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

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF
ADVENT [B]

November 30th  2008 A.D.

Dear
Friends

Waiting
is a part of life, and there is no life without it.  All of us waited to be born, waited to
be nourished, waited to be loved.
We learn soon enough that the fullness of life is not available to us
like instant coffee.  There is
always more to life and to people than we can ever manage to absorb at any
one time.  So, we have to
wait.  Advent is the time when we
are reminded that we have to wait for God.  We cannot grasp God, we cannot possess
God, we cannot see God; we can only wait for God to let himself be
known.  When we wait for God, our
waiting is a prayer: we testify to our own poverty and to his greatness.

The
theme of waiting is found in each of the readings today.  When St Paul
wrote to the Christian Church at Corinth,
there was an expectation that the Second Coming was imminent.  The community expected Jesus to return
very shortly after the Resurrection and St
Paul reminds them that the Lord will keep them
steady and he encourages them to continue to trust in God who will provide
for them during their waiting.  In
the Gospel, Jesus encourages his followers to stay alert as they wait.  St Mark encourages his listeners who
needed to be sustained as they faced adversity and persecution.  The prophet Isaiah writes to the Jews
exiled in Babylon
offering them hope that God will save them and lead them to freedom.

Advent
is a reminder that Christians are waiting for the Second Coming of Christ.
And as we await the celebration of Christ’s birth, let us not lose
focus on this deepest meaning of Christmas as we prepare for the activity of
cleaning, preparation for visitors etc.,
Christ is the gift that can bring true hope and joy for those who long
for new life.

God bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK – ALWAYS CHECK FOR ANY CHANGES

Monday 1st December   7pm    Parish Council
Meeting
Presbytery

Wednesday
3rd
6.45-9pm  Final Scripture Course Session Crypt

Thursday 4th
7.45pm     UCM Meeting [see
below]
Crypt

Saturday 5th
10-12
FHC Programme [see below]      Crypt

THE
HOLY FATHER’S MISSION INTENTION FOR
DECEMBER: That Christians in the new Churches may show with deeds of love
that the Child of Bethlehem is the light and hope of the world.

CHANGE
IN THE TIME OF MORNING CONFESSION:
For a trial period of a year, Saturday morning Confession time
has changed to 9:45-10:30 [with Exposition at the same time].  Saturday Evening Confession time will
remain at 5:30-6.00.                                                                                      Fr
Joseph

CONGRATULATIONS:
To Kirsty and Robin married here yesterday.

THANK YOU:
A hundred thousand thankyou’s
to all parishioners for your help and support for the Christmas Market which
resulted in all having a great day.
We raised £1,350.
Best wishes from Frances & Co.

MERSEA NEWS: Many thanks to everyone for making our
Christmas Fayre a success, to all those that
donated gifts for our stalls and raffle prizes including the beautiful
Christmas cake, but most of all, all those who helped before and on the day a
big thanks to you all. We made over £675, with monies still coming in.
Thanks again.

LOURDES 2009: Are
you in Year 10 or above, are you interested in going to Lourdes with BCYS (Brentwood Catholic Youth
Service)? Please contact Theresa Higgins
on 07814675250 or via Facebook.  Fundraising will start today,  Sunday 30th November, with a
book sale after the 10:30am Mass.

December Youth Mass: Christmas in Bethlehem 2008. Two speakers who live in Bethlehem will be at the
monthly Youth Mass in the conference room, Brentwood Cathedral, at 8.00pm this Wednesday, 3rd December. Come
and celebrate Mass with other young people (open for all in year 9+, and
young adults) and hear about life for young Christians under pressure. Mass
is followed by a social time with refreshments, and an opportunity to
purchase gifts hand crafted in the Holy Land
- an ideal and beautiful present. For more info look at www.bcys.net
or call 01277 265286

ADVENT
EVENING PRAYER TONIGHT:  At 5:15pm tonight in the Church led by
the CRSS Community.  {Refreshments
before at 4:15pm at No.
48].

ADVENT:
‘Prepare
a Way for the Lord’ Monday 1st Dec
-‘Like the dawn form on High’ Facilitator: Fr Michael Kirwan,
SJ.  Monday 8th Dec –‘Let
your light shine on us, and we shall be saved”.Facilitator:
Sr Felicity Young, OSU. Monday 15th
Dec- ‘A light to shine in the darkness’ Facilitator: Sr Magdalen
Lawler, SND. Venue: Cathedral
Conference Centre at 7.30pm

Cost: £3 per session. For booking contact  01277 265257/219.or email the secretary,  [email-masked]

UNION
OF CATHOLIC MOTHERS:   The next
meeting takes place on Thursday in the Crypt 7:45pm for 8pm.

UNDERSTANDING: The children on the First Communion Programme
will gather in the Cardinal Bourne Hall on Saturday 6th December 10am -
12noon looking at Beginnings.  Prayer Sponsors will be gathered at all
Masses next weekend, 6-7th  December - if you are interested
in praying each day for one of the children please contact Hywel & Pam
Edwards on 867325.

NEW
LIFE – AN ART EXHIBITION IN COLCHESTER:  Friday December 5th 12.30 –
6.30pm; Saturday December 6th 10am – 5pm; Sunday December 7th
12.30 – 6.30pm at CASTLE METHODIST
CHURCH. The pictures, which focus on Advent,
Christmas, Creation and Prayer are for sale and are the work of Sr Mary Stephen CRSS.  Each day opens with Prayer and closes
with Evening Prayer.  On Friday
only there will be light refreshments after Evening Prayer.  Please let the Community know if you
will be joining them then on 01206 867296 .

URGENT!  Our house of God here at St James the Less &
St Helen urgently needs cleaners.
Only 1 or 2 hours a month on a rota basis.  If you can help please contact Helena on 01206 794636.

NEW NEIGHBOUR PROJECT:   Our
2 refugee families have now been here for 2 months and are regularly visited
by members of our team.  Please
contact us on 851838 if you can donate any of the following items which are
still required: clothes dryer/rotary airer;
hairdryer; plastic food containers, TV table, toys for a baby and for 2
girls, aged 3 and 5 years old.
Thank you.

The
scouts of Colchester Estuary District request the pleasure of your
company for the distribution of the International Peacelight
from Bethlehem

on Tuesday 16th
December at 19:30hrs at St James the Less and St Helen, Priory St.
Colchester.

COLCHESTER
NIGHTSHELTER is pleased to once again be running the Winter
Reserve Accommodation Project in the Cardinal Bourne Hall. We need you to
volunteer to help out overnight, on one night during the week commencing
Wednesday January 14 or the week commencing Wednesday February 11. To
volunteer or to ask any questions please contact Anne or Mike Sheehan on 07717
414554 or 01206 854934 (evenings) or see them after Saturday evening Mass in Priory Street.

MINISTRY OF
WELCOME: Peter
Thorpe, our Co-ordinator, has asked for volunteers
to cover the 8am Sunday morning Mass on the following
dates: 18 January, 8th February
and 29th March
2009.  Please
leave your name with the Parish Office.
Also, in the porch there is a Rota
for 24th/25th December. If you can help at any
Christmas Mass, please fill in the appropriate slots.

WALK WITH
ME BOOKLETS:  A Journey of Prayer
and Reflections for Advent and Christmas 2008.  The Booklets are available in the porch for £1. Please put the money in
the Newspaper box.

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:
9:45am
– 10:30am

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 FIRST
SUNDAY OF ADVENT [B]

November 30th  2008

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

Saturday  November 29th

Sunday
November 30th

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30 am

6:30
pm

Mr & Mrs
Milford &
Lionel Wright RIP

Mark Ridge RIP

Eben Jones

Marie Playle RIP [A]

West Mersea

8:30
am

Henry Johnson RIP

Mile
End

9:15
am

Jon Fairey RIP

Monkwick

10:15 am

Celestine Tighe RIP/Dec.Bugeja Family

Monday  1st Dec

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Stephen Hilton RIP

Tuesday 2nd

Feria

Church      9:15 am   Martin Mannion
RIP

Mersea    11:45 am   REQUIEM – PAUL CONNELLY RIP

Wednesday 3rd

St Francis Xavier, Pr.

Church      12:15 pm   Intentions of Mrs
Pat Ware

Thursday 4th

Feria

Church       9:15 am   Mrs Mariampillai
RIP [A]

Friday 5th

Feria

Church
9:15 am  Anne Sears RIP

D/Rels: Dunne & Emoli
Families RIP

Saturday 6th          Feria  [or St Nicholas, Bp]

Church         9:15am   Private
Intention

LITURGY FOR THE SECOND
SUNDAY OF ADVENT [B]

December 7th 2008 A.D.

Saturday   December 6th

Sunday     December 7th

6:15 pm

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30
pm

Jay Family Intentions

Mary and Andrew McAllister
RIP

Tony Rozier RIP

D/Rels: Brogan/Owens
Families RIP

West Mersea

8:30
am

Parishioners

Mile End

9:15
am

Alfred Sagnella RIP

Monkwick

10:15
am

D/Rels:
Wrobel Family 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