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

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE
YEAR [C]

JULY 22nd  2007

Dear Friends

It’s Wednesday, so it must be Paris!  We smile at the mentality of the
tourists who “do Europe” in a
week.  They remain behind the
camera or the video, getting a potted, sanitised,
cliché-ridden version of a place which bears little resemblance to the
reality of that place.  In
today’s Gospel, Martha reflects the mentality of a busy tourist as she
misses any real personal experience. But why is she criticised
as she endeavours to ensure that the sacred duty of
hospitality is fulfilled?  Is she
not like Abraham and Sarah who see to their guests and yet they receive a
blessing as a reward. As a Bedouin wife, Sarah does not eat with the men and Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus is worlds away
from both Sarah and her own contemporaries simply because then women were not
instructed in the Law by rabbis, because they could neither be teacher nor
disciple.  In her agitation,
Martha is missing the one thing that is needed now: to welcome the Lord by
listening to the word that he speaks.
It is easy for us to berate ourselves for being busy Marthas rather than contemplative Marys.  That would be a simplistic
understanding of the readings.
Martha did exactly what Abraham did, the
difference was their underlying intention.  Martha could not set aside her own
plans and ideas.  Mary, on the other hand, resisted society’s
expectations of her – as well as Martha’s complaints – to
be free to do what the Lord wanted.
The heart of this story is obedience – meaning listening.  We need an open heart which is able to
make space and time to hear the Lord – all the more so if this
challenges us or goes against what we expect.

Our relationship with the Lord is to be a first
hand experience, not a second-hand snapshot, and this we do in the
Eucharist.  We sit at the
Lord’s table and be the guest at his
banquet.  In that way, we are the
Lord’s host and his guest.

God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

N.B. Evening Prayer Venue
variable  – see Table below

Friday
27th July
12 noon     Mass in Hospital
Chapel

“       “
“        7:00pm      Parish Council
Meeting
Presbytery

Saturday
28th July  2pm
Garden Party at Boxted       See
Monkwick News

BAPTISM
TODAY:  Connor Poole.  God bless this child and congratulations
to his family.

A REMINDER RE BAPTISMS:  Parents wishing to have a child baptised will need to attend a Baptismal Course. These
Courses, which have been running since the beginning of 2006, comprise two
separate weekday evening sessions and the actual
date of the baptism will be arranged with the priests at that time.  The next Course will take place in the
Autumn and, when the actual date has been arranged, it  will be advertised in this Newsletter
at least three or four weeks beforehand.

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 29th July

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.

RECENTLY
DECEASED:  Please pray for the repose of the soul
of Anthony Webb and Sylvina de Britto
who have recently died.  May they
rest in peace.
The Requiem for Sylvina de Britto will be on Wednesday next, 25th,  at 11am.

SCRIPTURE
COURSE – HOW TO READ THE NEW TESTAMENT:  A reminder that Sr Angela will recommence
this Course in the Autumn on Wednesday evenings in the Crypt here at Priory Street from
7pm – 9pm.  The first session will take place on
the 19th September.
All are welcome and the invitation has been extended to both Lexden
and Greenstead parishes.

MISSA DE ANGELIS:  The next Missa de Angelis will be celebrated on Sunday 29th
July at 6:30pm.

MONKWICK
NEWS:  Parishioners are
organizing a Garden Party to be held at “East View”, Langham Lane,
Boxted, CO4 5HY [at the end of Severalls Lane]
on Saturday 28th July from 2pm.  Tel. No. 272509.  Parking is available and all are most
welcome.

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S SOCIETY:  A vacancy has arisen for a full time
fundraiser with proven experience in raising funds, event management and
increasing donors and volunteers.
For information or application pack, please contact Frank Maguire,
Director, on 01268 784544 or [email-masked]
.  Closing date for applications:  1st August 2007.

TEA PARTY:  On Saturday 11th August from 2.30pm to 5pm at the home of Anna and Ivan – 48 Lexden Road, West
Bergholt.
Tickets £5 available from any member of the SVP.

DIARY DATES
– SATURDAY, 25TH AUGUST:  1- “Bosworth in Colchester” a commemoration of the Colcestrians
who fought at the battle of Bosworth in 1485.  The day will be led by parishioner,
John Ashdown Hill.  Full details
on the poster in the porch. Early Booking is required/advised.  All the places for Vespers
at St John’s Abbey are now taken, although other events of the
day are still available. Booking forms also from the Parish Office.

2: PILGRIMAGE
TO BOLOGNE: 25TH – 28TH AUGUST:  This pilgrimage in honour
of Our Lady is being organized by East Anglia District of the KSC.  For full details, contact John
Sutcliffe on 851838.

WORLD YOUTH
DAY 2008:  There are 75 young people from 38 parishes  booked
for the trip, including four from our parish, and the list is now closed.  On Sunday, 16th September,
the Group will be doing a sponsored walk, crossing the 10 bridges from Tower Bridge
to Chelsea Bridge.  If each young person can find 175
people to sponsor them for £1 per bridge, they will have paid in full
for the trip.  Further details to
follow.

THANK YOU from the Friends of Peru
to all who supported our recent charity event in the Cardinal Bourne
Hall.  A total of £745 was
raised for the Sisters of Mercy Mission in Peru for people living in dire
poverty.

APF
PROMOTER:  After many years of picking up heavy
red boxes and forwarding the contents to the Association for the Propagation
of the Faith, Bill de Smith has stepped down. Ron Griffin has now kindly
taken on this responsibility and his contact telephone number is 571590.

BARKING
PARISH:  Fr William Young advises
that Mass according to the use of the missal of Blessed John XXIII will
continue to be celebrated every Sunday at 1pm at St Ethelburga’s
Catholic Church, Linton Road,
Barking.

DIOCESAN
WEBSITE: The
re-designed Diocesan website is now live and can be visited at http://dioceseofbrentwood.net

PILGRIMAGE
TO MEDJUGORJE:  A pilgrimage is being
organized from Monday 22nd October to Monday 29th
October.  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.

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

EVENING
PRAYER: Tues 24th to Fri 27th
5:45pm at 48 Priory Street [none
Mon 23rd]

MEDITATION
GROUP:                                 Tuesdays
at 8pm at 48 Priory Street

EXPOSITION:                                                                     Saturdays
10am-11am

SICK
PARISHIONERS: Please pray for Emily Begg, June Bickersteth,

Pauline Carter, 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.

LITURGY FOR THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

July 22nd  2007 A.D.

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

Saturday  July 21st

Sunday
July 22nd

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Kevin Doyle RIP

Anna Pedell RIP

Dorothy Burke RIP

Intentions of Maria Earl

West Mersea

8:30
am

Intentions of Liam Malone

Mile
End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Holy Souls RIP

Monday 23rd
ST BRIGID OF SWEDEN
Rel. Patron of Europe

Tuesday 24th

Church                9:15
am William and Eva Richards RIP

Nina and Bernard O’Dwyer RIP

Feria

Church                9:15
am Intentions
of Rev. David Deeny

Patrick
Clifford RIP

Wednesday 25

Thursday 26th

ST JAMES,

Church   N.B.

SS Joachim
&

Church

Apostle

11:00am

Ann,

9:15 am

REQUIEM
– SYLVINA DE BRITTO RIP

Parents of the BVM

Janina Tempalski
RIP

Friday 27th

Gen Hospital

Feria

Church

Chapel

9:15 am

12:00
pm

Intentions of Mary
O’Connell

Rev.George Ennis RIP

Saturday 28th

Feria

Church
9:15
am  James Banks RIP &
baby Sophie RIP

LITURGY FOR THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

July 29th 2007 A.D.

Saturday  July 28th

Sunday    July 29th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Joe Mooney RIP

Phil Treby RIP

Intentions of Anna and Ivan

Marie Bastiampillai RIP
& Mr Swampillai

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishoners

Mile End

9:15
am

Bob McLaren RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Canon John Bloomfield RIP

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