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 THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT YA
THE SECOND COMING – IMPOSSIBLE!?
We cry out with the earliest Christians: ‘Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus Come!’ But does it make sense in our modern scientific world to think that one day Jesus will come ‘on the clouds of Heaven’ and transform all creation into His Glory?
Our world, our Universe has been evolving for billions of years. From this gradual evolution the amazing creation we call man and woman has emerged. Now we too shape the course of evolution, by our science and engineering, but our research and exploration. And that is what always intended – He invites us to be ‘co-creators’ with Him of this evolving Universe.
And what is the goal of this Evolution? Annihilation in another ‘Big Bang’ (or ‘Cosmic Crunch’?) Emphatically NO! We are to fill the world with the Spirit of Christ, so that evolution takes a new direction towards its truest destiny – utter integration into the reality of the Cosmic Christ! Jesus will come again – not on the clouds of heaven like some astronaut, but emerging in all creation clothed in the Glory of God’s Love! We do not wait – we work for the Coming of the Kingdom by building a world of Justice, a world of compassion, an era of Peace!
ADVENT – THE VISION OF MISSION Advent is a time for ‘people with far-seeing eyes’ – awakened to the reality of our world, ready to listen and to gaze: in order to recognise where, when and how Jesus comes in the 21st century (in the poverty, among the oppressed, disguised as an addict or as homeless, crying out for acceptance and freedom in the asylum-seeker, yearning for peace among the women and children who are the greatest victims of our wars). But you have to have courage to see and to hear – and more courage to speak and to act! The Spirit of God unfolds a vision of Mission – to transform the deserts and wastelands of our world into places of hope, rich and fertile in humanity and justice, healing and freedom. Our Mission is world-challenging and world-changing. Let our worship empower our mission, as we gaze upon bread from the fields and wine from the hills being transformed utterly in Christ by the Spirit and the Word through the ministry of the Church!
THE YEAR OF MATTHEW Throughout the new Liturgical Year (A) most Sundays we will be proclaiming the Gospel of St Matthew. This is the most Jewish of the Gospels, arising from the life experience (and so the questions and issues) of a first century Christian community composed mostly of Jews who had embraced Jesus as the Messiah they had long awaited. The author seems to have been a rabbi as many rabbinical techniques are used in this Gospel (eg grouping miracles, healings, parables in groups of seven). Jesus is presented as a New Moses giving a New Law (the Beatitudes) that fulfils and surpasses the Old Law. At a time when Christian Jews were excommunicated from the Synagogues and Jerusalem and its Temple lay in ruins at the hands of the Roman Army, the author is seeking to reassure them that they were being faithful to God’s Covenant with His people in accepting Jesus, Messiah and Son of God … they were faithful Jews by becoming Christians: the Gospel concludes with the Universal Mission (‘all nations’) entrusted to them by the Risen and Glorious Christ at the mountain of the Ascension.
ADVENT DAY OF REFLECTION – ‘MARY’S YES’ Saturday 6th December You are invited to this day of Prayer, Teaching, personal reflection time and sharing at the Apostle Room at Clifton Cathedral – starting at 10.15am (after Mass at 9.30am) and finishing at 3.30pm – bring packed lunch. Part of our ‘Jubilee Year of Hope’ Journey Contact: adult.education@cliftondiocese.com
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD (CLOW) We have not been able to restart this essential part of our Liturgy and the foundation of catechesis for our children through lack of enough volunteers to help our children and parish in this way. However we are having Children’s Liturgy of the Word each Sunday in Advent – starting next Sunday. BUT WE DESPERATELY NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THIS IMPORTANT MINISTRY. Please offer some time and energy so that our children can enter more fully into the wonder of the Mass – Eucharist and the Word of God.
CAFOD WORLD GIFTS THIS CHRISTMAS Why not give a friend or family a gift that benefits the poorest of our world. Jesus is not honoured by lavish gifts to each other – when you give someone a CAFOD World Gift, you are giving to Jesus who identified himself with the poor who benefit from your Gift. ‘Whatever you do to the least of my sisters and brothers you do to me!’ The catalogues for these CAFOD World Gifts can be found on the CAFOD website: www.cafod.org.uk/give/christmas-world-gifts
ADVENT – A TIME TO TURN BACK TO GOD This is a time to come humbly before God, seek His Ways: to help you, why not return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confessions) this Advent in your preparation for celebrating the Birth of Jesus our Saviour.
MASS CELEBRATING FAMILY LIFE Bishop Bosco is to celebrating Mass in the Cathedral on Saturday 14 February (12 noon) and is inviting all families to join him to acknowledge the joys & challenges of family life. In addition, we will celebrate those couples with significant anniversaries in 2026. If you are, or know of a couple, celebrating a special anniversary during 2026 please do let us know. You just need to send names to: adult.education@cliftondiocese.com with an address so that a personal invitation can be sent out from the bishop. Please include the number of years celebrating. It is always a wonderful Mass at the Cathedral, we look forward to seeing you there.
ST NICHOLAS PRIMARY SCHOOL – ADMISSIONS SEPTEMBER 2026 Thinking of Reception Class for your child next year? Please take a look at our parish primary school. Open Day Visits: Friday 5th December 1.30pm-3.00pm Monday 8th Dec 9.30am-11.00am
Friday 9th January 2026 9.30am-11.00am
If you are unable to make any of these times, then please contact the School Office to book a suitable time- tel; 0117-377-2260
Neurodiversity and our Faith research The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales and Birmingham Newman University are conducting research into Neurodiversity and our Faith. If you’re an adult neurodivergent Catholic or a Caregiver of a neurodivergent Catholic, we want to hear from you. Your experiences will help us to become more inclusive and responsive to your needs. To find out more and to fill in our short surveys look here:
www.godwhospeaks.uk/neurodivergent-catholic-surveys
Pope Leo XIV has released the first document of his pontificate, an Apostolic Exhortation called Dilexi te – ‘I have loved you’.
Underpinned by Scripture, Catholic social teaching, and the teaching of his predecessors, Dilexi te focuses on the Church’s love for the poor and God’s special concern for those living in poverty. It affirms the ways in which the magisterium should inform our pastoral practice in accompanying the poor and vulnerable to serve the common good. In continuity with Pope Francis’s final encyclical, Dilexit nos on the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus Christ, Pope Leo makes a clear link between this document and the new Exhortation:
“I share the desire of my beloved predecessor that all Christians come to appreciate the close connection between Christ’s love and his summons to care for the poor,” he writes in the opening paragraphs. “I too consider it essential to insist on this path.
Pope’s Apostolic Letter ‘Drawing New Maps of Hope’
The Apostolic Letter Drawing New Maps of Hope, released on 28 October, marks the sixtieth anniversary of the conciliar declaration Gravissimum Educationis. In it, Pope Leo XIV reaffirms and expands that document’s vision, applying it to the challenges of the present time. Reflecting on the millions of children who still lack access to basic education, and on the educational crises caused by war, migration, inequality, and poverty, the Pope asks how Christian education can respond today.
THE VOCATION OF THE CATECHIST Jesus taught, accompanied and formed his disciples, making them ready for the Mission He was entrusting to them. This is what our Catechists are called to do – teach, accompany and form a new generation of ‘missionary’ disciples. This begins with Children’s Liturgy of the Word (sadly every fortnight rather than every Sunday), continues with preparing children and families for First Eucharist and First Reconciliation, then into adolescence with calling our young people to Confirmation in the Holy Spirit. Then there is the preparation of parents for their children’s Baptism and adults seeking to become Catholic Christians. And all this to form ‘missionary disciples proclaiming the Gospel and changing the world. WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP TO CONTINUE THIS FOUNDATION WORK – THINK ABOUT SERVING IN THIS MINISTRY – YOU PARISH REALLY NEEDS YOU,
ESSENTIAL TRAINING FOR CATECHISTS Clifton Diocese in partnership with ‘Light of Truth’ are offering Essential Training for Catechists. Parishioners can join us on Saturdays, 6th, 13th & 20th December, online, from 9am to 12 noon for a short course of 3 sessions, to discover the essential nature and principles of catechesis, the sources of catechesis, and the best ways to prepare and deliver our catechesis. This course is open to everyone involved or interested in any kind of catechesis for adults, young people or children. Anyone interested can sign up for the series by clicking on the Zoom link here. More information on other courses & sessions run by
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.
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.
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 Louise (our temporary Parish Administrator during Astrid’s maternity leave) 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!
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!”
MEN AND WOMEN EQUAL IN MINISTRY There are many charisms and ministries in the Body of Christ – each one of us, young and old, male and female, lay and clergy, and whatever our gender identity – all of us are ‘beloved children of the Father’, each of us is gifted by the Holy Spirit to serve, to proclaim, to build the missionary Body of the Christ and to transform the world. In our parish we are moving towards a parish community led and served by predominantly lay ministry, served and supported by the ordained ministry including a part-time (non-resident) priest. We are committed as a parish to promote, empower and train many different forms of ministry. The ministry of women and men are equally valued, the ministry of lay people and ordained deacons and priests are equally valued. All of us over 40 years old have almost certainly grown up in a church that has neglected and minimised the ministries of lay people. We are still in a clergy (and therefore male) dominated church and this has caused major problems while being unfaithful to the New Testament. Some ministries are denied to women (and not just ordained ministries) … therefore there is an urgent need to enable voices of women to be heard, their gifts to be recognised and their ministries to be released, for the good of the whole Church and its Mission and witness. This is to correct the imbalance and injustice that has been the norm for centuries. Please do not misinterpret this as diminishing or demeaning the ministries of our brothers, lay or ordained. We are all called to work together for the Kingdom as equal partners in the Lord’s work.
IS GOD CALLING YOU TO FOSTER OR ADOPT A CHILD? 109 children are taken ‘into Care’ each day in this country! 109 children everyday looking for security, for a home where they can belong and thrive. Also there is an increase in the number of unaccompanied child refugees arriving in this country (which will increase with the Afghan Exodus). I know from my own personal experience how important adoption is to give a child a new start in life. Many children are from the BAME community and there is a great need for more fostering and adoptive families from these diverse ethnicities. Could God be calling you, your family, to this healing vocation for a child in care? Contact CCS Adoption (tel: 0117 935 0005 or email info@ccsadoption.org) or ‘Home for Good’ (clare.walker@homeforgood.org.uk )