Welcome to St Nick’s, Bristol

Welcome to St Nick’s, Bristol
WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD THAT POPE LEO XIV HAS BEEN ELECTED AS OUR UNIVERSAL SHEPHERD AND THE SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD. HE HAS ALREADY SPOKEN OF HIS DESIRE TO BUILD BRIDGES (‘SUPREME PONTIFF’ MEANS ‘GREATEST OF BRIDGE BUILDERS’!), TO BUILD ON POPE FRANCIS’ LEGACY ESPECIALLY HIS CARE FOR THE POOR AND MARGINALISED AND THAT HE IS COMMITTED TO ‘SYNODALITY’ AS THE NEW WAY OF BEING CHURCH.  AS A PARISH WE HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR HIM AS HE DEVELOPS HIS UNIQUE MINISTRY AS SUCCESSOR OF ST PETER. ‘SIMON PETER, DO YOU LOVE ME? FEED MY SHEEP.’
                                       
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2025, THE CHURCH CELEBRATES THE JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE.   MAY THIS YEAR OF HOPE SEE THE REBIRTH OF PEACE FOR OUR WORLD, BUILT ON THE ROCK OF JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY – THE HOPE OF ALL HUMANITY! MAY THIS PILGRIMAGE OF HOPE ALSO SEE THE RENEWAL AND REFORM OF OUR BELOVED CHURCH, EMBEDDING SYNODALITY IN THE FABRIC OF GOVERNANCE AT EVERY LEVEL. SO WE PRAY:
COME HOLY SPIRIT, RENEW AND REFORM YOUR CHURCH FOR THE 21st CENTURY – COME SPIRIT OF PENTECOST: LEAD AND EMPOWER US TO A ‘NEW WAY OF BEING CHURCH’ .  LEAD US DURING THIS JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE TO EMBED SYNODALITY FAITHFULLY THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH…AND IN OUR PARISH AND PASTORAL AREA
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AS A PARISH COMMUNITY WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY, PRAYING FOR YOU ESPECIALLY AS WE OPEN OUR HEARTS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT RENEWS AND TRANSFORMS; AND PRAYING WITH YOU FOR PEACE IN OUR WAR-TORN WORLD!
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PRAY FOR:
 The outbreak of sanity and peace between Israel/USA and Iran and an end to the destruction of the Middle East by mindless war-mongering!
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 THAT THE RENEWED BRUTAL BOMBARDMENT OF GAZA AND LEBANON BY WILL CEASE AND FOOD, POWER AND WATER WILL BE RESUMED RAPIDLY TO THE SUFFERING PEOPLE OF GAZA; THAT THE HOSTAGES WILL BE FREED,  THAT A LASTING JUST AND SECURE PEACE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND WE CALL ‘HOLY’ WILL BE ACHIEVED.
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THAT A CEASEFIRE BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA WILL BE QUICKLY AGREED: MAY MIRACLES OF PEACE STILL BRING PEACE AND SECURITY TO THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE AND AGGRESSION NOT BE REWARDED.
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 FOR ALL PEOPLE AND OUR ‘COMMON HOME’ SUFFERING FROM EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING
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FOR THE PEOPLE OF SUDAN AND ALL  ENDURING THE HORRIFYING CIVIL WAR AND THE HUGE HUMANITARIAN DISASTER IT IS CAUSING; THAT THE ABUSE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN AS AN INSTURMENT OF WAR WILL END.
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FOR THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN OF GOMA AND EASTERN CONGO WHO HAVE SUFFERED APPALLING ATROCITY AND ABUSE IN  RECENT DAYS AND AN END TO THE CIVIL WAR AND RWANDAN AGGRESSION
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FOR THE 140 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 ONLY  THE  FOLLOWING EMAIL:   richard.mckay@cliftondiocese.com   

The Parish Priest, Richard, is normally available Thursday to Sunday but not Monday to Wednesday each week (contact: 07779677370).

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
FIRST Sunday of the Month at 10.00Am – PARISH MASS IS Signed Mass FOR the Deaf Community AND LIVE-STREAMED

While the Monthly Mass gathering the Deaf Community at 3.00pm has been suspended, due to lack of support, we thank Sherrie Eugene, as we continue  Signing the Parish Mass at 10.00am for the Hearing impaired  on the First Sunday of the Month on a permanent basis  and will of course be live-streamed on our Parish Website.

Third Sunday of the Month at 3pm – Mass with our LGBTQ+community

So many LGBTQ+ Christians, including Catholics, have experienced such rejection by the Christian community, there is a real need to provide  places and Services of worship which is truly inclusive and welcomes unconditionally all people of whatever sexual orientation and identity. This Diocesan mandated Ministry is being provided by St Nick’s Parish, to provide a gateway back to the Church for those who have felt so alienated by the Church. We seek to be a sign that ‘All are welcome in this place’ is not just a hymn, but the reality of the Church here at St Nicks and hopefully in our Diocesan family.

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

Newsletters

Latest NewsletteR Bulletin 

Bulletin 22:06:2025

Reports from the parish

Community Elders

Summary Doc – Servant Leaders

Summary of responses to proposals to be presented to Bishop

St Nicholas of Tolentino Synod Report_v6     Final approved text

Other Items of Interest

THE SYNOD FINAL DOCUMENT – OFFICIAL ENGLISH SUMMARY

Bishops’ Statement on Safeguarding responding to IICSA Report

Act of Spiritual Communion

NBCW-Domestic-Abuse-A4-Booklet

Way of the Resurrection illustrated

Stations of Creation