Written by Frank O'Shea 2004

Approaching the Sanctuary by the right hand aisle the first stained glass window depicts St. Margaret of Cortona, a thirteenth century member of the Franciscan Third Order. She lived some years with a man to whom she was not married. He was murdered one night and his dog returned to her and, as the window shows, it pulled her dress to lead her to his body. After this event she led an exemplary life until her death in 1297. Her incorrupt body is preserved in the Franciscan church at Cortona.

The second fanlight window on this side shows another Franciscan Tertiary, St Rose of Viterbo, preaching to the people there. She died in 1252 at the early age of seventeen, but even in that short life acquired a reputation for great sanctity and charity.

Above the first confessional is a stone relief of St. Anthony holding the Infant Jesus. Included in the relief is a lily, the traditional emblem of the Saint. Two stained glass windows inside the confessional continue the dedication to this saint one showing him giving food to the poor. The other commemorates one of the legends of St. Anthony. He was challenged by one Guillard to prove his preaching on the Divine Presence. Guillard undertook to give no food to his mule for three days. After that time he would offer hay to the mule in the town square. Anthony was required to offer the mule the Blessed Sacrament in the same place at the same time. The mule's reactions would demonstrate the truth or fallacy of the doctrine. The mule declined the food but knelt before the Host which Anthony offered in a monstrance. Guillard confessed his error.

The third fanlight shows Our Blessed Lord presenting a ring to St. Clare to signify her marriage to a heavenly bridegroom.

A relief over the second confessional shows the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a wreath of thorns. Stained glass windows inside the confessional show St. Margaret Mary Alacoque a 17 century Visitation Nun and Blessed Baptista Varani a 15th century Italian Poor Clare Sister, both of whom were revered for their particular devotion to the Sacred Heart.

We are now in front of the chapel of St. Francis with a Statue of our patron St Thomas of Canterbury at its entrance. The ornate stone altar is surmounted by a statue of the Saint, the founder of the order of friars minor, who have served the parish from its inception in 1895. At the feet of the saint is a skull, the symbol of our human mortality. The front of the altar is carved in three panels. The centrepiece is a picture of Francis praying before the crucifix in the church of San Damiano at Assist It was while he was praying here that Francis heard the voice of Jesus enjoining him to 'Go and rebuild my church'. The right hand panel is a view of Francis receiving the signs of the stigmata in his mountain retreat at La Verna. In the left hand panel Francis is lying on his deathbed. The latter scene is repeated in the stained glass window above the chapel. This passing of St. Francis is celebrated here at Woodford as in every Franciscan mission on the 31" of October every year, the eve of his feast day, in the ceremony known as 'The Transitus' (The passing over'). The feast day, the 4th October was of particular significance in 2001 as it was the occasion of a welcome to the Provincial Minister and the Curia of the order which had moved here three days previously following the closure of the Forest Gate mission in East London.

In the floor of the chapel is the resting place of Henrietta, the Dowager Duchess of Newcastle, who acquired the site and built the church and Friary at the end of the nineteenth century.

Returning to the back of the Church and proceeding down the left hand aisle the circular stained glass fanlights trace a number of incidents in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first depicts St. Anne instructing her daughter Mary with her husband St. Joachim in the background. The second shows the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Mary recites the Magmficat Anima Mea Dominum - my soul glorifies the Lord - while Elizabeth's Husband Zachary looks on. Zachary was at this time struck dumb and remained so until the birth of his son. When he confirmed in writing that the boy was to be named 'JOHN' his speech was immediately restored.

The third window depicts the nativity scene.

The last window portrays the young Jesus learning carpentry from his foster-father. The legend round the window reminds us of the finding of the child Jesus teaching in the Temple and reads, 'He went down to Nazareth and was subject to them'.

And so we come to the Lady Chapel. The altar matches that in the chapel of St. Francis save that the statue is of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the three frontal panels represent the Annunciation, the Assumption into Heaven and the Crowning of Our Lady in heaven. Above the altar table are the words 'Altara Privilegium' a term once used for an altar other than the main altar at which the Mass might be offered to gain a plenary indulgence for the Holy Souls. St Joseph stands guard at the entrance to the chapel. Of the two stained glass windows in this chapel one shows 'Our Lady Queen of Heaven' and the other shows the 14th century Franciscan Friar Duns Scorns kneeling before Our Lady. He was an early advocate of the belief in the immaculate conception and Our Lady's claim to this title is confirmed by the inscription 'I am the Immaculate Conception'.

We now approach the main altar, which was refurbished to accord with the precepts of the Second Vatican Council in 1976. The stained glasses however go back to the time when the church was first built. A large plane at the back of the sanctuary shows the crucifixion with Saint Mary Magdalen kneeling at the foot of the cross and Our Blessed Lady and Saint John on either side of the cross. Below them reading from left to right we see Saint Francis receiving the stigmata. Saint Thomas of Canterbury being slain by the Kings' knights and Saint Bonaventure writing (probably one of the early accounts of the life of Saint Francis). In the side walls of the sanctuary are four rose windows each depicting a Franciscan saint. The first of these Blessed Agnellus of Pisa was sent to England in 1224 by Saint Francis himself. The picture shows him holding a document signed by the saint ordering him to come to England and exercise the office of Minister General. The second window is of Saint John Forrest, the

Minister Provincial of the English province at the time of the Reformation. He was the confessor of Catherine ofAragon; he opposed the actions of Henry VIII incurred the Kings' wrath, and in 1538 at the age of 70 he was burned over a slow fire.

His martyrdom is shown in the window. The third window depicts Saint Leonard of Port Maurice who has no obvious connection with England but lived in Italy. He was strongly associated with pastoral missions and is therefore probably regarded as a patron of local missions of the Franciscan order. The fourth window is of Saint Bernardine who was a very famous preacher in his time.

When the sanctuary was re-ordered in the nineteen seventies, the original main altar, which stood by the central glass partition at the back of the sanctuary, was removed. Originally this replicated the style of the two side altars but was clearly much larger. It was replaced by a new altar facing the congregation and made of Westmorland slate and Clipsham stone. The ambo, from which the readings are given is built in the same style and stone as the altar. On the front of the ambo is an eagle carving. This is the symbol of Saint John the evangelist. It also shows the words 'm principio erat Verbum' - 'in the beginning was The Word'. On the front of the main altar is a Franciscan symbol showing the Greek Tau and pair of crossed hands. According to ancient custom the original altar contained relics of two early martyrs, Saint Constantia and Saint Domitilla. These relics were removed and placed in the new altar together with a relic of Pope Saint Pius X. Details of these three saints appear later in this account.

Before the refurbishment of the church in the nineteen seventies there was a private chapel behind the high altar reserved for the reciting of the office and for quiet reflection by the brothers of the Franciscan order. At the refurbishment the chapel was opened up behind the altar and can be seen through three glazed screens, two of which are doors into the chapel. These doors can be used by members of the congregation who wish to go into the chapel for private prayer. The chapel is also the place where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. The morning office is recited by parishioners and the Holy Mass is celebrated in the chapel every week day of the year.

The bronze door of the tabernacle has a golden grille with the lettering 'Ecce Agnus Dei' - 'behold the lamb of god' inscribed within the grille. Around the door is a mosaic pattern containing symbols of five Barley loaves and two fishes an obvious reference to the eucharist. Above the door on each side of the cross are two peacocks symbolizing immortality.

The chapel contains six windows, each with a Franciscan saint. The two center windows are of Saint Francis and Saint Clare. Francis holds a book showing the words 'if you wish to be perfect take all you have and give it to the poor'. Rounded heads of nails can be seen in Francis's feet signifying the stigmata. Saint Clare holds the monstrance recalling the occasion in 1215 when she repelled the Saracens who were besieging Assisi.

The four other windows, from right to left, portray Saints Didacus, John Capistrano, Bonaventure and Pascal Baylon.

Didacus is the patron saint of Franciscan brothers. Born in Spain in 1,400 he lived in the Friary of Aracoeli in Rome. He was renowned for his generosity and incurred the wrath of other members of the community b holding this high reputation. On one occasion he was seen carrying a basket of bread from the kitchen to some beggars outside the friary. When questioned by his brothers he said that he had a basket of flowers. When they looked inside they saw - a basket of flowers. Didacus is shown in the window holding a basket of loaves in his left arm.

Saint John Capistrano was a member of the Franciscan order from 1416 to 1456. He was a great speaker and at the end of his life preached a crusade against the Turks who were then invading Europe. He even joined the Christian forces as one of the victorious leaders in the battle of Belgrade. He is seen in the window carrying the standard - the flag of warrior saints.

Saint Bonaventure was another great Franciscan saint. When young he was very sick and his mother took him to Saint Francis, who prayed over him. He became a professor of theology in Paris and is known as the Seraphic Doctor because of his holiness as well as his learning. In 1256 he became Minister General of the order until his death in 1274.

Saint Pascal Baylon lived in the sixteenth centuiy.As the windows suggests he came from a simple family of shepherds. He was greatly devoted to the Eucharistic and is the patron saint of all the Euchanstic societies and Congresses.