St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester

Parish Newsletter

SUNDAY 11th DECEMBER: THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR A) – GAUDETE SUNDAY

Isaiah 35, 1-10; Psalm 145; James 5, 7-10; Matthew 11, 2-11

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: AH’s Holy Souls Intentions
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Alex Barnes
10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: John, Pam and Peter Newbrook
1.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Nuptial Mass for Ciara Shyne and Oliver Doak
6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Virginia Kangley (L.D., Meath)

Monday 12th December: Ferial: Numbers 24, 2-17; Psalm 24; Matthew 21, 23-27
10.30 am: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Diana Scipanova
1.10 pm: University Chapel - University Mass. All welcome.

Tuesday 13th December: St Lucy: Zephaniah 3, 1-13; Psalm 33; Matthew 21, 28-32
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Mike Griffiths (2nd Anniversary)

Wednesday 14th December: St John of the Cross: Isaiah 45, 2-26; Psalm 84; Luke 7, 19-23
12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Maureen Wilkinson, late of Upton Dene NH
6.30 pm: High School: Christmas Carol Service

Thursday 15th December: Ferial: Isaiah 54, 1-10; Palm 29; Luke 7, 24-30
11.00 am: Grosvenor Gardens NH (Crawford’s Walk): Carol Service for Residents
12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Barbara Graves (70th Anniversary of Reception into Church)
2.30 pm: Oaklands NH, Littleton: Carol Service for Residents

Friday 16th December: Ferial: Isaiah 56, 1-8; Psalm 66; John 5, 33-36
12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Donal Farrell, late of George Street

Saturday 17th December: Ferial: Genesis 49, 2-10; Psalm 71; Matthew 1, 1-17
10.30 – 12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions
6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Arlene Law and Vera Connon (Anniversaries)

SUNDAY 18th DECEMBER: FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR A)
Isaiah 7, 10-14; Psalm 23; Romans 1, 1-7; Matthew 1, 18-24
Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Arlene Law and Vera Connon (Anniversaries)
9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Mike Griffiths (2nd Anniversary)
10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Ryoichi Iwasaki (3rd Anniversary)
6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: John Park (L.D.)

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Brian Boardman Jnr, James Convey, Bill Hackett, Laura Chadwick, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Ruth O’Kane, and Kevin Maguire and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Evelyn Parry, Diana Scipanova, Maureen Sands, Maureen Wilkinson and Donal Farrell; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Nancy Lugg, Patrick Kavanagh, Bernard Cunningham, Michael Hughes, Pat Wright, Ann Hanrahan, Brian Parker, Teresa Evans, Ronald Pugh, Michael Hatherall, Gordon Maidment, Mary Murphy, Noreen Kind, Mary Corr, Betty Chilton and John McMahon. May They All Rest in Peace.

Forthcoming Funerals

Sadly, we have a number of funerals to report between now and Christmas:

Monday 12th December, 10.30: Diana Scipanova
Wednesday 14th December, 12.00: Maureen Wilkinson
Friday 16th December, 12.00: Donal Farrell
Wednesday 21st December, 10.30: Maureen Scargill
Thursday 22nd December, 12.00: Evelyn Parry

May They All Rest in Peace.

Christmas Volunteer Rota Now Out: Please Sign Up

For all ministries over the Christmas Period – please sign up as soon as possible.

Diocesan Day for Chester Catechists – 4th Feb

The Diocesan Mission for Catechesis team is organising a day for all catechists (Baptismal, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, RCIA, Marriage Prep, the lot) for all the Chester Parishes, to introduce themselves and explain how they might be able to support our individual work. Saturday 4th February, 10.00-5.00 pm, St Columba’s Parish Hall. Get the date in your Diaries, everyone!

Wistaston Retreat Centre Brochures

The OMI Retreat Centre at Crewe offers a whole range of guided talks and retreats, as well as the opportunity for individuals to stay there for their own quiet time. Brochures at back of church.

Advent Penitential Service: Monday 19th Dec

7.00 pm: a short Penitential Service with opportunities for individual confessions afterwards. Everyone welcome.

Christmas Mass Times at St Werburgh’s

Christmas Eve

4.30 Children’s Vigil Mass
6.00 pm: Children’s Vigil Mass
8.30 pm: Vigil Mass of Christmas
11.30 pm: Carols and Midnight Mass

Christmas Day

9.00 am: Dawn Mass of Christmas
10.45 am: Day Mass of Christmas

No Need for Booking This Year!

Forthcoming Concerts Here in St Werburgh’s

Friday 16th Dec, 7.00 pm: Dee Ensemble Christmas Concert: a female singing group based here in Chester, presenting an hour-long concert of Christmas music and readings.

Advent and Christmas Day-by-Days

Now on News-Stand - £1
Plus, December Sacred Heart Messengers. These popular little mags are both £1 each. If you’ve never tried one, why not take a back number for free and see if they might be for you?

“Ministry of Welcome” Recruitment Drive

We’re soon going to re-launch our whole Welcomers Programme: meanwhile, if you can help out at Christmas to extend a warn welcome to our hundreds of wizziters, do please sign up on the Wolunteer Rota at the back of church.

Children’s Liturgy at 10.45

Ready to swing into action as soon as DBS checks have been completed. We’re almost there!

CAFOD Advent Prayer Card

Beautifully illustrated cards, free, on the table at the back of church. Do take one: they’ll go quick!

Sale of Red and Blue Parish History Books: ₤10

Excellent value at £10 each and a fascinating read for any parishioner/ lover of history. Stocks of the Blue Book in particular are limited.

Second Collection for Christmas Flowers

Weekend of 17/18 December: many thanks for any help you can give us.

SVP Second Collection 3rd / 4th December

Used to support families in need with food and Christmas presents, to provide small gifts to prisoners’ children and to fund a Festive Party in January for those we support and befriend in our local community. Gift Aid envelopes available.
Many thanks to everyone who supported this appeal: not too late if you’d like to make a contribution, using the Gift Aid Envelopes.

SVP Holiday Home

They need as many people as possible to back them by pledging to give £2 towards the fund. www.spacehive.com/holidays-for-disadvantaged-people

Update: Saturday, 26th November – we now have fifty backers, which is great, but we still need more. Meeting with CWAC next week to see if we reach the threshold for Community Support.

Keyboard & Vatican Stamps to Highest Bidder

On the table at the back of church. Would make a lovely Christmas present for someone. Sealed bids to FP by Sunday 18th December. Highest bidder wins! Plus, excellent Vatican Stamp Album, which we have a Reserve of £50 on. Let me know if you’d like to have a look. Again, it would make a first-class Christmas Present for the right person.

CHS Tea

Many thanks to everyone for making Thursday afternoon such an enjoyable event in the High School: the SVP for organising transport, the Sixth Formers for looking after us so well, and Mrs McKeagney and team for making us so welcome. The only fly in the ointment was the obviously fixed Bingo cards, two numbers short of a full house, not much to ask, is it?

Coming up: Carols in the Nursing Homes

Thursday 15th December – morning in Grosvenor Gardens (Crawford’s Walk) and afternoon in Oaklands, Littleton. Why not come and join us? For the morning, visit, please meet outside Reception at 10.50 am. For the afternoon, please gather at 2.20 pm outside the Home, and we will be directed in the back entrance. For both visits, please bring a mask in case they’re needed. See you all there!

Photo of the Week: University Chapel

A beautiful picture of the oldest part of the University of Chester, the Chapel (1839) with the sun flooding in the west window. Good to be there on Wednesday for their Carol Service: Sunday evening, CathSoc are out for their Christmas Meal, marking the end of term for everyone.

+ 2024
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+ 2023
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+ 2021
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+ 2020
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+ 2019
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+ 2018
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- 28th October
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+ 2017