St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester

Parish Newsletter

 

SUNDAY 21st MARCH: FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR B)

Liturgical

Jeremiah 31, 31-34; Psalm 50; Hebrews 5, 7-9; John 12, 20-30

9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Danny Lunt (9th Anniversary)
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Ged (2nd Anniversary)
11.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Kathleen O’Brien (L.D. Limerick)
12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Hannah Hill (Birthday Remembrance)

Monday 22nd March Ferial: Daniel 13, 1-62; Psalm 22; John 8, 1-11
11.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Geraldine Pile, late of Ashton Hayes

Tuesday 23rd March Ferial: Numbers 21, 4-9; Psalm 101; John 8, 21-30
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Minnie Taylor (28th Anniversary)

Wednesday 24th March Ferial: Daniel 3, 14-28; Psalm Daniel 3; John 8, 31-42
7.00 pm: Zoom Stations of the Cross from St Werburgh’s – All Welcome to Join Us
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Paul Spencer (L.D., Ballinasloe)

Thursday 25th March The Annunciation of the Lord
Isaiah 7,10 - 8,10; Psalm 39; Hebrews 10, 4-10; Luke 1, 26-38
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Michael O’Neill (L.D., Dublin)

Friday 26th March Ferial: Jeremiah 20, 10-13; Psalm 17; John 10, 31-42
10.00 am: Blacon: Funeral Service for Jean Versey, late of Willows NH, Blacon
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Jill Moore (L.D., Nuneaton)

Saturday 27th March Ferial: Ezekiel 37, 21-28; Psalm Jeremiah 31; John 11, 45-56
Fr Paul’s Private Mass Intention today: Andrew Bennett (L.D., Luton)

SUNDAY 28th MARCH: PALM SUNDAY (YEAR B
Mark 11, 1-10; Isaiah 50, 4-7; Psalm 21; Philippians 2, 6-11; Mark 14, 1-15
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Sylvia Pritchard (6th Anniversary)
10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Dilys Ball (9th Anniversary)
11.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Mena Bonnewitz (L.D., Orlando, Florida)
12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Denis Hickey (Birthday Remembrance)

Prayer intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: John McMahon, James Convey, Pauline and Bill 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 Peter Roberts, Tony Haycock, Sheila Holland, Geraldine Pile, Jean Versey, Maureen Farrell, Patricia Waite and Jack Lebitter; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Angela Pavia, Mary Smith, Michael Bird, Maureen Newton, Michael Feeney, Edna Smith, Susan Lofthouse, Cath Thompson, Margaret Keenan, Catherine Bottomley, Joe Stockton, Norah Williams, Alan Baines, Eleanor Clay, Phyllis Kerrison, George Wilson, Alice Hignett, Sylvia Pritchard, Patricia Davies, Urcina Hernandez, Pope John Paul II, David Ollerhead and Paddy Elliott. May They All Rest in Peace.

Parish events

Zoom Stations of the Cross Wednesdays at 7.00 pm

Many thanks to everyone who’s joined us for Zoom Stations on Wednesday evenings at 7.00 pm. The two we’ve had so far have been the Cloisonné Enamel Stations you see in St Werburgh’s Church today, and the woodcuts made to illustrate the new Stations written by St John Paul II. Next Wednesday, it’s those remarkable water-colour Stations painted by Thomas Burke in his Prisoner-of-War camp, the subject of an illustrated talk two years ago by his niece, Hattie from Hamilton Street. Everyone very warmly welcome to join us: if you don’t have the link and would like to, just email me and I will send it over.

Saturday 20:00 Correction: Week Three of our Stations of the Cross is not the Thomas Burke Prisoner-of-War water-colours.  They are Week Four. Next week, Lyn Williams is leading us with stations based on the art and inspiration of Sieger Koder. The Hymns will be God so loved the World and We remember. Here’s a little Bio of Fr Sieger:

 Father Sieger Köder was born in Wasseralfingen in Swabia in southwestern Germany in 1925. From 1947 to 1951 he attended the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart, where he trained as a silversmith and a painter. While establishing his art practice, he also worked as an art teacher at a secondary school in Aalen for just over a decade. Increasingly he felt a pull into Christian ministry, so from 1965 to 1970 he studied theology in Tübingen, becoming ordained in the Catholic Church a year later. He served as a parish priest in Hohenberg and Rosenberg from 1975 to 1995, combining that vocation with his work as an artist. He continued his art making well into retirement, dying in 2015 at age of ninety. His religious paintings can be found all over Germany and in other parts of Europe.

 

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!

Online Booking closed for all Holy Week and Easter Sunday Services. Thank you for your phenomenal response. As we plot your requests on the seating plans, a few extra seats become available, so do please phone us, Monday to Friday, 10.00 - 11.00 am.

Palm Sunday: now necessary to book. Sorry for this change of mind, but the amazing response to the Holy Week and Easter Booking - all Masses virtually full at the end of the first day - suggested we need to book for Palm Sunday. So, both online and telephone booking open, online from today, Sunday, and telephone from tomorrow, Monday.

Gift Aid: Two Important Notices

Tax Status - IMPORTANT

If you no longer pay income tax, please let Fr Paul or Denise Jones know by 5th April, otherwise it will be assumed that you have paid sufficient income tax for the Parish to claim Gift Aid on your donations for the tax year 2020/21. Thank you.

Joining the Gift Aid Scheme

If you pay income tax, joining the Gift Aid scheme increases the value of your donations to the Parish by 25% at no extra cost to you. If you are interested in joining the scheme, please contact Fr Paul or Denise Jones.

Delivery of Offertory Envelopes

Thank you to all those who kindly volunteered to deliver offertory envelopes to home addresses. This was a tremendous help and greatly appreciated.
Fr Paul and Denise

Palm Sunday - Next Sunday

Please collect your Palms on the way into church. Initially, please, just one palm per person: there will be some over at the end of Sunday if you need more. Please hold it up at the right moment for blessing, and then stow somewhere safe as you come up to Holy Communion at the end of Mass.

Palm Sunday Holy Week and Easter Stewards

Training Session: Tuesday 23rd March, 6.30 pm

Photo of the Week: St Bede’s Handbridge

Another photo we’d like to know much more about: all girls, smart in their uniform. Year? The date we were given was 1950’s, but was St Bede’s going then? All information gratefully received!