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 TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY
OF THE YEAR [B]

August 30th 2009 A.D.

Dear Friends

Maybe we know of someone who suffers from the
affliction of an obsessive-compulsive disorder or similar debilitating mental
illness; people who are tremendously scrupulous and invest enormous amounts
of time and energy in matters that the rest of us would hardly give a second
thought to.  There are, sadly,
some people who are like that about the practice of their religion – if
distracted during prayer, feel they have to restart the decade of the rosary
or say the “Our Father” three times before moving on.  Whilst we may conclude that such
people distance themselves from reality, they are actually attempting to
control God.  By looking at
today’s scriptures we may see a way forward. The Pharisees want to know
why Jesus permits his disciples to disregard the unwritten tradition of the
elders.  By not washing their
hands before eating, by using a pot with a rim, the Pharisees consider that
the disciples are not just breaking the rules of hygiene,
they are ignoring the rules that dictate the quality of people’s
relationship with God- they must be clean before God.  The Pharisees are attempting to
control God through the multiplying of meaningless rituals.  Jesus has no time whatsoever for this
petty approach, this play-acting.
It diminishes the relationship with a loving God to jumping through a
series of ritualistic hoops.  He
encourages his followers to go to the heart of things.  The Father is not to be bargained with
or controlled by contrived rules.
The Father speaks to the heart and invites the heart to respond with
love and service. Today, let’s look beneath the surface and into our
hearts.  Are we living
authentically, or merely playing a part?
Does the word of God challenge my way of thinking or acting?  The good news, the Gospel, liberates
us from a world of endless regulations.
It also challenges us and invites us to live a religion of the heart.

God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK  [Please check any changes]

Wednesday 2nd September      7pm SVP
Meeting
Presbytery

DAILY:                 8:35am; Rosary &Divine
Mercy  [Wednesdays 11:30am]

PRAYER
GROUP:                                           Mondays  at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:                                   Tuesdays
at 8pm in the Crypt

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays at 9:45am – 10:30am

FR PAUL DAVIS:
Please remember Fr Paul in your prayers.  He is recovering well in Basildon Hospital, following surgery.

SECOND COLLECTION:  The
upcoming second collections were mentioned in last week’s Newsletter, so
next weekend, 6th September, there will be a second collection for
the Brentwood Ecclesiastical Education Fund [BEEF] after all Masses.  This annual Diocesan collection
contributes towards the cost of priests in training.

CANONESSES OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE:  Having
resided at No. 48 Priory Street
for the last 4 years or so, the Community have now moved to 74 Howe Close in
Greenstead Parish.  Their
telephone number remains unchanged – 867296.  The Community will still be involved
with certain aspects of our Parish life and will continue their work at the
hospitals and Hospice. We wish them well in their new surroundings.

BAPTISMS TODAY:  George Beamont,
Kieran Coley, Charlie Eales, Henry Turnbull, Finlay
Watkins.  God bless these children
and congratulations to their families.

BAPTISM COURSE:   The next Baptism Course has been
arranged and will take place on Mondays, 12th and 19th
October at 7:30pm in the Crypt. This Course is for all those wishing to have
a child [of up to 6 years] baptised in the months up to and including December.  If you wish to present a child for
Baptism, please note that both sessions must be attended.  There is no need to make an
appointment.

For
all members/parents of the Confirmation group: Our
penultimate meeting is after evening Mass next Sunday 6th September. We have our “Going Forth“ Mass 10:30am Sunday
13th September; a Reconciliation Service at 10am on Saturday 19th September  and a rehearsal which follows. Please
ask your sponsors to attend the rehearsal. The actual Confirmation takes place at 10:30am on the 20th
September.

Guild
of St. Stephen [Altar Servers]: The Bishop makes
his visitation to the Parish on the 20th September. Could you all
please sign the notice in the sacristy if you are able to serve at the 10:30am Mass. There will
be a rehearsal on Saturday, 19th September after the 10am
Reconciliation Service at approximately 11am.

BOOK CLEARANCE SALE. Last week. Proceeds to
Justice and Peace funds for projects at home and abroad.

SCHOOLS & YOUTH OUTREACH WORKER: Pax Christi, are looking to appoint a Schools and Youth Outreach
Worker to take responsibility for developing and coordinating Pax Christi’s work with schools, teachers,
chaplains and youth workers. Salary: £25,563.  Based at the
Pax Christi office in London. Application deadline 9th
September. For more information

and
Application Form contact: Pat Gaffney, Pax Christi,
St Joseph’s Way, LONDON NW4 4TH  Telephone: 0208 203 4884.   www.paxchristi.org.uk

UNION OF CATHOLIC
MOTHERS: The next meeting is
on Thursday September 10th at 8pm in the Crypt. New members always
welcome.

BRES
AUTUMN LECTURE on Thursday 10th September at
7.30pm in Cathedral House.    Fr Christopher O’Donnell O.Carm, author and theologian, will speak on ‘The
Challenge of St Thérèse: Thoughts on
the visit of her Relics’.   Tel: BRES on 01277
265285.   Cost: £5 waged, £3 unwaged.

PRIORY STREET THEATRE GROUP present 'It's
a kind of magic' - Friday and Saturday 11th and 12th September in the
Cardinal Bourne Hall at 7.30 pm. Come and enjoy excerpts from Chicago and We will Rock
you. Tickets: Adults £5; children and concessions £2.50. Contact Lesley 01206 512310

MALTA DAY 12TH SEPTEMBER:  Mass at Westminster Cathedral at 2:30pm
preceded by a traditional Maltese Fair in Westminster Cathedral Hall, with a
Gala Dinner Dance in the evening at the Churchill Hotel.  Full details on the poster in the
porch.,

MUSIC GROUP: The music group returns
to 10.30 Mass on Sunday 13th September.
The first practice will be on Thursday 10th September at 7.30 pm in the church. Anyone wishing to join
us, either singing or playing, please come along. We
would welcome new members.

YOUNG CATHOLIC ADULTS: At Douai
Abbey -Saturday 19th September  at 10am –Mass (the choir
will be the Douai Singers) in the main Abbey Church
followed by a Marian Procession
around the extensive grounds of the Abbey at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church).  Sunday 20th September Mass at 10.15am in the Douai Abbey
Parish Church
(the smaller Church next to the main Abbey). Retreat
for 18-35 Year Olds- If you are in the 18-35ish age range, there will
also be a retreat led by Fr. De Malleray FSSP (head
of the international Juventutem Federation) at
Douai Abbey 18-20th September. How to Book for the retreat: From as
little as £25 for students (or £48-88 for non students) for more
details, please see http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/news.htm
; call 07908 105787; email [email-masked]

KSC
– DAY OF RECOLLECTION:  On Saturday, 19th September at Clare Priory, starting with Mass at 10am; concludes at 4pm.  Cost: £12 which includes soup
and a roll. Transport is by private car so if you would like to go and need a
lift, please contact Bill de Smith on 767597.

SVP OUTING
– TUESDAY, 6TH OCTOBER:   The SVP is arranging an outing to
Brick
Lane Music Hall on this day. Tickets are £30, which
includes the Matinée, Afternoon Tea and
Coach.  For full details and to
book call Anna on 242170 or Ann on 844914.

IF YOU ARE
NEW TO THE PARISH: please introduce yourself to one of the priests after Mass.  A registration form [on the table in
the porch] will need to be completed.
If you are moving within or out of the parish, please let the parish
office know.

THE PARISH
WEB SITE:  For all contact,
inclusions etc, please get in touch with Don
Clarke.  His email address is [email-masked]

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

August 30th 2009  A.D

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

Saturday  August  29th

Sunday    August  30th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Parishioners

Pedro Arrieta RIP [A]

Colin Douglas Taylor RIP [A]

Lyn and Richard Cook RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

John and Bridget Jowers
RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Alfredo Sagnella RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Intentions of Tony Wright

Monday  31st

N.B.

Feria
[Bank Holiday]

Church     10:00 am  Cecily Sim RIP

Holy Souls RIP

Tuesday  Sep 1st

St Sebbi,
King of the East Saxons

Church      9:15 am   Mary
and Bernard O’Dwyer RIP

Wednesday 2nd

Feria

Church      12:15 pm In Thanksgiving [JH]

Thursday 3rd

St Gregory the Great,
P.D.

Church      9:15 am   Poor Souls RIP

Friday  4th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Jay Family Intentions

Special
Intention

Saturday  5th        Feria

Church       9:15 am   James Sweeney RIP [A]

LITURGY FOR THE TWENTY-
THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [B]

September 6th  2009 A.D.

Saturday September 5th

Sunday   September 6th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Michael Flynn RIP

Intentions of Mary
Pink

Parishioners [BB]

Gurmeet Sandhu
RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Intentions of Eileen Galea

Mile End

9:15
am

Michael Stammers RIP [A]

Monkwick

10:15 am

Holy Souls RIP

SACRAMENT
OF RECONCILIATION     Saturday 9:45-10:30am 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]

www.marriagecare.org.uk   or 0800 389 3801.
www.brentwoodvocations.org

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No.
234092