St Joseph's Church Ilminster Somerset
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Who we are
Our Mission
We, the Roman Catholic Parish of The English Martyrs. Three Places of Worship, One Family Parish. Our aim to Worship God, Love each other, Serve the community and Pray for the Power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives In the name of Jesus Christ.
We, the Roman Catholic Parish of The English Martyrs. Three Places of Worship, One Family Parish. Our aim to Worship God, Love each other, Serve the community and Pray for the Power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives In the name of Jesus Christ.
Street Address
Church Pastor
Canon John Cunningham
Parish Priest
2 East Street
Chard,
Somerset
TA20 1EP
United Kingdom
Phone: 01460 62197
Download Parish Priest Canon John Cunningham vCard
Click here to contact Canon John Cunningham
Denomination
Roman Catholic
Affiliations
Church Website
St Joseph's Church on Social Media
YouTube Video: Holy Mass - Sunday 31st January, English Martyrs Chard
Leadership
Leader Name:
Canon John Cunningham
Leader Position:
Parish Priest
Formal Title:
Leader Address:
2 East Street
Chard
Somerset
TA20 1EP
Chard
Somerset
TA20 1EP
Phone:
Fax:
Leader Email:
Click here to contact Canon John Cunningham
Leader Bio:
Canon John Cunningham on Social Media:
Other Church Leaders:
Leadership Photos
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Administration
Admin Name:
Mrs Maggie Weedon
Admin Position:
Office Administrator
Admin Address:
Phone:
Fax:
Admin Email:
Click here to contact Mrs Maggie Weedon
Mailing Address
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St Joseph's Church Mass Times
Sunday Mass Times
Saturday Vigil Mass 5.30pm - Ilminster
on Saturday 7th and 14th of October Mass will be at 5pm because of the Carnival
Sunday 8.45am - Crewkerne
Sunday Holy Mass 11.00am - Chard
Holy Communion for those unable to attend Mass in Person. If you are unable to Mass in person because you are housebound/Illness it may be possible for you to receive Holy Communion in your own home. Please contact Our Parish Administrator, Maggie, Parish Office: 07483 120603. If you get the answer phone please leave a brief message stating that you would like to receive Holy Communion.
It's been more than a year since the last mass times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm mass times.
Please contact the church to confirm Mass Times or SUBSCRIBE to updates below
Saturday Vigil Mass 5.30pm - Ilminster
on Saturday 7th and 14th of October Mass will be at 5pm because of the Carnival
Sunday 8.45am - Crewkerne
Sunday Holy Mass 11.00am - Chard
Holy Communion for those unable to attend Mass in Person. If you are unable to Mass in person because you are housebound/Illness it may be possible for you to receive Holy Communion in your own home. Please contact Our Parish Administrator, Maggie, Parish Office: 07483 120603. If you get the answer phone please leave a brief message stating that you would like to receive Holy Communion.
It's been more than a year since the last mass times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm mass times.
Please contact the church to confirm Mass Times or SUBSCRIBE to updates below
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Worship Languages
Dress Code
Sunday School / Children and Youth Activities
Under 12s:
Under 18s:
Local outreach & community activities
Other activities & ministries
Special Needs/Accessibility
Prayers and Hymns
Main Bible:
Hymns and Songs:
Other information
Average Adult Congregation:
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Additional Info:
St Joseph's Church Ilminster Photos
St Joseph's Church - Ilminster, Somerset
St Joseph's Church - Ilminster, Somerset
Our church sign
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St Joseph's Church History
Parish History
The foundation stone for he present Church of the English Martyrs was laid by Canon Lee on 24th September 1925. The completed church was opened and solemnly blessed, less than a year later by Bishop Burton on the Feast of St Alban, the first of all the English Martyrs, 22 June 1926. From that date Chard became a Parish in it’s own right, having been until then a part of the Taunton Parish of |st George. A high Mass was celebrated on that occassion bt Canon Cashman, with the (later to become) Rt Rev Mgr ProvostIles as Deacon and Canon McEnery as sub-Deacon. ProvostIles later preached at the opening of St Joeseph’s Ilminster (22 April 1953), which along with St Peter’s in Crewkerne (Opened 1935), is a daughter church of the Chard parish. The Congregation os St Peter’s Crewkerne moved to \methodist Church in Crewkerne in 2006.
The Church itself was built by WJ Harris, Furnham Road Chard, in the design of Sir Frank Wills of Bristol . It is a Victorian Gothic in style, and built of local flint stone with freestone dressing. The structure is spanned by Oregon pine beams. The present nave and Choir loft are original to that design. Together with the Presbytery, built at the same time, it Cost £4,537 (£352,898.48 in todays Money 2023) of which only £919 (£71,481.97) was left to the parish as a debt, the rest being covered by a single substantial donation
Over the main door of the church is a carved statue of the Blessed Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury who with two of his monks, was hanged for his faith in the sixteenth century. He is one of the English Martyrs to whom the Church is dedicated.
The original sanctuary had an altar of carved oak with the tabernacle, above which was an arched window matching that behind the choir loft. In 1966, a new altar of Portland stone was installed for Mass to be said facing the people. At that time, the tabernacle was moved to the right of the sanctuary, where the original confessional had been. The Canopy over the altar was made of ash and afrormosia with brass ribs and corners. The sanctuary furniture (lecterns,sedilia and acolytes’ stools) as well the 1966 altar rail was made of oak.
The remodeling of the church for the post Vatican II rite was undertaken, at a cost of £1,473 (£35,108.15 in today’s money 2023), by C Turner and Son, Chard to the design of Peter Ware, Dowy square, Bristol. The church was then consecrated on 27th September 1966 by the then Bishop of Clifton, the Rt Rev Joseph Rudderham.
One requirement before a church building can be consecrated is usually that its building debt is cleared, so the debt must have been met very promptly. The carved crosses on the plaques on the wall, and the candle holders by them are a reminder of that day of consecration which is remembered annually by the Special Mass on that day. The east window depicts the Adoration, commemorating the diamond anniversary in 2004 of Canon James O’Brien.
The present Church grounds also contain a church hall opened in 1993 at a cost including a debt to the Diocese of Clifton of £15,00 (£357,516.85 in todays money 2023). The Hal itself is composed of two classrooms brought from Langport. It stands on the site of the old tin hut Church of the English Martyrs which was another relocated building from St Joseph’s Fishponds.
The foundation stone for he present Church of the English Martyrs was laid by Canon Lee on 24th September 1925. The completed church was opened and solemnly blessed, less than a year later by Bishop Burton on the Feast of St Alban, the first of all the English Martyrs, 22 June 1926. From that date Chard became a Parish in it’s own right, having been until then a part of the Taunton Parish of |st George. A high Mass was celebrated on that occassion bt Canon Cashman, with the (later to become) Rt Rev Mgr ProvostIles as Deacon and Canon McEnery as sub-Deacon. ProvostIles later preached at the opening of St Joeseph’s Ilminster (22 April 1953), which along with St Peter’s in Crewkerne (Opened 1935), is a daughter church of the Chard parish. The Congregation os St Peter’s Crewkerne moved to \methodist Church in Crewkerne in 2006.
The Church itself was built by WJ Harris, Furnham Road Chard, in the design of Sir Frank Wills of Bristol . It is a Victorian Gothic in style, and built of local flint stone with freestone dressing. The structure is spanned by Oregon pine beams. The present nave and Choir loft are original to that design. Together with the Presbytery, built at the same time, it Cost £4,537 (£352,898.48 in todays Money 2023) of which only £919 (£71,481.97) was left to the parish as a debt, the rest being covered by a single substantial donation
The original sanctuary had an altar of carved oak with the tabernacle, above which was an arched window matching that behind the choir loft. In 1966, a new altar of Portland stone was installed for Mass to be said facing the people. At that time, the tabernacle was moved to the right of the sanctuary, where the original confessional had been. The Canopy over the altar was made of ash and afrormosia with brass ribs and corners. The sanctuary furniture (lecterns,sedilia and acolytes’ stools) as well the 1966 altar rail was made of oak.
The remodeling of the church for the post Vatican II rite was undertaken, at a cost of £1,473 (£35,108.15 in today’s money 2023), by C Turner and Son, Chard to the design of Peter Ware, Dowy square, Bristol. The church was then consecrated on 27th September 1966 by the then Bishop of Clifton, the Rt Rev Joseph Rudderham.
The present Church grounds also contain a church hall opened in 1993 at a cost including a debt to the Diocese of Clifton of £15,00 (£357,516.85 in todays money 2023). The Hal itself is composed of two classrooms brought from Langport. It stands on the site of the old tin hut Church of the English Martyrs which was another relocated building from St Joseph’s Fishponds.
St Joseph's Church Historical Photos
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"Our prayers must mean something to us if they are to mean anything to God."Maltbie D. Babcock
St Joseph's Church listing was last updated on the 26th of September, 2023
