Beacon of light on the hill!

^{Source: St Paul’s School Acutis Team & Parish Communications Team}

‘So, which is your Church?’ asked the mechanic changing the tyre on the car. ‘St Joseph’s.’ Deacon Seamus replied. ‘Oh, you mean the one on the hill that is all lit up!’ And indeed, if you drive past in the evening the church is all lit up- what a great way to describe our church – a beacon of light on the hill- a Church lit up with the light of Christ!

The beautiful stained-glass window at St Joseph’s Church, Leicester was installed in the year 2000, a gift from a family in memory of their family members. It contains many symbols of prayer, the Sacraments and the priests who have served the church. Last Summer parishioner Charles, enabled it to be lit up from inside, so that all the busy traffic going past, especially those climbing the hill of Uppingham Road would be greeted by the witness of the light pouring out from the windows that form the Baptistry and porches of the Church. This beacon of light is a great witness of our Catholic presence on the top of the hill – the light reaching out ‘to help others to come and know Jesus, in a world that desperately needs him.’ (Diocesan Pastoral Plan 2026)

The first Mass at St Joseph’s was held in a stable block on Christmas Eve in 1938 – now full of the noise of children playing in the Little Footprints nursery. A Hall/Church was opened on the site in the 1950’s and then a Church in the round was opened in 1968.

An intimate Blessed Sacrament Chapel dedicated to the Holy Family, can be found at the side of the church. This Chapel is open for quiet prayer and adoration throughout daylight hours each day. Within this Chapel can be found a well-used prayer intention book, with people able to write out their intentions for others to pray for.  There is also a box for more personal intentions. These are brought to the altar at the monthly First Friday Mass.

For many years people gathered to eat food together through the St Joseph’s Table. Over the last year and a half this has developed into the Olive Branch Café with amazing food prepared by Tash and her family. The café is open Monday to Friday 9am- 3pm for breakfasts, lunches and snacks and then for breakfasts on Saturdays 9am-12pm, served in a cosy café area or out on the patio. This enables us to keep the Church open during these times – with visitors to the Café often popping into the Church – many of whom living locally and perhaps visiting for the first time. There is also a beautiful Lourdes garden with outdoor Stations of the Cross for people to use during these times, when the weather is sunny.

Sunday Mass, celebrated at 9 am, with Children’s Liturgy, followed by bacon baps and donuts in the Hall, with a weekday Mass on Tuesdays at 11.30 am. Children from St Joseph’s Primary and St Paul’s Secondary school are regular visitors to this Mass. There is also a monthly Mass on First Fridays at 11.30 am preceded by Confessions at 11 am.  

Thursday evenings 6pm-7pm see young people gather for the ‘Risen’ Jesus Youth Prayer Group and a group meet on Tuesdays for Lectio Divina in a time of grief.

So, if you are passing this way come and visit! Come to pray in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Look for the round church with a big tower at the top of the hill – all lit up in the evening!

St Joseph’s Community have recently joined Sacred Heart & St Margaret Mary and Our Lady of Good Counsel to form together the Holy Family Parish, Leicester- growing in faith together as a family.

See our website for more details and for the Olive Branch Café menu www.holyfamily-leicester.rcdon.uk or follow us on our Social media @holyfamilyleicester on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.