Parish Newsletter

A Very Happy Easter to You All!

As I write - Saturday Morning - we have already celebrated Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, with the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Morning to come. So far, so wonderful! We need to keep reminding ourselves that this time last year our churches were closed, and there was no Public Celebration of Holy Week and the Triduum. Thanks be to God we are open for worship again this year! Obviously, the Services have been simplified: no Donkey for Palm Sunday, no Washing of the Feet or Altar of Repose for Maundy Thursday, and no individual Veneration of the Cross for Good Friday. But these have been small prices to pay for the joy of being able to be together and hear the Passion, commemorate the Last Supper as the First Mass, and pray together those magnificent General Intercessions on Good Friday. Tonight, no Fire in the Garden or Candlelit Procession into Church. But we will hear some of those readings from our Salvation History, Old and New Testaments, we will bless the Paschal Candle and Water in the Font, we will renew our Baptismal Promises. Above all, tonight and tomorrow morning, we will celebrate the Mass of Easter, the Risen Lord Jesus, with His gift of New Life for each and every one of us, not just when we pass from this life to the Life Eternal, but TODAY! Alleluia!

Zoom Stations of the Cross Wednesdays at 7.00 pm

Final Zoom Stations last Wednesday, 31st March, featuring the extraordinary water-colour paintings that Thomas Burke executed in his Prison-of-War camp. He has paintings exhibited in the Walker Art Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery in London, but these Stations are not generally on public display. Many thanks to Hattie from Hamilton Street for making them available to us, and to everyone who’s joined us for Zoom Stations on Wednesday evenings at 7.00 pm. This completes the series for this Lent. The three previous ones were the Cloisonné Enamel Stations you see here in St Werburgh’s Church today; secondly, the woodcuts made to illustrate the new Stations written by St John Paul II; and thirdly the remarkable artwork of the German Priest and Artist, Fr Sieger Köder, led by Trudy from Truman’s. Definitely an experience to repeat next Lent! Why not join us, everyone?

Palms from Palm Sunday

There are a few spare Blessed Palms from last Sunday, in a basket in the Porch, if you would like to take one on the way out today.

Eucharistic Ministers Promise of Commitment

I wasn’t sure about including this on Thursday Evening at the Mass of the Lords’ s Supper, but in the event thirty of you were able to stand in your places and renew your pledge to serve for another year! Well done! You represented everyone who was not able to be there in person, but whose service is equally valued and appreciated. As ever, we had some Wizziter EM’s - from St Theresa’s Blacon, from St Francis of Assisi Llay and from St Hilda’s Northenden (posh end of the Diocese). Great to have you with us!

Easter "Day by Day" and Sacred Heart Messengers

On the table as you leave, £1 each. You can always pop the money in next week!

Duh! Actually, it’s 2021...

It was Tekkie One who gently pointed out last week, on uploading the Newsletter that I still had "2020" at the top and it was now April... And don’t pretend you all noticed but were too polite to point it out. Shame about the Titanic, isn’t it?

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 Needed to Book!

Huge thanks to the 99% of you who operated the booking system, online or telephone, just handy-dandy. Lots of you were ringing yesterday morning, Good Friday, long after booking had closed. Most were apologetic, and confessed they were totally disorganised this year. Some were stroppy - "No-one told ME we had to book!" To which I could only think, but not say (!), "Where have you been all my life?" We fitted you in if we could, but, sadly, where we were full, it had to be a "no".

Gift Aid: Two Important Notices

(1) 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.
(2) 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 FP or Denise Jones.

Photo of the Week: Christleton 1970/1

Another chance to see the Corpus Christi Procession at the old Salvatorian College in Christleton, now the University of Law. This was a seminary training Salvatorian Priests and Brothers from 1934, when the order purchased the Hall from the Hemelryk family, until 1972, when it was bought by the Law Society. Throughout that period, Catholics in the south-east part of Chester attended Mass in the College Chapel. When it closed in 1972, the Maguire family provided accommodation for a Mass Centre, and then eventually we started using the Methodist Chapel in Moor Lane. To which we all devoutly hope we can return one day soon!