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

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT [C]

February
25th  2007 A.D.

Dear Friends

We need to get away from the idea that suffering is
outside the plan of God.  It is
often in the centre of that plan.
It is those who follow most perfectly the will of the Father who frequently
suffer most.   Today’s
Gospel reading follows on from the story of Jesus’ baptism when he was
affirmed as God’s Son and filled with the Holy Spirit.  One would have imagined that the role
of the Spirit now would be to keep Jesus away from temptation.  On the contrary, the Spirit leads him
straight to where he will be most tempted; forty scorching days with no
let-up, no consolation, no companionship, no food.
Nothing.   And then the devil
comes to point out, quite correctly, that there is actually a way out.  Jesus says no and so stays hungry.  Having repulsed the temptation though,
Jesus is not rewarded with any food.
No voice from heaven saying: “OK, just testing”. Jesus
lives his life facing real temptations and that is a measure of his humanity.

As we enter Lent, we ask ourselves how we face those
temptations too.  When times get
rough and we feel hungry and alone do we still trust in God? When our life
seems a vast vacancy, do we still believe in the Father who loves us?  Are we willing to risk our necks for
the sake of the Gospel or do we settle for guarding our own security?  Do we make our authority felt so that
people are degraded, or is it a real service to others?  These are not easy questions.  They were not easy for Jesus.  That is why we need forty days to let
these questions reach us again so that, at Easter, we can proclaim with an
undivided heart that Jesus is the Lord of our lives.

God Bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Sunday 25th February       Week of
Accompanied Prayer commences

“
“        “
3pm Rite of
Election
[Brentwood Cathedral]

Tuesday 27th February      Lenten
Lunches
See
below

Wednesday 28th February Stations/Eucharistic
Service                    Mersea

“
“
“
7:30pm     Theatre Group
Auditions        Hall

Thursday 1st  March
7:30pm  Journey in Faith Meeting
Presbytery

Friday 2nd                           7:30pm      Liturgy Meeting
Presbytery

Saturday 3rd March 10:00am  Reconciliation  FHC Children/Parents Hall/Crypt

“
“        “
11:30am   Justice
& Peace Meeting        Presbytery

Sunday 4th March
12:00   Social Committee
Meeting

LENTEN OBSERVANCES

A WEEK OF ACCOMPANIED
PRAYER will commence
today, 25th February to Sunday 4th March 2007.  The Week will open and close with
group sessions, with participants meeting their prayer companion briefly each
weekday.  N.B. There will
be no Meditation Group this Tuesday, 27th February.

TUESDAY LENTEN
LUNCHES:  Will commence this Tuesday, 27th
February at the United
Reform Church
in Lion Walk.  Lunch will be at 12:15pm followed by prayer at 1.10pm of approximately 20/25
minutes.  The Sisters from 48 Priory Street
will lead the prayer times throughout the whole of Lent.

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.  Stations will be there this coming
Friday, 2nd March.

SCRIPTURE COURSE AT ST
JAMES THE LESS & ST HELEN: How To
read the Old Testament.  Have you
every thought, as you listen to the readings at Mass, “I wish I
knew more about the Bible”?
If this question
is yours, this 10 session introductory course on the bible, led by Sister
Angela Morris, will enable you to discover ways of knowing more an exploring
the significance of the Mass readings for yourself and the rest of the
Christian community.

Dates:  March 7,14,21,28.   April 18,25.  May 2,9,16,23.  Time:
19.00-21.00hrs

Venue:
The Crypt, St James the Less & St Helen.  If you are interested, please contact Sister Angela
on 867296 or email: [email-masked] .

A LENTEN REFLECTION:
“Drinking the Cup”.  How do we respond to the Cup of Challenge, Choice or
Suffering?  Saturday March 24th,
11am-3.30pm in the
Cardinal Bourne Hall with Sr Helen and Valerie Quinlivan.  More details in the porch.

LENT ISSUE OF “My Day
By Day”.  In the porch there is a complimentary
supply of this new monthly publication from Arch Publishing Ltd., which is
aimed to help us grow in faith by making the Word of God, as taken from the
daily liturgy of the Catholic Church, available in a handy and compact
format. Donations may be made – please put money into Newspaper box.

MERSEA NEWS:  Our Wednesday Eucharistic Service will recommence
this Wednesday, 28th February at 9.30am and will be preceded by Stations of the Cross
during Lent.

RECENTLY DECEASED:  Please pray for the repose of the soul of Denise
Smith who has died recently.  Her
Requiem Mass is on 5th  March at 11.15am.

WRAP 2007:  Very many thanks to all who volunteered to help with
this project.

THANK YOU FROM ANCHOR
HOUSE: …”we
realize today that everyone is under financial pressure and I have to say the
staff at Anchor House have been both amazed and humbled by the generosity of
our supporters for which you have our heartfelt thanks.”

PRIORY STREET THEATRE GROUP
are holding auditions for their next musical
on Wednesday, 28th February in the Cardinal Bourne Hall at 7.30pm.  Old and new members welcome.  Minimum Age – 15 years.  For more information, contact Lesley on 01206 512310.

BRENTWOOD
CATHOLIC YOUTH SERVICE: Invite
all young people of Year 9+ to join them for a friendly, fun evening that
will challenge the way we look at Lent. The evening runs from 7.30 to 9.30pm on Friday 2nd March – St
Teresa’s, Lexden.  If
you have any queries, please contact [email-masked]
or call 01277 265286.

CAFOD:  Next Friday is Lent Fast Day for CAFOD and if you
would prefer to donate using the printed CAFOD envelopes, there is a supply
in the porch.  If you are a
“Gift Aider”, please make sure your
number is quoted whichever method of giving you choose.  Thank you.   Also next weekend, a representative  from
CAFOD, who has recently returned from India, will be speaking at the
Priory Street Masses.

MISSA DE
ANGELIS: Will be
celebrated at the 6:30pm
Mass on the 11th March, the third Sunday of Lent.

WALSINGHAM HOUSE OPEN HOUSE
RETREAT: 8pm Friday 30th March – 3pm Sunday 1st
April.  £25.  First weekend of the Easter holiday
and open to all in school year 11 and above.  On the Saturday night and included in
the price is a show, Born For This,
given by a Christian music group, CJM, appearing at Brentwood Cathedral.  Log onto www.walsinghamhouse.org : call
01268 515970.

READERS’ DAY OF
PRAYER:  A number of Readers were unable to
attend this day which was held on the 17th February and so Francis
Carter has deposited copies of his notes in the Readers’ tray in the
Church porch.

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

Except Wednesdays  -
then at 11.40am

EVENING PRAYER:
Monday to Friday   5:45pm

PRAYER GROUP:
Mondays in the
Crypt     8pm

MEDITATION GROUP:      [Not 27.2.07]
Tuesdays, at 48 Priory St
– 8pm

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays
10am – 11am

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

THE
PARISH WEB SITE: For all contact, inclusions etc., please contact

Donald Clarke.  His email
address is: [email-masked]
. Otherwise

Donald may be contacted
via the Presbytery i.e. please leave envelopes for him

REPOSITORY
OPENING TIMES IN THE CARDINAL BOURNE HALL:

Sundays from after the 8am Mass until 12:45pm.

LITURGY
FOR THE SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C]

25h February  2007

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

Saturday February 24th

Sunday   February 25th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Matthew O’Toole RIP

Patrick Grant RIP

Intentions of Mrs Lucille O’Donel

Parishioners

West Mersea

8:30 am

John Kelly RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Maureen Byrne RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Intentions of Margaret Fitzgerald

Monday
26th           Feria

Church

9:15am

Intentions of
the O’Dwyer Family

In Thanksgiving
[JH]

Tuesday 27th

Feria

Church                9:15am
Mr S Mariampillai
RIP [A]

Maureen Byrne RIP

Wednesday 28

Thurs MAR 1st

Feria

Church

ST DAVID, Bp. Patro

12:15am

9:15am

Thomas Williams RIP

Patron of Wales

Stephen Hilton RIP [L & J]

Mary Louisa Richards RIP

Friday 2nd

School
Mass

First
Friday

Feria
Lent

Church

Monkwick

Fast Day

9:15am

7:00pm

and  Women’s
World Day of Prayer

Intentions of Helen Lydon

Intentions of Jay Family

Saturday 3rd

Feria

Church
9:15 am  Maureen Byrne RIP

LITURGY
FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT  [C]

March 4th 2007 A.D.

Saturday March 3rd                        6:15 pm  Tommy Close RIP [A]

Sunday
March 4th

8:00 am

10:30
am

5:15pm

6:30 pm

Candido de Millo RIP

Dominic Peters RIP

EXPOSITION AND BENEDICTION

Patricia Pryke RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

William and Mary
Brookes RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Maureen Byrne 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]

Marriage Care
www.marriagecare.co.uk
0800 389 3801

The Brentwood Diocesan
Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092