Isaiah 58:6-10; Psalm 112; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Matthew 5:13-16
Day of Special Prayer for Victims of Trafficking
Saturday 6:00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Joan Pryce (RD)
Sunday 9:00 am: St. Werburgh’s: For the people of the Parish
10:45 am: St. Werburgh’s: Siobhan Smith (RIP)
12:30 pm Baptism of Luke Robert Bellion
Sunday 6:00 pm: St. Werburgh’s: Freda McWha (RD)
RETIRING COLLECTION AT ALL MASSES this weekend FOR THE WORK OF THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY (SVP) and its invaluable work of outreach and compassion across the parish. Thank you for your support to help turn concern into action.
Monday 9th February: Ferial – 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13; Psalm 131; Mark 6: 53-56
11-12 - Holy Hour in church followed by Mass at 12:15 pm Alexandra Jane Mays Chandler (RD)
Tuesday 10th February: ST SCHOLASTICA: 1 Kings 8: 22-23, 27-30; Psalm 83; Mark 7:1-13
12:15 pm: Elizabeth Tobin (RIP)
Wednesday 11th February: Our Lady of Lourdes – 1 Kings 10:1-10; Psalm 36; Mark 7: 14-23
World Day of Prayer for the Sick Please pray for Mark, eleventh Bishop of Shrewsbury on the anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood (1984)
12:15 pm: For the sick and those who care for them
Thursday 12th February: Ferial: 1 Kings 11:4-13; Psalm 105; Mark 7: 24-30
11-12 - Holy Hour in church followed by Mass at 12:15 pm Ena Donovan (Beckenham) (RD)
Friday 13th February: Ferial: 1 Kings 11:29-32,12:19; Psalm 80; Mark 7: 31-37
11-12 - Holy Hour in church followed by Mass at 12:15 pm Alex Barnes
Saturday 14th February: SS CYRIL AND METHODIUS: Acts 13:46-49; Psalm 116; Luke 10:1-9
9:00 am: St. Werburgh’s: Rita Spencer (sick)
10:30 am to 12 noon: St Werburgh’s: Adoration & Confessions
6:00 pm: Rowton Methodists: For the people of the Parish
SUNDAY 15th FEBRUARY 2026: SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20; Psalm 119; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37
Saturday 6:00 pm: Rowton Methodists: For the people of the Parish
Sunday 9:00 am: St. Werburgh’s: Peter Meredith (1 year ann.)
Sunday 10:45 am: St. Werburgh’s: Charles Barnes (ann.)
Sunday 6:00 pm: St. Werburgh’s: Mario Remo Palozzo and Maria Cristina Verlini de Palozzo
Prayer Intentions
Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Helen and Peter Jones, Rita Spencer, Duncan Mason, José Luis Velasco, Jimmy McCahy, Kath Stanton, Brian Boardman Jnr, Bill Hackett, Stuart Clark, Kevin Maguire, Ruth O’Kane, Phillip Peers and Adele Vance, and for all the sick of the Parish. We also remember our beloved dead, particularly those who have died recently, including Teresa Bainbridge, Mary Bannon, Marie Therese Bentley, Esther Burgess, Alexandra Mays Chandler, Margaret Chantler, Elizabeth (Betty) Cooney, Pam Corkerton, Ruby Daniel-McCann(aged 2), Antonia Daniel-Passmore, Ena Donovan, Mark Fuller, Jamie Lee Granger, Wendy Griffiths, Harry Huxley, Sam Marsden, Ed Mulligan (New Jersey), Victor Piggott, Elizabeth Kathryn Skupski, Elizabeth Tobin, Margaret Tudor, Father Paul O’Grady and Deacon Terry Simms, and those whose anniversaries occur about this time, including Maurice Cashman, Patrick Foley, Eileen Glynn, Brian Barrett, Margaret Lightfoot, Teresa Brazzill, Bernard Rainville, Ellen Leyland, Raymond Langan, Norma Cambes, Margaret Dunne, Tadeusz Danczak, Judith Roberts, Joyce Higgins, Peggy Ronayne, Colin Newton, Betty Finan, George Mayled, Miguel Ortega, Margaret Nixon, Jacqueline Carlen, Carol Barry, Kenneth Arthur Cambes, Peter Meredith, Joe Barlow, Cynthia Smith, Lee Anthony Jennings, David Smith, Rev John A Lyons, Canon William C T Briscoe OBE, Rev Edward Coonan, Rev Michael Wagstaffe, Rev David Craig, Rev Edward Carroll, Rev Ernest Daly and Rev Ivan R Burke.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace
Live Streaming Link: www.churchservices.tv/stwerburghchester
SVP: svpchester@gmail.com Countess of Chester Chaplaincy: 01244 364543.
St Werburgh’s is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury: Registered Charity No 234025.
Safeguarding: safeguarding@stwerburghchester.co.uk Liz Aiello: 07813743723 and Chris Proudfoot: 0771149507
Dear parishioners, what a week! It was so good to see so many come and honour our heavenly patroness and pray for our mission here in Chester. We have had some very positive feedback and there was a lovely atmosphere at the various celebratory ‘moments’. Canon Jonathan’s encouraging homily will soon be made available, and I will be writing to the various volunteers, musicians and others who lent support in so many ways. All of this shows the deep love and affection for the parish, which I feel honoured to serve. It was a joy to welcome the Lord Mayor for her first visit to the parish, where she generously spent time speaking to parishioners. We also received messages of support and congratulations from Ms. Samantha Dixon, MP., and from the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire. It is good to strengthen the bonds with civil society and elected representatives. Daniel, from the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, joined regulars at Welcome Wednesday and also represented the Hospice at Thursday evening’s event. It is wonderful to know that through your generosity and hard work the parish raised over £25,000. Well done for all the efforts and initiatives enabling this. Lyn Williams will soon prepare a detailed report and inform us of its use. I am personally delighted with the result, which is a concrete example of our saying ‘YES’ to the culture of life, which as we know is at times a countercultural choice, but one which shows our commitment to the Church’s social teaching.
We pause and take a deep breath, since we’ll soon be embarking on the Lenten journey of prayer, fasting and charity, as we prepare to renew our baptismal commitment at Easter, and pray for those who are entering the Church. We’ll continue to accompany our enquirers and potential catechumens along the way through a series of meetings, the next being on Wednesday the 11th of February at 7 pm, and there’ll be more next week about Lent and the ways in which we can deepen our relationship with Christ during the next couple of months. With every good wish and blessing, Fr David +
Copies of the Sacred Heart Messenger for February & Day by Day for Lent are now available at the back of church.
Mark Gorzelak leads the Gardening Group that helps maintain St Werburgh’s church and Presbytery gardens. The group would welcome some new faces to join the small but eager band of volunteers.
Marriage Week 7th - 14th February 2026 is an annual celebration offering the opportunity to support and promote marriage and family life. Jane Deegan, the Director for Marriage and Family Life Vocation, is seeking to build a team of volunteers to support this vital ministry in the Diocese. Please see the poster and flyers at the back of the Church. If you would like to volunteer in any capacity and/or would like to find out more, please contact Monika.Golembiewska@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
First Holy Communion Catechesis. The next meeting for parents and children in the FHC Parish Group will take place on Tuesday 10th February at 6:30 pm at church. The children will receive a new preparation book for their First Holy Communion. Please could they bring their pencil cases and folders as usual.
Welcome Wednesday. 11th February 10 am to 12 noon. Hannah Moore will be presenting a talk all about the charity Mary’s Meals, which provides nourishing meals to children in over 15 developing countries, thereby ensuring they get a school education: well worth our support. Come along for a cuppa & a chat.
Bereavement and Loss Group will meet on Wednesday 11th February 1.15 pm to 2.45 pm. All are welcome for a tea/coffee and a chat in the parish meeting room.
Lead Kindly Light – The Journey of faith. The next meeting will take place on Wednesday evening at the earlier time of 7pm in the parish meeting room. Those who participated last time have been notified and are warmly invited to attend, as well as anyone else interested in knowing more about our beautiful Catholic Faith. The session will be led by Natalie Orefice, Diocesan Catechetical Coordinator.
‘The Slow Work of God’. A presentation at St Werburgh’s on the 12th February at 7.30 pm, by Stephen McCarthy about his latest book, of the same title. Flyers at the back of church.
There will be a funeral service in church, for the late Margaret Chantler (sister of Ann Murphy) on Monday the 16th of February at 10:30 am., followed by committal at Blacon.
World Day of Prayer Service, International, Ecumenical, Women-led, All Are Welcome Friday 6th March 10.30 am, At St John the Baptist Church, Vicarage Lane, Chester CH1 1QX
Photo of the week: The photo this week shows what an incredible job Blackwells Stonemason did restoring the grave of Canon Chambers, Parish Priest at St Werburgh’s from 1902 to 1924. Here we see one of his successors, Fr Paul Shaw blessing the restored grave at Overleigh Cemetery 9th October 2025.

