1000th Meeting

Our 1000th meeting, Mass and Social

Southend-on-Sea 192 was born on January 1st 1928 and on Wednesday 21st September 2016 we celebrated our 1000th meeting with Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Joseph; the parish where it all started for us.

Our Charter and the original minute book from our very first meeting in 1928.

We were in the upper room of the magnificent hall at Our Lady of Lourdes and we held a rapid 1000th meeting that had to be finished to allow us enough time to prepare ourselves for Mass at 7.30pm; and we were ready in quick succession. A record short meeting time for us and Board of Director Michael Malone commented that ALL meetings of ours should be completed in that amount of time. Just goes to show how us men can waffle on in our own way.

30 minutes before the start of Mass

With the room prepared for our return after Mass we headed into the church to gather our thoughts and to remember past members gone to their rest. As the start of Mass moved closer, many of the Knights present gathered to the side to lead a procession up the main aisle towards the altar and it was some procession as we were through the three verse entrance hymn before everyone had taken their places.

Our new book of remembrance was placed at the foot of the altar to remain there throughout Mass and within its pages are recorded the names of past members resting in peace.

Father Jeff Woolnough, Chaplain to our Council said Mass for us on the Feast Day of Saint Matthew with two other priests con-celebrating - Father Graham (one of our Members of Honour) and Father Paul Dobson from Ontario Canada, and much was made of our successes that evening although we are very much aware of the work ahead of us as we look to consolidate our numbers and back up our words with continued action.

Monsignor Canon Kevin Hale VG, another of our Members of Honour, who was also present kindly gave us a rousing congratulations which was very nice of him to do that.

Five of our number were presented with their Silver Jubilee Awards by Provincial Grand Knight Robert Sobola and Supreme Board Member Michael Malone for 25 years unbroken membership and as decorated members they join our two Golden Jubilarians of fifty years plus membership who incidentally are both Past Provincial Grand Knights also. We were graced with the presence of several of our Provincial Officers, neighbouring Council members, widows and families of Brothers now gone to their rest, and many friends we have made on our journey.

A respectable number of guests in the congregation then joined us for drinks and a buffet after Mass in the hall offering a chance to catch up and chat, to view artefacts and old photographs from the Council's history, and discuss the future direction of the Knights as an Order.

The old photographs and information we put out was well received by those present especially when looking for history involving family and members no longer with us. It was especially fitting to be able to display awards to former stalwart members over the years donated by families after the brother had died but showing how pivotal their contributions had been in earlier days to ensure we reached our 1000th meeting milestone in our 88th year of existence.

All in all a very uplifting evening was had by all. Thank you to all those involved in making this happen. To the wives who ran the buffet and drinks and cleared up, to all the guests, widows, family members and friends and especially our clergy for taking part in making this a special occasion.

Community Fayre in Westcliff-on-Sea

Saturday 22nd October 2016

Nazareth House, 111 London Road, Westcliff, SS1 1PP

The Knights have organised a Community Fayre at Nazareth House in Westcliff for the people of the area and we have several local charities, local groups and local businesses that have something to offer both locally and globally.

This is to happen on Saturday October 22nd between 10am to 1pm.

The whole ethos of the event was to gather and offer many groups and charities working in the Southend area all under one roof for the benefit of the people of the area, with Fair Trade and supporting others being a part of the thinking too.

There are several exhibitors that have not been confirmed as yet but to date, those with a table display will be:

• Sainsburys (from Southend Superstore) who will be bringing their range of Fair Trade products for people to see (not to buy though) and the concept of Fair Trade will be one of the underlying currents of our event
• Essex Savers Credit Union will be there to help stop people using loan sharks by offering local ethical banking protected by the FCA. The credit union is there to help those on low incomes and help is also needed from people who have income to save which can be used back in the community
• We have Southend Soup coming who are a micro funding project group working and helping small groups in Southend to make a difference
• We have NF Collins and Son Dairy from Rayleigh coming along and they offer a milk round and still do the glass milk bottles which get reused, and have local milk. Particularly helpful for people who struggle to carry milk home from the shops or who are housebound
• We have the SVP - St Vincent de Paul Society that tackle poverty and disadvantage by providing practical assistance to those in need regardless of denomination
• Southend Association of Voluntary Services (SAVS) will be present amd they are an independent charity known as a council for voluntary service or CVS. That means they work behind the scenes to help local charities and community groups achieve their full potential
• Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD) is an aid agency and an international development agency standing beside people living in poverty – whatever their religion or culture
• The BCCS or Brentwood Catholic Children's Society will be in attendance and they provide social workers for counselling and support to children and young adults up to the age of 18 in schools of all denominations
• We also have the Alzheimer's Society to give help and advice to those dealing with dementia or who are affected by dementia also
• A re-use centre called Hopeworx based in Rayliegh provide affordable used furniture for the community
• The Knights will also have a table to collect used stamps, old mobiles, and unwanted currency and will be collecting unwanted spectacles for recycling with VisionAid Overseas.

We will also be having a raffle of fantastic Fair Trade items and we will have a second hand book table too.

It will be open from 10am to 1pm and is free to enter.

There will be light refreshments such as Fair Trade Tea and Fair Trade Coffee and home made cakes.

Come and meet some great local people and get some help and ideas whilst having a decent cuppa.

Parochial Walk Sunday 16th October

Parochial Pilgrimage For The Sick

In 2015 the Knights ran a church to church pilgrimage from Saint John Fishers' to Sacred Heart and did it in silence whilst praying for the sick for that parish both known and unknown. We felt it was received well as we opened it up to parishioners and Father Tom joined us, so we have planned to do the same in Leigh-on-Sea this year on Sunday 16th October.

Starting at the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Joseph we will be present and take part in Mass at 8.00am, then after Mass gather outside for a few minutes for anyone wishing to join us before departing.  We then will be walking in silence praying for the sick all the time with a stop halfway for a group prayer and onwards until we reach Saint Peter's. The walk is under two miles. We would then remain at Saint Peter's to attend the next Mass at 10.15am before departing. We would stop halfway on the walk to say a prayer as a group. There may even be a coffee morning after the 10.15am Mass but we would need to check nearer the date.

Parishioners are welcome to join us, gathering outside immediately after 8am Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Joseph in Leigh-on-Sea.

Logging the hours: Our 1000th Meeting approaches this September 2016

What is so special about making it to our 1000th meeting? 

It is not as if we have reached our centenary year as that would be in 2028 and still a long way off but what is the 'big deal'? 

Well, firstly we have had to pull up our sleeves on many occasions just to keep going as the prospect of closing has come up at meetings in the past and like most volunteer organisations connected to the Church, it is always a looming possibility especially with an element of members, who shall I say are of a certain mature pedigree and disposition.

Southend-on-Sea 192 began life on the first of January 1928; New Years Day! They were certainly keen. 192 was also the first Knights Council in the Borough of Southend but we have not been the only one as there have been two other Councils with 'Southend 310' borne from 192 and starting up on the 28th February 1937 to cover the East side of Southend out to Shoeburyness leaving Council 192 with the strongholds of Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Joseph in Leigh-on-Sea and Our Lady Help of Christians with Saint Helen in Westcliff-on-Sea. 192 became dormant during the years of the Second World War unlike 310 who operated in some capacity throughout,

Looking through our old minutes and record books we have had a number of interesting people present at our meetings. Among them, Cardinal Francis Bourne, Archbishop of Westminster graced us with his presence back on 9th February 1930. One of our members became a priest in our Diocese; Father Gordon Godfrey RIP, and several of our members became local politicians and campaigners for many causes, so our meetings have been in the past, and still remain vibrant gatherings for both spiritual and Catholic action. 

And it all started with our first meeting held in the Our Lady of Lourdes hall in the parish grounds of Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Joseph, and on September 21st we are back in that parish to hold our 1000th meeting.

This September 21st 2016  we will start our meeting early which will be adjourned before our final prayers so that we can move inside the church to prepare ourselves for Mass. During Mass, a number of our members will be recognised for consistent membership of 25 years of more by being presented with their Silver Jubilee Award, and we hope to have not only a number of local clergy presided but Knights from Province and other Councils in attendance.

At the end of Mass we will move back into the hall to conclude our meeting with our closing prayers in time for our clergy and guests to then join us for a social gathering with food and wine, and a display of Knights Memorabilia and documents will be on show including old photographs.

As the saying goes, "There is never a dull day in this office", and we hope to continue serving those in need, serving our clergy, and serving the Catholic Church for another thousand plus meetings.

Vigil for CAFOD's World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

Thursday 1st September 2016

Last nights' Vigil for CAFOD's World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation at Sacred Heart Southchurch highlighted God in all of creation both in the Mass and in the Vigil that followed. It was an absolute pleasure to have Father Krysztof of the Polish Mission leading us throughout the evening and we thank him for his time and support.

We were reminded of the glorious gift of creation, reflected on a passage by Pope Francis from Laudato Si, heard the story of Susana living in the mountains of Bolivia in South America and her struggle to grow crops to feed her family, and we listened to Jesus telling the parable of the mustard seed recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.

After carefully chosen prayers of intercession, we were led into Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament and Benediction before closing with a hymn.

Everyone present was invited to take home a pot containing soil and a mustard seed or two as a remember of the events of the evening and by taking care of the seed, helping it to grow and flourish.

A fitting way to end the evening.