Parish Newsletter

Heritage Talks Last Week

Many thanks to Gerry and Ann Marie for two splendid talks: Gerry on Chester a hundred years ago, and the remarkable contribution Canon Joseph Chambers made, not just to St Werburgh’s but to the life of Chester as a whole; and Ann Marie, on Cosmopolitan Chester, and specifically the role that Belgians, Australians and Americans played in our city.

SVP Summer Lunch on Wednesday Next

Many thanks to the SVP for organising our Summer Lunch for the Elderly and Housebound at the Forest Hills Hotel in Frodsham this week. All invitations have gone out and been replied to, car drivers are standing ready, and I know we’re going to have a super time together. Thanks, SVP - thanks, Parish, for your support!

Great War Group

No meeting on Monday 2nd July – thanks, Team.

Parish Diary 2018/19

Work well underway on next year’s diary, covering September 2018 to August 2019. Let us have any dates and events to be included as soon as possible, please.

Next First Friday Recital: Catherine Fahy

Friday 6th July - a lovely recital coming up by our good friend Catherine Fahy. As well as possessing a beautiful soprano voice she’s also building an academic career in music, researching ‘Music in the plays of Samuel Beckett’ for a PhD at York, following her undergraduate studies at Manchester, and has also landed a Research Fellowship at the University of Austin, Texas. Wow! She’s recently performed in a new opera, Medea Maria, by composer Helen Madden at York Theatre Royal. Joined by Tim Stuart on the piano, she’s performing Britten, Schumann, Fauré and Verdi, as well as some from the more popular end of the repertoire. Clue: I’ve got rhythm.
Don’t miss it! Friday 6th July 7.30 pm.

Churches Together in Christleton Summer Teas

In the Methodist Schoolroom. Please come and support our delicious Sunday Teas with home- made cakes, served every Sunday until 30th September, 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm, proceeds to The Rock of Joy Trust, for schools in Uganda.

Chester Mystery Plays Tuesday 10th July at 7.30

All tickets now sold: any outstanding Money and Forms asap please!
FP Talk on the Mystery Plays – What are they? Why were they written? For whom and when were they written? Why is Chester so important here? What should we look out for on 10th July?
FP Talk: Tuesday 3rd July, Church, 7.00 pm.

Owen Gresty Diaconate Ordination

Our very good friend, Owen, son of Dominique and Brian, brother of Natalie and Loic, is being ordained a Permanent Deacon in St Chad’s cathedral, Birmingham, this Sunday afternoon. We are delighted that Gerry is able to go to represent St Werburgh’s.

The regular "First Thursday" Hospital Mass

Thursday 5th July at 12.15 pm in the Countess of Chester Hospital Chapel. This is for patients/outpatients, staff, families and friends, and the wellbeing of our hospitals, including the Bowmere. All are welcome.

Catholic Women’s League Monthly Meeting

Monday 9th July 1.00 pm at St Francis’s Church Hall. Bring and Buy Sale and exhibition and sale of paintings by Margaret Parry, a talented artist who died last year.

Choir on Friday Night: SS Peter and Paul

Great to see you all here on Friday for the Holyday of Obligation, SS Peter and Paul – and a particular treat at the Evening Mass, when the Choir sang two special pieces – Howard Goodall’s arrangement of The Lord is My Shepherd, and Rachmaninov’s To Thee O Lord. Congratulations, James and Choir!

Chester CAFOD Support Group Strawberry Tea

Last Sunday, and blessed with glorious sunshine, we raised £253 for CAFOD's development work with some of the poorest communities around the world. Thank you so much to everyone

Meetings and Events This Week

• Tuesday 7.00 pm: Mystery Plays Talk
• Wednesday: SVP Summer Lunch
• Friday 7.30 pm: First Friday Recital

Special Mass Here on Monday 9th July 12.15 pm

Honoured and delighted that Bishop Mark has asked if he can bring the Junior Clergy Group (those ordained five years or less), our Diocesan Seminarians, and those currently living in the Cathedral House of Discernment to St Werburgh’s for Mass and Lunch on Monday 9th July. They are exploring the history of the Diocese and will go on to visit the Cathedral after lunch. All parishioners warmly welcome to join us.

Poor Clares Leaving Hawarden

Tuesday 31st July, 7.30 pm, Mass of Thanksgiving for all the Chester friends of the Sisters.

Photo of the Week: Llangollen Church

Church of the Holy Cross snapped by Gabriel O’Hanlon while on his travels – thanks Gabriel! Almost every face identified from last week: could you all take a copy of the 1935 school photo, write on it the name you recognise, and let us have it back, so that we can publish a complete list?

Chester Little Theatre Youth Group

They visited us in March for a riveting performance of “The Man Who Disappeared”, the story of those soldiers who were Shot at Dawn in the First World War. Delighted they are paying us a return visit on Friday 13th July at 7.30 pm for their performance of George Crabbe’s astonishing poem, ‘Peter Grimes.’

Residential & Nursing Home Religious Services

In September, I’d like to arrange a programme of Services in every Nursing Home in the Parish, ideally on a monthly basis. Who’d like to help me?

My Holiday Dates:

20th August – 7th September