Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

Isaiah 7, 10-14; Psalm 23; Romans 1, 1-7; Matthew 1, 18-24

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Sisters of Namur & Deceased Members of the Moran Family
Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Molly Massey (10th Anniversary)
Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Hilda Jones and Pat Maguire (Birthday Remembrances)
Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Rachael Andrews

Monday 23rd December: Ferial: Numbers 24, 2-17; Psalm 24; Matthew 21, 23-27
10.00 am: Christ Church, Heald Green, Manchester: Requiem Mass for Peter Lucas
10.00 – 11.30 am: St Werburgh’s: Confessions
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Andrew and Emily Cunniff

Tuesday 24th December: Christmas Eve: Genesis 49, 2-10; Psalm 71; Matthew 1, 1-17

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Day Mass of Christmas Eve: Special Intention (JA)
6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Children’s Vigil Mass of Christmas: Alex Barnes
8.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Vigil Mass of Christmas: Jones and Garbett Families
11.30 pm: Carols and Midnight Mass of Christmas: Matthew Robinson

Wednesday 25th December: Christmas Day: Jeremiah 23, 5-8; Psalm 71; Matthew 1, 18-24

9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Dawn Mass of Christmas: Donal & Mary O’Shea (Annivs); Brian Boardman
10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Day Mass of Christmas: Finn Abberton and Special Family Intention (A)

Thursday 26th December: Feast of St Stephen: Judges 13, 2-25; Psalm 70; Luke 1, 5-25
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Annual Altar Servers Mass – All Welcome: Ralph William Wallace (Anniv)

Friday 27th December: St John the Evangelist: I John 1, 1-4; Psalm 96; John 20, 2-8
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Alphonse Falcone (L.D., New York)

Saturday 28th December: The Holy Innocents: I John 1,5 – 2,2; Psalm 123; Matthew 2, 13-18
10.00: St Werburgh’s: Thanksgiving
10.00 am: HMP Berwyn, Wrexham: Mass for Prisoners, Staff and Visitors
6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Deceased Members of the Boulton and Fazey Families

SUNDAY 29th DECEMBER: FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY (YEAR A)

Ecclesiasticus 3, 3-17; Psalm 127; Colossians 3, 12-21; Matthew 2, 13-23

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Deceased Members of the Boulton and Fazey Families
Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Margaret Haslam (Anniversary)
Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Cummins and Noone Families
Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: The Old Nuisance (10th Anniversary)

Monday 30th December: Sixth Day of Christmas: I John 2, 12-17; Psalm 95; Luke 2, 36-40
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Trudie Sinnott (L.D.)

Tuesday 31st December: Seventh Day of Christmas: I John 2, 18-21; Psalm 95; John 1, 1-18
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Thanksgiving for 2019
10.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
12.00 Midnight: Mass to ask for God’s Blessings on 2020

Wednesday 1st January: Mary, Mother of God: Numbers 6, 22-27; Ps 66; Gal 4, 4-7, Luke 2, 16-21
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: The People of St Werburgh’s Parish

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Tina Johnson, Laura Chadwick, Brian Lee, Elisabeth, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Sheila Winder, James Catterson, Joe and Ruth O’Kane,
Henri Diacono, James Donovan, Garth Stocking and Kevin Maguire; and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Maurice Power, Peter Lucas, Jack O’Gorman, Susan Roberts and Terence McMahon; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Johnnie Jones, Edward Davies, Patricia Smith, Joan Barlow, Krystyna Pepper, Patricia Wood, Charlie Esser, Pat Crayton, Doris Vickers, Tony Shepherd, Terry Pealing, Luzia McDonough, Lexy Wilkinson, Winifred Challinor, Mary Hoban, Rita Duckers, John Haresnape. Joseph Doran, John O’Leary, Winifred Shaw, Arthur Biscaine, Brian Clegg, Barbara McKeown, Sheelagh Potter, John Oliphant, Charles Green, James McCleary, Pat Walsh, Vera Howard, Michael Davies and Bridget Jennings. May They All Rest in Peace.

Parish events

Christmas Times at St Werburgh’s

Please take a yellow A5 flyer today with all the times for Masses, Confessions, Penitential Services and Concerts over the Christmas period – and do please distribute them far and wide.

Diocesan Ordos and Year Books for 2020

Now arrived. The Ordo is the Liturgical Guide for the year, and the Yearbook gives details of every Parish and Priest/Deacon in the Diocese, plus a wealth of information about the Diocese as a whole. Big article and photos this year on Chester CathSoc! £5 each, at back of church.

St Werburgh’s Two Great War Books: £10 each

Our two published books, "We Shall Remember Them" (Red) and "A War-Torn Chester Parish" (Blue) will be on sale after most Masses/events, between now and Christmas - the perfect gift for the person who has everything else.

Christmas Volunteer Rota Gaps

Just a couple of welcomers needed for 8.30 pm Mass, and we’re there. Many thanks, everyone

Christmas Eve Children’s Mass: 6.00 pm

Children of all ages welcome, in costume, two legs or four or none (Stars – geddit?) mentioned in the Gospels or not… Just come. One of the great Masses of the Year. Wall-to-wall children.

Diocesan ‘Voice’ Magazine

Out today – do please take your free copy from the table at the back of church.

Welcome to Donna and Donald

Carrara’s, our wonderful Statue Firm in Liverpool, have worked their usual magic, and we now have both Donna (badly smashed here in church – come on, someone knows how it happened, folks) and Donald, rescued from their cellars. Both lovingly restored and on display today, before they take their rightful places in the Crib. I do happen to know they are a Breeding Pair (never you mind how, trust me, I’m a doctor), so hopeful of some happy events this time next year…

Last Week’s 2nd Collection: Christmas Flowers

£554 – many thanks, everyone. 

Last Chance for Confessions – Monday

Monday Morning, 10.00 – 11.30 am, with Fr Neill. (He gives much easier Penances.)

Repository Closed for Christmas

Reopening in February with our very popular sale of second-hand oops, “Pre-Loved” Piety objects. Do please let FP have any such if you would like to donate them to us. Meanwhile if you need Bernice or Paula, you all know the address: c/o Mrs Peabody, The Home for Distressed Gentlefolk, South Shore, Blackpool.

Mass Times Between Christmas and Epiphany

10.00 am, each day, including Saturdays, with a Christmas Carol at the start and end.

Boxing Day: Feast of St Stephen

At the 10.00 am Mass we shall be enrolling four new members into the Guild of St. Stephen for service in our Parish; Bethan Duke, Norah Radulescu, Joe Baxter and Ciaran Johns. The warmest of welcomes is extended not only to all our Altar Servers, Parents and Friends but also to the wider Parish Community.

Message from Caritas - Diocese of Shrewsbury

“Thank you for the generous donation of £860.09, a grand total this year of £1,608.24. Much has been achieved in 2019 including a Family Support Worker now permanently based in Shropshire, an Early Years Programme in Wirral and key developments emerging in Crewe and Shrewsbury. Thank you all very much!”

On the Shelf?

Many of you leave Christmas Cards for each other on the Sacristy Window Ledge, which is an excellent way of distributing them without paying postage. But do please all check if there are any for you, and do put full names on, as we have a lot of Caths, and far too many… (I’m not going to finish that sentence).

Photo of the Week: Vienna’s Karlskirche

The magnificent Cathedral dedicated to St Charles Borromeo, covered in Christmas lights. Thanks, Paul!

And finally…

Query from a Parishioner last Sunday after our recent 2nd Collection: “Why are we having a collection for the SNP?” No, dear, it’s the SVP. Give me strength. As you all know, the only political party we officially endorse in this Parish is Plaid Cymru…