Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

Isaiah 22, 19-23; Psalm 137; Romans 11, 33-36; Matthew 16, 13-20

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: John Farrell (40^th Anniversary)

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Michael Lawton (Anniversary)

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Gladys Delap (5^th Anniversary)

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Sheila Fields (Birthday Remembrance)

 

Monday 28^th August: St Augustine: I Thessalonians 1, 1-10; Psalm 149; Matthew 23, 13-22

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Gregory Rutherford (L.D., Ormskirk)

 

Tuesday 29^th August: The Death of St John the Baptist

Jeremiah 1, 17-19; Psalm 70; Mark 6, 17-29

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Jean Fairclough (L.D., Eastham)

 

Wednesday 30^th August: SS Margaret Clitherow, Margaret Ward and Anne Line

I Thessalonians 2, 9-13; Psalm 138; Matthew 23, 27-32

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Tommy Cunningham (L.D., Strabane)

 

Thursday 31^st August: Ferial: I Thessalonians 3, 7-13; Psalm 89; Matthew 24, 42-51

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: John and Vera Clyne

 

Friday 1^st September: Ferial: I Thessalonians 4, 1-8; Psalm 96; Matthew 25, 1-13

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Thanksgiving

 

Saturday 2^nd September: Ferial: I Thessalonians 4, 9-11; Psalm 97; Matthew 25, 14-30

10.30 am – 12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions

6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Irene Noone (41^st Anniversary)

 

SUNDAY 3^rd SEPTEMBER 2023: TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

Jeremiah 20, 7-9; Psalm 62; Romans 12, 1-2; Matthew 16, 21-27

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Irene Noone (41^st Anniversary)

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Syd Jones

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Diana Scipanova (Birthday Remembrance)

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Eileen Peover

 

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Jimmy McCahy, 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 Barbara Caley and Margaret Murray; and for all those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Brenda Meys, Anna Marshall, Anthony Holmes, Angela Ward, Eamonn Wallace, Kathleen Martin, Gladys Delap, Catherine Owens, Dorothy Davies, Phoebe Morrisroe, Bryan McCabe, Paul Madden, Joseph Owens, Joan Sanson, Susanna Packwood, Wilfred Swarbrick, Joan Parry, David Gray, Anne-Marie Jones, Mo Johnson, Alan Harrison, Sarah Whiles and Janet Banks. May They All Rest in Peace

 

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

FP Away on Hols: Friday 18^th Aug – Friday 1^st Sept

At last! That moment you’ve all been waiting for, when the auld eejit finally gives you a fortnight of peace and rest. My heavens, you’ve deserved it. While I am away, Denise is in charge, carrying on the wonderful “minding the shop” work that Syd and Denise did for so many years, and did so brilliantly. So, just a few reminders:

*** Fr Neill will say the Saturday and Sunday Evening Masses each weekend, and Fr Colin the two Sunday Morning ones.

• 12.15 pm Mass, Monday to Friday, which Fr Neill will be saying – many thanks!
• Confessions as normal Sat Morning, 10.30-12.00. 
• The House and Church Alarm will be on each weekday, 6.00 pm – 9.00 am. The notice will clearly be on the House Door.
• If you need access to the house or church at any time, PLEASE check with Denise first. She needs to know who’s in, why and for how long.

Enjoy the break without me. Sorry it can’t be longer.

 

Live Streaming – Team Now in Place!

Many thanks to those who wolunteered to help with the editorial controls of our new Live Streaming. We’ll get together with the company supplying this service in early September to set up an online tutorial so we can all get our heads around what’s what! Hopefully, we’ll go public shortly after that.

 

Parish Renewal: Summer Hols

Team now enjoying a very well-earned break, in France, Handbridge and Forest Court, recharging their batteries ready for September’s big push on YOUTH. Meanwhile, the work goes on:

• New ‘Welcomers Rota’ starts during August, with the full Rota swinging into action in September – thanks, everyone!
• Parish Library, in the back corner on the organ side, is going to re-open one Monday Morning a month from Mid-September, with some Library Activities to show off what we have on offer. Many thanks to Pat and Vincent for sourcing a super new bookcase from one of our local Charity Shops.
• We are working on the Welcome Pack for New Parishioners and for Wizziters and hope to have both out during September.
• Focus for September is Youth. Watch this space!

 

House for Rent

A parishioner has a fully refurbished two-bedroom house for rent opposite the Caldy Valley Nature Park. £980 per month. The property will be available late September and ideal for a couple or a family with one child. Help available with the garden if an elderly couple were keen. Two parishioners have now expressed an interest but do get in touch if you’d like to be considered as well.

 

House Masses

Our very successful monthly Tattenhall House Masses go from strength to strength. We recently enjoyed a shared table lunch afterwards in one of our Tattie’s beautiful back garden, almost too warm to sit out. So, let’s push the boat out and see if there’s interest in a monthly House Mass in other parts of our parish. This week, there’s a list at the back of church, different times each month, for you to sign up if interested in hosting.

 

Catholic Enquiry Course 2023-24

Thanks be to God, the number of people of all ages expressing an interest in finding out about the Catholic Church continues to grow. So, another of our very popular and successful Catholic Enquiry Courses will be launched in the autumn, ten sessions, one a fortnight, from October round to Lent, with Easter the moment that those who would like to become full Catholics can do so. Launch Meeting is Monday 9^th October at 7.00 pm. Do please get in touch if you’d like a chat about the course and what it entails. Please draw this notice to the attention of anyone you know who you think might be interested. From tiny acorns, mighty oak trees grow?

 

Concert by Visiting Norwegian Choir

Saturday 16^th September, here in church, at 4.00 pm, for about an hour. Admission free, so do please come along and bring your friends.

 

Faith Talk by Steve McCarthy – Monday 11^th Sept

Marian’s brother has written a book, ‘God – who on earth are you?’ and is giving a talk here in church on Monday 11^th September at 7.00 pm. Steve writes: “We practising Christians have largely lost our sense of wonderment and mystery at the Christian story. Instead, we are inclined to fall back on words and rituals that no longer challenge us, and which now have very little meaning to those outside the Church. I will touch on topics such as who or what God is; the nature of prayer; and spirituality versus religion. But we can be confident that the Holy Spirit is still at work in the world and that we can look forward with hope. I will illustrate his talk with a number of photographs”. Sounds a very interesting evening, so do please all feel warmly invited to come along. 

 

A Level and GCSE Results

Ghastly time of year, with so much hinging on a few letters on a piece of paper – such as ABBA. [That’s a pop group, you idiot. Ed] Please keep them all in your prayers, especially those who haven’t got into their first choice Uni and are searching for the right course at the right place. A stressful time for the youngsters and for their long-suffering parents!

 

Eucharistic Ministers September Review Meetings

• Tuesday 12^th at 11.00 am; Wed 13^th at 2.00 pm;
• Tuesday 19^th at 7.00 pm; Thursday 21^st at 10.00 am.

Two big issues we need to consult on and resolve in September: do we reintroduce the Chalice for the congregation at Mass, and do we reintroduce the physical sign of peace? We’ll be asking for your views on both key questions, so do please be thinking about both over the holiday period.

 

Next Year’s First Sacraments Programme

If you have a child who will be in Year 3 or above in September who does not attend our Catholic Primary School, please contact Fr Paul preferably by email. The classes begin in November with First Forgiveness in January and First Holy Communions in May. The closing date for enrolment is Sunday 3^rd September.

 

Photo of the Week: Werbies at World Youth Day

Neethu and her brother Nithin were lucky enough to be able to attend WYD in Lisbon last week – and even luckier to get the chance to shake Pope Francis’s hand! Well done, both! After Peter Meredith’s Papal Blessing, he’s becoming an Honorary Werbie!