Saint Francis of Assisi Church, Pottery Lane

14/12/2025

Times of Christmas Masses

Christmas Eve 4pm
The 4pm Mass – with cantor and organ – is for very young children and their families. The children are invited to come dressed as one of the characters from the Nativity story. If you don’t have a costume (tea-towel on the head makes an instant shepherd!) we have some costumes at the church. All children who would like to take part in the Nativity story
need to be at the church by 3.45pm

6pm & 11.30pm
sung by our choirs.

Christmas Day – 11am
sung by our choirs.
Friday 26th December - 10am

14/06/2025

8 years on and the last anniversary of the fire to be marked with Grenfell Tower still standing. May the dead rest in peace, may the living know justice and peace.

25/04/2025

Pope Francis RIP

The morning Mass in St Francis of Assisi, Pottery Lane, tomorrow, Saturday 26th April, will be at 8am (not 9.30am as usual) and said for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis.

On Sunday morning 27th April at 11.30am the intention of the Mass (2nd Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday) will also be for the repose of the soul of the Pope.

Eternal rest, grant unto him O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
Amen.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Amen.

21/04/2025

Following the sad news of our Holy Father Pope Francis’ death this morning, Cardinal Vincent Nichols will celebrate a Requiem Mass here in Westminster Cathedral at 5.30pm (livestreamed). All are welcome to attend.

The Cathedral will remain open until approximately midnight, for private prayer.

May he rest in eternal peace and rise in glory.

21/04/2025

Pope Francis has died aged 88, the Vatican Press Office has confirmed. He served as the 265th successor of St Peter from his election on 13 March 2013 to 21 April 2025.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, has said:

‘The death of Pope Francis brings great sadness to so many around the world, both within the Catholic Church and in societies in general. A voice proclaiming the innate dignity of every human being, especially those who are poor or marginalised, is now silent. The legacy he leaves is one we must seek to carry forward and strengthen.

‘Pope Francis was called to priesthood through his experience of the mercy and compassion of God. This remained the core of his ministry, as Priest, Bishop and Pontiff. Only in understanding the love and mercy of God towards each one of us can we fashion societies and communities that bear the mark of the “kingdom of God”.

‘This same focus and emphasis lay at this desire to see membership of the Church as being rooted in ‘missionary discipleship’, a dynamic and powerful vision for every Christian and every community.

‘Now we pray for the repose of his soul, that he may know, in full measure, the merciful and loving embrace of the Father, of the one God to whom he gave his life in unstinting service.

‘May he now rest in peace and rise in glory.’

https://rcdow.org.uk/news/pope-francis-requiescat-in-pace/

14/04/2025

Holy Week Masses & Services

Maundy Thursday – 17th April
Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper - 7.30pm
followed by watching at the Altar of Repose until 11pm

Good Friday – 18th April
Children’s Stations of the Cross – 10am
The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord – 3pm
Stations of the Cross – 7pm

The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night – 19th April – 8.30pm

Easter Sunday – 20th April
Mass 10am & 11.30am
All the Easter Masses will be sung by choirs.

19/12/2024

Times of Christmas Masses

Christmas Eve
4pm – Children’s Mass
Children are invited to come to Mass dressed as a shepherd, angel, sheep or other character from the Christmas story.

6pm & 11.30pm

Christmas Day – 11am

Christmas Eve 6pm, 11.30pm & Christmas Day 11am Masses
will be sung by our choirs. Music to include Mozart’s Coronation Mass.

Thursday 26th December - 10am
Friday 27th December - 9.30am

Saint Francis of Assisi on Pottery Lane is a Roman Catholic Church Notting Hill, London.

14/06/2024

Praying for the 72 who died at Grenfell and for the whole community.

19/12/2023

Times of Christmas Masses

Christmas Eve
4pm – Children’s Mass
This Mass – with cantor and organ – is for very young children and their families. The children are invited to come dressed as one of the characters from the Nativity story. If you don’t have a costume (tea-towel on the head makes an instant shepherd or you could make a sheep facemask!) we have some costumes at the church. All children who would like to take part in the Nativity story
need to be at the church by 3.45pm

6pm & 11.30pm
Both Masses with Choir

Christmas Day – 11am
With choir

Saint Francis of Assisi on Pottery Lane is a Roman Catholic Church Notting Hill, London.

09/05/2023

On Sunday, as part of our Coronation celebrations, I blessed this new stained-glass window in honour of St John Henry Newman.

The Rev’d Henry Augustus Rawes, who built St Francis of Assisi Church in Pottery Lane at his own cost, would have been delighted that the parish celebrates St John Henry Newman for it was in no small part thanks to Rawes’ reading of Newman’s writings that he made the decision to become a Catholic in 1856. Indeed, at the time that the final plans were being laid for the building of this church in 1859, Rawes, himself a writer, theologian and poet, was in correspondence with Dr Newman.

The window was designed by Caroline Benyon (1948-2021) and painted and constructed by Andrew Taylor, assisted by Rebecca Bingham.

King Charles III, as Prince of Wales, was present in Rome for the canonization of St John Henry and wrote powerfully about the saint in a guest editorial for the Vatican’s newspaper.

04/05/2023

Mass to Celebrate the Coronation & Blessing of the Newman Window
Sunday 11.30am

Music includes
Vierne - Messe Solennelle
Vaughan Williams - O how amiable are thy dwellings
Vaughan Williams - O taste and see
The National Anthem - arr Gordon Jacobs

Refreshments after Mass