St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester
Parish Newsletter
SUNDAY 27th FEBRUARY: EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)
Synod Consultation: Week Four: 21st Feb
Excellent final session, ably led by Lyn Williams, wrapped up the Public Consultation phase of our Synod Submission. Huge thanks to the fifty Parishioners who turned out for one or all of these Monday Evenings. The written submissions continued to come in, the final one received at 23.27 on Wednesday evening, 33 minutes before the deadline! Since then, the Planning Group – Anne Proctor, Zosia Archibald, Lyn Williams, Syd Jones – have been working flat out to turn all this remarkable feedback into a single document, to be sent to Bishop Mark by his deadline of 1st March. This is an extremely tight timetable, but we are confident of meeting it. We met Friday morning to look at a first draft and will continue to edit and refine it over the weekend. Copies will be available for you, both print and online, next weekend. This document will reflect a variety of views rather than a single opinion, but we aim to capture fully and honestly both the range and strength of views that you shared with us.
Synod Consultation Exercise: Questionnaire
Pope Francis set us ten areas where we might “walk together better”: 1. Evaluating what we’re doing and whether we’re doing it well or badly. 2. Being better at listening. 3. Being better at speaking out to the world. 4. Celebrating our Liturgy better. 5. All of us being more engaged with mission and outreach to those not in the Church. 6. Being better at promoting dialogue with others. 7. Working better together ecumenically. 8. Being better at exercising authority, deciding what our rules are and how they should be enforced. 9. Being better at decision-making at all levels. 10. Being a more learning Church. This week, our questionnaire comes out, in which everyone will be asked to tell us their three top priorities in that list. You can do it online or by filling in a sheet, but the more you all participate, the more valuable the final data will be. Many thanks to all those who have already filled it in.
Closing date will be Sunday 13th March.
CAFOD Lenten Fast Day Envelopes on Table Today
On the Free Table This Weekend…
The portable table has gone, one of the wheelers, and the polystyrene blocks – see, someone still does do that sort of modelling! The padded A4 envelopes remain, and a large quantity of good sheet music, with some of it ideal for anyone starting out on the piano or clarinet, or in the early years of learning.
New Tax Year Weekly Offertory Envelopes
The 2022/23 envelopes are available at the back of church. If you use envelopes, please collect yours as soon as possible. Thank you.
Altar Servers: Now Hiring!
We are delighted to announce that we shall be recruiting a few new Altar Servers in the Spring, immediately following the completion of the First Holy Communion Programme. This is a serious commitment and any boy or girl who has made their First Communion will be eligible to apply. Watch this space for further information.
The Repository: Five More Days for The Pre-Loved!
We’re finishing on Ash Wednesday, 2nd March. When it’s gone, it’s gone. Same for Paula and Bernice…
St Werburgh’s Parish Social
Copies of FP’s usual irritating quiz on the table at the back of church to work on during the Sermon.
High School SVP Afternoon Tea
Hosted by the Catholic High School students will be held on Wednesday 16th March at 2 pm in the school, and transport will be provided. For further information contact Fran Waldie on 07990-524-780.
Ash Wednesday: 2nd March 2022
Three Masses as usual: 7.30 am, 12.15 pm and 7.30 pm. We are honoured and delighted that Bishop Mark has asked if he can join us for the 12.15 pm Mass and stop on for a soup lunch afterwards. Another 2.00 am start for me!!
Chester Gang Show
Hearty congratulations all the Werbies who took part this year, on stage and back-stage. It was a wonderful show, as always, produced against the odds in these highly uncertain Covid time.
Women’s World Day of Prayer: Friday 4th March
St Thomas of Canterbury, Parkgate Road: 10.30 am
Christian Aid Lenten Lunches: 12 noon- 1.30 pm
- Monday 7th March: Wesley Methodists
- Thursday 17th March: Hoole URC, Hoole Road
- Monday 21st March: Wesley Methodists
- Friday 1st April: Vicars Cross URC
- Wednesday 6th April: St Mary’s Church Handbridge
On Monday 7th March, it’s St Werburgh’s turn to make the soup, with City Road to help us. It’ll mean another 2.00 am start in the kitchen for me, but, in the cause of church unity, I’m willing to suffer.
Confirmation at St Columba’s
Congratulations to all the youngsters confirmed by Bishop Mark last week up at St Columba’s. The next Confirmation will be at the end of this year or very early 2023, organised by St Werburgh’s. Watch this space for details!
Retreat House, Chester: Thursday 31st March
Retreat House, Chester, an independent Christian Charity, have very kindly offered to come here to provide a Lenten Retreat Day. It’s to be on Thursday 31st March, 10.30-2.15 pm, based in the Day Chapel, Simple Lunch, and limited to 20 parishioners. Signing-Up List at the back of Church today. It’s filling up fast, so don’t leave it too late to sign up!
Zoom Stations of the Cross: Friday Evenings in Lent
This was so popular last year, allowing us to join the Stations from the comfort of our own homes, plus the chance of seeing different Stations from all over the world, that we’re repeating it this year. We begin Friday 4th March, 7.00 pm, with our own Stations in St Werburgh’s. Please email FP for link.
CathSoc Sunday Night 7.00 pm: Pancake Evening!
All our Wrinklies are warmly invited to join us on Sunday for Pancakes Galore! (How many more 2.00 a.m.’s in the Kitchen before the auld eejit cracks??)
Photo of the Week: St Paul’s Tokaanu, NZ
Our Resident Maori Werbie, Mrs Davies, has been snapping away again, this time an amazing little white weatherboard church, built in 1909, at Tokaanu on the shore of Lake Taupo, North Island.
