Welcome to St Nick’s, Bristol

Welcome to St Nick’s, Bristol
COME, HOLY SPIRIT, THROUGH OUR GLOBAL SYNOD, REFORM YOUR CHURCH THAT WE MAY SERVE THE RENEWAL OF THE FACE OF THE EARTH! COME, HOLY SPIRIT! 
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PRAY FOR:
FOR PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE AND THE END OF VIOLENCE AND WAR AND THE CAUSES OF THE CONFLICT
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 FOR ALL SUFFERING FROM EXTREME HEAT, WILDFIRES AND FLOODS BECAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING
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FOR THE PEOPLE OF SUDAN AND ALL  ENDURING THE CIVIL WAR
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FOR THE WAR-STRICKEN PEOPLE OF UKRAINE
AND THE RUSSIANS OPPOSING THE WAR
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FOR THE 120 MILLION DISPLACED AND REFUGEE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD
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Rev Richard McKay Parish Priest of St Nicholas of Tolentino

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’

Sisters and brothers, thank you for all you are doing to support one another and many others in your neighbourhood. Thank you for your generosity in finance, time, energy and concern to make sure the parish can continue (grow even!) as a Light in the Inner City. I am profoundly grateful to the Lord for bringing me to St Nicks as your brother and your pastor. Know that you are prayed for every day!
In the love of Christ Jesus! Shalom! Peace!
Richard
WHO IS ST NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINO?


LOVER OF GOD, LOVER OF THE POOR

St Nicholas, lover of children, born like Samuel, Samson and John the Baptist of barren parents, the gift of God and his parents gift to God.
St Nicholas, who learnt to break bread with the poor long before he learnt to break the Bread of the Eucharist – risking his future in obedience to the God of the Poor and disobeying the voices of those who knew not the poor man of Nazareth.
St Nicholas, man of prayer who entered Love’s silence in order the proclaim Love’s Saving Word.
St Nicholas, vessel of God’s healing love, from whom healing and life flowed in all abundance, raising the dead, healing the wounds, setting free.
St Nicholas, God’s compassion to the prisoner, God’s protector and rescuer of the prostitute, listening with an gentle heart and open mind.
St Nicholas, reaching in praying love beyond the bridge of death, holding the Departed in the purifying love of God.
St Nicholas, inspirer of our mission, healer of our wounds pray for us!

PLEASE NOTE:    WHEN EMAILING RICHARD PLEASE USE FROM NOW ON USE THE  FOLLOWING EMAIL:   richard.mckay@cliftondiocese.com   AND NO LONGER THE ‘BLUEYONDER’ EMAIL ADDRESS WHICH NO LONGER FUNCTIONS.

The Parish Office is to be open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10.00am to 1.00pm (occasionally volunteer absence means it may be closed – apologies)  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 (0117-909-0419) 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.

Shalom!

Richard 

All are welcome
Sunday Mass – 10:00am
CALLING SISTERS AND BROTHERS WHO FEEL ALIENATED FROM THE CHURCH
There are so many who have been hurt by their experiences in the Catholic Church and many reasons for that hurt. A particularly destructive hurt has been abuse especially by priests and religious. Yet Christ calls us to be a welcoming, safe and healing community.
Here at St Nick’s we seek to offer an unconditional welcome and a safe and respectful place to be and to speak your voice. We seek to echo the words of Jesus: ‘Come to me all you who labour and are burdened and I will give you peace’. So we want to welcome you, be a community where you can if you wish speak your pain, voice your hurt and anger, or just come and be.
We understand that for many it is impossible to trust the Church again, and we do not expect or deserve that trust. But we do want to earn it and so offer to share your journey and make together the safe space that is your right.

Our community currently includes those who have expressed some of their own experience of this particular hurt. They, particularly, would like you to know:  “If you come to see us you won’t be alone – it isn’t easy but we do seek to journey together gently.”

We understand it may be difficult for some to enter the Church. If you wish to make contact please tell us what might help to make things easier for you.

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

Thanks to Sherrie Eugene, we are also continuing  Signing the Parish Mass at 10.00am for the Hearing impaired  on the First Sunday of the Month a permanent basis  and will of course be live-streamed on our Parish Website – please see the Parish Bulletin to confirm details.

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

 All are welcome to come and share these 3pm Sunday Masses, especially if circumstances prohibit you coming to the 10am Mass.