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: Eileen Law (L.D., Swindon)
Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Susanna Timothy (Anniversary 2007)
Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Graham George (L.D.)
Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Pasqual and Josephine DePoneo and Family

Monday 18th December: Ferial: Jeremiah 23, 5-8; Psalm 71; Matthew 1, 18-24
10.00 am: St Columba’s: Requiem Mass for Janette Doherty
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Ellen Murphy (Anniversary)
1.05 pm: University Chapel: University Mass - All Welcome! Next Uni Mass: Monday 8th January.

Tuesday 19th December: Ferial: Judges 13, 2-25; Psalm 70; Luke 1, 5-25
8.00 am: Poor Clares Hawarden: Special Intention
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Intentions of Joan Baxter
7.00 pm – 10.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Confessions

Wednesday 20th December: Ferial: Isaiah 7, 10-14; Psalm 23; Luke 1, 26-38
10.00 am - 12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Monica Concannon (L.D.)

Thursday 21st December: Ferial: Song of Songs 2, 8-14; Psalm 32; Luke 1, 39-45
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Janette Doherty (L.D., Chester)
10.00 am: Primary School: Class Mass
12.00 noon: Blacon: Funeral Service for Mary Ball, late of Chester Lodge NH
7.00 pm - 10.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Confessions

Friday 22nd December: Ferial: I Samuel 1, 24-28; Psalm 1 I Samuel 2; Luke 1, 46-56
10.00 am: Primary School: Whole School Christmas Mass
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Claire and Michael Guiney, and family (Ireland)

Saturday 23rd 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: Mavis and Fred Fazey, Mary and Tom Boulton, and Mary Fazey

SUNDAY 24th DECEMBER 2017: 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: Mavis and Fred Fazey, Mary and Tom Boulton, and Mary Fazey
Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Constantine Brady (L.D.)
Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Andrew and Emily Cunniff

SUNDAY 24th DECEMBER 2017: CHRISTMAS EVE (YEAR B)
Sunday 6.00 pm: Children’s Vigil Mass of Christmas: Alex Barnes
Sunday 8.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Vigil Mass of Christmas: For Edward
Sunday 11.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Carols and Midnight Mass: Matthew Robinson

MONDAY 25th DECEMBER 2017: CHRISTMAS DAY (YEAR B)
Monday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Dawn Mass of Christmas: Brian Boardman
Monday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Day Mass of Christmas: Donal O’Shea

TUESDAY 26th DECEMBER 2017: FEAST OF ST STEPHEN, PATRON SAINT OF ALTAR SERVERS
Tuesday 8.00 am: Poor Clares, Hawarden: For MP
Tuesday 10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Altars Servers’ Celebration: Ralph William Wallace (Anniversary)

Prayer intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Ruth O’Kane, Iris Philp, James Donovan, Garth Stocking, Ann McGowan-Scanlan, Mary Lyons, Kevin Maguire, Christine Davies, Michael Morton; and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Kath Harris’ Mum, Maureen; Winifred Mealing and Mary Ball; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Curt Rahilly, Maria Downey, John McCarthy, Nell Murphy, Mark Entwistle, Frances and John Williams, Terence Hunt, Elizabeth Macaulay, Olive Rowlands, Arthur Townley, Pauline Blanche, Brendan Anderson, Robert Barlow, Josephine Quinn, Peggy Sheen, Sheila Burns, Loretta 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. May They All Rest in Peace.

Parish events

"A War-Torn Chester Parish”

A superb response last weekend, so many copies flying off the shelves. On sale again at all Masses today, and at all Masses next week and over Christmas. It’s going to sell out soon, so don’t be disappointed. Soft Back £10, Hardback £20.

St Werburgh’s Christmas Service Times Cards

Not many to go now! Thank you so much to everyone who’s taken them for distribution far and wide. Someone came in the week to collect them for Waitrose, and for one of our local Post Offices. It just goes to show!

Sunday 24th December Mass Obligation

Next Sunday is Fourth Sunday of Advent until dusk, then it becomes Christmas Eve. So, coming in the Evening doesn’t fulfil the Sunday Mass Obligation. Many of you have asked: sorry, folks, and nice try!

Christmas Eve Children’s Mass: 6.00 pm

Come Wednesday, you won’t be able to buy a Tea Towel in Chester for love or money. So, come along Christmas Eve at 6.00 pm, kids, dressed in any character from the Nativity Story. We don’t tend to be Scriptural Purists on this occasion, and have certainly welcomed Scooby Doo to the Manger in recent years. Last year it was Darth Vader. Come on folks, the Gospels don’t actually say he wasn’t there!

Putting Up Our Christmas Tree on Wednesday

Thanks to everyone who turned up and helped. Now our Annual Christmas Tree Lights War breaks out, the Flashers versus the Steady Staters...

Next CathSoc Meeting: Sunday 14th January!

Winifred Mealing RIP

We were sorry to hear news in the week of the death of Winifred Mealing last Saturday. Her Funeral will be at St Columba’s, 28th December

SVP 2nd Collection: Christmas Lunch and Gifts

Collection remaining open for another week.

Our Mission Together Diocesan Appeal

Latest Quarterly Report available back of church.

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 Gaps: Please Sign Up

• 6.00 pm: One EM, Two Welcomers (W)
• 8.30 pm: Two EM’s, One W
• 11.30 pm: Two EM’s, Two W’s
• 9,00 am: Three EM’s, Two W’s
• 10.45 am: One Reader, 4 EM’s.

Safeguarding Reps - Updated Lists Required

Many thanks to all Group Leaders for getting their up-dated Lists of Volunteers into us, those working with Children and/or Vulnerable Adults. Now Liz and Simon, our new Safeguarding Reps, will compare these lists with the ones held by the Diocese to see where everyone is up to with their CRB/DBS clearance. Sorry, everyone - this isn’t optional and we all have to do it! It won’t of itself make the Church a safe place but it’s a vital part of that process. Thanks, one and all!

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...

Repository Closing Today Sunday 17th December

Paula and Bernice will always be available at their respective Masses (9.00 am and 10.45 am) during the closure. Notelets are still available at the special price of £2.00 per packet for those last-minute gifts and stocking-fillers!

Parish Website: We’re Live Again!!!

The Website Team - Brian, Fran and Peter - have been working very hard again this week - well, they have nothing else to do... [Sorry, Team!] - and huge progress has been made, as you will all see if you go online. We’ve also taken the opportunity to update many of the Parish Pages and make them Current as of January 2018. We’ve also upped the Security Level to try to stop such a thing ever happening again. Thanks, Team!

Photo of the week: the Unstoppable Power of Nature

A fantastic photo sent in by Eileen Owens, illustrating a recent sermon on "The Unstoppable Power of Nature". The tree, vitally embedded in a brick wall, was photographed in Mumbai, India.

 

CAFOD Fundraising Update

The CAFOD Coffee Morning, World Gift and Christmas Card sale and Nativity Raffle raised a total of £650 for Syria and Yemen. The Knitted Nativity Raffle was drawn at a CAFOD event on Wednesday. The winner was Paula Bownas. Many thanks to all who gave their generous support.

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

Many thanks for getting all of them out, especially Bobbity for Bythom Close...