ST. JAMES
THE LESS AND ST. HELEN

CATHOLIC CHURCH, Colchester

with

Mersea, Mile End and Monkwick

Fr  Anthony  McKentey

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 THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
[C]

March 7th   2010

My dear friends

On our journey through Lent
we remember those who are preparing for reception into the Church at
Easter.  Lent has always been a
time of
instruction in the faith for those preparing to be baptised or received.  The readings on Sundays and weekdays
therefore are a kind of refresher course on the Christian faith.  They emphasise
the themes of prayer, self-sacrifice, compassion and reconciliation.  The first readings on the five Sundays
of Lent before Holy Week take us on a journey through salvation history. They
show us God’s love for his people at the time of Abraham, Moses, the
return from Exile and prepare us for the
summit of God’s love
– the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

The second readings from St Paul each Sunday give a very clear
statement of faith in the risen Christ.

With the converts we can
journey to a new commitment to Christ at Easter when we renew our baptismal
promises.  A great help to that
renewal will be the Sacrament of  Reconciliation which we can
receive over  the next two
Saturdays of Lent or at our Reconciliation Service on the Monday of Holy
Week, 29th March, at 7:30pm.

May God continue to bless us on our Lenten journey.

Fr Tony McKentey

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Tuesday 9th
March         4:30pm
Over 6 Baptism Course
Church

“
“       “
7:30pm   Stations of the Cross
Church

Wednesday
10th             6:45pm   Scripture Course

Thursday 11th
7:30pm   UCM Meeting
Crypt

Friday 12th
4:30pm   Over 6 Baptism Course
Crypt

“
“
7:30pm  Stations of the Cross
See below

Saturday 13th
10-12      FHC Programme
Crypt & Hall

“
“
2:00pm   J&P Meeting
Crypt

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

PRAYER
GROUP:                                          Mondays  at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:
Tuesdays at 8pm in
the Crypt

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

SICK:  Please remember in your prayers: June Bickersteth, Claire Cooper, Bridie Murphy, Baby Leah
Patterson, Mary Roddy, Hector Silva, Lucy Walker.

BAPTISMS
TODAY:  Ava and Grace Rafter,  Ava and Mia Spencer, Marco Springford, Lucia Taylor.  God bless these children and
congratulations to their families.

“TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS
GOOD”:  A parish Day of Recollection with Bishop John Crowley on Saturday,
March 20th, 10:30am – 3pm in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.  This is the day of the
children’s First Confessions at 9:30am
so there will not be morning Mass that Saturday.

REQUEST FROM FR BRETT– Your Parish needs you! I’m appealing
for volunteers to take up the ‘Ministry of Welcome’. Welcoming
folks into church is an important dimension of parish life because it helps
engender and support a sense of community and belonging. It’s
not difficult either, just a smile and readiness to help others is all that
is required. If you’re interested please email ([email-masked])
or catch Fr Brett after Mass, or approach a ‘Welcomer’.

FR WIDY:
Has arrived safely in Indonesia to
continue his work as a curate for a Jesuit Parish there. He emails:  “…It was lovely to be at Priory Street
again to say a proper goodbye to all of you.  Thank you for all the support, help
and friendship during my stay in Colchester.  I wish you a have a good and holy
Lenten season.  In the Lord, Widy”.

RECENTLY
DECEASED:  Please pray for the
repose of the soul of Grace Belbin and Jack Bebb who have recently died.  Grace’s funeral takes place on
Monday, 8th March at 3pm
at St Cedd’s, and Jack’s funeral on
Friday 12th at 2pm
at Priory Street.  May they rest in peace.

DIOCESAN
SECOND COLLECTION NEXT SUNDAY:  There will be a second
collection at all Masses next weekend in aid of the Catholic Education
Service. The final second collection in this financial year will be on Good
Friday, 2nd April, for the Holy Places.

CAFOD
FAMILY FAST DAY COLLECTION:  Presently stands at just
under £2000.  Thank you very
much.

YOUTH
DRAMA:   Which was to have taken place at the
6:30pm Mass this evening has been cancelled.

UCM MEETING:  The next meeting is on Thursday in the Crypt at 7:30pm. New members always welcome.

SOUTH
COLCHESTER CHURCHES LENTEN COURSE:  Will be held at the following Churches from 7:45-9pm.For more
information and location of any of the churches, contact Christine on 504302.
10th March-Wimpole Road Methodist
Church; 17th
March-St Barnabas; 24th March-St Theodore’s, Monkwick.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS DURING
LENT: On Tuesday, 9th March,
the Knights of St Columba will be arranging Stations of the Cross in Priory Street.

On Friday 12th March, Stations of the Cross will be held at St
James the Great at 7:30pm.

EASTER LILIES: If
you would like to donate a bloom in memory of a loved one, please enclose
whatever you can afford in an envelope marked “Easter Lily” and
deliver to the Priests’ House.

JUSTICE
& PEACE GROUP:  The next meeting will be
at 2pm on Saturday 13th March in the Crypt.

ST PATRICK’S DANCE:  Saturday, March 13th:
7:30 – 11pm in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.  Join us for live music, singing and
dancing.  Fully
licensed bar, soft drinks, tea/coffee/Irish coffee.  Tickets £7.50
[adult]; £4 [children under 12].  Includes salted beef [corned beef],
Colcannon, various desserts.  Book early to assist with catering. Tickets available now
from Nora 503410; Frances
369568;Isobelle 563292.

CONCERT: URC
CHURCH: There will be a concert at Lion Walk
Church on Sat. 13 March
at 7.30 pm. It will
feature works for classical guitar and voice.  Tickets are priced at £8 (£5 for concessions).
See the poster in the porch or contact (01206) 865717 or e-mail [email-masked] for
enquiries and pre-booking.

FUN QUIZ AT ST JOHN PAYNE GREENSTEAD, Saturday March 20th,
7.30pm in the Parish Hall. Tickets- £4.50 for
adults. This includes a buffet and soft drinks will be available. If
you want stronger, you will need to bring it. More details from Gene 07939086034
or David 01206863067.

100 CLUB: The February draw winners are : 1st
(£25) - No. 6.  2nd (£15) - No. 51.
3rd (£10) - No. 258.

MISSIO
MAGAZINES:  Limited numbers of the
Spring edition are now available in the porch.  Red Box holders and others are invited to take a free copy.  Anyone who is not already a Red Box
holder but would like one to put in their spare change, please contact Ron
Griffin – 571590.  Last year,
our Parish gave nearly £1500 to the Missions via these Red Boxes, a
most generous total with so many demands on our spare cash, but I know that
with more collectors we could do even better.   Ron Griffin, Co-ordinator.

REPOSITORY:  The Repository is open in the Hall every
Sunday morning – [apart from
Palm Sunday & Easter Sunday]. Prayer books
available in English/French/Tagalog/German/Italian/Polish/Portuguese.

IF YOU ARE
NEW TO THE PARISH: please introduce yourself
to one of the priests after Mass.  A registration form [on the table in
the porch] will need to be completed and returned to
the Parish Office.  If you are
moving within or out of the Parish, please
also let the Parish Office know.

THE PARISH
WEB SITE:  For all inclusions etc,
please get in touch with Don Clarke.
His email address is [email-masked]

LITURGY FOR THE THIRD
SUNDAY OF LENT [C]

March 7th 2010

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

Saturday March 6th

Sunday March 7th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Tommy Close RIP

D/Rels: Dunne/Emoli Families RIP

Clare Adams RIP

Patricia and Peter Pryke
RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Derrick Foley RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Peggy Wilding RIP [A]

Monday 8th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Intentions of Joan Boyden

Mersea      3:00pm
FUNERAL – GRACE BELBIN
RIP

Tuesday 9th

Feria

Church
9:15 am   Canon John Bloomfield
RIP

Wednesday
10th

Feria

Church    12:15 pm   Mrs Margaret Power RIP

Thursday 11th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Mrs Bridget
Ross RIP

Friday 12th

Y6 Mass

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Cora Webb RIP [A]

Church      2:00 pm   REQUIEM
– JACK BEBB RIP

Saturday 13th        Feria

Church       9:15
am    Dan Long RIP

LITURGY FOR THE FOURTH
SUNDAY OF LENT  [C]

“Laetare Sunday” -  March 14th 2010

Saturday  March 13th

6:15
pm

Christina Mooney RIP

Sunday
March 14th

8:00
am

Joseph McEneney RIP

10:30am

Parishioners

2:00
pm

5:00
pm

6:30
pm

POLISH MASS

HOLY HOUR

Mary Hall RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Moira Harrington
RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Mary & John Rutherford
RIP

Monkwick

10:15am

Intentions of Olive
Hewitt

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