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

THE SECOND  SUNDAY OF LENT [B]

March 8th   2009 A.D.

Dear
Friends

When a child is shown a box by a teacher and told
that inside this box is the best thing God ever made and after the football
shirt, the chocolate and the CD are removed and the child looks into the
empty box and sees his reflection in the mirror at the base, he can accept
this basic fact more easily than his parents.  If most of us adults were to look into
the mirror to see a wonderful creation of the Lord, would we readily believe
it?  We need to be reminded that
we have been created by God and chosen in love.  As Jesus begins his public ministry he
is comforted by a voice of assurance, a voice of love that tells him he is
beloved by his Father.  A moment
of truth – a moment of transfiguration.

Yet transformation is more than a moment.  Like Christ, we each have moments of
transformation along the way of faith that leads us to Easter and as we
continue our pilgrimage through Lent, we look within ourselves for the
strength we need to follow the way of the cross.  We need a reminder of God’s love
in our moments of doubt; when we lose the ones we love, find ourselves unsure
of our next move in life.  If God
loves us, why does he let these things happen to us?  No easy answers here yet we know God
has given us the ultimate gift of his Son that we might be free.  Could it be that in facing dark times
with God on our side we become more whole?  We have a choice.  To be more embittered and alone or
walk with him and hear that voice of encouragement, calling us to be more
than we are already.  Fleeting
moments of comfort never last, but they do serve to tell us that we are the
Father’s “chosen ones” and each of us has the capability of
building others up, of showing them the love of Christ by our actions and our
lives.

God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK  [Check for any changes]

Tuesday 10th  March     1pm        Lent
Lunchtime Service       [see below]

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

Wednesday 11th           6:45pm  Scripture Course                               Crypt

Thursday 12th               7:30pm   RCIA Meeting                           Presbytery

“
“
“        7:45pm   UCM Meeting [see below]
Crypt

Friday 13th March        7:30pm
Stations of the Cross              [see below]

Saturday 14th March   7:45pm   St Patrick’s Night           CBH [ see below]

LENTEN OBSERVANCES IN THE PARISH

STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  Stations of the Cross will take place at 7:30pm and we will alternate with
St James the Great.  This Friday,
March 13th, Stations will be at here
at Priory Street.

STATIONS OF
THE CROSS:  On the following
Tuesdays, 10th March and 7th April at 7:30pm in the
Church the Knights of St Columba are organizing Stations of the Cross.

CHURCHES
TOGETHER IN CENTRAL COLCHESTER:  Lunchtime Services for Lent 2009.  Services will start at 1pm for 30 minutes.  Tuesday
10th March – St Botolph’s;
Wednesday 18th March - St Helen’s Greek Orthodox Church;
Thursday 26th March - Castle
Methodist Church;
Friday 3rd April - St James the Great.

HOLY
FATHER’S INTENTION FOR MARCH:
That
Church leaders and people in the People’s Republic of China may be the sign and instrument
of unity, communion and peace.

BAPTISMS
TODAY:   Chantel Mensah and Alix and Zachary Whyburd.  God
bless these children and congratulations to their families.

RECENTLY
DECEASED: Please
pray for the repose of the soul of Sr Helen Walsh and Clare Adams, daughter
of Judy Hemming-Allen, who have died.  May they rest in peace.

SR
HELEN’S REQUIEM MASS:   Takes place at Our Lady Of Lourdes, Wanstead on Friday 13th March, at 11am.  A coach will be leaving East Hill/Priory St
at 8:15am and will return
to Colchester at approx. 4pm.
Fare £10.  To book,
please ring 571590 or 763049.

UNION OF
CATHOLIC MOTHERS: The next meeting takes place on Thursday March 12th in the
Crypt at 7:45pm.  New members are most welcome and an
enrolment Mass takes place on Sunday, 22nd March at 10:30a m
followed by coffee in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.

THE ESSEX RECUSANT SOCIETY is having an outing on Saturday 14th March to St.
Peter's Italian
Church, 136 Clerkenwell
Road, London.
Anyone who wishes to come should meet at the church at 2 p.m.

ST PATRICK’S EVENT:  Saturday 14th in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.  Live music, dancing, singing, Irish
stew, soda bread, dessert.  Raffle
and licensed bar.  Tickets -  Adults
£8; children under 12 £4; family of four £20 –
available from Frances 369568, Isobelle 563292,
Norah 503410.  All the proceeds to
go towards improving facilities in the Hall.

MERCY ASSOCIATES meet next at 7.30pm
on Monday 16 March at Christ
Church Court  (Col.763049).

MONKWICK NEWS:  The AGM takes place at St Theodore’s on Wednesday 18th
March at 7.30pm.

“BODY OF CHRIST”:  An afternoon of Pascal Reflection for Eucharistic Ministers on the EUCHARIST.  All members of the Parish are also
welcome.  March 21st in the Cardinal Bourne Hall from 12.30pm to 5pm. followed by Confessions and Exposition in the
Church.  Please bring a sandwich
lunch.  The Reflection will begin
at 13.00.  Tea and coffee will be
provided.

“SON OF MAN”:  A showing of this “vivid, thrilling and awe-inspiring”
[Telegraph] film version of the Passion, set in South Africa.  In the Hall:  Sunday March 22nd after
Mass: 19.30 – 21.30 and Saturday March 28th before Mass:
1600 – 1800.  [90 minutes
long].

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC
CHILDREN’S SOCIETY: Annual Sponsored Walk in this Parish: Saturday 9th
May 2009. Starting and finishing at St Teresa’s,
Lexden, the walk is being organised by the KSC.  Further details to follow. 2009
sees the 25th Anniversary of the Children’s Society.  To mark this occasion we hope for a
record number of walkers to take part.

SICK PARISHIONERS: Mary
Pink, Peggy Wilding.

If you have
family or friends who have been admitted to hospital and who would like a
visit, please let the Hospital Chaplaincy Team know [via the nursing staff on
the ward]. Because of the Data Protection Act, we are not otherwise advised.

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

EVENING
PRAYER:                     Monday to Friday  5:45pm
in the Church

PRAYER
GROUP:                                           Mondays  at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:
Tuesdays @ 8pm @ 48 Priory Street

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

FINANCES FOR JANUARY

£  IN
£  OUT

1947       Average
weekly collection
2500     Diocese

1120
CAFOD
730       Gas [ex
Hall]

384
Crib Collection [BCCS]
675       Electricity [ex Hall]

713
Pax Christi Collection

100
Donations [£50 to Soup Run]

IF YOU ARE
NEW TO THE PARISH: please introduce yourself to one of the priests after Mass. A registration
form will need to be completed.
If you are moving within or out of the parish, please let the Parish
Office know.

THE PARISH
WEB SITE:  For all contact, inclusions etc, please
contact Donald Clarke.  His email address is [email-masked]

LITURGY FOR THE SECOND
SUNDAY OF LENT [B]

March 8th 2009  A.D.

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

Saturday  March 7th

Sunday    March 8th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

2:00
pm

3:30
pm

5:00
pm

6:30
pm

Patricia and Peter Pryke
RIP

Bernard McIntyre RIP

Danny Nield RIP

POLISH MASS

SIGNED MASS

HOLY HOUR

Intentions of John McFadden

West Mersea

8:30
am

Brian McGurk RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Denise Smith RIP

Monday 9th

Feria

Church      9:15
am   Deceased Rels.- O’Riordan Family RIP

Stephen Hilton RIP [A]

Tuesday 10th

Feria

Church      9:45 am   REQUIEM – TIMOTHY RYAN RIP

Church
7:30 pm   Stations of the
Cross  [KSC]

Wednesday
11th

Feria

Church    12:15
pm    Intentions of Iris Licence

Thursday 12th

Feria

Church      9:15 am    Mrs Bridget Ross RIP

Friday 13th

Feria

Church      9:15 am    Cora Webb RIP [A ]

Church      7:30
pm    Stations of the Cross

Saturday 14th         Feria

Church       9:15
am    Roseann and Patrick McAloon RIP

LITURGY FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY
OF LENT [B]

March 15th 2009 A.D.

Saturday   March 14th

Sunday     March 15th

6:15
pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

4:00 pm

6:30 pm

Christina Mooney RIP

Sr Helen Walsh RIP

Sheila Parsons RIP

POLISH MASS

Angela Jardim RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Philomena Dwyer RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Holy Souls RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Parishioners

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