FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
18TH FEBRUARY 2024
| Sat 17 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Brian Haslam RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Brian Haslam RIP | |
| Sun 18 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Muriel Halligan RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Felicity Hughes RIP | |
| Mon 19 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.00am | Stations of the Cross | |
| 10.30am | Mary Jeffes | ||
| Tue 20 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Don Jones | ||
| Wed 21 Feb` | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Cath Carter RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayers | ||
| 10.30am | Ronnie Williams | ||
| Thu 22 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Philip Noble RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Fri 23 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Stations of the Cross | |
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | Joseph & Margaret Russell (WA) | |
| St. Columba’s | Gerry Galvin. Anniv | ||
| Sat 24 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Peggy McHugh RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Anne McCarthy | |
| Sun 25 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Richard Murphy RIP |
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.
Pope’s Prayer Intentions For February – for the terminally ill – Let us pray that the sick who are in the final stages of life, and their families, receive the necessary medical and human care and accompaniment.
LIVE STREAMING OF MASS:
Mass will be streamed from St Theresa’s at 5.00a.m. this Saturday 17th February 2024
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
ANNIVERSARIES:
Eirlys Nolan, Margaret Parry, Annie Faulkner, Charles Edward Davis and George Thomas Noden.
CONFESSIONS:
There will be Confessions after each weekday Mass until 11.30am.
St Columba’s: From 6pm before the 6.30pm Saturday evening Mass.
St Theresa’s: From 4.30pm before 5pm Saturday evening Mass.
WEDDINGS, BAPTISMS AND FUNERALS:
Please contact one of the Parish Offices to make your arrangements.
OFFERTORY:
St Columba’s: Loose plate £376.50; Planned Giving £143.00; Average Weekly SO – £574.00; Candles £33.80;
St Theresa’s: Loose plate £TBC; Planned Giving TBC; Average weekly SO – £161.00.
THANK YOU for all your generous support.
LENTEN MESSAGE
As we begin our Lenten Season with the sign of Ashes, we are called to redouble our efforts to prayer, alms giving and fasting and all works of corporal acts of mercy. Fr William and Fr Desmond wish everyone a happy Lenten season.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA:
The 2024 coffee rota is on the noticeboard at St Columba’s Hall. Please enter your name and good cause against your preferred dates. You could make £30-£50 for your chosen cause.
18th Feb – Margaret Curtis, fish & chip babies
25th Feb – volunteers please
3rd Mar – volunteers please
More about Fish & Chip Babies’ knitted clothing – Barbara Catstick, the local coordinator for the scheme, has kindly agreed to come to the hall during Sunday tea & coffee at St C. She will explain how your kind efforts are shipped from the Nottingham hub to Africa, who will receive the garments and the locations in the continent, particularly Swaziland, where they live.
RED BOXES:
ST THERESA’S – Please leave your box in the sacristy to be counted.
ST COLUMBA’S- Please leave it in the sacristy. When counted I can return your box to your home. Thank you, Margaret Curtis 01244 318424.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER:
An Ecumenical service of prayer and praise will be held at St. Columba’s at 10.30am on Friday the 1st of March. The service will be approximately 40 minutes long and followed by refreshments in the Newman room. All are welcome.
Highlight from the High: 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 GaspariniA@christofidelis.org.uk by Friday 23rd February 2024. shawk@christofidelis.org.uk
PRAYING TOGETHER
We pray for:
- Pray for the residents of Rosewood Avenue, Whitby Avenue, Egerton Drive, Barnes, Morgan Close, Griffin Close and Blake Close.
- For those on the brass and flower rotas and those who distribute flowers.
- For those who clean our churches and halls.
LENT AND EASTER
STATIONS OF THE CROSS:
During Lent there will be Stations of the Cross every week. Monday at 10am at St Columba’s and Friday at 9.30am at St Theresa’s.
Stations of the Cross will be in the Iona Chapel on Monday 19th February.
SERVICE TIMES
Leaflets are available with the service and Mass times for Lent and Easter. Please do take one with you.
CAFOD LENT FAST DAY – 23rd Feb:
This Lent, your donations to CAFOD’s Family Fast Day appeal will help hardworking people like James the fisherman in Liberia with resources, tools and training to feed their families for good. Give today using the envelope or online at cafod.org.uk and please join us in praying with James that our sisters and brothers around the world have what they need to feed their families. Use the envelope in the church porches or give online at cafod.org.uk
CHRISTIAN AID LENT LUNCHES:
Starting on 22nd Feb in St Mary’s, Handbridge, 12 noon – 1.30pm. See poster in church porches for further dates and venues.
PASTORAL COUNCIL –
VOLUNTEERING IN THE LIFE OF YOUR PARISH:
Pope Francis’ Synodal Message: “By growing together in Communion, the people of God deepen their Participation in the life of the Church and so become more effective Missionary disciples in the world”.
To carry out Pope Francis’ message, your Pastoral Council has been considering how the parish can be even more inclusive, engaging and outgoing. Last October we had the first round of volunteer recruitment which was centred round physical activities – we are very grateful for those who came forward to volunteer. The next phase focuses on the more spiritual aspects of church life such as volunteering for children’s liturgy, becoming an altar server or a reader at Mass.
On the weekend of 24th/25th Feb, co-chairs of the Pastoral Council, Pauline Rourke and Ann McCarthy, will be speaking at Masses with details of how you can get involved.
LOURDES BY JUMBULANCE 2024:
Wirral and Chester Across Groups are taking sick and disabled pilgrims to Lourdes on Thursday 30th May – Saturday 9th June and Thursday 15th – 24th August. by Jumbulance.. For further information, contact Tony Murphy on 07881-656-974 or tonymurphy2002@yahoo.co.uk.
PROPOSED WALSINGHAM PILGRIMAGE 8th -11th APRIL
Fr William has given his blessing to organising a pilgrimage to Our Lady’s National Shrine. The cost (assuming 30 on pilgrimage) would be approximately £400 per person including coach travel, accommodation in en-suite single or double/twin rooms, with breakfast and evening meal, in Elmham House, Walsingham. To register your interest in joining the pilgrimage, please add your name and contact details to one of the lists in the church porches, or contact one of our parish secretaries.
DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES:
Brochures and booking forms are now available on the pilgrimage website www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk or by ringing 07773 324264, or if you are aged 16 – 22 please email youth@dioceseofshrewsbury.org for an application form to join the youth section of our pilgrimage. This year our pilgrimage dates are: by air is from Friday 26 July to Thursday 1 August, by coach Thursday 25 July to Friday 2 August and for our young people Wednesday 24 July to Friday 2 August. If you are a first time pilgrim or a returning pilgrim we look forward to you joining us in Lourdes this year.
SVP APPEAL – For Household Goods:
We are currently supporting a family that have moved to Chester and are in need of beds (double and single), a desk (ideally a computer desk), curtains and curtain poles. If you can help with any of these items please ring Sue McCarthy 07515491251 or speak to a member of the SVP. Thank you.
Thought for the week
“During Lent, let us find concrete ways to overcome our indifference.” Pope Francis
We’re all in this together
In his message for Lent 2024, Pope Francis invites us to “pause” for prayer and to assist our brothers and sisters in need, in order to change our own lives and the lives of our communities. He asks us to slow down, pause, allow time to contemplate and hopefully release new energies into what we do as individuals and as a community. He says that we can make decisions that are “capable of altering the daily lives of individuals and entire neighbourhoods, such as the ways we acquire goods, care for creation, and strive to include those who go unseen or are looked down upon.” Enjoy the pause and time for contemplation and see what we might do differently for the better good of all.
Resources
With half term upon us, take a look at the free activities at our local libraries, from crafting, board games, fun English and maths workshops, and more. https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/libraries/library-events Chooseday offer, every Tuesday in Chester Market. Offers from a number of the traders in the Market. Plenty of free groups also at the Storyhouse, Chester, chatter and natter, bereavement help point, crafty weekend every Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm; boardgames; story telling…https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/genres/community-events/page/2/
DIOCESAN CHOIR FESTIVAL – ‘SING A NEW SONG’:
You are invited to come along and sing as part of a diocesan choir. Learn music throughout the day and lead the singing for Mass at 5pm. At St Anthony’s, Dunkery Road, Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe, M22 0WR. Refreshments and registration from 10.30am, rehearsals begin at 11am. Tea and coffee will be provided, please being a packed lunch. The cost is £5 per person, payable on the day. Book by completing the form at HTTP://TINYURL.COM/DIOCESANCHOIRFESTIVAL The deadline for bookings is Friday 16th February. For more information contact reception@dioceseofshrewsbury.org.
CANTORES OEUMENICA:
Presenting “Olivet to Calvary” on Palm Sunday 24th March at 4pm in Holy Angels RC Church, Wicker Lane, Hale Barns WA15 0HF. Entry is FREE with a retiring collection for charity. For further details, including directions to venue , follow this link http://cantoresoec.org/
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 8.30am to 12.30pm
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:
25th February edition will be compiled by Muriel Green (and not Harry Sweeney as shown in the printed newsletter), phone: 01244 383836 or email: Muriel.green1@btinternet.com. Please include a phone number in case of queries, and please ensure that items are emailed or phoned to the compiler by 9.00a.m. on THURSDAY 22ND FEBRUARY 2024