Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

Exodus 17, 3-7; Psalm 94; Romans 5, 1-8; John 4, 5-42

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Syd Jones (L.D.)
Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Geraldine Pile (Anniversary)
Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Alex Barnes
Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Fin Monaghan (2nd Anniversary, Boston Mass.)

Monday 13th March: Ferial: II Kings 5, 1-15; Psalm 41; Luke 4, 24-30
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Maureen Sands (L.D.)
1.10 pm: University Chapel: University Mass – All Welcome

Tuesday 14th March: Ferial: Daniel 3, 25-43; Psalm 24; Matthew 18, 21-35
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Daniel Lunt (11th Anniversary)
3.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Wedding Service for Kristal Solomon and Charlie Docherty
7.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Confirmation Class Two for Adult Group

Wednesday 15th March: Ferial: Deuteronomy 4, 1-9; Psalm 147; Matthew 5, 17-19
7.30 am: St Werburgh’s: Intentions of Mary Galvin
11.00 am: St Joseph’s Wetherby; Requiem Mass for Frances Dixon
7.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Confirmation Class Three for Youngsters

Thursday 16th March: Ferial: Jeremiah 7, 23-28; Psalm 94; Luke 11, 14-23
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Ken Jones (Birthday Remembrance)

Friday 17th March: St Patrick of Ireland: Jeremiah 1, 4-9; Ps 116; Acts 13, 46-49; Luke 10, 1-20
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: 61st Wedding Anniversary Thanksgiving – Olive and Garden Gnome
1.05 pm: High School: Voluntary Mass for Students
2.00 pm: Iddenshall NH: Service for Residents and Visitors
7.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Lenten Choral and Musical Meditation

Saturday 18th March: Ferial: Hosea 5,15 – 6,6; Psalm 50; Luke 18, 9-14
10.00 am: HMP Berwyn, Wrexham: Mass for Prisoners, Staff and Visitors
10.30-12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions
6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Harry McElduff (L.D.)

SUNDAY 19th MARCH 2023: FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT (YEAR A)

I Samuel 16, 1-13; Psalm 22; Ephesians 5, 8-14; John 9, 1-41
Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Harry McElduff (L.D.)
Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Jean Hewson (Wedding Anniversary Remembrance)
Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Gregory Phillips (Birthday Remembrance)
St Werburgh’s: 12.30 pm: Baptism of Amber Pimblett
Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Ken and Simon Riseam

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Kath Stanton, Brian Boardman Jnr, James Convey, Bill Hackett, Laura Chadwick, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Ruth O’Kane, and Kevin Maguire and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Syd Jones, Betty Park, Frances Dixon and Lee Jennings; ; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Bill Allinson, Daniel Lunt, Carole Macintyre, May Woolrich, Leonard Creighton, Monica Page, Dennis Byrne, Peter Geoghegan, Becky Banks, Katherine Mayers, Edward Fearon, Geoff Rowley, Helen Fallon, Michael Melia, Edith Painter, Peter Dowd, Elizabeth Lydiate, June Mulcrone, Thomas Patterson, Gerard Daly, Anthony Astle, Dot Booth, John Shepherd, James Ferneyhough, Sheila Crowther, Patrick Metcalf, Christine Earle, Peter Shepherd, Tom Boulton, Margaret Maddocks, David Crawford-Williams, Tony Haycock, Peter Roberts and Sheila Holland, Joan Crossley, Eileen Lloyd, Kate Stephen. RIP 

Parish Information and Contacts

SVP: svpchester@gmail.com    Countess of Chester Chaplaincy: 01244 364543.

St Werburgh’s is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury: Registered Charity No 234025.

Safeguarding Reps:    Liz Aiello (email: elizabeth.aiello20@btinternet.com, tel: 07813743723) and

Chris Proudfoot (email: chrisproudfoot.stwerbughs@btinternet.com, tel; 07711495070) 

Parish events

She Could Start a Hat Museum!

Wearing one of her 96 hats, our indefatigable Denise, Parish Gift Aid Organiser, would like to draw everyone’s attention to the notice below about the next Financial Year’s Gift Aid Envelopes, now at the back of church. Then she’ll carry on with drawing up our Financial Year End Statement for the Diocese, Sacristaning for this afternoon’s Wedding, making a CD of Ed Sheeran’s Perfect for Tuesday’s Wedding [Who he? Ed], preparing for her Stations of the Cross here in church, re-stocking the paper towels in the loos … No slacking, please!!

New Tax Year Weekly Offertory Envelopes

The 2023/24 envelopes are available at the back of church. They start from the first Sunday in the new tax year which will be Easter Sunday 9th April. If you use envelopes, please help by collecting yours as soon as possible. Thank you.

Christian Aid Lent Lunches: 12.00-1.30 pm

• Mon 13th March: Wesley Methodists (St W’s hosting)
• Monday 20th March: Wesley Methodists
• Thursday 30th March: St Mary’s Handbridge

We are hosting on Monday of this week, so do come along and support. I am making the soup myself, natch, and it’s going to be a rather unusual daffodil and nettle consommé. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

SVP High School Tea on 16th March

You are all cordially invited to the Catholic High School Tea organized by the SVP that will take place on Thursday, 16th March at 2.00 pm. Please get in touch with Fran fran.waldie@gmail.com if you wish to attend and let her know if you need a lift. We hope to see you all there!

St Werburgh's Parish FHC Group

Monday March 13th: Parents Meeting at School

• Parents' Meeting at 7.00 pm at St Werburgh's and St. Columba's School in Lightfoot St. This is a FHC Information Evening for all parents.

Monday 20th March: Commentary Mass

• The Commentary Mass at 6.30 pm in church, for all the FHC children and their families. This is an important part of the children's preparation, so we expect to see all our First Holy Communion children there accompanied by a member or members of their family.
  If for any reason, children or parents are unable to attend any of the meetings, it is important for parents to contact Fr Paul and Louise before the class begins.

Confirmation: 10th May 2023: Class 3 Wednesday

Both Adults and Youngsters Classes going great guns, and huge thanks to our new batch of Catechists. Next topic for both groups:
The Lord Jesus Christ, God Made Man.

Do We Still Need Holy Communion Stewards?

From Sunday 26th February to Sunday 19th March, we are experimenting with having no Communion Stewards. Today, Sunday 12th March, we want you to vote: continuing with them or ending them? A straight yes/no on the ballot paper, please, and we’ll announce the result next weekend.

SVP Theatre Night at Port Sunlight: 8th March

Many thanks to all who came along last Wednesday, to enjoy a super play and support our SVP.

Lent Friday Evenings: 7.30 pm

Excellent Zoom Stations on Friday, courtesy of Geoff, with Lyn and Denise as his tekkies/roadies. Clearly there is still a demand for Zoom Meetings in the Parish, and, as long as there is, we are more than happy to try to meet it. Next Friday, the Choir present a Lenten Musical Mediation for St Patrick’s, here in church. The following Friday, 24th March, Lyn will be presenting a Zoom Meditation, and the final Friday, 31st March, will be in-person Stations here in Church, led by Denise. And the Friday after that? It's Good Friday, 7th April!
Where on earth has Lent gone to this year?

Lent Chapel Visits

Christleton and Waverton Churches Together
We’ve had great visits to the Cathedral and Foxhill so far. My scones at Foxhill last Wednesday were hugely appreciated. Well, I’m here to serve, am I not? On Tuesday 21st March, we’re at the University Chapel, the original heart of the campus, 1839, and beautifully preserved ever since. We gather at 2.30 for a time of prayer and reflection, and then enjoy a cuppa together, leaving at 4.00 pm. The final visit will be out to Hawarden and the Gladstone home. Flyers at the back of church with full details. Everyone very warmly invited to join us.

An Online Course on Vatican II

The Diocese is offering a series of short podcasts throughout Lent. Accessible on the diocesan website at dioceseofshrewsbury.org They may be listened to any time. A leaflet outlining the content of the recordings is available in the parish. Enquiries to Barbara Davies on 07730-526-821.

Diocesan Youth Mission Team

The Diocese is looking to recruit a Youth Mission Team Member to engage with young people in schools and parishes across the Shrewsbury Diocese, based in Stockport. The full-time employee will be a key member of the team led by the Director. Salary £19K to £22K depending on experience. For more information please visit https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/latest-vacancies/ For application form please contact Pauline McCulloch Closing date: 7th April. recruitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org

Catholic High School 50th Anniversary Mass

Chester Cathedral – Friday 9th June 2023 11.00 am – everyone warmly invited, space permitting. The whole school will be attending, plus VIP’s, former students and staff. Please get the date in Diaries

Photo of the Week: Welcome to Liverpool Universities’ CathSoc

Here they are on their visit to us last November, with their Chaplains, Fr Neil Ritchie and Sister Rachel Duffy FCJ. Based at St Philip Neri church on Catharine Street, they are responsible for Liverpool Uni, Liverpool John Moores and LIPA. Good to have you with us, Liverpool CathSoc!