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 SIXTH SUNDAY OF THE
YEAR  [B]

February 15 th 2009 A.D.

Dear
Friends

Rules for food are flexible.  Rather than offend the hosts of a
wedding banquet who have prepared a feast of meat on a day of fasting and
abstinence, the guests are advised by a young priest to fast and abstain
another day – charity comes first.

Rules for health are strict.   Contagious disease calls for
quarantine in order to curb and hopefully cure the illness and, more
importantly to protect the rest of the community from contagion. Leprosy
requires exclusion.  For much of
its history it has been incurable and the only treatment was complete
isolation, bringing relief to the people but a double blow to the victims;
not only did they have the disease but they were excluded from every day
life.  Outcasts.  Jesus, the healer of people, had the
power to cross the divide.  When
the leper fell on his knees to be cured, that touch of Christ not only
restored the man’s health but it was the first human contact of a
restored human life.  Society has
many “outsiders”.  How
do we deal with them?  Refugees,
the poor and the sick, the addicted, the mentally ill – very often
poverty and addiction are compounded by crime.  To lock people up and throw away the
key is not a remedy for the crime or the criminal.  Fear is probably our first problem and
one we must address.  Fear of one
another is what drives people and nations to war.  When the leper approached Jesus he
already knew that Jesus was on his side.
Here is our challenge: to try to touch people’s lives with
kindness, concern and compassion.
As Paul reminds us today: “Never do anything
offensive to anyone…be anxious for the advantage of everybody
else”.  This attitude should
characterize all our dealings with the world’s so-called problem
people.  What will we do?  Don’t throw away the key.  Open the door.

God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK  [Check for any changes]

Today, Sunday 15th   12 noon
Social Committee Meeting
Presbytery

Tuesday 17th
Final night of second WRAP Session
Crypt

Wednesday 18th     6:45pm
Scripture
Course                              Crypt

“
“
7pm
SVP Meeting
Presbytery

There is no RCIA Meeting
this week

There will be no Prayer
Group in the Crypt on Monday 23rd February

RECENTLY
DECEASED:  Please pray for the repose of the soul
of Ruth O’Rourke who has recently died.  May she rest in peace.

LENTEN TALKS ON ST PAUL Fr Adrian Graffy will be giving three talks on
‘St Paul
for Today’ at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church Hall, Laindon Road,
Billericay on Tuesday 24th
February, 3rd March and 10th March. Talks begin at 8 p.m. with refreshments from 7.45 p.m. A good way to remember
Lent, and to celebrate the Year of St Paul.

ANNIVERSARY
RUN FOR A CHILD: As
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society  celebrates 25 years of serving
children in our Diocese we are looking for individuals to represent the
parish and take part in ‘ Run for a Child’.  This is
a 5K run taking place on Saturday 28th February at
11.00am , Westley
Heights Country
Park, Basildon, with the support of Pitsea Running Club.  All runners MUST pre-register
for the event and  under 16 must be accompanied
by and adult.  Do something amazing and help us continue our work for
the next 25 years – register today. Contact Claire on 01268
784544 [email-masked]

PILGRIMAGE
TO MEDJUGORJE:   March 1st-8th.  H/B accommodation.  Full details from Carmen Blackett on 01277 821886; 07754 163007; 07738 595534.

YOUTH NEWS:  Fr Stan Fortuna is a Franciscan
Friar of the Renewal based in the Bronx, New York. He is an internationally
renowned speaker to young people: his style includes a mix of rap and song,
and there is a rare opportunity to hear him speak in our Diocese on SUNDAY
MARCH 15th from 4.30pm.
Open to all aged 15+. For full information visit www.bcys.net/frstan
or see poster in the porch or see Andrew Johnson.

ST
PATRICK’S EVENT:  Saturday March 14th in the
Cardinal Bourne Hall. Live music, dancing, singing, Irish stew, breads etc.,
Tickets: Adults £8, Children £4.  Family ticket £20.  The
next meeting of the Social Committee is

today,
Sunday 15h February at mid-day in the Priests’ House.
All Social Committee members plus those interested in helping are most
welcome.

“LIVING
OUR FAITH”:  The CJSR [Committee for
Justice and Social Responsibility] are holding a conference on Saturday 21st
March next in the Cathedral Parish Hall, Brentwood,
from 10am to 1pm.  The key speaker,
is James Mawdsley, Human Rights Activist, author
and campaigner for democracy in Burma.  Please see poster in the porch with
contact nos. if you wish to attend.

BARN
DANCE/SQUARE DANCE:  The SVP are holding a
Barn Dance/Square Dance in the Cardinal Bourne Hall on Saturday 25th
April at 7pm.  Tickets [including supper]: Adults
£7.50, children under 14 £3.
Over 80’s free. Bar available and
Raffle.

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC
CHILDREN’S SOCIETY: Annual Sponsored Walk - Saturday 23rd May 2009.  2009
sees the 25th Anniversary of the Society.  To mark this occasion we hope for a
record number of walkers to take part.
Walkers will start from a central point in each Deanery, walking to
Brentwood Cathedral.  Where this is
impractical because of distance, a number of circular walks based on parishes
are being arranged.  Thank you
very much for your support of our important work.

St
Clare's RC Primary School, Cloes Lane, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex CO16 8AG  Tel:
01255 425344.
Headteacher required for 1st September 2009 for
this Group 3 Primary School (ISR 18 - 24). Governors are looking to
appoint an experienced leader who is a committed practising
Catholic and who will support the distinctive ethos of the school. For
further details please contact the school.

SICK PARISHIONERS:   Philomena Dwyer, Mary Pink, Peggy Wilding.

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]. Because of the Data Protection Act, we are not otherwise advised.

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 @ 8pm @ 48 Priory Street

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

IF YOU ARE
NEW TO THE PARISH: please introduce yourself to one of the priests after Mass. A registration
form 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
contact Donald Clarke.  His email address is [email-masked]

LITURGY FOR THE SIXTH SUNDAY
OF THE YEAR [B]

February 15th  2009  A.D.

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

Saturday  February 14th

Sunday    February 15th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

4:00
pm

6:30
pm

Matthew O’Toole RIP

Alan Walker RIP

Herbert Ray RIP

POLISH MASS

D/Rels: Herbert &
Richards Families RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Henry Johnson RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Thomas Moynihan RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Parishioners

Monday 16th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Intentions of the Pauk
Family

Tuesday 17th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Stephen Hilton RIP [A]

Wednesday
18th

Feria

Church     12:15 pm   D/Rels:
Brogan/Owens Families RIP

Stephen
Hilton RIP [A]

Thursday 19th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Des Fuller RIP

Friday 20th

N.B.

Feria

Church      9:00 am   Intentions of Clare Adams

Church    10:15 am   FUNERAL
– RUTH O’ROURKE RIP

Saturday 21st        Feria

Church       9:15
am   Frederick, Elizabeth &
Angelo Lucas RIP

LITURGY FOR THE SEVENTH
SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [B]

February 22nd 2009 A.D. [Day for the Unemployed]

Saturday   February 21st

Sunday      February 22nd

6:15
pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Matthew O’Toole RIP

Des Fuller RIP

Dr Christopher Harris RIP

Ints: Barth, Veronica & Goish

West Mersea

8:30
am

Julia and Jack Hoy RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Intentions of Joan Norman

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