The present Church building of St. Frances of Rome, was built in 1830 and dedicated in July 1844. The Catholic Church has been present within the Parish boundaries since 1668 thanks to the efforts of Missionaries from France, who established the “Kente Mission”—a 349 year presence!
Who Was St. Frances?
St. Frances of Rome, (AD 1384 to 1441) was a wife, mother, healer and mystic.
By age eleven, Frances wanted to be a nun, but at twelve her parents compelled her to marry the very wealthy commander of the Papal troops of Rome.
Frances and her sister-in-law visited the poor, distributing food and clothing, and took care of the sick, even turning part of the family estate into a hospital.
Later, with her husband’s consent, Frances practiced continence. She founded the confraternity of the Olivetan Oblates of Mary, under the authority of the Olivetan Monks of the Abbey of Santa Maria Nova, in Rome. The Oblates of Mary were not cloistered, nor were they bound by formal vows, so that they could maintain a contemplative life while still addressing the needs of society.
In 1608, St. Frances was canonized by Pope Paul V.
St. Frances is the patron saint of automobile drivers, since legend has it that an angel used to light the road before her with a lantern, keeping her safe from hazards. She is also the patron saint of oblates and widows.
To learn more about St. Frances of Rome, see https://infogalactic.com/info/Frances_of_Rome