St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More

Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of the Lord

Dear Friends in Christ                   Easter Sunday 2021

Jesus Christ is Risen, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

As we gather together to celebrate the greatest event in history, the triumph over sin & death by Jesus Christ Our Lord; we thank God for the gift of his Son, who, through his Life, Passion, Death & Resurrection has won for us Eternal Life.  A New Life began on that first Easter morning. Everything that Jesus did with the Apostles would now come to fruition with the beginning of the Church. You and I are part of that ongoing story of Salvation History. 

Today, we gather to worship the Risen Lord, and thank God for the gift of his Son and His saving action. We have much to be grateful for, and even in the darkest moments of our lives, and many have experienced these over the past twelve months, we can express our gratitude to Almighty God. Hope is at the heart of the Easter story, and combined with faith and love, our lives are filled with the Joy of the Resurrection. Our lives have meaning and purpose and our goal is ultimately Heaven.

‘The Lord is risen indeed, Alleuia!’ 

SOLEMN EASTER VIGIL: 7.30pm First Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord

EASTER SUNDAY: There will be 4 Masses: 8am, 9am, 10am & 11am

THERE WILL BE MANY SPARE PLACES AT THE 8am & 9am Masses

Dear Friends in Christ:                                       Easter Sunday 2021

I would like to thank everyone who has helped to make our Holy Week ceremonies so wonderful. This time last year we were celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord behind locked doors; now we are able to gather together and savour these wonderful Holy Week Liturgies. I am truly humbled by the incredible kindness and thoughtfulness of you all during the past twelve months; the many Steward Volunteers, serving the parish every week, helping everyone during this Pandemic. To all those who work behind the scenes, sacristans, altar society, MC’s & servers, Choir director and choirs, Readers & Eucharistic Ministers. Special thanks to all the ladies who did the flowers for Easter, and for all who donated lilies in remembrance of loved ones. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  We still have a long way to go, in rebuilding our parish again after this lockdown and Pandemic. Obviously, we all still have to keep vigilant. But to be part of a worshipping community is one of the greatest blessings as Catholic Christians; and being able to express our faith on this Easter Day is the greatest Joy of all! Thank you one and all! 

Wishing you and all your Loved Ones a Very Happy & Holy Easter. 

May the Peace & Joy of the Risen Lord be with you All.

Love & God Bless,    

ELECTRONIC EASTER OFFERING:  Envelopes will be available for your Easter Offering, which is your opportunity to make your Easter gift to your Parish Priest, which goes to make up his salary for the Year. This year our Easter Offering can also be made electronically. We just need to transfer the money to the parish account with the reference ‘Easter Offering’; please also quote you Gift Aid Number. Any questions please ask Iain McLay (bloggeriain@gmail.com). 

The details of the bank account are: 

Sort Code: 40-13-22

Account Number: 11019651    Quote: ‘Easter Offering’ & Gift Aid No.

Account Name: Catholic Church Loughton St Edmund

WEEKLY OFFERTORY ENVELOPES: If you belong to the Parish Gift Aid Scheme, could you kindly pick up your new envelopes immediately after Mass. During the Week the envelopes will be in Fr. John’s Garage. The new financial year is about to begin so you’ll need your envelopes! If you would like to join the parish Gift Aid Scheme, please pick up a form, complete it and drop off at the Presbytery. I would like to encourage all those who Gift Aid to make a Standing Order, if possible. The HSBC Bank will be closing in August; which means that we will only be able to pay in the Offertory every two to three weeks. With standing Orders you don’t have to worry about envelopes, other than for Special Collections.  Maria Mosquera is our Gift Aid Organiser.  

CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME: Will resume again on Wednesday 24^th April at 7.30pm Please keep our Confirmation Candidates in your prayers as they prepare for this next stage in their Faith Journey. You will be notified by Mark Anthony the day before the programme begins with Zoom details.  

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK DONATIONS: Thank you to all parishioners who continue to generously donate items for the Foodbank during these difficult times. The Foodbank are truly grateful for the generosity our parish has shown throughout the pandemic and our donations are still needed desperately as more and more people in our community are finding it hard to make ends meet. The Foodbank has a list of 40 items needed during Lent and they are also supporting families with packed lunches and food parcels during the Easter holidays. Here are the 40 items being requested during Lent: Laundry tablets, anti-bacterial spray, washing-up liquid, UHT milk, long-life fruit juice, squash, instant coffee, tinned ham, corned beef, vegetarian tinned meal, microwave rice, instant noodles, packet mashed potato, tinned carrots, tinned potatoes, tinned sweet corn, custard, sponge pudding, rice pudding, chocolate bars, tinned spaghetti, cous-cous sachet, packet soup, hot chocolate powder, peanut butter, chocolate spread, jam, breakfast bars, cereal bars, biscuits, halal tinned meat, hand sanitiser, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, face masks, strong carrier bags.  Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/ 

MASS INTENTIONS – APRIL 2021

Sat 3rd Easter Saturday	10.00am	Confessions in the Back Sacristy
		Vigil Mass for Sunday:
Sat 3rd Easter Vigil	7.30pm	Fr. John’s Intentions
Sun 4th          Easter Sunday Sun 4th	8.00am  9.00am 10.00am	People of the Parish Mary Walstow RIP (Maureen Perry) The Manley Family (The Gormley Family)
Sun 4th                 Easter Sunday	11:00am	John & Mary Harvey RIP (Fr. John)
Mon 5th	10.00am 10.30am	Peter Smith RIP (Paul Falco) Holy Hour with Exposition of Bl. Sacrament
Tues 6th	10.00am	Norman Taylor RIP (Brenda Bryant)
Wed 7th	10.00am	Pat Quinn RIP (M Ryan)Holy Hour with Exposition of the Bl Sacrament
Thurs 8th	10.00am	Michael & Breege Kerrane RIP (Mary)
Fri 9th	10.00am	Christopher GilfordHoly Hour with Exposition of Bl. Sacrament
Sat 10th	10.00am	Gladys Hockley RIP (Brenda Bryant)
		Vigil Mass for Sunday Confessions 5.30pm
Sat 10th	6.00pm	Mary Walstow RIP (Teresa & Brain Fabbri)
Sun 11th	9.00am 10.00am	Tim Hadley RIP (Pat Ward) People of the Parish
Sun 11th	11:00am	Pat & Jack Steele RIP (Maria Fray)

A Happy & Holy Easter to you All!

Easter Sunday

First Reading : Acts 10:34,37-43

Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 117(118):1-2,16-17,22-23

This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

  for his love has no end.

Let the sons of Israel say:

  ‘His love has no end.’

This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;

  his right hand raised me up.

I shall not die, I shall live

  and recount his deeds.

This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.

The stone which the builders rejected

  has become the corner stone.

This is the work of the Lord,

  a marvel in our eyes.

This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.

Second Reading : 

Colossians 3:1-4

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.

Gospel : John 20:1-9

It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’

  So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.