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

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT [C]

December
24th 2006 A.D.

Dear Friends

The days before Christmas
are busy days for us all.  We wonder
where all the time has gone since we first read one of those warnings about
shopping early for Christmas.  In
fact the great day when we celebrate our Lord’s birthday is now almost
here, a mere twenty four hours away.
Yet there is still time – if we so wish – to prepare a
worthy celebration of Christmas.
How? By striving, especially today and tomorrow and perhaps throughout
the coming week as well, to follow Mary’s
example: first, by thinking not just of ourselves but also of others,
stretching out to them in loving and practical concern; second, by finding
time, by making time if need be, to devote ourselves to a period even if only
for five minutes, of quiet prayer each day in a real spirit of faith; and
third, by entering into the joy which Christ’s coming into the world
brings with it.

If we strive to do these
things, whatever our other festivities may be, we shall indeed have “a
real good time”, for ours will surely be the true spirit of
Christmastide.

A suggestion:-  Before you leave church tomorrow,
Christmas Day, make sure you spare a glance for that Child in the
manger.  Can we believe that that
little mite really is the Word of God, really is God’s only-begotten
Son, really is Maker of heaven and earth? But if that takes some believing,
let’s take a look at ourselves.
Can we believe that with our frailty and sinfulness, we really are
members of God’s family, really do have Jesus as our elder brother?

Lord we believe, but
increase our faith.  Perhaps never
does your Mighty Word speak so eloquently of your bewildering love as when we
see him voiceless – a babe asleep in his mother’s arms.

“The
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us”

May God bless you and your loved ones this Christmastide

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Thursday 28th December  At Home at No. 48  10-12-30 and  2-5pm

Sunday 31st December  5pm Carol Service    Church     See below

CHRISTMAS OFFERING: By tradition, the Offertory
collection at all the Christmas Masses is the parishioners’ personal
gift to the Clergy.  In this
parish, Fr Joseph and Fr Paul Dynan
are the beneficiaries because what you give at Christmas [and Easter] forms
the main part of their personal annual income.

Thank you.

MR FRANK MAGUIRE, DIRECTOR,
BCCS WRITES:  “Please pass on my sincere
gratitude to your Parishioners for their kindness and generosity” [The
Appeal finally totalled £1,259.74].  “This gift will be used wisely
to help alleviate the sufferings of children and families whose difficulties
are so often invisible to the wider community”.

THE 6.30PM CHRISTMAS EVE
VIGIL MASS: As in the past,
the children will be invited to bring up their gifts of spare pocket money,
which will be  sent to the
Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society after the feast of the Epiphany,
together  with monies collected at
the Crib.

AT HOME – THURSDAY 28th
DECEMBER: The
Community at 48 Priory Street
will be at home on 28th December from after Mass to 12.30pm when there will be Mid-day
Prayer and from 2pm-5pm,
when there will be Evening Prayer in the house. You are warmly invited to
join the Community for coffee or tea and they hope you will bring a friend or
neighbour, new or old.

ON FRIDAY 29TH
DECEMBER, The Feast of St Thomas of Canterbury, there will
be a Tridentine Mass at Barking at 3pm with refreshments afterwards.

CAROL SERVICE:  a Carol Service will be held on behalf
of the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society at St James the Less on
Sunday 31st December at 5pm.  All are very welcome.

TRIDENTINE MASS: On the 6th January, there will
be a sung Tridentine Mass at Kelvedon
at 12.15pm.

KARAOKE NIGHT:  Conclude your Christmas celebrations
with a Karaoke Night on January 6th at 7.30pm.
Admission £4 for adults and £2 for children under 14.
Raffle and finger buffet.  Please
bring your own drinks and glasses

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.

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.

2007 WHITE FLOWER APPEAL: The Society for the Protection of Unborn
Children [SPUC] will be holding its annual White Flower Appeal on the 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.

VACANCY FOR HEAD OF FINANCE
AND ADMINISTRATION – SPUC:  A vacancy has arisen for this post.  Salary £30k p.a. in London [part time
possible, minimum 4 days].  Apply for
application pack by letter to: The National Director, SPUC 5/6 St Matthew St. London, SW1P 2JT
or by email to: [email-masked] . Closing date for
application: 31st
January 2007.

LIVING PRAYER 2007 –
APOSTLESHIP OF PRAYER BOOKLETS are available from the Parish Office. Price £1.25. Also the 2007 Diocesan Directories are
available at the back of the Church.
Price £2.25.

FRIENDS OF PERU is a support Group for the Sisters of
Mercy in Lima
and we have been in existence for 20 years.  In this time in Colchester
we have raised £105,835 through the sale of Peruvian crafts and various
events.  This year we have raised
£4,160.  Thank you all for
your continued support.  Our next
event will be the Beetle Drive
on February 3rd
2007.  Details to
follow.

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

Except Wednesdays  - then at 11.40am

EVENING PRAYER:   Will be said in the Convent
Chapel and resume in the
Church on Thursday
18th January 2007.

MEDITATION GROUP:  N.B. Resumes on Tuesday, 9th
January 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 email
address is: [email-masked]
. Otherwise

Donald may be contacted
via the Presbytery i.e. please leave envelopes for him.

LITURGY
FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT [C]

December 24th  2006
– Expectant Mothers

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

Saturday December 23rd

Sunday   December 24th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

Lionel Blanchette RIP

Ken Herbert RIP

Des Fuller
RIP

West Mersea

8:30 am

Henryk Barbet RIP

Mile End

9:15 am

Bob McLaren RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

Celestine Tighe RIP; Bugeja Family RIP

Sunday
24th         THE BIRTH OF
JESUS CHRIST THE LORD –SOLEMNITY- HOLYDAY

VIGIL
Church
6:30 pm  Canon Thomas Clarke
RIP

VIGIL
Monkwick
8:00 pm   Parishioners

Monday 25th

Church

Church

Church

Mersea

Mile End

00:00
am

8:00 am

10:30
am

8:30 am

9:15 am

Frederick,
Elizabeth & Angelo Lucas RIP

Gerry Coyle RIP;
Brian Kelly RIP

Ints. Josie Cullen & Julie Carbery RIP

Tony Rozier RIP

Holy Souls RIP

Greta and
Frederick Knight RIP

Tuesday 26th

ST STEPHEN, The First Martyr

Church    N.B.    10:00 am Ints.Pam & Colin Andrews;Denise
Gartmore

Altar Servers & their families

Wednesday 27

Thursday 28th

ST JOHN,

Church

THE

Church

Ap,

12:15pm

HOLY

9:15am

Evangelist

Patrick O’Brien RIP

Holy Souls RIP

INNOCENTS, Mm

Joe McEnaney RIP

Friday 29th

ST THOMAS OF

Church

OF

9.15
am

CANTERBURY, Bishop, M.

Intentions of Tom Young & Family

Saturday 30th

Sixth day within the Octave of Christmas

Church
9.15
am
D/Rels. Herbert/Richards
Families RIP

LITURGY
FOR THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH  [C]

December 31st 2006

Saturday December 30th
6:15 pm   Kathleen and Maurice Mahoney RIP

Sunday    December 31st

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Sheila O’Halleron
RIP

Patrick Lyons RIP

Intentions of Bridget O’Gara

West Mersea

8:30 am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15 am

Intentions of Sandra Koa-wing

Monkwick

10:15
am

Mary Prior RIP [GMcC]

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