St Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church

WE CAN STILL GATHER FOR MASS!

STOP PRESS

[1]     30 days of prayer leading to our local elections! The ‘Baton of Prayer’ was passed to St Nick’s Parish on Saturday 10th April. Let us take up the challenge to pray for good governance, local leaders who will serve the cause of the poor, the vulnerable and the ‘stranger among us’ in this City of Sanctuary. Let us also pray healing for our city after the violence and conflict of the last two or three weeks. Let us pray for a new relationship of trust between the Police and the Community, and for national legislation that will express freedom with responsibility, countering all discrimination and racism and authentic welcome to those seeking safe sanctuary among us. Even though our ‘day’ has now passed, please continue to pray for our City in these days prior to the, local elections. THANK YOU!

Fr Richard writes:      Recently I received the first dose of the Oxford vaccine. I want to encourage all our parishioners to welcome and accept to be vaccinated when you are invited – for the sake of yourself, your family and friends and above all as Christian service to our wider community. I believe strongly that it is our Christian responsibility to serve the health of the whole community of our city and nation to be embrace joyfully the vaccine, and to reject the lies that are being peddled on social media. The BAME community are among the most vulnerable – do not believe the conspiracy theories on social media and rejoice to receive the vaccine – A gift from God brought to us through medical research!

Also I have received a letter from Bristol City Council Public Health Advisor, which I encourage you all to read – just below entitled ‘Church Letter’

Church Letter

GOOD NEWS!  during this Lockdown, Churches remain open for public worship. So I hope many can join us in the church or if that is not possible on the internet at  future masses. 

[1]    Even  though we are no longer in the strictest Lockdown, in the light of great danger this new Covid Variant presents, we have to act with extreme caution, caring for each other, for the most vulnerable and for all key workers. Churches are open for public worship, but there are strict non-socialising rules we have to ensure are observed. Please see the Parish Bulletin. I am delighted that we can still celebrate Mass together in the church, as well as with our extended ‘internet’ family through live-streaming on this Parish Website.

[2]             Mass Tuesday to Sunday, is celebrated  in  the church. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will normally precede the celebration of Mass. Times in the bulletin and on the Mass Times page here.  Other prayer times and talks will be live-streamed from the presbytery on the Face Book Page (thank you, Marta!) and times are also notified in the bulletin – please do consult it on the website.

[3]            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 it 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.

[4]  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. They can also offer help and support with a variety of issues. 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.

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.

Shalom!

Richard 

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.

However please note thanks to Sherrie Eugene we will be Signing the Parish Mass at 10.00am for the Hearing impaired Mass on the First Sunday of the Month, beginning one February 7th – these Masses of course will be live-streamed on our Parish Website – please see the Parish Bulletin to confirm details.

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

I am very pleased to announce that this Mass has now resumed – the next Mass with our LBGTQ+ community will be on Sunday 20th December at 3.00pm. All are welcome to come and share this mass, especially if shift work prohibits you coming to the 10am Mass. 

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