ST. JAMES THE LESS AND ST.
HELEN

CATHOLIC CHURCH,
Colchester

with

Mersea, Mile End and
Monkwick

Fr Joseph Whisstock

Fr
Paul
Dynan

Fr
Philip Willenbrock

51 Priory Street , Colchester, Essex, CO1 2QB

Tel:
01206 866317;   Fax  01206 791213

E-Mail      [email-masked]

www.stjamesthelessandsthelen.org

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [B]

October 1st
2006 A.D.

Dear
Friends

In today’s Gospel, the disciples refuse to
recognise the authority of an exorcist who doesn’t belong to their
company.  The exorcist has been
successful in his ministry and the disciples are obviously threatened by this
success.  Are they apprehensive
about being displaced? Fearful of being supplanted? Do they see ministry in
terms of rivalry?  If the outsider
is rejected, they feel their own self-esteem will be reinforced.  This, Jesus refuses to do, recognising and confirming the exorcist in his identity
and telling His followers that all who welcome them because they belong to Christ will not lose their reward.

Every small kindness is important.  In the film “Ben Hur”, a cup of cold water is given to a tired and
exhausted prisoner as he stopped to rest by a quiet, strong local man caused
Ben Hur, the prisoner, to look into the eyes of
Jesus of Nazareth.  Years later,
when Ben Hur is restored to honour
and position and has returned to Jerusalem,
he stops to help lift a condemned prisoner who has stumbled under the weight
of the cross he is carrying.
Again, Ben Hur looks into the eyes of Jesus
of Nazareth.  The helper has
become the victim.  As Jesus
passes on his way to Calvary he sees two
leper women, the mother and sister of Ben Hur, and
they are healed of their disease. The presence of Christ is a healing
presence.  Every good deed, even
the least, will be remembered and rewarded.  Equally every evil deed will be
remembered and must be answered for.
Because the Lord loves us, he warns us.  Get rid of evil in your life now.   Don’t wait until it is too
late and gets a hold on you.  The
language that Jesus uses is vivid and demanding but he is telling us to cut
out the things which give scandal to others and hinder them on their
journey.  As people fall under the
crosses they carry, we can reach down to help them.  Looking into their eyes we may see the
eyes of Jesus of Nazareth and who knows, the shadow of other people’s
gentle presence in our own lives may bring us healing.  Then we will not lose the reward.
God Bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Thursday 5th October  7.30pm
R.C.I.A.
Crypt

THANK
YOU:  To all who bought cakes
after Masses on the Feast of the  Assumption.  The total raised was £100 which
has been sent to the Sisters of Mercy in Romania for needy children.

CAFOD
HARVEST FAST DAY – 6TH OCTOBER: Our monthly collection will
be taken up after all Masses this weekend and the proceeds will be directed
towards CAFOD’s Harvest Fast Day.  Special envelopes are in the porch if
you wish to use them Please Gift Aid your donation if you are a taxpayer and
if you are not using the Parish Envelope Scheme.   Thank you.

RECENTLY
DECEASED: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Michael Wynter, Sr Magdalen John and Fr
Gordon Godfrey, Parish Priest of Dunmow, who have recently died.  May they rest in peace.  Michael Wynter’s
Requiem will take place on Friday at noon.  The Requiem of Sr Magdalen
John will take place at New Hall, Chelmsford,
on Wednesday, 4th October at 2pm
and all are invited to attend.

JOURNEY IN FAITH: Anyone who is
interested in knowing more about the Catholic Faith is asked to come to a
meeting on Thursday, 5th October, at 7.30pm in the Crypt.  For more details please contact Cathie
O’Connor on 501146.

PRIESTLY VOCATIONS: The third, Friday
evening meeting takes place on 6th October at Abbotswick
House of Prayer, for men discerning their vocation, to meet together.  Starting at 6.30pm and ending at 9.30pm, it will be informal, with
opportunities for prayer and discussion, and will include supper.  If you would like to attend, please
contact Fr Joseph Silver, Vocations Director, on 01268 553425 or [email-masked]

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC YOUTH SERVICE are offering an  “Effective
Communications Weekend” at Abbotswick on  6th- 8th October
if you are working with young people. For full details www.bcys.net or [email-masked]

MEMBERS OF THE PARISH
COUNCIL will be speaking after all Masses on the weekend of 7th/8th
October and there is a Parish Open Meeting on 29th October in the
Hall at 7.45pm as
detailed on the poster in the porch.

MERSEA NEWS: There will be a
Coffee Morning on Tuesday, October 10th, starting at 10.30am at the home of Sue Jenner
– 64 St Peter’s Road, West Mersea.  Do come and join us.

ROSARY CRUSADE OF
REPARATION: Takes place on Saturday 14th October.  The procession follows the established
route from Westminster Cathedral at 2pm
to the Brompton Oratory, finishing about 5pm.  Full
details are on the poster in the church porch.

YOUTH GATHER – MERSEA ISLAND:  Organised by the Brentwood Catholic
Youth Service for those of school year 9+ takes place on 21st-22nd
October. Application forms can be downloaded from www.bcys.net or contact the Youth Office
– 01277 265286.  Cabin
spaces are limited but tent spaces bookable until
12th October.  The
weekend offers caving, archery, a 90ft climb and abseil, and plenty of time
for discussion on important issues, e.g. CAFOD “Live Simply”
campaign.

ST BENEDICT’S COLLEGE:
Application
forms for children who are to go to St Benedict’s in 2007 will be
signed by Fr Joseph.  Two dates
will be set aside for the signing of these forms and these will be given to
you in the Newsletter next week, after which appointments can then be made
with Diana [Parish Secretary].  No application forms will be signed
before these two dates are announced.

JOURNEYING INTO PRAYER: A
DAY OF REFLECTION: On Saturday, 28th October in the Cardinal
Bourne Hall from 11am to 3.30pm
with Sr Helen and Valerie Quinlivan.
More details nearer the time.

GRAND DRAW & PARISH SOCIAL: Saturday 18th November at 7.30pm in the Cardinal Bourne
Hall.  If you are able to donate
prizes – small NEW electrical goods, bottles of wine, spirits, etc.,
please contact Bernie on 549524 or Ron and Margaret on 797850.  Raffle Tickets will be on sale after
all Masses on the next two weekends.
All proceeds to our Refurbishment Fund.

DAILY:
Rosary – 8.40am;
Divine Mercy – 9am

EVENING PRAYER:
Monday to Friday 5.45pm

PRAYER GROUP:
Mondays in the Crypt – 8pm

MEDITATION GROUP:
Tuesdays
at 48 Priory Street
– 8pm

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays 10am – 11am

SICK PARISHIONERS:  Please pray for Emily Begg, June Bickersteth, Tony Bickersteth, Sylvina de Britto, Marie Dixon,
John Fisher, Denisia Gray, Richard Hadcock, Eileen Head, Michelle Huet,
Deirdre Kehoe, Catherine Libby, Luke McShane, John
Rae, Sheila Shillingford,Carole
Stover.

THE PARISH WEB SITE: For ALL
contact, inclusions etc., -   please contact Donald
Clarke.  His e mail address is [email-masked]  Otherwise Donald may be contacted via
the Presbytery.  Please leave
envelopes for him.

FINANCES:
Last
week you gave £1584 + standing orders of £487. Thank you.

The final total for the Aid
to the Church in Need Appeal will be given next week.

LITURGY
FOR THE TWENTY-SIXTH  SUNDAY OF
THE YEAR [B]

October 1st  2006

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

Saturday September 30th

Sunday   October 1st

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30 am

5:15 pm

6:30 pm

In
Thanksgiving [Thurlow]

Wyn Berry RIP

Intentions
of Mrs Murphy

BENEDICTION & EXPOSITION

In
Thanksgiving [Cobb]

West Mersea

8:30 am

Brian Arnell RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Michael
Stammers RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Parishioners

Monday  2nd          The
Holy Guardian Angels

Church    N.B.

9:30 am

REQUIEM -  Bridget Lynn RIP

Tuesday 3rd

Feria

Church               9:15
am     Poor Souls RIP

Wednesday 4th

Thursday 5th

Church

Feria

Church

9:15 am

9:15 am

St
Francis of Assisi

A
Cagadas; M Tavera; Elsa Barraca RIPs

F
Murphy

Friday 6th

Feria

Church   N.B.

Monkwick

12:00pm

7:00 pm

CAFOD – HARVEST FAST DAY

REQUIEM -  Michael Wynter
RIP

Mary Jay’s Family Intentions

Saturday 7th

Our
Lady of the Rosary

Church

9:15 am

In
honour of Our Lady

LITURGY
FOR THE TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR  [B]

October 8th
2006 A.D.

Saturday
October 7th

Sunday    October 8th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

3:30 pm

Paul
Evans RIP

Intentions
of Neil Brett

Patrick
Burke RIP

SIGNED MASS

6:30 pm

Intentions
of Peter Barton

West Mersea

8:30 am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Fionnuala
Reilly RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Fr Stephen Lennon

SACRAMENT OF
RECONCILIATION

Saturday 10:00-11:00am & 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:   Alan
Whelan   (549222)

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity  No. 234092