Parish Newsletter

The Parish Family – The Family of Prayer

Peter Meredith continues to make slow but steady progress in the Countess, hoping to be able to move up to the Ellesmere Port Cottage Hospital for rehab fairly soon. Gerry Tighe likewise continues to improve at home. On the more worrying side, two of our great parishioners have had major heart surgery in Broad Green Hospital, Liverpool, during the week. Both progressing well. It’s staggering how these Hospital Centres of Excellence make such life-saving surgery look so routine. Please keep them all in your prayers.

 

Forthcoming Funerals in Church

• Peter McCabe – Tuesday 23^rd January, 10.45 am
• Kevin Smyth – Tuesday 23^rd January, 1.30 pm
• Cath Marshall – Friday 2^nd February, 12.00 noon
• John Wade – Friday 9^th February, 11.30 am
• Christopher Boultwood – Tues 13^th Feb, 12.00 noon

May They All Rest in Peace.

 

Ash Wednesday – 14^th February – and Lent

Not a Holyday of Obligation, but three Masses on that day, at all of which Ashes are distributed: 7.30 am, 12.15 pm and 7.30 pm. Lenten Devotions or Stations as usual every Friday evening at 7.30 pm.

 

Confessions Next Saturday Morning

Next Saturday is our First Holy Communion Children’s First Forgiveness, with two ceremonies, at 10.00 and 11.00 am, such are the wonderful numbers. Many thanks to Louise and team, and our school teachers, for preparing them so well. So, no public confessions next Saturday – apologies.

 

St Werburgh’s Feast Day and Parish Social

Feast Day Sunday 4^th February, and Social, down at the club, on Friday evening, 9^th February. Tickets (free) available today, with numbers limited.  

 

Finance Committee Meeting

Monday 29^th January, reviewing our nine-month financial statement. Great thanks to the Gnomes of Zurich (remember them?) for their work here.

 

Next Youth Mass – Sunday 28^th January, 6.00 pm

Following on from our wonderful first Youth Mass in November, on Christ the King. Our Youth Band will be accompanying some hymns, and our youngsters taking as many parts in the Mass as possible.

Do come and support them!

 

Website Group Meeting Tuesday Evening

Meeting our new Website Provider and moving everything powerfully forward. Parish groups: have YOU been working on your next website pages?

 

Catholic Enquiry Group 2023-24

Ten youngsters have been meeting every fortnight since October, and on Monday 22^nd January have their seventh (of ten) sessions. Please keep them all in your prayers as Easter approaches.

 

Renewal Steering Group Strategy Meeting

This fantastic group meets every Monday to put every single aspect of our parish life under the microscope. Their work finishes in July, when it is over to the dozens of individual groups to take their own work forward. We meet for a special, session on Thursday evening, 1^st Feb, to plan the 2^nd half of our great project, February–July 2024.

 

 

Friday Evening Devotions During Lent

Six Fridays in Lent, and if anyone would like to lead either a Stations of the Cross or a Lenten Devotions, for 45 minutes of so, we would love to hear from you. The Chrism Mass this year is at St Michael’s Woodchurch, Birkenhead, on Wednesday 27^th March at 7.00 pm, so we’ll be organising a minibus / small coach for all these interested.

 

Lourdes by Jumbulance

There are two pilgrimages in 2024 departing from Wirral and Chester. A Jumbulance is literally a Jumbo-Ambulance. It has seven beds on board, spacious seating, an accessible toilet and kitchen. We can take very sick or disabled pilgrims including those needing palliative care including cancer, MND, MS, stroke, etc. We stay in a four star hotel with excellent facilities to care for them and recruit a team of nurses and helpers to do so. The dates are Thu 30^th May to Sat 8^th June and Thu 15^th to Sat 24^th August. The cost is £1,095; nurses and young helpers under 25 in FTE, pay half. Visit our website and read Bev’s story. www.across.org.uk/?s=AJ Contact Tony Murphy on 07881-656-974 or tonymurphy2002@yahoo.co.uk

 

Welcomers: New Rota Now Out for Next 3 Months

New Rota on the table at the back of Church, so please sign up for January, February and March.

 

New Primary School Governor Wanted

The vacancy must be filled by community members affiliated with the Catholic Church, who are not related to any children within our school. We are a busy, energetic governing body and would warmly invite anyone interested in finding out more about the role to contact the school in the first instance to arrange an informal chat: Sarah on 01244 478954 or email: admin@lovelearnlaugh.org.uk

 

The Synod and Parish Renewal

There will be a meeting on Wednesday 24^th January,  7.00 pm – 9.00 pm, to outline recent developments and, as importantly, to link them to our own Parish Renewal Programme. You are all warmly invited. Refreshments will be available!

 

Parish Outings

 We would now really appreciate your suggestions for outings in 2024. Please email them to Fr Paul or leave them in an envelope with your name on the table at the back of Church marked Outings. Many thanks for the suggestions that have come in so far.

 

Retreat Day on Prayer

In order to help us prepare for the Year of Prayer, the Shrewsbury Diocese Team for Evangelisation and Mission will be running a Retreat Day on Prayer for parishes in the Chester area on Saturday 3^rd February, 10.00 am-3.00 pm, St Columba’s Parish Hall. See the Flyers at the back of the Church.

All welcome - bring a packed lunch.

 

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Sun 7.00 pm: Christleton Methodists: Closing Service

 

Photo of the Week: Apparition Basilica at Knock

1.5 million pieces of coloured glass go to make up this fantastic mosaic, commemorating the Apparitions of August 1879. Thanks, Chief C!