News
November Dead Lists
A box with your November dead lists has been placed in front of the altar during November and every day Mass will be offered for all those on the lists.
Don't forget to check that the names of your loved ones are included on our Prayers Page. Why not write them a brief epitaph and email your request to St Francis Church on stfrancis.chester@gmail.com
Mass Intentions
| Date | Time | Intention |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 22nd November | 12:00 noon | Cath Dobson RIP |
| Tuesday 23rd November | 12:00 noon | Richard Crother RIP |
| Wednesday 24th November | 12:00 noon | Holy Souls |
| Thursday 25th November | 12:00 noon | Holy Souls |
| Friday 26th November | 12:00 noon | Lynn Taylor RIP |
| Saturday 27th November | 12:00 noon | Joseph and Andre |
| Vigil Mass | 6:30pm | Patricia O’Shaughnessy RIP |
| Sunday 28th November | 8:00am | Parishioners |
| 9:45am | Holy Souls | |
| 12:00 noon | Polish Mass - For Stanislaw Swiatek RIP First Anniversary | |
| 4:30pm | Polish Mass - Holy Souls | |
| Monday 29th November | 12:00 noon | Holy Souls |
| Tuesday 30th November | 12:00 noon | Ligeti Klara - Birthday |
| Wednesday 1st December | 12:00 noon | Maddalena and Rocco RIP |
| Thursday 2nd December | 12:00 noon | Kirsty Astle RIP |
| Friday 3rd December | 12:00 noon | Ligeti Ferenc RIP |
| Saturday 4th December | 12:00 noon | Eugeniusz |
Please note all masses in December 2021 have been allocated intentions.
Anniversaries
Prayers are requested for those whose anniversaries occur this month ✟ Requiescat in Pace ✟
| Date | Names |
|---|---|
| 25.11 | Florence 'Dolly' Jones (2013) |
| 27.11 | Bernadette Taylor (2003) |
| 1.12 | Winnifred Wightman (2018), Margarita Longworth (2004), Terance Bennett (2004), Sampson Jones (1997), Gladys Mary Wright (1990) |
| 3.12 | Priscilla Hassall (2007) |
Sick Parishioners
Please let us remember our sick parishioners in our prayers:
Terry Halpin, Kath Heffeman, Barbara Edwards, Kevin Roberts, Margaret Davis, Hilary Linty, Patrick Hannah, Elle Mae Dunne, Elaine Bruce, Colin Williams, Christopher Browne, Gill Wright, Emma Noble, Veronica Comerford, Eleanor Milan, Colette Lazenby, Rita James, Maria Owen, Janka Whitlock, Tony Kane and Rose Kane.
Holy Days Of Obligation 2021
Click on this link to the Liturgy Office for further information and a list of Liturgical Dates.
| Date | Holy Day (click on the name to find out further information) Weekday Mass Times - 12 Noon in English and 7.00pm in Polish | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 25th December | Christmas, the Nativity of Our Lord | ||
Feast Days
The 'Feast Days' page has been added to the main menubar. There is now a direct link to the Wiki page for each feast day. Just click the name to open up the information in a new tab.
See Feast Days
| Date | Feast Day (click on the name to find out further information) |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 23rd November | St. Clement I Pope, c100 |
| St. Columbian Abbot, c543 – 615 | |
| Wednesday 24th November | St. Andrew Dung-Lac & Companions c1795 – 1839 |
| Thursday 25th November | St. Catherine of Alexandria c287 - 305 |
| Friday 3rd December | St. Francis Xavier Priest, c1506- 1552 |
| Saturday 4th December | St. John of Damascus Priest, Doctor of the Church, c675 – 749 |
Prayer Intentions During Advent and Christmastide
During Advent and Christmastide we are asked to pray for these intentions: Migrants and Refugees, Expectant Mothers.
Relics of St Bernadette of Lourdes to visit the Diocese of Shrewsbury - Autumn 2022
St Bernadette of Lordes
The relics of St Bernadette will visit the Diocese of Shrewsbury next year as part of a national tour of Britain.
A section of bone from her thigh is to be taken to the major cathedrals and churches of the dioceses of England, Scotland and Wales in autumn 2022.
It will give British Catholics the chance to make a personal pilgrimage to the French saint, to venerate her and to pray for her intercession.
The Rt Rev. Mark Davies, the Bishop of Shrewsbury, said: “I look forward to welcoming the relics of St Bernadette of Lourdes to this Shrewsbury Diocese. Many pilgrims have journeyed to Lourdes over the years to pray alongside St Bernadette – and now it seems Lourdes is coming to us by the visit of the relics. May the example and prayers of St Bernadette lead us in 2022 to renewed faith and love for the Holy Eucharist.”
Her feast day 16th April 2022 has been added to our Feast Days page. The full article and details of St Bernadette's life are available on the Diosese of Shrewsbury website by clicking on this link.
Police agree to review last rites role of priests following refusal of access to Sir David Amess
Police and the Catholic Church are to form a joint group to examine the role of priests in emergency situations following the denial of last rites to murdered Catholic MP Sir David Amess.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick have agreed to work together to establish the group to study the access given, or refused, to Catholic priests to scenes of traumatic violence.
In particular, the group will consider whether any changes are required to the guidance issued to officers faced with such situations.
The review follows an outcry at the refusal of officers to permit Fr Jeffrey Woolnough to pass through a police cordon and administer the final sacraments of the Church to Sir David after he was stabbed repeatedly at a constituency surgery in Essex on October 15.
Cardinal Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster and president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, announced the formation of the group after greeting Commissioner Dick ahead of the Catholic Police Guild’s annual Requiem Mass at Westminster Cathedral.
The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Alan Williams of Brentwood – the diocese in which Sir David lived – who now serves as the Guild’s liaison to the bishops’ conference.
The full story is available on the Diosese of Shrewsbury website by clicking on this link.
(Photo © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk)
Shrewsbury Cathedral Awarded Culture Fund Grant to Restore East Window
Shrewsbury Cathedral is one of the heritage sites across England to receive a boost of £35 million thanks to the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
Administered on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) by Historic England, 142 sites will receive support, bolstering local economies and supporting jobs across the country.
Money from the government’s £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund is intended to open up heritage and the benefits it brings to everyone, helping to level up and improve life and opportunities for people in places that need it most.
At Shrewsbury Cathedral this funding will be used to repair and restore the East Window and surrounding stonework. The window was installed in time for the opening of the Cathedral in 1856, and is by the renowned Hardman & Co. stained glass company.
It is the first thing visitors see as they enter Shrewsbury Cathedral, and is the impressive backdrop to its sanctuary.
The full story is available on the Diosese of Shrewsbury website by clicking on this link.
(Photos courtesy of Paul Scott and Richard Keddie)
Urgent Gift Aid Information Required 2021/22
St Francis Gift Aiders - could you check what number you have been allocated on your envelope collection box. The following numbers of gift aiders are missing contact details - 10, 38, 39, 40, 58, 65, 72, 95. At present we don't get any benefit from these. Please check and if you are one of these numbers please contact Br Jinson so he can get all the information he needs and the Church can claim your gift aid.
For those people not taking part in the Gift Aid Scheme, or those regularly completing the white individual envelopes each week, if you wish to participate in the scheme and obtain a box of weekly envelopes please complete and date the special form and hand it to the parish priest. For every £1 donated by a taxpayer the Parish can claim 25p from H M Revenue & Customs. Please let us know if your circumstances change and you are no longer a taxpayer.
St Francis Church Repository Gifts & Cards
Our repository is now open and you will find a new range of Christmas gift ideas and cards. All purchases go towards the upkeep of the Church and helping our Parish community.
There is a wonderful selection of beautiful gifts, cards, pictures, candles, rosary beads and ornaments for sale at very reasonable prices.
Why not come along and have a look and buy someone special a present!
Annual Mass Attendance Count 2021
The Annual Mass Attendance counts for 2021 is now complete.
The first of the Annual Mass Attendance counts was made on the weekend of 18th/19th September. The second, third and fourth counts were taken on the 25th/26th September, 2nd/3rd October and 9th/10th October 2021.
Sacristans Wanted
St. Francis Church are looking for Sacristans, men or women, who can arrange and serve at Holy Mass either daily or days to be arranged. Please speak with Br Jinson for further details.
Singers Wanted for Sunday 9:45am Mass Choir
Anyone who loves singing and would like to join the new Sunday 9:45am Mass Choir, please see Peter Cooke after the 9:45am Sunday mass.
Sunday 9:45am Mass - Hymns & Music
| Sunday 28th November 2021 First Sunday in Advent (Year C) |
|---|
| In accordance with Catholic Tradition, there are no Organ Preludes or Postludes during Advent, except on the Third ‘Gaudete’ Sunday. |
| Entrance: 92, ‘Hark! A Herald Voice Is Calling’ (Tune - Merton) |
| Sung: 502, Kyrie; Psalm; Alleluia; 505a, Sanctus; 509, Agnus Dei |
| Communion: Choir Motet, ‘Zion Hears The Watchmens’ Voices’ (Words - P. Nicolai; Music - J.S. Bach) |
| Recessional: 109, ‘Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending’ (Tune - Helmsley) |
| Sunday 5th December 2021 Second Sunday in Advent (Year C) |
|---|
| In accordance with Catholic Tradition, there are no Organ Preludes or Postludes during Advent, except on the Third ‘Gaudete’ Sunday. |
| Entrance: 94, ‘On Jordan’s Bank The Baptist’s Cry’ (Tune - Winchester New) |
| Sung: 502, Kyrie; Psalm; Alleluia; 505a, Sanctus; 509, Agnus Dei |
| Communion: Organ Chorale |
| Recessional: 982, ‘O Jesus Christ, Remember’ (Tune - Cruger) |
Covid Regulations and Restrictions
The Brothers would like to thank everyone for following the Covid regulations and restrictions. Special thanks to the stewards for helping people to understand what is required.
New Covid Guidelines
Following the statement from the Catholic Bishops of England on Thursday 15th July 'Sunday - It Is Our Day' (link available here) and advice from our our Bishop Mark, I humbly request all those who come to St. Francis Church respect the following guidelines;
- We encourage the use of face masks
- Use the provided sanitiser for your hands
- Respect social distance wherever possible
- Use the cleaning wipes provided to clean your area before you leave the church
- Deposit the used wipes in the bins
- St Clare's Catholic Church, Downsfield Road, Chester, CH4 8HH
- St Werburgh's Catholic Church, Grosvenor Park Road, Chester, CH1 1QJ
- St Columba's Catholic Church, Plas Newton Lane, Chester, CH2 1SA
- St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, 128 Blacon Avenue, Blacon, Chester, CH1 5BU
However, please note that these recommendations are no longer mandatory. As always, many thanks to our stewards. Help yourself and others to be safe.
Br Jinson20th July 2021
Chester Sacrament of Confirmation Wednesday 23rd February 2022
The long awaited, next Chester parishes Sacrament of Confirmation celebration will be on Wednesday 23rd February 2022 at St. Columba’s. To be Confirmed in February, you must already be at high school now, however there is no upper age limit.
If you wish to be Confirmed, want information or have any questions, please email stcolumbatheresaconfirmation@hotmail.co.uk or contact Denise Lusk on 01244 379742. If you wish to join the adult preparation group, please also introduce yourself to Father William.
Chester Pastoral Forum
After the initial meeting of the ‘Chester Pastoral Forum’ which took place on 22nd October 2018 we have decided to improve the communication between the Catholic Parishes in Chester. From this week onward on our parish noticeboard next to our parish newsletter we will put the newsletters from all other parishes, so every our parishioner would be able to see what is going on in Catholic Parishes in Chester. On our website we have added links to the Chester Church websites below.
Links to Chester Catholic Church Websites
Franciscans In Chester: St Francis' Church and Friary Photographs Wanted
They say that a photograph is worth a thousand words. We are currently looking for any photographs of St Francis Church and St Francis Roman Catholic school in Cuppin Street, 'the Sisters' (ie the Faithful Companions of Jesus from Dee House) or other teachers and pupils at the school. Any photographs used will be credited, scanned and made available on-line as part of the history of St Francis School and Church. Please pass any photographs in and envelope with your name, address and a contact number to one of the Brothers. We will simply scan which photographs we wish to use and pass them back to you.
The book can be found by clicking on a new tab on the top menu called 'History'. It was originally published in 2000 to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the consecration of St Francis’s church in Chester and the 125th anniversary of its opening.
A guided tour of the church was published on our website last year and the full book has now been digitally published over the last twelve months setting out the Catholic and Franciscan history which gave rise to the church, friary and parish.
The book has been brought completely up-to-date with new pictures and topics in this digital edition. Be sure to have a look at our 'History' page and discover the origins of our beautiful Church.
Virtual Church Tour
Our virtual Church tour is now live and accessible via the 'TOUR' tab on the far right of the menu bar or by clicking 'Tour' on the Latest News item. Please have a look and let the other people know how interesting and informative it is. We found it fascinating and learnt so much about St Francis Church and it's history. Alan, Peter and Bernard have done a great job with the tour. We are sure that people all over the world would enjoy a virtual tour of our beautiful Church.
Prayers Web Page
We have set up a very special web page on our internet site which records all the anniversaries of family and friends who have died in the Parish. Throughout 2016 we will be updating this page adding dates of death and special epitaphs.
The page says the following; 'Prayers are requested for those whose anniversaries occur this month. May they Rest In Peace.' Due to the size of the list and the work involved in updating the list, names will be added to the web page each month during 2015 as the year progresses. It is also possible to include the date of death and a short personalised epitaph for your loved ones which will be displayed next to their name. To add relatives, dates or a personalised epitaph to the anniversary list please email to information to; stfrancis.chester@gmail.com We will try to update your information as soon as possible but please allow up to 28 days for the website to be updated.
See Prayers Web Page
The Order Of Mass: Printable Leaflets
We have included an on-line link to the printable 'Order Of Mass' leaflets from the Liturgy Office website which we will leave on our website as a 'Useful Link'.
Here is a direct link to the web page The Order of Mass Printable Leaflets