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 EPIPHANY OF THE LORD   [C]

January 7th
2007 A.D.

Dear Friends

The wise men who come
bearing gifts help us to understand the person of Christ and the meaning of
his birth.  The star unites the
work of God in the heavens and on earth.
Three gifts point to the meaning of the person of the Christ
Child.  Gold is the gift which is
a sign of Kingship; Christ reigning over all people as Christ the King.  Frankincense is the gift which
indicates that Jesus is the Son of God.
The promise of God is fulfilled; God becomes flesh, lives among
people, heals the sick and forgives sin.
Myrrh is the gift which points to the fact that the Christ Child will
die and be buried.  He will be
anointed with myrrh at burial.
The feast of Epiphany looks forward to the great celebration of Easter
morning when the women come to the tomb and discover that Jesus has risen
from the dead.  God is triumphant
over death.

In a sense, the wise men are the ancestors of all
of us who seek for love, for acceptance and for understanding, and we know
that the journey towards wholeness and holiness is a journey without
end.  We do not have stars to
guide us but even the wise men had to stop being stargazers and consult the
scriptures to find out where Jesus was.
We don’t have stars to guide us, but we do have the scriptures
and each other in our journey to God.

The scriptures and the star led the wise men from
the east to Bethlehem
– meaning literally “House of Bread” – and that is
where our journey has taken us today, here in the house of bread.  We come to this place as seekers to
find Jesus again in the word of the scripture and in the breaking of
bread.  In the word and in the
sacrament we meet Jesus again and we meet him in each other, in our frailty
and brokenness.  The Lord is
present in each of us here.

God
bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Tuesday 9th
January
7:45pm
Mr Alan Whelan - Talk  [Hall]   See below

8pm   Meditation Group resumes.         See below

Thursday 11th
January
7.30pm
Journey in Faith Meeting.    Crypt

Saturday 13th
January
FHC Sessions      See below

Saturday 13th/Sunday
14th January   White Flower Appeal Weekend    See below

Sunday 14th
January
10:30am  FHC/Signed
Mass
See below

ALTAR SERVERS:  The following have received long term silver medals – Roger Thurlow, George and Alexander Johnson from Priory Street
and Christopher Jenner from Mersea. Newly enrolled into the Guild of St
Stephen with bronze medals are: Eugene Igbougi and
Charlie Hallows from Priory
Street; Rebecca King from Mersea; Joseph Fenning, John Sutcliffe, Peter and Tomas Mochowski from Mile End;

BAPTISMS TODAY: Esme
and Madeleine Bishop.  God bless these children and congratulations to their
family.

ON TUESDAY 9TH JANUARY IN
THE CARDINAL BOURNE HALL at 7.45PM-
Mr Alan Whelan, retiring Headmaster
of St Benedict’s R.C.
College, will be giving
an address on “Issues in Catholic Education” by invitation of the
KSC.  All parishioners are
encouraged to come along to hear what Mr Whelan has to say on this important
subject. Time will be allocated
for questions and discussion.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION: The children meet again in the Cardinal Bourne Hall
at 10am on Saturday 13th
January.  On Sunday 13th
January the 10.30am Mass will involve the hymns being signed by members of
the Pastoral Deaf Service, led by Sr Margaret Duffy.  All are invited.

WINTER RESERVE ACCOMMODATION PROJECT
– Keeping the homeless people off the streets this winter.  Once
again we are appealing for volunteers to come forward to help in the Cardinal
Bourne Hall with up to 6 homeless people for whom the Night Shelter has not
got beds and who would otherwise sleep on the streets. The first week will be 10th-17th January 2007.  If you could help, please phone Tony
Dixon on 729453.

JOURNEY IN FAITH MEETING: The next meeting takes place on Thursday 11th
January at 7.30pm. in the Crypt.

2007 WHITE FLOWER APPEAL: The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children
[SPUC] will be holding its annual White Flower Appeal next weekend of 13/14th
January.  The Society, which
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, plus a range of pro-life support
services for those in need.

MERCY ASSOCIATES: The next Meeting will take place on the 15th
January at 7.30pm at Christ Church Court.  Tel. 763049.

YOUTH
NEWS:

AGED 18-25 AND THINKING OF A GAP YEAR
FROM SEPTEMBER 2007?  A year on the Walsingham House Team offers the
chance to make a difference to thousands of young people, and to live and
work in a vibrant and interesting House, where Catholic faith matters.  Interested?  Email
[email-masked] or call Fr Dominic
on 01268 696610 as soon as possible to apply for September.

Help urgently needed!  Please help adults with special needs – have a holiday in
Disneyland and Paris
this half term February 12th-16th.  £310 includes travel, hotel,
insurance, Disney admission and most meals.  It
is a service trip, not a complete holiday: your help is vital.  Open to anyone aged 17 – 30.  Email
[email-masked] or call 01277
265286.

YOUTH SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR REQUIRED: 16 hours per week. Tues – Fri 10.00-2.00.
Start date early February. Competitive salary, based in Brentwood.  The Administrator
assists with all aspects of running our busy and friendly office. Closing
date for applications: 23rd January.  To apply email
[email-masked]  or call 01268 696610.

VACANCY - SOCIAL WORKER: The Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society has
a full time vacancy for a Social Worker who holds either a Certificate of
Qualification in Social Work or Diploma in Social Work Qualification, to work
with children and families in the Diocese, both in schools and the community.  The post is subject to NJC conditions
of employment.  For more
information, contact Frank Maguire [Director] or Eileen Campling
[Deputy Director] on 01268 784544 or email
[email-masked]
. Closing date for applications – Friday 26th January 2007.  Interviews will be held on Thursday, 1st February
2007.

A WEEK OF ACCOMPANIED PRAYER is planned for Sunday 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.  Full information and a
booking form are contained in the brochure available after Masses this
weekend.

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

Except Wednesdays  -
then at 11.40am

EVENING PRAYER:  Will  resume in the Church on Thursday 18th
January

MEDITATION GROUP:                                    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, 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.

LITURGY
FOR THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD [C]

January 7th 2007

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

Saturday January 6th

Sunday   January 7th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30 am

5:15 pm

6:30 pm

Michael
McInerney RIP [A]

Mildred
and Ernie Lane
RIP

Mrs Mary Sebastian RIP

EXPOSITION AND BENEDICTION

Canon
John Bloomfield RIP

West Mersea

8:30 am

Holy
Souls RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Intns. Wright & Boyden Families

Monday 8th
THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

Church

9:15 am

James Power RIP

Tuesday 9th

Feria

Church                9:15 am
Intentions of Maura and Frank

Wednesday 10

Thursday 11th

Feria

Church

Feria

Church

12:15pm

9:15am

Caroline
Long RIP

Special
Intentions [JH]

Friday 12th

Feria

Church

9:15 am

Robert
Bellord RIP

Saturday 13th

Feria

Church
9:15 am  Brian Ashenden RIP [WH]

LITURGY
FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
[C]

Peace Day
-  January 14th 2007

Saturday January 13th                    6:15 pm         Mr & Mrs P O’Leary
RIP

Sunday
January 14th

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Patrick
Bickersteth RIP

Helen
Norman RIP

Brian
Ashenden RIP

West Mersea

8:30 am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Margaret
Power RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Celestine Tighe RIP

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