St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester
Parish Newsletter
SUNDAY 14th MARCH: FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT - LAETARE SUNDAY (YEAR B)
Zoom Stations of the Cross Wednesdays at 7.00 pm
Excellent start last Wednesday, 37 Werbies and Wizziters joining us for praying the Stations, using the beautiful enamel ones you see in the church today. Next Wednesday, it’s St John Paul II’s Stations, with stunning woodcuts to illustrate them. Everyone very warmly welcome to join us: same link as last week. If you’re joining us for the first time, just send me an email and I will happily send you over the link.
The Covid-19 Restrictions Are Still in Place!
Please, everyone - don’t start relaxing too soon!
- 1. The wearing of face coverings in church by the faithful (unless the person has a valid exemption from this regulation).
- 2. Social distancing of people within the church building.
- 3. Stewarding of the church premises to assist the faithful whilst in church.
- 4. Frequent hand cleansing, either with sanitiser or washing.
- 5. Suitable one-way systems in the building to prevent excessive interaction between people from different households or bubbles.
- 6. Good ventilation of the church building to refresh the air quality within.
- 7. Cleaning of the church building after each act of public worship.
- 8. The timely dispersing of the faithful after the acts of worship avoiding congregating in car parks or on the streets outside the church.
Holy Week and Easter 2021: You Need to Book!
Palm Sunday 28th March: Normal Sunday Masses
Maundy Thursday: 7.00 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday: 3.00 pm Liturgy of the Passion
Holy Saturday: 7.00 pm - Vigil Mass
Easter Sunday - 4th April - Normal Sunday Masses
BOOKING: You will need to book for all Masses except Palm Sunday. Booking opens on Monday 15th March, online and telephone. To welcome as many people as possible we are asking you initially to book for EITHER Maundy Thursday OR Good Friday, and for EITHER the Easter Vigil OR Easter Sunday Morning. On-Line Booking is through the Parish Website, exactly as you did it so smoothly at Christmas. Please remember: you will receive an official confirmation as soon as your booking has gone through: if you do not receive this confirmation, then your booking has not been made, and you either need to try again or give us a ring for us to sort it out. Telephone Bookings: That amazing old trooper, Olive of Orford, stands ready, Monday to Friday, 10.00 to 11.00 am, to take your calls!
Co-operating with our Sunday Stewards
Not so brilliant last Sunday, someone refusing to sit where the Steward asked them to and walking out. Come on, everybody! Please co-operate! You all know we can do nothing without our Stewards. Is sitting where they ask you to such a big price to pay?
Primary School Governor Vacancy
We have a vacancy at a Catholic Primary up on the Wirral. If you might be interested or would like further information, do have a word with FP.
Bishop Mark’s Guidance on the Four-Stage Easing
Step One, 8th March 2021
All children and students return safely to face-to-face education. Funerals and wedding arrangements will continue as at present i.e., 30 attendees at funerals and 6 for weddings (limited to exceptional circumstances). No changes to the current restrictions on Baptisms. The ‘stay at home’ rule will still be in place, until 29th March 2021 and people should still work from home when possible. Maintaining social distancing, face covering, providing good ventilation indoors and continuing regular handwashing/sanitising will still be required.
29th March 2021: The rules around funerals will not change with attendees limited to 30. Weddings will still be able to proceed with 6 attendees and will no longer be limited to exceptional circumstances. Additional guidance will be provided for the safe celebration of Holy Week and Easter.
Step Two, ‘no earlier than’ 12th April 2021
At this point, funerals can continue to proceed with up to 30 attendees. Weddings will be able to take place with up to 15 attendees. People should continue to work from home when possible and domestic travel to be minimised. There is to be no household mixing indoors, therefore social distancing arrangements are still to be observed in church, during Mass and during private prayer.
Step Three, ‘no earlier than’ 17th May 2021
At this step weddings, funerals and baptisms may proceed with up to 30 attendees present. No later than this step, the Government will update its advice on social distancing between friends and families. Until then the advice on social distancing, regular hand hygiene and letting in fresh air will continue. The Government will continue to advise working from home when possible.
Step Four, ‘no earlier than’ 21st June 2021
The Government proposes to remove all limits on weddings, funerals and other ‘life events’ including baptisms (subject to the outcome of the scientific research programme). Legal limitations on social contact will be removed. Even as restrictions are lifted, it is essential that we all continue to practise ‘good habits’ to reduce transmission, remembering ‘Hands, Face, Space’; letting in fresh air; getting a test following the first sign of symptoms and self-isolating if the test is positive.
Our Directors of Music
After seven years as our joint Music Directors, James and Stephanie Andrews have decided that, with increasing commitments to their young family and James’ full-time teaching post, they now need to stand down from St Werburgh’s. We thank them for all that they have done for us over the last seven years, and send them our very best wishes, both for their life together as a family and for their future as professional musicians.
Photo of the Week: West Indian Wedding
1957, outside the main door. I’d love to know more about this happy group, who they were, where they went to, anything else you can tell me if you recognise anyone. Sage of Ingham? Sage and onions?
