Parish Newsletter

"A War-Torn Chester Parish"

And here it is, our second Great War Book - and what a magnificent production it is. The content is superb, almost forty essays and articles covering so many aspects of St Werburgh’s a hundred years ago. And the production of the book is equally first class, 220 pages and a host of fascinating illustrations and photographs. On sale today, £10 soft back and £20 hardback. I hope every family in the parish will buy one, and I myself will certainly be sending a number as personal Christmas Presents. A thousand congratulations to our Great War Group!

St Werburgh’s Christmas Service Times Cards

Thousands have gone out, a few thousand still to go. Please, everyone, get them out there, as far and wide as possible. You have no idea how many people will come to Mass and Confessions because of them - and only because of them.

Catholic High School Parents Association

Carol Service, Tuesday 19th December at 6.30 pm, followed by refreshments, a Christmas raffle and musical entertainment by the School Jazz Band. Free entrance. Everybody is welcome.

Concerts in Church This Month

• Tuesday 12th - Primary School Carol Concert
• Saturday 16th - Chester Bach Singers
• Thanks, James and Team, for Abbeygate’s Concert last Friday night: you did us proud!

Putting Up Our Christmas Tree on Wednesday

Wednesday 13th at 1.00 pm. Everyone warmly welcome to come along and help - many hands will make light work. Tea, coffee and mince pies!

CathSoc Meetings for Rest of Term: Sun @ 7.00

Thanks, George and team, for a super Christmas Quiz last Sunday. This Sunday, 10th December, it’s Christmas Meal Out. Leave from Church at 7.00 pm or see you there for 7.15 pm. Next Meeting - Sunday 14th January!

Short Liturgy Group Meeting on Wednesday

To tie up all the loose ends for Christmas, please. 7.00 pm, hopefully for just half an hour.

Chester Bach Singers Candlelit Carol Concert

Saturday 16th December at 7.30 pm. A mix of carols old and new for choir and many of the traditional favourites for the audience to join in. Retiring collection for Chester Aid to the Homeless. Tickets are £12 and £5 for students and include refreshments during the interval.

New Diocesan Ordos and Year Books on Sale: £4

The very popular guide to the Liturgical Life of the whole year is selling well and now we have our Diocesan Year Book for 2018 - both excellent reads and reference books. £4 each.

Christmas Volunteer Rota Now Available

Please sign up: we need the usual team of volunteer Eucharistic Ministers, Readers, Welcomers and Collectors for our special Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Sunday morning Masses on Dec 24th: Normal Rota

Safeguarding Reps - Updated Lists Required

Our two new Parish Safeguarding Reps, Liz Aiello and Simon Neal, have hit the ground running. Every Parish must have such Reps, charged with making sure the Parish is a safe place for all children and vulnerable adults. Every parishioner who works with either group, as you know, must have DBS clearance, showing that there is nothing in our past that would make us unsuitable. Many of us have these already, but most of them will need updating. Can we ask the leaders of the following groups to get an up-to-date list of their members to FP as soon as possible? Altar Servers, FHC Catechists, Confirmation Catechists, Children’s Liturgy Leaders, Home Eucharistic Ministers, SVP.

Caritas: Diocesan Children’s Society

After some 25 years’ service, Roger has decided to stand down as our Children’s Society Collector. Thanks, Roger! Now we need someone...

City Centre Ministers Christmas Lunch

Many thanks to Bernice and Gillian for a superb do on Wednesday: 16 City Centre Revs sat down for a wonderful lunch. The smiles on their little faces made that 2.00 am start so worthwhile...

SVP 2nd Collection: Christmas Lunch and Gifts

At all Masses this weekend: GA Envelopes too.

Parish Website: We’re Live Again!!!

Mille grazie, as they say in German, to our fantastic website team, for getting it up and running again after the recent disastrous hack. They’ve really worked their socks off: thanks, Brian, Fran and Peter! Much more work remains to be done, but it’s flying, as from today. Photo of the week? A fabulous church Ann Marie and Brian saw in their recent gad and gallivant to Brazil.

The Basílica Nossa Senhora de Nazaré do Desterro in Belém do Pará, north-west Brazil, is a large neoclassical church dedicated to Our Lady of Nazareth, devotion to whom is expressed in the annual procession of the Círio of Nazaré, the largest religious event in Brazil, on the second Sunday of October.

CAFOD Knitted Nativity and Coffee Morning

Raffle tickets for the Knitted Nativity and hats on sale today. Proceeds to CAFOD to support refugees. At present the total for the Coffee Morning is about £200 but needs to be finalised.

Shrewsbury Online Liturgical Calendar

For those of you who are Universalis users or are interested in an online/mobile app of the Divine Office and Mass Readings and prayers, the Shrewsbury Calendar is now available via www.universalis.com.

Waverton Christmas Cards

Four roads for us to deliver - any volunteers?