ST. JAMES
THE LESS AND ST. HELEN

CATHOLIC CHURCH,
Colchester

with

Mersea, Mile End and Monkwick

Fr
Anthony  McKentey

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

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
(C)

December 20th  2009- (Expectant Mothers)

My dear
friends,

On this final
Advent Sunday and in the days ahead, the Gospels relate to the events leading
up to Christ’s birth.  We
reflect on the love with which Our Lady welcomed her Son into the world.  Today, we hear of the joyful occasion
when she visited her cousin Elizabeth
who proclaims on behalf of us all: “Blessed
art thou among women.”

The second Advent preface speaks of the joy Jesus gives us as we

prepare to celebrate his birth.
May he find us watching in prayer, our

hearts filled with wonder and praise.

May the
celebration of Our Lord’s birthday be very special for all of you.  Fr.
Brett, Fr. Philip and I are looking forward to celebrating the great feast
with you all later this week.

A Happy and
Holy Christmas to you all.

Fr. Tony McKentey

DAILY:     8.35am  Rosary & Divine Mercy (Wednesday 11.30am)

PRAYER GROUP:                            Mondays
at 8pm in the Crypt

MEDITATION GROUP:
Tuesdays at 8pm in the Crypt

EXPOSITION:
Saturdays 9.45am – 10.30am

BAPTISM TODAY:  Noah Pike.  God bless this child and
congratulations to his family

SICK:  Please remember in your prayers: June Bickersteth, Clare Cooper,
Bridie Murphy, Baby Leah Patterson, Mary
Roddy, Hector Silva, Lucy Walker

FIRST HOLY
COMMUNION:  The programmes
take a break until Saturday 23rd 2010 – we wish the 52 young
people enrolled this year a very Happy Christmas.

CHRISTMAS VIGIL
MASS:  During the 6pm Family
Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve, we would encourage the children to come dressed
in Nativity costume – we are looking to fill the Church with Marys,
Josephs, Angels, Innkeepers
Donkeys and characters of all kinds to add to our celebration.  (Please hold off the King costumes
until Sunday 3rd January..)  Thank you

PENITENTIAL SERVICE will take place at Priory Street on
Monday next, 21st December at 7.30pm and all three priests will be
available for the Sacrament of  Reconciliation.   No Confessions on Christmas Eve or Saturday 26th.

AT HOME:  The Community at 74 Howe Close,
Greenstead will be At Home from 2-5pm in Monday 28th December for
you to drop in.  They will have
Evening Prayer at 5pm to
which you are welcome.

FEAST OF THE HOLY
INNOCENTS:  Mass 10.00am in Priory Street will be offered for
victims of abortion and the lives of embryos for their stem cells.  Please come to this Mass and ask God
in his mercy to turn the tide of anti-life measures this country is being
subjected to.
Colchester Pro Life

WALK WITH ME BOOKLETS
– A Journey of Prayer for Advent and Christmastide 2009:  Do take a copy of this Advent
Reflection.  These booklets
available at £1 each, have been specially
prepared for our Diocese, with an introduction by Bishop
Thomas.

REPOSITORY:  Please note the Repository will not
be open today, 20th December.
On Sunday 27th and through January there will be a SALE with money off
everything.

SECOND
COLLECTIONS remaining for the rest of this Financial Year:

January 31st Homelessness Sunday;  February 13th Lourdes Fund;  February 26th CAFOD (Lent
Family Fast Day);  March 14th
Catholic Education Service; Good Friday (April 2nd) Holy Places

BRENTWOOD DIOCESAN DIRECTORY 2010:  Available at the back of
the Church.  Again, priced at
£2.50 each.   BRENTWOOD NEWS also available –
but free!

CLEANERS – URGENTLY
REQUIRED for the Parish
Church – must be reliable.  If you can help please telephone
Helena Gibson Col. 794636.

READERS
REQUIRED:  We are rather short of
Readers at the 8am and 6.30pm Sunday Masses.  Volunteers would be most welcome to
contact Francis Carter on 01206 864479.

CHRISTMAS
OFFERING:  The Offertory Collection
at all the Christmas Masses is, by tradition, the parishioners’
personal gift to the Clergy.  In
this parish, Fr. Tony and Fr .Brett are the beneficiaries since this
collection forms the main part of their personal annual income.  Thank you

CHRISTMAS
MARKET:  Thank you all for your help and
support in making this a very successful event.  It was a pleasure to meet new and old
friends.  We must add a special
“Thank You” to the
young people who helped on both days – you were great.  The total raised
so far is £1,810, with more expected in the New Year.  A Happy Christmas to you all.

100 CLUB:  This was launched at our Christmas
Fair and already has approximately 70 members.  For your chance to win draw prizes of
£25, £15 and £10, sign up today with an advance payment of
£12 to cover the whole of 2010.
Cheques to be made payable to ‘St
James the Less and St Helen Catholic Church’ and posted to the Parish
Office, quoting the name(s) of members.
The first draw will take place after we reach 100 members and winners
will be announced in the newsletter.
Why not treat yourself and/or relatives to a number?  At only £1.00 per month, you
know it makes sense.

FATHER
JOSEPH WHISSTOCK has his 50th Birthday on 1st January 2010 (New Year’s
Day) when he will be celebrating Mass at 11.30am in his new Parish of Westcliff-on-Sea.  We are making plans for some of us to
attend, and if you would like to join us, or receive further information,
please telephone Teresa Sales on Col.
795623 (or 07951575651).

YOUTH
NEWS:   The young people of The Most Holy
Redeemer Parish, Billericay invite the Youth of the Brentwood Diocese to a
Special Youth Mass and Gathering to be held at 8pm on Friday 8th
January 2010 in the Parish Pastoral Centre, Laindon Road,
Billericay.  The Mass is being said to celebrate
the start  of
The Most Holy Redeemer Parish Centenary celebrations which are being held
throughout 2010.  All the Youth of
the Diocese in Year 8 and above (and especially those who haven’t yet
returned to College or University after Christmas) are invited to
attend.  It promises to be a very
enjoyable evening that will include refreshments and some live music after
the Mass, which will be celebrated by Fr. Dominic.  If you are coming, mailto:[email-masked]
for catering purposes.

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 PARISH
WEB SITE: For
all inclusions etc, please get in touch with Don Clarke.  His email address is [email-masked]

LITURGY FOR THE
FOURTH  SUNDAY OF ADVENT –
YEAR C

Sunday – 20th
December 2009 (Expectant Mothers)

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

Saturday December 19th

Sunday  December 20th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

4:00
pm

6:30
pm

Caroline Long RIP

Alan Walker RIP

Dorothy Burke RIP

POLISH MASS

D/Rels:Arbuckle/Pettigrew
Families RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Michael Piquet-Wicks RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15 am

Ted Wilding RIP/Marie Lumsden RIP

Monday 21st

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Mary
O’Connel’s Intentions

May and Suzanne Moss
(Paul)

Church      7.30 pm   PENITENTIAL SERVICE

Tuesday 22nd

Feria

Church
9:15 am    Mr. and Mrs F.H. Dyer RIP
(Anne G)

Wednesday
23rd

Feria

Church
9:15 pm    Canon Thomas Clarke RIP

Thursday 24th

Church      9.15 am    Sister Alice    Helen Strachan RIP

THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD

Church     6.00 pm    Fred. Elizabeth & Angelo Lucas RIP

M’wick  8.00pm   Celestine Tighe RIP  (G.McCarthy)

Church  Midnight: Michael Piquet-Wicks RIP

Friday  25th

CHRISTMAS DAY- Holyday of
Obligation

Church      8.00 am    Cecily Sim
RIP  (M. Beyer)

10.30 am    Pat Knight RIP(Hosp.Chaplaincy Choir)

Mersea      8.30 am   Canon John
Bloomfield RIP

Mile End    9.15 am   Greta and Frederick Knight
RIP

Saturday 26th
Feast of ST. STEPHEN, First Martyr

No Confessions    Church     10.00 am   Agnes Chee
RIP   (Beyer)

Ints. Fr. Thomas Coffey

6.15 pm   Ray Gardiner RIP    (AG)

SUNDAY – THE HOLY
FAMILY OF JESUS MARY & JOSEPH

27TH December 2009 –

Sunday
December 27th

8:00
am

John Lowe RIP   (Family

10:30am

6.30
pm

Ernest Major RIP   (SVP) D/Rels
Herbert/Richards Families

West Mersea

8,30am

Parishioners

Mile End

9.15
am

Dec. Relatives Knapp
Family RIP

Monkwick

10.15 am

Dec. Rels/Friends
of Joyce Wrobel

The
Brentwood Diocesan Trust – Registered
Charity No. 234092