Parish Newsletter

St Werburgh’s “The New Normal”

In January and February this year, we had four Open Meetings to prepare our Parish Response to the Pope’s Synod Consultation exercise: what we love about the Catholic Church, what we don’t love, what needs to change, and a Final Plenary pulling it all together. Our submission went up to Bishop Mark, was part of our Diocesan submission, which in turn helped to shape the response of the Bishops of England and Wales. All these national reports are now being collated towards the final Synod in October next year. Our own parish exercise was an excellent time of sharing, and many said then that our desire to improve and change our own parish doesn’t have to wait for the final Synod – there’s so much we ourselves can do here and now to make St Werburgh’s a holier, happier and more fruitful part of God’s Kingdom. So… We want your views! Four Open Meetings once again, on Tuesday evenings at 7.00 pm, starting Tuesday 27th September. Four questions about the “new normal” as we all emerge from the last two-and-a-half years of restrictions and closures: what we want to pick up again, what pick up again but change, what drop and what start from scratch. If you can’t come to the meetings, we’d love your views in writing, and once again, a small group will be collating them all, and producing a Report to the Parish in November. As in February this year, don’t say you haven’t been asked!

Rowton Masses Can Re-Start on Saturday Evenings

Delighted to hear from Bishop Mark on Thursday:

“I write following the meeting of the Diocesan Trustees to confirm that we can now re-open the Mass Centre based at the Methodist Church at Rowton. Thank you for your patience in awaiting this decision after the strange and unprecedented circumstances through which we have lived. With a remembrance in my prayer for the community which has faithfully gathered at Rowton and every good wish, + Mark.”

This has been the result of the Diocese reviewing all Mass Centres as part of the “new normal”. A Mass Centre is somewhere that Mass is celebrated every Sunday but not itself a Catholic Church. Traditionally, they have been a part of widespread and far-flung Parishes. There are arguments for and against: on the plus side, they serve areas some distance from the nearest Catholic Church, especially rural parts of the Diocese; against, they mean all the Parish is not worshipping at the one Parish Church, they cost money and they pull Priests all over the place. But Rowton ticks all the plus boxes: it serves the top end of the A41 Corridor, it’s very well supported, it’s well within our financial capabilities and the PP’s a Duracell bunny anyway. When shall we re-start, given that we’ve got to give people sufficient notice not to come to the Parish Church on Saturday evenings? And anyone like to form a little Rowton Group to help with admin?

Welsh Railways Day Out Monday 19th September

If any of you booked on the trip would like a refund rather than wait till next Spring, do please let me know and one will be issued with pleasure.

Found Outside Church: Sun Glasses

Rather a posh pair, if anyone has lost one.

Plates and Dishes from St Bernadette’s Catering?

Please collect from the Dining Room.

Annual Mission Appeal: 27/28 August

Appeal now closed: £1,421-89. Excellent!

New Teams for Cleaning the Church

Superb response! Thanks to all who’ve signed up. If we could have sixteen wolunteers, that would mean a team of four, on once a month. Anyone else joining?

SVP Sponsored Walk in Aid of the Holiday Home

District SVP are planning the annual sponsored walk to raise funds in support of the Holiday Home. The walk will take place on Sunday 2nd October, starting at 13:30 from Parkgate, going to Neston and returning. More information to follow soon.

Back to School Sale

Thank you to everyone who bought a set of lunchbox and bottle, we sold them all and raised £121.66 for the Holiday Home!!

SVP Mass for Elderly and Housebound

Thanks to everyone for a super Mass last Sunday afternoon, so many there and so many appreciative of my Lemon Drizzle Cake. It makes it all so worthwhile…

Calling All Students!

Are you a student at the University of Chester? Are you a student elsewhere, but living in Chester? Either way, we’d love to hear from you and invite you to be part of our Catholic Student Community. Our main meeting night is Sunday, and this week flyers are available telling you all about us. There are sheets at the back of church for you to give us your details – and we’d love to hear from you!

Wine and Cheese Evening for Meningitis Now

All tickets now sold – wow! But you can still donate: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-helen

2022-23 First Sacraments Programme

Launch Meeting: Tuesday 4th October, 6.30 pm
Just parents, please – and for about 45 minutes.

Photo of the Week: Staying in Touch

What a wonderful picture! Nikki Perry’s amazing Mum, Marcelle, who lives in France, loves staying in touch with St Werburgh’s, and here she is watching the live-streamed Mass for St Bernadette with Bishop Mark. She’s 96, and President of the French Branch of Werbies International. Meilleurs voeux, Marcelle!

“Death of King George V” – John Betjeman

“New King arrives in his capital by air”
(Newspaper Headline – 20th January 1936)

Spirit of well-shot woodcock, partridge, snipe
Flutter and bear him up the Norfolk sky:
In that red house in a red mahogany bookcase
The stamp collection waits with mounts long dry.

The big blue eyes are shut which saw wrong clothing
And favourite fields and coverts from a horse;
Old men in country houses hear clocks ticking
Over thick carpets with a deadened force;

Old men who never cheated, never doubted,
Communicated monthly, sit and stare
At the new suburb stretched beyond the runway
Where a young man lands hatless from the air.