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

NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C] – 12th August 2007

Dear
friends,

In today’s reading we heard Abraham described
as a man “who was already as good as dead”.  He is an old man and his wife has
passed child-bearing years a long time ago.  For these two nomadic pensioners the
prospect of having their own children and their own land seems highly
unlikely.  But their faith in God
enables them to believe in what they cannot see, to build up a vision of what
the future will be like.  They act
on that vision of faith and they are rewarded with a son.  They set out for their promised land
“without knowing where they are going”.  Their map is their faith in God.

When Abraham and Sarah reach their promised land,
they live there as strangers, not with the rights of citizens who belong
there.  They believe that their
descendants will enjoy being citizens of the land.  But Abraham looks even beyond that as
he looks out of his tent: he looks to another city where the founder and the
architect and the builder will be God.
Abraham’s faith enables him to see these things not as part of
his experience now, but “in the far distance”.  As Tennessee Williams noted: “Time is the longest distance between two
places.”  Abraham looks to
another time and to a place in which he can settle as a true homeland.  In that homeland, he will share the
address of God.

Abraham’s deep faith in God enabled him to
dare.  Wherever he went he took
his treasure with him; his treasure was part of him; he could not be
separated from it even in time of trial.
Abraham’s real treasure was his faith in God, and his heart was
in the same place as his treasure.
That is something which Jesus hopes will be true of his own
disciples.  Jesus says that
“where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  But the question that asks to be
answered is:  What is our real treasure?

God Bless

-RECENTLY
DECEASED:  Please pray for the soul of Leslie Tucker (Mersea) who died
recently.  May he rest in peace.  We
offer our prayers and sympathy to his sons and families in their bereavement.

FATHER PAUL
DYNAN:  As you know, Fr. Paul is
leaving the Parish at the beginning of October and it is planned to give a
presentation to him on Saturday, 29th September.  Therefore, it is proposed that next
weekend there will be a second collection for Fr. Paul to show our
appreciation for the work he has carried out here in the Parish during the
last three years.  If you are
going to be away next week, then feel free to drop your contribution into the
Presbytery.  Please mark envelopes
“For Fr. Paul’s Presentation”.    Thank you very much.

Fr.
Joseph

BAPTISM
TODAY:   Lily Rene King at Mersea.  God bless this child and
congratulations to her family.

NEXT S.V.P.
MEETING:  Wednesday 15th August at 6.30pm.  Please
note change of time.

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:

Mersea Church                            9.30am
Sunday 19th August

Priory
Street [Crypt]
11.30am
Sunday 9th September

Priory
Street [Crypt]
11.30am
Sunday 16th September

If
you are unable to make any of 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,
diving licence [both parts if new style], NI card,
utility bill with name and address on it, birth certificate or marriage
certificate.
Thank
you.

GARDEN
PARTY:  The Knights of St Columba
are holding a Garden Party at Old Pond House, Braiswick
TODAY, Sunday 12th August at 3pm.  Entrance £5. Directions:  Take the B1508 towards West Bergholt, just before,
the new bridge over the A12, turn left into the side
road, then sharp right.  Tel. No.
854803

MERSEA
NEWS:   The next Mersea coffee morning will be
held on Tuesday, next August 14th at the home of Olive Newland, 42 High Street North,
from 10.30am.

GOSPEL
CHOIR WORKSHOP: A fun two-week gospel singing course for keen singers is to run in
September at Brentwood Cathedral on Thursday 20th September;
Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th from 7pm for 7.30-9.30pm.  Then Saturday afternoon and evening of
the 29th September for the final workshop with the Rev. Bazil Meade, founder and principal of the world-renowned
London Community Gospel Choir. Participants will perform on the same stage as
the choir during the evening of the 29th September.  The Course is open to all. To
register, please send cheque for £35, payable
to Brentwood Cathedral Music, [£10 of which is non-refundable] and
application form [available from the Parish Office] with a SAE by 31st
August. Please note: all course
fees are non-refundable after the first day of the Course.  More details from www.myspace.com/gospelchoirworkshop
.

DIARY DATES:  Two from Abbotswick:
“Effective Parenting” – a Day Conference on Saturday 6th
October 2007 for mums, dads, young and not so young, to help them in the
challenging vocation of parenting.
“Growing in Wisdom and Grace” Friday 12th
October – Sunday 14th October.  A weekend for single adults aged
18-35.  Both led by Fr Willliam Jarema, founder of the
Mercy Center, USA.  More details
from Sr Camilla on 01277 373848/373959 or visit www.walsinghamcommunity.org   Early booking is advised.

PILGRIMAGE
TO MEDJUGORJE:  A pilgrimage is being
organized from Monday 22nd October to Monday 29th
October. The cost is £400 excluding
insurance and single room supplement if required.   If you are interested in finding
out more about it, please telephone Carmen Blackett
on 01277 821886 or mobile 07754 163007 or see Fr Joseph who has booking
forms.

FEAST OF
THE ASSUMPTION:  Wednesday next 15th
August

Until the middle of the sixth century there were
no feasts in the Church to celebrate and honour Mary.
She was commemorated alongside the saints and martyrs.  The Eastern Church, however, had
plenty of Marian feasts – celebrating the Conception, her Birth, her
Presentation in the Temple
and the Annunciation.  But their
most important Marian feast was the Assumption.  This feast and all the other Marian
celebrations were adopted by the Roman Church and included in the western
Catholic Church.

Although it was only proclaimed as dogma in 1950,
the Assumption had been taught in the Church for centuries as a truth that
emerged from the faith of the people.
It also points to what we believe God will do for us.  We believe that our whole person, body
and soul, will be raised to a new existence in the peace of God.  This is what the dogmatic definition
tells us as it expresses the hope “that faith in the bodily assumption
of Mary into heaven may make our
faith in our resurrection both stronger and more active.

Masses for
Feast:  Tue: 14th
Mersea (Vigil) 7.30pm;
Wed 15th Church 9.15am;
12.15pm and 7.30pm.   This is a Holyday of Obligation.

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

EVENING
PRAYER:
13th
to 17th August  at 5:45pm at 48 Priory Street

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.

REMINDER: If you, your family or
friends are in hospital and would like a visit from the Chaplaincy Team,
please let one of the priests know.
Under the Data Protection Act, hospital staff will NOT advise the
Chaplaincy Team unless the patient, friend or relative specifically instructs
a member of the hospital staff.

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.

APOSTLESHIP
OF THE SEA:  We have received a
letter thanking

parishioners for £638.43 donated on Sea Sunday for the
work of the AOS.

LITURGY FOR THE NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

August 12th 2007 A.D.

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

Saturday  August 11th

Sunday
August 12th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

5.00  pm

6:30
pm

Lionel Wright RIP

Dec’d Relatives of the Lowe
Family RIP

Sinclair Mascurine RIP

Exposition and Benediction

Special Intention (SF)

West Mersea

8:30
am

Margaretta Wright RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Stan Collister RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Parishioners

Monday 13th
Feria

Tuesday 14th

Church                9:15
am  Arthur
Pepolo RIP
(J.Jackson)

St.
Maximilian Kolbe

Church
9.15 am   Fred. Eliz & Angelo Lucas
RIP

Mersea  (Vigil)    7.30 pm
Intentions of Sr. Helen    (D.Murphy)

Wednesday
15th

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE B. VIRGIN MARY  Holy Day

Church
9:15 am   Florence Farrell RIP     (S.Fuller)

Church
12.15 pm  Intentions of Emma   (Val Ling)

Church
7.30 pm  D/Rels.
Herbert/Richards Families RIP

Thursday   16th

Friday       17th

Saturday
18th

Feria

Church               9.15 am  Walter Dynan
RIP  (A)

Feria

Church    9,15 am  Ints.
Richard Condon   (M. O’Dwyer)

ST. HELENA, Widow,
Patroness of Colchester

Church
9.15 am
Austin Beale RIP
(Neale Family)

LITURGY FOR THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

August 19th 2007 A.D.

Saturday August 18th

Sunday August 19th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

4.00
pm

6:30 pm

Christina Mooney RIP (Chris Mooney)

Nancy Ryan RIP (A)   (Tim
Ryan)

Ints Anna & Ivan   (D. Murphy)

Polish
Mass

Ints. L.  Anton and family     (TG)

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Lucia Maria Siswarno
RIP   (Herbert)

Monkwick

10:15
am

Special Intention   (O&B)

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