News
RIP Brother Adrian Marsh OFMCap:Sunday 31st July 2022
Brother Adrian sadly passed away in the Countess of Chester Hospital on Sunday morning 31st July.
He was received into St. Francis' Church at 4pm on Monday 15th August. A Requiem Mass was held at 12 noon on Tuesday 16th August and was followed by interment at Pantasaph Cemetery. All were welcome to attend.
The Brothers would like to thank everyone for their kind expressions of sympathy following the death of Br. Adrian OFM.Cap and they would like to offer their appreciation to those who attended the reception into the Church on the Monday evening and also the Requiem Mass showing their support and respect for such a well-loved Brother.
✟ Requiescat in Pace ✟
'Capuchin Friars in Chester' - Our Facebook Page
Here is the link to our official parish website on Facebook called 'Capuchin Friars in Chester'.If you have a Facebook account click on the link below to follow and like the page.There will be items published in both, Polish and English.
www.facebook.com/capuchinsinchester/
Here is a wonderful video from our Facebook page called 'Christ is risen!/Chrystus Zmartwychwstal!'
Bishop of Shrewsbury ordains eight deacons from Beda College in Rome: Wednesday 15th June 2022
Eight third years students from the Pontifical Beda College were ordained deacon in the Basilica of St Paul’s outside the Walls in Rome by Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury, writes Josephine Siedlecka.
The new deacons are: Andrew Bishop from the Archdiocese of Southwark, Sean Henry from Shrewsbury, Shaun Doherty from Derry, Robert McMahon from Down and Conner, Gerard Moore from Killala, Paul Moores from Leeds, Wladimir Siwecki from Stockholm and Patrick van der Vorst from Westminster.
In his homily, Bishop Davies reminded the new deacons that their ordination called them to “a new intimacy with the Mystery of the Eucharist… For it is the light of this Sacrifice and Sacrament that we must learn to imitate Him who ‘….. came not to be served but to serve'” ….. He said: “As Saint John Paul II often reminded us, our vocation is found in the light of the Eucharist. And by returning to the Altar every day, we find the inexhaustible source of our life and ministry.” …. “By striving to give ourselves more and more – and this is the secret – we know a joy which never fades, a joy which grows greater with every passing year.”
Bishop Davies concluded: “Let us finally ask Our Lady then, in the consecration of her Immaculate Heart, to help us have a heart more and more like her Son’s, so in the words of the Prayer of Ordination you will always remain at the Altar “strong and steadfast in Christ.”
The Mass was attended by family and friends of the new deacons who travelled to Rome for the celebrations from several countries. After the service, a reception took place in the gardens of the college, under a glorious blue sky.
The full article and further details are available on the Diosese of Shrewsbury website by clicking on this link.
Article courtesy of Independent Catholic News www.indcatholicnews.com
Visits To The Sick and Elderly
Br. Jinson has been visiting and taking Holy Communion to the sick and elderly of the Parish. He is happy to do this going forward. If anyone would like Br. Jinson to visit a sick or elderly family member please contact him at St. Francis Church on telephone number Chester (01244) 315331 or via his email jinsoncap@gmail.com to make a convenient appointment for him to call.
Church Floor Repairs
UPDATE: Work on the church floor has now been completed. I would like to thank all the parishioners who so kindly donated towards the cost of the repairs. The total of £1,198.65 has been raised.
The donation box at the back of the church has now been removed and once again I offer my sincere thanks to you all. Br. Jinson
'Monthly First Friday Refreshments'Friday 2nd September 2022
Why not join us for tea, coffee, biscuits and cake each First Friday of the month after the 12 o’clock Mass in our Parish Hall. Money raised will go to charity. Look forward to seeing you.
First Saturday Devotion
Join us for First Saturday Devotion to The Immaculate Heart Of Mary. Prayers will be led by members of The St Francis Prayer Group. Part of The Holy Rosary will be said in different languages. Anyone who would like to lead a decade of the Holy Rosary is welcome to come forward.
Prayer For Peace
O Prince of peace, one more we hear the guns of war. Once again we see the faces of frightened children. We pray for the people of Ukraine, that they may be granted peace. We pray for the people of Russia, that they may demand peace. We pray for our country, that we may be a positive part of peace-making in the world.
O Prince of peace, lead us from this dark time to a deeper understanding of the global family, so that all may break bread together in the secure embrace of peace. Amen.
Repository Items Wanted
St Francis' Church would appreciate any donated items such as statues, framed holy pictures, bibles or missals.
We will display them in our repository requesting a donation for the benefit of the Church.
Caritas Newsletter
The word Caritas comes from Latin, and means love and compassion. Inspired by Catholic faith, Caritas is the helping hand of the Church – reaching out to the poor, vulnerable and excluded, regardless of race or religion, to build a world based on justice and fraternal love. Today they serve in 18 countries, working through 67 partnerships in communities to bring hope, support and compassion to the world's most vulnerable people.
Their newsletter is available to view and download by clicking on this link Caritas Newsletter
The Diocese of Shrewsbury Caritas website is available by clicking here.
Anniversaries
Prayers are requested for those whose anniversaries occur this month ✟ Requiescat in Pace ✟ To view anniversaries for the whole year visit our Prayers Page
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, Christopher Browne, Gill Wright, Emma Noble, Eleanor Milan, Colette Lazenby, Rita James, Maria Owen, Janka Whitlock and Rose Kane.
Sunday 9:45am Mass - Hymns & Music
| Sunday 21st August 2022 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time |
|---|
| Organ Prelude: Chorale Prelude on ‘Beloved Jesus, we are here’ (Max Reger) |
| Entrance: 983, ‘Hills Of The North, Rejoice’ (Tune - Little Cornard) |
| Sung: 518, Kyrie; 529, Gloria; Psalm; Alleluia; 570, Sanctus; 591, Agnus Dei; Eucharistic Prayer Acclamation |
| Communion: Organ Solo |
| Recessional: 872: ‘My God, Accept My Heart This Day’ (Tune - Solomon) |
| Organ Postlude: Fugue in D minor (C.P.E. Bach) |
| Sunday 28th August 2022 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time |
|---|
| Organ Prelude: Chorale Prelude on ‘Melcombe’ (C. H. H. Parry) |
| Entrance: 650, ‘My God, And Is Thy Table Spread’ (Tune - Rockingham) |
| Sung: 518, Kyrie; 529, Gloria; Psalm; Alleluia; 570, Sanctus; 591, Agnus Dei; Eucharistic Prayer Acclamation |
| Communion: Choir Anthem - ‘Ave Verum Corpus’ (Georges Guiraud) |
| Recessional: 647, ‘Now Let Us From This Table Rise’ (Tune - Melcombe) |
| Organ Postlude: Chorale Prelude on ‘Rockingham’ (C. H. H. Parry) |
Holy Days Of Obligation 2022
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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 14th August | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | ||||
| Tuesday 1st November | All Saints | ||||
| Thursday 8th December | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | ||||
| Sunday 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.
To view feast days for the whole year visit our Feast Days
Prayer Intentions During Ordinary Time
During Ordinary Time (Summer up to September) we are asked to pray for these intentions : A deeper understanding between Christians and Jews, Those who suffer Persecution, Oppression and Denial of Human Rights, Europe, Human Life and Seafarers.
Mobility Scooter for Sale
A parishioner has a mobility scooter for sale. Bought for a family member who didn’t use it very much. If anyone is interested please contact James direct on 07399654431 for further details. Thank you.
CAFOD Is Combining Efforts With The DEC To Launch The Afghanistan Crisis Appeal
CAFOD (Catholic Agency For Overseas Development) is combining efforts with the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) to launch the Afghanistan Crisis Appeal.
In Afghanistan, 8 million people are on the brink of famine because of drought, collapsing economy, food shortages, conflict, and COVID. CAFOD is supporting sister Caritas agencies to reach communities most in need with food, clean water, and fuel.
During Advent, when we open ourselves to the needs of others, let’s do all that we can to save lives. Please donate to this worthy cause and pray for the people of Afghanistan.
You can donate on the CAFOD website and read the full story by clicking on this link.
St Francis' Repository
Our repository is open and you will find a new range of 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, crucifixes, fonts cards, prayer cards, pictures, candles, rosary beads, missionary rosaries and ornaments for sale at very reasonable prices. Additional photos on our 'Gallery' page.
Why not come along and have a look and buy someone special a present!
Relics of St Bernadette of Lourdes to visit the Diocese of Shrewsbury: 13th - 14th September 2022
St Bernadette of Lordes
Shrewsbury Cathedral: Cathedral Church of Our Lady, Help of Christians and St Peter of Alcantara, Shrewsbury, SY1 1TE Arrive: 13:00 13/09/2022 Depart: 09:00 14/09/2022 St Werburgh’s Parish Church, Chester: Grosvenor Park Road, Chester, CH1 1QJ Arrive: 10:00 14/09/2022 Depart: 16:00 14/09/2022
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.”
Arrangements for 14th September Relics of St Bernadette St. Werburgh’s Church
The Booking System is now live and is accessible via https://stbernadette.org.uk/ the Diocese Website or go to the Home Page on St. Werburgh’s Website and click the button “St Bernadette Relics – 14th September”. Eight lines down you’ll find the link to the National Website. Click that and you’ll find a wealth of information. For Booking purposes, click “Registration” on the menu bar at the top of the page. Find the Map Pin for Shrewsbury Diocese (hiding behind Liverpool) and that will bring up the two venues, our Cathedral and St Werburgh’s. At the moment – Saturday morning, 30th July – only the afternoon visits are bookable. The morning is exclusively for our schools, but we hope the Bookings for Mass (12.15 pm) will be bookable soon as well. Further details can be found on the Shrewsbury Diocese Website.
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.
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.
Covid Guidelines
Following the statement from the Government that Coronavirus restrictions have been abolished in churches after nearly two years, Canon Christopher Thomas, general secretary of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has said the time had come for people to live with the virus (link to Diocese Of Shrewsbury article available here).
I humbly request all those who come to St. Francis Church respect the following guidelines;
- We encourage the use of face masks
- We encourage the use of the provided sanitiser for your hands
- Respect social distance wherever possible
- The Parish Mass Books can now be used
- 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 Jinson14th February 2022
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