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 SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE
YEAR  [B]

February 22nd  2009 A.D.

Dear
Friends

It must have been a bit of a surprise to Jesus
when he was showered with parts of a roof and had his teaching interrupted by
the dramatic entrance of the paralysed man.  But then Jesus is the kind of teacher
who has the art of making what is happening the
subject of his teaching.  The
paralytic is not an unfortunate diversion from the word of God; rather, his
presence becomes the opportunity for a new word and because of the persistent
faith of the four friends and their bold and insistent belief that Jesus can
help their paralysed friend,
Jesus forgives the paralytic his sins.

The scribes who are
spokesmen for the traditional Jewish belief that only God forgives sins,
accuse Jesus of blasphemy.  Jesus
moves in to question them – not because he is the Son of God –
but because he believes that the scribes are wrong both about God and the
nature of forgiveness.  God does
forgive sins but is he the only one to do that?  If we believe that, then it lets us
off the hook about bothering to forgive those who have sinned against
us.  For Jesus, forgiveness is not
the exclusive right of God, it is the shared duty of all who would follow him
and imitate God’s practice of forgiveness.  When he teaches his disciples to pray
to the Father an essential part of that prayer is the commitment to forgive:
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against
us”.  He also instructs them : “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are
forgiven”.  Forgiveness is
the most profound healing a person can experience and easier to effect than
healing a body.  And yet, we know
how our unwillingness to forgive others can keep them imprisoned and paralysed in spirit. But God forgives.  “No need to recall the past, no
need to think about what has been done before.  See, I am doing a new deed, even now
it comes to light: can you not see it?”.  The scribes didn’t see this new
deed coming to light.  Hopefully,
we do.                                           God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK  [Check for any changes]

No Scripture Course this week

Thursday 26th February   RCIA Meeting                                      Crypt

Friday 27th February        12
noon Hospital Mass
CGH Chapel

“
“
“        7:30 Stations of the Cross [see
below]     Church

“
“
“        8:15 Parish Council Meeting
Presbytery

Saturday 28th February  10-12 FHC Programme              Hall and Crypt

BAPTISM
TODAY:  Amelia Grace Coffey.  God bless this child and
congratulations to her family.

RECENTLY
DECEASED:  Please pray for the repose of the soul
Christopher Simpson and Philomena Dwyer who have recently died.  May they rest in peace.  Philomena’s funeral will take
place at St Teresa’s, Lexden, next Tuesday, 24th February,
at 1pm.

LENTEN OBSERVANCES IN THE PARISH

STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  Again, on the Friday evenings in Lent, Stations of
the Cross will take place at 7:30pm and we will alternate with St James the
Great.  This Friday, 27th
February, Stations will be here at Priory
Street.

STATIONS OF
THE CROSS:  On the following
Tuesdays, 3rd March, 10th March and 7th
April at 7:30pm in the Church the Knights of St Columba are organizing
Stations of the Cross.

CHURCHES
TOGETHER IN CENTRAL COLCHESTER:  Lunchtime Services for Lent 2009.  Services will start by 1.10pm for approximately 30
minutes: Monday 2nd March – Lion Walk UR Church; Tuesday 10th
March – St Botolph’s; Wednesday 18th
March - St Helen’s Greek Orthodox Church; Thursday 26th
March - Castle Methodist Church;
Friday 3rd April - St James the Great.

The Community at 48 Priory Street invite everyone to PANCAKES on SHROVE TUESDAY, 24th February, between 300
pm and 5.30 pm when all
are welcome to join us for Evening Prayer in the house (not the church).

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]

CATHOLIC
YOUTH SERVICE:  All young people, aged 13+, who wish to
be involved with the Catholic Youth Service and fundraising events are
invited to attend a meeting on Sunday 1st March at mid-day. For
further information call Ben Mclean on 563292 [evenings only].

CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME:  The enrolment of Confirmation Candidates takes place next Sunday, 1st
March, at the 10:30 Mass.

YOUTH MASS @ ST MONICA’S, WIVENHOE, 1ST
MARCH:  Theme: “Lenten Promises”.  Rehearsal
3pm.  Drama, music, readings… Refreshments.  Mass
6pm.  School year 9+.               Adele
CD Youth space.

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.

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

SVP:
The SVP
would welcome anyone interested in becoming a member.

For information phone Judy on 869601.

ST
PATRICK’S EVENT:  Saturday March 14th in the
Cardinal Bourne Hall. Live music, dancing, singing, Irish stew, soda bread,
dessert. Raffle, licensed bar.
Tickets: Adults £8, Children under 12 £4, Family of 4
£20 available from Frances 369568, Isobelle
563292, Norah 503410.

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 in this Parish: Saturday 9th
May 2009. Starting and finishing at St Teresa’s,
Lexden, the walk is being organised by the KSC.  Further details to follow. 2009
sees the 25th Anniversary of the Children’s Society.  To mark this occasion we hope for a
record number of walkers to take part.

THANK YOU
FROM THE FRIENDS OF PERU:  Many thanks for supporting the Beetle Drive.  The proceeds of £159 have been
sent to the Sisters in Peru

SICK PARISHIONERS: 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: Mon,Wed,Thurs.Fri this week  5:45pm
in the Church

PRAYER
GROUP:                   Mondays  at 8pm in the Crypt [not 23rd
Feb]

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 SEVENTH SUNDAY
OF THE YEAR [B]

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

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

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 Chrisopher Harris
RIP

Ints: Barth, Veronica & Goish

West Mersea

8:30
am

Julia & Jack Hoy RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Intentions of Joan Norman

Monday 23rd

SVP Mass

St Polycarp, Bp.M.

Church      9:15 am   Mary
& James O’Reilly RIP

Church       7:00pm   Intentions of Eugene Horgan

Tuesday 24th

Shrove Tuesday

Church      9:15 am
In Thanksgiving [SF]

Wednesday
25th

School Mass – KS2

ASH WEDNESDAY – Day
of Fasting and Abstinence

Church      9:15 am   Clyde
Jardim RIP

Church     12:15 pm   Fr Philip O’Dowd RIP

Church      7:30 pm    Intentions of Lucy Walker

Thursday 26th

Thursday after Ash
Wednesday

Church      9:15 am   Mrs T Matiz

Friday 27th

Gen. Hospital

Friday after Ash
Wednesday

Church      9:15 am   Mr Mariampillai RIP

Chapel     12:00 pm   Intentions of Hospital Patients

Church
7:30 pm   Stations of the Cross

Saturday 28th        Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Church       9:15
am   William and Eva
Richards RIP

LITURGY FOR THE FIRST
SUNDAY OF LENT [B]

March 1st  2009
A.D.

Saturday   February 28th

Sunday     March 1st

6:15
pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Tommy Close RIP

Roger Sawyer RIP

Intentions of Joseph Douglas

Ernest Jardim RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Fr Stephen Reith RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Harold and Denise Smith
RIP

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