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 EPIPHANY
OF THE LORD [A] – 6th
JANUARY 2008 A.D.

Dear Friends,

The hope of Epiphany is a
vulnerable and innocent child, but a child who is worshipped with regal
gifts; gold for a king, frankincense for the worship of God; myrrh – a
sign of the anointing at death – which will mark the climax of Jesus’
life. In today’s Gospel, Matthew is aware that Judaism has rejected
Jesus as the Christ while many pagans [Gentiles] have accepted him.  That situation is reflected in the
story when we see King Herod and the Jewish leaders united in their rejection
of Jesus, while the pagan travellers from faraway
lands come to worship the child king of the Jews.  As Mary
and Joseph looked into the eyes of their child, could they ever have imagined
that he would die at thirty-three on a cross as a criminal and that two thousand years later, people would celebrate his
memory? The paradox of the cross is shown in the contrasts: vulnerability but
power, human but divine, Jew but universal.  Religious conflict has a long and
tragic history.  These conflicts
indicate the deeper conflict of the human heart: pride, the desire for power
and wealth, the need for superiority and identity over others and the
insecurity of the human heart needs external supports and earthly
victories.  Jesus reveals a
different meaning for human life. The message of peace proclaimed to the
shepherds may seem distant and ideal. However, the disciple is called to love
which goes beyond liking but demands treating the other with respect and
dignity, to accept the distinctiveness of others.  Peace can come only through
self-sacrifice, through living with the cross.  Only in the cross, in the mystery of
death and resurrection, can this occur.
To hear the plea of others, to try and understand their viewpoint, can
be the beginning of a journey of reconciliation.  Although we might despair that peace
is unachievable, St Paul’s
life and his conversion shows how the power of God is active in human
weakness.  When the wise men leave
their gifts they take away a treasure that surpasses anything they brought
themselves.  They take away the
gift of knowing who Jesus is: and they return to their own country. Faith in
Jesus is not limited to any geographical boundary but is a gift to be shared
with others as we find Christ here in the word and in the breaking of the bread
in the midst of the community.                                               God bless

EVENTS THIS
WEEK

Tuesday 8th January
8pm
Meditation Group restarts          48 Priory Street

Wednesday 9th
January   7-9pm
Scripture Course restarts                          Crypt

“
“
“
7pm     SVP Meeting                                     Presbytery

Saturday 12th
January   10am  Parents and children re FHC Programme    Crypt

THE
HOLY FATHER’S MISSION INTENTION FOR JANUARY 2008: that the Church in Africa
may bring reconciliation and justice in a continent still suffering from war,
exploitation and poverty.

RECENTLY
DECEASED:  Please pray
for the repose of the soul of Florence Fuller who has recently died.  May she rest in peace.  Her funeral has been arranged for
Friday, 18th January at 11am
at Priory Street.

BRENTWOOD CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S SOCIETY ANNUAL CRIB
COLLECTION will continue until next Sunday, the end of the Christmas season.

BAPTISM
COURSE:  The next
Baptism Course has now been arranged.
It will take place on the evenings of  Monday, 28th January and Monday 4th February from
7:30pm to 9pm in the Crypt.  Both
sessions must be attended.  If
you wish to present a child for baptism, there is no need to make an
appointment – just turn up on the 28th January.

CONGRATULATIONS TO Tania du Plessis and Simon Williams married here yesterday.

MERCY ASSOCIATES:  The Next meeting takes
place on Monday, 7th January at 7:30pm at Christ
Church Court.  Tel. 763049.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION:  An information pack will
be available after Masses this weekend from the Priests for any children in
Year 3 and above.  The first
session for children and their parents will be in the Crypt at 10am on Saturday 12th January.  Names of Prayer Sponsors will be
gathered over 12/13 January after Masses.  For further information contact Hywel
& Pam Edwards on 867325.

2008
WHITE FLOWER APPEAL: The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children
[SPUC] will be holding its annual White Flower Appeal next weekend in this
Parish.  In common with the
Catholic Church, SPUC defends and upholds the sanctity of human life from
conception until natural death.
The Society opposes laws and policies which violate or threaten human
life such as abortion, euthanasia, research on human embryos and anti-life
sex education.  SPUC also provides
trained speakers for schools and colleges and a range of pro-life support
services.  Please give generously
to this very worthy cause.

PRIORY
STREET THEATRE GROUP PRESENTS: “A
Fairy Tale Adventure”.
Lose the after Christmas blues with this brand new tale.  Come and meet some of your favourite nursery rhyme characters.  In the Cardinal Bourne Hall, Priory Street on
Wednesday, January 16th and Friday, January 18th at 7:30pm; and Saturday January 19th
at 3pm and 7:30pm.  Tickets £5 adult - £2.50
children and concessions.  For
tickets and more information, contact Lesley
on 01206 512310

THE
WINTER RESERVE ACCOMMODATION PROJECT [WRAP] will not be taking place
this year in Colchester.  It is hoped that next year the Project
will be resumed.

APPLICATIONS
TO ST THOMAS MORE PRIMARY SCHOOL
– PRIEST REFERENCE FORMS:  Fr Joseph has
set aside the following dates for parents wishing to make an appointment for
the completion of the Priest’s Reference Form.  These applications relate to September
2008 intake only.

Monday,
21st January
10am – 12.00pm

Friday
25th January
10am – 12.30pm
and 2.30pm – 4.30pm.

Please call the Parish
Office on a Monday, Tuesday or Friday to
book your appointment.

SICK
PARISHIONERS: Please pray for Emily Begg, June Bickersteth, Marie Dixon, John Fisher, Denisia Gray, Eileen Head, Michelle Huet,
Deirdre Kehoe, Catherine Libby, Sheila Parsons, 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

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

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays 10am – 11am

BRENTWOOD DIOCESAN DIRECTORY 2008:  Are on sale. Please buy
your copy – still priced at £2.25 – at least for this year.

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.

ABBOTSWICK
GOES LIVE!  The sisters have launched
a website for the House of Prayer which they invite you to visit at www.abbotswick.org They hope you will
appreciate the wonderful facility the diocese has at Abbotswick
which is open for everyone to use.
They look forward to welcoming you.

THE
REPOSITORY is open each Sunday from after the 8am Mass until 12:45pm in the Cardinal Bourne Hall.

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.

LITURGY FOR THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD A]

JANUARY 6TH 2008 A.D

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

Saturday  January 5th

Sunday
January 6th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Michael McInerney RIP

Intentions of Dermot
Moriarty

Kathleen and Donald Green
RIP

Laura [Lulu] Bray RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile
End

9:15
am

Herbert Ray RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Intentions of Peggy
Wilding

Monday
7th

Feria

Church               9:15 am   Mary
Sebastian RIP [A]

Tuesday
8th

Wednesday
9th

Feria

Church
9:15 am   Tom Corley RIP

Feria

Thursday
10th

Friday
11th

Saturday
12th

Church              12:15 pm   Intentions of Sr
Helen

Feria

Church                9:15 am   Fr Jim Linburgh
RIP

Feria

Church                 9:15
am  Intentions of Maura and
Frank

Monkwick
11:30
am  FUNERAL –
KATH MORRISSEY RIP

Feria

Church
9:15 am  Maria Fernandes
RIP

N.B.  NO EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

LITURGY FOR THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD  [A]

January 13th 2008 A.D.

Saturday  January 12th

Sunday    January 13th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

2:00 pm

3:30 pm

5:00 pm

6:30 pm

Michael and Mary Barrett RIP

Connie and Harry Welch
RIP

Salvina de Brito RIP

POLISH
MASS

SIGNED
MASS

HOLY
HOUR

Intentions of Maura and
Frank

West Mersea

8:30
am

Thomas and Bridie Smith RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Maria Lumsden RIP [JN]

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