Parish Newsletter

Water Aid: Sponsored Bike Ride

Jeremy Black is cycling the Prudential 100 Mile "Ride London" on July 29th to raise money for Water Aid. He will be at the back of church after Masses today if you would like to sponsor him, or just find out a bit about Water Aid's work to promote clean drinking water, decent sanitation and hygiene for all.

New Baptismal Register Needed

We are now on the last page of the existing Register which began in 1962! On the altar for you to look at. So, work has started on commissioning a new one to take us up to 2078…

SVP Summer Lunch on Last Wednesday

Many thanks, SVP, for a superb Summer Lunch for our Elderly and Housebound up at the Mersey View in Frodsham, with those panoramic views out over the estuary. Lovely meal and lovely company. Thanks to all the organisers, the drivers and the Parish for making it all possible.

Building Work – Low Level Roofing

Our friends, the steeplejacks, are back – they come from Blackburn – but this time using ladders rather abseiling the dizzy heights! They’re hard at work, repairing the roof tiles on the low level of the church and the Presbytery. Next is repainting the outside of the Presbytery.

Parish Diary 2018/19

We’ve had the first compiling meeting, putting together the dates from our thirty or so Parish activities, and identified about twelve clashes. Back to the organisers on those – and then, hopefully, to the printers in August, all ready for distribution in September. Many thanks, Denise and Syd, for Herculean labours here.

First Friday Recitals July and August

Great to see so many of you here on Friday for a sparkling recital from Catherine and Tim, the whole range from Dowland to Gershwin. Thanks, both! Friday 3rd August, we welcome back our old friend Hugh Cherry and his amazing collection of Lutes, plus Soprano Deborah Catterall and Tenor Gareth Glyn Roberts. Info sheet at back of church with full details!

Chester Across Group Nurse Urgently Needed

This summer marks the 25th annual pilgrimage to Lourdes by the Chester Across Group. Sadly, one of our two nurses has had to drop out due to personal circumstances. So, we desperately need another nurse - and a Doctor would be a bonus! Dates - Thu 30th Aug to Sat 8th Sept
Cost - approx £400 but we have funds to subsidise folk who cannot afford this.

Chester Mystery Plays Tuesday 10th July at 7.30

FP will be distributing tickets outside the Main Door to the Cathedral from 7.00 pm onwards. A few copies of last Tuesday’s talk back of church.

Poor Clares Leaving Hawarden

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

Updated Sick List

Thanks, everyone, for an excellent response. Only one name unclaimed – Michael Morton. All the others we know to be current and still needing to be on the list. Keep those prayers going!

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.

Next meeting of the Readers' Group

Monday July 16th at 7.00 pm for about an hour to look at the Sunday readings for the next four weeks. In the Presbytery. All are always welcome whether readers or not. Do come along.

Music Group

Playing at the 10.45 am Mass on Sunday 15th July. Practice in House Monday 9th at 7.00 pm.

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.

Photo of the Week: Organ Being Installed

A fascinating photo from Ray Harper’s archive, of the organ pipes prior to installation in 2003. As you know, we purchased our organ from Queen’s Park Chapel in Glasgow when it closed. People often ask, “How on earth do you move an organ?” The answer is “With great ease”, as it all come to pieces, some small and some enormous!

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? Thanks for those who’ve already put their names forward: we have about eight Homes in the Parish and I’d like to move to each of them having a little Prayer and Hymns Service every month, each with a dedicated team of three or four Werbies to set things up and rally the troops. Interested?

New Catholic Enquiry Course

Starting in September and running fortnightly till Easter. Names starting to come in: have a word with FP if you might be interested.

My Holiday Dates: 20th August – 7th September

What do you mean, you can’t wait??