The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is celebrated each year to ensure that Catholics offer due praise, honour, adoration and thanksgiving to Jesus in his sacramental presence. His saving sacrifice is made present, our lives are filled with his grace, and we are given a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb in the glory of heaven. So much is concentrated into the tiny, consecrated host! God is so great that he comes to us in such humility, broken and given for the life of the world.

Today gives us a special opportunity to consider the importance of Holy Mass, “the source and summit” of our Christian life and faith, and to ask for the grace to grow each day in faith and love for our Lord in the Eucharist, which is, to quote the words of Newman, nothing less than “God’s presence and his very self”. It’s His Presence which renews and vivifies the Church in every age.

My dear brothers and sisters, we are called to look into our hearts and consider our lives in the light of such an awesome gift and to make something of a ‘Eucharistic examination of conscience’ as we ask ourselves how we prepare for such a unique encounter with Jesus. How are we disposed to receive him? What is our attitude as we gather in church? Do we come into his presence prayerfully? How attentive are we to the prayers and the gestures during the celebration of the Mass? And indeed, having received our Lord’s body and blood, how do we allow him to shape our lives and make of them an offering pleasing to God in a life of service to our neighbour? To be Catholic is to be Eucharistic, both here in church and in the world, just as we pray before Mass that “what we celebrate in faith, we may practise and show forth in our daily lives.” May God bless us all. Fr David +

To mark the 175th Anniversary of the Diocese of Shrewsbury, a new website has been launched. The renewed website is not merely a platform for information but offers a window on the life and witness of our Shrewsbury Diocese. The website can be accessed by clicking on: https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/

Parish Database Please can leaders of parish groups submit a list of volunteers in their groups to the Parish office (admin@stwerbughchester.co.uk). If individuals do not want their information stored in this way, please let us know.

Safeguarding and Survivors of Abuse. As part of our Parish ongoing Safeguarding awareness, we would like to reflect this month on how abuse impacts individuals, their families and friends, and the communities of which they are part. It causes pain and fear that prevents its victims from living the life Jesus came to bring. Anyone affected by abuse linked to the Church, both victims and survivors, is encouraged to contact Safe Spaces, a national support service backed by the Diocese of Shrewsbury. Survivors are owed something more than an apology and engaging with survivors will be approached in a way that reflects their needs, and their wellbeing will always be central. For any more information please contact Safe Spaces: Website: www.safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk email: SafeSpaces@Firstlight.org.uk Tel: 0300 303 1056

Reminder for the Sacrament of Confirmation – If you are high school age, or older, and wish to prepare to be Confirmed at the next Chester Parishes celebration of Confirmation, on 11 November ’26, for young people – parents please register by emailing stcolumbatheresaconfirmation@hotmail.co.uk Please include your child’s date of birth and school year. The Confirmation preparation information meeting for youth candidates and their parents will be on Monday 8th June, starting 7:00 pm, in St. Columba’s church. If you are not sure about being Confirmed on 11th November '26, you are welcome to go along and find out more about the preparation.

First Holy Communion News - Applications are now being accepted for children wishing to join next year's First Holy Communion Group. If your child is in year three or above in September and not attending St Werburgh's and St. Columba's Catholic Primary School, please contact Fr David at parishpriest@stwerburghchester.co.uk and Louise Robertshaw at robertshaw499@btinternet.com before 1^st September.

Wheelchair access to the church. Please remember, when parking in front of the Church, to allow access to the wheelchair ramp.

June editions of ‘My Day by Day’ (daily readings) and ‘the Sacred Heart Messenger’ (interesting articles) are now available. Please put your offering in the box towards the back of church.

Welcome Wednesday This Wednesday 10^th June we look forward to the return of Judith Done to talk about 'Citizens Advice - Making A Difference’. Judith will speak and answer questions from 10.45 am to 12 noon but why not come around 10 am for coffee/tea and chat?

Bereavement & Loss Group: Next meeting Wednesday 10th June 1.15 pm to 2.45 pm. All welcome for chat & a cuppa.

The World of Wedgwood Parish Outing on Wednesday 17th June is now fully booked. The coach will leave Bath Street, Chester (the street at the back of the church) at 9.25 am., then stop at the bus stop next to the Shell Garage, Vicar’s Cross Rd at 9.35 am, leaving there at 9.40 am. The journey will take about an hour. We’ll be back in Chester at approx. 5.00 pm. If you have any questions, please email Pat - pat.floate@gmail.com

Heart to Heart women's retreat, 19 - 22 June 2026 - A three-day retreat for women (whether single, married or religious), based on principles of Ignatian spirituality. Guided by Fr Bernard Murphy, CFR and Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, the retreat will seek to draw participants closer to the Lord through a greater attentiveness to His will. https://christianheritagecentre.com/events/heart-to-heart-retreat/

The SVP invites you to the District Afternoon Tea on Saturday 20th June. There'll be cakes, music and a raffle! Numbers are limited! Please contact Madeleine on madeleinemorrin@aol.com or 07533 151 667 if you'd like to attend and indicate any dietary requirements.

Free Will & Grace, 28 - 31 August 2026: Join us for a theological and philosophical deep dive on one of the great themes of the Christian Faith: human freedom and Divine grace. With lectures and workshops building on St Thomas Aquinas' writings, the course will also explore questions of conscience and the problem of evil. This year's guest speaker will be Rev. Dr Simon Gaine, OP. https://christianheritagecentre.com/events/free-will-grace-course/

Photo of the week: Thank you to Gerard O’Neill for sending in this photo of the annual procession on the feast of Corpus Christi in Marbella old town.