News
Prayer Intentions
During Advent and Christmastide we are asked to pray for these intentions:Openness to the Word of God, Migrants and Refugees and Expectant Mothers.
An Update on Br Jim
Br Jim is thankfully no longer in the hospital and is currently at Florence Grogan House in Blacon for some respite care after which it is hoped that he will return to the Friary. The address of where he is: Florence Grogan House, Shelley Road, Blacon, Chester, CH1 5XA. Please feel free to visit Br Jim whilst he is in respite at Florence Grogan House. Once he is back at the Friary a notice will be put in the newsletter.
St Francis' Repository At Christmas
Many thanks to everyone who has given to our Repository - this all contributes to the upkeep of our Church and we are most grateful. Please keep bringing any unwanted items in!
We now have good selection of Christmas cards/Advent Candles/Advent Calendars and many gifts for you to give someone special. We also carry a large selection of Mass/birthday and anniversary cards and currently one of our dear Brothers is working on handmade Prayer Cards - very special! Please feel welcome to browse!
Why not come along and have a look and buy someone special a present!Additional photos on our 'Gallery' page.
Help Father Francis Feed The Starving
If you are thinking of a Christmas present for someone how about buying an article of Fr. Francis' crochet, a coat, a shawl, a slipper or a mitten. You will be helping him raise money for the starving children in the world. They can be bought from the display at the back of the Church.
A Prayer To The Holy Spirit
At the end of year 2022 I asked the Holy Spirit, my best Friend, to help me write a prayer I could recite every day to keep me closer to the Blessed Trinity and get me to Heaven.
This is the prayer He inspired me to write. I give it to everyone who comes to confession to me. You may like to say it too.
Heavenly Father, with the help of your Holy Spirit, may I lead the best life I can today. When the time comes for me to take my last earthly breath, may I be surrounded by Your loving arms. On the day of my death may I hear your Son say to me, "I promise you this very day you will be with me in Paradise."
Father Francis OFM Cap, November 2023
Several of Father Francis' books and publications are now available for sale from the repository at St Francis Church.
A full list of Father Francis' books and publications are available on this link: Books by Father Francis
Father Francis prepared a special homily for All Souls Day which is exclusively avaiilable in the Library page of our website. Here is a link which will take you to the homily on our Library page.
Vocation Promotion
Let us all pray together for the promotion of more vocations to the Priesthood. There are a number of cards at the back of the Church with a prayer attached please take one.
St Francis Holy Hour
We will be meeting weekly for a Holy Hour to pray, to reflect and to share. We pray for our parish and our country in the sacramental presence of our Lord. We reflect on inspired readings and most of all on God’s Word. We share our thoughts and life experiences as Christian brothers and sisters. You are more than welcome to join in weekly, or bi-weekly or just once in a while when you can make it on Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. in the Church (Entry via the green door at the left hand side of the Church).
If you have questions call 01244 351331. See you there!
New Podcast Available
We continue our reflections on Vatican II, in Part III On The Church. This time, we ask the question: ‘Why is the Church?’ Why does she exist...? The Council's answer is that her mission is to call all people of all times to holiness, which is why she must evangelise. What this means for us is given in Lumen Gentium Chaps 5 and 6, taken together. Podcast 9 and its handout are now available on the diocesan website at www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/news-events.
A leaflet outlining the content of all of the podcasts is available in the parish. If you have difficulty accessing this material or have questions and reflections, please don’t hesitate to contact Barbara via Email: barbara.davies@dioceseofshrewsbury.org or Telephone: 07730 526821.
Sunday 9:45am Mass - Hymns & Music
| Sunday 10th December 2023 Second Sunday in Advent (Year B) |
|---|
| 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: from 479 — p. 202 Kyrie; Psalm; Alleluia; p. 207 Sanctus; p. 210 Agnus Dei; Eucharistic Prayer Acclamation |
| Communion: Choir Solo Recitative - ‘Comfort ye, my people’ (G. F. Handel - ‘Messiah’) |
| Recessional: 982, ‘O Jesus Christ, Remember’ (Tune - Aurelia) |
| Postlude: Choir Solo Air - ‘Every valley shall be exalted’ (G. F. Handel - ‘Messiah’) |
| Sunday 17th December 2023 Third Sunday in Advent (Year B) - ‘Gaudete’ Sunday |
|---|
| In accordance with Catholic tradition, there are no Organ Preludes or Postludes during Advent, except on the Third ‘Gaudete’ Sunday. |
| Organ Prelude: Air ‘How beautiful are the feet’ from ‘Messiah’ (G. F. Handel) |
| Entrance: 105, ‘Lift Up Your Heads, You Mighty Gates’ (Tune- Old Hundredth) |
| Sung: 479 - p. 202 Kyrie; Psalm; Alleluia; p. 207 Sanctus; Eucharistic Prayer Acclamation; page 210 Agnus Dei |
| Communion: Choir - Advent Prose ‘Rorate Caeli’ ‘Drop down, ye heavens, from above’ (Words - Isaiah) |
| Recessional: 100, ‘Come, Thou Long - Expected Jesus’ (Tune - Stuttgart) |
| Organ Postlude: Air ‘Rejoice Greatly’ from ‘Messiah’ (G. F. Handel) |
Highlight from the High - Christmas Fayre Tuesday 19th December 2023
Save the date! The Catholic High School, Chester, invites you to come along to the Christmas Fair followed by Carol Service on Tuesday 19th December from 4pm in the school. There will be stalls, games, and refreshments. Visit Santa's Grotto! The Carol Service will start at 6:30pm. Entry Fee £1. Everyone is welcome!
Monthly First Friday DevotionFriday 5th January 2024
Join us for First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 10.30 am in St Francis Church, in front of the Sacred Heart statue of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The statue depicts the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a representation of the love of Christ, devotion to which, although it first appeared explicitly in the late 13th century, only became widespread after the Napoleonic Wars.
It was declared a universal feast of the Church in 1856, and in 1875, the year our church was opened, Pope Pius IX exhorted all Catholics to consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart. It might be considered a visual portrayal of the same sense of Jesus's overflowing love for mankind as is conveyed in the words of Methodist hymns dating from the same era.
Monthly First Saturday DevotionSaturday 6th January 2024
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.
Confession - The Sacrament of Reconciliation
As from Saturday 7th January 2023 the start time of the Saturday afternoon confession changed from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. Confessions will be heard starting at 6:00pm for half an hour before the 6:30pm mass. See the table below:
- Friday 11:00am - 12:00pm
- Saturday 11:00am - 12:00pm
- Saturday 4:00pm - 4:30pm (Up to Saturday 31st December 2022)
- Saturday 6:00pm - 6:30pm (From Saturday 7th January 2023)
- Confessions available on request. As long as there is a Priest available within the Friary the sacrament of reconciliation can be heard any time by going to the green door in the car park.
- 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
Diocesan Pilgrimage to the Holy LandThursday 8th - Thursday 15th February 2024 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever"
A Pilgrimage for The Diocese of Shrewsbury under the leadership of Bishop Mark Davies.
"As we prepare for the Holy Land Pilgrimage of 2024, we set out in the joyful confidence that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13: 8). A pilgrim to the Holy Land seeks more than the beauty of landscapes or the memories of ancient places but seeks Jesus Christ in all the places associated with his life, death and resurrection. In pilgrimage we trace the path Christ walked on earth; we set out to meet Christ today, above all, in the Holy Eucharist and glimpse the pilgrim path of our own lives in the light of Him who is the same yesterday, today and forever. I look forward to our pilgrimage together,"" + Mark
For further a brochure and booking form visit www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/
Any questions regarding the pilgrimage should be directed to Father David Long via email at longdv1@aol.com
CAFOD Volunteers Wanted
The church relies on people getting involved. Our church, our world needs you. Could you be more involved in the life of our church? What aspects of church brings you life or joy? Could you give a bit of time to help those parts flourish?
CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, are looking for people to give some time and join them in their mission. Could you help in our parish, bringing people together to help build a better world or help by visiting local schools? Or raise a voice and campaign for justice or perhaps speak for CAFOD throughout the diocese? Could you support local volunteers or share your office skills to help CAFOD keep costs low? Training and support is provided.
See www.cafod.org.uk/Volunteer for more information or get in touch via our email address shrewsbury@cafod.org.uk or by phoning 07920 232936
Holy Days Of Obligation 2023
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 8th December | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | ||||
| Monday 25th December | Christmas, the Nativity of Our Lord | ||||
'Pray the Rosary without Distractions' by Father Francis Maple
Our very own Father Francis has published books on Amazon UK.
Do you have difficulty in praying the rosary? If you do, you may find this book helpful. Praying the rosary as described in this book will help you to cut out distractions. You will find that for every Hail Mary there is a thought or picture to keep your mind concentrated on what you are saying.
The paperback book is now available for sale from the repository of St Francis Church priced at £5.00.
The book is also available in Paperback from Amazon UK - Here
The book is available in Kindle format from Amazon UK - Here
A list of books written by Father Francis and published by Amazon UK is available - Here
A link to Father Francis' own website can be found - Here
If you don't have an Amazon UK account an order form can be downloaded - Here
'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!'
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.
Materials For Reflection Following The Synodal Submissions
In submissions to the Synodal Process, many people expressed a desire for formation in e.g. Scripture, spirituality and, specifically, the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. To meet these requests, the Department for Evangelisation is offering an introduction to the Council, together with a presentation of two of its major Documents: Dei Verbum (on Revelation) and Lumen Gentium (on the Church). The aim is simply to give an overview of both documents, and enough insight into their content and ongoing importance to encourage people to read the texts for themselves, copies of both of which are available at the CTS or on the Vatican website.
This presentation will take the form of a recorded conversation between Miss Barbara Davies (Coordinator for New Evangelisation) and Dr Stephen Yates (Senior Mission Catechist). The mp3 audio file will be available on the diocesan website from the beginning of Lent; the material will not, however, be time-bound. Printable handouts will enable individual and group reflection. For further information, please contact either Barbara (07730 526821) or Stephen (07842 487978).
An Online Course On Vatican II
An online course on Vatican II: In response to Synodal Submissions, the Diocese is offering a series of short podcasts throughout Lent. Accessible on the diocesan website at dioceseofshrewsbury.org they are not time-bound and may be listened to anytime. You will also find handouts there on various topics, whilst a leaflet outlining the content of the recordings is available in the parish.
Online course on Vatican II: Part III The Church. The first podcast on Lumen Gentium is now available at dioceseofshrewsbury.org. together with 3 handouts for downloading or printing: An Introduction to LG; A visual presentation of its 8 chapters; An outline of issues addressed in it. A leaflet outlining the content of all of the podcasts in the series is available in the parish.
Should you have difficulty accessing this material, any questions or reflections, please don't hesitate to call Barbara Davies on 07730 526821.
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.
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, Janka Whitlock and Rose Kane.
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
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.
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