It is with sad news we announce the death of Fr Francis Press who passed peacefully at Northwick Park Hospital on the morning of 4 May 2025 – the Third Sunday of Easter – having been admitted last Tuesday from Whitby Dene Care Home in Ruislip. He was receiving end of life care.
Fr Francis was born in London on 5 September 1955 and was ordained on 16 May 1981.
Condolences are extended to Fr Francis’s family, friends and colleagues, the staff and residents at Whitby Dene and to parishioners who recall him from his time in the parishes in which he served – Poplar, Kenton, Puckeridge, Hendon and Cranford.
Fr Francis’ mortal remains will be received at the church of St John Fisher, Harrow North on Wednesday 4 June at 5pm. There will be a Requiem Mass at 7pm celebrated by Bishop Paul McAleenan.
The Funeral Mass will be at the same church on Thursday 5 June at 12noon with Bishop Paul McAleenan presiding and Mgr Jim Overton giving the homily. Burial will follow at Pinner New Cemetery at 2pm.
We pray for the peaceful repose of Fr Francis’s soul:
Hear with favour our prayers,
which we humbly offer, O Lord,
for the salvation of the soul of Fr Francis your servant and priest,
that he, who devoted a faithful ministry to your name,
may rejoice in the perpetual company of your saints.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
At the time Fr Francis passed to eternal life his mother, Mary Press, was at Mass and heard the Prayer after Communion:
Look with kindness upon your people, O Lord,
and grant, we pray,
that those you were pleased to renew by eternal mysteries
may attain in their flesh
the incorruptible glory of the resurrection.
Through Christ our Lord.
May the soul of Fr Francis, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
Obituary
Francis Press was born in London on 5 September 1955, just nine days before the birth of Pope Leo XIV who was born on 14 September, the annual Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross. The day after his election, addressing the Cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel, Pope Leo spoke of the cross he has been given by the Cardinal-electors: ‘You have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission, and I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me as we continue as a Church, as a community, as friends of Jesus, as believers, to announce the Gospel…’ All Christians are called to carry the cross and to share in the mission of announcing the Gospel. Christians do so as friends of Jesus and of each other. That Fr Francis Press was a friend of Jesus was evident from his faithful ministry as a priest since his ordination at St John Fisher, North Harrow on 16 May 1981. His priestly ministry enabled his parishioners to carry their personal cross, and to help each other to carry their crosses, because his pastoral and sacramental ministry gave people hope and encouragement in living their faith. Fr Francis loved his parishioners and they loved him. Above all, he loved the Lord Jesus in whose priesthood he shared.
Francis was the eldest of four boys in the family. His father, Ronald and his mother, Mary were devout Catholics. He was educated at St Joseph’s Primary School, Wealdstone from 1960-67, then at Gunnersbury School from 1967-74. On leaving school he worked as a clerk for Midland Bank. He was closely involved with his home parish of St John Fisher. From the age of nine he served at the altar for Mass. At the time of his application to the Diocese as a candidate for formation to the priesthood the Parish Priest gave a strong recommendation, saying that Francis would do anything for the Church. He was the parish Master of Ceremonies, he assisted with catechism classes in the parish hall on Saturdays, he was involved with the Crusade of Rescue (later known as the Catholic Children’s Society) and with Christian Aid. The Parish Priest also said, ‘His great disadvantage is that he is extremely shy’. The Vocations Director at the time commented that Francis was a ‘sincere and spiritual young man…shy but well able to accept responsibility’. Francis described his interests as chess, walking, classical music and reading – especially history, current affairs, biography, economics and medieval literature. Francis was accepted as a student for the Diocese and began formation for the priesthood at Allen Hall seminary in Chelsea in September 1975. As a seminarian Francis was conscientious and prayerful, taking all aspects of formation very seriously. He remained diffident. He got on well with the Italian nuns who lived in the seminary doing domestic work but otherwise he kept himself to himself unless sharing in seminary activities such as gardening and washing up. It was thought that perhaps his vocation was to the religious or monastic life. He was assigned to live in the presbytery at St Aloysius, Somers Town for a year before proceeding to diaconate, to enable him to grow in confidence with Father (now Canon) Michael Munnelly taking him under his wing. Francis found great satisfaction visiting the local hospitals, spending quality time with patients. He was a good listener, and empathetic. Parishioners found him to be quiet, unassuming, polite and friendly.
On 16 May 1981 Francis was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Philip Harvey, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster. His first appointment was to the parish of St Mary and St Joseph, Poplar as Assistant Priest to live and work with Fr William McConalogue. This was followed by his next appointment, as Assistant Priest at All Saints, Kenton from 1984-93. He spent much time ministering to patients and supporting their families at Northwick Park Hospital. His gifts of kindness, empathy and patience made him an effective chaplain to the hospital. Fr Francis’ next appointment took him to Hertfordshire, as Parish Priest at Old Hall Green and Puckeridge where he served from 1993-97. Our Lady of Dolours, Hendon was Fr Francis’ next appointment, as Parish Priest, from 1997. In 2007 Fr Francis was offered the opportunity to have a period of sabbatical leave, for rest and personal renewal. Although offered a three-month sabbatical Fr Francis requested twelve months sabbatical in readiness for another parish appointment in the autumn of 2008. When news of his departure from Hendon became known over two hundred parishioners signed a letter of appreciation for Fr Francis’ ministry. His steadfast ministry was greatly appreciated – his prayerful, unhurried celebration of Mass, his calm and reassuring presence at parish events in the newly-constructed parish hall, his responsiveness to the pastoral needs of parishioners who were ill or otherwise burdened, his love of parish parties and pantomimes. He was appreciated as a priest with time for everyone.
Our Lady of Walsingham parish, London Colney welcomed Fr Francis as the new Parish Priest in September 2008. The parish was not without its difficulties and Fr Francis applied his knowledge, experience and wisdom to identify the needs of the parish. However, the situation required a differently gifted priest to take the situation forward and Fr Francis knew this. His stay in the parish was relatively short. Concerns were expressed for his health but Fr Francis was far from preoccupied with himself and his personal needs. However, encouraged by Cardinal Vincent he was persuaded to meet with healthcare professionals and to accept admission to hospital where he spent five weeks in the summer of 2011. His next parish appointment was to Our Lady and St Christopher, Cranford. Fr Francis took up his appointment as Parish Priest in September 2012. He set about building up the community, working to develop relationships between established parishioners and new arrivals. He was attentive to the parish church and had a new heating system installed. However, he was becoming increasingly unwell and this affected his relationships with parishioners. Perhaps his altruistic nature prevented him from attending to his own health needs. He came to recognise the need to stand down as Parish Priest and did so in 2019. He went to live independently at St Anne’s Care Home in Stoke Newington. His introverted personality enabled him to cope well with the Covid lockdown and associated restrictions. Walking in the spacious grounds at St Anne’s early in the morning gave him much pleasure.
Throughout his life Fr Francis enjoyed reading, especially books of theology, history, travel, poetry and fiction, and listening to classical music. In recent years conversations with the staff and residents at St Anne’s gave him much enjoyment and enabled his mischievous sense of humour to shine. He enjoyed annual holidays driving with his mother to Scotland, always including a visit to Pluscarden Abbey. He affectionately referred to his mother as ‘the Major’! Weekly visits to his mother and brother in Pinner were an important part of the rhythm of Fr Francis’ life. In his twenties he walked the length of the Pennine Way. Visits to France also featured in his holiday itinerary, preferring to stay in simple farmhouses rather than in hotels.
Early in 2025 it was evident that Fr Francis needed additional care and he moved from independent living at St Anne’s to Whitby Dene Care Home in Ruislip. His stay was brief. Fr Francis was called home to heaven on 4 May 2025 having been admitted to Northwick Park Hospital a few days earlier for end of life care.
May the humble, kind soul of Fr Francis, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
