The month of March is dedicated to St Joseph
EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
2 MARCH 2025
| Sat 1 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Community Mass | |
| 5.00pm | May & George Littler RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Anne McManus | |
| Sun 2 Mar | Day of Special Prayer for the unemployed | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Ronald Williams RIP | |
| 2.00pm | Kerala Catholic Community Mass in Syro-Malabar Rite | ||
| Mon 3 Mar` | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Owain & Jackie Dale-Jones & Family | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.30am | Ursula Youell | |
| Tue 4 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| Wed 5 Mar | ASH WEDNESDAY | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | St Theresa’s School | |
| St. Columba’s | 10.30am | Pauline Galvin | |
| 7.00pm | The Parish | ||
| Thu 6 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Sylvia & Glen Kelly & Family | ||
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Fri 7 Mar | World Day of Prayer | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Stations of the Cross | |
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | Peter Lloyd RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| Sat 8 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | John Slinger | |
| Sun 9 Mar | Fist Sunday of Lent | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Kay Daly’s Intentions. Renewal Commitment for Altar Servers | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Eddie George RIP | |
| 2.00pm | Kerala Catholic Community Mass in Syro-Malabar Rite |
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 at St Theresa’s on Sunday 2nd March at 9.30a.m. Cover is needed at both churches for occasions when Tim is unavailable. The only requirement is you need to have an Iphone. If you are willing to help with this please contact one of the church offices. Thank you.
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
Warning: road closures Sunday morning 9 March, including Parkgate Rd, Countess Way, Blacon Ave, for MBNA 10k road race. You may have trouble getting to the church.
RECENTLY DECEASED
Please remember in your prayers Bernadette Shaw. Rosezalia Damah, Glenys Martin and Colette Johnson, as well as their families and friends. Requiem Masses will be held for Bernadette at St Columba’s on 11th March at 12.30pm and for Colette at St Theresa’s on Monday 17th March at 12.15pm.
ANNIVERSARIES
Pauline Ann Roberts, Florence Southall, James John McCafferty, Agnes Jones, Florence Childs, Kathleen Watts, Christine Elizabeth Scanlan
POPE’S MARCH PRAYER INTENTIONS
For families in crisis. Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences.
CONFESSIONS
There will be Confessions after each weekday Mass until 11.30a.m.
St Columba’s: From 6p.m. before the 6.30p.m. Saturday evening Mass.
St Theresa’s: From 4.30p.m. before 5p.m. Saturday evening Mass.
WEDDINGS, BAPTISMS AND FUNERALS
Please contact one of the Parish Offices to make your arrangements.
HYMN AFTER COMMUNION – 11am MASS
I love you Lord, and I lift my voice
to worship you, O my soul rejoice.
Take joy, my King in what you hear,
may it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.
| CHURCH NEWS JUBILEE YEAR MESSAGE Jubilee News: The Word of God “The Gospel is a word of joy, summoning us to mutual acceptance and fellowship, as we make our pilgrim journey towards the Kingdom of God.” Pope Francis offered that reminder at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in January. “Jesus is the living Word in whom all the Scriptures find their fulfilment,” he said. “In the sacred Liturgy, we open our hearts and minds to listen to Him.” Speaking off-the-cuff, the Pope said that listening and understanding the Scriptures is not enough. Rather, the Word of God must bring us to experience “amazement,” so that it may enter our hearts and renew us. Prayer Group for Lent: Lectio Divina (Sacred Reading) This prayer group met during Advent and will meet again during Lent. You are invited to join us for 30 minutes of (mostly) silent prayer over a gospel reading for Lent. Do not be put off by the Latin title which is simply the traditional name for this kind of prayer where the aim is to listen for what God is asking of us. We shall meet at 11 a.m. in the Iona Chapel on Friday mornings, for the six weeks of Lent: March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. You can come for as many or as few as you wish. For more information contact marilyn.coyle44@gmail.com |
PARISH OFFERTORY
Loose Plate: £543.88; Planned Giving £212.30; Average weekly SO £555.00. Candles: £36.22; Piety Stall £119.26; SPUC collection: £142.69.
PRAYING TOGETHER
Pray for:
- the residents of Ellesmere Avenue, Pensby Avenue, Kendal Close, Shelley Road, Coleridge Close, Stearns Close and Housman Close.
- For Pax Christi, Saving to Share, Mission Groups, Christian Aid, CAFOD and Traidcraft.
- For our mission in the wider church.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA
The coffee rota is on the noticeboard in St Columba’s Hall. Just write your name, charity and phone number on the calendar. But if you can’t access the hall, leave a message on Margaret Curtis’s answerphone on 01244 318424 with your name and date(s) and she will add you to the rota.
2 Mar – volunteers please
9 Mar – Lina Greig, Hopeful Ugandan Hearts
16 Mar – Chris & Elizabeth, Tombola
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
World Day of Prayer Service is on Friday March 7 2025 at Holy Ascension Church, Upton Chester at 10.30am. A welcome to everyone followed by refreshments.
NATIONAL NOVENA TO ST JOSEPH 10-18 MAR 2025
The National Novena to St Joseph will take place from 10th-18th March 2025 at St Joseph’s Church in Maidenhead. Every year, the Mill Hill Missionaries prepare for the Feast of St Joseph, their Society Patron, with a special Novena of Masses and prayers to ask for God’s blessing on their Society’s missionary outreach, and for the intentions of all those who support their work. Masses are at 10.00am every day of the Novena except Sunday, when it is at 11.00am. and are available to follow on Zoom, via the Mill Hill website: www.millhillmissionaries.com/novena.
You are welcome to send in your petitions and/or to request a Novena prayer booklet (£1). By writing to the Novena Director at 6 Colby Gardens, Maidenhead, SL6 7GZ, or email novenamhm@gmail.com
PARISH RETREAT
There will be a Parish retreat on Saturday 15th March from 10a.m – 1p.m. in St Columba’s Hall. All invited. This will be on: “Understanding the biblical roots of a Jubilee year and what it means for this current Jubilee of 2025”. Jane Deegan from the Diocese will lead this Retreat, which is open to all.
If anyone needs a lift from St Theresa’s to St Columba’s please put your name on the list at the back of church.
RECONCILIATION SERVICE
There will be a Reconciliation Service on Tuesday 18 March at 7pm at St Columba’s. If anyone requires a lift from St Theresa’s to St Columba’s, please put your name on the list at the back of church.
FRIENDSHIP THURSDAY: NEW FRIENDSHIP GROUP
The Communications group realised that many people, including those new to the parish, would welcome further opportunities to get out of the house and meet others. The new Friendship Thursday group hopes to meet some of this need. Initaily it will be mounthly, beginning on Thursday, March 6th in St Columba’s Hall, from 1.30-3.30p.m.. There will be refreshments, a chance to chat and get to know others, opportunities to play Dominoes, Scrabble or Cards, also a free book swap where you bring one/take one and we hope to have guest speakers to talk about their interest or skill. Any adult is welcome and if you feel nervous about coming alone, bring a friend! It will be relaxed, friendly and welcoming. Come and give it a try! For information ring Lyn 07735574397
YOUTH GROUP
Our next meeting will be on Monday 17th March, starting at 7pm in the Iona chapel and finishing at 8.30pm in St. Columba’s hall. The theme will be St. Patrick and St. Joseph, we will also design easter cards for the SVP, play games and eat nice snacks. All young parishioners, year 5 or older are warmly invited to join our friendly group. Please call Denise Lusk on 01244379742 if you need a lift.
CHRISTIAN AID LENT LUNCHES begin on Monday March 10th. 12 noon – 1.30pm at Wesley Methodist church, St John St. See poster in church porch for more dates and venues.
CAFOD FAMILY FAST DAY – 14 MARCH
Please donate to our Family Fast Day parish collection and be a pilgrim of hope with CAFOD this Jubilee Year. You’ll be supporting communities experiencing the impacts of war, poverty and climate change to find solutions and hope. Use the CAFOD envelope in church, donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call us on 0303 303 3030. You can also text CAFODLENT to 70085 to donate £10.
GOOD FRIDAY FAMILY STATIONS OF THE CROSS, ST COLUMBA’S
Young parishioners are invited to read and/or hold up pictures at the at 11 am on Good Friday morning. There are 14 stations, so at least 14 volunteers would be nice. Please see Gillian Blatch, or Denise Lusk after Mass to volunteer, or email Stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com, ideally before Tuesday 1st April, to allow for time to give out readings and have a practice.
CAFOD BIG LENT WALK IN THE JUBILEE YEAR
CAFOD invites Catholics to join their Big Lent Walk as Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee Year, walking over 200km over 40 days during Lent. https://walk.cafod.org.uk/
The Catholic High School is taking part in this challenging event, with walks organised in various ways, including a treadmill in school. They aim to raise £800 – thank you in advance for your generosity: https://schools.walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/chsc
JUBILEE PRAYER
There are copies of the Jubilee prayer available for you take a copy.
LENT & EASTER SERVICE TIMES
Copies of this year’s programme are available at the back of church. Please take one home with you.
ST COLUMBA’S RED MISSION BOX HOLDERS
There will be three Red Mission boxes collections during the year: March, July and November. To have your box emptied, please leave it in the sacristy before the end of March, then pick up your empty, relabeled box from the rear porch
EMPOWERING VULNERABLE CHILDREN (EVC) UGANDA APPEAL – 1/2 MARCH
EVC raises funds so that desperately poor children in Uganda can attend school. In addition, we have helped build 2 primary schools in this impoverished area. We would like to update you on our work since our last appeal in St Columba’s and St Theresa’s and thank you for your kind generosity and continued support for our charity.
LOURDES 2025 PILGRIMAGE
Bookings for our 2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage to Lourdes are now open. The brochure and booking forms are available to download from the Pilgrimage website www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk .
ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH & HALL BOOKINGS
To arrange meetings etc. in either the Church, Newman Room or the Iona Chapel, please book through Magdalena Bukowska, St. Columba’s Church Office, phone: 01244 624019, email: stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com. Office hours Monday to Friday 9a.m. to 2p.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 Magdalena Bukowska on 01244 624019 for enquires within the office hours stated above or email columbashallbookings@gmail.com to arrange booking.
CHESTER & ELLESMERE PORT KERALA CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
Every Sunday at 2.00p.m., the Chester & Ellesmere Port Kerala Catholic Community now have a Mass in St Columba’s in the Syro – Malabar Rite. All are welcome.
MALANKARA JACOBITE SYRIAC ORTHODOX COMMUNITY CHESTER
Every other Saturday morning this group have a Mass at 9.30am at St Theresa’s.
Thought for the week: ‘When someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you do not stoop to their level. Our motto is when they go low, you go high’ – Michelle Obama
WELCOME TO OUR PARISH
If you are NEW TO THE PARISH, please complete a Parish Registration Form and send (or bring) it to either parish office to let us know that you are here and enable us to welcome you. Forms can be found in the front porches of both churches and on the website www.sscolumbaandtheresa.co.uk under the I’m New tab. Thank you.
VOLUNTEER DRIVERS
As part of our PDP the Pastoral Council would like to offer transport to Mass for any parishioners who may require this. Before doing so we need to gather a small team of willing volunteer drivers. Perhaps this could be a personal commitment in recognition of the Jubilee Year? It is not expected that driving duty would occur very frequently so if you think you could help please contact one of the Parish offices with your details. Thanks to all.
SPECIAL ANNIVERSARIES
If anyone has a special wedding anniversary this year, 25th, 40th, 50th or 60th please inform one of the church offices in order to receive your invitation from the Diocese to a special Mass later this year.
RECRUITMENT
A recruitment process for the Deputy Director of Schools is now underway, further details of which can be found via the link below: Deputy Director of Schools Advert
If you would like further information or candidate pack and application form please contact Liam Dowds, our Emmaus Advising Consultant, on 01737 652 043 or email him at ldowds@emmausleadership.me
PDP
Parish Development Plan 2022-2025. “You said. We did”
In 2022 the Pastoral Council led a whole-parish consultation on developments in the church and in our parish community. Several themes emerged about inclusivity, children and families, social action, faith outreach and improving communications – with our schools, our parishioners and the wider community.
Everyone’s views were carefully considered and consolidated into our Parish Development Plan in June 2022. The Pastoral Council reviewed progress in November 2024 and thanks to the energy and commitment of many people we are able to highlight the following achievements:
· Children’s Liturgy re-established
· Youth Group established
· Young people’s music group established
· Active participation in Churches Together
· Increased support to SVP, Foodbank and home visiting
· Parish welcomers team established
· Major overhaul to parish website
· Full programme of parish social activities – cream teas, BBQs, coach trips, Autumn fair, Christmas lunches and socials
And more!
For more details of these and priorities for 2025 please see our parish website. Choose the Our Parish tab, click on Parish Development Plan
Why not find out how you can participate? Contact any member of the Pastoral Council by emailing either of the church offices: stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com OR st.theresas@btinternet.com
Pauline Rourke and Ann McCarthy, Co-Chairs, Pastoral Council.
| NEXT WEEK’S NEWSLETTER: Sunday 9 March edition will be compiled by Rebecca Vaughan. Phone: 01244 318632 or email: Rebecca_vghn@yahoo.co.uk. Please include a phone number in case of queries, and please ensure that submissions are also emailed to Fr William or phoned to the compiler by 9.00 a.m. on WEDNESDAY 5 March 2025 |