Parish Newsletter

Arrangements for 14th September – St Bernadette

The Booking System is starting to go live! Go to the Home Page on our website and click the button “St Bernadette Relics – 14th September”. Eight lines down you’ll find the link to the National Website. Click that and you’ll find a wealth of information. For Booking purposes, click “Registration” on the menu bar at the top of the page. Find the Map Pin for Shrewsbury Diocese (hiding behind Liverpool – cheek!) and that will bring up the two venues, our Cathedral and St Werburgh’s. At the moment – Saturday morning, 30th July – only the afternoon visits are bookable. The morning is exclusively for our schools, but we hope the Bookings for Mass (12.15 pm) will be bookable soon as well. Watch this space, everyone!

FP’s Holiday Dates

Yes, at long last, I’m going away for some hols and leaving you all in peace. Flights are much tighter this year than in previous summers: so, I’m flying Manchester to Bologna on Wednesday 17th August, and back (via Amsterdam!) on Thursday 1st. While I am away, Syd Jones will be in charge as Parish Administrator, a role he has fulfilled excellently in previous pre-Covid years. He’s the Boss!

Annual Mission Appeal: 27/28 August

For one of the two weekends that I shall be away, Fr William Hattie from the Xaverian Fathers will be with us for all the Masses and preaching the Annual Mission Appeal. I know you will make him very welcome. Our old friend Fr Colin will also be helping us out, so the Weekend Masses will look like this:

• Saturday 20th August 6.00 pm: Fr Neill
• Sunday 21st August 9.00 am: Fr Colin
• Sunday 21st August 10.45 am: Fr Colin
• Sunday 21st August: 6.00 pm: Fr Neill
• Saturday 27th 6.00 pm: Fr William
• Sunday 28th 9.00 am: Fr Neill (Fr William Preaching)
• Sunday 28th 10.45 am: Fr William
• Sunday 28th 6.00 pm: Fr William

Getting Back to Normal and Autumn Parish Renewal

Just a reminder that when September comes, we will have a major Parish Renewal exercise, which will involve looking at all our activities together and asking what we’ve learnt over the last two and a half years. Our Four Questions will follow on from the Synod Consultation Exercise we did in January:

1. Post-Covid, what do we need to pick up again?
2. What do we pick up again but with changes?
3. What do we need now to drop?
4. What do we start that we’ve never done before?

Gardening Club

We have a wonderful little group of parishioners who look after the front and back gardens. For one reason or another, some of them are off air at present: anyone like to help out, at a time to suit you?

Support for Ukrainian Refugees

There are opportunities during August to support Ukrainian refugees. Please see the Noticeboard for details of how you can help.

“First Thursday” Tattenhall House Masses

Please email or contact FP if you would like details of the venue. Next One: Thursday 4th August, 10.30 am.

Next Year’s First Sacraments Programme

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. Closing date for enrolment is Sunday 4th September ‘22. A full list of “Names Submitted So Far” is given here, just in case you have sent a name in, and we’ve missed it.

1. Harriet Keogh
2. Thomas Burns
3. Alice Connolly
4. Lucia McDaid
5. Timothy Kusiak
6. Casper Kusiak
7. Eric Kusiak
8. Isabella Ward
9. Abigail Garner
10. Edith Willett
11. Rose Polanczyk
12. Benedict Penson
13. Grace Naylor
14. Alice Allwood
15. Giulia Armenio
16. Francesco Armenio
17. Dougie Marks
18. Field

Many apologies, but I only have “Field” down as one of the bookings, with no first name or contact details. If anyone can recognise this one and get in touch, we’d be most grateful. Sorry for being doo-lally on this one!

“Day by Day” and Sacred Heart Messengers

Our very popular Monthly Mags are on the News Stand at the back of church - £1 each.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Friday 29th July, our Diocese left for Lourdes after a two-year absence. It is a joy to be able to return to this wonderful place of pilgrimage. We will keep the whole Diocese very much in our thoughts and prayers throughout the pilgrimage. If you wish to join us via the livestream for the International Mass on Sunday 31st July at 8.30 am BST and for our Mass in the Grotto on Monday 1 August at 9.00 am BST, please go to the Sanctuaries website www.lourdes-france.org and click on the link. Bishop Mark has proposed the following prayer intentions for the Pilgrimage:

• For the renewal of our Shrewsbury Diocesan Pilgrimage, that we may wholeheartedly respond as pilgrims to the message of Our Lady of Lourdes.
• For the peace of the world as we entrust all humanity, especially Ukraine and Russia, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• For all the people of our Diocese, that we may return to the Eucharist with renewed faith and joy.
• For all young people of our Diocese, that amidst the uncertainties of our time they may respond with joy to their vocation in life.
  Please join with us in praying for these intentions.

Tuesday Evening Parish Council Social

On Tuesday last week, a great pleasure to take the Parish Council out for their annual Social, as a little way of saying “thank you” for all the sterling work they’ve done for the Parish, non-stop, over the last twelve months. They have been stars!

Photo of the Week: Shepherds and Angels

Only 143 shopping days to Christmas. Here’s a reminder of last year’s Christmas Eve Mass, Holly and Samuel dressed to kill as an Angel and a Shepherd. Not too early to start dusting down those wings and tea-towels, Mums and Dads!