THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
3RD MARCH 2024
| Sat 2 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Kathleen Watts RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Vera Hawkins | |
| Sun 3 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | David Kluth’s Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Willie Gordon RIP | |
| Mon 4 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.00am | Stations of the Cross | |
| 10.30am | Private Intentions | ||
| Tue 5 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Wed 6 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Private Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayers | ||
| 10.30am | Gino Garvie | ||
| Thu 7 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Special Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | The Parish | ||
| Fri 8 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Stations of the Cross | |
| 10.00am | Jimmy Sheelan RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | Frederick Hercules RIP | ||
| Sat 9 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | The Parish | |
| Sun 10 Mar | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Caroline Connolly | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Stephen Phillips 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.
LIVE STREAMING OF MASS:
Mass will be streamed from St Columba’s at 6.30p.m. this Saturday 2nd 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:
Pauline Ann Roberts, Florence Childs, Kathleen Watts, Florence Southall, James John McCafferty, Agnes Jones, Christine Elizabeth Scanlan.
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:
ST COLUMBA’S – Loose plate £TBC; Planned giving £TBC; Average weekly SO £785.00; Wednesday Badminton £200.
ST THERESA’S – Loose plate £152.65; Planning giving £314.94.
THANK YOU for all your generous support.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA:
The coffee rota is on the noticeboard 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.
3rd March – volunteers please
10th March – volunteers please
17th March – volunteers please
PIETY STALL:
There will be a Piety Stall in the Hall on Sunday 3rd March (today), selling Easter cards and religious items.
RED BOXES:
ST THERESA’S – Please leave your box in the sacristy to be counted.
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 Kingsway West, Rutland Place, Kent Road, Shelley Road, Coleridge Close, Stearns Close and Housman Close.
- the Growth Groups, Bible Study Groups and nurturing groups.
- a deepening of faith and awareness of Christ in us all.
PROPOSED WALSINGHAM PILGRIMAGE 8th – 11th APRIL:
Unfortunately, this will not now be taking place as there were not enough people to make the trip viable.Hopefully we can organise a pilgrimage for next year, more information will be available around November. Volunteers are needed to help organise this.
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.
CHRISTIAN AID LENT LUNCHES:
See posters in church porches for dates and venues.
CAFOD LENT FAST DAY:
Please return envelopes in the collection baskets. Thank you.
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL AGM:
This will take place on Monday 4th March in St Theresa’s Centre from 7 – 8.30p.m. followed by refreshments. Please do your best to attend and find out about the work of the Council.
Referring to Pastoral Councils, St John Paul 11 says “Their activity within Church communities is so necessary that without it the apostolate of the Pastors is generally unable to achieve its full effectiveness” CHRISTIFIDELES LAICI – On The Vocation and the mission of the Lay faithful in the Church and in the World, no.28.
PASTORAL COUNCIL – VOLUNTEERING IN THE LIFE OF YOUR PARISH:
Following on from last week’s 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 last week, 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.”
SPRING FAIR – SATURDAY 9TH MARCH:
Join Chester Fairtrading at Welsey Church Centre, Chester, CH1 1DA for the Spring Fair on Saturday 9th March from 11a.m. to 3p.m. There will be fairly traded, local and charitable stalls including Chester Fairtrading, Chifundo and Luna Tree jewellery.
THANK YOU FROM THE SVP:
Thank you for all the very generous donations of household goods. We have not only been able to help the one family in need but many more people in need.
CHESTER 10K RUN – 10th MARCH:
If you normally come to the 9.30a.m. Mass at St Theresa’s, please check the route to see if you will be affected by the road closures. (Parkgate Road will be closed until 11.30a.m.)
CAFOD COFFEE MORNING:
Many thanks to all who supported the coffee morning last Sunday. We raised £70.61 and will pass this on to CAFOD.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
‘A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.’ – St Basil
FIRST HOLY COMMUNIONS:
Parents are reminded about the following meetings:
Monday 4TH MARCH: Parents Meeting at St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s School at 7p.m.
This is an Information Evening for all parents.
Monday 11TH MARCH: Commentary Mass at 6.30p.m. in St Columba’s Church.
This is for all the children and parents. It is an important part of the children’s preparation, so all our First Holy Communion children should be there accompanied by a member or members of their family.
THE NATIONAL NOVENA TO ST JOSEPH:
The National Novena to St Joseph will take place from 10th-18th March 2024 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. If you are able, and if it is possible to attend, Masses are at 10.00am every day of the Novena except Sunday, when it is at 11.00am. These Masses will be available to follow on Zoom, via the Mill Hill website: www.millhillmissionaries.com/novena. Also available on Zoom will be Evening Prayer together with the Novena Prayer at 6.00pm every day during the Novena.
This year, a special Novena Prayer Booklet has been prepared, and is available on request for a suggested donation.
You are welcome to send in your petitions and/or to request a Novena prayer booklet. Please write to the Novena Director at 6 Colby Gardens, Maidenhead, SL6 7GZ, or email novenamhm@gmail.com
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 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.
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 07881656974 or tonymurphy2002@yahoo.co.uk.
VACANCY – YOUTH MINISTRY LEADER:
Castlerigg Manor (Diocese of Lancaster Retreat Centre) are looking for a Programme Leader to join their youth ministry team. The work involves working on retreats in the heart of the Lake District, and occasionally working on outreach visits around the area. The post is residential and comes with a salary package in the range of £26-28k, made up of paid salary, accommodation, food etc. Would suit somebody with youth ministry experience perhaps recently graduated. Interested – jack@castleriggmanor.co.uk
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.
ZUMBATHON IN AID OF UGANDAN ORPHANAGES:
In St Columba’s Hall on Saturday 9th March 12 to 2pm, £10 adults and £5 children over 6. To raise funds to send 60 children to school from the Home of Peace and Christ’s Heart orphanages in Uganda. All ages and abilities welcome.
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.
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 8.30a.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:
10th March edition will be compiled by Harry Sweeney, phone:01244 327462; or email: harrysweeney45@gmail.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 6TH MARCH 2024