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 NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF
THE YEAR  [B]
August 9th 2009 A.D.

Dear Friends

How often do we delay forgiveness, hoarding hurt,
watching over our aging grudges as if they were valuable antiques?  Sometimes we delay so long that we are
left standing at a graveside quietly whispering forgiveness to a lowered
coffin, wishing we’d found the courage to speak our peace long before
this ritual farewell.  We rarely
think of a God who gets depressed at our hardened attitudes, a God whose good
mood changes to sadness when he sees how mean we are with the forgiveness he
offers so generously.  Today, St Paul tell us how not
to grieve the Holy Spirit.  Not to
have grudges, lose our temper, be spiteful – but to be friends, forgive
each other as God forgives us in Christ. This was the man who persecuted
Christ by hunting down the disciples with military precision and
determination until he was confronted with a large paradox – the
forgiveness of the one he was persecuting.  The experience overwhelmed him; turned
his life around; gave him a sense of worth stronger than his own sin and
committed him to sharing the forgiveness he had received from Christ.  If the forgiving Christ stands before
us, it becomes more difficult to refuse forgiveness to those who have hurt
us. We all face defining moments when the reality of our lives tests our
faith and it is at such times that Jesus invites us to believe in him.  He promises to be the food for our
journey to God.  In the Eucharist,
Jesus feeds us and strengthens us as we make that journey.  Each Eucharist we celebrate is a
defining moment in our lives because God invites us to “get up and eat” and at each Eucharist we commit
ourselves anew to following Jesus, to a deeper faith in his promise that he
will lead us to eternal life.  “Stop complaining”
Jesus tells us, “doubt no
longer.  Anyone who eats this
bread will live forever”.
This Mass is a decisive moment because it defines who we are and where
we are heading – we journey towards God’s kingdom and recommit
ourselves to its values.
God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK  [Please check any changes]

Tuesday 11th
August     10:30am  Mersea Coffee Morning
see below

Thursday 13th
August
7:45pm  Union of Catholic Mothers        see below

Saturday 15th
August    4pm-5pm   Farewell Drop-In 48 Priory St.  see below

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

EVENING
PRAYER:
Monday to
Friday: 5:45pm @ No. 48 Priory St

PRAYER
GROUP:                                           Mondays  at 8pm in the Crypt

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

including 11/8/09 then see below

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

Some
of you may know that Fr Philip has been in hospital with heart problems.  Following treatment, he is making a
steady recovery.  Please remember
him and his family in your prayers.
We have received a request from Sarah Hallows to pray for sick members
of her family at this time.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Andy and Siobhan married here yesterday.

BOOK SALE:  Holiday Reading – [6 novels for
£1] – Children’s Books, Gardening, Cooking etc., Sale in
the Cardinal Bourne Hall after the 8am and 10:30am Masses during the holiday
period. Proceeds to Justice & Peace Funds.

CAFOD Brentwood: Do you have an interest
in inspiring children and young people, through their faith, to understand,
take action and give hope, to poor

communities around the world? CAFOD are currently
recruiting volunteers to visit primary and secondary schools in this area.
Full training and support given. To find out how you can be part of their
schools team, contact Joanna or Mary
at CAFOD Brentwood on 020 85029722 or email
[email-masked].

PADRE PIO: Fr. Ermellindo ofm.cap.
who knew, and was a colleague of Padre Pio himself
back in the ' 60s, will be coming to Holy Trinity Church, Trinity
Square, South Woodham Ferrers, to speak about Padre Pio and
celebrate Mass in his honour. For those who wish, he will also give a
blessing with one of Padre Pio's mittens that contains Padre Pio's blood. Tomorrow, Monday August 10th at 7.30 pm.     [Refreshments
provided afterwards].

MERSEA COFFEE MORNING:  This Tuesday, 11th August at the home of Margaret Brooks
– 71 Queen Anne Road,
at 10:30am.  All very welcome.

MEDITATION GROUP:  The final meeting at No 48
Priory Street will be this Tuesday, 11th August.  Arrangements have been made for
subsequent meetings to take place until further notice in the Crypt at Priory Street at 8pm.

UNION OF CATHOLIC MOTHERS:  The next meeting is due on Thursday, 13th August, in the
Crypt.  7:45pm for 8pm.

SATURDAY
15 AUGUST FAREWELL DROP-IN:  The
Canonesses at 48 Priory Street
are moving to Greenstead at the end of August.  We warmly invite
everyone to a Farewell Drop-In at

No 48, from 4.00pm to 5.30pm, followed by Evening Prayer
in the

house.   Do join us then if you would like to.

MASS FOR CATHOLICS FROM ZIMBABWE:  At the Blessed Sacrament
Church, Melbourne Avenue,
Chelmsford on Friday 28th
August at 4pm: the
celebrant will be Fr Xavier Munyongani. After Mass
there will be light refreshments in the parish hall and to facilitate preparations,
please contact the Co-Ordinator, Ben Mpamguri on 01245 290240.

KSC
– DAY OF RECOLLECTION:  On Saturday, 19th September at Clare Priory, starting with Mass at 10am; concludes at 4pm.  Cost: £12 which includes soup
and a roll. Transport is by private car so if you would like to go and need a
lift, please contact Bill de Smith on 767597.

BCCS
Celebrity Sporting Dinner: As part
of their anniversary celebrations, BCCS will be hosting a Sporting Dinner on
Thursday 17th September at The Chichester
Hotel, Rayleigh, with guest speaker Ray Parlour.
Tickets are £45 and
include a 3 course dinner, along with the opportunity to
speak with Ray as well as having your photograph taken with him. To book your tickets,
please call Julie Abbott 01268 784544 / [email-masked]

childcareuk.org (The
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society): Run to the Beat’
Half Marathon on 27th
September 2009. Starting & finishing @ The O2.
John
Barrett (a parishioner) will be
running amongst 12,500 or so runners in aid of childcareuk.
Please help by donating
generously by either sending a cheque to John
(payable to: ‘Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society’)
@ 28 Weyland Drive, Stanway,
Colchester, Essex CO3 0RQ or online @ http://www.justgiving.com/JB-Run2TheBeat09
(If sending a cheque, please kindly write your
name and full postal address on the back, and indicate whether you are
applicable for gift aid)”

RE-CYCLE…bicycle
aid for Africa. A locally based Charity
sends unwanted bikes to Africa, to provide people with mobility for work,
school, market etc., If you have unused bikes in your shed [even broken ones
are used for spares], please contact Tony Dixon on 729453.  More info on www.re-cycle.org

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.
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 get in touch with Don
Clarke.  His email address is [email-masked]

LITURGY FOR THE NINETEENTH
SUNDAY OF THE  YEAR [B]

August 9th 2009  A.D.

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

Saturday  August 8th

Sunday August 9th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

2:00
pm

5:00
pm

6:30
pm

Lionel Wright RIP

Michael Piquet-Wicks RIP

Ellen Mylar RIP

POLISH MASS

HOLY HOUR

Intentions of Mary
Pink

West Mersea

8:30
am

Holy Souls RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Joseph and Bridget Loftus
RIP

Monday  10th

ST LAWRENCE, Deacon, M.

Church      9:15 am   Mary
McGinley RIP

Tuesday
11th

St Clare, V.

Church      9:15 am   In Thanksgiving to St Philomena

Wednesday
12th

N.B.

Feria

Church      9:15 am    Intentions of Mary Pink

Thursday 13th

Feria

Church      9:15 am    Poor Souls RIP

Friday  14th

St Maximilian Kolbe, Pr. M.

Church      9:15 am    John Lydon
RIP [A]

Saturday  15th       Feria

Church       9:15 am   Intentions of Mrs J Pauk

LITURGY FOR THE
ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Holyday of Obligation - August 15th 2009 A.D.

Saturday August 15th

Sunday   August 16th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

4:00
pm

6:30
pm

Dudley Barker RIP [A]

In Thanksgiving [JH]

Gabriel Lowell RIP

POLISH MASS

Eugene Smith RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Holy Souls RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Intentions of Joan Boyden

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