Parish Newsletter

Consultation on Weekday Mass Times

The Consultation begins TODAY! You can either fill out the paper Questionnaire inside each Newsletter this weekend or go online. It goes live at 8.00 am on Sunday morning. Go to the home page of the website
https://www.stwerburghchester.co.uk
and click the top button, "Weekday Mass Times Survey”. You are asked to answer three questions:
(1) Do you think Weekday Masses should be at the same time each day or on different times on different days? Please choose one option. (Two boxes: you tick one of them).
(2) If Mass is at the same time every day, which of the following times do you prefer? Please choose one option from: 7.30 am, 9.00 am, 10.00 am, 12.15 pm, 7.30 pm.
(3) If Mass is at different times on different days, please indicate your favoured distribution by choosing ONE time for each day of the week. (Grid of the five days and five Mass Times, and you tick one time for each day.)

Not having had public Weekday Masses for the past 18 months allows us to revisit the question of the best time of day during the week. This consultation will run from today until Assumption (15th August), and we really do want to hear from EVERY Werbie and Wizziter. Get ticking!

Masses on Sundays: No Change at Present

Sunday Masses for the foreseeable future will continue at 9.00, 10.00, 11.00 and 12 noon. Total attendance last Sunday was 297. Until restrictions are lifted and we’re back to "normal", the message is a clear one: if you want to be sure of a place at Sunday Mass, please don’t come at the last minute!

Beginning of Emergency Lighting Installation

Very useful Site Meeting here a week ago with all the key players. The work will be in two parts: creating the channels and laying the wiring; and then installing the lights. The first will take a lot longer than the second, and begins on Monday 12th July, hopefully for a fortnight. The workmen will be here Monday to Friday, and everything left neatly for the weekend, so we hope not too much disruption to our daily life together.

Sacrament of Confirmation

The long-awaited next Chester Parishes Confirmation will be on Wednesday 23rd February at St Columba’s. To be Confirmed then, you must already be in High School now; however, there is no upper age limit. If you wish to be Confirmed then, want more information or have any questions, please email stcolumbatheresaconfirmation@hotmail.co.uk or contact Denise Lusk on 01244-379742. If you wish to join the adult preparation group, please also introduce yourself to Fr William.

Reintroduction of Confessions

Starting Saturday 3rd July, 9.00-10.00 am, on the Sanctuary, two chairs socially distanced. Please sit on the Red Plastic Chairs while you are waiting.

Saints Peter and Paul on Tuesday

Thanks to everyone for coming along, and to the Stewards for making it all possible.

Primary School and High School

For the next Half Term, up to the Summer Break, I am planning to go into each school on a weekly basis, spending a morning or afternoon in each. It’s the least I can do to support the excellent work they are doing in these very difficult circumstances. Starting with the High School last week on Wednesday afternoon.

Summer Ordinations for our Diocese

Deacons Patrick Breeze, Humphrey O’Connor and Stephen Roberts will be ordained to the Priesthood at Saint Anthony’s, Wythenshawe on Friday 16th July 2021 at 7.00 pm. Sadly, the extension of public health restrictions means it will not now be possible to extend an open invitation to everyone. However, the Ordination Mass will be livestreamed from Saint Anthony’s for everyone who is not able to attend in person. On Saturday 24th July 2021 Dr John McKay and Professor Wilfred McSherry will be ordained to the Permanent Diaconate at Saint Michael & All Angels Church in Woodchurch at 12 noon. This Mass will also be livestreamed for anyone unable to attend in person.

St John Plessington Feast Day: Monday 19th July

The Catenians warmly invite their fellow parishioners and friends to a special Mass at St Werburgh’s at 7.30 pm, celebrated by Fr Neill Robb. The Mass will be preceded by a short memorial Service (led by Fr Neill) in the public garden by the obelisk memorial next to St Paul’s Church in Boughton. After Mass, you are invited to join the Catenians for fellowship and a drink - Covid regulations permitting - at St Werburgh’s Parish Centre in Brook Street.

Reintroduction of Public Weekday Masses

Owing to the start of the electrical work in church we will have to push back reintroducing public Weekday Masses by a month, to be on the safe side. So, Weekday Masses will restart on Monday 2nd August, at the temporary time of 10.00 am while we conduct our major Consultation Exercise on what time you would permanently like to see our Weekday Masses.

Baptisms - Quite a Queue!

You won’t be surprised to hear that suddenly everyone wants their babies Baptising! This is really good news, but it has meant that we are pretty chocker for July and August, and if you come long from now on, it’s going to be September and October we’ll be looking at. Not next weekend!!

July 19th - What’s Going to Change?

The short answer is: nobody knows! If it follows the usual pattern, an announcement is made on Monday 12th July, and we will receive clarification from Bishop Mark and the Bishops’ Conference in the days following. Watch this space!

Photo of the Week: World Day of Prayer

Many of us hugely enjoyed last week’s (Women’s) World Day of Prayer service at Christ Church Newtown, focusing on the women of Vanuatu. No such service in 2020, due to Covid-19. The one before that, in 2019, was here in St Werburgh’s, with the women of Slovenia as our main focus. Recognise any of the Slovenian women taking part?