Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

Genesis 2,7 - 3,7; Psalm 50; Romans 5, 12-19; Matthew 4, 1-11

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Fred and Mavis Fazey; Tom and Mary Boulton
Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Derek Taylor (15th Anniversary)
Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Anne Woodhouse (3rd Anniversary)
Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Evelyn Hughes (1st Anniversary)

Monday 27th February: Ferial: Leviticus 19, 1-18; Psalm 18; Matthew 25, 31-46
12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Syd Jones, Parish Secretary and Administrator

Tuesday 28th February: Ferial: Isaiah 55, 10-11; Psalm 33; Matthew 6, 7-15
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: John Haslam (Birthday Remembrance)

Wednesday 1st March: St David of Wales: Philippians 3, 8-14; Psalm 1; Matthew 5, 13-16
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Intentions of our Confirmation Candidates 2023
7.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Confirmation Class One

Thursday 2nd March: Ferial: Esther 4, 17; Psalm 137; Matthew 7, 7-12
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Marie Keegan (1st Anniversary)
10.30 am: Tattenhall Monthly House Mass – please email FP for venue

Friday 3rd March: Ferial: Ezekiel 18, 21-28; Psalm 129; Matthew 5, 20-27
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Anthony G (11th Anniversary)
10.30 am: City Road Presbyterian Church: Women’s World Day of Prayer
12.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Funeral Service for Kennedy Rowley, late of Wordsworth Crescent
7.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Stations of the Cross, followed by Exposition till 9.00 pm

Saturday 4th March: Ferial: Deuteronomy 26, 16-19; Psalm 118; Matthew 5, 43-48
10.30-12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions
12.30 pm: Sat Werburgh’s: Baptism of Lara Olivia Intuc
3.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Wedding Service for David Johnston and Lucy Robinson
6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Kathleen Smyth (L.D.)

SUNDAY 5th MARCH 2023: SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT (YEAR A)
Genesis 12, 1-4; Psalm 32; II Timothy 1, 8-10; Matthew 17, 1-9
Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Kathleen Smyth (L.D.)
Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Albert Norman (Anniversary)
Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Diana Scipanova (L.D.)
Sunday 12.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Baptism of Fraser Brian Ainsworth
Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Denis Hickey (Birthday Remembrance)

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Kath Stanton, Brian Boardman Jnr, James Convey, Bill Hackett, Laura Chadwick, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Ruth O’Kane, and Kevin Maguire and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Syd Jones, Betty Park, June Grimes and Kennedy Rowley; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: William Simmons, Teresa Patterson, Brian Burns, Sally Byrne, Palmino Apollonio, Maureen McCleary, Edward Davies, Mary Margaret Boulton, Denise Williams, May Littler, Elizabeth Byrne, Rose Meehan, Monica Higgins, Annie Dodd, Cyril Baxter, Albert Norman, Delia Roberts, Monica Badrock, Pat Cleaver, Margaret Thornton, Edward Crowther, Annie Furnival, Winifred Bird, Mary Shepherd, James Garner, Brian Shaw, Anthony Le Mottee, Edward Cain, Margaret John, Margaret McCluskey, Anne Roberts, Rose Rosney and Iris Pritchard, Evelyn Hughes, Tony Core. May They All Rest in Peace.

Parish events

Syd Jones RIP: Requiem Mass: No University Mass

The Requiem Mass for our beloved Syd Jones will be celebrated on Monday 27th February at 12.00 noon, followed by Committal at Blacon at 1.20 pm. There will be no University Mass on that day. We are anticipating a very full church, so do please come in plenty of time. There will be no parking at the church on that day.

World Day of Prayer (Formerly Women’s WDP!)

A global, ecumenical, women led movement. A service will be held on Friday 3rd March 2023 at 10.30 am in the Presbyterian Church of Wales, City Road, Chester CH1 (opposite the Premier Inn at this end of City Road). This year's service has been prepared by the Christian women of Taiwan. All are welcome. Do come along!

Christian Aid Lent Lunches: 12.00-1.30 pm

• Thursday 2nd March: Hoole URC, Hoole Road
• Monday 6th March: Caldy Valley Community Church
• Mon 13th March: Wesley Methodists (St W’s hosting)
• Monday 20th March: Wesley Methodists
• Thursday 30th March: St Mary’s Handbridge

Do We Still Need Holy Communion Stewards?

From Sunday 26th February to Sunday 19th March, we are going to experiment with suspending communion stewarding at 9.00 am and 10.45 am Masses, to see if we still need them. The success of this trial will depend upon everyone in the congregation continuing to follow the procedure that we are all now used to as follows:

• The central benches go up to Communion up the central aisle starting at the front, row by row, and return to the benches via the side aisles;
• The two side aisles benches, starting from the front benches, walk to the back of the church, then round and up the central aisle to receive Communion and then return via the side aisles;
• In order to avoid bottlenecks in the side aisles, please sit in your bench before entering the aisle – there’s plenty of time!
• No one should cross from the side benches through the middle benches.
  After 12th March, we will consult the whole Parish on Communion Stewards, restoring the Chalice for the congregation and the physical Sign of Peace.

SVP Theatre Night at Port Sunlight: 8th March

Wednesday 8th March, at 7.30 pm at the Gladstone Theatre, in Port Sunlight. The play is The Girl on the Train, a fantastic thriller based on the book by Paula Hawkins. We have 50 tickets available to purchase at £10 per ticket. The SVP will be selling them at the end of Mass on Sundays 19th and 26th February. They can also be reserved via email contacting annepatey1@gmail.com, and collected and paid on arrival at the theatre. All money raised will go to support the SVP Holiday Home project. We hope to see you there for a lovely theatrical evening!

Our exceptional low-cost Easter Cards are now in!

Also, please note that our Sale of Preloved goods will end on Sunday 4th March. Please come and browse and, above all, buy!!

Deanery Conference here last Tuesday

We have begun our discussion about possibly reintroducing the Chalice, Home Communions, Concelebration, the physical Sign of Peace, and other key post-Covid issues. Watch this space!

Lent Friday Evenings: 7.30 pm

• 24th Feb: Stations in Church
• 3rd March: Stations in Church
• 10th March: Zoom Stations online
• 17th March: Devotions (Musical) in Church
• 24th March: Zoom Devotions online
• 31st March: Stations in Church

Lent Chapel Visits

Christleton and Waverton Churches Together organise a lovely series of visits to local Chapels during Lent – 2.30 pm each time:

• Wed 1st March: Gaia Exhibition at the Cathedral
• Wed 8th March: Foxhill Conference Centre
• Tuesday 21st March: University Chapel
• Thursday 30th March: St Deiniol’s, Hawarden
  Flyers at back of church with full details.

Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality Group

The next meeting will be 7th March 2023 7.30 pm via zoom. Please register your attendance, request the link, and send items for the agenda to secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk or text/call 07451-249-267.

An Online Course on Vatican II

The Diocese is offering a series of short podcasts throughout Lent. Accessible on the diocesan website at dioceseofshrewsbury.org They may be listened to any time. A leaflet outlining the content of the recordings is available in the parish. Enquiries to Barbara Davies on 07730-526-821.

Retired Priests Welfare Officer

Due to the upcoming retirement of our current RGN/Welfare Officer. He/she is expected to draw on their nursing skills and experience effectively to assist priests approaching retirement, those in retirement and those on sick leave. They will need to be proactive, caring and demonstrate safe and effective practice through a multidisciplinary approach. They will require a current NMC pin and understand the Catholic faith. Application form from Pauline McCulloch recruitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org. For further information: https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Welfare-Officer-job-description-Feb-2023.docx Closing date 24 March.

Confirmation: 10th May 2023: Class 1 - Wednesday

Catholic High School 50th Anniversary Mass

Chester Cathedral – Friday 9th June 2023 11.00 am – everyone warmly invited, space permitting. The whole school will be attending, plus VIP’s, former students and staff.

Photo of the Week: Olive from Orford

Who remembers Birettas? No, not the guns in Al Capone’s time, but the square hats Priests used to wear. Olive has always kept hers…