ST. JAMES
THE LESS AND ST. HELEN

CATHOLIC CHURCH, Colchester

with

Mersea, Mile End and Monkwick

Fr
Joseph Whisstock

Fr
Paul
Dynan

Fr
Philip Willenbrock

51 Priory
Street , Colchester, Essex,
CO1 2QB

Tel:
01206 866317;   Fax  01206 791213

E-Mail      [email-masked]

www.stjamesthelessandsthelen.org

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY OF YEAR [C] – September 9th  2007

Dear Friends,

Surely today’s gospel appears a little
harsh and difficult to digest.
The whole notion of hating your father or mother would seem to go
against the grain of society and gospel teaching.  In the Hebrew language,
“hate” was a passionate way of expressing 100% detachment from
something.  In this context it
would mean growing out of dependencies and becoming our own person, so Jesus
is inviting us to turn to him for all our needs and give up healthy
dependencies on others.  We are to
take control of our lives and know why we are following Jesus Christ, not act
out of compulsion, and there is plenty of figuring out to be done.  Both readings reflect this.  The author of Wisdom says “It is
hard enough for us to work out what is on earth, laborious to know what lies
within our reach”.  St Paul hopes Philemon
can see that in Onesimus he is not regaining a
slave but receiving a brother in Christ.
In the gospel, Jesus drives the point home by using the twin parables
of the builder and the king whose forces are outnumbered and the advice is
clear: take the time; sit down; look at the demands; figure out whether you
can honestly meet them. Jesus doesn’t want people rushing into instant
commitment while ignoring the cost and their own capabilities.  Discipleship involves having no
security other than total commitment to Jesus.  There is always a cost to being a
disciple of Jesus Christ and we must become our own person.  The life of St Francis is a good
example. His father refused to allow him to commit to his faith by taking
away his money and his freedom but St Francis took a stance which cost him
dearly.  The price we pay
isn’t always so drastic, though we must be careful to put God above
everything – material, emotional, spiritual – “In God alone
is my soul at rest”.  When
we grasp that, we are free to be disciples of Jesus.

God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK – See Prayer Group
Recommences *

Sunday 9th September      11:30am   CRB Checks
Crypt

Sunday 9th September        2pm
BBQ
Mile End Garden

Monday 10th September     7:30pm    Mercy Associates
See below

Monday 10th September     8:00pm    Prayer Group
recommences
Crypt *

Tuesday 11th
September  10:30am    Mersea Coffee Morning  See below

Tuesday 11th September    7:30pm    Mass for K.S.C.
Church

Friday 14th September       7:00pm     Parish Council
Meeting    Presbytery

Saturday 15th September  12 noon
Children’s Liturgy Catechists meet in Crypt

BAPTISMS
TODAY:  Luci-Anna
Langton, Alicia, Heidi and Geeno Walklett.  God bless these children
and congratulations to their families.

CONGRATULATIONS
TO:  Norena Mascurine and Peter Bird and to Joy Cruz and Mark Mason
who married here during the week.

APPEAL
– ST BARNABAS SOCIETY: This weekend Cyprian Blamires,
the regional organizer for the Society [formerly known as the Converts Aid
Society], will be speaking at Masses about the work of the Society and will
be making an appeal on its behalf.

BBQ: The KSC are holding a Do-It-Yourself
Bar-B-Q in the garden
of St Joseph’s,
Mile End, at 2pm today, 9th
September. Entrance £1.
Bring your own food and we’ll cook it for you.  Soft drinks available at nominal
cost.

MERCY
ASSOCIATES:  Next meeting will be on
Monday, 10th September at Christ Church Court at 7:30pm, Tel: 763049.

MERSEA
NEWS:  The venue for the
September coffee morning – September 11th - will be at the
home of Sue Jenner, 64 St Peter’s Road, starting at 10:30am.

ARE YOU
THINKING ABOUT THE PRIESTHOOD? The next evening for men aged 16 years and over
thinking about the Priesthood or wanting to find out more takes place on
Friday, 14th September at Abbotswick
House of Prayer from 6.30pm
with a light supper at 7pm.  The evening continues with discussion
and concludes with time for prayer.
If you are interested, do contact Fr Joseph Silver on 01268 453968 or [email-masked] . There is no
charge for the evening.

A CONCERT
FOR EMMAUS: At St Botolph’s Church on Saturday 15th
September at 7:30pm.  Doors open 7pm.
Full details of programme, tickets etc., on
the posters in the porch.

MONKWICK
NEWS:  On the feast of St
Theodore, 19th September, Mass will be celebrated at 7pm and will be followed by a
get-together.  More details to
follow.

SCRIPTURE
COURSE RECOMMENCES 19TH SEPTEMBER:  This Course, “How to read the New
Testament”, run by Sr Angela, recommences at 7pm-9pm in The Crypt At St James the Less, on
Wednesday 19th September.

ESSEX
RECUSANT SOCIETY: The next meeting takes place on 22nd September at 2.30pm at 93 Queens Road, Brentwood.  The speaker will be Dr Melissa
Wilkinson.  For more details,
contact Isobel Parks on 01268 289678.

BARN DANCE
SEPTEMBER 29TH:  The
SVP are organizing a Barn Dance in the Cardinal
Bourne Hall on Saturday 29th September at 7:30pm.
The caller is the famous Derek Green.  Tickets are £5, payable at the
door.

ROSARY:  The KSC are saying the Rosary during
October: at 7.30pm in
the church on Tuesdays, October 2nd
and 9th.  Wednesday, 17th October, 7.30pm at 48 Priory Street, Friday, October 26th, 7.30pm at Greenstead after Mass.

YOUTH
GATHER: 13-14th OCTOBER: MERSEA:  For Ages 14-18 [Y9-13] are invited. Great
speakers, including young people returned from Ethiopia
and India;
activities such as abseiling, songwriting, drama and dance.  Last year about 150 young people
attended.  Full details and forms
at www.bcys.net or call 01277 265286 and
leave your address.

DIARY DATE
- DIOCESAN TWINNING PROJECT:  On
Wednesday, 17th October, Fr Gerald Gostling
will be giving a talk about Dundee and our
twinned parishes in the Conference Centre at Cathedral House from 12:30 – 2:30pm.  His talk will last about 45 minutes,
followed by questions, and then light refreshments will be served.  If you would like to attend, please
advise Diana as numbers are required for catering purposes.

KSC DAY OF
RECOLLECTION AT CLARE PRIORY: Saturday 20th October. Starting with
Mass at 10am.  Bring your own lunch.  Depart 4pm.Cost £10.Transport by
private car.  For further details
of the day’s timetable and if transport is required, please phone Bill
de Smith on 767597.

NATIONAL
CHILD PROTECTION CHECKS FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:  Additional
dates for CRB checks.  James Shaw
will be at the following venues, after Mass, to receive CRB forms:

Priory Street [Crypt]
11.30am
Sunday 9th September

Priory Street [Crypt]
11.30am
Sunday 16th September

If you are unable to make these dates,
arrangements will be made to receive further forms later in the year.  Please remember to complete the CRB
forms. [Forms have been left in prominent positions at each church] and bring
several forms of identification:-  Three
of the following – passport, driving licence
[both parts if new style], NI card, utility bill with name and address on it,
birth certificate or marriage certificate.
Thank
you

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

EVENING
PRAYER:                                                                  5:45pm in Church

PRAYER
GROUP:
Mondays
at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:                                 Tuesdays
at 8pm at 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-THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

Racial Justice Day - September 9th 2007 A.D.

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

Saturday  September 8th

Sunday
September 9th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

3:30pm

5:00pm

6:30
pm

Matthew O’Toole RIP

Holy Souls RIP

Nina Mary
O’Dwyer RIP

SIGNED MASS

EXPOSITION
AND BENEDICTION

Mr and Mrs
Milford RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

William Lewsey RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Michael Stammers RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Parishioners

Monday 10th
Feria

Tuesday 11th

Church               9:15 am  Intentions of Carmel Finch

Feria

Church
9.15 am   Mr and Mrs Gardiner

Church
7:30pm   Knights of St Columba

Wednesday
12

Feria

Church
12:15 pm
Leslie Seymour RIP

Rev. Patrick Cassidy
RIP

Thursday 13th

Friday 14th

School Mass

Saturday 15th

St John Chrysostom, Bp.D.

Church                9.15
am  Mrs
O’Shea RIP

EXALTATION OF THE CROSS

Church                9:15 am
In Thanksgiving [Sales]

Our Lady of Sorrows

Church
9.15 am   Intentions of Mr
L Anton & Family

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

Home Mission
Day -  September 16th 2007 A.D.

Saturday September 15th

Sunday September 16th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

4:00pm

6:30
pm

Thanksgiving to O.L. Lourdes [HS –Australia]

Sarah Betts RIP

Gerard Coyle RIP

POLISH MASS

Rev. William Oddy RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Brian Morrisey
RIP [C&A B]

Monkwick

10:15
am

Brian Morrisey
RIP [J&D H]

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

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092