My dear brothers and sisters, Jesus came that we “might have life in abundance” (see Jn 10:10), and that is why our life, as Christians, is one of constant conversion and a call to ever deeper communion with God and with one another. As we gather in his name, Sunday by Sunday, we know that he is with us, according to the promise of Jesus. We meet him as we humbly seek pardon for our sins, and as we embrace one another as brothers and sisters, made in his image and redeemed by his blood. We encounter him when we his listen to his voice, proclaimed in the scriptures, and most especially when celebrate the Eucharist, as the Church offers, through the action of the priest, the very sacrifice by which God reconciled the world to himself. So, “come, let us bow and bend low” and “kneel before the Lord who made us, for he is our God”, and he sends us forth to be ambassadors of his reconciling love and artisans of peace. May God bless each one of us as we strive, by his grace, to live out our mission in the world. Fr David +

Bishop Mark Davies writes: “I am grateful for the reports of local responses you have shared with me. It does appear some Members of Parliament who previously supported assisted suicide are having second thoughts while others are resolved to vote for this legislation in its unamended form. It is difficult to assess the impact of the mixed signals given by the new Prime Minister or the shift in public opinion where surveys over the summer indicate a majority now wishing to see the prioritisation of improvements in palliative care. However, it remains urgent and worthwhile for us to contact our Members of Parliament in the ten days which remain before this near-identical Bill is reintroduced by Lauren Edwards into the House of Common following the failure of Kim Leadbeater’s Bill earlier this year. Let us hope and pray wise counsels will prevail and this threat will be averted in the House of Commons next week.”

Exploring the Catholic faith.  There will be an enquiry evening on Wednesday September 23^rd at 7 pm, in church, for those interested in preparing to receive the sacraments of new life next Easter. This is for adults who have never been baptised, or indeed for those who were baptised either in the Catholic Church or in another Christian Tradition and who now wish to enter full communion through confirmation and the Blessed Eucharist. Do spread the word and let any family members or friends know whom you think such a journey might interest. Please contact Fr David for further details.

Open Minds 2026 – please see the poster in the porch or visit https://events.humanitix.com/openmindsart2026 for more information regarding this two-day event to support Chester’s Platform for Life mental health charity through art and creativity.

Former Day Chapel/Meeting Room conversion is now underway! As flagged in last week’s newsletter, this work, which will last for about five weeks, will transform the room and corridor from a gloomy and difficult-to-use room into a bright and welcoming meeting room/social space including a kitchenette and some much needed storage space. During the work there will be no access to the corridor or room, and patience will be needed regarding some car parking reduction. There will be a progress update in a couple of weeks.

On September 3^rd, Fr Tom Cunnah, PP of Neston and Diocesan Judicial Vicar began his nine-day, 130-mile pilgrimage across the Diocese of Shrewsbury, from West Kirby to Ludlow and Shining Tor. Along the way, he will be praying for vocations and raising awareness and funds for the work of Caritas supporting families in need. Parishioners can follow his journey on Caritas social media and also support the appeal in various ways see www.caritasshrewsbury.org.uk along with information in the porch.

Aid to the Church in Need. We will welcome Rachel Buckley to all masses next weekend (12 and 13 September) to speak to us briefly about the remarkable work of this charity. Please be advised that this will not be a financial appeal, but Rachel will have some of ACN’s products and gifts available for purchase.

Free Holiday Home Weeks at Talacre SVP St Werburgh has some free holiday weeks available at the Holiday Home in Talacre from 24.10 to 31.10 and 31.10 to 07.11. If you know someone who could benefit from a week’s holiday, or if you would like to apply for this opportunity yourself, please speak to Fr David or contact Marco at svpchester@gmail.com

Welcome Wednesday starts again, this week, with a coffee morning in aid of the Macmillan Cancer Charity on Wednesday, 9^th September 10 am to 12 noon at the back of the church. We are very grateful to all who are providing cakes for this event, which can be delivered to the church (via the side entrance to the meeting room) from 3.30 pm to 5 pm on Tuesday, 8th September or any time after 9.15 am on the 9^th of September. If necessary, arrangements can be made for cakes to be collected. Please do buy a raffle ticket in aid of this charity as you leave church on Sunday and come along and show your support on Wednesday.

The Bereavement and Loss group will also meet on Wednesday 9^th September after Mass from 1:00 pm to 2:45 pm at the back of Church. Everyone is very welcome for a cup of tea/coffee and a chat.

Eucharistic Springtime. Fr Sean Davidson will join us, here in church, on Wednesday 16^th of September, from 7- 8:30 pm, and offer a catechesis as part of the ongoing formation for new Catholics. Those who currently serve as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and those considering this service in the parish, are encouraged to attend, as Fr Sean will help us to focus on the mystery at the heart of our Catholic faith. The presentation will conclude with a short time of Eucharistic Adoration.

Parishioner and gifted violinist Philip Chidell will be performing with his orchestra at Chester Town Hall, on Thursday 24^th September (2:30 pm and 7:00 pm) playing a selection of light classical music, with special guest appearances. For tickets, visit: www.PhilipChidell.com

Annual Benediction in honour of St Therese of Lisieux to be held at the Carmelite Monastery, 12 Grosvenor Place, Birkenhead, CH43 1UA on Sunday 27^th September at 3:00 pm. All are welcome; however, the beautiful chapel is quite small, so early arrival is advised for seating. Please see https://carmelitesbirkenhead.org.uk

Run for your money: Rowton regular and reader, Anne Rushton will be running the Chester Metric Marathon, along with Lina Salim, on October 11^th. They are accepting donations for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, as sponsorship. All donations can be made via the parish (an envelope clearly marked on Sunday or left at the presbytery) and will be forwarded after the completion of the race.

Jesus Christ Superstar Palace Theatre Manchester:  On Tuesday 16^th February 2027: 40 places will be available, with transport and entrance included. More details and costs to follow. Watch this space!

CAFOD school volunteers needed! Could you visit your local Catholic school to talk about the work of CAFOD? We are looking for volunteers to deliver school assemblies and workshops and inspire children and young people to make a difference. For further information please contact Anna Letizia on 07710 094449 or email aletizia@cafod.org.uk

Please take a copy of Day by Day for September &/or the Sacred Heart Messenger, leaving your contribution in the black box. 

Community Volunteer Car Scheme - Drivers needed “Many charities like ours organise and fund wonderful activities for our members, but our main difficulty is always transport. Before my diagnosis of Parkinson’s I was a volunteer driver for Lache Day Centre and more recently for MacMillan and I found both very rewarding. If you are a driver, with your own car and have some time to spare, you might be interested in volunteering for https://www.changing-lives-together.org.uk/ who are trying to set up a car scheme for the most vulnerable in our community. If you are interested, please email: Sarah.Jolliffe@changing-lives-together.org.uk

Photo of the week: Thank you to Mary Birchall for this St Werburgh’s School class photo from 1930.