The month of December is dedicated to The Immaculate Conception
THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
30 November 2025
| Sat 29 Nov | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Jo Blundell RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Milton, Luciana & Catarina | |
| Sun 30 Nov | First Sunday of Advent | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Jefferey Samuel Parry RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Carlos Hernan Archiniega’s | |
| 2.00pm | Kerala Catholic Community Mass in Syro-Malabar Rite | ||
| Mon 1 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | John Roole RIP – School Mass | |
| St. Columba’s | 10.30am | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| Tue 2 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Milton, Luciana & Catarina | ||
| St. Columba’s | Special Intentions | ||
| Wed 3 Dec | St Francis Xhavier, P, R. Mem. Day of Special Prayer for Migrants and Refugees |
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| St. Theresa’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayers | ||
| 10.30am | Milton, Luciana & Catarina | ||
| Thu 4 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Fri 5 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | John Murphy RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | The Parish | ||
| Sat 6 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Thomas Smith RIP | |
| Sun 7 Dec | Second Sunday of Advent | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Eddie Mapp RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Milton, Luciana & Catarina | |
| 2.00pm | Kerala Catholic Community Mass in Syro-Malabar Rite |
LIVE STREAMING OF MASS – Mass will be streamed at St Theresa’s on Sunday 30 November at 9.30a.m.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY – The Children’s Liturgy normally happens at the 11a.m. service at St Columba’s on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month. See the parish website under the Family tab.
SCHOOL MASS AT ST THERESA’S CHURCH – St Theresa’s school will be joining us at Mass on Monday 1 December at the 9.30am All welcome.
RECENTLY DECEASED – Please remember in your prayers, Janie (Jenny) Casey who died recently, and also her family and friends. Her Requiem Mass is at St Theresa’s on Thursday 11 December at 11.30am
ANNIVERSARIES – Calogera Anna ( Lina) Safina, Jefferey Samuel Parry, Paolo Florio, Desmond Dunne Peter Anthony Burton, Christian Mapp, Mary Taylor, Edwin Albert (Eddie)Mapp, Terence Smith
CONFESSIONS – After each weekday mass until 11.30a.m. At the weekend: St Columba’s: from 6.00-6.25p.m. on Saturday. And St Theresa’s; from 4.30-4.55 on Saturday.
WEDDINGS, BAPTISMS AND FUNERALS – Please contact one of the Parish Offices to make your arrangements.
POPES PRAYER INTENTIONS for December – for Christiands in areas of conflict. Let us pray that Christians living in areas of war or conflict, especially in the Middle East, might be seeds of peace, reconciliation, and hope.
LARGE PRINT NEWSLETTER – A limited number of large print newsletters are now available at the back of both our Churches. Printed on yellow paper to aid contrast and aid ease of reading. See our Welcomers if you need a copy.
PARISH OFFERTORY – Loose Plate: £733.96; Planned Giving:£321.55; Average weekly SO £718.15; Candles: £72.38. Two weeks of collections.
There will be Caritas at Christmas Appeal this weekend on 29/30 November Masses.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope”. Psalm 130:5.
PRAYING FOR:
- The residents of Gatesheath Drive, Alpraham Crescent, St James Avenue, The Glen, Jonathan’s Way, Graham Road, & Blacon Point Rd.
- For those who prepare couples for marriage.
- For those couples married in our churches this year and those who are about to be married.
HEATING AT ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH – The heating is currently not working properly. The heating engineer is trying to work it out. Apologies if the church is cold again this weekend. Wrap up warm next weekend – in case! May I also remind/beg parishioners not to turn off any radiators or interfere with the heating system. Thank you. Pauline Rourke
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA – We would like to thank all parishoners who have volunteered their time to help with tea and coffee after the 11:00am Mass.
30 Nov – Hopeful Ugandan Hearts, Lena Greig
07 Dec – volunteers please
14 Dec – volunteers please
ALTAR SERVERS – we need you! An appeal for altar servers at both St Columba’s and St Theresa’s churches please. At the moment, we have no active altar servers at St Theresa’s. If you or your children are interested in altar serving at either church, please contact Richard Curtis (07787782255 / rich.curtis89@yahoo.co.uk). Training can be flexible around your availability, often focusing in 15-30 minutes sessions after Mass for convenience.
ADVENT PRAYER GROUP – Tuesday 2 Dec, come to the Iona Chapel for 11 am to 11.30 to look at next Sunday’s readings, pray about them and share our thoughts in a friendly, peaceful way, For more info, contact Lyn Coyle marilyn.coyle44@gmail.com.
ADVENT ADORATION – On Sunday 30 November, as we start our journey through the Season of Advent , we invite you back into St Columba’s church right after 11am Mass for a short period of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. All are welcome and we would love for the children of the parish, especially those who are preparing to make their First Holy Communion, to be part of this time of prayer.
CTU CANDLELIT ADVENT SERVICE at St Columba’s on Sunday 30 Nov at 4.30 pm, marking the First Sunday in Advent with our fellow Christians from the URC and Holy Ascension churches. Readings, prayers and well-known hymns with refreshments and social time to follow.
FRIENDSHIP THURSDAY CHRISTMAS MEETING – 4 December from 2-4 pm in the Hall. Conversation, carols and mince pies!
SENIOR PARISHIONERS AND VOLUNTEERS CHRISTMAS PARTY – This year the Christmas party for senior parishioners (50+) and parish volunteers will be held on Saturday the 13 December, starting at 2 pm, in St Columba’s Church Hall. As usual this will include free food and drinks.
CHRISTMAS CARDS AND DIARIES are now available on the Piety Stall. If there is a requirement for items not currently stocked, please contact Janet on 01244 329469 to discuss, as it may be possible to order these separately.
ST COLUMBA’S RED MISSION BOX HOLDERS – Could those parishioners at St Columba’s with a MIssio Box, please leave it in the sacresty for Margaret to collect. You can collect your next Red Box from the back of the church, after your donation has been counted.
ST WERBURGH’S AND ST COLUMBA’S SCHOOL NEWS: Friday 5 Dec – PTA Christmas Fair in St Columba’s Hall, 4.30 – 7pm & Wed 17 Dec – Carol Service in St Werburgh’s Church, 7pm
THE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL CHRISTMAS FAIR & CAROL SERVICE – Tuesday 16 December, 4pm to 6pm in the school Hall. Entry fee £1 all welcome! Santa’s Grotto, stalls, amazing food and music. Please come & support this event! After the Christmas Fair, there will be a Carol Service in the Lyceum (6th Form building) at 6:30pm. Enjoy mince pies and a glass of wine at the interval before a final blast of Christmas songs and dance!
COMMEMORATING MRS. OATES’ SERVICE AS HEADTEACHER – We warmly invite you to join us in celebrating Mrs. Oates’ dedicated years of service as Headteacher of St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s Schools on Thursday, 18th December at St Columba’s Church.
The evening will begin at 6.30p.m. with a special service at St Columba’s Church, bringing our community together to give thanks for her commitment to our schools and parishes. Following the service, you are invited to a Cheese and Wine Reception in the church hall from 7p.m. to 8p.m. Children are welcome at both the service and the reception. Please help us spread the word so that as many families connected with the schools as possible can attend. If you plan to join us, kindly complete the RSVP form so we can prepare refreshments:https://forms.office.com/e/9bNg70BFcR
We look forward to celebrating together!
CAFOD HARVEST FAST DAY – Thank you so much for your generous contributions. Your donations in our parish collection (£446) and online are helping families like Waré’s in Ethiopia. Your support this Harvest will help more communities have better access to safe water. You can read more about Ware’s story here: cafod.org.uk/harvest
THANK YOU – £202.45 raised. A massive THANK YOU to parishioners, helpers and bakers, and Liz Jones and Liz Aiello for the knitted nativity – who all helped raise a staggering £202.45 at the tea, coffee and cake morning on 23 November on Youth Sunday. The money will go to Claire House Children’s Hospice on the Wirral – a charity which was chosen by the St Columba’s & St Theresa’s youth group.
CLOTH FOR THE CRADLE – 11.00 Mass St Columba’s:
Cloth for the cradle, cradle for the child.
The child for our every joy and sorrow;
Find him a shawl that’s woven by us all
To welcome the Lord of each tomorrow.
1. Darkness and light and all that’s known by sight,
Silence and echo fading,
Weave into one a welcome for the Son.
Set earth its own maker serenading.
2. Hungry and poor, the sick and the unsure,
Wealthy whose needs are stranger,
Weave into one a welcome for the Son,
Leave excess and want beneath the manger.
3. Claimant and queen, wage earners in between,
Trader and travelling preacher
Weave into one a welcome for the Son,
Whose word brings new life to every creature.
4. Wrinkled or fair, carefree or full of care,
Searchers of all the ages,
Weave into one a welcome for the Son,
The Saviour of shepherd and of sages.
Copyright © 1987 WGRG, Iona Community, Glasgow, Scotland. www.wildgoose.scot
FOOD BANK DONATIONS – Urgently Needed – The Food Bank’s is asking for, tinned meat, fish, veg, fruit, tomatoes, spaghetti, puddings, curry sauce, Smash, pasta & sauce, UHT/powdered milk, long-life juice, custard, jams, spreads, and coffee. westcheshirefoodbank.org.uk for up to date needs. Thank you for your support!
STAY SAFE FROM SCAMS – Scammers may know your details, don’t assume they’re genuine. Always think twice. Never share your PIN or passwords. Ignore emails or calls about computer viruses. Delete suspicious emails and mark them as spam. Be safe, if unsure, contact companies using official numbers. Dial 159 to safely reach your bank. Report scams to Action Fraud: 0300 123 2040 or online. Free guide and tips: Age UK Scam Advice the Booklet is available at the back of both churches – please return after reading.
PARISH WEBSITE – Items for website must be about parish-based events and should be sent to Lyn Coyle, who is the parish liaison with the website manager. marilyn.coyle44@gmail.com
SHREWSBURY LOURDES HOSPITALITY – There will be midday Mass at St Mary’s, Crewe on 8 December to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Refreshments will be available after Mass, everyone is welcome.
ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH & HALL BOOKINGS – To book the Church, Newman Room or Iona Chapel, contact Magdalena Bukowska at the Church Office 01244 624019, email stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com. Office hours Mon-Fri 9a.m. to 2.00p.m.
To check Hall availability, visit the Church Hall calendar on the St Columba’s website, then contact Magdalena during office hours or email: columbashallbookings@gmail.com.
NEXT WEEK’S NEWSLETTER – Sunday 7 December to be compiled by Paula Bownas Phone: 01244 379794, email:paulabownas@yahoo.co.uk. Deadline: 9.00a.m. Wednesday 3 December
Please include a contact number with your notice. Also email a copy to Fr. William at st.theresas@btinternet.com.