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 FIFTH SUNDAY OF
EASTER [B]

May 10th  2009 A.D.

Dear
Friends

After two thousand years, vines are being
cultivated in Lincoln and whilst wine from the
Lincoln vineyard might not be as well known as
that from the vineyards of France
or Italy,
it is very fitting that two thousand years on there’s life and growth
once more.  For Christians, this
is rich symbolism.  In this the
third Christian Millennium, Jesus remains the life-giving vine who continues
to offer growth and fruit to the branches that are our lives of faith.

In
nursing the imagery of the vine, Jesus helps us to understand more deeply the
significance of the relationship we have with him, and through him, with God
our Father.  St John records for us that Jesus is the
vine and his Father is the vinedresser. This simple picture captures an
important truth of the Christian message – that all Jesus was and is,
all that he did and continues to do, are intimately related to the
Father’s will.  Just as the
gardener nurtures the plant and shapes its growth, so the life and mission of
Jesus are the expression and fulfilment of God’s loving plan.  We can be sure then that in our
encounter with Jesus we experience the very presence and action of God.  Through baptism, and by our
discipleship, we are grafted onto the true vine who is Christ.  We are shoots that draw life from him;
our spiritual growth is shaped and pruned by his word.  We can only blossom with
Christ’s glory if we remain rooted in him as our source of life.  We need to remain in him, abide in
him, stay close to him.  We know this happens through prayer,
through the sacraments and through reading the scriptures and as St John’s first
letter reminds us, this also happens when we keep the commandments.  As we seek to do this, we need have no
fear of judgement or condemnation.  Rather, we give glory to God; our
lives change and become an abundance of blessings for others.
God
bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK  [Check for any changes]

Sunday 10th May   12 noon  Social Committee Meeting      Presbytery

Tuesday 12th
10:30am   Mersea
Coffee Morning
See below

Tuesday 12th          7:30pm   KSC Mass
Priory
Street

Wednesday 13th     6:45pm
Scripture Course                     Crypt

“
“
7:00pm    SVP Meeting
Presbytery

“
“
7:30pm    Monkwick Committee Meeting

Thursday
14th      7:30pm    R.C.I.A                                       Presbytery

“
“
7:45pm    UCM Meeting
Crypt [?]

Friday 15th              7:30pm   Rosary   at Mile End
See below

Saturday 16th    10-12
FHC Session
Hall and Crypt

“
“
10:30-12
Monkwick Coffee Morning       See
below

Sunday 17th
12 noon   Youth Club Meeting
Crypt

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 at 8pm at
No. 48 Priory St

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays
at 9:45am – 10.30am

MAY is traditionally the month of Our Lady and you may
wish to join in the Parish/Deanery Rosary:-  daily at Priory Street at 8.35am
[followed by the Divine Mercy]; Fridays at 7:30pm at Mile End; 20th
May at Lexden [see below]

RECENTLY DECEASED: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr
Brian O’Higgins who has recently died.  Fr Brian was a priest of our Diocese
and served in East Ham and Our Lady Immaculate, Chelmsford Parishes.  May he rest in peace.
Memorial Masses will be celebrated at 7:30pm
at East Ham on the 12th May and at Our Lady Immaculate on the 22nd
May.

SOCIAL
COMMITTEE MEETING:  The next meeting takes
place today at 12 noon in the Presbytery

SECOND
COLLECTION THIS WEEK:  Second collection at Priory Street only, for Pentecost
flowers.

KSC –
ROSARY:  The Knights of St Columba
will be reciting the Rosary on Wednesday 20th May at 7:30pm in
Lexden [after Benediction] and on Friday, 29th May at 7:30pm at
Greenstead [after Mass].

THANK YOU:  The SVP would like
to thank everyone who supported their Barn Dance and helped to make an
enjoyable evening. The money raised will be put to good use as needs arise.

MERSEA NEWS:  Mersea Coffee mornings start on the 12th
May.  At the home of Sue Jenner, 64 St Peter’s Road, it will
start at 10:30am.

UNION OF CATHOLIC MOTHERS:  Next Meeting –
Thursday 14th May in the Crypt at 7:45pm.

ROSARY AT MILE END:  On the Fridays in May at 7:30pm at Mile
End, the Rosary will be recited, except the last Friday, when it will take
place on Saturday 30th May, at the same time.

MONKWICK NEWS:  Monkwick Coffee Morning on Saturday 16th
May, hosted by Grace McCartney, 20a Buxton Road from 10:30am to 12:30pm.

“BETHLEHEM ART” ITEMS FOR SALE:
carved
by Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem from Holy Land olive trees will be on sale by them at Priory Street
next Sunday.

YOUTH CLUB
MEETING: Are you in year 6,7,8 or 9? We would like to invite you to a meeting in the
Crypt after the 10.30 Mass on the 17th May. We will be discussing the
possibility of setting up a youth club if you are interested, how you would
like it to be run, and what kind of activities you would enjoy. Please come
along. If you can't come but are interested, then please phone Kate Zepeda on 07952645185.

THREE FAITHS FORUM:  Visit to Priory Street Mosque at 7:30pm on
Wednesday 20th May.
Anyone is welcome.

KSC “AFTERNOON TEA
AND SING ALONG”:  The KSC of Priory Street,
Greenstead and Lexden are arranging this afternoon for the elderly on the
afternoon of Sunday, 31st May [ Pentecost Sunday] in the Cardinal
Bourne Hall. 3:30pm for 4pm.  For more details, phone Ron Wheeler on
797850.

ABBOTSWICK EVENTS:  'Ever Ancient, Ever New' A weekend with a new community exploring the beauty of following
Christ as a vowed religious in the 21st Century. For men and women aged
18-38, Fri 15th - Sun 17th May 2009 For further details
visit www.walsinghamcommunity.org or
call 01277 373848.'Jesus' presence in the
Eucharist: Real... or just 'symbolic'? A day with Raymond de Souza, international lay apologist.
Sat 23rd May 2009,
10.30am - 4pm at
the Diocesan House of Prayer near Brentwood. For
further details visit www.abbotswick.org or
call 01277 373959

KSC –
PILGRIMAGE TO AYLESFORD – 7th JUNE:  Leaves East Hill at 8:50am.  Leaves Aylesford at approximately 4pm.  Cost: £10 Return. To book ring
Bill de Smith on 767597 – or speak to a member of the KSC.

SVP SUMMER
CAMP:  Bookings are now being
taken for boys [8-13] and girls [9-12] to the St John Bosco
Camp at Aldham. Full details on the poster in the
porch.  Closing date 1st
July. Diana also has booking forms in the Parish Office. Helpers [16+] also
needed.  Contact www.bcys.net/bosco

PILGRIMAGES EITHER [a] TO ASSISI: 1ST-8TH
October.  Cost £699 half
board or [b] TO ASSISI [4 nights], LORETO [1 night], SAN
GIOVANNI ROTONDO [2 nights] 1st-8th October:] Cost £779
H/B;  Both include flight, excursions, and a guide throughout; excludes
insurance, single room supplement.
Contact: Carmen
07738595534,01277 821886, 07754 163007.

VACANCIES: Teachers required for
September 2009 at St. Ursula’s Catholic Infant School,
Romford. Senior Leadership vacancies - Deputy Head
Teacher L8-12, Learning Support Leader TLR2a and Phase Leader (KS1 initially)
TLR2a. Further information from Mrs. McNab,  Headteacher.
Tel: 01708 345200.  e-mail: [email-masked]@lgfl.net

SICK
PARISHIONER:  Iris Licence.

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].

LITURGY FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY
OF EASTER [B]

[Catholic Deaf Awareness
Week] May 10th 2009  A.D.

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

Saturday  May 9th

Sunday May 10th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

2:00
pm

3:30
pm

5:00
pm

6:30
pm

Anne Lyons RIP

John Hopgood RIP

Clare Adams RIP [A&IN]

POLISH MASS

SIGNED MASS

HOLY HOUR

Mary Galvin RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

T.H.M. [Max] Robinson RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Bob McLaren RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Parishioners

Monday 11th

Feria

Church     9:15 am    Anne Thomas RIP

Tuesday
12th

St John Houghton, M.

Church      9:15 am   Intentions of Tressa
& Don Carlon

Church      7:30 pm   Intentions of Knights of
St Columba

Wednesday
13th

N.B.

St. Erconwald,
Bp.

Church     9:15 am    The Clarke Family RIP

Thursday 14th

ST MATTHIAS, Bp.

Church  ?    9:15 am  Poor Souls RIP

Friday 15th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Intentions of the Pauk Family [JP]

Saturday 16th       Feria

Church       9:15 am    Michael Piquet-Wicks RIP

LITURGY FOR THE SIXTH
SUNDAY OF EASTER [B]

May 17h  2009 A.D.

Saturday May 16th

Sunday   May 17th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Mr and Mrs
Milford RIP

George Renwick RIP

Dr Roger Sykes RIP

Intentions of Iris Licence

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Fr Brian O’Higgins RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Peggy Wilding RIP [GMcC]

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