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

THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

February 11th  2007 A.D.

Dear Friends

Today’s Gospel shows how Jesus, after choosing his apostles on the mountain, comes down with them and stands on a level place.  In his sermon, he does not give a blanket support to poverty, weeping, hunger and hurt: these are not desirable states to be sought after and only a masochist would argue otherwise.  As Archbishop Helder Camera commented: “Saints may be found in slums but we cannot retain slums in order to make them the breeding ground of saints.”  Destitute poverty is not a condition to be sought after, it is a condition to be avoided; it deprives human beings of their basic dignity.  That said, it still remains true that Jesus’ preference for the poor has a social basis.

The beatitudes are not prescriptions for becoming poor, hungry, mournful or afflicted; they are addressed to those who are already involved in committing themselves to the kingdom, as Jesus experienced in the course of his mission. He didn’t adopt them as some precious theological posture; it was the outcome of a life dedicated to God. His poverty was standing alone against the crowds; he wept and mourned not only the loss of a dear friend but also at the lost opportunities of his own people, and he was no stranger to being held up as a clown for the amusement of all.

Jesus offers an inner happiness to his followers that money cannot buy. A visitor to a leper colony watched as a Christian missionary tended the sores of a leper and the visitor remarked: “I wouldn’t do that for a million pounds!”.  The missionary looked and said “Neither would I!”.  The fulfilment we receive in reaching out to others is immeasurable.                                               God Bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Sunday 11th February              Noon    Social Committee Meeting       Presbytery

Wednesday 14th February       7:00pm [not 7.30] SVP MEETING        Presbytery

Saturday 17th February  10am- 3.45pm READERS’ DAY                    Hall

Sunday 18th February             4:00pm   POLISH MASS                       Priory St

READERS’ DAY OF PRAYER:  This event takes place on Saturday, 17th February in the Cardinal Bourne Hall from 10am to 3.45pm. Sr Angela will lead part of the Day which is open to all readers from all Mass Centres as well as from St James.  It is important that you attend. Please bring a packed lunch.   The day is also open to anyone who would like to read God’s word at Mass.   If you require further details, please contact Francis Carter on 864479.

MERCY ASSOCIATES: The next meeting will be held on Monday 19th February at 7.30pm at Christ Church Court. [Tel.No. 763049].

SHROVE TUESDAY: The Community at 48 Priory Street invite you to call in for pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, 20th February, at anytime between 2.30pm and 5.30pm.  They look forward to seeing you!

ASH WEDNESDAY [February 21st]  AND LENT

Begin the season of Lent with the celebration of Mass.  Please note the changes to times and places of Mass [together with the distribution of Ashes].

Masses on Ash Wednesday will be  as follows:- 10:00am    Priory Street

11:00am    West Mersea

7:30pm    Priory Street

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Will take place at 7:30pm on the Friday evenings during Lent and we will alternate with St James the Great. The first evening, 23rd February, will be here at Priory Street.

A WEEK OF ACCOMPANIED PRAYER will commence on Sunday 25th February to Sunday 4th March 2007.  The Week will open and close with group sessions, with participants meeting their prayer companion briefly each weekday.

TUESDAY LENTEN LUNCHES:  Will commence on the 27th February at the United Reform Church in Lion Walk.  Lunch will be at 12:15pm followed by prayer at 1.10pm of approximately 20/25 minutes.  The Sisters from 48 Priory Street will lead the prayer times throughout the whole of Lent.

SCRIPTURE COURSE AT ST JAMES THE LESS & ST HELEN: How To read the Old Testament.  Have you every thought, as you listen to the readings at Mass, “I wish I knew more about the Bible”?  If this question is yours, this 10 session introductory course on the bible, led by Sister Angela Morris, will enable you to discover ways of knowing more an exploring the significance of the Mass readings for yourself and the rest of the Christian community.

Dates:  March 7,14,21,28.   April 18,25.  May 2,9,16,23.  Time: 19.00-21.00hrs

Venue: The Crypt, St James the Less & St Helen.  If you are interested, please contact Sister Angela on 867296 or email: [email-masked] .

MERSEA NEWS:  Our Wednesday Eucharistic Service will recommence on the 28th February at 9.30am and, during Lent will be preceded by Stations of the Cross.

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC YOUTH SERVICE: Invite all young people of Year 9+ to join them for a friendly, fun evening that will challenge the way we look at Lent. The evening runs from 7.30 to 9.30pm at the following venues and dates:

Friday 23rd February – Conference Room, Cathedral House

Friday 2nd March – St Teresa’s, Lexden

Friday, 9th March – St Francis of Assisi, Stratford, E15

Friday 16th March – Our Lady Help of Christians & St Helen, Westcliff

Friday 23rd March – St Edmund of Canterbury, Loughton

If you have any queries, please contact [email-masked] or call 01277 265286.

SUMMER LOURDES:  There are places remaining on the Youth Service Trip to Lourdes.  Year 10 or above; July 21st-29th.  Cost -  £410 fully inclusive.

WORLD YOUTH DAY – AUSTRALIA 2008: 40 young people are already booked and the Travel Agent has agreed to extend the deadline to February 26th.  If you are interested in this or any of the Youth Service activities, visit the website, www.bcys.net

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S SOCIETY: Bookings are now being taken for a charity Bungee Jump to raise vital funds for the Children’s Society. It will take place on Sunday, 1st April at 10am in Datchet, Berkshire [close to Heathrow].  If you can raise over £150 in sponsorship then you get to jump for free!

Call Nick on 01268 784544 or visit www.bccs.org.uk

DAILY:                                                   Rosary – 8.40am; Divine Mercy – 9am

Except Wednesdays  - then at 11.40am

EVENING PRAYER:                                         Monday to Friday   5:45pm

PRAYER GROUP:                                            Mondays in the Crypt     8pm

MEDITATION GROUP:                                    Tuesdays, at 48 Priory St – 8pm

EXPOSITION:                                                 Saturdays 10am – 11am

SICK PARISHIONERS:  Please pray for Emily Begg, June Bickersteth, Tony Bickersteth, Ron Collins, Sylvina de Britto, Marie Dixon, John Fisher, Florence Fuller, Denisia Gray, Richard Hadcock, Eileen Head, Michelle Huet, Deirdre Kehoe, Catherine Libby, Luke McShane, Patrick Quinlivan, John Rae, Sheila Shillingford, Carole Stover.

FINANCES: The average weekly collection for January was £2,154.  CAFOD £957; White Flower Appeal £780; Anchor House £848. We have to pay £846 for electrical inspections on the 3 Mass Centres and the Hall.  Three out of the four sites will require work to bring them up to standard; £567 Surveyor’s Report on cracks in the Church; and £7,111 to the decorators for Flat, Crypt and Sacristy.

THE PARISH WEB SITE: For all contact, inclusions etc., please contact

Donald Clarke.  His email address is: [email-masked] . Otherwise

Donald may be contacted via the Presbytery i.e. please leave envelopes for him

LITURGY FOR THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

11th February  2007

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

Saturday February 10th

Sunday   February 11th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30 am

3:30 pm

6:30 pm

Intentions of Ian Drummond

D/Relatives of the Betts Family RIP

Intentions of Ken McDonald-Fawcett

SIGNED MASS

Vivienne Wright RIP [A]

West Mersea

8:30 am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15 am

Holy Souls RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Peter McCartney RIP [A]

Monday 12th         OUR LADY OF LOURDES            Diocesan Feast

Church

Church

9:15 am

12:30 pm

Pat Keegan RIP

REQUIEM – STEPHEN HILTON RIP

Tuesday 13th

Feria

Church                9:15 am  Des Fuller RIP

Wednesday 14

Thursday 15th

Ss CYRIL

Church

Feria

Church

Monk &

12:15pm

9:15am

MEDTHODIUS, Bp.

Stephen Hilton RIP {Mrs O’B]

Intentions of Helen Lydon

Friday 16th

Feria

Church

9:15am

John and Julie O’Connor RIP

Saturday 17th

Feria

Church                 9:15 am  Albert Fuller RIP

LITURGY FOR THE SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR  [C]

Day for the Unemployed - February 18th 2007 A.D.

Saturday February 17th                   6:15 pm  Matthew O’Toole RIP

Sunday   February 18th

8:00 am

10:30 am

4:00 pm

6:30 pm

Terry Hilton RIP

Tony Rozier RIP

POLISH MASS

Intentions of Patrick Brogan

West Mersea

8:30 am

Henry Johnson RIP

Mile End

9:15 am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Intentions of  Pat and Bernie Hegarty

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: Alan Whelan   [549222]

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

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092