Holy Week and Easter at St Werburgh’s

A very warm welcome to everyone for Easter Sunday – and a Happy Easter to you all! It’s been so good to welcome such crowds for all the Triduum Services – and good to see so many Werbies making it across the Diocese to the Chrism Mass with Bishop Mark on Wednesday Evening at St Anthony’s Wythenshawe. Thank you to all our Eucharistic Ministers who renewed their Promise of Commitment at the Mass of the Lords’s Supper on Thursday evening, and the Watchers at the Altar of Repose till Midnight. Standing Room Only at the Good Friday Liturgy of the Passion. And now the Easter Vigil and Sunday Easter Masses. A particular welcome to all our wizziters: thank you for joining us for this, the most sacred time in the Church’s Year.

150^th Anniversary Celebrations

Our wizziters may not know, but this is the 150^th Anniversary of the opening of the present church in 1875, and we are hoping to celebrate it with a host of activities. Many of these are aimed at our grand Fund-Raising Thanksgiving Project, £15,000 for our own Chester Hospice. The total this week, after just four weeks, stands at £3,300, an incredible 22% of the way to our target! Thank you so much to Joan Hall’s family for dedicating your recent Funeral Retiring Collection to our project, a wonderful £300; and to H&J, daughters of Mae, for donating £500 in your mother’s memory. We cannot thank you enough. Almost ready now with our fabulous Parish Recipe Books, full of your culinary suggestions, and our Lego Models of the Church. All the Easter Chicks and Bunnies have gone, and they raised an extraordinary £800. It makes all those hours I spent with knitting needles in hand so worthwhile… Now on with the 150 plants and bulbs to go in our gardens – please read the separate notice of when and where -  and remember our Just Giving page is at https://www.justgiving.com/page/150-years-of-st-werburghs  Keep those ideas coming, everyone, and don’t forget our next Open Planning Meeting is this coming Thursday 24^th April, 7.30 pm. We’d love to welcome you with your ideas. It’s a fun, open evening, expertly chaired by Mommalat. Welcome, one and all!

SVP Spring Mass - Sunday 11^th May at 2.30 pm

You’re all warmly invited. You’re most welcome to stay on for a tea party in the back of the church. If you have problems  with transport, please ring Fran 07990524780.

Welcome Wednesdays Never Sleep!

We’re delighted with the £800 that our chicks & bunnies have raised for The Hospice, We’re so grateful for your generosity and support.  We celebrated last Wednesday before Easter with a simple and lovely time of prayer and reflection. Next WW 30^th April when Laura Jones from Age UK Cheshire will give a Talk about her Scam Awareness Project and ask, 'How scam-savvy are YOUI?’  All welcome: we can never be scam-savvy enough.

Young Adults Gathering – Friday May 2^nd 

Nithin writes: “Are you over 18 and looking to meet fellow parishioners? Join us for our Young Adults Gathering on Friday, May 2nd at St Werburgh's at 6.30 pm for an evening of connection, conversation, and community! All are welcome – bring a friend! I will be at the back of Church between Masses on Sunday Mornings and after Mass in the evenings 19th and 27th April so come and say hello. Nithin.”

Planting 150 flowers to Celebrate 150 Years

Our gardeners are looking for bulbs and outdoor plant donations for our gardens and will plant 150 new bulbs and plants this spring. All types are welcome, although we kindly ask you to include your name and a label with the flower name, so we can plant it in a suitable place and care for it appropriately. Any surplus plants received will be bundled up and made available to parishioners for a small, suggested donation. Please drop off your bulbs and plants from Sunday 20^th April to Sunday 27^th. There will be collection boxes by the garden bench next to the front door of the house and at  the back of Church (Church Sundays only).

Safeguarding Training for All Volunteer Parishioners

Liz Aiello and Chris Proudfoot, our Parish Safeguarding Representatives, will be holding Safeguarding Training Sessions on Tuesday 13^th May at 7.00 pm and Thursday 15^th May at 2.00 pm. All Parish Volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults, and who did not attend the training in January, must attend one of these sessions. This is aimed at increasing awareness of Safeguarding and will cover Roles and Responsibilities, Protecting the Vulnerable and Protecting Yourself, How to Respond to Disclosures and Concerns, and Knowing where to go to for Support and Advice.

St Werburgh’s Parish Pilgrimage Walk  to Holywell

Saturday 28^th June: St Werburgh’s to Flint, 13 miles (return by train). Sunday 29^th June: to Flint by train, Mass in Flint, then on to St Winefride’s Shrine, 8 miles (return by bus). Open to all, but numbers limited. Details on flyers and sign-up list or email John Egan for details:  john.egan1935@gmail.com

Teaching Assistant Vacancy at The Catholic High School

For information, please visit www.christofidelis.org.uk  Closing date: 12.00 noon Wednesday 23^rd April 2025. Applications should be returned via email to: Andrew Kilcoyne, kilcoynea@christofidelis.org.uk

Prom Dresses and Suits Wanted 

The Catholic High School is welcoming donations of dresses and suits for the upcoming 'Prom Shop' sale. Donations may be dropped off at the school reception - Old Wrexham Road, CH4 7HS. Thank you

Children’s Liturgy Starts Again Sunday 27^th April

On the Free Table: Last Few Red Great War Books

Sounds of Old Chester: Easter Sunday Evening

I always love seeing a little knot of you gathered on the pavement outside the Presbytery to catch one of the great annual Sounds of Old Chester. Easter Sunday, 7.05 pm. Listen Carefully: clink, clink, glug, glug, fizzzzzz. This year, there may be an extra glug or two. I am sure you will understand.

Photo of the Week: St Joseph’s Sheringham

Dating from 1910, this beautiful Norfolk church has a striking Hanging Calvary where we in St Werburgh’s have a Hanging Cross. Thanks to Pat and Tony – they saw it, they snapped it, they sent it in! (Or "Wedi sylwi, wedi sôn, wedi'i sortio.” As they say in German.)