Saturday 6:00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Derek Hannaby (RD)
Sunday 9:00 am: Deceased members of the Gidney Family
Sunday 10:45 am: For the people of the parish
Sunday 6:00 pm: For all young people
Monday 30th March – Monday of the Holy Week: Isaiah 42:1-7; Psalm 26; John 12:1-11
10 am -12 noon confessions in church with Adoration followed by
Mass at 12:15 pm William “Billy” Maher 20th anniversary
6-8 pm Confessions in church
Tuesday 31st March – Tuesday of the Holy Week: Isaiah 49: 1-6; Psalm 70; John 13:21-33,36-38
12:15 pm: Paul and Tess Connor
Wednesday 1st April – Wednesday of the Holy Week: Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 68; Matthew 26:14-25
7:30 am: For the Health of Theresa Roche
12 noon: Shrewsbury Cathedral - MASS OF CHRISM Isaiah 61:1-3,6,8-9; Psalm 88; Apocalypse 1:5-8; Luke 4:16-21 - To view this Mass online please visit the Shrewsbury Cathedral live streaming website: https://www.shrewsburycathedral.co.uk/church-live-stream/
Thursday 2nd April – HOLY THURSDAY: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14; Psalm 115; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-15
10 am -12 noon confessions in church
7:30 pm Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper : In thanksgiving
Followed by watching at the altar of repose until 11:00 pm with sung Compline at 10:45 pm
Friday 3rd April – GOOD FRIDAY
Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12; Psalm 30; Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9; John 18:1 - 19:42
9:00 am: Office of Readings and Morning Prayer.
3:00 pm: Solemn Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion, at the end of the service, there will be the traditional retiring collection for the Holy Places, after which the church will remain open for silent prayer until 7:00 pm. The Divine Mercy novena begins today and concludes on the octave day of Easter.
Saturday 4th April – HOLY SATURDAY
9:00 am: Office of Readings & Morning Prayer after which the church will remain closed until the evening.
10:30 am – Practice for altar servers who are involved in the Vigil
8:30 pm: Easter Vigil : For the people of the Parish
(No vigil Mass at Rowton this weekend)
SUNDAY 5th April 2026: EASTER SUNDAY Acts 10:34, 37-43; Psalm 117; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9
Sunday 9:00 am: Peter Meredith
Sunday 10:45 am: Mark Fuller (RIP) and Jim Catteson (RIP)
Sunday 6:00 pm: For the newly baptised
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, Prof. Paul Black, Ian Bruce, 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 Griffith, Derek Hannaby, Harry Huxley, Jeni Jamieson, Sam Marsden, Ed Mulligan (New Jersey), William Noon, Joseph O’Leary, Victor Piggott, Elizabeth Kathryn Skupski, Bernard Tighe, Elizabeth Tobin, Margaret Tudor, Father Paul O’Grady and Deacon Terry Simms, and those whose anniversaries occur about this time, including Mary Stockton, Julia Zao, Mary Jordan, Johanna Ryan, May Brierley, Joan Hughes, Joanna Yeardsley, James Roberts, Audrey Steele, Sally Booth, Annie Houghton, Florence Taylor, Frances Shepherd, Peter Hoban, Colin Brown, Bill Collins, Frederick Hutchinson, Edward O’Brien, Margaret O’Connor, Alec Edwards, Ester Dunning, Lily Weatherley, William Walsh, Tony Petranca, Betty Williams, Hilda Kinsey, Ann McGowan-Scanlon, Betty Thomson, Berni Edge, Vicky Ballard, Jack Lebeter, Dennis Hurley, John Dolan, Steven Michael, John Gornall, Ann Snowling, Canon Joseph Cahill, Canon Brendan Hoban, Rev Charles Woods (Deacon), Rev Peter Bravey (Deacon), Rev Philip White (Deacon), Rev Michael Lloyd, Rev George Crespin (Deacon), and Rev Keith Brigham.
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
Dear brothers and sisters, we have now reached the most important week of the Christian year, as we prepare to commemorate the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Please do make time to reflect prayerfully on this mystery, which is at the heart of our faith, and come along, where possible, to participate in the liturgies of Holy Week to consider that love of which we sing “so amazing, so divine”, and which gently calls each one of us from death to life. In the words of the great Swiss theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar, “when life is hard and apparently hopeless, we can be confident that this darkness of ours can be taken up into the darkness of redemption through which the light of Easter dawns. And when what is required of us seems too burdensome, when the pains become unbearable and the fate we are asked to accept seems simply meaningless – then we have come very close to the man nailed on the Cross at the place of the Skull, for he has already undergone this on our behalf”. This same Jesus is alive, and he opens for us the path to new life and the fulness of joy in God’s presence. May his mystery continue to inspire us, orient our lives and fill us with renewed hope, as we proclaim our faith in him, and in his victory over sin and death, conscious that we do so along with millions of others throughout the world this Easter. And so, as we gather to worship, we make the words of the Apostle Thomas our very own: “My Lord and my God!” May the joy of Easter fill your heart and radiate in your home! United in the love of our crucified and risen Saviour, may God bless you all. Fr David +
Caritas Christmas Appeal – Thank you to all who donated. A total of £783.75 was raised. Your kindness and generosity will help Caritas to continue supporting those across the Diocese who are facing real hardship.
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.
Welcome Wednesday rounded things off this term with a talk from Fr David about Colombia where he had lived for three years before coming to Chester. Our sincere thanks to him for sharing his knowledge and artefacts in such an entertaining way. See you all on 8th April for more coffee, chat and friendship.
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.
There is still the possibility to donate clothes, backpacks, pillows, blankets, pans, tents, sleeping bags etc., to the Ellesmere Port charity Refugee Assist. Please contact SVP: svpchester@gmail.com or 07778 392816
Marriage & Family Life Ministry (MFL) Retreat Day 18th April 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. Please see the flyers at the back of church for details of this Retreat Day. For more information and to register please email: monika.golembiewska@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
“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
The Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality Focus Group 21st April, at 7:00 pm will meet St Columba’s, Plas Newton Lane, CH2 1PL: open to all members (new and old). Fr Sean Henry, Chaplain to the Hospitality, will join us. If you wish to attend, please email Clare Marchmont at secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk
Encountering Jesus in the Gospels. The Jesuit Institute is running a short online formation course building the skills and confidence needed to hold and guide groups of those who wish to deepen their relationship with Jesus, in conversation with others, through reflectively praying with gospel texts. Time: Tuesday evenings 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Dates: April 21st, 28th, May 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, June 9th. For details please see https://jesuitinstitute.org/events
The Bishop will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on 11th November next at St Columba’s Church. The program for parishioners from all parishes will be led by St Columba and St Theresa’s Confirmation preparation team. Anyone currently at high school, or older is encouraged to prepare. Pleae email stcolumbatheresaconfirmation@hotmail.co.uk if you are interested. More information will follow concerning the program, dates etc.
Photo of the week: Thank you to Geoff Taylor for his photo of the Lutheran Cathedral in Alta, Norway, known as “The Northern Lights Cathedral”.

