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

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [C] – 26th August 2007

Dear Friends,

The American comedian Groucho
Marx was accepted as a member of the exclusive Friar’s Club in Hollywood.  Groucho
however expressed his disappointment that the club was not as exclusive as he
first thought.  His telegram to
the committee read: “Please accept my resignation.  I don’t want to belong to any
club that will accept me as a member”.

In
today’s Gospel, Luke tell us about the door policy of the kingdom of God and how there is no such thing as
automatic membership.  The man who
questioned Jesus did not get the answer he expected.  He chose an inappropriate moment.  Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, where
suffering and death await him, while all the questioner is concerned about is
the speculative issue of how many people will be saved.  Jesus’ reply must have brought
him down to earth.  In effect he
says never mind the numbers game, your task is to work hard – literally
to struggle - so that you’ll be able “to enter by the narrow
door”.  You may be a member
of God’s people but that doesn’t mean you can slip through with
the crowd.  Nor will the door
remain open indefinitely.  When
locking up time comes and the master of the house has secured the door, those
who missed their opportunity will not be admitted.  The door policy of the kingdom keeps
surprising people: there’s no sure way of knowing who’s in and
who’s out.  In the kingdom of God there’s no telling who is
coming to dinner!  As one is
treated as an outsider by his own people, Jesus has a natural allegiance to
those who don’t belong to the right crowd. Good roots are not enough;
having the right address is not enough; having an impressive pedigree that
goes back to Abraham is not enough.
Borrowed fidelity does not impress Jesus.  There is no substitute for a
person’s own decision for the kingdom of God.  The door policy is determined by
fidelity to the word of God.                                                                    God Bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Monday 27th
August       10:00am Morning Mass             [Bank
Holiday]

Tuesday 28th
August
8pm Meditation Group Meet in the
Crypt this week.

[Access  through the Church]

Wednesday
29th August   7pm     SVP Meeting
Presbytery

N.B.
There is no Hospital Mass this Friday, 31st August

BAPTISMS
TODAY:  Evie
Bridget Grace Flint: Daniel Ashby Mayhew and Elliot Stallwood-McKilligan.  God bless these children and
congratulations to their families.

DAMESFONTEIN:  We have received an e mail from Fr Carlos Domingos
who took over the running of the Damesfontein Mission in South Africa
from Fr Hector earlier this year.
He has received our donation of £673 [Rands 11,223] and replies “before the
rains come and knock down the phone line!...Thank
you very much for the donation in the name of all who will benefit from your
kind generosity.  We will use it
mainly to assist poor and needy families and also to help build a
crèche at one of our outstations called Fernie
2.  At the moment we do have an
old building, built some 25 years ago, made out of wood.  Although it has served its purpose
quite well up to now, unfortunately it has reached its “sell-by”
date and now we have to think of a way to build a proper structure to
accommodate around 30 children, some of them orphans of parents decimated by
AIDS.  When we will have the
project under construction, we will let you know more about it.  For the time being we say thank you
again and may the Lord bless you all and your endeavours.”

IN YOUR
20’S & 30’S?: The Twentysomethings
invite you to a newcomer’s Mass and meeting on Sunday 2nd
September at 1pm at More House, 53 Cromwell Road, South Kensington [opposite
the National History Museum – nearest tube – Gloucester Road].
The Thirtysomethings have their Mass and meeting on
Saturday 1st September at 5pm
at More House.  If you are
interested in theatre, meals, retreats, pilgrimages, holidays with other
Catholics in your age group, why not give them a try?  Contacts:  Clare 07950 202205; email [email-masked]
or visit www.project2030.org.uk

ROSARY:  On the first and second Tuesday in
September, i.e. the 4th and 11th, the KSC will be
reciting the Rosary at 7.30pm
at Priory Street.
All are welcome.

PRIORY
STREET THEATRE GROUP proudly presents: “Little Shop of Horrors” -  A fun
musical – on September 5th,
7th and 8th at 7:30pm
in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.
Tickets available on the door or from Lesley
on 512310.

MERSEA
NEWS:  The venue for the
September coffee morning – September 11th -  will be at the home of Sue
Jenner, 64 St Peter’s Road, starting at 10:30am.

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S SOCIETY: Is holding its annual Golf Classic on
Friday 14th September at Ilford Golf
Club.  The day’s competition
is followed by Dinner [optional] at the Clubhouse.  If you would like to compete or are
able to donate raffle prizes, please contact John Buckley 01708 455887; John
McCann 0208 9892089; Tommy Greene 01277 214965.

BARN DANCE
SEPTEMBER 29TH:  The
SVP are organizing a Barn Dance in the Cardinal
Bourne Hall on Saturday 29th September at 7:30pm.
The caller is the famous Derek Green.  Further details to follow soon.

DIARY DATES:  Two from Abbotswick:
“Effective Parenting” – a Day Conference on Saturday 6th
October 2007 for mums, dads, young and not so young, to help them in the
challenging vocation of parenting.
“Growing in Wisdom and Grace” Friday 12th
October – Sunday 14th October.  A weekend for single adults aged
18-35.  Both led by Fr Willliam Jarema, founder of the
Mercy Center, USA.  More details
from Sr Camilla on 01277 373848/373959 or visit www.walsinghamcommunity.org   Early booking is advised.

PILGRIMAGE
TO MEDJUGORJE:  A pilgrimage is being
organized from Monday 22nd October to Monday 29th
October. The cost is £400 excluding
insurance and single room supplement if required.   If you are interested in finding
out more about it, please telephone Carmen Blackett
on 01277 821886 or mobile 07754 163007 or contact Diana in the office who has
booking forms.

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:

Priory Street [Crypt]
11.30am
Sunday 9th September

Priory Street [Crypt]
11.30am
Sunday 16th September

If you are unable to make 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.
Thank
you

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

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

MEDITATION
GROUP:         N.B. See Events this week

EXPOSITION:                                                                     Saturdays
10am-11am

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

THE PARISH
WEB SITE:  For all contact, inclusions etc, please
contact Donald Clarke.  His email address is: [email-masked].
He may also be contacted via the Presbytery, i.e. please leave envelopes for
him.

THE REPOSITORY  is open each Sunday from after the 8am Mass
until 12.45pm in the
Cardinal Bourne Hall.

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

August 26th 2007 A.D.

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

Saturday  August 25th

Sunday
August 26th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Lyn and Richard Cooke RIP

Ints. Joe & Margaret
Parkinson [HT]

Mick Kelly RIP [A]

Salvina de Brito
RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

John Conneely RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Alfredo Sagnella RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Parishioners

Monday 27th
St Monica        Bank
Holiday

Tuesday 28th

Church   N.B.   10:00 am  Rev Tom Allen RIP

Salvina de Brito
RIP

St Augustine,
Bp. D.

Church
9.15 am  Tina Harrington
RIP

Wednesday
29th

The Beheading of St John the Baptist, M

Church
12:15 pm   Holy Souls RIP

Thursday   30th

Friday  31st

Saturday 1
Sept

Feria

Church                9.15
am   Special Intention [JH]

Feria

Church                9:15 am   Cecily Sim
RIP

NO HOSPITAL MASS

St Sebbi,
King of the East Saxons

Church
9.15 am    Intentions of Michael & Sarah
Dynan

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

September 2nd 2007 A.D.

Saturday September 1st

Sunday September 2nd

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Stephen Mooney RIP

Thanksgiving   [JH]

Special Intention [WH]

Tom Colgan RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Patricia Brookes RIP [A]

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Intentions of Maria Lumsden

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