Parish Newsletter

Our Summer Fete – What a Joy!

We can’t thank everyone enough for making our Summer Fete last Saturday such a triumphant success. It was a real team effort, involving so very many parishioners and welcoming hundreds of wizziters to our church, garden and house. Originally conceived as a fund-raiser for our Hospice Appeal, by the time the day came round it was as much a community-builder. Lyn Williams master-minded the whole project (mistress-minded?) and saw it through to completion with meticulous planning and a fantastic eye for detail. It really was a military exercise. Bernice Meredith and Pat Floate were her right-hand men (??) and in the week beforehand, were often working till 9.00 pm each evening. Thank you, Three Musketeers! Thanks to all the stallholders, to everyone who donated goods and to all who came along, especially the amazing number of children. Special thanks to the SVP for running a fabulous Tea Garden in the back garden, making all the cakes and biscuits and serving them with such joy. Oh, and by the way, it raised adjacent to £3,500! Wow!

150th Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebration

You are warmly invited to the Thanksgiving Celebration Meal, Friday 12th September, 7.00 pm at the Catholic High School. There are 150 tickets, free of charge, first come-first served available at each Mass 5th/6th July.  

St Werburgh’s “Open Week of Faith”: 13th-20th July  

Request for Volunteer Welcomers: we plan to have the church open throughout the afternoons of that week (1-7pm Monday-Friday; 2-4pm at the weekends). There will be displays around the church and a reflective booklet linked to these for visitors to engage with. We will need at least two welcomers in church at all of these times. Please sign up to help on sheet at the back of church.

Next Lourdes Hospitality Focus Group Meeting 

St Columba's, Wednesday July 2nd at 7.30 pm. 

Welcome Wednesday – Last Wednesday and This

A trip down memory lane last Wednesday in the company of William Brown and his fellow-Outlaws, Ginger, Henry and Douglas. Plus that little pest, Violet Elizabeth Bott (“I’ll thcream and thcream and thcream till I’m thick! I CAN!” (and boy, could she!). Richmal Crompton wrote the first book in 1922, and the last was published posthumously in 1970, so they form a remarkable social history of those five decades, gloriously subversive, the children the goodies and the adults the baddies. Great to see everyone there – this coming Wednesday, our usual very enjoyable tea and natter and a chance to reminisce about the Fete. Do invite a friend along! And huge thanks and congratulations to our Grumpy Old Men for their amazing Sponsored Domino game at the fete, playing for six hours and raising over £600! Well done, Grumps!

American High School Concert: Sunday 29th June 7.00

From Illinois, they’re on a tour of Europe. Come & give them your support: retiring collection for the Hospice.  

SVP Tea Party July 5th - 1.30 pm at St Columba’s 

You will be able to meet SVP friends from other places and enjoy delicious cakes! Ring Madeleine 07533-151667

Primary School Raffle

Many thanks for supporting the Primary School Summer Raffle which raised over £700 for school projects!

Lost without trace: Our Church’s Foundation Stone.

We wish to find it before the end of August 2025. 
If anyone knows where the foundation stone is to be found, please contact cheshire.historian@outlook.com
or leave a note, addressed to Parish History Group,  on the sacristy window ledge with your contact details. 

Bereavement and Loss Group

Come and have a chat and a cuppa on Wednesday 9th  July 1.15 pm to 2.45 pm. All welcome.

Diocesan Priesthood Ordinations This Summer

In the first two weeks of July, we look forward to the ordination to the Priesthood of Adam Bamber and Joseph Fawcett Wood at the Cathedral. A joy shared by the whole Diocese. If you are unable to attend the Ordination Masses, please remember Adam and Joseph in prayer on the weekends of 5th/6th July and 12th/13th  July respectively.

St Werburgh’s Young Adults – You’re Invited!

It was lovely to see so many of you at last month’s gathering! We’re looking forward to welcoming you back for our next meet-up: Friday 4th July 2025 6:30 pm onwards St Werburgh’s Church in the Day Chapel.

Thanks for loaning tables and gazebos for our Fete! 

If possible, please collect them at one of the following  times. Monday morning (9.30-11.30) or
Wednesday morning (9.30- 10.30). If these times are not convenient, please email Lyn (rich_lyn@hotmail.co.uk) to make arrangements.

Lourdes by Jumbulance: 14th – 23rd August

There are vacancies for sick and disabled pilgrims and for nurses and helpers. For more information, please contact Tony Murphy on 07881-656-974 or tonymurphyefc2002@yahoo.co.uk

Our Next Drop-in Social for New & Old Parishioners 

In the Day Chapel on Friday, 11th  July at 7.00 pm.

St Werburgh’s Pilgrimage to Holywell: 28/29 June

After an extraordinary amount of work and planning, our Pilgrims set off on Saturday morning, 28th, on the first leg of their Pilgrimage to the holy shrine at Holywell. On Saturday they walked to Flint. On Sunday, they have a special Mass here at 8.00 am in the Day Chapel before travelling back by train to Flint and walking the second leg, to Holywell. This is a superb part of our 150th Celebrations, and we cannot thank the organisers enough for making it possible. Please pray for them, as they will pray for us. 

Names for First Holy Communions Parish Group

Children who will be in Year 3 and above and not at Catholic Primaries. Closing date: Monday 1st September. Please email us the names if interested. 

Next Parish Walk Together: Wed 2nd July, 7.00 pm

Along the canal to the Cheshire Cat at Christleton. A gentle stroll. All welcome. Meet at the Parish House.

Photo of the Week: Farewell to Pranay Ross!

We are so blessed with our Altar Servers, and especially the way Gerry is able to retain them right up to leaving school and then beyond. Not so long ago, we said farewell to Pranay, off to Uni in London, and the whole family sadly now leaving Chester.