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

TWENTIETH SUNDAY  OF THEYEAR [B]

August 20th 2006 A.D.

Dear Friends

St John’s Gospel shows that very early in the Church’s existence the followers of Jesus held the profound belief that in the Eucharist they received the body and blood of the Lord.  For this reason they were often accused of cannibalism by their enemies.  Of course they were not cannibals.  The gospel focuses closely on Jesus’ own insistence upon the physical reality of the gift.  What Jesus offers for the life of the world is real food and real drink and He is truly present in the celebration under the appearances of bread and wine.  For His contemporaries this teaching was shocking and offensive.  Even by the time St John’s Gospel was written, some Christians were finding the teaching difficult, but it is uncompromising.  It presents us with the sheer physical reality of the gift which brings us union with God and with one another.  It changes us.  When we celebrate the Eucharist we commit ourselves to one another in our parish community.  During the Eucharist celebration we gladly receive the body and blood of the Lord.  We call this moment Holy Communion.  Communion not being something we receive, rather it is something we do and experience, joining with Jesus and one another.  What a great tragedy then if our reception of the Eucharist becomes nothing more than mere routine or habit with no purpose or direction and thereby hurting us spiritually.  When we celebrate the Eucharist we consent fully to our vocation to follow Jesus Christ unconditionally; we give Him permission to lead us where he will and to shape our community in the manner he desires.  We eat the Wisdom of God; it becomes part of our very being and our resource for leaving folly behind and living a life of wisdom.  “Do this in memory of me”.  When that is done, the wisdom of God takes flesh again.

God bless

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2006-7:  If you have a child in Year 3 or above and are interested in our Parish’s First Communion programme, details will be announced in the Newsletter in due course.  Children’s sessions will take place on Saturday mornings between 10am and 12 noon in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.

RECENT BAPTISMS: Jessica Louise Hill, Amaya Gabrielle Senora and Oliviah Poppy Zammit.  God bless these children and congratulations to their parents.

RECENTLY DECEASED:  Please pray for the repose of the soul of Roger Wilkin who has recently died.  May he rest in peace.

THANK – YOU NO:1 From the KSC - Congratulations and many thanks to Fidel Catantan and his team for organising the very successful and enjoyable Filipino Evening at St Benedict’s on the 15th July.  £1,206 was raised for the East Anglian Children’s Hospices.

NO: 2 From Anna and Ivan Norfolk to all who attended and those who gave donations at the recent Coffee morning-cum-Lunch.  Also, a very big thank you to all the helpers.  The total sum raised for church funds - £237.85.

NO:3 to Molly Hefford for hosting Mersea’s August coffee morning.  [The next date is September 12th – details to follow].

BRING & BUY SALE: Wednesday 6th September from 6.30pm onwards at No 5 Buxton Road, Monkwick.  All donations to Church funds.

PRIORY STREET THEATRE GROUP: Presents “THANK YOU FOR THE MUSICals”.  In the Cardinal Bourne Hall on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 6th/8th/9th September.  Starts 7.30pm.  Adults £4.50; children and concessions £2.50.  Tickets from Lesley 512310 or Claire 540450.  Come and just watch or join in the music from four musicals.

HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST SPONSORED BIKE RIDE: Geoffrey, one of our Organists is taking part in this Bike Ride on 9th September and is looking for sponsors….  Please contact him on 860242 if you would like to contribute.

NOW THAT SUMMER HOLIDAYS ARE IN FULL SWING its time to beat the stores to it and advertise our pre-Christmas activities!: GRAND DRAW & PARISH SOCIAL to be held on Saturday 18th November at 7.30pm in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.  Thanks to the generosity of parishioners donating prizes, this Event was very successful last year and £2,745 was raised for the church refurbishment.  May we again ask for Grand Draw prizes?  Small electrical goods [NEW only please to comply with regulations], bottles of spirit, wines etc., Please contact Bernie on 549524 or Ron and Margaret on 797850.

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

EVENING PRAYER:                                                    Monday to Friday 5.45pm

PRAYER GROUP:        NO MEETING DURING AUGUST

MEDITATION GROUP:                              Tuesdays at 48 Priory Street – 8pm

EXPOSITION:                                                                Saturdays 10am – 11am

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

PARISH WEB SITE  For ALL contact, inclusions etc., -  please contact Donald Clarke.  His e mail address is [email-masked].  Otherwise Donald may be contacted via the Presbytery. Please leave envelopes for him.

LITURGY FOR THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [B]

August 20th 2006  A.D.

Saturday August 19th

Sunday   August 20th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30 am

6:30 pm

Una Close RIP

Donor’s Intention

Baby Christopher Daly RIP

Lillie Fenton RIP

West Mersea

8:30 am

Teresa Garvin RIP

Mile End

9:15 am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Intentions of Denise Smith

Monday 21st          St Pius X, Pope

Church

9:15 am

Poor Souls RIP

Intentions of Baby Eben Jones

Holy Souls RIP

Tuesday 22nd

The Queenship of Mary

Church               9:15 am    Special Intention [WH]

Wednesday 23

Thursday 24th

Feria

Church

Church

9:15 am

9:15 am

Holy Souls RIP

Matthew O’Toole RIP

Holy Souls RIP

ST BARTHOLOMEW, Ap.

Frederick, Elizabeth & Angelo Lucas RIP

Friday 25th

Gen. Hospital

Feria

Church

Chapel

9:15 am

12:00 pm

Holy Souls RIP

Special Intention [Wendy Higgins]

In thanksgiving to Our Lady

Patients’ Intentions

Saturday 26th

Feria

N.B. Changes

Church

9-10 am

Exposition and Confessions

11:00 am

Wedding Service

1:30 pm

Nuptial Mass

TWENTY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – August 27th 2006 A.D.

Today’s readings present us with choices.  Joshua offers the people of Israel a clear choice.  He realises that this is a time for them to make a decision which will affect their whole future.  They choose the Lord as their God – not out of any sense of mere traditionalism or conservatism but because God has proved himself to be their faithful redeemer, liberator and protector.  Jesus also gives his disciples a choice: “Do you want to go away too?”  Peter gives an answer based on experience; why would they turn to anyone else for the message of eternal life. But many of Jesus’ disciples were put off.  They chose to “keep the money” rather than take the risk of following him.  They opted for safety and security, rather than being open to the message of Jesus.  Choosing whether or not to follow the Lord is a choice we all have to make each day and life forces us to take risks – to make difficult decisions and choices.  Jesus asks us to choose his presence in the Eucharist and in the poor, the weak, the sick and imprisoned, the lonely and the hungry.  To keep on choosing Him, He who has the message of eternal life.

LITURGY FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [B]

August 27th  2006

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

Saturday August 26th

Sunday   August 27th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30 am

6:30 pm

Lionel Blanchette RIP

Robert Bellard RIP

Christopher Lawlor RIP

Lyn and Richard Cooke RIP

West Mersea

8:30 am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15 am

Vera Heard RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Hugh, Patricia and Vivienne RIP

Monday 28th          St Augustine, Bp.D.      Bank Holiday

Church

10.00 am

Ints of Miss S Turner & Mr M Dynan

Intentions of the O’Brien Family

Tuesday 29th

The Beheading of St John the Baptist, M

Church               9:15 am    Canon John Bloomfield RIP

Wednesday 30

Thursday  31st

Feria

Church

Feria

Church

9:15 am

9:15 am

………………….

………………….

Kevin Doyle RIP

Cecily Sim RIP [A]

Friday SEPT 1

FIRST FRIDAY

Church

Monkwick

9:15 am

7:00 pm

St Sebbi, King of the East Saxons

Intentions of Mary Jay & Family

…………………….

Saturday 2nd

Feria

Church

9:15 am

In Thanksgiving [JH]

LITURGY FOR THE TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [B]

September 3rd2006 A.D.

Saturday  September 2nd

Sunday    September 3rd

6:15 pm

8:00 am

Lionel Blanchette RIP [G]

Intentions of Tom Garvin

10:30 am

5:15 pm

6:30 pm

Mim Earing RIP

EXPOSITION AND BENEDICTION

Intentions of Myra & John Dolamore

West Mersea

8:30 am

Holy Souls RIP

Mile End

9:15 am

Michael Stammers RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Parishioners

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)

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity  No. 234092