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 THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT  [A]  - February 24th 2008

Dear Friends,

At
the beginning of the new millennium few people need reminding that the
resources of our small planet are limited.  Although many warnings have been made
about the erosion of the earth’s supply of oil with appeals to limit
the use of the private car in order to reduce pollution and conserve the
supply of oil based products, it is only more recently that we hear claims
that it is water which should be our main concern – the limited water
available for human consumption and the ever increasing number of people
drawing upon it.  Water is
absolutely vital to life of every kind.
No water – no life; a stark equation.

The
people of the Bible show immense concern for their water supply as
today’s first reading shows when Moses is faced with open
rebellion.  St
Paul, writing to the Christian community in Rome, sees God’s love being poured
into our hearts, like a mighty flood, through the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel,
water is used by Jesus as a symbol of the life-giving effects of the Holy
Spirit.

The
woman is taken aback that a Jew would bother to ask a Samaritan for a drink
and also the fact he has no bucket worries her, but the water Jesus has to
give turns into a spring inside people so he tells her who he is.  Reluctant to admit to his own people he is the Christ, yet he tells this
outsider.  He gives her the living
water so she can go home without buckets and jars and face her own
people.  She is one of the first
witnesses of John’s Gospel who leads others to Jesus.  Her past does not hinder her from
being a messenger of Good News and at long last she has met the right man.

Whatever we undertake in the way of
Lenten exercises, will be of value in the measure that they open us up to
receive the flood waters of God’s love.

God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Sunday 24th February  7:30pm     Parish Open
Meeting
CBH

Monday 25th
7;30pm       KSC District
Meeting
Crypt

Wednesday 27th        12:45-2pm  Lenten Lunch
Crypt

“
“             7-9pm       Scripture Course
Crypt

“                 “
7:30pm
Stations of
the Cross
Mile End

Friday 29th                  7:30pm     Stations of the Cross           St James the Great

Saturday March 1st    10-12pm    F.H.C. Children                            Hall and Crypt

LENTEN OBSERVANCES IN THE
PARISH

STATIONS
OF THE CROSS:  Will take place at 7:30pm on the Friday
evenings during Lent and we will alternate with St James the Great.  This
coming Friday, 29th February, Stations of the Cross
will be at St James the
Great..

STATIONS
OF THE CROSS AT ST
JOSEPH’S MILE END:  At 7:30pm on the Wednesdays in Lent.

CHURCHES
TOGETHER IN CENTRAL COLCHESTER  “Lent
Together”: Lunchtime
Services all at 1pm - on different days during Lent.  Wednesday 27th February at
St James the Great; Thursday 6th March at Castle
Methodist Church
[here a soup lunch will be served from 12:15pm]; Friday 14th March
- Eld
Lane Baptist
Church.

ECUMENICAL
LENTEN GROUPS AND WORSHIP:  St
Michael’s C of E Church Hall, Mile
End Road from 4pm to 5:30pm on Sundays, February
24th and March 9th.

“LIVE
SIMPLY” LENTEN LUNCHES: In the Crypt at 12:45pm on Wednesdays until 19th March.  Proceeds to our twin parish of Damesfontein,
South Africa.

OPEN PARISH
MEETING: Tonight at 7:30pm in the Hall.   At
this open meeting, we would like as many parishioners as possible to be
involved in turning your ideas and plans into action.  Please join us
and make your contribution.

BAPTISMS:
Ujunwa Ekwunife, Louis Springford, Samuel Wasteneys-Holtzer,
Vanessa Mensah.  God bless these children
and congratulations to their families.

CAFOD:  Next Sunday we will be having the usual second collection for
CAFOD.  As this one takes place
during the Lenten season you may like to make next Friday your Lenten Fast Day and put what you save
in the collection.

HEALING
MASS
at the Diocesan House of Prayer, celebrated by Fr John Glynn, at 7.30pm on Wednesday 27th February.
For further information visit www.abbotswick.org or call the sisters on
01277 373959.

EASTER LILIES:  If you would like to donate a bloom in
memory of a loved one, please enclose an offering of £2.50 in an
envelope marked “Easter Lily” and deliver to the Priests’
House.

TO ALL EUCHARISTIC
MINISTERS:  A Quiet Day has been
arranged at Clare Priory on March 8th
from 10am to 4pm.  Cost will
be £12 per person which will include tea, coffee and soup lunch.  Could you please let me know as soon
as possible if you are coming as I am required to pay a deposit for each
person on booking.  Margaret
Wheeler 797850.

HEADTEACHER
VACANCY:  The Bishops’ CofE & RC V.A. Primary School,    p   Springfield.  Please see poster for full
details.  Closing Date: 11th March 2008.

STUDENT CROSS:  A group of pilgrims will be gathering
in our parish on the evening of Friday 14th March.  We are looking for volunteers to help
cook and serve an evening meal and breakfast.  Around 8am on Saturday 15th March they will leave the
church carrying a large cross and walk over the coming week to
Walsingham.  Fed and watered by
our community they will carry the cross and our prayers – if you would
like to help or find out more contact Hywel Edwards
on 867325.

CHRISM
MASS:  Harwich/Frinton parish are organising coach
transport to Brentwood for the Chrism Mass
on March 19th.Cost - £10. To book, contact Diana in the
Parish Office here.  Pick up
points will be given later.

CLARE PRIORY:  At 3pm on Saturday 15 March, at Clare
Priory, the Richard III Society is holding its annual Requiem Mass, which
will be offered for the repose of the souls of King Richard, his queen, Anne,
and those members of the Plantagenet royal family who lie buried at the
priory. The Mass will be in a mixture of Latin plainchant and English, and
all are welcome. Tea / coffee will be available in the Priory after Mass. For further
information please contact John Ashdown-Hill (email
[email-masked]  Tel:  01206 523267).

ST THERESA’S GOLF DAY (in aid of the helpers on Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes)
John Richardson & John Latham have decided
to organise a Golf day to help meet the expenses of the young people who act
as helpers on the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. The event will take place
on Monday 21st April 2008 at
Heydon Grange Golf Club www.heydongrange.co.uk and is open to all golfers of whatever
standard at a cost of £40 per head. It will be run on the basis of a Texas scramble in
teams of three – so if you would like to take part as an individual or
enter a team of three please ring John Richardson on 01279817102 or e-mail him on [email-masked].”

PILGRIMAGE
TO POLAND: A pilgrimage to Krakow, Poland
is being organized from 12th May for 8 nights, flying from
Stansted.  It will include
excursions to various shrines.
Cost – including flights, trips and half-board - £450.
Anyone interested can contact Mrs Blackett now on
01277 821886; mobile 07754 163007 or Fr Joseph has some application forms
which may be completed and returned to Mrs Blackett
with a non-returnable deposit cheque of £50.

HUMAN
FERTILISATION & EMBRYOLOGY BILL: Please sign the Petition as soon as possible. Informed
people to hold interviews with MPs, Bob Russell and Bernard Jenkins, urgently
required.  Contact John Sutcliffe
on 851838.

SICK
PARISHIONERS: Please pray for Emily Begg, June Bickersteth, Marie Dixon, John Fisher, Anne Gardiner, Denisia Gray, Maria Hanak,
Eileen Head, Michelle Huet, Deirdre Kehoe,
Catherine Libby, Sheila Parsons, Harry and Mary
Pink, John Rae, Sheila Shillingford, Alwyn Stains, Carole Stover, Peggy Wilding.

DAILY:
Rosary 8:40am; Divine Mercy 9am [Wednesdays 11:40am]

EVENING
PRAYER:
Monday to Friday 5:45pm
in the Church

PRAYER
GROUP: See Events for Monday 29th
Feb Mondays at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:
Tuesdays at 8pm at
No.48 Priory Street

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays 10am – 11am

PARISH
WEB SITE: For all inclusions, enquiries etc., contact
Donald Clarke at

[email-masked]
or leave envelopes for him at the House.

IF YOU ARE
NEW TO THE PARISH OR VISITING please introduce
yourself to one of the priests after Mass.  If you are moving within or out of the
parish, please let us know in writing.

GIFT
AID:  If you are a tax payer and
wish to donate by way of Gift Aid at no cost or inconvenience to you, please
contact John Ross, the Co-Ordinator on 01206
366077.

LITURGY FOR THE THIRD
SUNDAY OF LENT  A]

February 24TH  2008
A.D –

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

Saturday  February 23rd

Sunday
February 24th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Matthew O’Toole RIP

Intentions of Mary
and Brian Hyland

Fernando Gomez RIP

Intentions of Bernard Gardner [Australia]

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile
End

9:15
am

Michael Piquet-Wicks RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Kath Morrissey RIP

Monday 25th

Feria

Church               9:15 am  Maria Garcias RIP [A]

Frederick,
Elizabeth & Angelo Lucas RIP

Tuesday 26th

Wednesday 27th

Feria

Church               9:15 am   Ray Gardner RIP

Feria

Thursday 28th

Friday 29th

School Mass

C.G. Hospital

Saturday
MAR 1st

Church
12:15 pm  Molly and Jim
O’Reilly RIP

Mr
Mariampillai RIP [A]

Bridget Lloyd RIP

Feria

Church  N.B.       8:00 am   Intentions of Samantha Hilton

Feria

Church                9:15 am   William and Eva Richards RIP

Chapel               12:00 pm   Michael Piquet-Wicks RIP

ST DAVID, Bp. Patron of Wales

Church
9:15 am    Teresa McNeela RIP

LITURGY FOR THE FOURTH
SUNDAY OF LENT  [A]

“Laetare Sunday” 2nd March  2008 A.D.

Saturday  March 1st

Sunday    March 2nd

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Tommy Close RIP

Beryl and Arthur Oliver RIP

Intentions of Mr Lewis
& Family

Patrick Brogan RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

William and Mary
Brookes RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Maria Lumsden
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

Vocations                                             www.brentwoodvocations.org

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092