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

THE FIFTH
SUNDAY OF EASTER [C]

May 6th  2007 A.D.

Dear Friends

In the first years of the
Church there was a young Jew from Cyprus who became a missionary
preacher.  Although his name was
Joseph, the apostles chose to give him another name which more accurately
described him – “Barnabas – son of
encouragement”.  St Luke
describes him as a “good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of
faith” whose encouragement resulted in many people persevering in their
faith. One man in particular was helped by Barnabas - his name was Paul
– and Paul extended to others the encouragement he had received from Barnabas.  They travelled
widely together, some 1400 miles of travelling and
preaching!

We all need
encouragement, a vision, a dream of how things can be, and in today’s
second reading we have a beautiful expression of the Christian vision, the
Christian hope.  The early church
community knew the pain of rejection, feeling isolated and alone.  So John paints a word-picture to
encourage them, a picture of what will be; the New Jerusalem, beautiful and
resplendent, ready to receive her God.
However, as Paul and Barnabas warn us, this life offers hardship of
all kinds before we see the Kingdom
of God but, we must
persevere.   Jesus seeks to
encourage his disciples in today’s Gospel: “Love one another,
just as I have loved you”.
Love is the vision by which he invites us all to live; the way we have
not just to express our faith but to keep it alive, no matter what life
throws at us.

We need to nourish our
vision – through prayer; through reading Scripture; through the
sacraments; through mutual support – otherwise it will wilt and
die.  “By this
love…everyone will know that you are my disciples”.           God bless

EVENTS THIS
WEEK

Please note the change of Mass times on Monday
and Wednesday

Sunday 6th
May
3:30pm  Signed Mass
Church

“
“
5pm       Holy
Hour
Church

Tuesday 8th
May
7:30pm  Parish Finance Committee     Presbytery

Wednesday 9th           7pm       Scripture Course
Crypt

“
“
7pm      SVP
Meeting
Presbytery

Thursday 10th
May     7:30pm  Journey in Faith Meeting        Crypt

“
“
7:30pm  Parish Meeting
Mersea

Saturday 12th
May      10am-12pm   FHC Children
Hall

HOLY
FATHER’S MISSION INTENTION FOR
MAY:  that there may be good
and enlightened teachers in the major seminaries and religious institutes in
the mission territories.

BAPTISM
TODAY: Sophie Lawrence.  God bless this
child and congratulations to her family.

BAPTISM
COURSE: The next Baptism Course has been arranged on the evenings of Thursday 7th June and Thursday
14th June in the Crypt from 7:30pm
to 9pm.  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.

RECENTLY
DECEASED: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Mr Patrick Clark who has
recently died.  May he rest in peace.

SCRIPTURE
COURSE: on Wednesdays -  9th, 16th May; 6th, 13th,
20th, 27th June
at 7pm in the Crypt. Sr Angela can be contacted on
867296 or email: [email-masked]

K.S.C:
[1] Thank you to all who supported the recent Table Quiz to raise funds for the
many KSC charities. [2] The
Diocese of East Anglia
is arranging a pilgrimage to
Walsingham next Monday, 7th May in the presence of His
Beatitude Michel Sabah, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.  John Sutcliffe [tel:
851838] offers 2/3 places to Sudbury
to pick up the bus to Walsingham.
Cost: donate what you can. [3] The
Knights will be reciting the Rosary
on: Tuesday 8th May at 7.30pm
in Priory Street;
Friday 18th May at 7.30pm
at Greenstead after Mass; Thursday 24th May at 7:30pm at the Community at No.48 Priory Street.
[4] May Ball: Saturday 19th
May 7.30-11pm at St
Benedict’s College. Filipino and European cuisine and bar available.  Excellent raffle prizes.  Profits to train Samaritan
volunteers.  Tickets £10
[adults] and £6 [children]. To book, call Tony Martin on 842340 or see
any members of the KSC after Mass.

MERSEA
NEWS:  Bene
Merenti Medals have been awarded to
Audrey Davis and Bridget Jowers for their steadfast
involvement with St Cedd’s in so many ways
over the past 50 years.              Our warmest congratulations to
you both!

The
First Coffee Morning of 2007  will be held at
the home of  Pauline Aspinall,
5 Prince Albert Road
on Tuesday, 8th May, starting at 10.30.  See you there.

ALTAR
SERVERS: Any child who has made, or is making, his or her First Holy Communion
is asked to consider whether they would like to serve at the altar during Sunday
Mass.  If so, then you are invited
to a meeting in the church on Wednesday, 16th May at 3;30pm.  A
parent or guardian must accompany the child.  If you cannot come to the meeting,
then please speak to one of the clergy. Thank you.
Fr Joseph

SPRING
COFFEE MORNING: The Clergy invite you to a Coffee Morning at 51 Priory Street
on Friday 18th May from 10am
to 12 noon.  All donations of cakes, pastries,
etc., would be very welcome.

PARISH
PILGRIMAGES IN THE DIOCESE:  [1] Wanstead
Parish – Rome: 28th May to 4th June.  Stay at Palazzola,
visit several beautiful gardens around Rome
and Mass at The English College. Call Siobhan Frecker
on 0208 989 8567 or email [email-masked]   [2] St
John Vianney
Church, Clayhall
-  Holy Land: July 20th
– 28th 2007;  and Turkey: October 19th-26th 2007.
Both pilgrimages take place during school holidays.  For more information contact Fr Jeba Marshall on 020 8550 4540. [3] A parishioner from St
John Payne is organising a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje: September 6-13th. Ring
Jan Cavanagh on 01473 730426 for full details.

DIOCESAN
PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM, SATURDAY 2ND JUNE: Harwich/Frinton
Parish has booked a coach to Walsingham.
The cost is £17 and the Colchester pick up time will be approximately 8:30am at the Gala Bingo bus stop.  If you wish to book a seat, please
contact Diana in the Parish Office.

UNCLAIMED
RAFFLE PRIZES from Monkwick’s Coffee Morning on the
24th April: Yellow Ticket Nos. 832 and 836.  Orange Ticket No. 812.  Contact Joan Norman via the Parish
Office.

DAILY:
[Except
Wednesdays, then at 11:40am]
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,

Pauline Carter, Ron Collins, Sylvina de Britto, Marie Dixon,
John Fisher,

Florence
Fuller,  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 email
address is: [email-masked]

Otherwise, Donald may be contact via the
Presbytery, i.e. please leave

envelopes for
him.

REPOSITORY IN CARDINAL BOURNE HALL:  Open on Sundays from after

the 8am  Mass until 12:45pm.

GIFT
AID ENVELOPES FOR PRIORY STREET
AND THE MASS CENTRES:

Many still remain to be collected from
the porch please.  Use them

whenever  there
is a collection. Following the recent Budget changes,

we are losing £1500
p.a. [£112,000 overall loss in the Diocese], so every penny

gift-aided
helps your parish.   Thank
you.    John Ross, Gift
Aid Co-ordinator.

LITURGY FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER [C]

May 6th  2007 A.D.

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

Saturday 5th May

Sunday
6th May

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Pat O’Brien RIP

D/Rels:
Herbert/Richards Families RIP

Fred Cox RIP

Mary Gallagher RIP

West Mersea

8:30 am

Ralph Davis RIP [D&K]

Mile
End

9:15
am

Bob McLaren
RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Denise Smith RIP [JN]

Monday
7th            Feria     [Bank
Holiday]

Church   N.B.

10:00am

Intentions of Mrs Cleary

Intentions of Mr L Anton

Tuesday
8th

Feria

Church
9:15am  Holy Souls RIP [FG]

Wednesday 9th

Thursday 10th

Feria

Church   N.B.

Feria

Church    .

8:30am

9:15am

Stephen Hilton RIP

Kathleen and Jack Brown
RIP [A]

Friday 11th

Feria

Church

9:15am

REQUIEM
– Tony Bickersteth RIP

Saturday
12th

Feria

Church
9:15
am  Bernard Parker RIP [A]

LITURGY FOR THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER [C]

May 13th 2007 A.D.

Saturday  May 12th

Sunday    May  13th

6:15pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

3:30 pm

5:00pm

6:30 pm

Lionel and Lee Blanchette RIP

Maureen Quick RIP

Dec. Relatives –
Healy Family RIP

SIGNED
MASS

EXPOSITION
AND BENEDICTION

Mr and Mrs Milford RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Ralph Davis RIP [NG]

Mile
End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Denise Smith
RIP [P&GM]

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