ST. JAMES
THE LESS AND ST. HELEN

CATHOLIC CHURCH, Colchester

with

Mersea, Mile End and Monkwick

Fr
Joseph Whisstock

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

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY OF YEAR [C] – October 7th  2007

Dear Friends,

The year is 1965, in a synagogue in Russia and the Jewish writer Elie Wiesel, who survived Auschwitz
as a boy, is attending the service.
The old rabbi is praying and sighing as in a trance. Wiesel is
desperate for the rabbi to pound the pulpit, cry out in his pain, his rage,
his truth, to express suffering and name the anguish that fidelity to God can
bring.  But nothing happens, nothing interrupts the rhythm of the solemn
service.  Suffering can deaden
boldness of spirit; but it can also give the sufferer a liberating madness to
become God’s accuser.  Pope
John Paul II called Judaism “our elder brother in faith” and it
has given us a tradition of boldness in dealings with God.  It is the boldness of faith which
dares to scream at God.  Habbakuk, the prophet, 600 years before the coming of
Christ, screamed at God.  Because he believes, the prophet is angry.
He believes God will do something
and his faith is proved right.    Like Habbakuk,
St Paul‘s boldness of spirit is rooted in his faith in God and is not
silenced by suffering. He encourages Timothy,
his reserved and timid friend of 17 years, to be not only a guardian of his
received faith but also a minister of boldness.

When the apostles ask Jesus to increase their
faith and he gives them the illustration of faith the size of a mustard seed
uprooting trees and planting them in the ocean, he is not making a profound
pronouncement.  He is using
exaggeration to make a point and make the apostles think. Jesus own boldness in dealing with God led the authorities to
accuse him of blasphemy and plot his death.  But his familiarity with God, his
deeply rooted faith in God, enabled him to see through suffering, to face the
cross and bold enough to accuse God of forsaking him.  If we believe in a God who encourages
boldness, that is the God of Habbakuk and St Paul,
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is our God.  He is our Father, and it is never too
late to argue with him.

God bless

FR PAUL
DYNAN WRITES:  Thank you all so
much for the wonderful send-off I received last weekend.  It was truly heartwarming to see so
many at the final Mass and celebration in the hall.  Thanks to all involved.  It was fantastic!  Thank you also for so many kind words,
cards, gifts and the truly generous donation which I was given.  I’m sure you know how much you
mean to me – it is always difficult to leave but that is in the nature
of discipleship.  Please keep me
in you prayers as I will you…. And remember our love and friendship is
TO BE CONTINUED!

We
welcome FR BRETT ADAMS to the
parish this weekend.  Please keep
him in your prayers as he begins to settle into life here at Colchester.
I’m sure that with your usual customary hospitality, you will
offer him all the help you can.

Thank
you.
Fr Joseph

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Tuesday
9th  October   10.30am      Mersea Coffee
Morning
See below

“
“        “
2-4.50pm    St Benedict Appointments         Presbytery

“
“
“
7:30 pm
Rosary
Church

“
“
“
7:30-9pm     Baptism Course [1 of 2]             Crypt

Wednesday
10th
7-9pm
Scripture Course
Crypt

“
“
7pm
S.V.P Meeting
Presbytery

Friday
12th
11-12.50pm     St Benedict
Appointments         Presbytery

“
“
3.30-4.50pm
“
“
“

“
“
6.30-9.30pm      Vocations
Evening  [see below]    Crypt

A SINCERE
THANK YOU from
the S.V.P. to everyone who supported their fundraising Barn Dance.  A total of £440 was raised.

BAPTISM
COURSE:  Starts this Tuesday, 9th October and Tuesday, 16th October
from 7:30pm to 9pm in the Crypt.  Both
sessions must be attended and the date of the baptism will be
arranged during the Course.  If
you wish to present a child for baptism, there is no need to make an
appointment, just turn up this coming Tuesday.

ROSARY:  The KSC are saying the Rosary on Tuesday 9th,
Wednesday, 17th October,
7.30pm at 48 Priory Street;
Friday, October 26th, 7.30pm at Greenstead after Mass; Wednesday 31st October, 7.30pm at Lexden with Benediction.

MERSEA
NEWS:  The next Coffee Morning
is on Tuesday, 9th, from 10.30am
at the home of Judy Cooper, 62
East Road.

VOCATIONS
TO THE PRIESTHOOD EVENING:  As
previously advised, the next meeting takes place here at Priory Street next Friday, 12th
October. It will start at approx. 6.30pm,
then a light supper at 7pm,
and continues with discussion on some aspects of the Priesthood, concluding
with a time of prayer. If you have any questions and or would like to meet
others similarly interested, do come along.  The evenings are free to attend.
Please contact Fr Joseph Silver, the Vocations Director by Tuesday 9th October on
0208 590 7222 or at [email-masked].  To coincide with this meeting, the
annual collection for the Brentwood
Ecclesiastical Education Fund which was due on the 23rd
September, will be taken up after all Masses next weekend.              Thank
you.

SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION FORMS – ST BENEDICT’S COLLEGE: Fr Joseph has now set
aside the following dates for parents to make an appointment for these forms
to be signed: Tuesday 9th
October 2pm – 4.50pm; Friday 12th October  11am -12.45pm and 3.30pm – 4.50pm.  Each appointment will last
approximately 10 minutes.  Please
phone the Parish Office on a Monday, Tuesday or Friday to arrange.

ANNUAL
REUNION MASS FOR LOURDES
PILGRIMS:  Saturday 13th October at 3pm at Brentwood Cathedral for all
pilgrims, past and present.

MERCY
ASSOCIATES MEETING:  The next meeting is on
Monday, 15th October at 7.30pm
at Christ Church Court.  Tel.No.
763049.

JOURNEY IN
FAITH [RCIA]:  This programme
is for anyone who wants to find out more about the Catholic Faith and for
those who may wish to consider becoming a Catholic.  Meetings will be Thursday evenings,
beginning 18th October, from 7.30pm – 9pm in the Crypt.  Enquiries to either Fr Joseph at the
Presbytery or Cathy O’Connor – 01206 501146.

KSC DAY OF
RECOLLECTION AT CLARE PRIORY: Saturday 20th October.  Starting with Mass at 10am. Cost £10 includes
coffee, soup & bread lunch, tea before departure at 4pm. To book/arrange
transport/more details –  call 767597.

DIOCESAN
VACANCIES:  [1] Deputy Headteacher – La Salette Catholic Primary School,
Rainham, for January 2008.  School tel.no.
01708 555554; application packs from London Borough of Havering
– Children’s Services 01708 433919.  [2] Headteacher – New Hall Preparatory School, Chelmsford, for September 2008. Contact
Principal’s PA on 01245 236086 or the school’s website www.newhallschool.co.uk .  [3]  CAFOD Diocesan Officer  - Based at Woodford Green, Essex.  Part
time – 21 hours p.w. Visit www.cafod.org.uk/jobs/ email [email-masked]
or phone 0207 0955601, quote ref. CDO_BW. Closing date: 18th October 2007.

PLANNING AHEAD: DAYS OF
REFLECTION:  Saturdays 27th
October and 15th December in the Cardinal Bourne Hall from 11am – 3.30pm.  The theme for each day – THE
CALL.  We are called by God in
small ways and in large.  How do
we recognise his call?  More
details of each day nearer the time, both in the Newsletter and on the website.  Sr Helen and
Valerie Quinlivan.

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

EVENING
PRAYER:
For venue, please see poster in the porch

PRAYER
GROUP:
Mondays
at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:                           Tuesdays
at 8pm at No 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.

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 TWENTY-SEVENTH  SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

September 7th 2007 A.D.

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

Saturday  October 6th

Sunday
October 7th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Esther Bowe RIP

Mary Prior RIP

Patrick Burke RIP

Maggie McGinley RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile
End

9:15
am

Michael Stammers RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Brian
Morrisey RIP

Monday 8th
St Osyth, Rel.

Tuesday 9th

Church               9:15 am  Intentions of Fr Paul
Dynan

Feria

Church
9.15 am  Maurice Foley RIP/Mary Hogan RIP [A]

Church
7:30pm    Rosary

Wednesday
10th

Feria

Church
12:15 pm
Holy Souls RIP [FG]

Maurice
Daly RIP [A]

Thursday 11th

Friday 12th

Year 5 Mass

Saturday 13th

St Ethelburga,
Hildelithe and Cuthburga,
Rel.

Church               9.15
am   Joanne and Natasha Coombs RIP

Feria

Church               9:15
am   Intentions of Mrs Tide
and Family

Feria

Church
9.15
am  Frederick, Elizabeth &
Angelo Lucas RIP

LITURGY FOR THE TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

OCTOBER 14th 2007 A.D.

Saturday  October 13th

Sunday  October 14th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

5:00 pm

6:30 pm

Baby Gabriel Ledwidge
RIP [A]

Dec. Rels.
O’Grady Family RIP

Salvina de Brito
RIP

HOLY HOUR

Joanne and Natasha Coombs RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Sid Ashmore RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Brian Morrisey
RIP

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

Vocations                                             www.brentwoodvocations.org

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092