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 - SECOND SUNDAY  OF THEYEAR [B]

September
3rd 2006 A.D.

Dear Friends

The follies of religion form the subject of Our
Lord’s teaching in the Gospel today.  Jesus, too, can make a strong critique
of religion.  In particular he criticises it for hypocrisy and for an obsession with
unimportant things – lip service, not heart service. Accused of not
washing his hands before eating and thereby ignoring sacred tradition, Jesus
turns to his accusers, the priests of religion, and points out to them how
false and foolish they are and how faithless.   Having been accused of flouting
sacred tradition, Jesus goes on to teach the crowd revolutionary doctrine.
“Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is
things that come out of a man that make him unclean”. True religion is
not about clean hands but about clean hearts.  Jesus believes that when people’s
hearts are centred on God, they are emancipated from
the litany of human regulations that would script their every move.  As W.S. Maughan
observed “Tradition is a guide and not a jailer”.

One of the criticisms levelled
at religion is that it keeps people in a state of infantilism, unable to make
decisions for themselves, always looking to the priest or to the deity for
approval of their actions and behaviour.  It is good to be criticised
because it makes us sit up and examine ourselves. True religion teaches us to
grow up as sons and daughters of God, with lives of integrity and to care for
one another, especially the most needy.  In other words, it is to have a
constant sensitivity to the most helpless in our world, and to be a people of
integrity in an unclean world.
There is no wiser wisdom; there is no freer freedom; there is no
greater love.
God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Wednesday
6th September  6.30pm Monkwick Bring & Buy Sale, See below

“                     “
7.30pm Theatre
Group Production – CBH

Thursday
7th September      7.30pm  Parish Meeting [Mersea]

Friday,
8th September
“
Theatre Group Production - CBH

Saturday
9th September
“
“

THE HOLY FATHER’S MISSION INTENTION FOR SEPTEMBER:  That
people in the mission lands may always be open to new developments in faith
and Church.

NEIL
BRETT:  We are privileged to have a student of
the Priesthood for our Diocese staying with us for a period of two weeks.  Neil has just completed his second
year of studies at the English College in Rome.  This is his first placement and I am
sure you will make him very welcome to our parish community.

RECENTLY DECEASED: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Monica
McDermott who has recently died.
May she rest in peace.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2006-7:  If you have a child in Year
3 or above and are interested in our Parish’s First Communion
programme, details will be announced in the Newsletter in due course.  Children’s sessions will take
place on Saturday mornings between 10am
and 12 noon
in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.

RECENT BAPTISMS: Daniel
Knight and Jamie Finch. God bless these children and congratulations to
their parents.

THE NEXT BAPTISM COURSE has been arranged on the evenings of
Thursday 21st
September and Tuesday 26th September in the Crypt at 7.30pm.  If you wish to present a child for
baptism, there is no need to make an appointment. Just turn up. Both
Sessions must be attended and the date of the baptism will be
arranged during the Course.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Adrian Sykes and Tamara Sebro, and Declan Knight and Susan Geary married here last week.

BRING & BUY SALE: Wednesday 6th
September from 6.30pm
onwards at No 5 Buxton Road, Monkwick.
Raffle and Refreshments available.  All donations to Church funds.

PRIORY STREET THEATRE GROUP:
Presents
“THANK YOU FOR THE MUSICals”.
In the Cardinal Bourne Hall on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 6th/8th/9th
September.  Starts 7.30pm.  Adults £4.50; children and concessions
£2.50.  Tickets from Lesley
512310 or Claire 540450.  Come and
just watch or join in the music from four musicals.

HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST
SPONSORED BIKE RIDE: Geoffrey, one of our Organists is taking part in
this Bike Ride on 9th September and is looking for
sponsors….  Please contact
him on 860242 if you would like to contribute.

MALTA DAY  U.K
– 9TH SEPTEMBER: As
in previous years we have been asked to publicise this
day for the Maltese Community in the U.K.  A special Mass at Westminster Cathedral
will be celebrated at 2.30pm
with activities starting at 10am.  Full details are on the poster in the
Church porch.

MERCY ASSOCIATES:  The next Meeting will take place on Monday 11th September
at 7.30pm. Contact
Deirdre Fordham on 763049.

MERSEA COFFEE MORNING:  On Tuesday 12th September from 10.30am at 12 Queen Anne
Gardens, West Mersea, the home of Maria Kelly. Come and join us.

MISSA de ANGELIS [LATIN] MASS: will be celebrated at the 10.30am Mass in Priory Street on Sunday September 17th.
Please note the Mass is of the New Rite
and is not a Tridentine Mass.

MONKWICK DAY: Tuesday 19th September is the patronal
feast of St Theodore of Canterbury
and Mass will be celebrated at Monkwick at 7pm. Visits in the area by the clergy will take place
during the day.  If you are aware
of anyone  particularly in  need of a visit, please telephone the
Parish Office.

CLERGY COFFEE MORNING: On Wednesday, 20th September from 10.30am in the Presbytery Courtyard
Garden. Mass will be at
10am.  Entry, via the Garden Gate, at
£3.50.  All proceeds to the
Refurbishment Fund and “baked” donations also gratefully
received.

FR WIDY WRITES: Following the recent collection for the Java Earthquake Appeal, Fr Adrianus Suyadi, Director of
JRS Indonesia, has written to “thank you for your generous support and
assistance” . Fr Widy has provided, in the
porch, a full update of the work currently being carried out by JRS.

WEEKDAY MASSES QUESTIONNAIRE:  Recently
there have been a few comments made about the time of weekday Masses.  In order to gain the views of those
who do attend in the week and also those who would wish to attend but cannot
at the present time, a questionnaire has been devised for you to complete and
return by Saturday 16th September.  The clergy of the parish will then
decide the best way forward.  The
forms are to be found on the Notice Board above the Newspaper table in the
porch.

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

EVENINGPRAYER         N.B. 4th-15th
September at 48 Priory Street
– 5.45pm

PRAYER GROUP:                                                Mondays
at 8pm in the Crypt

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.

FINANCES: Last week you
gave £1,509 plus standing orders of £487.  The BBQ organised by the Social
Committee raised £172.  APF
Boxes: A request from Bill de Smith, the Co-Ordinator
to all who have yet to hand in their APF red boxes to please do so by September 17th at the
latest.   The financial year
ends on the 30th September and it makes for consistency to have
the boxes in and counted by then.
Thank you. The monthly CAFOD collection will be taken after all Masses
today.

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.

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

September 3rd  2006

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

Saturday September 2nd

Sunday   September 3rd

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30 am

5:15 pm

6:30 pm

Lionel
Blanchette RIP [G]

Intentions
of Tom Garvin

Mim Earing RIP

EXPOSITION AND BENEDICTION

Intentions
of Myra and
John Dolamore

West Mersea

8:30 am

Holy
Souls RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Michael
Stammers RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Parishioners

Monday 4th
Feria

Church

9:15 am

Des Fuller RIP

Tuesday 5th

Feria

Church               9:15 am   Bridget Lloyd RIP

Wednesday 6th

Thursday  7th

Friday 8th

Feria

Church

Feria

Church

9:15 am

9:15 am

Donor’s
Intention

Intentions
of Maureen & Geoffrey Went

THE
BIRTHDAY OF OUR LADY

Saturday 9th

Church

Church

Feria

9:15
am

12:00
pm

Edward
Hennessy RIP

REQUIEM–MONICA McDERMOTT RIP

Church

9:15 am

D/Rels. Banks & Loftus Families RIP

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

Racial
Justice Day -  September 10th 2006 A.D.

Saturday
September 9th

Sunday    September 10th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

Mr
& Mrs Milford RIP

Peter
Connaghan RIP

10:30 am

3:30 pm

6:30 pm

Intentions
of Brelu-Brelu Family

SIGNED MASS

Intentions
of Kotarski Family

West Mersea

8:30 am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Bob
McLaren RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Donor’s Intention

SACRAMENT OF
RECONCILIATION

Saturday 10:00-11:00am & 5:30-6:00pm

SACRAMENT OF
BAPTISM

See Newsletter for next Baptismal Course+

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