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 THE SECOND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS YA

JESUS – WORD & WISDOM OF GOD

MADE FLESH, PITCHED TENT HERE!

Have you ever been camping under canvas? If so you know you are vulnerable to weather conditions, you are open to whoever comes – no locked doors. But there is also great freedom to go where you will – just pack up your tent and move on, exploring new places and sights.  And of course there are the Nomadic Peoples who whole life is wandering from place tom place, hoping they will be welcomed!

God in Jesus is the great ‘Tent Dweller’ – the Nomad wandering among His People – the Pilgrimage God who is constantly journeying through history, accompanying humanity in peace and in war – in plenty and in  poverty. We too often want to ‘lock God up’ in our churches and temples, in our tabernacles and creeds, in our sacraments and rituals. BUT THE SPIRIT BLOWS WHERE SHE WILLS! Our God who pitched tent in creation’s history, among us, cannot be contained. God is freedom – Love’s freedom. God surprises us in how and when He draws alongside and whispers in our heart. We find Him where we think He should not be if only we seek his face and open to His Love! ‘Let us see your face O Lord’ in all around us!

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD – A FEAST OF GLORY MANIFESTED!
Seekers after wisdom have travelled far, and bring with them the hopes of the Nations, the gifts of the Peoples, the riches of Learning – and lay them before this vulnerable little child trapped in poverty and soon to be a refugee! These strong men of intellect who gaze upon the stars and research the wisdom of ages in their books: now they bend low, humbled and humbling in the generosity of their spirits and the humility of their minds – bending the knee to the child and His young mother and labourer father. And in the poverty of the Bethlehem home they touch the quiet and hidden glory of Love made Flesh, of God in human skin, of the inter-twining of the Divine and Human stories forever – literally for all eternity. They have found Wisdom – or rather Wisdom made Flesh has found them! drawing them to the strange Glory of this God-touched Humanity. Forever we will walk as wise seekers and lovers! Then the Glory can be quietly and gently manifest in us!

HAPPY NEW YEAR        A New Year is a time for reflection upon the past, and commitment to the future. Our Faith is a faith in the future – the future God and ourselves will forge together for our own lives and for the world. Our Faith is a faith in God’s New Beginnings, who always redeems and heals the mistakes and tragedies of the past and launches us confidently upon the paths of the future. Our Faith is faith in a God who walks with us through dark threatening valleys and light-filled joyous mountain tops – and helps us see the creativity and beauty of both! I wish you every blessing this New Year – let us together make it a Year of Mission, a Year of Contemplation, a Year of Friendship with our Emmanuel, our God who walks always at our side in our hearts.

FEAST OF MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD – CALLED TO BE BEARERS OF GOD
The first defined doctrine concerning Mary was to name her ‘Theotokos’ – Greek for ‘Bearer of God’. This was solemnly declared by the Council of Ephesus (where Mary was believed to have ended her life and then been assumed into heaven): you can visit the ‘holy house’ reputed to be the home she shared with John the Beloved Disciple into whose care Jesus placed his mother at the Cross.
Mary is the great sign from God showing us what it is to be a redeemed people, what it is to let the Spirit grasp hold of our lives and shape them in the service of the Lord and his Kingdom. She is the ‘bearer of God’ to the world – and that is our vocation too! If we are to bear Christ to our 21st Century world then we need to allow the Spirit to overshadow us, we need to utter our profound ‘YES’ to God, we need to abandon ourselves to the divine will and love, we need to embrace God’s world as Mary did! Let Mary teach us in 2012 how to bear God with our whole being and all our love!

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.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS [1] We have a beautiful church – we need to keep it beautiful and even more deepen its prayerfulness. We have a rich and involving Liturgy – let us make sure we arrive in time and prepared to begin Mass promptly at 10.00am. Especially if we are exercising a ministry in the Liturgy
[2] Please turn all mobile phones off before, during or after Mass in the church! Please do not make phone calls in Church at all – please go outside to make phone calls .
[3] Please help our children to experience the church as a’Sacred Space’ and not a play ground, especially after Mass. Help them to learn even from the earliest age how to act in this ‘sacred space’, in the presence of God, the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Teach our children how and why to genuflect to the Tabernacle.       THIS IS SACRED SPACE, A PLACE TO ENCOUNTER THE LIVING GOD AND LISTEN PRAYERFULLY TO HIS HOLY WORD – LET US ALL DEVELOP OUR CHURCH MORE AS THIS SACRED SPACE FOR PRAYER & STILLNESS!

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.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMMES 2026: We begin preparing children for First Eucharist on Thursday 8th January at 4.00pm in the Assisi Centre, led by Mary Hopper. First session will be for both for children and parents. First Reconciliation also begins on Thursday 8th January at 4.00pm again in the Assisi Centre and is for both children and parents. If parents have not yet applied for their children in these courses, then please do so as soon as possible and before the first sessions in January.  

MONTHLY YOUTH-LED MASS It was so joyous and encouraging to see the involvement of our young people during the Mass for Christ the Universal King. We will hold the Third Sunday of the Month as a Youth-led mass – so parents and others please encourage our young people to fulfil a ministry on Sunday 18th January and Sunday 15th February  – our next two Youth-led Masses.

NEWS ABOUT THE WILLOW TREE IN OUR CAR PARK Some of you may know that twice in the past four years a major branch of this beautiful tree broke away from its trunk, most recently two months ago. After consultation with Diocesan Property Services we have sadly commissioned Tree surgeons to remove the tree. It presents an unacceptable risk to children in the school, users of the car park and property – cars, the Dunstan Centre etc. A beautiful tree sadly in the wrong place!

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.

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,

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!”