Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

Isaiah 61, 1-11; Psalm Luke 1; I Thessalonians 5, 16-24; John 1, 6-28

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: John, Peter and Pam Newbrook (Birthday Remembrances)

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Paul Lawton

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Ann Blythin

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Intentions of Lal Cook and family

 

Monday 18^th December: Ferial: Jeremiah 23, 5-8; Psalm 71; Matthew 1, 18-24

11.00 am: Crabwall Hall NH: Service for Residents and Visitors

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Deceased Members of the Halpen Family

1.10 pm: University Chapel: Weekly University Mass – All Welcome

7.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Advent Penitential Service

 

Tuesday 19^th December: Ferial: Judges 13, 2-25; Psalm 70; Luke 1, 5-25

12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Maureen Carroll, late of Thackeray Towers

6.30 pm: High School: High School Carol Service

 

Wednesday 20^th December: Ferial: Isaiah 7, 10-14; Psalm 23; Luke 1, 26-38

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Molly Massey (14^th Anniversary)

 

Thursday 21^st December: Ferial: Song of Songs 2, 8-14; Psalm 32; Luke 1, 39-45

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: John Haslam

2.00 pm: Blacon: Funeral Service for Joyce Backhouse, late of Acorn Manor NH

 

Friday 22^nd December: Ferial: I Samuel 1, 24-28; Psalm I Samuel 2; Luke 1, 46-56

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Hilda Jones and Pat Maguire (Birthday Remembrances)

 

Saturday 23^rd December: Ferial: Malachi 3, 1-24; Psalm 24; Luke 1, 57-66

10.00 – 12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions

6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Peter Whitby (L.D.)

 

 

SUNDAY 24^th  DECEMBER 2023: FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR B)

II Samuel 7,1-16; Psalm 88; Romans 16, 25-27; Luke 1, 26-38

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Peter Whitby (L.D.)

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Syd Jones

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Deceased Members of the Noone and Cummins Families

 

 

SUNDAY 24^th DECEMBER: CHRISTMAS EVE

 

Sunday 4.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Children’s Christmas Vigil Mass **Fully Booked**: Barbara Dolan

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Children’s Christmas Vigil Mass: Eugene McElduff (1^st Anniversary)

Sunday 8.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Vigil Mass of Christmas: Jones and Garbett Family

Sunday 11.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Carols and Midnight Mass: Matthew Robinson

 

MONDAY 25^th DECEMBER: CHRISTMAS DAY

 

Monday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Dawn Mass of Christmas: Brian Boardman

Monday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Day Mass of Christmas: Alex Barnes

 

TUESDAY 26^th DECEMBER: FEAST OF ST STEPHEN

 

Tuesday 10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Annual Altar Servers’ Mass – All Welcome: Intentions of B&D 

 

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Wendy O’Brien, Jimmy McCahy, 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 Felicity Hughes, Alan Bonner, Stephen Parry, Maureen Carroll, Joyce Backhouse, Antti Poutiainen and Beryl Mynott; and for all those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Maria Downey, John McCarthy, Nell Murphy, Mark Entwistle, John & Frances Williams, Terence Hunt, Elizabeth Macaulay, Olive Rowlands, Arthur Townley, Pauline Blanche, Brendan Anderson, David O’Malley, Maureen Middleton, Robert Barlow, Josephine Quinn, Peggy Sheen, Sheila Burns, Marie Gilmovitch, Loreta Roberts, Gilderoy Finney, Violet Carroll, Stephen Kennedy, George Bowyer, Ron Bennett, Dot Williams, Charles Donnelly, Douglas Brown, Violet Martinez, Harry O’Korn, Cesidia Moreton, Margaret Cooper, Christina Williams and John Arcari, Peter Lucas, Jennifer Brantley.  May they all Rest in Peace.

 

Parish Information and Contacts

Live Streaming Link: www.churchservices.tv/stwerburghchester.

SVP: svpchester@gmail.com     Countess of Chester Chaplaincy: 01244 364543.

St Werburgh’s is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury: Registered Charity No 234025.

Safeguarding: safeguarding@stwerburghchester.co.uk Liz Aiello: 07813743723 and Chris Proudfoot: 07711495070

Parish events

 The Parish Family

All of us were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Felicity Hughes, Marian Curtis’s daughter, knocked off her bicycle on the way to work on Monday morning. We send Marian, Jeremy and Eve our deepest sympathies and warmest love. A number of other parishioners are also in our prayers at this time, for themselves and their family members.

Christmas Times: Filling Up Fast  for 4.30 pm!

• Christmas Eve: 4.30, 6.00, 8.30 and 11.30 pm Booking Essential for 4.30 pm: 200+ booked so far!
• Christmas Day: 9.00 am and 10.45 am.
• Boxing Day: 10.00 am: Altar Servers Mass.

 

Christmas Volunteer Rota Out Today

Filling up nicely: thanks! If you can fill those few last slots, we’d bite your arm off.  

Christmas Stewards: still TWO more needed for the 4.30 pm Christmas Eve Children’s Mass and FOUR for the 6.00 pm Children’s Mass. Please volunteer, whether you’ve been a Steward or not: you’ll all be fully briefed before the day. Contact FP or Marian marian.mccarthy@btinternet.com (07825-048-097).  

 

Christmas Flowers: Second Collection £583-20

Thank you for your very generous response – and the lovely Christmas Tree in the Porch decorated with all your Prayer Stars.

 

Recent SVP Fundraising

With donations still coming in, the District Holiday Home Sponsored Walk has raised £1,567.28 and our own Parish Christmas Collection netted £1,127.77. We’ll give your final totals when we have them but meanwhile, a thousand thanks to everyone for their generous support.

 

Cakes for Claire! Magnificent Total of £500 Raised.

Very many thanks to everyone who selflessly bought huge amounts of cake to raise funds for MIND on 3^rd December, in memory of  our friend Claire Graham. What a tribute to our lovely friend. Huge thanks to everyone for their support.

 

High School Christmas Fair Tuesday 19^th December

You’re all invited to the Fair, 4.30 pm onwards, Entrance £1, followed by Carol Service at 6.30 pm. 

 

Confession Times Next Week

Monday Evening, 7.00 pm: Penitential Service

Saturday Morning, 10.00-12.00 noon: both Fr Neill and myself will be hearing Confessions that morning.

 

Final Children’s Liturgy of this Year

Sunday 17^th December, starting up again on Sunday 7^th January. The team would love to have more volunteers if you were able to help out.

 

CathSoc Fund-Raising

£508 was raised in total for Mary’s Meals, so enormous thanks to everyone for their generosity. The Raffle raised  £82 (winning ticket 62, McMahon) and the Sponsored Fast £426.

 

Would Make Beautiful Christmas Presents…

We’ve had donated two new Ukuleles, in cases, with Instruction Booklets – they might be a breeding pair, but I can’t be sure – and a lovely Stamp Album mainly featuring Vatican Stamps. On the table at the back of church for your inspection. Sealed bids to FP please, and all proceeds to Caritas.

 

Repository: Final Week before Blackpool…

Bernice and Paula are heading off to Mrs Peabody’s Guest House on the South Shore on 21^st December for their usual Turkey and Tinsel Christmas: last chance to buy your Christmas Cards today.

 

Church Library Last Open Morning  of This Year

Monday 18^th December, 9.30 – 11.30 am, with a good selection of books on display on Advent and Christmas. Everyone welcome – why not bring the youngsters and get them into the Library habit?

 

Dee Ensemble Sunday 17^th December at 3.00 pm

A return concert by this Ladies Choir, made up of alumni from Chester Music Society Junior Choir. Conductor Anne Rushforth, accompanist Fiona Rushforth. Festive songs, carols and readings.

Free entry and refreshments provided at the end of the concert. Retiring collection for Platform for Life.

 

Photo of the Week: FHC 1974

In the Convent Grounds, Christine O’Loughlin making her First Holy Communion, with the young curate, Fr Gerry Courell. Good looking swine, wasn’t he?