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 TENTH
SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [A] JUNE 8th  2008

Dear Friends,

When the phone rings at a
bad moment – when you’re in the garden or the bath – and
you discover you are entitled to an unmissable deal
or won a holiday, it’s never straightforward and you may wonder
“Why me?”.  Abraham
must have asked the same question when he and his aged wife, Sarah, were told
they were about to become parents.
In fact, their first reaction was to fall about laughing. Yet Abraham
is seen as a model of faith, a faith which foreshadowed Christian faith, in
essence the same as our faith.
Although their circumstances seemed impossible, God bringing new life
into their barren lives, Abraham did not let that prevent him from believing
in God’s promise and accepting his calling.  Similarly, Matthew must have asked the
question “Why me?” - although the Gospel
tells us he responded immediately.
As a tax collector, Matthew would have been despised. A traitor,
collaborator with the Roman occupation, possibly rich, but undoubtedly
unpopular and an outcast from his community, debarred from the synagogue. Yet
he is Jesus’ table companion but Jesus shares nothing of the
Pharisees’ disgust of sinners; their obsessive concern for their own
spiritual health has disabled them, they have no reach in them for those who
need help and healing.
“I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners” he
said.  Jesus does not reject
liturgy or orthodoxy but their dissociation from daily life. The orthodoxy of
the Pharisees, like the liturgy of ancient Israel, is unrelated to the needs
of their neighbours.  Like Abraham, like Matthew, we are
called by God.  It may not be what
we expect or even think we want.
We may wonder why he has chosen us, but responding to our calling
means putting our faith into action.
God calls us because he loves us and wants us to respond to his love
and, when we celebrate God’s loving kindness to us, we also pledge to
give others reason to celebrate our loving kindness to them.

God bless

EVENTS
THIS WEEK

Tuesday
10th June10.30-12
Mersea Coffee Morning
See below

Wednesday
11th June  7-9pm   Scripture Course
Crypt

“
“
“     7pm    SVP Meeting
Presbytery

Saturday
14th June
10-12
FHC Children
Hall/Crypt

“             “
“
11.30am  J&P
Meeting
Presbytery

Sunday
15th June
10:30am  FHC “Going
Forth” Mass and Party

HOLY FATHER’S
MISSION INTENTION FOR JUNE:  That the Eucharistic Congress in Canada
may lead to a deeper understanding of the Eucharist, the heart and source of
evangelisation.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Emma Thompson and David Gibney married here yesterday.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ST THOMAS MORE’S
SCHOOL:  Following a recent Ofsted
inspection, the School has received a Grade 1 rating.  Grade 1 is exceptionally and
consistently high.  “This is
an outstanding school.  It is
popular, over-subscribed and highly regarded by the community it
serves….” Signed Lead Inspector.  Well done children, parents, staff and
governors.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION:  The
38 children who have received
First Holy Communion over the last two weeks are: Poppy Bayliss, Diego Buenaflor,
Alyssa Clarin, Leanne Coogan,
Sabrina Coogan, Matthew Cooke, Alexander Cuthbertson (also became a Catholic), Isabel Duah, Louis Dunne, Shannon Dunne, Maja
Gillooly, Gemma Haskell,
Jess James, Matthew Jerrom, Okim
Lastrilla, David Llewellyn, Finlay Macmillen, Mhark Maralit, Chloe Maye, Joseph Millward, Brandon Mosconi,
Freddie Murfin, Chido Musoni, Joanna Nowak-Garcias,
Anne Okanlawon, Raymond Okanlawon,
Rita Okanlawon, Lauryn
Oscar, Megan Pavey, Luke Prestwich,
Katie Richards Dunne, Mia Sonny, James Thompson, Daniella
Tonks, Hannah Vickers, Jack Whitlam, Ethan Wright
& Lydia Wright.
A further 4 children will receive First Holy Communion at a later
date.

SVP ANNUAL APPEAL:  There will be a second
collection next weekend.

SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE:  The current rota for the coffee morning
after 10:30 Mass in Priory Street is coming to an end – if you would
like to volunteer for the new rota please
“ask at the hatch” or see Hywel & Pam Edwards – 867325.

MERSEA NEWS:  Our
next Coffee Morning is on 10th June and is to be hosted by
Margaret Williams at 28, Coast
Road, from 10:30 to 12
noon.

MERCY ASSOCIATES MEET next
on Monday 16th June at 7:30pm at Christ Church Court.  Tel: 763049.

COFFEE MORNING IN PRIORY
STREET:  Our annual Courtyard Garden Coffee
Morning will take place on Friday,
20th June, from 10am
to 12 noon.  Let’s make this a good
opportunity to socialize and fundraise for our parish.  As always, cake donations will be
gratefully received and the cost of entry remains at £3.50.

ANNUAL DIOCESAN DAY OF RETREAT FOR CATECHISTS:

DATE:
Saturday 28th June, 2008. TIME:  11.00am – 3.00pm VENUE: Cathedral Conference Centre, Brentwood. FACILITATORS: Fr Paul
Fox and Sr Nuala Gannon. COST: £5.00 per
person. Please bring a packed lunch.  Tea/Coffee provided. For
booking, contact the office on 01277 265219

or email [email-masked]

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S SOCIETY SPONSORED WALK
– 10th MAY:  Please pay all
pledged monies to your sponsored walkers as soon as possible.  Would walkers please give/send
sponsorship monies received to John Sutcliffe for transmission to BCCS.

FRIENDS OF PERU
NEWS:  An
extract from a letter from St Millie McNamara: “Thank you for your
generous cheque.  I am most
grateful and will use it to buy medicines for T.B. patients and Aids
victims.  We get NO help from the
State and the poverty and hunger are still with us.  May God bless you all.”

SICK
PARISHIONERS: Please pray for Emily Begg, June Bickersteth, Marie Dixon, John Fisher, Anne Gardiner, Denisia Gray, Maria Hanak,
Eileen Head, Michelle Huet, Deirdre Kehoe,
Catherine Libby, Sheila Parsons, Mary
and Harry Pink, John Rae, Alwyn Stains, Carole
Stover, Peggy Wilding, Chetty Zammit.

Please be reminded that, because of the Data
Protection Act, we are not advised by hospital staff of Catholic inpatients.
If you have family or friends who have been admitted to hospital and who
would like a visit, do let one of the priests
know.

DAILY:
Rosary 8:35am; Divine Mercy 9am [Wednesdays 11:30am]

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

PRAYER
GROUP:                            Mondays at 8pm
in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:
Tuesdays at 8pm at No.48 Priory Street

EXPOSITION:
]
Saturdays
10am – 11am

FINANCES
FOR:  March- Av wkly colln £2275; Easter Flowers £300; CAFOD
£1169. OUT: £2500 Diocese; £1850 Capitation fee – St
Benedict’s; £340 repairs to garages. April:  AWC:
£2209; CAFOD £949; University Appeal £905; Repository
£45; OUT: £2500 Diocese; £1750 {Sydney Youth Trip] one
third cost for three young people.

IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE PARISH OR
VISITING please introduce yourself to one of the
priests after Mass.  If you are moving within or out of the
parish, please let us know in writing.

LITURGY FOR
THE TENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR[ A]

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

Saturday  June 7th

Sunday
June 8th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

2:00  pm

3:30  pm

5:00  pm

6:30
pm

Lancelot Milford RIP

Intentions of Sarah and
Ellie

Patrick Burke RIP

POLISH
MASS

SIGNED
MASS

HOLY
HOUR

Intentions of Chris &
Karen Brown

West Mersea

8:30
am

Intentions of Fr Bernard
O’Brien

Mile
End

9:15
am

Gerry Coyle RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Sheila Shillingford RIP [JN]

Monday
9th

Feria

Church      9:15
am    Frances Hoare RIP

Tuesday
10th

Feria

Church
9:15
am
Cyril Wisbey RIP

Wednesday 11

Thursday
12th

Friday
13th

Saturday
14th

St Barnabas,
Ap.

Church     12:15 pm   Intentions of Fr Brett

Feria

Church       9:15 am   Deceased Relatives of
Betts Family

Feria

Church N.B.10:00am   Joseph Fernandes RIP

Feria

Church
9:15 am
Cecily Sim RIP [A]

LITURGY FOR
THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [A]

June 15th 2008 A.D.

Saturday June 14th

Sunday    June 15th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Bernard Brett RIP

Fr Tom O’Grady RIP
[A]

Annie Skeet RIP

Des Fuller RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Special Intention [TH]

Mile
End

9:15
am

Damian & Sheila Lu
RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Parishioners

SACRAMENT OF
RECONCILIATION      Saturday 10:00-11:00 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]

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

Vocations                                     www.brentwoodvocations.org

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092