Highlights of the Week

Below are a few interesting news items from this week’s Bulletin.  To download the full version of our latest Bulletin,  please go to our Bulletin page. Thank you.

THOUGHT FOR 26th SUNDAY OF YEAR C

                                          Turning the Tables – God’s Upside-down Kingdom

Who are the nameless ones of today’s world? The victims of hunger dying of famine, victims of war dying of barrel bombs and napalm, victims of the refugee journey to freedom, drowning in the Mediterranean! Countless nameless ones in the world of the poor.
But for God? The nameless one is the man who lost himself in his riches that blind him to human suffering: so stuffed with self and satisfaction with wealth and feasting that he has lost sight of his humanity in not seeing his impoverished brother. In this parable of Jesus, the poor has an honoured name – Lazarus – the name of a friend, while the rich man and self-centred one has no name – is anonymous in the Kingdom.
How different life with Jesus is! He inverts everything. The real question for us and the Church: is it true for us – are we ‘turning the world upside down?’ If not, why not?

THOUGHT FOR 27^th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR C

                                             No Spirit of  Timidity!

For too long we as Catholics have hidden our faith behind our closed doors or in our private convictions: even boasting that our neighbours and friends did not know we are Catholics! Pope Benedict when he visited UK challenged us – fan into a flame that our society can see – the Spirit of Power, Love and Self-Control! We are called to be witnesses, letting Jesus be seen in our lives, identified in our communities and heard in our words. God is always the God who speaks, the God who ‘appears’ in our humanity (in Jesus and in us!). If our society does not know God or experience the joy and fullness of life that is faith in the Living God – then maybe it is in part because we have been too timid in our faith and suppressed the Spirit who gives us the eloquence of faith and prophets!

Jubilee of Migrants 2025 – 4–5 October 2025   On the first weekend of October, our diocese will join the Church around the world in celebrating the Jubilee of Migrants. Bishop Bosco, together with CAFOD, invites every parish to take part in this celebration during Sunday Masses on 5 October. It is a chance to give thanks for the gift of migrants and refugees among us, who are, in the words of St Paul, “fellow citizens  … in the household of God” (Eph 2:19) and part of our one Clifton family. We are encouraging all our community to come in their national/cultural/traditional dress and if possible bring something significant to your country of origin to the altar at the ~Offertoy of the mass. 

PREPARING FOR YOUR CHILD’S BAPTISM    Parents seeking the baptism of their children are asked to inform Eustace Tameh or Christopher and Epiphania Chipato or Fr Richard as soon as possible. Next Baptism course and celebration:
BAPTISMAL SUNDAY 26h OCTOBER at 10am Mass
Preparation Sessions: Friday 10th and 17th October at 6.30pm (Assisi Centre)
Rite of Child Catechumen Sunday 12th October at 10am Mass

PRAYING FOR PEACE IN SOLIDARITY WITH HOLY FAMILY CHURCH IN GAZA There is a movement inviting us all to pray in solidarity with the beleaguered Catholic Church in Gaza (Holy Family Church – Pope Francis and now Pope Leo phones them regularly). Pray together the Rosary for Peace at or around 7.00pm each Monday evening also supporting spiritually the small Catholic community who are still caring for 450 displaced people in their precinct. Please respond to the call to prayer

ST BERNADETTE’S SECONDARY SCHOOL – OPEN EVENTS Thinking about the right Secondary school for your child? Please consider seriously one of our Catholic Schools. Come see what St Bernadette’s offers:
Open Evening: Wednesday 24th Sept 5-8pm (Head’s Talks 5.45 and 6.45pm)
Open Mornings: Wednesday 1st Oct 9.15-10.45am; Thursday 16th Oct 9.15-10.45am

ST BEDE’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE – OPEN EVENING Parents and Pupils are invited toview the College at an Open Evening on Thursday 2nd October at 6.00-8.00pm. Morning visits welcomed throughout then year – by appointment only please.

THREADS THROUGH CREATION – Spectacular display of Textile Art        A powerful exhibition of textiles and tapestries depicting Creation in the Scriptures. Having visited this remarkable exhibition, I thoroughly recommend all who can to visit it, especially in this ‘Season of Creation’. At Victoria Methodist Church, Whiteladies Road, Bristol 25th August to 4th October. Free Entry Monday/Wednesday/Friday 11am – 4pm ; Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday 11am-6pm

DIOCESAN FORMATION DAY – 11th OCTOBER at ST BRENDAN’S COLLEGE    Come together as a diocesan family to reflect on the theme – ‘Being an Evangelist today: the tools required to be a joyful witness of Jesus’. Keyn ote speaker Mgr John Armitage (formerly Rector of Our Lady of Walsingham Basilica – our National Shrine). 9.30am-3.30pm bring your lunch. book diocesanformationday.eventbrite.co.uk  

A NEW ‘DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH’ (THEOLOGIAN/SAINT) – ST JOHN HENRY NEWMAN       Nine years ago this great English Theologian was declared a Saint – now Pope Leo has declared him to be a ‘Doctor of the Church’ – a saint who has had decisive impact on the Theology shaping the Church and its Proclamation of the Gospel. There are only 37 such ‘Doctors of the Church’ (including Ss Augustine, Athanasius,  Thomas Aquinas, John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila etc) and now just three English ‘Doctors’ – Venerable Bede (7th century), St Anselm (11th century) and now St John Henry Newman (19th century). His great works were ‘The Development of Doctrine’ and ‘On consulting the Laity on matters of Doctrine’, as well as primacy of conscience, and his ‘Apologia’ – the account of his conversion to the Catholic Church. His theology prepared the Church  for the Second Vatican Council and its reforms and the growth of ‘Synodality’ in the Church of today. Let us be shaped by his faithful and dynamic teaching.

NEW MASS FOR THE CARE OF CREATION  Come to Emmaus, Sleep Lane, Whitchurch, Bristol BS14 0QN and Mass in the garden Tuesday Sept 9th at 12noon – ‘pray with creation, not just for it’. Plant-based lunch to share afterwards. Please notify them your coming email: annemmaus40@gmail.com

‘GOING THE DISTANCE’ – an evening session to support vibrant and lasting marriage organised by the ecumenical ‘Care for the Family’ charity. Held on 23rd October at 7.30pm at the OTHER St Nicholas Church, BS1 1UE – NOT here at St Nicholas of Tolentino. Early bird ticket £6.00 (until 23 Sept), after that Couples ticket £22, single ticket £11. contact www.cff.org.uk/goingthedistance or 029 2081 0800 

THIS MONTH’S ‘LAUDATO SI’ TASK – Get the best out of your food Jesus has invited us to share food with the hungry, with those in need. In “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis emphasized the moral imperative to reduce food waste, framing it as a social justice issue and a responsibility towards both the environment and those in need. About 60% of food waste comes from our UK homes. 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) are generated by UK homes from wasted consumable food at home. 8 meals could be saved each week if we stopped binning our food at home.Here are some tips to stop food waste: [1] What do you actually need?. Plan what you are going to eat each meal and each day, prepare your shopping list of the ingredients and shop what you just need. Check your fridge and food cabinets before shopping, move older food to the front of the shelf and make space for food you’ll be buying. Update your shopping list. Check who’s in and who’s out; sense your flexible meal plan and update your shopping list again.   [2] Stay-in-control shopping. Adopt a few simple habits to take the stress out of shopping, keep it simple and help you stick to your list when in the shop. Remember to take your shopping list, notes on the telephone, photo of dry-wipe list on the fridge. It’ll keep you focused on buying only what you need. Set your budget before you get to the store. Use the quick-scan hand-held facility in store. [3] Storing your food after shopping. Putting your food away in all the right places will keep it fresher for longer – more time for you to use it in delicious meals. FInd out the best places to store your food and a good time to check the fridge temperature. Fruit bowl in the fridge. The less you waste, the better our common home will be

  A HOUSE MASS IN YOUR HOUSE?     Because we are so widely spread out as a community, we have had several beautiful Area Masses which have brought parishioners together in the area where they live. Could you host one in your home? It does not need any complicated preparations, just a living room and a table. After such Masses we have simple refreshments – no cooking!      Please contact Richard if you will host a Mass.

CANCEL DEBT – CHOOSE HOPE IN THIS JUBILEE YEAR – A CAFOD CAMPAIGN   Pope Francis identified Debt Cancellation for the Developing World (especially for African countries) as a vital element of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope celebrations. CAFOD is pressing the UK government for action to address the Debt Crisis. Please sign up and make your voice heard by emailing: cafod.org.uk/cancelthedebt or with the link: www.action.cafod.org.uk/page/161357/petition/1

 PROTECTING THE UNBORN AND THE ELDERLY SPUC (Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child) has an important campaign in the light of recent decisions of the House of Commons. MPs voted to allow women to abort their unborn child up to birth for any reason, and to legalise assisted suicide. As Christians we need to defend the ‘Culture of Life’ in every aspect. If you want to be part of this campaign “Every Life Matters’ please sign the postcards available today in the porch. You can leave them in the basket and I will send them in together – to save postage.

ELECTION OF OUR PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL We are holding elections for all 12 members of our Parish Pastoral Council. Because we have had only 8 nominations, we are delaying the election in the hope we can have more nominations in due course. We are all called to share the ‘shepherding of Christ’ among His people and His world. Giving time and energy to the work of the Parish Pastoral Council (the main decision-making body in the parish and essential in developing a secure future for our community) – this is part of sharing ‘the shepherding of Christ’. Please seriously and prayerfully consider who might be called to this ministry in our parish.

GREAT NEED FOR BLOOD DONATIONS – ESPECIALLY FROM BAME COMMUNITY      When you donate blood you could save up to 3 lives in 1 hour.
Information can be found on a few websites below:
ACTL partnership with NHSBT https://youtu.be/HzGIBjUfXpI?si=VNkm_9AItWvdEVpx

Disney Ironheart message about blood donation
https://youtu.be/DZNd37O0-ng?si=8DH2GW7Tc4ucasuH

African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust website  https://aclt.org/

NHS Blood and Transplant
https://www.blood.co.uk/why-give-blood/demand-for-different-blood-types/why-more-black-blood-donors-are-needed/

‘ALL ARE WELCOME IN THIS PLACE’ It is our privilege to host here at St Nicks the Diocesan Ministry among the LBGTQ+ community. It would be a great sign of welcome, valuing ‘Gay’ Catholics, if more parishioners would come sometimes to our 3rd Sunday a month Mass with our LGBTQ+ friends. Do try to come occasionally and share with us.

CLEANING OUR CHURCH    We are short of people for the  weekly clean. This normally happens on a Friday morning, so if anyone has a little time then, some more hands would be very helpful. If you can’t come at that time, see Eddie and negotiate a time when you could do some of the cleaning. It’s like Tesco – every little helps!

JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE Hope is a key virtue, along with faith and love – it is a trust in the future of the Church and the world. As Pilgrims of Hope we are witnesses and servants of a new future for our torn world, that it will one day become a ‘New Heaven and a New Earth’, ending war, poverty & injustice. It is our calling and responsibility to build this ‘New World’ – to make real God’s Vision for humanity and our planet – to be bearers of Hope!

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE IN HOSPITAL: When a Catholic goes into hospital, the patient or their family MUST request a visit from the Catholic Chaplain – data protection and confidentiality rules in hospitals prohibit the passing on of information to chaplaincies otherwise. The Chaplain cannot visit a patient without prior request to visit.

HALL BOOKINGS        For hall bookings please contact Astrid (our Parish Administrator) in the office, either using the Parish Office email or phone number (see front of bulletin for both) or her work phone number: 07354895768.

 URGENT NEED for CATECHISTS        Have you ever thought about helping in the work of preparing our children for the sacraments? Our community always has a need for more people to help with this. You do not have to be a teacher or to have had previous experience as a catechist – training is available, and you can always start by supporting the catechists we already have. If you would like to think about the possibility a bit more, speak to Mary Hopper or to one of the people who currently help with one of the Catechetics groups.
Thank you for your help!

DO YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER TO SUPPORT THE PARISH MISSION?  The Parish Pastoral Council was delighted that at our last Parish Forum on the future of our parish many expressed the wish to offer some time and energy in support of the life and mission of St Nicks. So the PPC established a ‘Volunteers Whatsapp’ to let people know the needs and opportunities for volunteering either on a long-term or an occasional basis. Some cannot commit themselves to a regular slot or programme but could volunteer from time to time and for limited periods. However hardly anyone has come forward as willing to join such a team of volunteers on this Whatsapp Group. WE REALLY NEED YOU TO OFFER WHAT TIME YOU CAN TO SUPPORT THE PARISH’S WORK AND MISSION. Please contact the Parish Office or Patience Bird (07411406411) giving your mobile no. Thanks!

POPE FRANCIS ON DIVERSITY OF GIFTS, CHARISMS & MINISTRIES:   “The most beautiful experience is the discovery of all the different charisms and all the gifts of his Spirit that the Father showers on his Church! This must not be seen as a reason for confusion, for discomfort: they are all gifts that God gives to the Christian community, in order that it may grow in harmony, in the faith and in his love, as one body, the Body of Christ. The same Spirit who bestows this diversity of charisms unites the Church. It is always the same Spirit. Before this multitude of charisms, our heart, therefore, must open itself to joy and we must think: “What a beautiful thing! So many different gifts, because we are all God’s children, all loved in a unique way”. Never must these gifts become reasons for envy

NEED FOR WELCOMERS    It is so important that when people come to Mass on Sundays (especially if they are visitors or have not been to Church for a long time) that they are warmly welcomed. We need more volunteers for our Welcoming Ministry. It makes such a difference when people are greeted at the door. Welcomers will need to arrive no later than 9.30am for this Ministry, ready to hand out the bulletin and any Liturgy sheets.

URGENT NEEDS OF OUR FOODBANK 
Food and Toiletries needed – It has become much more difficult to source suitable food and other items and often we have little to offer those with great need. Please bring anything you and ask your friends and neighbours to help and share with those who have so little. We need fresh meat (which can be frozen), bread, eggs, fruit and vegetables; pasta, rice, breakfast cereals, milk, sugar, tea/coffee, pasta sauces, and tinned fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, baked beans etc. Some vegan foodstuffs also needed as well as some pet food. And of course also washing powder, cleaning materials and toiletries. Please bring what you can at the Offertory on Sundays – larger deliveries by arrangement with Lahiru, our acting foodbank manager, (mob: 07438976736). THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

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.

THE PARISH DATABASE  The Parish Pastoral Council seeks to create a comprehensive database to include all our parish members. Today forms will be distributed asking for some essential information – names of all family members, address with postcode, telephone and email contact details etc.The purpose of this is to enable effective pastoral care, community building and effective communication. The information given will be used solely for internal parish and pastoral reasons and will not be divulged to any other party. Please sign the forms giving your permission for us to hold your details on our database – this is essential for compliance with GDPR (Data Protection legislation). THANK YOU!

GOD’S CALL TO SERVE THE LIFE AND MISSION OF YOUR PARISH   It is very clear that our parish, together with all churches and voluntary organisations around the country, has not yet recovered fully from the effects of the Covid Pandemic and the restrictions placed upon our meeting together during that time. A significant number of our community are not coming to Mass here for a variety of reasons. It is a joy to welcome new families and individuals who have found their way to St Nicks. However there has been great difficulty in drawing members of the parish into being part of the many ministries and tasks of the parish. Whether it is  the welcoming Ministry, Church Cleaning, the Foodbank, Catechists, the ministry of the Parish Office serving the wider community, too few are doing too much in support of the parish’s life and mission. We are all called by our baptism to serve and build the Church as a mission community. We are all called to sacrifice time and energy to build our parish community and support the Mission of Christ entrusted to us. I realise only too well that many have heavy commitments caring for children or elderly family members and juggling work and family. They are indeed serving Christ in these ways. But I do ask everyone to reflect whether some  time can be given to sustain the parish’s life and mission as we move towards a lay-led parish. This will be a great challenge for all of us. Please pray about this urgent need in building the future of our unique parish.

ST NICK’S AND COMMITMENT TO ‘SYNODALITY’ We have played our part in contributing to the Church’s world-wide ‘Synod’, as last year we gathered in different groups to listen to one another and share our thoughts and feelings about being part of the Catholic Church. The result was a 60 page report (which remains on our parish website for all to read) which we sent not only to our Bishop but also to those overseeing the Synod in the Vatican in  Rome. But this is only the beginning! For the first time the ‘International Synod of Bishops’ in October in Rome will include 70 non-bishops (clergy, religious, lay men and lay women) with full voting rights. This is a very significant step forward – but there is a long way to go yet! But what is equally important is that your Parish Pastoral Council is committed to finding ways of embedding ‘Synodality’ in the life and ‘governance’ of our parish community – prayerful listening to one another in order to discern what the Spirit is saying to us in our parish about the way forward into a future different from the past yet fully alive with Prayer, Community and Mission. The Synod’s working document emphasises that those who experience being excluded from church life “are bearers of Good News that the whole community needs to hear” and that “whenever we encounter another person in love, we learn something new about God.”

WHAT IS OUR COVENANT WITH THE POOR?    In preparation for the great Millenium of year 2000 the Bishops of England and Wales asked every parish to draw up and make a ‘Covenant with the Poor’. As part of our parish’s Covenant we pledged to pray regularly for Justice & Peace, to serve the homeless and poor who come in increasing numbers to  our extensive Food Bank and the Wild Goose Café and to encourage parishioners to volunteer time and energy to work in the Food Bank and the Wild Goose Café; and also to give non-perishable food (especially rice, pasta, tinned fruit and tomatoes, tinned fish and meat etc) and/or money (in special envelopes) to be used for the poor. This food and money goes to support our ministry among the poor of our area. During Lockdown this as greatly expanded and very many people inn Bristol are supporting us, in addition to our parishioners. We also founded and developed our Borderlands Charity (‘from exclusion to belonging’) to serve our asylum & refugee community that has remained serving throughout the periods of Lockdown. In normal times, the Offertory Procession at Mass regularly sees gifts to be shared with the poor and vulnerable, carried to the Altar (restoring the ancient meaning of the Offertory Procession). So the Covenant with the Poor that we renew solemnly at each Patronal Feast of St Nicholas of Tolentino (early September) has continued to grow and develop and as such has shaped the life, mission and witness of our parish community. The development of the ministry of the Parish Office has enabled us to develop our ‘Option for the Poor’ in obedience to the Gospel Let us praise God for such rich grace and love poured out upon our community, and though our community to many in their need.

LOVE THE CHRIST OF THE POOR – WORDS OF ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM   “Would you honour the Body of Christ? Do not despise His nakedness; do not honour him here in church clothed in silk vestments and then pass him by unclothed and frozen outside. Remember that He who said ‘This is my Body’ also said ‘You saw he hungry and gave me no food’. I am insisting that nothing can take the place of care for the poor. What use is it to adorn the altar with gold cloths and deny Christ a coat for his back? He would be outraged!”