Our Lady Star of the Sea | St Bernard of Clairvaux | St Saviour
WEEKLY REFLECTION
Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Home Mission Sunday
This Sunday we are reminded that to be a missionary you do not have to travel too far from home. Every parish, home, workplace, school, university, hospital, prison is in need of mission in today’s times.
We don’t have to travel far to realise that there are neglected corners of our communities where the Gospel needs to be spread. As virtue of our Baptism, we are chosen to carry out this duty and obligation entrusted to us as believers of Jesus Christ. We can do this by making everyone aware of the need for salvation by our witness in leading a good life, those who are searching for the truth will respond and come forward if they see who we are, rather than who we profess to be.
As we bear witness with our lives, it is good to check ourselves at times, are we leading a good Christian life? Remember this may be the only book of the Gospel that is open for people to read. The words of St John Henry Newman ring out true in this respect. ‘Let me preach to you without preaching, not by my words but by my example.’
We are seeing a turn towards more people seeking the truth, but there are still many who don’t let Gospel values influence their everyday activities. Our faith which we have received and nourished over the years is a reminder of things more lasting than this present life, it is for sharing and for handing on to the next generation.
Let us pray that God will make our faith strong enough so that we are courageous and eager to share it with others.
May God bless you all.
Parish News & Updates
A Year in Our Parish: Looking Ahead to a Year for Young People
As Fr Godlove marks one year in our parish, he gives thanks for the warm welcome and support of our parish community and shares his vision for the year ahead — with a particular focus on helping our young people grow in faith, prayer and community.
Walking with Mary: Our Lourdes Pilgrimage
This year’s Lourdes pilgrimage marked the beginning of a new three-year spiritual journey, inviting pilgrims to follow Mary through the Annunciation, Visitation and Magnificat. Our parishioners shared reflections on a deeply spiritual and uplifting experience, praising the care of our young pilgrims and encouraging more parishioners to consider joining the pilgrimage in 2027.
Community Prayers
For the Sick and Housebound
Paul Smith, Dot MacDonald, Antoinette Denney, Carol Elliott, Shirley Stephen, Mark, Eliyamma Thomas, Angela Bedward, Marcus Vernon, Tom Berry, Wayne Statham, Arthur Harrington, Oliwia Dorocki, Mike Burton and Patrick Green.
May the Lord watch over, guide and protect all the sick and housebound of our parish. Amen.
Written requests for prayers to be included in the newsletter can be given to Fr Godlove, Deacon Tony or passed into the sacristy. Please include on the written request; your name, the person you are requesting prayers for, and state that the person is happy for their name to be included in the newsletter.
The Recently Deceased
Of your charity, please keep the following recently deceased parishioner(s) in your prayers:
William Royal RIP – Funeral SERVICE Friday 25th September 10.40am at Chester Crematorium
John Thomas Duffy RIP- TBC
Maureen Agnes Mary Morris RIP- TBC
Upcoming Parish Events
27th September - 11am
Little Disciples Mass
3rd October - 7pm
TV & Film Quiz Night
25th October - 11am
Little Disciples Mass
7th November - 7pm
Decades Quiz Night
22nd November - 11am
Christ the King International Mass
29th November - 11am
Little Disciples Mass
5th December - 7pm
Christmas Quiz Night
12th December - 11am
Christmas Fair
THE POPE'S INTENTION
For the care of water
Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.
Notices
FIRST FORGIVENESS & FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
Congratulations to Dylan and Eliza Povey who made their First Holy Communion last Sunday.
We pray for Alexander Carpenter who will be making his First Holy Communion at the 11am Mass on 27th September and for all the other children from non-Catholic schools being prepared here in the parish who will be making their First Forgiveness and First Holy Communion in the weeks and months ahead. We continue encouraging them to start/continue being active members of our parish community alongside their families, in addition to attending Mass every Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation which is a ‘basic minimum’ for us as Catholics.
In line with Father Godlove’s initiative and to get the young ones involved, the schools will take it in turns to provide an illustration of the Gospel theme each week. One drawing will be included in the newsletter and the others will be displayed on the board in Church so please do take a moment to have a look through the Children’s drawings.
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM – UPDATE
Congratulations to Josie and Indie Jones who were Baptised last Sunday, and we pray for Sofia Stephenson who will be Baptised on 27th September. We keep praying for all the other children, parents and sponsors preparing for the Sacrament of Baptism in the weeks and months ahead.
60TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Many congratulations to our Parishioners Ted and Sally Edgar who celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary. They were married here at Our Lady’s on 24th September 1966. We pray for them and their family as they celebrate this special milestone.
PARISH PILGRIMAGE INVITATION: WALKING THE CAMINO – OCTOBER 2027.
We would like to invite parishioners to walk the final stage of the Camino Francés in Spain (114km). This is being planned for the last week of October 2027. This ancient pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela has been travelled for centuries by Christians seeking prayer, renewal, and deeper encounter with God.
We hope to journey together as a community - sharing faith, friendship, challenge and the joy of pilgrimage - while walking through the beautiful Galician countryside towards the tomb of St James.
If you would like to express an interest in joining the pilgrimage and feel you are physically able to participate, please let the parish office know. An information meeting will be held in the coming months to outline the specifics - dates, route, practical arrangements, costs, and preparation.
Please consider taking part in this special opportunity for both shared and personal prayer, reflection, and renewal.
ADOREMUS 2026: NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS - “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE”
On Saturday 10th October 2026, Catholics from across England and Wales are invited to gather in London for Adoremus 2026, the National Eucharist Congress. Adoremus is the Bishops’ invitation to renew our devotion to Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist. The day will unite delegates from dioceses throughout England and Wales while encouraging parishes and communities nationwide to participate through local celebrations and livestreamed content. An outline of the day can be found on the Diocesan website:
The Diocese of Shrewsbury will be putting on a coach to travel to this event, and it will stop in Ellesmere Port to collect any parishioners who may wish to attend. For more information, please email: natalie.orefice@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
At Our Lady's, we will be joining in with this national celebration by having 10 hours of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on this day. This will provide us with a time to come and sit with Jesus who is truly present in the Eucharist. I invite all of us to take part in this throughout the day – from 7am to 5pm; ending with Benediction before our weekly Vigil Mass. During the ten hours of Adoration when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed on the altar, we are asked to ensure that the Eucharist is never left unattended. For this reason, I invite parishioners to sign up for a time of prayer to ensure continuous presence throughout this 10-hour period. A sign-up form is available at the back of the church.
I encourage you all to take part in Adoration, as this is a beautiful opportunity to deepen our relationship with Christ, to pray for our parish and families, and to enjoy being in the presence of Jesus Christ.
SHRINES OF FRANCE PILGRIMAGE
Deacon Tony and a number of our Parishioners have joined Fr Paul Standish on a pilgrimage to the Shrines of France and are praying for all the Parish as they visit each Shrine. The first three photos are in The Chapel of St Vincent de Paul and the fourth one is at the Rue de Bac where Father Paul Standish celebrated Mass on Wednesday.
MACMILLAIN FUNDRAISER
The “Come as you are” group are holding a fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Support on Tuesday 29th September, 12.30pm to 2.30pm. Tea, coffee, biscuits, and cake will be available for a donation. All are welcome.
LOURDES PILGRIMAGE 2027
This year’s pilgrimage, the Sanctuary of Lourdes opened a new three-year spiritual journey, based on the Gospel according to Saint Luke. Three years to walk with Mary, guided by her faith, her hope and her praise. In 2027 the theme will be The Visitation and in 2028 the theme will be The Magnificat and 170 years of apparitions.
During our pilgrimage in 2026 we began the gateway to this journey setting us on the threshold of the Annunciation, where it all began. “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). These words which the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary are not just a passage from the Bible they are an invitation to every pilgrim who comes to Lourdes. An invitation to welcome, to listen and to dare to say “yes” to something that can transform our lives.
The invitation is there for us all; to dare to say “yes”.
It would be wonderful if more of you good parishioners and more of our young people, could join together with Father Godlove, Deacon Tony and pilgrims from all over our Diocese and the whole Universal Church next year. Maybe we could organise our own coach with no overnight travel but with a stopover enroute? The cost would be around £900 per person for all travel, accommodation and meals. An idea could be to put a little money aside each week in a savings box to fund the trip. Also, we could all join together in participating in fund raising ideas throughout the year, to assist with the costs for our youth, who wouldn’t normally be able to join us. If you think you may be able to join with us next year on pilgrimage, either by air or by our parish coach please register your interest with Father Godlove, Deacon Tony or the parish office, and we will assess in the coming weeks if there is enough interest to enable us to go forward with running a parish pilgrimage journey to Lourdes.”
Save the Dates for next year
By Air: 30 July to 5 August 2027
By Coach: 29 July to 6 August 2027
Youth Pilgrimage: 28 July to 6 August 2027
ST SAVIOUR’S SCHOOL MOSAIC
On Friday 9th October at 9.30am Father Godlove will bless the mosaic that was made for St Saviour’s school’s 60th anniversary celebration.
All parishioners are welcome to attend this liturgy, which will be held in the school hall.
Please arrive by 9.20am.
SVP SPONSORED WALK
In 2024, three much loved and respected members of our SVP conference passed away. In addition to being active SVP members, all three of them were strong advocates for pilgrimage. In their memory in 2024 and 2025 we organised sponsored walks around the Chester Walls which have been well attended by their families. The generosity of our Parish and our local community has resulted in us raising enough funds to send a parishioner to Lourdes in the last two years. I am sure that you will have been moved by the wonderful account that Craig shared in our newsletter after he and his son Ronan visited Lourdes in July this year. Our 2026 walk takes place on Sunday 27th September, which is the Feast of St Vincent de Paul. If you would like to support this year’s fundraiser, we will have sponsor forms available after the Masses this
month.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN VACANCY AT HMP &YOI STYAL
Do you feel called to a ministry that brings hope, healing and transformation? We are seeking a compassionate and committed Roman Catholic Chaplain (Priest or Lay) to join our multi-faith chaplaincy team in a women's prison.
This is a unique opportunity to support women in custody and prison staff through spiritual leadership, pastoral care and ministry. Alongside providing faith-based care to Roman Catholic prisoners and staff, you will work collaboratively with colleagues to meet the pastoral needs of people of all faiths and none.
Through your ministry, you will help create an environment where women can rediscover dignity, purpose and hope. We are looking for someone who is empathetic, resilient and committed to serving others with respect and integrity. This role provides an opportunity to live out your vocation in a setting where your faith and pastoral gifts can have a profound and lasting impact.
If you are interested in helping people build brighter futures, we would love to hear from you. This is a one day a week post (8hrs).
Please contact Managing Chaplain Jo Hirst for further information 01625 553015
Joanna.hirst1@justice.gov.uk
CAFOD FAMILY FAST DAY FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER
This Harvest, CAFOD is inviting parishes to help children have the food and safe water they need to learn. Please donate to our Family Fast Day parish collection. Put your faith into action and share the Lord’s love by supporting our global neighbours experiencing shortages of food and safe water. Your gift can support children like Tayla in Zimbabwe to stay in school by helping communities and schools provide nourishing meals, improve access to water and grow food in school gardens.
Use the CAFOD envelope in church, donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call 0303 303 3030.
MARRIAGE HELP
Communication failure is a major cause of marital breakdown - 1,000's of couples have found Retrouvaille helped their relationship. Retrouvaille is not counselling but a programme to help married couples work through conflicts more effectively. We focus on helping restore trust and hope.
Bookings close on 18th September. www.Retrouvaille.org.uk +44 7887 296 983
CAN YOU HELP MAKE OUR BIGGEST SOCIAL EVENT OF THE YEAR A SUCCESS?
Our Christmas Fair returns on Saturday 12th December, and planning is already underway for what is our biggest parish social event of the year. We are looking for volunteers to help in a variety of ways, including setting up before the event, running stalls, serving refreshments, and helping with the all-important clear-up afterwards. We are also in need of donations of bottles, chocolates, sweets, toys, toiletries, raffle prizes and
other suitable items.
Would you like to run a stall at the Christmas Fair? If so, we'd love to hear from you!
Please email events@ourladystar.co.uk to register your interest.
To assist with the planning of this event, there will be a Christmas Fair Planning Meeting on Sunday 27th September, after the 11:00am Mass, in the Committee Room/Church. Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you've helped before or would like to get involved for the first time. If you would like to volunteer, we ask that you complete a Volunteer Registration Form, even if you are attending the planning meeting.
This helps us understand where people would like to help and ensures we have the correct contact information we need to keep everyone updated as plans progress. This form can be completed online via the Parish Website, or a paper copy can be collected from and returned to the back of church or emailed to events@ourladystar.co.uk.
Thank you for your continued support. Every volunteer, donation, stallholder and helping hand plays an important part in making the Christmas Fair a wonderful event for our parish and the wider community.
JOB OPPORTUNITY – PAX CHRISTI
Pax Christi England and Wales is recruiting a new General Secretary to lead our small team, working with individuals, groups, parishes, the Catholic hierarchy and the network of organisations who share our values, including Pax Christi International, our mother body. Based in London, we are open to some remote working and flexible working hours; job share applications will also be considered.
If this sounds like you, or someone you know, we would love to hear from you. Download the Job Description and Person Specification from our website https://paxchristi.org.uk
To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter with your personal statement (each no more than two A4 pages) to: Treasurer@paxchristi.org.uk
Deadline for applications: midnight Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Interviews will be held in London on Thursday 8th October 2026
Please share this opportunity with anyone who might be interested.