5th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Saturday 4th February
St. Theresa’s 5.00pm Parishioners’ Ints
St. Columba’s 6.30pm The Parish
Sunday 5th February
St. Theresa’s 9.30am Margaret Parry RIP
First Holy Communion Enrolment Mass
St. Columba’s 11.00am Sheila Wright RIP
Monday 6th February -St Paul Miki & Companions
St. Theresa’s Richard Murphy RIP
St. Columba’s 10.30am David Whitby RIP
Tuesday 7th February
St. Theresa’s Priests’ Ints.
St. Columba’s Kitty McAlinden RIP
Wednesday 8th February
St Theresa’s Mieschaner RIP
St Columba’s 9.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
10.15am Novena Prayers
10.30am Ellie Marsden RIP
Thursday 9th February
St. Theresa’s Private Int (EF)
St Theresa’s School 9.30am Class Mass (Yr3)
St Columba’s Sheila Hainey RIP
Friday 10th February – St Scholastica
St. Theresa’s 10.00am Anthony Baker RIP
School Mass at St Theresa’s Church
St. Columba’s Sean McCabe RIP
Saturday 11th February
St. Theresa’s 5.00pm Parishioners’ Ints
St. Columba’s 6.30pm Private Intention (EE)
Sunday 12th February
St. Theresa’s 9.30am Helen Walsh & Angela Griffin
St. Columba’s 11.00am The Parish
LIVE STREAMING OF MASS:
Mass will be streamed from St Theresa’s at 9.30 am this Sunday 29th January 2023.
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Please remember in your prayers Vera Joyce who died recently. May The Lord console her family and friends.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Mavis Lillian Shaw, Terry Keogh, Margaret Strong, Michael S Sanderson-Miller
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.
LENTEN SERVICES
ASH WEDNESDAY-22 FEBRUARY
St Theresa’s 10.00am Mass
St Columba’s 10.30am Mass
6.30pm Mass
STATIONS OF THE CROSS during Lent
St Theresa’s Friday 9.30am
St Columba’s Monday 10.00am
PRAYING TOGETHER:
We Pray for:
- The residents of Milton Road, Mostyn Place, Crabwell Place, Byron Close, Thomas Close, Gayton Close, Denhall Close and Moorhouse Close.
- For the Scouts, Venture Scouts, Cub Scouts & Beavers. For the Ranger Guides, Guides, Brownies, rainbows, Boys’ Brigade & Girls’ Brigade.
OFFERTORY:
St Columba’s: Loose plate: £394.17 Planned Giving: £118.50, Average weekly SOs – £574.00.
St Theresa’s: £272.92 average SO £161
Columba’s Coffee Rota
5th Feb – Chris & Elizabeth for the Tombola
12th Feb – Sue Carr for Third World Fund
19th Feb – Sue McCarthy for SVP
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.
WELCOME
This weekend we welcome Fr Desmond Wilson CSSP to our parish as assistant priest. We hope he will enjoy his time with us.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION ENROLMENT:
Today we welcome the children from St Theresa’s Primary School making their First Holy Communion who will be enrolled at the 9.30am Mass TODAY, Sunday 5th February 2023. Please pray for them and their families.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to all the children who celebrated their First Forgiveness at St Columba’s last weekend.
ST PIO PRAYER GROUP
The next meeting is on 9 February at 2pm in Flat 5, Abbots Court, Eversley Park, Chester CH2 2DY. Everyone is welcome.
UPTON CHURCHES TOGETHER
Thanks to all who joined in the 5th Sunday Service last week.
YOUTH GROUP
The next youth group will be on Monday 27th February, starting 7pm in the Iona chapel, finishing 8.30pm in St. Columba’s hall. All young parishioners in school year five or above are invited and very welcome to attend. We have temporarily moved to the fourth Monday because of half term. Would all regular attendees please note the new earlier start and finish times.
SVP THANK YOU
The youth group would like to say a big thank you to St. Columba’s SVP group for giving us table tennis bats and balls. We really enjoy playing with them.
ST COLUMBA’S CHOIR:
St Augustine used to say: ‘when you sing you pray twice’.
In 2022 some children started to take part in the parish choir. They sang regularly at mass, they took part at a Parish event and made recordings for the Parish website. Thanks to all the children and the parents that took time and effort to celebrate with their voice and talent the Glory of God.
In 2023 we would like to invite even more young people and children to participate in the choir. If you like singing, if you want to support the choir, learn something new, find new friends and pray twice you just need to sit on the front left side of the church. You do not need to know the music or be able to sing. Please come to mass a bit earlier around 10:30 so we can warm up the voice and sometimes we will ask to stay a bit longer after mass to practise.
If you or your parents/guardians want any clarification please do not hesitate to contact Giovanna 07728 948946 or the director of the choir Mark, 07752 317772 or approach them after mass.
CONFIRMATIONS 2023:
The Chester Parishes take it in turns to organise Confirmation. Last year it was St Columba’s and St Theresa’s, this year St Werburgh’s, St Clare’s and St Francis. The date is Wednesday 10th May, 7.00 pm, at St Francis. The Classes will be on Wednesday evenings at St Werburgh’s, 7.00 pm. Flyers at the back of church give full details. Minimum age is Year 8 in the High Schools – no maximum! Launch Meeting is Monday 20th February, and first class is Wednesday 1st March. Contact Fr Paul at St Werburgh’s if you need more information – but the flyer should answer most questions.
RETIRED PRIESTS’ FUND – SPECIAL COLLECTION 4th & 5th February (St Columba’s Only):
THIS weekend, at St Columba’s, there is the annual Collection for the Retired Priests’ Fund. With your help, we can build up the Fund to help meet the future needs of our sick and retired priests. If you wish to Gift Aid your donation, please make your donation Online. To donate Online please go to www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/retired-priests-fund
An electronic version of a leaflet about the Fund is available at www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/retired-priests-fund and this also explains how you can donate to the Fund by Standing Order or Cheque (please make payable to Retired Priests’ Fund) and how to Gift Aid donations made using these methods.
SVP THEATRE NIGHT – THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN
This gripping new play will keep you guessing until the final moments!! Wednesday 8th March 7.30pm Gladstone Theatre Port Sunlight. Tickets price £10 available from Sue McCarthy 07515 491251 or any SVP members. All proceeds going to support the running of the SVP holiday home.
Mary’s Meals
£100 was raised recently for Mary’s Meals. It was doubled to £200 by a donor. Many thanks for your support.
Thought for the week “The fullness of Joy is to behold God in everything.” Julian of Norwich .
We’re all in this together This Sunday, 5th February carries the theme of Racial Justice Sunday, its theme “All are included in the mission of Christ and His Church. Let us walk together, pray together and work together”. As Catholics we believe that every human being is created equally in the image of God. It is important to consider how we can better reflect this in our own actions, both as individuals and part of the wider Church. The following prayer is taken from Pope Francis encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti – on fraternity and social friendship: friendship: Maybe this may help us in our reflections “Come, Holy Spirit, show us your beauty, reflected in all the peoples of the earth, so that we may discover anew that all are important, and all are necessary, different faces of the one humanity that God so loves. Amen.”
Resources LiBS (the Library iPad Borrowing Scheme) will provide devices for residents to borrow for a six-week period from any Cheshire West and Chester Library. All you need is a library card and a form of ID, and you can join the library online in advance.
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:
22nd January edition will be compiled by Alison Wrigglesworth, Phone: 01244 382457, 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 8th FEBRUARY
Website: www.sscolumbaandtheresa.co.uk