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

THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY OF
THE YEAR [A]

November 16th 2008 A.D.

Day of Prayer for Prisoners and their
dependants]

Dear Friends

Maybe
not the best illustration at the moment but, often a successful businessman
enjoys the challenges and dealing with people as much as ensuring a healthy financial
turnover.  He loves to promote
people.  A good teacher in a
school for severely disturbed children works hard to promote self-belief and
self-confidence within children who have known nothing but setbacks and
disappointment. “Success comes in cans, not cannots”
shout the posters from the walls.

The
businessman and the teacher work in very different worlds, but a common
thread can be discerned.  Both
believe in the goodness of life and have taken up the challenge of promoting
others to live well and to do well with the gift of life that has been given
to us all.  When life treats us
badly perhaps the greatest challenge of all is to believe in the very worthwhileness of life.  If we take up the challenge - if we
engage - then in that sense we are all called to be entrepreneurs.

In
the Christian story the greatest entrepreneur of Christian living is St Paul.  He tells the Thessalonians not to
waste time wondering about the end of the world but to be concerned about how
good we make the time we have now.
“Seize the day”: Not desperately, but with
determination.  The sufferings,
setbacks, and missed chances which come our way are all painful, but in these
experiences we suffer the same torments as Christ.  But that is not failure.  Failure is the downright refusal to
try.  Burying the gifts you were
given, burying your talent is a bad business; learning to appreciate life, to
make your own personal contribution to it – that is to be an
entrepreneur.  Well done, good and
faithful servant.
God
bless

Today is a day of prayer
for prisoners, their dependants and all connected with the Prison Service.  This is no place to discuss the issues
of crime and punishment but if prisoners are to be rehabilitated, their human
dignity must be guarded and we must try to recognise the needs of their
dependants who, apart from the shame, often are in straightened circumstances.

EVENTS THIS WEEK – ALWAYS CHECK FOR ANY CHANGES

Monday 17th  November  7:30pm  Mercy Associates Meeting  See below

Wednesday
19th November 6.45-9pm
Scripture Course
Crypt

[N.B. No Scripture Meeting next week]

Thursday 20th November      7:30pm RCIA Meeting                      Crypt

Saturday 22nd November  10-5  Christmas Market             Hall
& Crypt

“
“
“
10.30 - 12 Christmas Fayre
Mersea

[N.B.  No Exposition today]

NEXT
SUNDAY IS NATIONAL YOUTH SUNDAY. Fr Dominic
writes: There will be a
speaker from the Youth Service at all Masses and there will be a second
collection to support work with young people in our Diocese. If you are part
of the Gift Aid scheme, please use the special second collection envelope
marked for Youth Sunday, 23rd November.

YOUTH
NEWS: Age 15 to young adult? Look at www.bcys.net for
full details of trips to Lourdes in the Summer (15+, July 2009); Lourdes
at Easter with HCPT (18+, April 2009); the Holy Land - Jerusalem and Galilee
(17+, October 2009) and to register your interest in joining 2 million
young people in Madrid for the next World Youth Day in 2011! Forms and full
details for all these trips - plus many more events closer to home - are on
the website, or call 01277 265286.

CHANGE
IN THE TIME OF MORNING CONFESSION:
With effect from the First Sunday in Advent, and for a trial
period of a year, morning Confession time will change to 9:45am-10:30am [with
Exposition at the same time].
Evening Confession time will remain at 5:30pm-6pm.
Fr Joseph

UNDERSTANDING :
The Parish’s First Holy Communion Programme will start
during Advent for young people in Year 3 and above.  An Information Pack will be available
after all Masses this weekend.
For further information please collect a pack.

MERCY ASSOCIATES:  Please note that the next Meeting takes place on
Monday 17th November at Christ
Church Court at 7:30pm.  Tel: 763049.

THE
LITURGICAL YEAR B:  Focusing on the seasons of Advent and Christmas. Tuesday 18th
November 7.30pm-9.30pm. Facilitator-
Mgr David Manson, VG. Venue: Cathedral Conference Centre, Brentwood. For booking -  Tel 01277 265257/265219.

CHRISTMAS
MARKET 22ND NOVEMBER 10am-5pm
in HALL & CRYPT:

F I N A L   R E Q U E S T:  Donations for food, tombola, assorted
cans, bottles, mince pies, mulled wine, cakes, biscuits, new/nearly new
children’s clothes, toys, books, games   A N D willing hands to assist on the day.  Call Frances 369568: Sue 511177: Isobelle 563292.
All are invited to come and support this parish event and raise money
for parish funds.

MERSEA NEWS:  Mersea are holding their annual Christmas Fayre
on the 22nd November from 10.30am-12noon.
Time to support both functions in
our parish.

ST
THOMAS MORE APPLICATION FORMS 2009/10:
Mrs Bridget Harris, Headteacher, writes:
Please note that in addition to the ECC Application Form, a separate Supplementary
Information Form is also needed.
These separate forms are available only from the School Office.

Christ
Child - a musical telling of the Nativity - plus
hymns and songs for Advent, chosen and performed by children from 27 primary
schools from across the Diocese. Our
own St Thomas More School
choir will be performing on the 27th November. A beautiful,
lively and joyful way to begin the Advent season. Thursday 27th and
Friday 28th November, 7.00pm,
Brentwood Centre. Tickets £10
adults / £5 concs / £25 family. Only
available from Brentwood Centre box office, 01277 262616. Proceeds to the Brentwood Catholic
Children's Society and Brentwood Catholic
Youth Service. Everyone is welcome!

CONFIRMATION:
If
you are currently in Year 9 and above,
and would like to know more about the Sacrament of Confirmation, you are
invited to the meeting entitled “Come and See” which takes
place in the Crypt after evening Mass on Sunday
7th December.  Here you will
meet the team and find out more about what is involved. Further details: contact
Andrew Johnson 01206 861360.       Bishop Thomas will be visiting the parish next
year on the 20th September 2009 and will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation
at the 10:30am Mass.

SATURDAY
SOUP RUN:  Contrary to popular
belief, the Saturday Soup Run is still very much up and running.  A total of 12 loaves for sandwiches
were used last Saturday alone!
Thank you to anyone who answered the recent request for more helpers.  There are sufficient at the moment,
but I’m sure I’ll be told when more are needed in this joint Faith
venture.
Diana

MINISTRY
OF WELCOME: In the coming
weeks Mr Peter Thorpe will be taking over the running of this Ministry.  If you are interested in becoming a
Minister of Welcome, please contact the Parish Office.

APF “MISSION TODAY”
CALENDARS:  Parishioners are invited
to take a free copy of the 2009 Calendars available, so perhaps “Red
Box” holders could have first bite.  More box holders are needed.  To obtain one please contact Ron
Griffin after Mass or on 01206 571590.

SICK  PARISHIONERS:    Yvette Hughes, Mary Pink, Peggy Wilding.

DAILY:
Rosary 8:35am; Divine Mercy 9am [Wednesdays 11:30am]

EVENING
PRAYER:
Monday to Friday 5.45pm
in the Church

PRAYER
GROUP:
Mondays at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION
GROUP:
Tuesdays @ 8pm @ 48 Priory Street

EXPOSITION:     Not 22nd November
Saturdays 10am
– 11am

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 the Parish Office know.

LITURGY FOR THE THIRTY
THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [A]

November 16th 2008 [Day of Prayer for
Prisoners and their dependants]

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

Saturday  November 15th

Sunday
November 16th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

4:00
pm

6:30
pm

Terry Fenton RIP

D/Relatives: O’Grady Family RIP

Doris and Tony Murphy RIP

POLISH MASS

Ann de Smith RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Bridget Jowers RIP [AD]

Mile
End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Heather and Frank Mills RIP

Monday 17th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Barbara Putt RIP

Tuesday 18th

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Intentions of Sean
O’Riordan

Wednesday
19th

Feria

Church      12:15 pm   Margaretta Wright RIP

Thursday 20th

Feria

Church       9:15 am   Baby Enuezie RIP

Dr Edmund Solomon RIP

Friday 21st

The Presentation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary

Church
9:15 am  Intentions of Geraldine O’Mahoney

Saturday 22nd        St Cecilia, V.M.

Church       9:15 am    Frederick Fordham RIP

LITURGY FOR OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST THE KING  [A]

[Youth Day] 23rd November 2008

Saturday   November 22nd

Sunday     November 23rd

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30
pm

Wilbur & Muriel MacDonald RIP

Lynda Scott RIP

Dorothy Burke RIP

Paolina Passantino
RIP [A]

West Mersea

8:30
am

Henry Johnson RIP [A]

Mile End

9:15
am

Canon John Bloomfield RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Parishioners

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]

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

The Brentwood
Diocesan Trust – Registered Charity No. 234092