ST. JAMES
THE LESS AND ST.
HELEN

CATHOLIC CHURCH, Colchester

with

Mersea, Mile End and
Monkwick

Fr  Anthony  McKentey

Fr
Neil
Brett

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 THE
YEAR [A]

January 16th  2011

My dear
friends,

Collect for Today:

Father
of heaven and earth, hear our prayers, and show us the way to peace in the
world. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

At first glance today the
subject of the Gospel today is a repeat of the Baptism of the Lord last
Sunday. On closer inspection we can see that it focuses on the “witness”
aspect of John the Baptist’s ministry. He identifies Jesus as the
“Lamb of God” and points Him out to those with him. He goes on to
describe how he saw the Spirit descending on Christ. “I am witness that
He is the Chosen One of God.” Our world needs witnesses. Are we ready
to prepare the way of the Lord?

The Second Collection this
weekend is in aid of CAFOD.

At the 10.30 on Sunday 23rd
there will be the annual pulpit swap marking the Week for Christian Unity.
Note also the unity service, details of which can be found elsewhere in this
newsletter.

May God bless you all,

Fr Neil Brett

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Wednesday 19th
6:45 pm   Scripture Group
Crypt

“
“
PM   Final WRAP
Session
Hall

Thursday 20th
7:30pm
RCIA                                               Crypt

Saturday 22nd
10—12
FHC
Group
Hall/Crypt

DAILY:   Morning
Prayer 8:15am; Rosary/Divine
Mercy 8:35am. [Wed. 11:15am]

PRAYER
GROUP                                            Mondays
@ 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:                                   Tuesdays @ 8pm in the Crypt

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays
@ 9.45am – 10.30am

SICK:  Please remember in your prayers: June Bickersteth, Joan Boyden, Nancy Drummond, Charlie George,
Bridie Murphy, Baby Leah Patterson, Hector Silva, Olivia
Thorpe.

CAFOD QUARTERLY COLLECTION:  Will
be taken up after all Masses today. It is a year since the earthquake in Haiti and
improvements are very slow. See how our money is helping in Haiti
at cafod.org.uk/sidebyside

BAPTISMS THIS WEEK: Lilo Bacani and Olivia
Geary-Cooper.  God bless these children and congratulations to
their families.

RECENTLY DECEASED:  Please pray for the repose of the soul of baby Dabrowski
and also George Onwuemezi.  May they rest in peace.  George’s funeral has been
arranged for Tuesday, 1st February, at 1:15pm at Colchester Crematorium.

PARISH GROUPS DUE TO RECOMMENCE:

Confirmation Group     Today,
16th January        7:30pm – 9:00pm

Scripture
Group           Wednesday, January 19th
6:45pm – 8:45 pm

FHC Group                  Saturday,
22nd January

PRIEST REFERENCE
FORMS FOR
ST THOMAS
MORE SCHOOL:
Fr Tony will be available at the Presbytery to
sign the Priest Reference Form for new applications to St Thomas More
School on the following
dates: Thursday 27th January
from 4pm and Friday 28th January from 5pm.  To book an appointment on either of those
evenings, please ring the Parish Office on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday.  Don’t forget to bring the form
with you!

BAPTISM COURSE [FOR CHILDREN UP TO 6 YRS]: The next Course has been arranged for Friday, 11th February 2011 and Friday, 18th February 2011,
7:30-9pm, in the Crypt.  Appointments
are not necessary, but both sessions must
be attended.

WINTER RESERVE ACCOMMODATION PROJECT [WRAP]; Keeping homeless people off the street this winter: Can you help?  The relevant weeks for our Parish are 12th-19th January 2011 and 9th-16th
February 20. It will be necessary for volunteers to sleep in the Hall
overnight but for full information please ring 01206 549 885 and speak
to Pernille.

PRIORY STREET THEATRE GROUP: present their annual pantomime: 'Fun
on the high seas'.  A Pirates’ Pantomime on Friday
21st January at 7.30 pm
and Saturday 22nd January at 3.00 pm
and 7.30 pm. In the Cardinal Bourne Hall, Priory Street. Tickets are £5 for
adults and £2.50 for children and concessions. For further details
contact Lesley on 01206 512310.

WEEK OF
PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY; Culminates next Sunday, evening, 23rd
January, with a Unity Service at 6:30pm at St Botolph’s
Church.  All church members are
invited.

DOMESTIC
ABUSE AWARENESS DAY: At Chigwell
Convent on Thursday 27th January next. Frank Maguire, the former
Director of the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society, will be speaking
from the family perspective and Helen Bassirat,
from the Diocese of Shrewsbury, will be speaking from the point of view of a
practitioner working in supporting those affected by domestic abuse. The day
will run from 10am to 3pm and as lunch will be provided you will need to book your place.
Please contact Elisabeth Abbott on
01277 265236 or email [email-masked]
if you would like to attend. Full details on the poster in the porch.

OASIS
OF PEACE (MEDJUGORJE) DAY: Come
and be renewed! On Saturday January 29th,
2011 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, 11, Church Hill,
Epping, Essex, CM16 4RA, from 10.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. With Canon Seamus
Keenan.  Includes Mass, Adoration, Rosary, Confession and discussion.
Bring packed lunch – drinks provided.

BRES
RETREAT SPIRITUALITY MORNING- Saturday 29th
January 2011 9.30-12.00   entitled “Contemplation in a
busy world.”    This will be led by Fr Christopher
O’Donnell, O.Carm. It will take place in
Cathedral House Conference Centre, Brentwood.
Cost £5. Tel 01277 265285.

ISRAEL/PALESTINE– THE UNTOLD STORIES: Saturday, 26 February 2.30 –
4.30 pm. Venue:  Peace House, Paradise Street, Oxford OX1 1LD. A Public Meeting with guest speaker Pat
Gaffney, General Secretary, Pax Christi.  Pat
has recently returned from a Pax Christi visit to
partners, churches and NGOs in the region to learn more about life under occupation
and create solidarity links with those working for peace and justice.  Preceded by Network for Peace AGM
at 1.30pm.

ECUMENICAL STUDY DAY ON THE HISTORY OF THE MASS: The Ninth Ecumenical Study Day arranged by the
diocesan Commission for Evangelisation and
Formation will take place at Brentwood Cathedral Hall on Saturday 5th
March from 10.30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The theme for the day is ‘The History of the Mass’. Abbot
Cuthbert Johnson OSB, former abbot of Quarr and a
renowned expert on liturgical matters, is the speaker. As usual, there is no
charge for the event and a buffet lunch is provided. Please book your place
by contacting [email-masked]
or by phone to 01277 265289.

‘BE
STILL’ DAY:  The parish of St Mary Immaculate & The Holy Archangels,
Kelvedon will be hosting a quiet day, learning about silent prayer, in Lent
run by Magdalen Houlihan
from Clare Priory on Saturday
26th March from 11.00 a.m. until 3.30 p.m. Tea,
coffee and a soup and roll lunch provided.  Donations towards Clare
Priory Building Fund.  For further
information and to book a place contact: Eve and Peter Regelous,
01376 518486 or 07947 796783 or email
[email-masked]

CLEANERS’ ROTA:
Thursday 20th January – Team
2.

NEW TO THE PARISH?:  Please
introduce yourself to one of the priests after Mass, complete a registration
form [on the big table in the porch] and return it to the Parish Office.  Please also advise the Parish Office
if you move within or out of the Parish.
PARISH WEB
SITE: For all inclusions,
contact [email-masked]

LITURGY FOR THE SECOND
SUNDAY OF THE YEAR  [A]

16th January 2011 – Breviary Week 2

Saturday January 15th

Sunday January 16th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

4:00
pm

6:30
pm

Special Intention [KF]

Timothy Beamish RIP

Margaret Rose RIP

POLISH MASS

Allan Jones RIP

Mersea

8:30
am

Intentions of Maureen Went

Mile End

9:15
am

Intentions of Mark de
Guzman

Monkwick

10:15 am

Parishioners

Monday 17th

St Anthony, Ab

Church     7:30am     Aileen Christian RIP

Church     9:15am     Maeve Healy RIP

Tuesday 18th

Feria

Church     9:15 am    Intentions of Joe Parkinson

Wednesday
19th

Feria

Church      7:30am    Frederick, Elizabeth & Angelo Lucas RIP

Church     12:15 pm  Ernest Jardim RIP

Thursday 20th

Feria

Church:     9:15 am    John & Julie O’Connor RIP

Friday 21st

St Agnes, V,M.

Church      9:15 am    Angelique Blin
RIP

Church      6:30 pm    Canon John Bloomfield RIP

Saturday 22nd       Feria

Church       9:15 am    Finbar Barry-Murphy RIP

LITURGY FOR THE THIRD
SUNDAY OF THE YEAR  [A]

January 23rd
2011

Saturday January 22nd

Sunday   January 23rd

6:15
pm

8:00
am

Mr & Mrs Milford RIP

Margaret Power RIP

10:30am

Frederick,Elizabeth&Angelo LucasRIP

6:30
pm

Margaret Harknett RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Rose Foley RIP

Monkwick

10:15am

Celestine Tighe 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