EASTER WEEK ONE
31 MARCH 2024
| Sat 30 Mar | Holy Saturday Easter Vigil | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | NO EVENING MASS | |
| St. Columba’s | 7.00pm | The Parish | |
| Sun 31 Mar | Easter Sunday | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Graham Elwell | |
| Mon 1 Apr | Monday of the Easter Octave | ||
| St. Theresa’s | Mae Dunne | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.30am | Mary Kiernan Anniv | |
| Tue 2 Apr | Tuesday of the Easter Octave | ||
| St. Theresa’s | Private Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Special Intentions | ||
| Wed 3 Apr | Wednesday of the Easter Octave | ||
| St. Theresa’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayers | ||
| 10.30am | Teresa Keelan RIP | ||
| Thu 4 Apr | Thursday of the Easter Octave | ||
| St. Theresa’s | Special Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Mary Ible Birthday | ||
| Fri 5 Apr | Friday of the Easter Octave | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | Anne Beaumont RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Sat 6 Apr | Saturday of the Easter Octave | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | The Parish | |
| Sun 7 Apr | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Muriel Halligan RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Private Intentions |
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:
Easter Sunday Mass will be streamed from St Columba’s at 11.00am. this Sunday 31st March 2024
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS – For April – for the role of women – Let us pray that the dignity and worth of women be recognized in every culture, and for an end to the discrimination they face in various parts of the world.
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Please remember in your prayers Chris Steele, who died recently. May the Lord console her family and friends. The Requiem Mass is on Friday 12th April at 1.45pm at St Theresa’s.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Charles Woods, Sarah Ann Gordyk, Elizabeth Mary (Beryl) Chapman, Sandra Mery Erskine, John (Jack) George Cross, David Carty
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:
Loose plate 24th March £394;92 ; Planned giving £144.50; Average weekly SO £785.00; Candles £37.51; Thursday Badminton £150
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.
31st Mar – Mosqueras (Easter Sunday)
7th April – volunteers please
14th April – volunteers please
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.
RED MISSION BOXES, ST THERESAS’S
Please leave your box in the sacristy to be counted. Thank you.
PRAYING TOGETHER
We pray for:
- the residents of Kingsway, Dickson’s Drive, Brookfield Drive, Willow Drive, Naomi Close, Dentith Drive and Egerton Road;
- for Worship Groups and all who plan services.
- For our worship that it is vibrant, spiritual and prayerful.
CHUCHES TOGETHER IN UPTON:
The next Fifth Sunday Service on the theme of “Jesus’ Life in Words and Music” will be held at 4.30 p.m. this Sunday at the United Reformed Church on Heath Road (next to the Wheatsheaf). All welcome.
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.”
RECEPTIONS AND CONFIRMATIONS AT EASTER:
Luciana da Silva and Tommy Williams will be received into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. Connor Rowlands will receive the sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist with Luciana and Tommy at the Vigil. Please keep Luciana, Tommy, and Connor in your prayers, that God will guide them, and grant them the grace to enter fully and joyfully into the life of the Church. Thank you.
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.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY 2024 – ST THERESA’S 7TH APRIL
Programme:
2.00pm Sacrament of Reconciliation
2.15pm Recitation of the Chaplet
2.30pm Blessing and veneration of the Divine Mercy picture and Benediction
2.45pm Mass
The service on Divine Mercy Sunday is an opportunity to receive Our Lord’s promises of specific, extraordinary graces on the Sunday after Easter. “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion (on this day) will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (St Faustina). There is a novena which is said in the 9 days before Divine Mercy Sunday (https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena/). You are invited to attend this service and receive the extraordinary graces from Our Lord.
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
The next Chester Parishes Sacrament of Confirmation will be on 8th November 2024. Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation will be led by St. Columba and St. Theresa’s Confirmation team. Anyone who is currently at high school may be Confirmed, with no upper age limit. If you wish to be Confirmed please email stcolumbatheresaconfirmation@hotmail.co.uk to register and receive further information. Please say if you are over 18, as adults will be prepared separately.
THE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL is looking for exam invigilators to support the exams from as soon as possible. If anyone is interested please visit the school website Vacancies – The Chester Catholic High School (christofidelis.org.uk) or email Mr Kilcoyne School Business Manager kilcoynea@christofidelis.org.uk for more details.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Sunday April 14th Afternoon tea at St Columba’s to raise money towards a new sound system at St Theresa’s
Sunday 9th Jun Annual BBQ to celebrate the feast of St Columba
Keep your eye on the newsletter and notice board for further information and any other dates of activities.
Thought for the week: “Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of others” Mother Teresa
We’re all in this together: Lent reflection, Jesus says to his mother “Woman, here is your son” and to John he says “Here is your mother.” Amid the agony and the echos of despair, Jesus is not preoccupied with his own suffering but with the welfare of those he loved: his mother, John and all of us. It reveals his breadth of concern for humanity. He is saying to all of us, “Behold here is your family.” This is a beautiful encapsulation of the Christian call to see everyone we meet as brothers and sisters in Christ. (Partick van der Vorst – The Tablet)
Resources Holiday activities and food programme https://www.livewell.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/Services/3991, full list of clubs and information can be found at https://edsential.com/haf-cheshire-west/ Also check out the Cheshire Museums for a full programme of event and crafting https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/news/eggs-travaganza-of-events-at-councils-museums-this-easter
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. ALSO, if any knitters needs more wool, please contact me, too.
ST THERESA’S PRIMARY SCHOOL:
The School Council would like to say a huge “Thank You” to all the kind parishioners who provided all the wonderful Easter chicks, in addition to supplying a huge amount of chocolate eggs too! Last week, St Theresa’s School made £278 for CAFOD. What a fabulous team effort! Wishing you all a Holy and Happy Easter.
There are now photographs of the chicks and information about the fish & chip babies on the website.
CHESTER OPERATIC SOCIETY ‘GET HAPPY’:
There will be a performance of popular and enduring tunes from the Golden age of the 1920s to the 1950s from Broadway, musical theatre, and Hollywood musical film by Chester Operatic Society. The performance will be at Chester Town hall Fri 12th & Sat 13th April 2024. Tickets are £18 but for every table of 10 one ticket is free. If you would like tickets please contact Mark Traynor marktraynor96@gmail.com or www.ticketsource.co.uk/chesteroperatic.
SPIRITAN COLLECTION (HOLY GHOST FATHERS):
There will be a collection at Pentecost for this. There will be envelopes and magazines available nearer the time.
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:
7 April edition will be compiled by Alison Wrigglesworth, phone: 07708 304246; or email: a.wrigglesworth@outlook.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 3rd APRIL 2024