FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
17 MARCH 2024
| Sat 16 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | The Parish | |
| Sun 17 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Jessica Baker RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Cath Carter RIP | |
| Mon 18 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Zania Van-Zundert | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.00am | Stations of the Cross | |
| 10.30am | Cornelius Lally | ||
| Tue 19 Mar | St Joseph, Husband of the BVM | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | Mass at St Theresa’s only, Priests’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Wed 20 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Special Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayers | ||
| 10.30am | Lucienne Francis | ||
| Thu 21 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Private Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Parish Intentions | ||
| Fri 22 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Stations of the Cross | |
| School Mass | 10.00am | David Kluth’s Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | Marion.Baker RIP | ||
| Sat 23 Mar | Palm Sunday – Vigil | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Edwin Edwards Anniversary | |
| Sun 24 Mar | Palm Sunday | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Nina Wormald RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Matthew Traynor |
Please note if there is no time next to Mass it means there is no Mass for parishioners to attend that day but the Priests will say Mass privately.
LIVE STREAMING OF MASS:
Mass will be streamed from St Theresa’s at 5.00p.m. this Saturday 16th March 2024
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS – For March – For new martyrs – Let us pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world might imbue the Church with their courage and missionary drive.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Doreen Brenda Grainger, Jean Alice Hickman, Michael Byrne, James Philip Conde, Charles Buckley, Margaret Ellen Finnegan, Maria Magdelena Cumberford, Stewart Harrison
WEDDINGS, BAPTISMS AND FUNERALS:
Please contact one of the Parish Offices to make your arrangements.
CONFESSIONS:
There will be Confessions after each weekday Mass until 11.30a.m.
St Columba’s: From 6pm before the 6.30p.m. Saturday evening Mass.
St Theresa’s: From 4.30p.m. before 5p.m. Saturday evening Mass.
OFFERTORY:
Loose plate £tbc ; Planned giving £tbc; Average weekly SO £785.00; Candles £tbc
RED MISSION BOXES, ST COLUMBA’S:
If you have a Red Mission box for collection, please leave it in the sacristy. When counted I can return your box to your home. Thank you, Margaret Curtis 01244 318424.
PRAYING TOGETHER
We pray for:
- the residents of Newton Park Road, Kennedy Close, Sandon Road, Blacon Avenue, Keats Terrace, Blacon Hall Road and Malvern Road.
- Upton Village Surgery. For Doctors, Nurses, Health Visitors and Social Workers in our community.
LENT AND EASTER
STATIONS OF THE CROSS:
During Lent there will be Stations of the Cross every week. Monday at 10a.m. at St Columba’s in the Iona Chapel and Friday at 9.30a.m. at St Theresa’s.
Stations of the Cross in the COCH Spiritual Care Centre:
The stations of the cross will be prayed on Thursdays during Lent in the Hospital chapel at 12.15p.m. All welcome.
SERVICE TIMES:
Leaflets are available with the service and Mass times for Lent and Easter. Please do take one with you.
HOLY THURSDAY
As this Mass is at St Columba’s at 6.30pm on 28th March, anyone needing a lift from Blacon to St Columba’s please put your name on the list at the back of church.
CHRISTIAN AID LENT LUNCHES:
See posters in church porches for dates and venues.
CAFOD LENT FAST DAY:
The total amount raised was £651.11 of which £580 came from donations in the envelopes and £70.61 was raised at the coffee morning after Mass. Many thanks for your continued support of CAFOD. Your donations will mean that CAFOD can support many more projects to help vulnerable families in our world. Ann McCarthy
EASTER FLOWERS:
There will be a collection at St. Columba’s after all Masses this weekend
PASTORAL COUNCIL – VOLUNTEERING IN THE LIFE OF YOUR PARISH:
Following on from the recent talk about how to get involved in volunteering, you will now have had chance to read through the information in more detail. Thank you to those who have already come forward and we would still like to hear from more parishioners. If you missed the talk, the forms on volunteering roles and how to get involved are available in the church porches. Please place any completed forms in the white boxes in church porches. Thank you
DIOCESAN MARRIAGE MASS:
The Annual Diocesan Marriage Mass will take place here at St Columba’s Church on Saturday 8th June 2024. If you have a special anniversary this year, please get in touch with the Diocese of Shrewsbury, Curial Offices, 2 Park Road South, Prenton, CH43 4UX or telephone 0151-652-9855. Many thanks.”
RECEPTIONS AND CONFIRMATIONS AT EASTER:
Luciana da Silva and Tommy Williams are preparing in the parish to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. Connor Rowlands is preparing also, to receive the sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist with Luciana and Tommy at the Vigil. In these final days of their preparation especially, please keep Luciana, Tommy, and Connor in your prayers, that God will guide them, and grant them the grace to enter fully and joyfully into the life of the Church. Thank you.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY 2024 – ST THERESA’S 7TH APRIL
Programme:
2.00pm Sacrament of Reconciliation
2.15pm Recitation of the Chaplet
2.30pm Blessing and veneration of the Divine Mercy picture and Benediction
2.45pm Mass
The service on Divine Mercy Sunday is an opportunity to receive Our Lord’s promises of specific, extraordinary graces on the Sunday after Easter. “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion (on this day) will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (St Faustina). There is a novena which is said in the 9 days before Divine Mercy Sunday (https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena/). You are invited to attend this service and receive the extraordinary graces from Our Lord.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA:
The coffee rota is on the notice board in St Columba’s Hall. Please enter your name and good cause against your preferred dates. You could make £30-£50 for your chosen cause.
17th Mar – volunteers please
24th Mar – volunteers please (Palm Sunday)
31st March – volunteers please (Easter Sunday)
HIGHLIGHT FROM THE HIGH:
The students at the CHS are rehearsing for the ‘Living Stations of the Cross’ performance which will take place in the school hall on Tuesday 26th March at 10am. Parishioners are invited to come and watch the play. Tickets free of charge. Limited places! To book your seat, please email shawk@christofidelis.org.uk
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Saint Thomas Aquinas maintained that God is “the truth and the light that illuminates every understanding,”
RIGHT TO LIFE (UK):
Ask your MP to support the abortion time limit reduction amendment
Support an amendment to reduce our abortion time limit from 24 weeks to 22 weeks. Research indicates that a significant number of babies born at 22 or 23 weeks can now survive outside the womb, leaving a contradiction in our abortion law. Take action: Collect a postcard today from the back of the church and post it to your MP urgently in support of this amendment! – Our MP is Samantha Dixon.
PRAY AND FAST FOR THE END OF ABORTION:
“On Saturday 23rd March, the Vigil of Palm Sunday, please pray and fast for the end of abortion in this Country. Through God’s grace we have seen thousands of Mothers in our counselling centre continue their pregnancies in very difficult circumstances. Please help us to help save lives with your prayers, fasting and support. www.GoodCounselNetwork.com”
SVP YOUTH MASS:
The Chester Catholic High school is kindly hosting an SVP Youth Mass for all catholic schools in the Chester and Ellesmere Port area on Wednesday 20th March at 10.30am. Local parishioners are very welcome to join us in this special celebration but at this is a school day all guests will need to register their wish to attend in advance. Please contact stephen.perry12@btopenworld.com or GaspariniA@christofidelis.org.uk by Friday 23rd February 2024.
PARISH YOUTH CLUB:
The next youth group meeting is Monday March 18th from 7 to 8.30pm. Please note we will meet in Saint Columba’s Church Hall. Young parishioners from Year 5 upwards are invited to come along. ALL are welcome.
ST WERBURGH’S & ST COLUMBA’S PRIMARY SCHOOL – FOUNDATION GOVERNOR VACANCY:
We are currently recruiting a Catholic Church Foundation Governor to join our Governing Body. The role would suit someone with an interest in serving our community and supporting the needs of our school children. The role of a School Governing Body is:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos, and direction of the school
- Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
At this time we would particularly welcome applications from interested parties who have a financial background.
We are a busy, energetic governing body and would warmly invite anyone interested in finding out more about the role to contact the school in the first instance to arrange an informal chat. Telephone Sarah on 01244 478954 or email: admin@lovelearnlaugh.org.uk
REQUEST FOR UNWANTED KNITTING WOOL:
If anyone has wool they don’t need, please consider donating it to the makers of hats and jumpers for the Fish & Chip babies, please contact Margaret Curtis (318424) to arrange a handover. ALSO, if any knitters needs more wool, please contact me, too.
LEAKS IN ST.COLUMBA’S CHURCH:
A cherry picker was used to examine the church roof last week to try to find the source of the leaks. Some remedial action was taken but we need to monitor the situation to see if the action was effective. If you notice wet carpet or water running down a wall it would be very helpful if you could let me know directly or via the church office. The two areas of leaking are: – on the wall behind the altar especially on the right hand side: – down the wooden column on the opposite wall (where the varnish is peeling off) to the left as you come in to church. Sadly, don’t bother reporting any water leak you may see in the front porch, to the right as you enter church, as years of investigation have proved that it is impossible to find the source and we just have to live with it! Pauline Rourke
ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH & HALL BOOKINGS
To arrange meetings etc. in either the Church, Newman Room or the Iona Chapel, please book through Carol Galvin, St. Columba’s Church Office, phone: 01244 624019, email: stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com. Office hours Monday to Friday 8.30a.m. to 12.30p.m.
Hall availability can be checked by looking at St Columba’s Church website – section for Church Hall gives a calendar of events in the Hall. Then contact Sue Carr on 07553 114531 or email columbashallbookings@gmail.com to arrange booking.
NEXT WEEK’S NEWSLETTER:
24th March edition will be compiled by Eileen Irwin, phone: 01244 371660; or email: st.theresas@btinternet.com. Please include a phone number in case of queries, and please ensure that items are emailed or phoned to thecompiler by 9.00A.M. on WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH 2024