Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

Acts 15, 1-29; Psalm 66; Apocalypse 21, 10-23; John 14, 23-29

Saturday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Katie Curtis
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Cath and David Blucher 50th Wedding Anniversary Remembrance
10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Daphne Taylor
6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Kathleen Irene Coyle (née Mitchell)

Monday 23rd May: Ferial: Acts 16, 11-15; Psalm 149; John 15,26 – 16,4
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: David Woodbury (4th Anniversary)
1.10 pm: University Chapel – Weekly University Mass, all welcome.
2.00 pm: University Chapel: Memorial Service for Emmanuel Chikwa

Tuesday 24th May: Our Lady Help of Christians
Genesis 3, 1-20; Psalm 102; Ephesians 3, 14-19; Luke 8, 19-21
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Intentions of the Marnell Family

Wednesday 25th May: St Bede the Venerable: Acts 17,15 – 18,1; Psalm 148; John 16, 12-15
11.00 am: Grosvenor Manor NH, Heath Lane: Service for Residents and Visitors
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Brian Boardman
7.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Vigil Mass for Holyday of SS Peter and Paul: Alan Haydock (L.D., Halifax)

Thursday 26th May: THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD: HOLYDAY OF OBLIGATION
Acts 1, 1-11; Psalm 46; Ephesians 1, 17-23; Luke 24, 46-53
7.30 am: St Werburgh’s: Personal Intention (GS)
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Intentions of Mary and Steve Williams and family
7.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Mary Fazey

Friday 27th May: St Augustine of Canterbury: I Thessalonians 2, 2-8; Psalm 116; Luke 10, 1-9
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Intentions of Julie and Cassie Austin-Kaye

Saturday 28th May: Ferial: Acts 18, 23-28; Psalm 46; John 16, 23-28
9.30 am – 11.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Confessions
12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Wedding Service for Lara Harris and Tom Gibbons
2.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Baptism of Levi Anthony Culkin (Youngest CathSoc Wrinklie)
6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Cath Haslam

SUNDAY 29th MAY: SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER (YEAR C)
Acts 7, 55-60; Psalm 96; Apocalypse 22, 12-20; John 17, 20-26
Saturday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Cath Haslam
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Sheila Johnson
10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Terry Collier (5th Anniversary)
6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Mick Fields (8th Anniversary)

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Celia Hickey, Brian Boardman Jnr, James Convey, Bill Hackett, Laura Chadwick, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Ruth O’Kane, Garth Stocking and Kevin Maguire and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Anna Brennan, Mike Hurst, Beryl Parkinson and Simon Crowther; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Peter Walsh, Harry Teague, Brian Boardman, Connie Clarkson, Angelo Castrichino, James Turrell, Tommy Brady, Paul Pollard, Anne Delamere, Joseph Thomas, Ben O’Brien, Tommy Phillips, Christopher Donnelly, Mary Reid, Nora Reilly, Ursula Ratchford, Gladwen Nicholson, John Roberts and John Byrne.

May They All Rest in Peace.

Parish events

Financial Statement: Last Year’s Expenditure

As promised, a little more detail on last year’s Finances. The headline figures, once again, were:

• Total Income 2021-22: £105,861.68
• Total Expenditure 2021-22: £65,174.16
• Operating Surplus 2021-22: £40,687.52

The Major Items of Expenditure were:

• FP Car Mileage: £1,152
• Wages for Parish Employees: £7,628
• FP Food Bill: £1,967
• Gas and Electricity: £8,970
• Council Tax and Water Rates: £3,224
• Telephone: £742
• Insurance: £2,433
• Repairs and Maintenance: £1,604
• Altar Expenses: £1,880
• Office IT Equipment: £2,429
• Diocesan Assessment Fund: £24,050

Ascension Thursday: Holyday of Obligation

Good to be able to offer all four Masses: 7.30 pm Vigil Mass on Wednesday Evening; 7.30 am and 12.15 pm on Thursday morning, and 7.30 pm Thursday Evening.
You are, of course, expected to come to all four…

Chester Heritage Festival in June

After a 3-year Covid break the above festival will be up and running in June 2022. It will include many interesting events, (google Chester Heritage Festival 2022) and needs support from all Cestrians. We have been asked to participate, by resurrecting our plans for a walk and talk about “A Tale of Two Architects.” The architects in question are John Douglas and Edmund Kirby, good friends. Edmund Kirby designed St Werburgh’s Church and John Douglas designed most of the rest of Victorian Chester. These two events will take place on Sunday 19th June. The walk will start at 2.15 pm at Dee House and will pass Douglas and Kirby buildings, reaching St. Werburgh’s around 2.50 pm. The talk, at St Werburgh’s, will start at 3.00 pm and last about one hour. The whole process will be “choreographed” by Gerry Tighe and Ann Marie Curtis and will include some fairly newly discovered information. It would be great if as many as possible could attend one or both events and give support during this post-Covid period.

Diocesan IT In-House Support

The Diocese is seeking to employ a full time IT In-House Support member at the Curial Office in Birkenhead. For more information, please see our website http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/about-us/curia/vacancies completed CV’s to be sent to Pauline McCulloch recruitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Closing date Friday 17th June 2022.

Vocations Weekend for Young Women: 27-29 May

Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ), in Liverpool. If you are wondering if God is calling you to religious life and would like to find out more, why not come along? You are welcome to stay for the weekend or just come along on Saturday for the day. For more information contact Sr Lynne fcj at lynnefcj@hotmail.com or visit our website www.fcjsisters.org

Artificial Flowers on the Free Table

They all found good homes – many thanks, everyone! 

Preparing for Pentecost

A small group of parishioners would like to invite you all to join them on Tuesday 31st May for two hours of prayer and reflection in our Day Chapel as a preparation for the great Feast of Pentecost. Meeting at 9.45 for a 10.00 start and finishing with Mass at 12.15 pm. Refreshments provided. Fifteen places available: please sign up asap.

SVP Theatre Night Wed 8th June: The Vicar of Dibley

A hilarious adaptation of the popular TV comedy by the original author, Ian Gowerton, comes to the Gladstone Theatre, Port Sunlight. Tickets at £9 will be on sale after Masses on w/e 15th and 22nd May, or by contacting svpchester@gmail.com. All proceeds go to the SVP District Holiday Home in Talacre.

Ffestiniog Welsh Highland Railway: Only 10 Places left!

For an excellent reason, we have had to change the date to Monday 19th September (see below!) Flyer out now with full details. Here’s some of the Itinerary:

• 09.45: Depart Chester on coach (Mass Beforehand)
• 11.45 arrive Blaenau Ffestiniog
• 12.20: Depart on Railway to Porthmadog
• 14.15: Depart on Railway to Caernarfon
• 17.00 Coach from Caernarfon back to Chester
• 18.30: Arrive back in Chester

We’ve negotiated an amazing bargain basement price for this day out of £65, including all transport and lunch. The commercial price would be nearer £90.
40 places gone: just 10 left!!

What’s Happening Wednesday 14th September 2022???

As you may have read, the Relics of St Bernadette of Lourdes are coming to England in September and visiting every Diocese. In each Diocese, the relics will come to the Cathedral and one Parish Church, and we are very honoured that St Werburgh’s has been chosen as the Parish Church for Shrewsbury Diocese. More details as and when they become available.

Free Rosaries from the Catenians

If you are unfamiliar with the Rosary, the Catenian Association have left free adult Rosaries and ‘How to Pray the Rosary’ cards at the back of the church, together with small children’s Rosaries if you want to pray as a family. Only please if you don’t own one already!

Request from Parishioner Living in Chester

“We have booked a holiday for the end of August 2022 and don’t want to put our family dog in kennels, so we are looking for a house sitter, to live in here and look after Rover” Anyone interested?

Next Year’s First Sacraments Programme

The programme runs from September to June each year. So, if you have a child in Year 3 or above who does not attend our Catholic Primary School, please contact Fr Paul, preferably by email. The classes begin in October, with First Forgiveness in January and First Holy Communions in May. The closing date for enrolment is Sunday 4th September 2022.

Photo of the Week: Football Team from 1977

St Werburgh’s playing St Paul’s from Dublin, April 1977. Where are they all now? And how are their knees? Many thanks to Anne Collier for sending that one in. We love both your archive photos and your present-day ones, so do please send them both in. Thanks, everyone!