The month of January is dedicated to The Holy Name of Jesus
THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
11 JANUARY 2026
| Sat 10 Jan | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Janie Casey RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Bob Breen RIP | |
| Sun 11 Jan | The Baptism of the Lord. Feast | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Jessica Baker RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Pat Kelly | |
| 2.00pm | Kerala Catholic Community Mass in Syro-Malabar Rite | ||
| Mon 12 Jan | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.30am | John Cotter RIP | |
| Tue 13 Jan | |||
| St. Theresa’s | John & Sue McCarney RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| Wed 14 Jan | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Margaret McCarroll & Elaine Heskayne RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayers | ||
| 10.30am | David Whitby | ||
| Thu 15 Jan | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Denis Parsonage RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Fri 16 Jan | Feast | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | Sarah Nash’s Intention | |
| St. Columba’s | The Parish | ||
| Sat 17 Jan | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Mary & Brian Marks RIP | |
| Sun 18 Jan | Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Day of Special Prayer for World Peace | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Graham George RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Roy Burns RIP | |
| 2.00pm | Kerala Catholic Community Mass in Syro-Malabar Rite |
LIVE STREAMING OF MASS – Mass will be streamed at St Theresa’s on Sunday 11 January at 9.30 a.m.
RECENTLY DECEASED – Please remember in your prayers, James (Jim) Dowd who died recently, and also his family and friends. The funeral is at St Theresa’s on Thursday 22 January at 9.30 a.m. Please also remember Nuala Wynne-Jones who died this week; her funeral will be at St Columba’s, details to be announced.
ANNIVERSARIES – Betty Audrey Gore, Czeslawa Klepala, Elizabeth McGovern, Robert William Hocking, Stanley Edward Taylor.
CONFESSIONS – After each weekday Mass until 11.30am. Saturdays:
St Columba’s 6.00 – 6.25 p.m.
St Theresa’s 4.30 – 4.55 p.m.
WEDDINGS, BAPTISMS & FUNERALS – Please contact one of the Parish Offices to make your arrangements.
POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JANUARY 2026 – For prayer with the Word of God. Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY – The Children’s Liturgy normally happens at the 11 a.m. service at St Columba’s on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month. See the parish website under the Family tab.
PARISH OFFERTORY – For the weekend of 3-4 January: Loose Plate: £487.96; Planned Giving: £295.31; Average weekly SO £718.15; Candles: £45.51.
Dona Stations Collection in December: £293.
THANK YOU – Fr William, Fr Peter and Deacon Lawrence would like to thank everyone for their cards and gifts and to wish everyone a Happy New Year.
GOODBYE – As we wish Fr Peter a fond farewell on his return to Nigeria on 12 January, we thank him for his ministry to our parish and send him our prayers and good wishes.
RETIRING COLLECTION – There will be a retiring collection next weekend (17-18 January) for the Priests’ Retirement Fund.
CAFOD DONATIONS – Many thanks for the donations received following the Carol Service on 19 December. £100 was gratefully received and 5 gifts of “Firewood for Winter Warmth” were purchased from CAFOD’s World Gifts catalogue.
PRAYERS – please pray for
- The residents of Newton Lane, Appleton Road, Handforth Road, Exeter Place, Burns Way, Masefield Drive, Aragon Green, and Brentwood Road.
- The Archive Group, Social Committees, and fundraising groups.
- The fellowship and sharing at social gatherings.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA – The 2026 tea and coffee rota is on the noticeboard in St Columba’s Hall. We need someone to volunteer every Sunday after 11:00 Mass, so if you would like to raise money for your good cause, please put your name and details on the sheet.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.” Helen Keller
SHREWSBURY YOUTH MISSION TEAM – Vacancies have arisen within the Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team for a Programme Coordinator, Youth Mission Team Member and an Administration Assistant. Further details regarding the three posts can be found on the Diocesan Website: https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/latest-vacancies/
Interested parties should send their CV to Pauline McCulloch: recruitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Closing date Friday 23 January 2026.
CONTACTLESS CARD DONATIONS AT ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH – I hesitate to tempt fate, but I hope I can say that the card machines at the front and back of church are now fully operational and will now allow you to register for Gift Aid if you haven’t already done so. If you have not registered you will be asked if you want to do so after you make a donation. Click ‘yes’ and follow instructions on screen or click ‘no’. If you have already registered (with the card you are using) that will be automatically recognised and you will not be asked if you wish to Gift Aid. Pauline Rourke
HEATING AT ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH – Most of the heaters have now been fixed. A friendly reminder, however: please do not turn off any radiators or interfere with the heating system in any way. Thank you.
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY – This will be marked by two services:
- Churches Together Cheshire Service at Chester Cathedral, Sunday 18 January at 5 p.m.
- Churches Together Upton Service at Holy Ascension church, Thursday 22 January at 2.30 p.m.
See the noticeboards for further details. You are warmly invited to support these two events.
BETROTHED – Shrewsbury Diocese will be running three sacramental marriage preparation courses in early 2026. Each course runs over two consecutive Saturdays from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. on each day.
The three venues are:
(1) St Clare’s Church Parish Hall, Downsfield Road, Lache, Chester CH4 8HH, on 7 & 14 February
(2) Vincent de Paul Church Westleigh Parish Hall, Groby Road, Altrincham WA14 2BQ, on 28 February & 7 March
(3) Shrewsbury Cathedral Parish Hall, Town Walls, Shrewsbury SY1 1UE, on 21 & 28 March.
Registration is essential. To register, contact Monika: monika.golembiewska@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
For more information, contact Jane Deegan: jane.deegan@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
PRO-LIFE UPDATE – 2025 was one of the most challenging and busiest years ever for the pro-life movement in the UK, with the biggest battles on abortion and assisted suicide in over 50 years. Thanks to the support of our parish, there has been a strong, coordinated response in Parliament, in the media and among the wider public. The 2025 Right to Life UK Year in Review sets out some of the key areas in which significant progress has been made this year. Please visit http://righttolife.org.uk/2025 to read the Year in Review to find out more about what we have achieved together for life this past year.
MUSEUM OF THE MOON ARTWORK – Chester Cathedral, from Thur 12 Feb – Sun 15 Mar 2026. The installation is a fusion of lunar imagery, moonlight and surround sound composition. No need to book daytime entry, but a donation is advised.
ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH & HALL BOOKINGS
To book the Church, Newman Room or Iona Chapel, contact Magdalena Bukowska at the Church Office 01244 624019, email stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com. Office hours Mon-Fri 9a.m. to 2.00p.m.
To check Hall availability, visit the Church Hall calendar on the St Columba’s website, then contact Magdalena during office hours or email: columbashallbookings@gmail.com
NEXT WEEK’S NEWSLETTER – Sunday 18 January to be compiled by Magdalena Bukowska Phone: 01244 624019, Email:stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com. Deadline: 9.00a.m. Wednesday 14 January
Please include a contact number with your notice and email a copy to Fr. William at st.theresas@btinternet.com