The Church

101 Hunters Road

Handsworth, Birmingham

B19 1EB

0121 554 0905

stfrancis.bham@rcaob.org.uk

The Parish is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham Charity Number 234216

Parish Priest - Fr James Ipinlaye

fr.james.ipinlaye@rcaob.org.uk

OUR STORY

The History of St Francis

Saint Francis of Assisi abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and live in poverty. He is the patron saint for ecologists.


The foundation stone of St Francis' church was laid in May 1893 by Bishop Edward Ilsley. The church was completed a year later and was opened by Cardinal Herbert Vaughan on 2 February 1894. When the debt from the cost of the building, £9000 was paid off five years later, the church was consecrated on 21 June 1900.


The church hosts 11 masses per week where everyone is welcome. There is also an adoration chapel next door to the church that can also be used for prayer.


The site of the old St Mary's church is now occupied by St Francis Catholic Primary School. The school has a close relationship with the parish and the Sisters of Mercy next door who each have a representative on the school's board of governors.


As well as, the Sisters of Mercy based in St Mary's Convent next door to the Church, other Catholic religious orders also work in the parish. The Missionary Sisters of St. Columban, the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit, the Missionaries of Charity, and the Dominican Sisters of St Rose of Lima all help pastorally in the area with the congregation.

St. Francis' Live Stream

Our Parish also offers a live streaming service for Sunday masses and services.

Now more than ever online services are vital to making church accessible to all, letting you engage with the church, and enabling you to share it with others. It also helps us to develop and deepen the unity which the Lord has given to his Church

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Fr James Ipinlaye - Parish Priest. From Sept 2025

Born in 1981 from Kogi State Nigeria. Obtained Philosophy and Theology from Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Major Seminary Bodija Ibadan Nigeria and Urbanian University Rome. Ordained to the order of Presbyterate of the Catholic Diocese of Ilorin Nigeria on the 15th of August 2011 

He is currently on mission in the Archdiocese of Birmingham. fr.james.ipinlaye@rcaob.org.uk

ST MARY'S CONVENT

Sisters of Mercy

Tel:       +44 121 554 3271
Email:    sisters@mercyhandsworth.org.uk

St. Mary’s Convent, a Pugin building, opened in August 1841 - a few months after St. Chad’s Cathedral opened a mile down the road.

Early benefactors of St Mary's included John Hardman of Hardman & Co and John Talbot the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury. They both wanted to address poverty in Birmingham.


The Convent is home to the Sisters of Mercy, founded by Venerable Catherine McAuley in Dublin in 1831, and is the second English foundation of the order. John Hardman’s daughter, Juliana, became the first superior of St Mary's.


Throughout its history, as well as being a house of prayer and a base for parish work, St Mary's has also been a centre for the education ministry of the Sisters of Mercy. St Mary's Convent School operated on the convent grounds until the late 1960s. It was decided that as St Mary’s was the last house founded by Catherine McAuley it should continue as a Spirituality and Associates Centre, offer a Heritage Trail and extend a ministry to local women and children. There are currently five sisters in the Community, carrying out various ministries.

Mass Times:

MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY

9.15am

THURSDAY & Holy days of Obligation

9.15am 7.30pm

SATURDAY

11.00am

5.00pm

SUNDAY

8.00am

10.30am

12.30pm - Vietnamese Mass

5.00pm

Confessions:

SATURDAY

10:15am - 10:45am

4:30am - 4:50pm

THURSDAY

7:10pm - 7:25pm

Contact Us

Let us know if you have any questions!

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