St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester
Parish Newsletter
SUNDAY 29th NOVEMBER: FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR B)
Booking for Christmas Masses
- Christmas Eve: 4.30, 6.00, 8.00, 9.00 and 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 Weekdays
- BOOKING OPENS TUESDAY 1st DECEMBER
Booking Online? Please Read This First
- The link is on the Parish website, top box.
- ‘Contact Information’: person making the booking.
- Full details of each individual you are booking for.
- If everyone in your booking is the same bubble, choose ‘Bubble 1’. If they are from two Bubbles, ‘Bubble 2’ and so on.
- You will receive a confirmation email.
- Later on, we will tell you where you are sitting.
- Ignore references to ‘tickets’. There aren’t any!
Booking by Telephone or In Person?
Please try to make it 10.00-11.00 am Weekday Mornings, when there are highly trained professional call-handlers ready to take your call. Well, a couple of parishioners anyway. If you phone up or call morning, noon and night, it will drive FP to drink. Actually, he knows the way already...
Reminders for ALL Christmas Masses
- Please only come to one of the nine Masses
- Face coverings are compulsory unless you have Health Exemption.
- Please arrive 15/20 mins before the start time.
- No parking available at church, we’re afraid – the alleyway is for Stewards only.
- Once seated, don’t move around the church.
- The toilets at church are unfortunately not open.
- If you have any special mobility/wheelchair needs, please let us know.
- If you are bringing a baby who will sit on a knee throughout the Mass, you do not need to book a separate seat for them.
- If you need to cancel, let us know asap.
November/December Mass Intentions
- 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 letterbox or hand to me in person outside church, 10.00-11.30 on Sunday Mornings!
SVP Christmas Appeal: Please Don’t Forget!
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. 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). Many thanks for all those envelopes that have come in so far!
FP’s Happy Hour - Sundays 10.00-11.30 am
See you outside Church: Newsletters, hot toddies, roasted chestnuts, £50 notes, whatever... Last chance today!
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 Old Side, on your right as you head towards the Roundabout. At 3.00 pm, I shall move over to the New Side, where Blackwell’s and the Chapel are. 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").
Message from Bishop Mark - Friday 27th November
The Return of the Public Celebration of Mass.
In the announcement of tier restrictions from Wednesday of next week, much of the Diocese has been placed in the Tier 2 category. I am sure it will be a source of disappointment for those areas in the north and east of the Diocese which have been placed in Tier 3. It has been good to receive reports of people’s joy and anticipation for the return of the public celebration of the Mass and the Sacraments. I also received reports that bookings for the Christmas Masses have quickly filled up and the question of additional Masses are being considered in some parishes. I am fully aware we can only do what is possible at this most uncertain and anxious of Christmas celebrations. May I wish you all a blessed Advent, which happily coincides this year with the return of the public celebration of the Mass and the Sacraments on Wednesday. I hope all goes well with the re-opening of the churches for Mass and your preparations for Christmas which is now only four weeks away! Let us ask the prayers of Saint Joseph that all can be prepared and celebrated with renewed devotion,s
+ Mark Bishop of Shrewsbury
Photo of the Week: Werbies Priests in the Back Garden
Last time, it was 1932, Canon Hayes as PP with three Curates, Frs Irish, McGinley and Murphy. Fast forward to 1964. Canon Murphy is now PP, and his two Curates are Frs George Leonard and Jackie Warnock. I know many of you remember all three with great affection.
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