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

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR [B]

November
19th 2006 A.D.

Dear Friends

Throughout history the art of storytelling has
developed in many cultures as a way of keeping the past alive and comforting
the people when the future looked bleak.
Jesus of Nazareth would have been familiar with the imagery and
comforting message of a bright new future, contained in the stories of his
people and expressed in the book of Daniel written 150 years before his
birth.  He, too, lived in restless
times under occupation.  Yet in a
world much more connected to the earth and the changing of the seasons, Jesus
talked about the signs of spring as an indication of our liberation.

In the pages of the Bible there are many stories
of great figures who, as they  approach death, gather their
children or followers to give a final testament – Jacob, Moses, King
David.  Jesus, before he died,
gathered his disciples and delivered his final teaching on the future age,
instructing them how to live in the midst of political and cosmic upheavals
and part of Jesus’ final testament is what we hear in today’s
Gospel.  It is helpful to remember
that St Mark is writing at a time when there is widespread oppression and
persecution of the Christian community in Rome and no doubt Jesus’ followers
are wondering if the end is near, uncertain in their suffering how things are
going to turn out.  Nobody knows
the details of the last pages of history, but there is a form of writing that
imagines the end time; it is called apocalyptic.  To give his readers hope, Mark gives
them Jesus’ vision of the future.
For that is the purpose of all apocalyptic writing: to fund the hope
of those who suffer in the present.
In the meantime, we have to depend on the promise of Jesus:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass
away”.  No one, not even the
Son, knows when this all this will take place.  The only sure thing we can hold onto
is the word of Jesus.  As
disciples, we are called to be people of vision, to be alert to the new
shoots of hope in our broken world.
God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Monday 20th        7:30pm     Mercy Associates
Meeting     See
below

Thursday 23rd      7pm          Monkwick
Parish Meeting
St Theodore’s

“
“
7:30pm    Journey in Faith
Meeting
Crypt

Friday 24th
12 noon      Hospital Mass
– Chapel adjacent to Wivenhoe Ward

Saturday 25th    10-12          First
Holy Communion Programme
C.B.H.

ADMINISTRATION
OF COMMUNION AND VIATICUM TO THE SICK BY A SPECIAL MINISTER:  If any Eucharistic Minister
would like an up to date copy of this booklet, they are available from the
Parish Office, price £2.75.  Those who were commissioned for the
first time last June should have already received their copy.

THANK
YOU to those parishioners who sponsored Geoffrey in the recent bike ride
for the Essex and Suffolk Historic Churches Trust.  £180 was raised.

MERCY ASSOCIATES:  Next Meeting – Monday, 20th November at 7.30pm at Christ Church Court.  Tel. 763049.

MERSEA NEWS: Our
Christmas Fayre is being held at the Church on 25th
November, starting at 10.30am.  Please come and join us to get all
your Christmas gifts, enjoy tea/coffee and biscuits with your friends on
Mersea.

ESSEX RECUSANT SOCIETY [Brentwood Diocesan Historical Society]: The next
meeting will take place on Saturday 25th November at Brentwood Ursuline Convent at 2:30pm.  Dr
Melissa Wilkinson will speak on “The Life, Spirituality and Rule of Fr
Frederick Faber’s religious order The Brothers of the Will of
God”. For further details or to join the Society, please contact Isobel
Parks on 01268 289678.

FRIENDS OF PERU:  Peruvian Crafts will be on sale in the Cardinal Bourne Hall after the
10.30 Mass on November 26th.

SVP TRIP TO CALAIS
– 29TH NOVEMBER:
There are 4 seats left.  Phone 242170 or 844914 for full
details.  Pick up East Hill at 7a.m. Passports required. Cheques payable to Colchester SVP.

DONATIONS FOR DIGNITY:  This is an invitation from the Colchester Night Shelter to an event
there on Thursday, 30th November between 11am and 3pm.  Turn up
whenever convenient and you will be given a guided tour as well as be able to
speak to staff, trustees and homeless people. The Night Shelter which has
helped the homeless since 1984 is now in great need of serious overhaul.

CHARITY CONCERT:  Primary Schools from across the Diocese are joining forces to create
a spectacular Charity Concert in aid the Brentwood Catholic Children’s
Society and the Youth Service at the Brentwood Centre on two different
nights. Ten different schools each night.  Our
own St Thomas More

Primary School is involved on Friday 1st
December at 6.30pm.  Please
support them! Tickets £10 [£5 concessions].  Bookings on 01277 262616.

ADVENT SUNDAY AT BRENTWOOD
CATHEDRAL:  Everyone is invited to a Short Advent Recital in Brentwood
Cathedral on Sunday 3rd December at 3.30pm by The Brentwood Singers and will feature the
music form the newly published CD Pie Jesu – composed by Andrew
Wright.  Copies
of the CD, and others, available.
At 5.00pm there
will be Solemn Vespers for the First
Sunday of Advent with the Cathedral Choir and The Brentwood Singers
followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Cathedral Parish Hall.

A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY: “Hope in Dark Places” -  SUNDAY 10TH DECEMBER 7:45pm at ST JOHN’S
CHURCH, ST JOHN’S CLOSE, COLCHESTER. Hymns and Readings
for Advent with the Choir of St Peter & St Paul,
West Mersea; Choreography by cre8.  Tickets are FREE but limited to first
applicants. [Collection to cover expenses on the evening]. To book, call Liz
Bird on 01206 843383.  Come to
watch or take part!

CHRISTMAS ORCHESTRAL & CHORAL CONCERT: In Brentwood
Cathedral on Saturday 16th December at 7.30pm.
Tickets £10- unreserved.
Available from the Music Office, Cathedral House, Ingrave Rd. Brentwood CM15 8AT. Enclose SAE; cheques
payable to Brentwood Cathedral Music. Details of programme –01277 265288.

CHRISTMAS 24/7 PRAYER ROOM:  This
Group is looking to run a town centre prayer room in the run-up to
Christmas.  The venue has yet to
be arranged and further details will follow.

BCYS 2007: Advance
news – more details on poster in the porch and all bookable
now.  Disneyland & Paris
12-16 Feb Yr12+ with Fr Bob Hamill/Catholic
Fellowship.  HCPT Easter Lourdes 8-14 April
18+; Celebrate, Devon
– Christian Conference 8-14 April 16+.  Limited spaces.  Summer
Lourdes 21-29 July Yr10+. Call 01277 265286 for full booking details. Sydney 08 – 8-22 Jul approx.

Cost – around
£1750 – start saving now! Age 17+.

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

EVENING PRAYER:
Monday to Friday 5.45pm

PRAYER GROUP:
Mondays in the Crypt – 8pm

MEDITATION GROUP:
Tuesdays at 48 Priory
Street – 8pm

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays
10am – 11am

SICK PARISHIONERS:  Please pray for Emily Begg, June Bickersteth, Tony Bickersteth, 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 e mail address is [email-masked]  Otherwise Donald may be contacted via
the Presbytery.  Please leave
envelopes for him.

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

November 19 2006  - Day of Prayer for Prisoners and their
Dependants

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

Saturday November 18th

Sunday   November 19th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

4:00 pm

Pietro
and Paulina Passantino RIP

Intentions
of John and Nicola Treby

Harry
Crummy RIP

POLISH MASS

West Mersea

6:30 pm

8:30 am

Vito
Anzalone RIP

Tony,
Gina and Joe Galea RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Frank
and Heather Mills RIP

Monday 20th          Feria

Church

9:15 am

Margaretta Wright RIP

Tuesday 21st

Presentation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Church                9:15
am   Poor Souls RIP

Wednesday 22

Thursday 23rd

St
Cecilia V.M.

Church

Feria

Church

9:15
am

9:15 am

Intentions
of William James [BC]

Lynda
Scott RIP

Friday 24th

Gen Hosptl

SS
Andrew

Church

Chapel

Dung-Lac,

9:15 am

12 noon

Pr
& Comps, Mm

Mrs Aleykutty George RIP

Special
Intention

Saturday 25th

Feria

Church

9:15 am

D/Rels. Herbert/Richards Families RIP

LITURGY
FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE KING
[B]

National
Youth Sunday  - November 26th 2006 A.D.

Saturday
November 25th

Sunday    November 26th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Mr
& Mrs Milford
& Lionel Wright RIP

D/Rels. Lavery & O’Dwyer Families RIP

In
Thanksgiving [Jade & Jurellen Paez]

D/Rels. Brogan Family RIP

West Mersea

8:30 am

Elizabeth
Fleetwood RIP [A]

Mile End

9:15
am

Jon
Fairy RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Parishioners

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