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

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE
YEAR [C] – 5th
August 2007

Dear Friends

On
April 14th 1912,
at 11.40pm, the Titanic
struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic.  Within four hours this
“practically unsinkable” ship lay on the seabed some 12,600 ft
below.  So great was the
confidence of the ship’s designers that they had reduced the 48
lifeboats – sufficient for all passengers and crew – to just 20
– sufficient for maybe half the people on board.  Tragically wrong priorities from the
designers but, even as the ship began to sink, passengers were reluctant to
take their chances in small lifeboats on the open sea.  Consequently many of the first lifeboats
lowered were half empty. Another example of misplaced confidence and wrong
priorities. When the man in the crowd asks Jesus to settle a financial
dispute, Jesus refuses to get involved as he knows this is not a squabble
over money but rather the man’s fundamentally covetous mentality.  Jesus warns of the dangers of greed
which can lead to misplaced trust; he warns that wealth and riches offer
security but, not only will they let us down, they will lead us to get our
priorities wrong.  The rich farmer
blessed with an abundance of crops is convinced his life is complete, nothing
more to worry about.  His crops, his barns, his grain, his goods.  Jesus does not accuse this man of
being wicked or sinful.  He is
simply wrong; a fool; a real idiot. The word idiot comes from the Greek, idiotes,
meaning “the one who is alone” and this man does not share his
goods or any part of himself with others.  Not even his conversation.  As St Paul says, greed is the same as idolatry
and it is God alone, not money, who provides us with ultimate security and
purpose in life. It is easy for us to get our priorities wrong – to
think in terms of what looks good on the surface; to be reluctant to let go
of what we have been told provides security, and greed blinds us to what is
essential - to our duty to God, to the needs of others and ironically to our
own needs too, and we become alone and isolated from our community.  Real wealth and lasting happiness
reside in Christ.                                                                                                    God Bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

N.B. Evening Prayer Venue
variable  – see Table below

Saturday
11th August      2pm-5pm      Tea Party
See below

THE HOLY
FATHER’S MISSION INTENTION FOR AUGUST:  We pray that the Church in China may
grow in unity and show its communion with the Holy Father

BAPTISMS
TODAY:  Niamh
Beaumont, Josephine Duah, Bailey Naish and Keira Naish.  God bless these children
and congratulations to their families.

THANK YOU to all who attended or
made a donation to the recent two Monkwick fundraising events.  The garden party at Boxted raised £160 and the coffee morning at Fingringhoe Road
raised £120.

NATIONAL
CHILD PROTECTION CHECKS FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:  Additional
dates for CRB checks.  James Shaw
will be at the following venues, after Mass, to receive CRB forms:

Mersea Church
9.30am
Sunday 19th August

Priory Street [Crypt]
11.30am
Sunday 9th September

Priory Street [Crypt]
11.30am
Sunday 16th September

If you are unable to make any of these dates,
arrangements will be made to receive further forms later in the year.  Please remember to complete the CRB
forms. [Forms have been left in prominent positions at each church] and bring
several forms of identification:-  Three
of the following – passport, diving licence
[both parts if new style], NI card, utility bill with name and address on it,
birth certificate or marriage certificate.
Thank
you

VACANCY:
CENTRE CO-ORDINATOR AT BEACON HOUSE is required for this busy, town centre Christian
charity providing primary healthcare, counseling and life skills to the
homeless in Colchester.  Main responsibilities: overall daily
management, finance, fundraising, development and direction of the Trust. 20
hours per week over 5 days – Mon-Fri.  Salary £16,000.  Job description and person spec
available from Beacon House, 90-91 East Hill, Colchester,
CO1 2QN. Tel: 761960. Please send CV and covering letter to Rev. David Harper
at above address.   Closing
date:  11th August 2007.

TEA
PARTY:  On Saturday 11th
August from 2.30pm to 5pm at the home of Anna and Ivan
– 48 Lexden Road, West
Bergholt.
Tickets £5 available from any member of the SVP.

GARDEN
PARTY:  The Knights of St Columba
are holding a Garden Party at Old Pond House, Braiswick
on Sunday 12th August at 3pm.  Entrance £5. Directions:  Take the B1508 towards West Bergholt, just before,
the new bridge over the A12, turn left into the side
road, then sharp right.  Tel. No.
854803

MERSEA
NEWS:   The next Mersea coffee morning will be
held on Tuesday, August 14th at the home of Olive Newland, 42 High
Street North, from 10.30am.

GOSPEL
CHOIR WORKSHOP: A fun two-week gospel singing course for keen singers is to run in
September at Brentwood Cathedral on Thursday 20th September;
Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th from 7pm for 7.30-9.30pm.  Then Saturday afternoon and evening of
the 29th September for the final workshop with the Rev. Bazil Meade, founder and principal of the world-renowned
London Community Gospel Choir. Participants will perform on the same stage as
the choir during the evening of the 29th September.  The Course is open to all. To
register, please send cheque for £35, payable
to Brentwood Cathedral Music, [£10 of which is non-refundable] and application
form [available from the Parish Office] with a SAE by 31st
August. Please note: all course
fees are non-refundable after the first day of the Course.  More details from www.myspace.com/gospelchoirworkshop
.

DIARY DATES:  Two from Abbotswick:
“Effective Parenting” – a Day Conference on Saturday 6th
October 2007 for mums, dads, young and not so young, to help them in the
challenging vocation of parenting.
“Growing in Wisdom and Grace” Friday 12th
October – Sunday 14th October.  A weekend for single adults aged
18-35.  Both led by Fr Willliam Jarema, founder of the
Mercy Center, USA.  More details
from Sr Camilla on 01277 373848/373959 or visit www.walsinghamcommunity.org   Early booking is advised.

PILGRIMAGE
TO MEDJUGORJE:  A pilgrimage is being
organized from Monday 22nd October to Monday 29th
October. The cost is £400 excluding
insurance and single room supplement if required.   If you are interested in finding out
more about it, please telephone Carmen Blackett on
01277 821886 or mobile 07754 163007 or see Fr Joseph who has booking forms.

BARKING
PARISH:  Fr William Young advises
that Mass according to the use of the missal of Blessed John XXIII will
continue to be celebrated every Sunday at 1pm at St Ethelburga’s
Catholic Church, Linton Road,
Barking until further notice.

DAILY:                      Rosary 8.40am; Divine
Mercy 9am [Wednesdays 11.40am]

EVENING
PRAYER:                            6th – 10th August  at 5:45pm in the Church

MEDITATION
GROUP:                                 Tuesdays
at 8pm at 48 Priory Street

EXPOSITION:                                                                     Saturdays
10am-11am

SICK
PARISHIONERS: Please pray for Emily Begg, June Bickersteth, Marie Dixon, John Fisher, Florence Fuller, Denisia Gray, Eileen Head, Michelle Huet,
Deirdre Kehoe, Catherine Libby, Maria Lumsden, Luke
McShane, Sheila Parsons, John Rae, Sheila Shillingford, Colleen Thurlow, Carole Stover.

REMINDER: If you, your family or
friends are in hospital and would like a visit from the Chaplaincy Team,
please let one of the priests know.
Under the Data Protection Act, hospital staff will NOT advise the
Chaplaincy Team unless the patient, friend or relative specifically instructs
a member of the hospital staff.

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

THE REPOSITORY  is open each Sunday from after the 8am Mass
until 12.45pm in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.

LITURGY FOR THE EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

August 5th 2007 A.D.

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

Saturday  August 4th

Sunday
August 5th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Tony Bickersteth RIP

Peter George RIP

Shirley de Souza RIP

Intentions of Margaret & Joe Parkinson

West Mersea

8:30
am

Special Intention

Mile
End

9:15
am

Intention of Fr Paul
Davis

Monkwick

10:15 am

Denise Smith RIP [O & B]

Monday 6th
TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD [C] Feast

Tuesday 7th

Church                9:15
am  Intentions of Madeleine Oberding

Intentions of Colleen Thurlow

Feria

Church                9:15
am   Intentions of Vera Donnelly

Wednesday 8th

Thursday 9th

St Dominic, Pr.

Church

Church

12:15pm

9:15
am

Mary Proudfoot
RIP

ST BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS,V.M

Stephen Hilton RIP

Friday 10th

St. Lawrence

Church

Deacon,M

9:15 am

Mary McGinley RIP [A]

Saturday 11th

St Clare, V.

Church
9:15
am  Intentions of Maurice and
Sharon

LITURGY FOR THE NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

August 12th 2007 A.D.

Saturday  August 11th

Sunday    August 12th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Lionel Wright RIP

Dec’d Relatives of the Lowe
Family

Sinclair Mascurine RIP

Special Intention [SF]

West Mersea

8:30
am

Margaretta Wright RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Stan Collister RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Parishioners

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: John
O’Hara   [549222]

Marriage
Care
www.marriagecare.org.uk
0800 389 3801

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092