Parish Newsletter

Plans for Christmas

Thanks to the phenomenal work of our Monday Morning Covid-19 Taskforce, and the equally amazing commitment of our Stewards and Cleaners, we are now in a position to let you all know our proposals for Christmas Masses:

• Nine Masses in total, five on Christmas Eve and four on Christmas Morning
• Christmas Eve: 4.30, 6.00, 8.00, 9.00 & Midnight
• Christmas Day: 9.00, 10.0, 11.00 and 12.00 noon
• Booking is ESSENTIAL
• You can book online, by phone or in person
• If by phone or in person, 10.00-11.00 am is best
• BOOKING OPENS TUESDAY 1st DECEMBER

Those are the headlines: full details will be given, a bit at a time, on the Daily Blog and this Newsletter.

November/December Mass Intentions

• Sun 22nd Nov: Joe Brennan & Graham Barlow (L.D.)
• Mon 23rd Nov: Gillian Roe’s Family and Friends
• Tues 24th Nov: Mike and Gillian Rogers’ Family
• Wed 25th Nov: Bernadette O’Shea’s Family
• Thursday 26th Nov: David and Jane Kluth’s Family
• Fri 27th Nov: Anne and Terry Collier’s Family
• Sat 28th Nov: Margaret Astbury’s Family
• Sun 29th Nov: Barbara Evans (L.D.)
• Mon 30th Nov: Marian Curtis’ Family
• Tues 1st Dec: Maurice Power (Anniv)
• Wed 2nd Dec: Godfrey Sproston’s Family
• Thurs 3rd Dec: Matty Bannaghan
• Fri 4th Dec: Pam Mullen’s Family
• Sat 5th Dec: Consilia and Simon Black’s Family
• Sun 6th Dec: Catherine and Simon Neal’s Family
• Mon 7th Dec: McKeown and Norbury Families
• Tues 8th Dec: Margaret Catterson’s Family
• Wed 9th Dec: Mick and Sheila Fields’ Family
• Thurs 10th Dec: Mike and Margaret’s Hart’s Family
• Fri 11th Dec: Judith and Walter Done’s Family
• Sat 12th Dec: Celia Hickey’s Family
• Sun 13th Dec: Matt and Christine Lawton’s Family
• Mon 14th Dec: Lyn and Richard Williams’ Family
• Tues 15th Dec: Finn Abberton
• Wed 16th Dec: John and Frances Matthias’s Family
• Thurs 17th Dec: John and Sarah Collins and Family
• Fri 18th Dec: Keith and Helen Gornall’s Family
• Mon 28th Dec: Jan Howatt’s Family
• Wed 30th Dec: Wendy O’Brien’s Family
• Thurs 31st Dec: Celia Murphy’s Family
• Tues 5th Jan: Les and Eileen Owens’ Family

Collections and Mass Offerings during Lockdown

Post, pop through letter-box or hand to me in person outside church, 10.00-11.30 on Sunday Mornings!

SVP Christmas Appeal

Second Collections have had to go by the board this year, as you can imagine. But I’d like to make an exception for the SVP Christmas Appeal. They do a superb job supporting families and housebound every Christmas, and this year it’s more necessary than ever. The two lockdowns and those who’ve lost their jobs means this could be a bleak Christmas for many. If you want to support this Appeal, please send me your contributions via post, letterbox (or Sunday Basket when we’re open again for Mass).

FP’s Happy Hour - Sundays 10.00-11.30 am

See you outside Church: Newsletters, hot toddies, roasted chestnuts, £50 notes, whatever...

November: Month of the Holy Souls

Delighted we can still have our Blessing of Graves: Sunday afternoons, 2.00-4.00 pm, 22nd November at Blacon and 29th November at Overleigh. This afternoon, I will start at the side of the Cemetery nearest to the entrance and gradually make my way over to the part nearest to the Greenway Cycle Track and War Graves. I shall be wafting around, a vision of loveliness, so you just need to attract my attention by a wave, or, failing that, a well-aimed clump of soil. (You’re not allowed to say "sod").

Stories, Poems, and Music for Advent and Christmas

Trevor Dennis and Friends, St Mary-Without-the-Walls, Handbridge, Wednesday 16th December 7.30 pm. For Christian Aid. Trevor Dennis will introduce and read seven of his published stories and poems on the themes of Advent and Christmas, while Brian and Claire Heald from Wesley Church will provide some wonderful music. Reserve a place by emailing Trevor on trevordennis11@gmail.com with your name(s) and phone number, or by ringing him on 01244 638441.

Catholic High School: Sixth Form Virtual Open Event

Our Sixth Form is one of the highest achieving colleges in Cheshire with a tradition for securing excellent grades. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be having our virtual Open Event online. You'll see some of our fantastic facilities, hear about our engaging and inspiring courses and meet some of our wonderful students and staff. Our new prospectus will be available for download from our website after 20th November. Please feel free to contact the Director of Sixth Form, Mrs Letissier - letissierb@christofidelis.org.uk

Statement from Bishop Mark on the Abuse Report

We can only have read with profound sorrow that more than 900 complaints were received within the Church between 1970 and 2015, which saw 177 prosecutions and 133 convictions for child abuse involving members of the clergy, religious congregations and lay volunteers. This sorrow surely leads us to re-commit to building upon everything that has been done for safeguarding in dioceses and parishes during these past two decades. I want to record a word of gratitude for all you have done together with so many volunteers in the parishes. I know this work may not have been fully recognised by the Inquiry which focused across society on "institutional failings." The recommendations of the Inquiry and the "root and branch" review commissioned by the Bishops into the Church’s safeguarding structures undertaken with the expertise of Mr Ian Elliott and his teams of co-workers, together with the invaluable insights of the survivors of abuse will now help us take these next, necessary steps.

Photo of the Week: St Christopher’s Cycling Club

Anyone remember the Cycling Club? It was the Catholic equivalent of the Tennis Club, but we weren’t posh enough for tennis. How many romances began during the stop for sandwiches, do you want me to mend your puncture, can I give you a push up this hill? Cheesy, cheesy, but if it ended at the Altar...

Seminarians Training Fund Second Collection

This annual Collection is for the training and formation of Priests. If you wish to Gift Aid your donation, please make your donation Online. To donate Online please go to www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/clergy-education-and-training-fund