ST. JAMES
THE LESS AND ST. HELEN

CATHOLIC CHURCH, Colchester

with

Mersea, Mile End and Monkwick

Fr
Joseph Whisstock

Fr
Brett
Adams

Fr
Philip Willenbrock

51 Priory
Street , Colchester, Essex,
CO1 2QB

Tel:
01206 866317;   Fax  01206 791213

E-Mail      [email-masked]

www.stjamesthelessandsthelen.org

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
[B]

March 1st   2009 A.D.

Dear
Friends

This month’s second collection for CAFOD
will take place next week, following CAFOD Lent Fast Day on Friday.

From the 1st April for a trial period
of two years, the second collections for CAFOD will be reduced to 4 per year.
These will take place on the two official collection dates which the Bishops
of England
and Wales
recommend, i.e. Harvest Fast Day, usually in the first week in October, and
the Lent Fast Day which takes place on the second Sunday in Lent, plus two
additional ones on the first Sunday in June and the first Sunday in
December.  This decision has been
taken after consultation with the Parish Council and other members of the
parish.  Over my time here I have
had complaints about the fact that there are too many second collections, and
I felt that this is one way of addressing the problem.  I cannot justify having 12 collections
a year for one particular charity when all other charities have, at the most,
one collection per year and, in some cases, have none at all.  The Diocesan Collections which have
either received nothing or only one collection since I arrived are:  Holy Land,
Peter’s Pence, Pax Christi, Catholic
Education Fund, World Communication Day and Home Mission Sunday.  Through the post many Appeals are
received from national charities – some of which are Catholic –
and if they were all taken up, not only would there be second collections every
week, there would be third collections as
well!

This does not mean that I think the work of CAFOD
is not worthwhile or is lessened in my eyes.  Also, it does not mean that if you
feel strongly yourselves about supporting CAFOD every month that you cannot
continue to do so.  You can do
this by standing order/direct debit directly to the charity. Otherwise, if
you wish, you can pay into the quarterly collections three times the amount
you would normally give!  It does
mean, however, that charities like PACT [a collection due on Prisoners’
Sunday], CARJ [the Catholic Association for Racial Justice], and our own
Diocesan charity, BCCS [Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society], will
receive funding once a year from the parish.  In passing, the amount which was sent
this year to the BCCS as a result of the Crib Collection was a poor figure of
£384, which for a parish this size is not good.  A second collection would have
bolstered this amount.

Does this mean that there will be 8 less second
collections per year? Probably not, as I have already outlined above, some
charities receive nothing.
However, I think there will be some reduction in second collections
throughout the year.

The pre-printed envelopes for CAFOD have been
adjusted accordingly for the new tax year.  A review of the new procedure will
take place in the summer of 2010.

FR JOSEPH

EVENTS THIS WEEK  [Check for any changes]

Monday 2nd March    1pm        Lent
Lunchtime Service
[see below]

Tuesday 3rd March    7:30pm  Stations of the Cross
Church

Wednesday 4th March   7pm   SVP Meeting                             Presbytery

“
“       “   6:45pm
Scripture Course                               Crypt

Thursday 5th March  7:30pm   RCIA Meeting                                     Crypt

Friday 6th March       7:30pm  Stations of the Cross              [see below]

Saturday
7th March  10-12 FHC Programme
Hall and Crypt

“
“
“
11:30am  J&P
Meeting
Presbytery

LENTEN OBSERVANCES IN THE PARISH

STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  Again, on the Friday evenings in Lent, Stations of
the Cross will take place at 7:30pm
and we will alternate with St James the Great.  This Friday, March 6th, Stations will
be at St James the Great.

STATIONS OF
THE CROSS:  On the following
Tuesdays, 3rd March, 10th March and 7th
April at 7:30pm in the Church the Knights of St Columba are organizing
Stations of the Cross.

CHURCHES
TOGETHER IN CENTRAL COLCHESTER:  Lunchtime Services for Lent 2009.  Services will start at 1pm for 30
minutes: Monday 2nd March –
Lion Walk UR Church; Tuesday 10th March – St Botolph’s; Wednesday 18th March - St
Helen’s Greek Orthodox Church; Thursday 26th March - Castle
Methodist Church; Friday 3rd April - St James the Great.

“WALK
WITH ME” BOOKLETS:  As mentioned last week the
Lenten edition of these booklets are now available in the porch, price
£1, with an introduction by Bishop Thomas
and focusing on this Year of St Paul’.

R.C.I.A:  This afternoon, in Brentwood Cathedral,
our Candidates will be participating in the Rite of Election. Please keep
them all in your prayers.  They
are Siobhan Cordy-McKenna, Chengaikane
Kahumbe, Andrew and Jeraldine
McMillan, Sarah Pembroke and Ian Woodley.

RECENTLY
DECEASED: Please
pray for the repose of the soul of Timothy
Ryan who has died.  May he rest in
peace.

THANK
YOU:  The organizers of the
Winter Reserve Accommodation Project [WRAP] would like to thank all
volunteers and supporters for enabling this project to take place in the
Cardinal Bourne Hall this year.
Mass will be offered for your intentions.

CATHOLIC
YOUTH SERVICE:  All young people, aged 13+, who wish to
be involved with the Catholic Youth Service and fundraising events are invited
to attend a meeting today at mid-day IN
THE CRYPT.  Please enter via the Hall or Church.

THE NEW ATHEISTS. This study day will explore what people like
Richard Dawkins really say and reveal the flaws in their arguments. Dr Tina
Beattie, who is professor of Catholic Studies at Roehampton University, and a prolific writer and
broadcaster, will be coming to Brentwood
Cathedral Hall on Saturday 7th March. The event begins at 10.30 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. Please book your place for
this free event (sandwich lunch and refreshments provided) by e-mail to [email-masked]
or telephone 01277 265289.

JUSTICE & PEACE MEETING:  The next meeting takes place on Saturday, 7th March in the
Presbytery at 11.30am.

SVP:
The SVP
would welcome anyone interested in becoming a member.

For information phone Judy on 869601.

ST
PATRICK’S EVENT:  Saturday March 14th in the
Cardinal Bourne Hall. Live music, dancing, singing, Irish stew, soda bread,
dessert. Raffle, licensed bar.
Tickets: Adults £8, Children under 12 £4, Family of 4
£20 available from Frances 369568, Isobelle
563292, Norah 503410.

BARN
DANCE/SQUARE DANCE:  The SVP are holding a
Barn Dance/Square Dance in the Cardinal Bourne Hall on Saturday 25th
April at 7pm.  Tickets [including
supper]: Adults £7.50, children under 14 £3.  Over 80’s
free. Bar available and Raffle.

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC
CHILDREN’S SOCIETY: Annual Sponsored Walk in this Parish: Saturday 9th
May 2009. Starting and finishing at St Teresa’s,
Lexden, the walk is being organised by the KSC.  Further details to follow. 2009
sees the 25th Anniversary of the Children’s Society.  To mark this occasion we hope for a
record number of walkers to take part.

SICK PARISHIONERS: Mary
Pink, Peggy Wilding.

If you have
family or friends who have been admitted to hospital and who would like a
visit, please let the Hospital Chaplaincy Team know [via the nursing staff on
the ward]. Because of the Data Protection Act, we are not otherwise advised.

DAILY:                 8:35am;
Rosary &Divine Mercy
[Wednesdays 11:30am]

EVENING
PRAYER:                      Monday
to Friday  5:45pm in the Church

PRAYER
GROUP:                                           Mondays  at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:
Tuesdays @ 8pm @ 48 Priory Street

EXPOSITION:                                               Saturdays
@ 9:45am – 10:30am

IF YOU ARE
NEW TO THE PARISH: please introduce yourself to one of the priests after Mass. A registration
form will need to be completed.
If you are moving within or out of the parish, please let the Parish
Office know.

THE PARISH
WEB SITE:  For all contact, inclusions etc, please
contact Donald Clarke.  His email address is [email-masked]

LITURGY FOR THE FIRST
SUNDAY OF LENT [B]

March 1st 2009  A.D.

The first Mass of Sunday
is on Saturday Evening at Priory
Street

Saturday  February 28th

Sunday    March 1st

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Tommy Close RIP

Roger Sawyer RIP

Intentions of Joseph Douglas

Ernest Jardim RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile
End

9:15
am

Fr Stephen Reith RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Harold and Denise Smith RIP

Monday 2nd

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Intentions of Richard Bellord

Intentions of Carmel
Finch

Tuesday 3rd

Feria

Church      9:15 am   George Bergin RIP

Annie Donnelly RIP

Church
7:30 pm   Stations of the
Cross    [KSC]

Wednesday 4th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Deceased Relatives of Foley
Family

Thursday 5th

N.B.

Feria

Church      8:00
am   Poor Souls RIP

Friday 6th

[Y5 – STM]

Feria [Lent Fast Day]  [Women’s World Day of Prayer]

Church      9:15 am   Intentions of the Jay Family

Saturday 7th         Feria

Church       9:15
am    Fr Henry Dodd
RIP [A]

LITURGY FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY
OF LENT [B]

March 8th 2009
A.D.

Saturday   March 7th

Sunday     March 8th

6:15
pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

2:00 pm

3:30 pm

5:00 pm

6:30 pm

Patricia and Peter Pryke
RIP

Bernard McIntyre RIP

Danny Nield RIP

POLISH MASS

SIGNED MASS

HOLY HOUR

Intentions of John McFadden

West Mersea

8:30
am

Brian McGurk RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Denise Smith RIP

SACRAMENT
OF RECONCILIATION  Saturday 9:45-10:30am  and 5:30-6.00pm

SACRAMENT
OF BAPTISM                 Baptismal
Courses arranged as per Newsletter

SACRAMENT
OF MARRIAGE             At least six months
notice is required

SCHOOLS
St Thomas More       Head:
Bridget Harris   [865722]

St
Benedict’s            Head: John O’Hara     [549222]

www.marriagecare.org.uk   or 0800 389 3801.
www.brentwoodvocations.org

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092