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

THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH  [C]

December
31st 2006 A.D.

Dear Friends

We often forget that Jesus was brought up as a
pious law-abiding member of the Jewish race.  He was brought up in Nazareth by Mary
and Joseph and, like a good Jewish son, lived under their wisdom and
authority.  From them he would
have his first experience of being loved, of being held, of being listened
to, and of being nurtured. He was a member of the extended Jewish family
which, unlike our nuclear family, includes every kind of kinship, no matter
how remote.  And like every
family, today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus had his share of peculiar
relatives and neighbours.

When Mary
and Joseph return to Jerusalem
to look for Jesus they are surprised to find him, a twelve year old boy,
sitting with doctors and asking them questions.  When they express their worry and
anxiety, he opts for his Father’s business rather than go the way of
his family.  Mary and Joseph do not understand.  This fact of misunderstanding can
reassure us when it happens in the midst of our families with the pain and
confusion it brings.  Older parents find it difficult to
accept the choices which their adult children make.  Many a parent asks “what did I
do wrong”.  To love is to
continue to accept the other person, even if their choices are hard to
accept.  To love requires giving
freedom which is appropriate to age and maturity.  The difficulty of finding this balance
cannot be underestimated.  The
task of parenting is to foster this maturity.  To love is to know pain and the cross,
especially when hopes are unfulfilled.

We are all asked, like Jesus, to centre our lives
on the word of God.  Whether we
live alone or in a family, whether we have busloads of relatives or none.
There is only one qualification to being a member of Jesus’ new family
– to hear the word of God and do it. Because Jesus extended his family,
today’s Feast really belongs to all of us.
God
bless

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Sunday 31st
December              5pm
Carol Service
Church
See below

Wednesday 3rd
January
7:30pm  SVP Meeting     Presbytery

Friday 5th
January
7:00pm  First Friday Mass   Monkwick

Saturday 6th
January         10-12am  FHC Sessions.   See below

7:30pm  Karaoke Night   CBH

THANK YOU from the Clergy for all your Christmas Cards, gifts
and donations; to all those involved in Liturgy services, with flowers, with
cleaning; in any way.  Your
generosity is very much appreciated.  May you have a peaceful New Year.

RECENTLY DECEASED:  Please pray for the repose of the soul of Brian Ashenden and Margaret
Nolan who have recently died.  May
they rest in peace.

THANK YOU from David Lee’s family – Mark Lee
writes: “Thank you for the kindness shown and prayers offered following
my Dad David’s sudden and unexpected death.  My Mum was especially touched by the
kindness from so many in the Catholic Community and for a number attending
his Requiem Mass at St James the Great where they both worshipped.”

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

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION: The children meet again in the Cardinal Bourne Hall
at 10am on Saturday 6th
January – the parents meeting at the same time in the Crypt with Sr
Angela looking at the Liturgy of the Word.

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.

AGED 18-25 AND THINKING OF A GAP YEAR
FROM SEPTEMBER 2007?  A year on the Walsingham House Team offers the
chance to make a difference to thousands of young people, and to live and
work in a vibrant and interesting House, where Catholic faith matters.  Interested?  Email
[email-masked] or call Fr Dominic
on 01268 696610 as soon as possible to apply for September.

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, Ron
Collins, 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 HOLY FMAILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH [C]

December 31st  2006

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

Saturday December 30th

Sunday   December 31st

6:15
pm

8:00
am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Kathleen
and Maurice Mahoney RIP

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]

Monday 1st JANUARY
2007          MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

Church   N.B.

10:00 am

Michael Guerin RIP

D/Rels./Friends-
Philip & Alice White

Tuesday 2nd

4:00 pm  POLISH MASS

Ss
Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bpp.Dd

Church                9:15 am   Special Intention

Intentions of Terry Randall

Wednesday 3rd

Thursday 4th

Church

Church

12:15pm

9:15am

Feria
of Christmastide

Mary and John McGinley RIP

Feria
of Christmastide

Des
Fuller RIP

Bridget
Frawley RIP

Friday 5th

Church

Church

9:15 am

11:45 am

Feria
of Christmastide

Molly
McGreevy RIP/Ken Walker RIP

FUNERAL – MARGARET NOLAN RIP

Saturday 6th

Monkwick            7:00
pm  Mary Prior RIP

Feria of Christmastide

Church
9:15 am  Intentions of Maura and Frank

LITURGY
FOR THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD  [C]

January 7th 2007

Saturday January 6th                       6:15 pm  Michael McInerney RIP [A]

Sunday
January 7th

8:00 am

10:30
am

6:30 pm

Mildred
and Ernie Lane
RIP

Mrs Mary Sebastian RIP

Canon
John Bloomfield RIP

West Mersea

8:30 am

Holy
Souls RIP

Mile End

9:15
am

Parishioners

Monkwick

10:15
am

Intns. Wright & Boyden Families

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