St. Frances de Chantal Church

I have been attending daily Mass at St. Frances de Chantal Church for quite some time. It is a beautiful church, and I am grateful for the opportunity to pray there during the week. However, I recently had an experience that left me concerned.

A neighbor's mother had just passed away. It was too soon to schedule a Mass in her name because the intention book was already filled, and the church only allows one intention per daily Mass. Out of compassion, I asked the priest if her name could be included in the Prayers of the Faithful, specifically among the intentions for the recently deceased.

The request was declined. I was not asking to change the scheduled intention or to replace anyone. I was only asking that a grieving family be remembered in the universal prayers of the Church. According to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, the Prayers of the Faithful are meant to include intercessions for the needs of the Church, the world, those in difficulty, and the dead. This part of the liturgy is not limited to a single offering and should allow space for the community to lift up those in need.

This situation made me reflect on how the Church responds to moments of fresh grief. When Mass intentions are full, there should still be a way to show mercy and support to the faithful. We are called to accompany others in sorrow and to pray together as a community.

I continue to pray for our parish priests, leaders, and community. I hope that going forward, those who are mourning can be met with greater pastoral care and understanding.

So I'm a little biased, because I have attended this church and was baptized and made communion here when my family lived in the bronx. I always loved the music here and the stained glass windows on the inside of the church. The outside also is a brick building and is very nice. I have family too that got married here, and according to my mom- the church really hasn't changed at all- at least the inside hasn't.
Anyways, went here recently on Saturday May 3rd 2025 to attend a communion in the family. Loved the chorus singers- and the kids singing. Only downfall is that i'd suggest a better soundsystem as I couldn't really hear some of the priests that were doing the mass. Sometimes people not hearing the mass can make it hard to follow along with it.Especially if one wants to renew their faith if they haven't gone to church. The spews are comfortable. Enjoyed my visit back to the old church where i was baptized, and made my communion myself!

I am loyal to st Francis. Got married there in 1975 plus communion Conformation plus all my siblings the same and most of their children baptized there. Until msg Graham took over and the baptizing stopped at St. Francis because of the limitations msg Graham implemented. Parents who are children of God want to baptize their children and are made to feel not Worthy enough because they are not registered Parisioners plus the godparents they choose aren't either.i understand where monsignor is coming from but just advice them to do the right thing not force them . So parents are going to St. Benedict or other churches instead. Also the priest there other than msg. Graham, have VERY heavy accents and hard to understand so when they talk to you during their sermons you get NOTHING Out of it which is so sad and fear going to confession cause I can't understand what they are saying and don't want to insult them. I loved when the priest were understood I, learned alot from them. Also they seem to cater to the Spanish more than ever which is nice and godly but when we have to go to receive ashes at night after work and the only night service is only in Spanish and not bilingual us Americans sit there not understanding ..I know alot of residents in throggs neck now go to St Benedict cause of all of the above. Which is so sad. Like I said I am loyal to my church and will still attend every Sunday but if I drove maybe woukd go to sunday mass at st Benedict just to be more fulfilled