Parish
Welcome to the Parish of the Immaculate Conception
The parish, situated on the south west coast of England, was established on 14 July 1882 by the Franciscans (ofm). Clevedon is the largest town in the area and forms the hub of the parish. The surrounding villages of Yatton, (which has a small chapel of ease dedicated to St Dunstan and St Anthony) Wrington, Claverham and Congresbury are all part of the parish and are also served by the Friars.
Fr Antoine on the 800th Anniversary of the death of St Francis
Pax et Bonum! - Peace and all Good!
The 800th Anniversary of the death of St Francis
As we celebrate the 800th anniversary of St Francis welcoming Sister death (at the age of 44 or 45), it behoves me, as a Franciscan, to make some reflections about his life and the way it has changed my outlook on life.
As we live so we die
As a child of 12, my grandmother used to remind me of the French saying “telle vie, telle mort” which translated into English means “as a man lives so he dies”. She would say that especially when reflecting on the life of someone she had known and died. And usually she said these words when, in her estimation, the life of the person she knew had not been a particularly good one. And I’m sure she was right in her assessment. Welcoming Sister death is something that not very many of us care to do. Why? Perhaps because of the fear that we are not living or for that matter have not lived the life which readies us to meet our Maker. Francis, on the other hand, lived a good life both in front of His Lord and Master and his fellow human beings once he had embarked on the path of conversion. Was he eager to meet his Lord and Master? You bet! Like St Paul, he was looking forward to it. He did not fear Sister death which would transport him to His Lord and Master.
Francis lived Sister death
If I had to describe Francis’ life, it would be as a living death. To my mind, he lived Sister death. As St Paul said in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” If Francis lived a full life, and he did in spite of dying young by our standards, it is because he had died to himself and allowed Christ to live in him. That in essence is Christ’s teaching as when He says, “He who wants to save his life will lose it and he who loses his life will find it”. In other words, we have to die to ourselves or renounce ourselves to live life fully even in the here and now. But having died to himself is the reason Francis was able reach out to others, be they human beings or other living creatures for that matter. He was no longer focused on himself. No longer self-centred, but God-centred.
Sensitivity
As a result of this de-centralisation - from himself to God - Francis became even more sensitive than he was before to God’s creatures including human beings and to creation as a whole because everything spoke to him of God.
One of those creatures he reached out to in his sensitivity was Brother Wolf which, the legend of Gubio tells us, had terrorised the little village of Gubio attacking the villagers and devouring their sheep. Sensitive to the wolf’s hunger, Francis made an agreement with the animal that the villagers would feed it provided he stopped terrifying them and eating their sheep. Both parties kept to the pact and when the wolf died the people were sad for the wolf that reminded them of St Francis.
Francis, man of peace
Only a person who is at peace with their God and with themselves can bring peace to others. In his sensitivity Francis could not stand by and allow the two leaders of Assisi to hate each other. He had to do something. And so, for the love of God, he was able to reconcile the Bishop of Assisi and the Mayor of that city. As a result he included the final verse in the Canticle of Creatures namely, “All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon for love of you”.
For the love of God too, Francis wanted to bring peace between Christians and Muslims. That is why he sought to meet with the Sultan Malik Al Kamil but unfortunately he was not able to convert him to Christianity. But being the man of peace that he was, he earned the respect of the Sultan who provided him with a safe passage to wherever he was going, seeing moreover that he was poor, humble and unarmed - a man of peace. In going to meet the Sultan, Francis had nothing to lose. He had desired martyrdom but that was not what God wanted of him.
Close to God, Close to the whole of creation
It is my firm belief that when you are close to God you are close to all creation. Everything in creation spoke to Francis of God. Once when he was in a field, he came across an almond tree. Speaking to it, he said ‘Speak to me of God’ and at once the almond tree flowered.
Once he saved a lamb from the slaughter house by buying it. Who knows where he got the money though! He also asked a rabbit it had released from a trap why it let itself be caught and when Francis let it go, it came back to his bosom several times before eventually going its own way.
Everything speaks of God
If everything in creation spoke to Francis of God it was because he had fallen madly in love with Brother Christ. In fact his entire life was coloured by his love for the second person of the Trinity. Thomas of Celano, his biographer, tells us that Francis was so bowled over by the fact that Christ came down each day from His heavenly throne to be on the altar at the hands of sinful men that he could hardly think of anything else. Centred on Christ as he was, we see how Francis’ focus had shifted onto others in whom he must have seen the Christ Himself. Sinful certain priests may have been but he refused to see in them anything but the ones who dispensed the Body and Blood of Christ.
Francis: Detached from himself and free
In Francis we see someone who like Christ was truly free, not least free from himself. Liberated from concerns about possessions and worldly affairs, Francis was able to concentrate on the “One thing necessary” as Jesus had told Martha in reference to her sister Mary, who had chosen to sit at the feet of the Master. And having chosen that One thing necessary, Francis was freed from the trappings of this world and of worldly commerce, the world became his friary.
“I have come that they may have life …”
The Rule and life of the friars minor is to live the Holy Gospel. Therefore it is to live the life of Christ itself and to live life to the full. But to live the life of the Gospel is to die to self just as Christ died to self in order to live for His Father and us, His brothers and sisters. This is surely what Christ means when He says that He came that we may have life and have it in abundance. But it would seem that this life in abundance may start even in this life. And so we see Christ vindicated again when He says that to lose your life is to gain it.
Blessed are you Lord God of all Creation
This is the Canticle of Creatures St Francis wrote when he was nearly blind with brother rats crawling all over him in a shed provided for him by Sister Clare of Assisi:
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and all blessing, To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no human is worthy to mention Your name.
Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day and through whom You give us light. and he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour; and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather, through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night,and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love, and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace, for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find doing Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility.
-----000-----
Fr. Antoine Baya (OFM), Parish Priest, Clevedon, August 2026
Recent parish activity
On 15th May the Portishead Concert Band put on a concert in the church to raise funds for the charity Aid to the Church in Need. Concert goers enjoyed a wine and cheese buffet at the interval.
The evening raised £1035.66 for this important work.
Plant Sale: the May sale of plants raised £292 for the San Damiano Fund for our Church refurbishment. Thank you Vicki McHugh for organising the sale.
Bishop Bosco with Fr Antoine and Basia McLaughlin (Chair of the PPC)
On Sunday, 1st March, we were delighted to welcome Bishop Bosco Macdonald to our parish. Bishop Bosco celebrated our 10 a.m. Sunday Mass. Fathers Tony, Antony and Eddie concelebrated the Mass and Deacon John was also in attendance. It was good to see so many parishioners joining in this special occasion.
Bishop Bosco with Suzanne, Alister and guest
After Mass, the bishop, clergy and parishioners gathered in Greyfriars Hall for refreshments. Bishop Bosco took the opportunity to speak to many of those gathered.
Parishioners in Greyfriars Hall enjoying the Bishop's reception
Jinto and family
We are grateful to the bishop for taking the time to come to our parish, to celebrate the Eucharist with us and to meet parishioners.
Denise, Lynn and Mary, travelled from Yatton, Congresbury and Backwell. Michael not so far!
Fr Eddy in conversation with Jenny and guest from Hampshire
Clare and Maggie behind the scenes in the kitchen, with Joe on washing up duty.
Thank you to all those who worked behind the scenes to make the visit so successful!
100 Club March winners: 1st - £40 - No92 - Alex Murray, 2nd - £20 - No73 - Bev Parker, 3rd - £10 - No97 - Steve Elliott
100 Club February winners: 1) £40 - No 85 (Anne-Marie Mitchell), 2) £20 -No 7 (Mary Baker), 3) £10 - No 35 (M L Winser)
Churches Together United Service Thank You:
A huge well done to those people involved with the CTiC Service last Sunday (18th January). It was a pleasure to see a full church with people from so many different Christian backgrounds. A hearty well done to those who prepared the service, helped in the service in any way and those who laid on the hospitality in the hall afterwards. A special thank you to John Vaughan-Shaw for coordinating the preparation.
100 Club January winners: 1) £40 - Teresa Bateman (No. 78), 2) £20 Salvadora Paddington (No. 96), 3) £10 - Luca Murray (No. 60)
Parish Carol Service (21st December) - thank you Viki McHugh for organising this year's seasonal celebration for parishioners, family and friends.
Cots for Tots A collection at the parish Carol Service on 21st December raised £275.60 for this charity run by the University Hospital Bristol NHS Trust. Their web-site gives more information: https://www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/about-us/our-charities-and-fundraising/cots-for-tots/
The Church West Wall Renovation: The parish has repaid all the outstanding loans for the costs of the West Wall project! Thank you parishioners for your individual generosity and for the time and effort you have put into organising fundraising activities over the last year. Special thanks to the Franciscan Order for their interest-free loan and for their generous gift of £10,000 towards the work.
The San Damiano fund remains open to accept donations for church repair and maintenance work in the future.
100 Club December winners: Annual Special Draw £150—Cathy Barnett, 1) £40 - Alexandria O’Neill, 2) £20 - John Vaughan-Shaw, 3) £10 - Tom Osman
Friary Fayre 2025
Preparing the hall
The Fayre this year raised over £3,500 for the upkeep of the parish! A huge thank you to Paul Stathers, the stall-holders and the helpers for making this vital fund-raiser such a success.
Paul writes: "It is my easiest job of the year. No committee meetings, just email a fantastic group of ageing people. Give them a date for the Fayre and disconnect. From then on this dedicated group work tirelessly to create the stalls which you enjoy seeing on the day. Smiles all round as the parish gets together, spend their cash and raise £3,500 for the church. Incredible people and I take all the credit for doing very little. Simple!
Dominic and Molly serving at Sarah’s fudge stall
However, the future for the Fayre looks dubious. Pat has been treasurer for the last time of many . She retires with enormous thanks from us all, as does Eileen on the Bric a Brac. We need more people and new volunteers to take up the mantle - PLEASE email me ptstathers@gmail.com!"
Toy Stall! - Vincent and Basia before the rush.
Tombola with the band on-stage and Jenny taking the money!
The wonderful Portishead band
35 parishioners and visitors celebrated the Harvest Mass at the Parish Chapel of St Antony and St Dunstan last weekend (28th September) led by Fr Tony. The photograph (thank you Denise Vaughan-Shaw) shows the altar and the Harvest Festival offerings which will go to the local foodbank.
The Chapel, on the Claverham Road in Yatton, is popular with parishioners living locally and those from Clevedon needing an early start to their Sunday. Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 0830. All visitors are a most welcome!
Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) annual White Flower Appeal
The parish raised £529.10 for the SPUC annual appeal SPUC campaigns for the sanctity of
human life. This year’s appeal calls on the government to adhere to the UN Convention on
the Rights of the Child. It also is very concerned by the current private members bill on assisted dying being considered in parliament. You can donate to SPUC online if you wish: www.spuc.org.uk/donate
Carols at Christmas
The parish Carol service on the 22nd December was a wonderful opportunity for the parish to sing and socialise before the feast of Christmas. A huge thank you to Vincent and Basia McLoughlin for organising the event, the choir and musicians for supporting the singing, and the team in the kitchen providing refreshments. There was a popular tombola raising £170 for the west wall restoration fund.
Last week, on the evening of the 19th, the congregation at our Chapel in Yatton, held a Carols in the countryside celebration. Thank you Peter Kehoe for making it happen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Youth Group 13th December
During our December meeting we prayed together, played together, shared snacks and drinks together and made sandwiches for the homeless of Bristol City together. If you are between 11 and 15 years old and would like to join the group contact Tom at the parish office, or come to one of our regular meetings - see the Events page on this website.
100 CLUB Results - December: 1st Prize (£40) - No 46 Carmel Wear; 2nd Prize (£20) - No 35 M L Winser, 3rd Prize (£10) - No 63 Wendy Sidney.
Annual Draw (£150) - No 78 Teresa Bateman. Congratulations all!
Friary Fayre Saturday 16th November
Thank you to all who supported the fayre, especially all the stall holders and people who prepared food, drink and music for the Fayre. A very big thank you to Paul and his wife, Maggie for the hard work and time that they put into the Fayre preparation to make it such a wonderful occasion. Through all their efforts the Fayre has raised £3,896.34 towards the parish running costs.
The Craft Stall after Mass Sunday 27th October raised £447 for the West Wall Repair Fund. Thank you so much for supporting this venture.
Chilli and Tunes for the West Wall Fund - Friday 18th October
Reserved for the band?
Greyfriars Hall was rocking to the sounds of our resident band Table 9 last Friday evening. The occasion was the Chilli and Tunes social in support of the West Wall Fund. Guests enjoyed a fabulous meal, with choice of dishes, prepared by Basia and her team in the kitchen followed by a selection of cakes, tea and coffee.
Vincent led the band, playing and singing supported by acoustic guitar, bass guitar, keyboard and percussion. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of food and entertainment that raised a grand total of £462 for the West Wall fund.
Table 9 - (from L to R) Millie Ng, keyboard; Tom Osman, bass guitar and vocals; Sean Hennebury, percussion; Vincent McLaughlin, acoustic guitar and vocals
The West Wall of our parish church was suffering from the effects of 150 years exposure to salt-laden winds from the Bristol Channel. The repairs, completed in the summer, included re-pointing and refurbishing the stone-work with new protective covers for the leaded windows. The overall cost was about £40,000, covered by a loan from the Franciscan Order, and we are running a campaign to raise funds to repay them. For more information please contact the parish office.
Blessing of Pets 2025
In honour of St. Francis, pets from around the parish received a blessing from Fr Tony on Sunday 5th October. Fr Eddie joined in the fun too. This annual Franciscan tradition is confirmation for their owners that
God cherishes all of His creatures.
Francis, whose feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and his early brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey. Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God’s living things, “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.”
The Greyfriars Friendship Club met on the afternoon of Thursday 19th September in the hall for a fun afternoon with the Weston Ukulele Payers followed by a delicious afternoon tea.
Summer Coffee & Cake Mornings: this summer we have enjoyed some really pleasant Coffee & Cake Mornings courtesy of Sarah King’s initiative and with a little help from her sister, Linda, and friends – especially Angela Mitchell amongst others. Thank you so much for all your support of this and of course thank you to Sarah and those who proved a big help. Many parishioners and their friends enjoyed Scrumptious Cake, Coffee and a Chat!
The last Coffee and Cake morning was held on Wednesday – 28th August – 10am-12noon.
Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)
A Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) is a faith-filled leadership group through which priests and people work together as co-responsible partners in furthering the mission of Christ in their own parish. The PPC aims to assist the parish priest in his leadership role of planning, organising, initiating, promoting, coordinating and reviewing evangelisation, worship, religious formation, pastoral and service activities within the parish.
The members of our current PPC have all been appointed by Fr Tony, acting parish priest. The seventeen members are Fr Tony Baya (PP), Fr Eddie Highton, Cathy Alexander, Austin Davies, Christine Harris, Basia McLaughlin (Chair), Vincent McLaughlin, Anne-Marie Mitchell, Anthony Palmer, Lynn Palmer, Clare Somerton, Patrick Tossell, John Vaughan-Shaw, Carmel Wear and Deacon John Woodcock.
Click HERE to view pictures of the PPC members.
Minutes of each PPC meeting will be displayed in the parish and shared on the parish website. If you have any items you would like the PPC to discuss, please speak to a PPC member or email the parish office.
Last Meeting: Draft Minutes Monday 13th July 2026
Next Meeting: Monday 11th May, 1900 in the retrochoir
Approved minutes of the meeting held on Monday 11th May 2026
Conversations in the Spirit
In 2024 and 2025 the parish undertook two 'Conversations in the Spirit' in an attempt to discerne the future development of the parish. The reports from each conversation can be downloaded by clicking on the links below:
Finance Committee
- Our Financial Responsibility
Most things in this life have a financial cost and running our parish is no exception. Our weekly running costs are in excess of £1100 per week and on top of this we contribute about £300 per week to the Diocese. All of this money has to be provided by the parishioners, principally through the offertory collection.
- The Best Way to Make Your Offering – GIFT AID
Offertory giving by monthly standing order is the most welcome form of giving if one can manage it, as it provides a steady and predictable income, allowing forward planning, and if you are a taxpayer it can easily be made tax efficient by the Gift Aid process.
For every £1 donated to the parish by Gift Aid, the parish receives £0.25 from the government, thus making the total income of the parish £1.25. Giving by Gift Aid does not commit you in any way. You can always reduce or stop your giving if your circumstances change.
In order to meet the rules set down by the government, the parish needs to be able to prove that you have given the donation to the parish. The easiest way to do this is by a bank standing order. However without any Gift Aid declaration the parish does not receive any tax back on this.
In order to Gift Aid your offertory giving to the parish, you need to sign a Gift Aid. This is a form of words agreed with the government which enables the parish to claim the tax related to that offertory donation.
Gift Aid forms are available from the parish office and in the rack in the Narthex. If you have any questions about gift aid please contact Mary Bradley(Gift Aid Secretary) 07855 238657 or email Mary by clicking on >here<
- Financial Administration
For day to day administration our Parish Office man maintains a record of all parish business transactions. These records are recorded online into an accounting package built for parishes. This provides the basis to produce a formal set of accounts and enable the Parish to submit an annual financial return to the Diocese. The Parish’s annual accounts are independently audited.
- Parish Finance Committee
The Parish has a mandatory finance committee whose primary function is to assist and advise the parish priest in accordance with Canon 537 of the revised Code of Canon Law. Parish finance committees are regulated by universal law as well as by norms issued by the diocesan bishop. It is through through the operation of the Finance Committee that the Christian faithful are able to aid the parish priest in the administration of the parish with due regard for the prescription of Canon 532 (the parish priest represents the parish in all juridical affairs). Our Parish Finance Committee currently consists of six lay persons, drawn from both Clevedon and Yatton parishioners, who together enjoy a consultative voice. Membership of the Finance Committee is at the discretion of the parish priest and appointments to the Committee are made on a three year term renewable for not more than three terms. The Committee normally meets quarterly.
The Finance Committee has oversight of Parish income and expenditure. As the Parish is self-funded it looks to ensure that there is sufficient income to meet day to day running costs, including general building maintenance works, and, from time to time, larger long-term projects. It also seeks to provide assurance that expenditure is authorised, appropriate and provides good value for money. The Finance Committee provides an annual report to the Parish, normally at the Parish AGM
For a response to a general question or concern please telephone the Parish Office on 01275 873205
5. San Damiano Fund
Named after the location in Assisi where St Francis heard God’s message “Francis, mend my church”. This fund was established to fund the Church Refurbishment project, and it was magnificently successful – the beauty of the church is testament to our parishioners. Many, many thanks. It now continues to fund the repairs needed to the church walls and to the Retro Choir as a project.
For a statement of the San Damiano Account click here
Church Shop
The Church Shop or Repository sells Christian cards, bibles, books, rosaries, crucifixes, statues and gifts suitable for marking personal professions of faith such as e.g. first holy communion, baptism and confirmation. We also have a small selection of icons exquisitely hand-painted by a very talented local artist and parishioner (the funds donated for these icons go exclusively to the San Damiano Fund for refurbishment of the church).
We take cash or cheques but no cards please. The small surplus from shop sales is used support the community of Friars in Clevedon.
Anyone may use the repository which is open before and after mass on Saturday at 6:30pm and on Sunday at 10am.
Contact Jenny Henneberry at the Repository or enquire via the parish office. Click here to email or telephone on 01275 837205.
Parish Hall
The history of the parish
A brief history (scroll down for published accounts)
Since 1887 the Church of the Immaculate Conception has been the spiritual centre for the Catholics of Clevedon and beyond. Within its walls generations of Catholics have gathered, prayed and worshipped, drawn perhaps by the spirit of St Francis of Assisi.
The Franciscans have served in this church ever since they built it to serve their Friary and growing parish congregation. The Friars originally came to England from Amiens in France to escape the new, Jules Ferry, laws affecting religious communities passed by the french government in 1880. They arrived in Clevedon in June 1882 taking up residence in Portland House in Wellington Terrace. Just five lay-people, being the total Catholic population of Clevedon, attended the first Mass. However townspeople, curious about the newcomers and their religious practices, were made welcome by the friars and swelled the congregation. Soon a larger house was purchased for the sum of £3800. The ‘Royal Hotel’, as it was originally called, stood on the property now occupied by Friary Close. Masses were held in the bar of this former hotel from February 1883. As the congregation increased, so it was decided to build the present church in the grounds of the Friary.
On 16th February 1886 the foundation stone was laid. The first public Mass was said a year later and in July 1887 the new church was consecrated. The cost of the building was £3000, paid for mainly by the lay members of the Franciscan Order in Amiens. The church is in early English style, using local stone and Bath-stone dressing. The remarkably colourful stained glass windows have a variety of images. Many depict Franciscan saints, such as Bonaventure and Duns Scotus, while some show scriptural stories – the Baptism of Our Lord, the descent of the Holy Spirit and Veronica wiping the face of Jesus. The two side chapels are dedicated to St Francis and to Our Lady respectively.
The French Friars served the people of Clevedon, Portishead, Nailsea and the surrounding villages, until 1902 when the French Friars were able to return to France and the English Friars were given the responsibility of caring for the Parish of the Immaculate Conception.
Portishead continued to be served from the Friary until 1907, when the new church and parish there was given over to the Diocese. The Friars continued to serve In Nailsea where a small hut was purchased in 1936 to be used as a Mass centre. In 1980 with the building of Catholic the primary school then Nailsea became a parish in its own right to be run by the Diocese. Today the villages of Yatton, Congresbury, Claverham and Wrington remain part of the parish. There is a small chapel-of-ease in Yatton, dedicated to St Dunstan and St Antony, that holds regular Sunday Masses for the people of these villages.
The Parish Today
Many years after the first Friars arrived in Clevedon the Franciscan Order remains responsible for our parish. Our parish priest and his fellow friars, in partnership with the laity, continue to seek ways of serving the needs of all those who gather in our church to pray and worship the Lord. Together we are committed to responding to the needs of all parishioners: families and single people, those who are widowed and those separated, ethnic minorities and immigrants and established residents.
Fr Berchmans Dockery O.F.M has published A History of the Parish from 1887 - 1987
Mr Michael Huscroft has updated the history to 2004 in his work The Parish and Church of the Immaculate Conception, Clevedon
Mr Austin Davis has produced a further update in his work A History of the Parish & Church of the Immaculate Conception, Clevedon, 2005 - 2022
Doris Stockholm (former Sacristan at the Chapel of St Antony and St Dunstan) has produced a personal account of the period after WW2 Memories of the Franciscans
St Francis of Assisi and the founding of the Franciscan Order
In 1182, Pietro Bernardone, a prosperous silk merchant, returned to Assisi, from France, to find out his wife had given birth to a son. Pietro was furious because she’d baptised the boy Giovanni after John the Baptist. The last thing Pietro wanted in his son was a man of God — he wanted a man of business, a cloth merchant like he was, and one who would share his love of France. So he renamed his son Francesco – thus it was that Francis of Assisi joined the world.
Francis grew up in a wealthy environment and with a doting, permissive father so he enjoyed a life of riotous parties – carefree and uncaring. Seeking glory Francis joined the Assisi army and fought against Perugia. The Assisi forces were hammered and Francis imprisoned for over a year before his father paid the ransom for his freedom. But Francis was unchanged – a call for knights to join the Crusades put the pursuit of glory back in his mind and In a massively expensive suit of armour Francis made a heroic departure. That night he had a dream in which God told him to change his ways. He returned home to abuse, humiliation, accusations of cowardice and his father’s scorn. He discarded his fine clothes and went off into the hills to pray. Francis devoted himself, thereafter to a life of prayerful poverty. Clad in a rough garment and barefoot he began to preach.
According to tradition, in 1205 Francis was praying in the church at San Damiano – a very run down building
– he saw the figure of Christ crucified come alive and say to him, “Francis repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin”. With his usual impetuosity Francis set to to repair the San Damiano church. Only later did he realise that God’s message actually asked to restore the Church as a whole rather than literally repair buildings such as San Damiano.
By 1219 and despite not wanting to found a religious order Francis' followers had increased in numbers to such an extent that something had to be done to its primitive organisational structure. Francis therefore sought and won the authority of the Pope and founded a new religious order in his name. He withdrew from official duties.
In 1223, Francis arranged the first Christmas nativity scene.
In 1224, he received the stigmata becoming the first recorded person to bear the wounds of Christ’s Passion. Francis died during the evening hours of October 3, 1226, while listening to a reading he had requested of Psalm 142, namely:
I cry out loudly to God, loudly I plead with God for mercy.
I spill out all my complaints before him, and spell out my troubles in detail.
On July 16, 1228, Francis was proclaimed a saint by Pope Gregory IX. He is known today as the patron saint of animals and the environment, and is one of the two patron saints of Italy.
The website of the Franciscans of Great Britain.
Maintenance Team
We have a dedicated maintenance team working under the direction of the parish priest to ensure that the fabric of the church, Greyfriars Hall and the chapel of ease at Yatton are maintained in good order. The team directs contractors undertaking small and medium sized building work.
The team is led by Tony Bradley.
Tony is also responsible for health and safety around the parish properties and in the buildings. He ensures that contractors observe the appropriate statutory and regulatory requirements. He also ensures that the parish completes the safety and maintenance work required by our insurers.
Volunteers are always welcome to join the maintenance team, especially if they have relevant expertise!
Please report any health and safety concerns about the parish buildings or grounds to the Parish Office: tel 01275 873205 or email