SUNDAY 8th March 2026: THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT Exodus 17:3-7; Ps 94; Rom. 5:1-2, 5-8; John 4:5-42
Saturday 6:00 pm: Rowton Methodists: For the people of the Parish
Sunday 9:00 am: Pat Hughes
Sunday 10:45 am: Ed Mulligan
Sunday 6:00 pm: Barney Doherty (for good health)
Monday 9th March – St Frances of Rome: 2 Kings 5:1-15; Psalm 41; Luke 4:24-30
Tuesday 10th March - Ferial: Daniel 3:25, 34-43; Psalm 24; Matthew 18:21-35
7:30 am: Vicente Mercado Cepeda (RD)
12:15 pm: Angela Murray
Wednesday 11th March - Ferial: Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9; Psalm 147; Matthew 5:17-19
12:15 pm: Colin Rankin (1st Ann.)
Thursday 12th March - Ferial: Jeremiah 7:23-28; Psalm 94; Luke 11:14-23
7:30 am: For the catechumens and those joining the Church
11-12 - Holy Hour in church followed by Mass at 12:15 pm for Daniel Joseph Lunt
Friday 13th March - Ferial: Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 80; Mark 12:28-34
10:45 am Requiem Mass for the late Mr Carlo Safina, followed by burial at Mold
Please note, there will be no Holy Hour today
12:15 pm for Joan Hall (1st Ann.)
7:00 pm: Way of the Cross, led by Students from University of Chester CATHSOC, followed by Eucharistic Adoration till 9:00 pm
Saturday 14th March – Ferial: Hosea 5:15-6:6; Psalm 50; Luke 18:9-14
9:00 am: Shrewsbury Secular Clergy Fund Members Followed by Adoration & Confessions till 11 a.m.
*** 3 pm - CONCERT IN CHURCH Music for Dedication See www.chesterbachsingers.org.uk for further information and tickets ***
6:00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Philip Proudlove (RD)
SUNDAY 15th March 2026: FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT (Lætare Sunday)
1 Samuel 16:1,6-7, 10-13; Psalm 22; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
Saturday 6:00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Philip Proudlove (RD)
Sunday 9:00 am: for all mothers
Sunday 10:45 am: Jacqueline McLelland (RD) and intentions of her children and family
Sunday 6:00 pm: For the people of the parish
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, Sheila Bastedo, Ian Bruce, Alexandra Mays Chandler, Margaret Chantler, Elizabeth (Betty) Cooney, Pam Corkerton, Ruby Daniel-McCann (aged 2), Antonia Daniel-Passmore, Ena Donovan, Carlos Durán, Jamie Lee Granger, Wendy Griffiths, Eirwyn Hughes, Harry Huxley, Sam Marsden, Vicente Mercado, 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 Bill Allinson, Daniel Lunt, Carole Macintyre, May Woolrich, Leonard Creighton, Monica Page, Dennis Byrne, Peter Geoghegan, Becky Banks, Katherine Mayers, Edward Fearon, Geoff Rowley, Helen Fallon, Michael Melia, Edith Painter, Peter Dowd, Elizabeth Lydiate, June Mulcrone, Thomas Patterson, Gerard Daly, Anthony Astle, Dot Booth, John Shepherd, James Ferneyhough, Sheila Crowther, Patrick Metcalf, Christine Earle, Peter Shepherd, Tom Boulton, Margaret Maddocks, David Crawford-Williams, Tony Haycock, Peter Roberts, Sheila Holland, Eileen Lloyd, Kate Stephen, Jane Harrison, Maria Fairbanks and Joan Hall
+ May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace +
Live Streaming Link: see website home page
Instagram: stwerburgh_chester
SVP: svpchester@gmail.com 07778-392816
Countess of Chester Chaplaincy: 01244 364543.
Diocese of Shrewsbury: Charity No 234025.
Safeguarding safeguarding@stwerburghchester.co.uk Liz Aiello 07813-743-723 & Chris Proudfoot 07711-495-070
Newsletter items- admin@stwerburghchester.co.uk
“If only you knew the gift of God! … you would ask and He would give you living water”. My dear brothers and sisters, the beautiful meeting in the Gospel, this Sunday, takes us back to the wellspring of our own Christian faith, namely the font where we received the gift of God and participation in his very own life. This is profound mystery of grace, which Jesus is offering us. So we must do all we can to deepen our awareness of the Spirit “given to us to drink”, and so filled with his love to ask Him to give us what we need and also, what we need to give Him, or indeed what we must leave behind, so as to live more fully our Christian calling with conviction and coherence, and then, like the Samaritan woman, bear witness among friends and neighbours to that hope, which does not deceive. May God bless us all on our Lenten path of prayer, conversion and service. Fr David +
Planned Giving/Gift Aid - If you pay income tax, joining the Gift Aid scheme increases the value of your donations to the Parish by 25% at no extra cost to you. If you no longer pay income tax, have changed your home address in the last 2 years, wish to join the Gift Aid Scheme, or simply update your planned giving/gift aid, please contact Denise Jones via the parish office admin@stwerburghchester.co.uk by 5th April.
New Tax Year Weekly Offertory Envelopes. The 2026/27 envelopes are available at the back of church. They start from the first Sunday in the new tax year which will be Sunday 12th April. If you use envelopes, please help by collecting yours as soon as possible. Thank you.
Christian Aid - Lenten Lunch at the Wesley Methodist Church in St John Street, Chester on Monday 9th March, for which St Werburgh's, along with the Presbyterian Church of Wales, prepare a simple Lenten lunch for those attending. All proceeds go to Christian Aid.
First Holy Communion Group Events: on Monday 9th March at 6:00 pm, Fr David will lead a commentary on the Mass for all our First Holy Communion children and their families, then on Tuesday 17th March at 6:30 pm here in church, there will be a meeting for parents and a class for the children who don't attend our Catholic Primary School. Children will need their new workbooks and pencils.
Welcome Wednesday 11th March 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. This week we welcome the return of Bernice Meredith to lead us in a few games of Bingo (chocolate not cash for prizes). All welcome.
The next meeting of the Bereavement and Loss Group will also take place on Wednesday 11th March from 1.15 pm to 2.45 pm All welcome for tea/coffee and a chat.
Lead, Kindly Light – The Journey in Faith group will meet again on Wednesday 11th of March at 7 p.m., when the group will consider, with Natalie’s help, our calling to live as beloved children of God.
Faith Stories Christleton Churches Together has organised a series of informal talks. There will be an opportunity for questions and refreshments afterwards at Christleton Methodist Chapel: 7:00 pm 11th March and 25th March.
The Chester Theological Society (CTS) is hosting a lecture onTheology and Imagination presented by The Reverend Dr Andrea Russell at Hollybank (Chester University’s dept. of Theology and Religious Studies), Liverpool Rd on Wednesday, 11th March at 7:30 pm. Entrance is £5 and includes wine/soft drinks.
Philip Chidell’s Mother’s Day Concert on Sunday 15th March at 2:30 pm & 7:30 pm at Chester Town Hall see www.PhilipChidell.com or call at the Visitor Centre by the Town Hall itself.
Annual Reader’s Review on Wednesday 18th March 3:00 pm or 7:30 pm. A reminder to all readers that although the training sessions are not mandatory, all readers are encouraged to attend one of the sessions.
Dementia / Carer’s Prayer Group: 10.45 am Thursday 19th March. In the parish meeting room. Please bring a prayer, a poem or a piece of prose to share. All very welcome.
A reminder that on Saturday 21st March, at 2 p.m., we will celebrate Healing and Hope in a special service in church, during which the sacraments of reconciliation and anointing of the sick will be offered to those who wish to receive them. All are welcome and refreshments will be served by members of the SVP at the end.
Holy Week Liturgies: do please sign-up sheet for at the back of Church for readers, ministers, welcomers etc. thank you in advance for your generosity and support, for lending a hand or offering a foot…
“Come and Sing Messiah” April 18th, All Saints Church, Hoole, Chester, CH2 3HZ. Registration 10:00 am, Rehearsals 11:30 am. Performance at 7:00 pm. See https://www.deogratiaschoir.com/blank-5 for details
Refugee Assist is an Ellesmere Port based charity created to support all refugees arriving in the UK. They need the following items: Men’s jackets, T-shirts (sizes m &l), jeans, joggers, socks and trainers sizes 7 8 9 10 11. They also need backpacks that will take an A4 folder, new pillows, blankets, pans, tents, sleeping bags and suitcases. Please contact a member of the SVP for further information.
Jubilee Holy Year for St Francis. Maria Fryer from St John’s Parish on the Wirral is organising a special pilgrimage to Assisi on 28th June to 3rd July. The cost is £995 and 20 people are required to make the pilgrimage viable. If you would like to know more, please telephone Maria on 07576-243-343.
Photo of the week: Thank you to Mike Hague for this photo of the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory on Holy Island, Northumberland.

