Serving the English-Speaking Catholics of Cuenca
Sunday Mass
We at Saint Francis Catholic Community in Cuenca are richly blessed every Sunday to be able to celebrate the Holy Mass in a ancient church with roots in the origins of colonial Cuenca. The Iglesia de San Francisco has a rich history of serving the people of Cuenca for over four centuries and now it also serves as our place of worhsip. It's magnificent retablo behind the main altar and the traditional pulpit remind us that previous generations of Cuencanos sacrificed much to have here a church worthy of God and that would bring the Lord and his saints close to them as they prayed.
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As we now draw close to the Lord in this church, we do so using the English language for our liturgies so that we might hear God's Word and join in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, fully, consciously, and actively.
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Please join us every Sunday at 10:00 am. Your presence makes our church family complete!
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Following Mass on most Sundays, we offer coffee, pastries, and conviviality in the church colonnade so that we might enjoy one another's company and get to know our visitors and newcomers better. You are always welcome!
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Daily Readings
Attending to God's Word as it is found in our holy Scriptures is one of the primary responsibilities of every Christian and every Christian community. In our Catholic Church, we especially receive God's Word in the first part of every Mass, The Liturgy of the Word. We can prepare to receive God's Word for the coming liturgy by prayerfully reviewing the readings of the day or the coming Sunday in missal at home or now on-line through the a variety of sites.
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Just click the button below to be taken to today's readings courtesy of the Unites States Conference of Bishops (USCCB).
Wednesday Mass
On Wednesday each week, many gather at the home of Father Kevin for an intimate Mass in his living room. It is a lovely opportunity to spiritually "recharge" mid-week.
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After Mass, we enjoy coffee, tea, and something delicious to nibble on as we casually visit in Father's garden.
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Our Own Missal
We have created our own bilingual Mass and Prayer Book for use in our Saint Francis liturgies so that in our peculiar situation where we often find ourselves as English-speakers in a Spanish-language Mass or our Ecuadorian visitors want to follow along with us, this bilingual Mass and Prayer Book is a great help to us in praying together no matter our preferred language.
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It is available in the church on Sundays next to the hymnbooks for "one-time use", or you may purchase a copy to take home or bring with you to Spanish language Masses elsewhere. To purchase your own copy, please use the donation envelope found in the inside cover; all proceeds go to support the Posada de San Francisco, which serves the hungry and homeless. Suggested donation is $20, but give what you are able.
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You can download a PDF of the Mass and Prayer Book by clicking on the image of the cover on this page.
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Liturgical Ministries
Our beautiful Sunday liturgies are made all the more so by the active and dedicated participation of our parishioners who serve as lectors, eucharistic ministers, ushers, and music leaders.
We take time each year to offer them special training in their chosen ministry and we are always happy to welcome new ministers according their talents and desires to serve. Our ministers don't have to worry about finding themselves "stuck" in a ministry they can't get out of since one of our most important principles in church ministry is that whenever you say you would like to be done, we only say "Thank you!"
If you would like to serve the community in our liturgical life or in any other way, please contact Father Kevin by email; just click the button below:
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Reception of Holy Communion
Since the Second Vatican Council, there have been options in how we are to receive Holy Communion at Mass.
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The Body of Christ may be received either in the hand or directly on the tongue. Neither is more holy or more respectful than the other. Nevertheless, since the COVD 19 pandemic, many now prefer to receive on their hand for health reasons. That is Father Codd's preference as well; it is less likely to be a vector for passing of viruses.
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When received on the hand, the communicant should place thier left hand upon their right with the palms open.
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The host is placed on the palm by the Eucharistic Minister, priest or deacon.
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Using his right hand, the communicant then takes the host to his mouth and consumes it.
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The Blood of Christ may be offered to the faithful; presently in the Archdiocese of Cuenca, it is offered by intinction in this way:
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The communicant receives the consecrated host in their hand as above. They then take the host with their right hand and moving to the chalice, dip it into the cup and carefully receive it, their left hand serving as a paten to collect any consecrated wine that might fall. ​
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OR if the communicant wishes to receive the consecrated host and wine directly on the tongue, they indicate the same to the eucharistic minister, deacon, or priest, and the minister then dips the host into the cup and then places it on the communicant's tongue.
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