Parish Newsletter

Sunday Morning Mass - Numbers Since Re-Opening

• Week One: Sunday 19th July: 147
• Week Two: Sunday 26th July: 198
• Week Three: Sunday 2nd August: 201
• Week Four: Sunday 9th August: 215
• Week Five: Sunday 16th August: 232
• Week Six: Sunday 23rd August: 243
• Week Seven: Sunday 30th August: 257
• Week Eight: Sunday 6th September: 270
• Week Nine: Sunday 13th September: 270
• Week Ten: Sunday 20th September: 257
• Week Eleven: Sunday 27th September: 253
• Week Twelve: Sunday 4th October: 268
• Week Thirteen: Sunday 11th October: 261
• Week Fourteen: Sunday 18th October: 294
• Last Week Fifteen: Sunday 25th October: 300 (another record!)

300 is about 75% of a "normal” Sunday.

November Holy Souls Lists

Instead of the Holy Souls Book this year, I will offer each of my Weekday Private Masses for one of your family Holy Souls Intentions.

• Sun 1st Nov: Pat and Gerry Cummins’ Family
• Wed 4th Nov: Elizabeth Arrowsmith’s Parents
• Thurs 5th Nov: Cesare and Margaret D’Enrico’s Family
• Fri 6th Nov: Chris and Mary Powell’s Family
• Sat 7th Nov: Norah Clewes’ Family
• Mon 9th Nov: Karen Elliott’s Family
• Tues 10th Nov: Maurice and Peggy Power and Family
• Wed 11th Nov: Hugh Lancaster’s Family
• Thurs 12th Nov: Cook and Fernando Family
• Fri 13th Nov: Angie Bithell’s Family
• Sat 14th Nov: Michael Burke’s Family
• Sun 15th Nov: Syd and Denise Jones’ Family
• Mon 16th Nov: John and Vera Clyne and family
• Tues 17th Nov: Alex and Pat Barnes’ Family
• Wed 18th Nov: David and Barbara Graves’ Family
• Thurs 19th Nov: Gerry Tighe’s Family
• Fri 20th Nov: Anne and Aiden Cadden’s Family
• Sat 21st Nov: Daly and Rogers Families
• Sat 21st Nov: Daly and Rogers Families
• Mon 23rd Nov: Gillian Roe’s Family and Friends
• Tues 24th Nov: Mike and Gillian Rogers’ Family
• Wed 25th Nov: Bernadette O’Shea’s Family
• Thursday 26th Nov: David and Jane Kluth’s Family
• Fri 27th Nov: Anne and Terry Collier’s Family
• Sat 28th Nov: Margaret Astbury’s Family
• Mon 30th Nov: Marian Curtis’ Family
• Wed 2nd Dec: Godfrey Sproston’s Family
• Thurs 3rd Dec: Matty Bannaghan
• Fri 4th Dec: Pam Mullen’s Family
• Sat 5th Dec: Consilia and Simon Black’s Family
• Sun 6th Dec: Catherine and Simon Neal’s Family
• Sun 6th Dec: Judith and Walter Done’s Family
• Sun 6th Dec: Lyn and Richard Williams’ Family
• Mon 7th Dec: McKeown and Norbury Families
• Tues 8th Dec: Margaret Catterson’s Family
• Wed 9th Dec: Mick and Sheila Fields’ Family
• Thurs 10th Dec: Mike and Margaret’s Hart’s Family
• Wed 16th Dec: John and Frances Matthias’s Family

If I have missed you off, please let me know!

SVP Holiday Home Appeal

Chester and Ellesmere Port District SVP have had to cancel all of their annual fund raising events that would normally raise money to help maintain their Holiday Home in Talacre. As an alternative approach they have decided to set up a 'Just Giving' page for a limited period so that donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chesterellesmereportholidayhome.

Family in Need of Furniture - SVP Appeal

Many thanks everyone to the superb response!

Bishop Mark Writes: Saturday 31st October

I am aware that many parishes are preparing booking systems for Mass at Christmas and are also producing booking forms in advance for those who are described today as living in "digital poverty" without access or knowledge of the internet. The numbers who will be seeking to attend Mass this Christmas is uncertain as we are entering uncharted territory. However, I am aware a number of parishes are planning additional Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in anticipation of extra numbers. I am also told that parishes are preparing to strengthen "track and trace" arrangements, as we approach what one Parish Priest described as the first "big test" of our Covid security arrangements. Two especially difficult questions have been raised regarding how we prepare our stewards to manage the situation where people may arrive for Mass without knowledge of prebooking. A second question is how to manage households of more than six within the church context. It might be helpful to consider these and any other practical questions which are arising at the meeting of the Council of Priests on 10th November; and then with the assistance of our Health and Safety Officer, prepare advice and guidance for our parishes at Christmas."

November: Month of the Holy Souls

Delighted we can still have our Blessing of Graves: Sunday afternoons, 2.00-4.00 pm, 22nd November at Blacon and 29th November at Overleigh.

Spring Bulbs! The Dibbers Were Ready.

Huge thanks to Lars and Helen, Geoff and Jill, Lal and Brendan who joined me for a wet morning on Thursday. They dibbed away like good’uns, and at the end of the morning, over 600 (!!) bulbs had been planted.

Stories, Poems, and Music for Advent and Christmas

Trevor Dennis and Friends, St Mary-Without-the-Walls, Handbridge, Wednesday 16th December 7.30 pm. For Christian Aid. Trevor Dennis will introduce and read seven of his published stories and poems on the themes of Advent and Christmas, while Brian and Claire Heald from Wesley Church will provide some wonderful music. Reserve a place by emailing Trevor on trevordennis11@gmail.com with your name(s) and phone number, or by ringing him on 01244 638441.

Samanta Scipanova (Grand Duchess’s Daughter) Writes:

One of my friends, Cllr Adam Langan, has set up a community food hub in Newton running from The New Church on Dicksons Drive since the beginning of the pandemic. I helped out at the hub before I went to London and went back to help today. It was stark to see how much demand for the food hub has grown in the last few weeks. The hub is always looking for food/toiletry donations and volunteers to help pack and/or deliver the boxes. It would be amazing to raise awareness of the existence of the hub. Anyone who would like to donate items can drop them off at The New Church on Monday, Thursday and Friday 1-3 pm. To receive a food box or refer someone, to volunteer or find out more, contact 07598-536-904 or email hello@hbc.org.uk.

Photo of the Week: November Blessing of Graves

From November 2014, when we were beginning our fantastic Great War project. Ann Marie Curtis was doing so much research on the Belgian connection, and here is Constant Wauter’s Grave in Overleigh being blessed.