Parish Newsletter

New Diocesan Year Books and Ordos for 2023

Now arrived, and full of useful information, the Year Book about the Diocese and all its Parishes and organisations, the Ordo about the Liturgical Year ahead. On the Newsstand, £5 each.

Christmas Volunteer Rota: Thanks to Everyone!

Sincere thanks to everyone who signed up: we couldn’t do it without you!

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!

Covering St Clare’s for Month of January

Fr Emeka, our next-door neighbour, is taking his very well-earned Annual Leave in January, back home in Nigeria, and it is a pleasure for us to cover for him while he is away. Fr Neill will be looking after the weekend Masses, and myself the weekday ones. Have a good break, Your Eminence!

Mary Seeking Room

A Masters student at the University is looking for a room in Chester from January to September. Her price range is ₤350-400, including bills, with access to a kitchen and bathroom. If anyone might be able to help out, please let FP know.

Christmas Mass Times at St Werburgh’s

Christmas Eve

• 12.15 pm: Day Mass of 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!

• Monday–Friday, 26th–30th Dec: Daily Mass at 10.00 am
• Saturday 31st: Rowton Mass at 6.00 pm, and Midnight Mass for the New Year at 12.00 midnight
• Sunday 1st: Mary, Mother of God
• Monday 2nd – Thursday 5th: Daily Mass at 10.00 am
• Friday 6th: Epiphany Holyday: Mass at 10.00 am
• Sunday 8th January: The Baptism of the Lord – the end of Christmastide.

Christmas Day-by-Days and December Sacred Heart Messengers

Now on News-Stand - £1. 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 warm 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

Good to meet with the team for a detailed planning meeting a week ago, all ready for those final DBS checks and then swing into action

2nd Collection for Christmas Flowers Last Week

₤500 raised – many thanks, everyone!

Rowton New Year Soirée

So good to be back at Rowton on a Saturday evening after our almost three-year absence. To celebrate, please join us for Tea, Coffee, Mince Pies, you name it, after the 6.00 pm Mass on Saturday 7th. Everyone warmly welcome!

Repository Christmas / New Year Closure

Closing after morning Masses on Sunday 18th December, reopening on Sunday 29th January with our popular sale of donated and previously loved items. Please check with FP before leaving further donated items on the Repository table. We thank you for your valued support during the year and send our very Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year. Paula and Bernice (c/o Dunfloggin Guest House, South Shore, Blackpool).

Boxing Day Altar Servers Celebration: 10.00 am

For the first time since 2019 our Altar Servers, Families and Friends will come together to celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen at the 10.00 am Mass. Nila Heartin, Philippa Egan, Joseph Penson, Rory Johns and Matthew Egan will be enrolled into the Guild and Emily Neal will receive a Silver Medal for Ten Years of Service.

All Parishioners are most welcome.

SVP Holiday Home Fundraising – They’re There!

Thanks to everyone’s support over recent years and your extra donations through the recent Crowdfunding scheme, we have now been awarded £21,776 from CWAC funds to add to our existing savings. This means we have now reached our total! This will enable us to replace our Holiday Home in 2023. Thank you all so very much.

SVP Festive Tea for the Elderly and Housebound

Join us on Saturday 7th January at 2.30 pm at the Catholic Primary School to finish the Christmas period together with a festive tea! There'll be nice food, music and a raffle. If you know of anyone who would like to attend, please get in touch with madeleinemorrin@aol.com.
Transport will be provided, please contact fran.waldie@gmail.com if you require a lift.

Diocesan Our Mission Together Appeal Report

Please take a copy from the back of church. Headline Figure: £11.2 million raised, for training of seminarians, support of retired clergy, on the Diocesan Youth Mission Teams and Caritas social outreach projects and refugee support. Do please take a copy for full details, and huge thanks to all who supported this Diocesan Appeal so generously.

Photo of the Week:

St Werburgh’s in the Early Morning Light. Snapped by Geoff Hewson first thing on Sunday morning, 2nd October this year, when the church was bathed in ethereal early morning luminescence. [Steady on! Ed.]