 16-27 as part of a Lourdes, 13th July, Dagenham.
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Sponsored sleepout: Fri 12th-Sat 13th April, in the grounds of Walsingham House at Abbotswick.
Full details & booking of all these at www.bcys.net/events
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PHYSICS AND MATHS TEACHING INTERNSHIPS The Agnus Dei Teaching School Alliance based at St
Bonaventure's Catholic School, Forest Gate, is working with the Royal Borough Teaching School Alliance to run a
four-week paid internship programme offering second year university students the opportunity to be placed in a number
for schools in East and West London. A £300 weekly bursary is available (£1200 total). Preference will be
given to penultimate year students but all undergraduates can apply. Those interested in applying are asked to
complete an application form via https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/internship_2019 or click here to Email.
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ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC SCHOOL, DAGENHAM - TEACHER VACANCIES: Geography Teacher Main Scale 1 - 6 and MFL
Teacher - Main Scale 1 - 6. Closing date 15th March 2019. Contact details Tel. 0208 270 4242
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CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST (CMAT) DEVELOPMENT OFFICER for Brentwood Diocesan Education Service
(BDES) Fixed Term Contract Salary circa £25,000 depending on experience (2.5 days per week - 17.5 hours per
week - Term time - including some home working) Reporting directly to the Diocesan Director of Education. Closing
Monday 18 March.
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FULL-TIME BUILDINGS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER for the Education Dept at the Diocese Pay range:
£39,000 - £45,000 Full details of both vacancies can be found at https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/departments/education/education-vacancies-2/
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ST THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL, SAFFRON WALDEN CB11 3DW Required for September 2019
Part-time (60%) KS2 class teacher. Closing date 22nd March 2019. Enquiries click here to Email
Please remember to pray for:
Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese
The sick and housebound
Those who have recently died: Monica Burgess
Years Mind:
Sunday: Fr Edmund Meyer, Fr Maurice Roche, Mgr Canon David Michael Corley
Wednesday: Fr William Luby
Friday: Canon Martin Horkan
Next Sunday - SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (C)
First Reading: Genesis 15:5-12,17-18
God enters into a Covenant with Abraham, the man of faith.
Second Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1
Christ will transfigure our bodies into copies of his glorious body.
Gospel: Luke 9:28-36
As Jesus prayed, the aspect of his face was changed.
