St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester

Parish Newsletter

 

SUNDAY 21st JUNE: TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

Liturgical

Jeremiah 20, 10-13; Psalm 68; Romans 5, 12-15; Matthew 10, 26-33

Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today (Morning): Alex Barnes
Evening: Thanksgiving for Fr Neill’s Fifty Years of Ministry

Monday 22nd June: SS John Fisher and Thomas More: II Macc 6, 18-31; Psalm 30; Matthew 24, 4-13
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Valentina Velikanova (L.D., Ukraine)

Tuesday 23rd June: Ferial: II Kings 19, 9-36; Psalm 47; Matthew 7, 6-14
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Joan Feeney and Bill Wilson (Anniversaries)

Wednesday 24th June: Birth of St John the Baptist:
Isaiah 49, 1-6; Psalm 138; Acts 13, 22-26; Luke 1, 57-665
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Danny

Thursday 25th June: Ferial: II Kings 24, 8-17; Psalm 78; Matthew 7, 21-29
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Wedding Anniversary Intentions – Denise and Syd

 

Friday 26th June: Ferial: II Kings 25, 1-12; Psalm 136; Matthew 8, 1-4
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Elizabeth (Louie) O’Toole (L.D., Liverpool)

Saturday 27th June: Ferial: Lamentations 2, 2-19; Psalm 73; Matthew 8, 5-17
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Intentions of Len and Angela

SUNDAY 28th JUNE: SAINTS PETER AND PAUL (YEAR A)
Acts 12, 1-11; Psalm 33; II Timothy 4, 6-18; Matthew 16, 13-19
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today (Morning): Denis Hickey (13th Anniversary)
Evening: Anne Teague (L.D.)

Prayer intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Nathalie Gresty, Ann Murphy, Pauline Hackett, Kerry Woodbury, Laura Chadwick, Elisabeth, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Sheila Winder, Joe and Ruth O’Kane, Henri Diacono, Garth Stocking and Kevin Maguire; and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Michael Tougher, John Molloy, Austin Tighe and John Byrne; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Michael Carroll, Denis Hickey, Cecilia Parker, Peter Jezek, Marjorie Harvey, Frank Hughes, Brian McElmeel, Annie Egan, Pauline Kelly, Corinne Mashiter, Vincent Mapp, Brenda Thomas, Frank Miciah, Rebecca Halsall, Mary McCleary, John Atkinson, Patricia Smith, Liz Allison, Pearl Corken and Susan Cross. May They All Rest in the Peace and Light of the Risen Lord Jesus.

Parish events

Ready for Reopening! - Wednesday 24th June

All systems go for the reopening of church, starting Wednesday Evening next at 6.00 pm, followed by Sunday Morning at 11.00 am. If all goes well, and there’s a demand for it, we will then have more sessions, culminating in the great day - not there yet! - when we are open for Mass and all the Sacraments. Meanwhile...

Here are the Guidelines for Reopening. We’ve tried to keep them to a minimum, and not make them appear too bossy. But we do have to work to Government and Diocesan instructions, and that we’ve been keen to do from the outset.

  1. Please queue along the pavement towards the hotel, at 2 metres (six feet) distance from others
  2. You may not bring any bags, other than a handbag, nor umbrellas into the church. They must be left in the porch
  3. On entry to the church please use hand gel provided
  4. You are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering during your visit
  5. Move as quickly as you can to a chair, as directed by a steward
  6. Sit (or kneel if you wish) for the time you are in church
  7. Do not move the chair from its marked spot, to maintain correct distancing
  8. Please avoid unnecessarily touching anything other than your chair
  9. Unfortunately, none of the rest of the church is accessible
  10. Please depart the church as quickly as you can when the bell rings to signal the slot is over, again as directed by a steward, and keeping six feet apart
  11. Use hand gel again as you leave the church
  12. If you want to chat, at a safe distance, to anyone else, please do so outside the church

Our Twelve Volunteer Stewards

We appealed for a dozen good’uns, and in less than twenty-four hours, a dozen super good’uns had put their names forward. A thousand thanks: we just can’t re-open church without you! Marian McCarthy is i/c Volunteer training and Rota, and our Training Session was next Wednesday, in church, 6.00-7.30 pm. The twelve good men and true: Marian, David Quayle, Simon and Consilia Black, Tricia Poulton, Liz Aiello. Bernie Walsh, Pam Mullen, Mikhael Ahmad, Steve Tierney, Georgina Elliott and Diana Scipanova. We owe you twelve a lot! Always room to welcome more Stewards if anyone else would like to join us.

Newsletter "Outsides” from Redemptorists

We are now out of these, and none available until Lockdown is over. Printed Newsletters will therefore be just "insides”, either side of an A4 sheet.

Bishop Mark’s Message This Week: 21st June
THE RE-OPENING OF THE CHURCHES

I know that it has required much energy and generosity to enable the re-opening of churches across the Diocese. I am very happy to report that at the end of this week 46 churches will have re-opened. Many messages of appreciation have been received and reports of the happy and emotional moments when the closed doors of our churches finally re-opened. Most important of all, a steady stream of people have been able to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.

FUNERAL SERVICES IN CHURCH

I always want you to be fully aware of national guidance made available to us. Most recently I wanted you to have sight of the guidance provided for funeral services held in church. I am also aware of the significant practical issues involved and would want you to know there is no expectation that you should make this provision. I would very much leave this as a local, pastoral decision as to whether it is possible or appropriate to celebrate these TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME services in church.

Hour Outside Church Sunday Morning

10.00-11.00 am, for Catholic papers, Newsletters or just to say "Hello!” Why not come along?

Message from SPUC

Did you know that there are 40-50 million abortions every year worldwide? This Sunday is a Special Day of Prayer for Life. Please help us support life and join SPUC who also supply help to women suffering from the trauma of abortion through ARCH (Abortion Recovery and Care Helpline). For more details of SPUC meetings (every other month) and how you can support financially for £2 per month by joining the ‘Little Feet Club’ draw contact Kevin 681816.

Mass Intentions During Lockdown

Still honoured and delighted to say your Mass Intentions: but there is only one Mass each day except Sunday (two) and that does mean that some pre-booked Intentions may not be on the exact day you requested if it was a Sunday. I’ll try to say your Mass on the nearest available day.

"Online giving to the Parish”

An online donation page has been added to the Parish website. It’s the third box down on the Home Page. (Box One, Official Statements, Box Two, Blog.)

Keeping in Touch during this Period

Newsletters and Information Sheets will be available two ways, as usual: hard copies, in the Newsletter Box on the Front Door of the Church; and on the website, as you’ve always done. Log on to: www.stwerburghchester.co.uk. On the home page, you will see three links: one takes you to all the official statements; the second is the childish Parish Priest’s Daily Blog; the third is online giving.

Photo of the Week: St Boniface Church, Japan

Last week we were in Vietnam, today in Koiwa, Japan. Always good to greet our friends in the Far East. (How are things in Grimsby?)