Parish Newsletter
SUNDAY 27th DECEMBER: FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY (YEAR B)
Liturgical
- + 2024
-
+ 2023
- 31st December
- 24th December
- 17th December
- 10th December
- 3rd December
- 26th November
- 19th November
- 12th November
- 5th November
- 29th October
- 22nd October
- 15th October
- 8th October
- 1st October
- 24th September
- 17th September
- 10th September
- 3rd September
- 27th August
- 20th August
- 13th August
- 6th August
- 30th July
- 23rd July
- 16th July
- 9th July
- 2nd July
- 25th June
- 18th June
- 11th June
- 4th June
- 28th May
- 21st May
- 14th May
- 7th May
- 30th April
- 23rd April
- 16th April
- 9th April
- 2nd April
- 26th March
- 19th March
- 12th March
- 5th March
- 26th February
- 19th February
- 12th February
- 5th February
- 29th January
- 22nd January
- 15th January
- 8th January
- 1st January
-
+ 2022
- 25th December
- 18th December
- 11th December
- 4th December
- 27th November
- 20th November
- 13th November
- 6th November
- 30th October
- 23rd October
- 16th October
- 9th October
- 2nd October
- 25th September
- 18th September
- 11th September
- 4th September
- 28th August
- 21st August
- 14th August
- 7th August
- 31st July
- 24th July
- 17th July
- 10th July
- 3rd July
- 26th June
- 19th June
- 12th June
- 5th June
- 29th May
- 22nd May
- 15th May
- 8th May
- 1st May
- 24th April
- 17th April
- 10th April
- 3rd April
- 27th March
- 20th March
- 13th March
- 6th March
- 27th February
- 20th February
- 13th February
- 6th February
- 30th January
- 23rd January
- 16th January
- 9th January
- 2nd January
-
+ 2021
- 26th December
- 19th December
- 12th December
- 5th December
- 28th November
- 21st November
- 14th November
- 7th November
- 31st October
- 24th October
- 17th October
- 10th October
- 3rd October
- 26th September
- 19th September
- 12th September
- 5th September
- 29th August
- 22nd August
- 15th August
- 8th August
- 1st August
- 25th July
- 18th July
- 11th July
- 4th July
- 27th June
- 20th June
- 13th June
- 6th June
- 30th May
- 23rd May
- 16th May
- 9th May
- 2nd May
- 25th April
- 18th April
- 11th April
- 4th April
- 28th March
- 21st March
- 14th March
- 7th March
- 28th February
- 21st February
- 14th February
- 7th February
- 31st January
- 24th January
- 17th January
- 10th January
- 3rd January
-
- 2020
- 27th December
- 20th December
- 13th December
- 6th December
- 29th November
- 22nd November
- 15th November
- 8th November
- 1st November
- 25th October
- 18th October
- 11th October
- 4th October
- 27th September
- 20th September
- 13th September
- 6th September
- 30th August
- 23rd August
- 16th August
- 9th August
- 2nd August
- 26th July
- 19th July
- 12th July
- 5th July
- 28th June
- 21st June
- 14th June
- 7th June
- 31st May
- 24th May
- 17th May
- 10th May
- 3rd May
- 26th April
- 19th April
- 12th April
- 5th April
- 29th March
- 22nd March
- 15th March
- 8th March
- 1st March
- 23rd February
- 16th February
- 9th February
- 2nd February
- 26th January
- 19th January
- 12th January
- 5th January
-
+ 2019
- 29th December
- 22nd December
- 15th December
- 8th December
- 1st December
- 24th November
- 17th November
- 10th November
- 3rd November
- 27th October
- 20th October
- 13th October
- 6th October
- 29th September
- 22nd September
- 15th September
- 8th September
- 1st September
- 25th August
- 18th August
- 11th August
- 4th August
- 28th July
- 21st July
- 14th July
- 7th July
- 30th June
- 23rd June
- 16th June
- 9th June
- 2nd June
- 19th May
- 19th May
- 12th May
- 5th May
- 28th April
- 21st April
- 14th April
- 7th April
- 31st March
- 24th March
- 17th March
- 10th March
- 3rd March
- 24th February
- 17th February
- 10th February
- 3rd February
- 27th January
- 20th January
- 13th January
- 6th January
-
+ 2018
- 30th December
- 23rd December
- 16th December
- 9th December
- 2nd December
- 25th November
- 18th November
- 11th November
- 4th November
- 28th October
- 21st October
- 14th October
- 7th October
- 30th September
- 23rd September
- 16th September
- 9th September
- 2nd September
- 26th August
- 19th August
- 5th August
- 29th July
- 22nd July
- 15th July
- 8th July
- 1st July
- 24th June
- 17th June
- 10th June
- 3rd June
- 27th May
- 20th May
- 13th May
- 6th May
- 29th April
- 22nd April
- 15th April
- 8th April
- 1st April
- 25th March
- 18th March
- 11th March
- 4th March
- 25th February
- 18th February
- 11th February
- 4th February
- 28th January
- 21st January
- 14th January
- 7th January
- + 2017
Genesis 15, 1-6; Psalm 104; Hebrews 11, 8-19; Luke 2, 22-40
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Donal and Mary O’Shea (Anniversaries)
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: John Flack (L.D.)
11.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Peter Nugent (L.D., Ireland)
12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: June Lea (L.D.)
Monday 28th December: The Holy Innocents: I John 1,5 - 2,2; Psalm 123; Matthew 2, 13-18
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Holy Souls List - Jan Howatt
Tuesday 29th December: St Thomas Becket: Colossians 1, 24-29; Psalm 22; Luke 22, 24-30
10.30 am: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Mike Griffiths, late of Higher Kinnerton
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Margaret Haslam and The Old Nuisance (Anniversaries)
Wednesday 30th December: Sixth Day of Christmas Octave
I John 2, 12-17; Psalm 95; Luke 2, 36-40
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Holy Souls List - Wendy O’Brien
Thursday 31st December: Seventh Day of Christmas Octave: I John; Psalm 95; John I, 1-18
1.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Wedding Service for Joe Vitelli and Lucy Cousins
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Holy Souls List - Celia Murphy
Friday 1st January: Mary, the Mother of God
Numbers 6, 22-27; Psalm 66; Galatians 4, 4-7; Luke 2, 16-21
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Jon and Frances Mathias - 40th Wedding Anniversary
Saturday 2nd January: SS Basil and Gregory: I John 2, 22-28; Psalm 97; John 1, 19-28
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Patricia Keegan
SUNDAY 3rd JANUARY: SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS (YEAR B)
Ecclesiasticus 24, 1-12; Psalm 147; Ephesians 1, 3-18; John 1, 1-18
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Dot and Pat Williams (Anniversaries)
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Mary Delaney (Anniversary)
11.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Ryoichi Iwasaki (1st Anniversary)
12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Bette Wilson (L.D.)
Prayer intentions
Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Pauline Hackett, Laura Chadwick, Elisabeth, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Sheila Winder, Joe and Ruth O’Kane, Garth Stocking and Kevin Maguire; and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Mike Griffiths and Eddie Moloney; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Stanley Korn, Anne Weston, Kevin Ford, Tony Larkin, Theresa Sellers, Patrick Vallely, Florence Ratchford, Joan Hudson, Harry Graham, Mary Hughes, June Stoddart, Meg Ormsby-Knox, Margaret Davis, Pat Lloyd, Lilian Coathupe, Johanna Sheedy, Helen Woodworth, Brenda Blackwell, John Winder, Magda Kenworthy, Carol Pollard, Josephine Page, Margaret Doman, Agnes Cartwright, Mary Walsh, May Hogan, William Costello, Evelyn Weston, David Mooney, Michael Murphy, Ann Carruthers, Ralph Sherwin, Bernard Healey, Zygmunt Dowicz, Eileen Witter, Geoffrey Hargreaves, Helen Cadden, Robin Francis, John Moore, George Tomlins, Ronald Heveran and Peter Chesterman. May They All Rest in Peace.
Parish events
- + 2024
-
+ 2023
- 31st December
- 24th December
- 17th December
- 10th December
- 3rd December
- 26th November
- 19th November
- 12th November
- 5th November
- 29th October
- 22nd October
- 15th October
- 8th October
- 1st October
- 24th September
- 17th September
- 10th September
- 3rd September
- 27th August
- 20th August
- 13th August
- 6th August
- 30th July
- 23rd July
- 16th July
- 9th July
- 2nd July
- 25th June
- 18th June
- 11th June
- 4th June
- 28th May
- 21st May
- 14th May
- 7th May
- 30th April
- 23rd April
- 16th April
- 9th April
- 2nd April
- 26th March
- 19th March
- 12th March
- 5th March
- 26th February
- 19th February
- 12th February
- 5th February
- 29th January
- 22nd January
- 15th January
- 8th January
- 1st January
-
+ 2022
- 25th December
- 18th December
- 11th December
- 4th December
- 27th November
- 20th November
- 13th November
- 6th November
- 30th October
- 23rd October
- 16th October
- 9th October
- 2nd October
- 25th September
- 18th September
- 11th September
- 4th September
- 28th August
- 21st August
- 14th August
- 7th August
- 31st July
- 24th July
- 17th July
- 10th July
- 3rd July
- 26th June
- 19th June
- 12th June
- 5th June
- 29th May
- 22nd May
- 15th May
- 8th May
- 1st May
- 24th April
- 17th April
- 10th April
- 3rd April
- 27th March
- 20th March
- 13th March
- 6th March
- 27th February
- 20th February
- 13th February
- 6th February
- 30th January
- 23rd January
- 16th January
- 9th January
- 2nd January
-
+ 2021
- 26th December
- 19th December
- 12th December
- 5th December
- 28th November
- 21st November
- 14th November
- 7th November
- 31st October
- 24th October
- 17th October
- 10th October
- 3rd October
- 26th September
- 19th September
- 12th September
- 5th September
- 29th August
- 22nd August
- 15th August
- 8th August
- 1st August
- 25th July
- 18th July
- 11th July
- 4th July
- 27th June
- 20th June
- 13th June
- 6th June
- 30th May
- 23rd May
- 16th May
- 9th May
- 2nd May
- 25th April
- 18th April
- 11th April
- 4th April
- 28th March
- 21st March
- 14th March
- 7th March
- 28th February
- 21st February
- 14th February
- 7th February
- 31st January
- 24th January
- 17th January
- 10th January
- 3rd January
-
- 2020
- 27th December
- 20th December
- 13th December
- 6th December
- 29th November
- 22nd November
- 15th November
- 8th November
- 1st November
- 25th October
- 18th October
- 11th October
- 4th October
- 27th September
- 20th September
- 13th September
- 6th September
- 30th August
- 23rd August
- 16th August
- 9th August
- 2nd August
- 26th July
- 19th July
- 12th July
- 5th July
- 28th June
- 21st June
- 14th June
- 7th June
- 31st May
- 24th May
- 17th May
- 10th May
- 3rd May
- 26th April
- 19th April
- 12th April
- 5th April
- 29th March
- 22nd March
- 15th March
- 8th March
- 1st March
- 23rd February
- 16th February
- 9th February
- 2nd February
- 26th January
- 19th January
- 12th January
- 5th January
-
+ 2019
- 29th December
- 22nd December
- 15th December
- 8th December
- 1st December
- 24th November
- 17th November
- 10th November
- 3rd November
- 27th October
- 20th October
- 13th October
- 6th October
- 29th September
- 22nd September
- 15th September
- 8th September
- 1st September
- 25th August
- 18th August
- 11th August
- 4th August
- 28th July
- 21st July
- 14th July
- 7th July
- 30th June
- 23rd June
- 16th June
- 9th June
- 2nd June
- 19th May
- 19th May
- 12th May
- 5th May
- 28th April
- 21st April
- 14th April
- 7th April
- 31st March
- 24th March
- 17th March
- 10th March
- 3rd March
- 24th February
- 17th February
- 10th February
- 3rd February
- 27th January
- 20th January
- 13th January
- 6th January
-
+ 2018
- 30th December
- 23rd December
- 16th December
- 9th December
- 2nd December
- 25th November
- 18th November
- 11th November
- 4th November
- 28th October
- 21st October
- 14th October
- 7th October
- 30th September
- 23rd September
- 16th September
- 9th September
- 2nd September
- 26th August
- 19th August
- 5th August
- 29th July
- 22nd July
- 15th July
- 8th July
- 1st July
- 24th June
- 17th June
- 10th June
- 3rd June
- 27th May
- 20th May
- 13th May
- 6th May
- 29th April
- 22nd April
- 15th April
- 8th April
- 1st April
- 25th March
- 18th March
- 11th March
- 4th March
- 25th February
- 18th February
- 11th February
- 4th February
- 28th January
- 21st January
- 14th January
- 7th January
- + 2017
Boxing Day Thanks: but where to start?
Where do I start to thank everyone who made Christmas 2020 possible in St Werburgh’s? It was a Christmas like no other, I don’t have to say, not just in Church but in our family celebrations and in our world. But you rose to the challenge here in your Parish Church, and Christmas Mass was made possible for almost 600 people. Thank you. The Taskforce that planned everything are my first thanks: Syd, Denise, Marian, Brian, John and (latterly) Louise. Meeting every Monday Morning since the first lockdown began in March, they were able to keep a running eye on the situation: opening for Private Prayer in the summer, then for Public Mass, then Lockdown Two in November, and, critically, starting to plan for Christmas literally months ago. Realising that our pattern of Sunday Masses - four shorter half-hour Masses, on the hour, whole church sanitised between whiles - had been a success, we felt confident enough to base our Christmas planning on that model.
But - and this was a huge "but" - all our planning was only going to work on one condition: that the fantastic generosity shown by our Stewards during Sunday Mass re-opening would be extended to Christmas. You totally exceeded our expectations. In addition to the 22 "Regulars", a further 18 of you wolunteered as Christmas Specials. You came to the training, you read all the instructions, you turned up in plenty of time, donned your Santa’s Little Helpers’ hats, and swang into action.
Nine Masses over Christmas Eve and Morning was always going to be a big ask, but our fantastic Taskforce and Stewards made it possible, and every Mass was well attended. Special thanks here to Tekkie One and Tekkie Two: not only have they had the excruciatingly awful task on a Daily Basis of uploading that pathetic Blog - they reassure me they just upload it, rather than read the wretched stuff - but they devised and created our Christmas Booking system which really did work a treat. It is a tremendous amount of work at every stage, but indispensable for Christmas. At the same time, we felt glad and vindicated that we hadn’t needed to introduce Booking for Sunday Masses. Your attendances on Sundays tested our safe-spaced capacity but never actually breached it, meaning we never had to turn anyone away.
Christmas Booking opened on 1st December, and every weekday morning between 10.00 and 11.00 am, Olive from Orford gave of her all, manning those phones as if she’d been doing it all her life. Ninety-five per cent of you managed the online booking system with no difficulties: but for the few who did encounter problems, or who didn’t have internet, the weekday phones were indispensable. Thanks Olive! She’s still lying down in that darkened room, but the screams are starting to subside, I gather. I told her to take more water with it, but she wouldn’t listen to me.
Another group that deserves our heartiest of thanks is our fantastic Guild of St Stephen, our wonderful Altar Servers. I am just so sorry that they weren’t able to have their annual Feast Day Mass today, Boxing Day, the Feast of St Stephen. As soon as we were able to open again for Public Mass, in the Summer, Gerry and James, who run the Guild so brilliantly, had the rota up and running, and every Mass since then has been covered, and covered excellently. All our servers except three felt able to come back to Mass, and they all covered each and every one of those nine Christmas Masses with their usual skill and dedication. Thanks, Servers!
Thanks too to Marie Broadhurst for decorating the church for Christmas. It couldn’t be the usual arrangement of flowers and crib, of course: but then nothing has been "the usual" this year, has it? We’ve all had to learn to adapt to the "new normal", and it’s been truly humbling and amazing to see how cheerfully you’ve all made those adaptations.
You’ve cheerfully adapted especially to the half-hour Masses: in fact, a bit too cheerfully. The next person who asks me if we can stay with them after Covid-19 is conquered is likely to get a hymn book to the back of the head. But both Fr Neill and I want to congratulate you all at how brave you’ve been at doing without the Sermons. Everyone has missed the singing, but again we’ve all understood why it wasn’t possible, and the CD’s we’ve played before and after Mass have been appreciated, I know.
Another sacrifice you’ve all made with good grace are the Second Collections. In passing, can I just say how grateful we’ve been as a Parish to those of you who’ve managed to get your First (main) Collection to us? You really have kept the good ship Werbies afloat in these choppy times. But one Second Collection I did want to promote this December was the SVP Christmas Appeal, and you’ve supported this brilliantly. Our SVP has been as active as ever in recent weeks, and some of the expressions of thanks, for example from our Catholic High School families they’ve been able to help with a little support, have been truly moving and inspiring.
I am delighted that we are able to have two Weekday Masses in the period after Christmas: a New Year’s Day Mass on Friday 1st, at 10.00 am, and an Epiphany Mass on Wednesday 6th January, also at 10.00 am. Restoring Weekday Masses and Confessions will be top priority next year, just as soon as this pandemic starts to abate. None of knows when that will be, but if you all continue to show the same cheerful loyalty to St Werburgh’s that you’ve demonstrated in spades is 2020, we can face 2021 and whatever it might bring, with confidence and enthusiasm. "The Light of Christ has come into the world, and all the darkness has never been able to extinguish it." (John 1,6). One of my favourite verses in the Bible, as you all know.
Fr Neill joins me in wishing you all the happiest of Christmastides, and a very happy and peaceful New Year when it dawns. May God bless you all, and all your friends and families,
Fr Paul