St Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church

STOP PRESS:      [1]    Dear Sisters and Brothers,

BRISTOL CHURCHES WINTER NIGHT SHELTER PROJECT 2021

I write to you with some urgency. As you know St Nicks has supported the provision of accommodation and meals for our homeless friends since the beginning of this initiative some 3 years ago. With Covid-19 there has had to be radical changes to this scheme. Unfortunately arrangements are still not finalised, even though we are mid-November! However Ashley and myself need to assess how realistic it might be for our parish to participate in the proposed project for this winter.

IF WE DO PARTICIPATE we would try to staff either a Wednesday or Thursday or Friday (one day only) during  Phase 1: Fri 1st Jan – Sun 14th Feb (6 weeks & 3 days). This would not be in our parish hall but rather in a 7-bed B & B facility in Bedminster – en-suite rooms with one communal room to provide meals. There are a variety of ways you can volunteer:

• Shifts (2 volunteers with 4 reserves each of three shifts – see below)
• Cleaning (helping to deep clean rooms after guests vacate rooms)
• Mentoring (with training, commitment to meet with guest once weekly for 6 months)
• Baking (for snacks in communal room during the day – cakes & biscuits)
• Breakfasts (serving cereals, toast, tea/coffee)
• Packed lunches (enough sandwiches, crisps, bars, fruit and juice cartons for guests to make up their own lunch)
• Cooking evening meal (pre-cooked to be microwaved in the communal room – 9 meals – there is a possibility that this might be required only on Saturdays and Sundays)
• Donations (toiletries, boxer shorts, scarves, gloves as well as tea/coffee / sugar etc)

Concerning the Shifts:
2 volunteers (with 4 reserves) for each of the shifts below.  It is hoped that volunteers can commit to the full 6 weeks for the shift they choose. The shifts will take place in a designated ‘communal’ room at the B&B.
• Breakfast shift 6:45am-9am (7:45am – 10am at weekends)
• Lunch shift: 11:30-2pm
• Evening shift: 6pm-10pm

Concerning Volunteers for the shifts (in light of Covid-19)
No one over 60, or have an underlying health condition or are living with people or supporting those in the known at-risk to volunteer for a shift. These restrictions do not apply for non-contact volunteer roles (eg baking, cooking, donations etc). All shifts will be performed in a Covid-19 secure way, wearing masks and being socially distant from each other in a well-ventilated room as well as thorough cleaning of the room between shifts.

IF YOU FEEL YOU CAN AND WISH TO VOLUNTEER IN ANY WAY, PLEASE CONTACT ASHLEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE – NOT LATER THAN MONDAY 23RD NOVEMBER, SO THAT HE CAN ASSESS WHETHER WE HAVE ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS TO PERSONNEL A DAY EACH WEEK FOR 6 WEEKS.

CONTACT ASHLEY ON stnicks.bcwns@gmail.com

Thank you for your care for the homeless among whom we always see Jesus!

Richard

[2]             The Bishops of England and Wales have issued a Statement and Apology in response of the Independent Report on Child Abuse and the Catholic Church. You can find the Bishops’ Statement on a link after the parish newsletter – please do read.

[3]              Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

I trust you are all well. I am aware that some of our community have contracted Covid 19 so please pray for them and their full recovery, and pray for all who are anxious about them.

I am glad to inform you all that I am no longer in self-isolation and am perfectly well. Having no symptoms I was not eligible for a test, but all is well! So I am now as available as the ‘new normal’ of National lockdown and later restrictions allow. 

 [A] Mass, Tuesday to Sunday, will be celebrated and live-streamed from either the presbytery or the church as notified in the parish weekly bulletin. Other prayer times and talks are also notified in the bulletin – please do consult it on the website.

[B] The Parish Food Bank remains open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am to 1.00pm, so do not hesitate to come if you and/or your family have need of support in this way during these difficult times. Remember that is can take as much love to accept support as to give support! I am concerned that we need stronger (younger than us 70+) people to deal with deliveries – Health and Safety with lifting crates of food. These deliveries mostly come 9-10.15am so if anyone can help with this, please contact Robert at the Parish Office (please do not just turn up but contact first). Thank you.

[C]  The Parish Office remains open Monday to Friday 10.00am to 1.00pm and Robert and the Admin team will pass on to me all messages that need my attention if you cannot reach me otherwise.

[D] Firth Eucharist Catechesis (now Wednesday at 4pm) and Journey of Faith (Tuesday at 4.30pm) via Zoom . If you wish to join the Journey of faith group on Tuesdays then please email me so that I can send you the Zoom link.

Meanwhile, the most important thing is to do all we can to protect each other from the Virus by acting responsibly at all times and following the government restrictions even if we do not like them! AND PRAY! Pray for all sufferers, pray for all who are vulnerable (especially the homeless and those with underlying health conditions); pray for all health workers and carers (both in care homes and in the community) and for all families and individuals particularly affected by the virus and associated restrictive measures that can cause great anxiety and stress.

This past week of self-isolation has helped me be more aware of the psychological impact of isolation that causes increasing numbers of people mental turmoil and ill-health – it has given me more empathy as well as time for prayer to journey with those who are suffering.

Shalom!

Richard 

[4]   LIVE STREAMING OF SERVICES AT ST NICKS:

Sunday and weekday Masses will be live-streamed throughout the period of the lockdown: please consult the ‘Mass Times’ page on  this website  as some are being live-streamed on the Parish Website while others on the Parish Face Book Page. 

Saturday Evening Prayer at 6.00pm and other times of Prayer and talks will continue to be live-streamed from the Presbytery on the Parish Face Book Page until further notice.

Welcome to St Nick’s, Bristol

Whether this is your first time to our Church family, or you have been coming here for many years – all are very welcome to be part of this wonderfully multi-cultural and diverse community of faith and friendship.
This parish has been witnessing to Christ and serving the people of this part of Bristol since 1848.  

We are a ‘Communion of Communities in Mission’ with more than 60 nationalities who gather each Sunday at 10am to celebrate God’s great Love for the world in our Mass.

Our commitment is to be a people at the service of the poor, both locally and globally; to be a community of warmth and welcome; to be a community of healing and hope. We are committed to work for the unity of the Church with our brothers and sisters of other Christian traditions, sharing mission and worship together; and to seek to build a fellowship of all believers among the many world faiths in our area.

In other words, we have long been seeking to grow as the kind of community that Pope Francis envisages in his Letter ‘Joy in the Gospel’

All are welcome
Sunday Mass – 10:00am

First Sunday of the Month at 3pm – Mass for people with special needs with the Clifton Catholic Fellowship

Regrettably, this Mass continues to be cancelled at this time because of the Covid 19 Virus. We continue to hold our sisters and brothers who share this Mass in our prayer and concern.

Second Sunday of the Month at 3pm – Signed Mass with the Deaf Community

this Mass also is cancelled at this time because of the Covid 19 Virus. We will publicise when we are able to resume these celebrations. WE hold IN PRAYER our sisters and brothers who sO VALUE GATHERING FOR THIS MASS.

Third Sunday of the Month at 3pm – LGBT+ Mass

Regrettably, this Mass also has had to be cancelled until we are able to gather together in the church.  We encourage our LGBTQ community to join us through live-streaming of Masses, talks and prayer times as advertised on our website. 

Sunday Mass at 10.00am, with the church open from 9.00am and doors locked at 10.00am as Mass begins because of Covid Safety measures. All Sunday Masses are now live-streamed. Thank you to all who have donated to help us establish this new form of mission and ministry.Your Parish Pastoral Council will keep all Covid Safety measures under constant review. Thank you to all volunteers enabling us to gather for Mass safely  Shalom!    Richard

PARISH MINISTRY CONTINUES   [1]   The Parish Office is open from 10am to 1.00pm Monday to Friday so that our ministry of care and support can continue, especially for the poorest who need our Food Bank and Caritas Fund, or assistance with Universal Credit, housing or mental health issues. The Parish Office is getting busier!
[2]     PLEASE NOTE THE FOOD BANK IS NOW OPEN IN THE CONTAINER OFFICE CALLED ‘ST NICHOLAS BREAD’ ON MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS FROM 10am to 1.00pm, to ensure we can maintain the service long-term. Please phone the parish office (0117-9090419) during these times or myself at the presbytery (0117-909-8810 – at any reasonable time) with your questions, concerns or need for any kind of support.