THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
23RD APRIL 2023
Saturday 22nd April
St. Theresa’s 5.00pm Ruth O’Donnell RIP
St. Columba’s 6.30pm Brian & Joyce Webster
Sunday 23rd April
St. Theresa’s 9.30am Parishioners’ Intentions
St. Columba’s 11.00am Phillip G Francis
St Columba’s 12.30pm Baptism – Elis Siobhan Bowl
Monday 24th April – St George, M
St. Theresa’s Priests’ Intentions
St. Columba’s 10.30am Ron Wright RIP
Tuesday 25th April – St Mark, Ev. Feast
St. Theresa’s Private Intention
St. Columba’s 11.00am Req. Mass – Margaret Finnegan RIP
Wednesday 26th April
St Theresa’s KayWatts RIP
St Columba’s 9.30am Exposition of Blessed Sacrament
10.15am Novena Prayers
10.30am Priests’ Intentions
Thursday 27th April
St. Theresa’s Private Intention
St Columba’s The Parish
Friday 28th April
St. Theresa’s 10.00am Val Higgins Intentions
St. Columba’s Private Intention
Saturday 29th April – St Catherine of Siena, V, D
St. Theresa’s 5.00pm Vera Joyce RIP
St. Columba’s 6.30pm Frank Stone Jnr
Sunday 30th April
St. Theresa’s 9.30am James Casey RIP
St. Columba’s 11.00am The Parish
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 Columba’s at 6.30pm. this Saturday 22nd April 2023.
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Please remember in your prayers Claire Graham, Margaret Collins and Margaret Finnegan. May the Lord console their families and friends.
Margaret Finnegan’s Funeral is at 11.00am on Tuesday 25th April at St Columba’s.
ANNVERSARIES:
John Bernard Douggie, Michael Thornber, Carol Anne Murray, Alice Harvey
CONFESSIONS:
There will be Confessions after every weekday Mass until 11.30am. at both churches.
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.
We welcome Elis Siobhan Bowl and her family to our community this weekend. May Our Lord bless and guide her always.
YOUTH GROUP:
Next youth group will be on Monday 15th May, 7pm to 8.30pm, venue to be confirmed. Last session we placed our hand painted ‘peace’ stones in the Peace Garden at St. Theresa’s and took a look around the church. Watch this space for what we will be doing next month! All young parishioners from school year 5 and older are invited to join us.
PRAYING TOGETHER:
We pray for:
- the residents of Abbots Park, Milbourne Close, Neston Drive, Onslow Road, Springwood Close, Overwood Lane and Melverley Drive.
- Sewing Groups.
OFFERTORY:
St Columba’s: Loose plate: £424.14. Planned Giving: £180.00 Average Weekly SO – £574.00; Sunday Morning Coffee £24.
St Theresa’s: Loose plate & Planned Giving: £433.70; Average weekly SO – £161.
THANK YOU for all your generous support.
PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES:
Envelopes for the new financial year are available to collect from the back porch in St Columba’s and the front porch in St. Theresa’s.
ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH REAR DOOR
This door is not opened on Saturday evening for security reasons. Last Sunday morning the door was found to be unlocked. The apparent explanation is that someone left via that door after Mass on Saturday (as it is an emergency exit door it opens simply by pushing from the inside) but it was not then closed properly so it remained open all night and left the church vulnerable to intruders. PLEASE may we ask that you do not leave the church by the rear exit on Saturday evenings unless there is an event in the hall such as a cake sale in which case arrangements will have been made for the door to be unlocked and then locked. Thank you.
HOLY PLACES – SECOND COLLECTION
There will be a seond collection at St Columba’s this weekend for the Holy Places. Your generosity is much appreciated.
CHESTER MALE VOICE CHOIR – SPRING CONCERT
Chester Male Voice Choir returns to St Columba’s for it’s very popular Spring Festival concert on 28 April. They will share the stage with special guests Haydock Male Voice Choir who are celebrating their centernary this year. Tickets are £12 adults, £6 under 18s and can be bought either online at www.chestermalevoice.com or by calling John on 07894 509529. Details on the posters in church porch.
CHURCHES TOGETHER IN UPTON
St Columba’s will be hosting the Fifth Sunday Service at 4.30pm on Sunday 30 April. The theme will be “Living the Way of Christ”. As part of our commitment to closer engagement with other faith communities all parishioners are warmly invited to attend and welcome our neighbours. Thank you. LIVING THE SYNOD!
SAVE THE DATE – SATURDAY 24TH JUNE:
You are invited to a day of reflection, prayer and discernment about your role and mission in the Church on Saturday 24th June 2023 from 10am-5pm at St Columba’s Church Hall. More details to follow.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA
23rd April – Catherine Jones for Share Shop
30th April – volunteers please
7th May – volunteers please
Why not donate a little time to make tea and coffee to refresh the parishioners after 11:00 Mass on Sunday? You can make some money for your favourite charity, too. Call Margaret Curtis 01244 3184234 to book your date(s).
THANK YOU:
To those who came over for tea, coffee and cake on Easter Sunday at St Columba’s, £60 was raised for the two charities, Rock of Joy Trust Uganda and Chifundo appeal Malawi, following cyclone Freddie’s impact.
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.
LIVE SCREENING OF THE CORONATION, St Columba’s Hall
King Charles III coronation will be screened live in St Columba’s Hall on 6th May 2023. We will welcome parishioners who would like to watch this historic event communally, from late morning onwards on the big day. We will provide tea and coffee followed by sandwiches and cake for lunch. We need to know the approx. number, to cater accordingly, so please put you name down on the sheet in the FRONT PORCH of either church.
CONFIRMATIONS 2023:
The date is Wednesday 10th May, 7.00 pm, at St Francis.
GUIDE DOGS COFFEE MORNING:
At Upton Village Hall, Heath Road next Saturday 29th April 10 am – 12noon. Admission £2-50. Pay on the door. Please come along and meet a Guide Dog and puppies in training.
DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND:
8th – 14th February 2024. For more information please see https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/diocesan-pilgrimage-to-the-holy-land-2024/ Any questions regarding the pilgrimage should be directed to Father David Long: longdv1@aol.com
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall.
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER:
ChesterZoo nature reserve was on national TV recently; they were looking at the habitats for dormice and how their numbers had been improving because of the work that they had been doing. The nature reserve is free to enter and, if you are able to visit, well worth having a walk around. The TV programme was also looking at how we can all undertake activities of kindness to nature. For example, this could be the youth group planting sweet peas in the peace garden, the bird feeders and bug hotels that have been made and other such like activities and to log your work on the wild-britain.co.uk website. In parts of the borough, areas have already been set aside for wildflower meadows; it will be lovely to see how these progress. Please keep doing your bit for our environment, every little bit really helps.
RESOURCES: People aged 75 or above, or those with a weakened immune system can now book their spring COVID-19 vaccine. Book at http://cwac.co/v2ncv
NHS AT ST THERESA’S:
The NHS will be in St Theresa’s car park on Saturday 13 May, 23 May and 21 June for Covid booster vaccinations for anyone over 75 years of age or anyone who is immunosuppressed. Health checks are also available. This will be from 10.30am to 4pm on all dates.
WARNING : Emergency alert system, Sunday 23 April at 3pm. For those with 4G or 5G mobiles, your phones will receive a siren like alarm, receive a message on their home screens and vibrate for up to 10 seconds. This is a test of a nationwide emergency test in case of fire, flooding or extreme weather. Please do not be alarmed.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING WALK:
Every Monday 10:00a.m. for 10:30a.m. Health and Wellbeing Walk sponsored by St Theresa’s and the URC. For more information ring Brendan Doyle on: 07484353841 or Ann Francis on 01244 959061.
ADMINISTRATOR VANCANCY: A vacancy has arisen within the Inter-Diocesan Fuel team (IFM) for an Administrator, based at the curial office in Birkenhead. The post is full time 35 hours per week, salary: £20K to £22K depending on experience. For further details please see the Diocesan website https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/latest-vacancies/ CV’s should be sent to Pauline McCulloch, recruitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org Closing date for applications is Friday 28th April 2023.
THE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 50TH ANNIVERSARY MASS:
You are warmly invited to join the CHS celebration Mass on Friday 9th of June, 11am at Chester Cathedral. If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Mallon by email at mallonk@christofidelis.org.uk. There are a limited number of spaces available.
PLANTS WANTED:
As we come into Spring if you are doing any gardening and find you have some spare bedding plants, the Peace Garden would love to give them a home. Please leave them in the Peace Garden at St Theresa’s or outside of the garage. Thank you.
NEEDLES AND PINS – WEDNESDAY 26TH APRIL
Everyone is welcome to come along to this friendly needlecraft group in St Columba’s Hall, between 2:00-4:00pm every fourth Wednesday of the month. Hope to see you.
HOSPICE QUIZ:
The recent Quiz held in the Hall raised £185 for the Hospice of he Good Shepherd. Many thanks to those of you who supported it and especially to those who helped with the refreshments.
ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH & HALL BOOKINGS
To arrange meetings etc. in either the Church, Newman Room or the Iona Chapel, please book through Nuala Keegan, Church Office, 01244 624019, Email: stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com.
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:
30th April Edition will be compiled by Eileen Irwin, phone: 01244 371660, E-mail: st.theresas@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 WEDNESDAY 26th APRIL