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 SECOND SUNDAY OF
EASTER  [A]   March 30th  2008

Dear Friends,

The theme of today’s readings could be
described as being an early version of the “before and after”
type of selling. Pictures don’t lie of the woman who lost 3 stones in 3
months following a certain diet or
the prematurely grey-haired 30 year old man who’s discovered the new
formula hair colorant.  In the
gospel, Thomas is the ultimate hard-bitten consumer who won’t believe that
Jesus is risen from the dead unless he has the
evidence in front of him.  We know
from experience that it isn’t easy to believe in someone we cannot see
for ourselves but we also know that many people who
did see Jesus, did not believe in him.
Seeing does not necessarily lead to believing.  The apostles have a unique place in
the Church because they saw Jesus and believed in him and they were
commissioned to share their faith with others.  Without their actions there would be
no Christian faith, which is why, as we pray the creed, one of the marks of
the Church is that it is “apostolic”.  We have no experience of the physical
presence of Jesus but our understanding of him is linked through previous
generations of Christians back to the apostles themselves.  A great chain of faith linked to the
person of Jesus himself and this chain, rather than getting weaker over time,
is a present reality in the Church
due to the Spirit which Jesus gives.
The Spirit is the life of the Church, the power which keeps the memory
of Jesus alive and which enables each of us to have a living relationship
with God.  He fills us with his
Spirit so that we can form a community which is faithful to the teaching of
the apostles, centred on the breaking of bread and
prayer and where all members care for each other’s needs.  We simply need to make that leap of
faith as Thomas did, but as Jesus tells Thomas: “Happy are those who
have not seen and yet believe”.
The fact that we are gathered here today is a sign of our belief and a
declaration of our love to pass on to future generations.

God bless

THANK YOU to everyone, centre stage and behind the scenes, who contributed to
the Easter Liturgies and thank you, too, for your cards, gifts and your generosity
in the Easter collection to all the Clergy.
Fr Joseph

CONGRATULATIONS
AND PRAYERS TO;- Delina Carnaffin,
Sabrina and Leanne Coogan, and Finley Murphy  baptised
at the Easter Vigil and to Gary Coombs
received into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter
Vigil.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Christine and Athol Brown
on the occasion of their Ruby Wedding Anniversary today.

RECENTLY
DECEASED: Please
pray for the repose of the soul of Margaret Parkinson and Francesca Ikejiani who have recently died.

A Series of 6 Talks between Easter and Pentecost
on the 5 Tuesdays in April  and
the 6th May, at the SION Community, Sawyers Hall
Lane, Brentwood, 8pm to 9.30pm followed by refreshments.   Theme   ‘Living Life In The Power
of The Holy Spirit’. Everyone Welcome.  For further information phone 01277
215011 or 0208 531 7020

PILGRIMAGE
TO KRAKOW – 12TH MAY: There are a few places still available.  Please contact Mrs Blackett
on 01277 821886 or see Fr Joseph.

AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED
PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM:
Saturday 5th April. Transport available but limited
seats.  Full details from John
Sutcliffe 851838.

MERCY
ASSOCIATES:  The next Meeting takes
place on Monday, 7th April at Christ Church Court.  Tel. No. 763049.

SVP SPRING
OUTING TO NORFOLK BROADS:
Saturday 12th April.  Will include an hour-and-a-half river
cruise on a paddle steamer and afternoon visit to Snape
Maltings.
Start: 9am. Cost:
£17.50pp.  To book, ring
Anna 242170; Ann 844914.

SPONSORS
REQUIRED FOR LONDON MARATHON
RUNNERS: [1] Sean Moriarty is running for
the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society. If you have access to the
internet, the securest way to donate is to visit www.justgiving.com/seanmoriarty   [2] Fr James McShane,
PP of Tilbury, is running for Scope and has pledged
£1500.  Any surplus funds
will go to the Diocesan Youth Lourdes Pilgrimage. Cheques
payable to “Our Lady Star of the Sea”.  [The Marathon
is on April 13th].

EASTER SEASON : Saturday 19th
April 10am-3.30pm. A Day
with Father Gerald O’Collins  SJ.           Did
Jesus rise from the dead? Why does it matter?

At the Cathedral Conference Centre, Brentwood. Cost £10. For booking and further
information contact 01277 265219 or email
the secretary [email-masked].

INTER-FAITH
CONFERENCE: A day conference on inter-faith relations, led by Bishop Thomas, will be held at the Cathedral
Conference Centre on Saturday 17th May – 10.30am to
3.30pm.  The conference will
explore the teaching of the Church on dialogue with other faiths.
Admission is free but please book by contacting the Commission for Evangelisation & Formation [CEF]: [email-masked]  or telephone  01277 265289.

DIOCESAN
PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM - Saturday 31st May, led by Bishop Thomas.  Please see poster for the day’s programme.

DIARY DATE:
Pilgrimage to Medjugorje 12-19th
September.
From Gatwick £415.  Last few
places left.  Please contact Jan Cavanagh 01473 730426.

ARE
YOU A CAR DRIVER AND COULD YOU SPARE AN HOUR ON A WEEKDAY ONCE A MONTH/SIX
WEEKS?:   Please contact the Parish Office.

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, John Rae, Sheila Shillingford,
Alwyn Stains, Carole Stover, Peggy Wilding, Chetty Zammit.

Please be reminded that, because of the
Data Protection Act, we are not advised by hospital staff of Catholic
inpatients. If you have family or friends who have been admitted to
hospital and who would like a visit, do let one
of the priests know.

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

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

PRAYER
GROUP:                                                     Mondays at 8pm in the Crypt

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

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays 10am – 11am

FINANCES
FOR FEBRUARY:  Av.wkly colln
incl. STOs; £2212; CAFOD £1005; Leprosy
Guild £1461; Holy Land Collection £413; donation £150.  Outgoings: £1247 balance-new
phone system; £1960 first of windows to be secondary double-glazed in
Presbytery; £608 gas; £448 electrics, both ex Hall.  £43 Mersea water bill;
£2500 to the Diocese. The cost of the recent refurbishment in the
Cardinal Bourne Hall totals £11,384 to date, and has been self-financed
with the approval of the Finance Committee. Many thanks to Frank Coulter, the Hall Manager, for all his help
with the organization and supervision of these recent works.
Fr Joseph

GIFT AID: You are reminded that the
new set of envelopes are available for
collection.  They will be brought
to Mersea and Monkwick on 30th today  and to Mile End next week.

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

LITURGY FOR THE SECOND
SUNDAY OF EASTER [ A]

March 30th  2008
A.D

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

Saturday  March  29th

Sunday
March 30th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Colin Lowe RIP

Beryl and Arthur Oliver RIP

Cora and Philomena RIP

Holy Souls RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Charles Makin RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Maria Lumsden RIP [PC]

Monday 31st

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

Church               9:15 am   Stephen Hilton RIP

Tuesday Apr
1st

Feria

Church               9:15 am   Mary
O’Donnell RIP [A]

Wednesday 2nd

Thursday 3rd

Friday 4th

Saturday 5th

Feria

Church   N.B.   10:00 am   Fr Brian Houghton RIP

Feria

Church               9:15 am
Poor
Souls RIP

Feria

Church               9:15 am   Luke Chelatampu
RIP [A]

Church
11:00 am  FUNERAL – Francesca Ikejiani RIP

Feria

Church
9:15 am Jay Family Intentions

LITURGY FOR THE THIRD
SUNDAY OF EASTER  [A]

April 6th 2008 A.D.

Saturday  April 5th

Sunday    April 6th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Moira Pryke
RIP

Intentions Eamonn
and  Esther Crowe

Charlie Zammit RIP

Clyde Jardim
RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Charles Makin RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Maria Lumsden
RIP [PC]

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Saturday 10:00-11:00 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]

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

Vocations                                             www.brentwoodvocations.org

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092