FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
4TH FEBRUARY 2024
| Sat 3 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Alexander James McKeegan RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | The Parish | |
| Sun 4 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | David Kluth’s Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Cath Carter (SH) | |
| Mon 5 Feb | St Agatha, V M. Mem. | ||
| St. Theresa’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.30am | Margery Whatmough | |
| Tue 6 Feb | St Paul Miki & Comp. Mem. | ||
| St. Theresa’s | Peter Coulishaw RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | Patricia Duggan | ||
| Wed 7 Feb` | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Dee Davey’s Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayers | ||
| 10.30am | Brian Haslam RIP | ||
| Thu 8 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Diane Blago RIP | ||
| Fri 9 Feb | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | Henry Lloyds’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | Frederick Hercules RIP | ||
| Sat 10 Feb | St Scholastica, V. Mem | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Tony McHugh RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | The Parish | |
| Sun 11 Feb | Enrolment for First Holy Communion candidates | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Margaret Parry RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Peter Duffy (SH) |
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 11a.m. this Sunday 4th February 2024
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
PRIESTS RETIREMENT FUND COLLECTION:
Priests Retirement Fund collection will take place THIS WEEKEND – 3rd/4th February.
HEARING LOOP SYSTEM
Please note that both Churches operate a hearing loop system if you need it.
Pope’s Prayer Intentions For February – for the terminally ill – Let us pray that the sick who are in the final stages of life, and their families, receive the necessary medical and human care and accompaniment.
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Please remember in your prayers Diane Blago and Frederick Hercules, who died recently. May the Lord console their families and friends. Diane’s Funeral Service will be held on Friday 9th February at Blacon Crematorium Chapel at 11.20 am
ANNIVERSARIES:
Alexander James McKeegan, Gina Franceloso Brace, Mavis Lillian Shaw, Josephine Margaret Watts, Teresa Gibson, Terry Keogh, Margaret Strong, Michael S. Sanderson-Miller
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 11.30am.
St Columba’s: From 6pm before the 6.30pm Saturday evening Mass.
St Theresa’s: From 4.30pm before 5pm Saturday evening Mass.
OFFERTORY:
St Columba’s: Loose plate £343.80; Planned Giving £102.50 Average Weekly SO – £574.00; Candles £34.50
St Theresa’s: Loose plate £295.20; Planned Giving TBC; Average weekly SO – £161.00.
THANK YOU for all your generous support.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA
The 2024 coffee rota is on the noticeboard at St Columba’s Hall, so please enter your name and good cause against your preferred dates. You could make £30-£50 for your chosen cause.
4th Feb – Sue McCarthy, SVP
11th Feb – volunteers please
18th Feb – Margaret Curtis, fish & chip babies
What are Fish & Chip Babies?
This charity initiative provides knitted hats and jumpers for newborn infants in Africa, particularly Swaziland, who would otherwise go home wrapped in newspaper. Any money raised at the coffee morning on 18th Feb will go to posting the parish’s knitted garments to the shipment hub in Northamptonshire. A huge thank you to all the knitters… keep going!
PRAYING TOGETHER
We pray for:
- the residents of Gayton Close, Denhall Close, Moorhouse Close, Owen Close, Shelley Road, Chaucer Close, Browning Close and Alderley Place.
- the Scouts, Venture Scouts, Cub Scouts and Beavers. For the Ranger Guides, Guides, Brownies, Rainbows, Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade.
ENROLMENT MASS FOR FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
The children from St Theresa’s Primary school will be enrolled at the 9.30am Mass on Sunday 11th February. Please remember them in your prayers.
PARISH YOUTH GROUP:
The next youth group is on Monday 12th February, starting 7pm, at St. Columba’s. All young parishioners, school year 5 or older, are warmly welcome to join our happy friendly group.
LENT AND EASTER:
ASH WEDNESDAY – 14th February
Ash Wednesday is a Day of Fasting and Abstinence. There will be Mass at 9.30am at St Theresa’s and Mass at 10.30am and 7pm at St Columba’s.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
During Lent there will be Stations of the Cross every week. Monday at 10am at St Columba’s and Friday at 9.30am at St Theresa’s.
SERVICE TIMES
Leaflets are available with the service and Mass times for Lent and Easter. Please do take one with you.
PASTORAL COUNCIL
Your Pastoral Council met on 22nd January in St Theresa’s. The main item of discussion focused on the next phase of “volunteer recruitment” which will now be introduced to the parish on the weekend of 24th/25th February. Also discussed was the compilation of a welcoming pack for new parishioners. A date for your diaries – the Pastoral Council AGM, 4th March in St Theresa’s.
ST COLUMBA’S CAR PARK
The re-surfacing is finished. The area nearest to the hall has been completely re-surfaced but the area nearer the church was in better condition so has had potholes and uneven surfaces top dressed. As some have observed, the car park might have looked even better if it had all been re-surfaced but it would have been a lot more expensive. The new parking spaces are a little wider than the original ones to account for the larger cars which are common nowadays.
Would parishioners please note the new No Parking signs alongside the church and refrain from parking there. We have been advised that there should be a 5 metre space available behind parked cars to enable them to get out safely and if cars are parked in the No Parking space that is not possible. Thanks for your assistance. Pauline Rourke
FOUNDATION GOVERNOR VACANCY:
St Werburgh’s & St Columba’s Primary School is currently recruiting a Catholic Church Foundation Governor to join our Governing Body. The vacancy must be filled by community member affiliated with the Catholic Church, who are not related to any children within our school. The role would suit someone with an interest in serving our community and supporting the needs of our school children and who has a financial background. If you are interested in finding out more about the role, please contact the school in the first instance to arrange an informal chat. Telephone Sarah on 01244 478954 or email admin@lovelearnlaugh.org.uk. Details of this vacancy can be found on the notice board at the back and front porch of the Church.
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION:
The next Chester Parishes Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will be on Friday 8th November 2024 at St. Columba’s. Anyone currently at high school may be Confirmed,
no upper age limit. More information will follow in this newsletter in a few weeks.
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. A Jumbulance has seven beds on board, spacious seating, an accessible toilet and kitchen. We stay in a four star hotel with excellent facilities to care for them and recruit a team of nurses and helpers to do so. The experience for younger helpers is good for the CV, especially those considering a career in health or social care. We all do a DBS. Everyone must be COVID vaccinated. The cost is £1,095. Half price for nurses and young people under 25 in FTE. We do fund raising to help support those who cannot afford the full amount. Travel Insurance for the sick is available at just £65. Visit our website and read Bev’s story. www.across.org.uk/?s=AJ. For further information, contact Tony Murphy on 07881-656-974 or tonymurphy2002@yahoo.co.uk.
PROPOSED WALSINGHAM PILGRIMAGE 8th -11th APRIL
Fr William has given his blessing to organising a pilgrimage to Our Lady’s National Shrine. The cost (assuming 30 on pilgrimage) would be approximately £400 per person including coach travel, accommodation in en-suite single or double/twin rooms, with breakfast and evening meal, in Elmham House, Walsingham. To register your interest in joining the pilgrimage, please add your name and contact details to one of the lists in the church porches, or contact one of our parish secretaries.
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 is from 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. If you are a first time pilgrim or a returning pilgrim we look forward to you joining us in Lourdes this year.
CAFOD:
“The Church relies on people getting involved. Our parish, our community, our world needs you. Could your New Year’s resolution be getting more involved in the life of our church? Could you give a bit of time to help our parish flourish? CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, is looking for people to give just a little time and join them in their mission. Could you help in our parish, to build a better world. They also need people to visit our local schools: Training & support provided. See cafod.org.uk/Volunteer for more information or contact shrewsbury@cafod.org.uk Or could you take part in The Big Lent Walk? cafod.org.uk/walk “
APPEAL FOR KNITTERS:
St Theresa’s Catholic Primary School Council would like to sell knitted Easter chicks, which will be filled with a chocolate egg. We are appealing for knitters who would be able to produce the little chicks. We can supply the wool and a knitting pattern if you can provide the talent! Please contact Anne Ellis aellis@st-theresas.cheshire.sch.uk if you would be willing to help.
DIOCESAN CHOIR FESTIVAL – ‘SING A NEW SONG’:You are invited to come along and sing as part of a diocesan choir. Learn music throughout the day and lead the singing for Mass at 5pm. We will learn Schutz: Praise to you Lord Jesus, Schubert: Mass in G and more, on Saturday 24th February, 10.30a.m.-4.30p.m. with Mass beginning at 5p.m. At St Anthony’s, Dunkery Road, Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe, M22 0WR. Refreshments and registration from 10.30am, rehearsals begin at 11am. Tea and coffee will be provided, please being a packed lunch. The cost is £5 per person, payable on the day. Book by completing the form at HTTP://TINYURL.COM/DIOCESANCHOIRFESTIVAL The deadline for bookings is Friday 16th February. For more information contact reception@dioceseofshrewsbury.org.
“RETROUVAILLE”- A LIFELINE FOR MARRIED COUPLES:
The primary goal of Retrouvaille is to provide help for couples who live in the disappointment and pain of marriage problems. They offer A Virtual programme commencing with a weekend on Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th Feb 2024. For more information access www.retrouvaille.org.uk or see the church notice board.
Thought for the week: “Have patience with all things, but first of all with yourself.” St Francis de Sales
We’re all in this together: So what storm name will it be next, and what weather will be thrown at us. We seem to have had it all over the last few weeks. It reflects life, storms and then calms; some storms come together, like the buses (as they say), and others are widely spaced apart. But life has its ups and downs. There are many references to storms and calms in the Bible, an example is Psalm 107:29-30 “He calmed the storm and its waves quieted down. So they rejoiced that the waves became quiet, and he led them to their desired haven.” If we are able to put our faith in God, he will see us through whatever storm we are experiencing. Keep safe and have a lovely week.
Resources: Residents are urged to check that they and their families are up-to-date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines. Young children are offered the vaccine by their GP as part of the UK national vaccination programme. They are offered two doses of the vaccine – the first following their first birthday and the second before they start school, when they are around three years and four months old. To check if you or your family are up-to-date with their vaccines, contact your GP.
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 9.00am to 1.00pm
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:
11th February edition will be compiled by Eileen Irwin, phone: 01244 371660; or email: 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 7TH FEBRUARY 2024