This Week's News

Displays for the planet

During Lent we have several beautiful displays at the back of church and in the Parish Hall for you to see and interact with.

You can read about the work of CAFOD, see how we can help our planet and prepare for this Jubilee year, test your carbon footprint and see how the shrink it.
Please take a moment to look through the displays.

 

ATTENTION! To all who are involved in the SOUP RUN... (and those who aren't, but might be interested!)

The current rota expires on 19/04/25. Please contact Philip via the parish office to let him know if you would like to come off the rota, or perhaps join it for the first time - otherwise he'll assume you are happy to continue.
The new rota will be for two years and includes jobs such as; making up rolls, heating soup, making cakes etc (approx every 6-8 weeks) plus, the team who organise the boxes ready for the run will always welcome more volunteers to help out in the garage.

Please make contact if interested in finding out about the run.

Thank you to the amazing team of people who work together to help the people on the streets of our city.

"We pray for those who have suffered without a place to call home, where systems have failed them and daily needs have gone unmet. Provide a safe place that provides belonging and structure. Provide food care and warmth. We pray that you look upon and meet their needs. Amen"

PARISH PROJECT 2025

1 of the projects this year is for our own parish funds, specifically to help towards the £2,675 stonemason’s bill to repair & clean up the 12 leaking windows along the front of the church. These beautiful windows have done a superb job of keeping the rain out for 60 years but now need some tender loving care to keep them working and watertight for another 60!

Look out for lots of fun fundraisers this year for both parish projects, plus, there is now a donations box at the back of church for the window fund, for anyone who can’t attend the fundraising events but would still like to contribute.
Thanks to Myra & Petra for spearheading the project!

A message from Bella

Joyce and I are doing the Big Lent Walk for the second and third years. Joyce loves walking in the country spotting birds. I do walks to and from Church although my first three miles were on my pilgrimage vigil in London. I'm taking part in The Big Lent Walk by walking to and from Church 52 times during Lent, please sponsor me!
Your donations can change lives. Every £1 raised through the Big Lent Walk will help fight poverty globally in countries like Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.

Please support us if you can by donating via this link or see us at the cake sale for CAFOD on Sunday 13tth April after Mass.

https://walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/joyce-and-bellas-big-lent-walk

Diocesan Lent Retreat Day

Just a reminder, on Saturday 5 April at St Bernadette’s Catholic Secondary School, Whitchurch, Bristol, Clifton Diocese have organised a Lent Retreat day to reflect upon and experience Reconciliation as the Sacrament of Hope.

The speakers will be Fr Brendan Callaghan SJ former Novice Master of the United Noviceship of the British, Irish, Flemish and Dutch Jesuit Provinces and former Master of Campion Hall. When responding to the invitation to speak Fr. Brendan wrote ‘It is a sacrament which I find intensely consoling to celebrate’. He is particularly delighted to return to Bristol where he celebrated the Sacrament for the first time at St. Mary on the Quay.

We also have Margaret & Barry Mizen whose son Jimmy was brutally murdered the day after his 16th birthday. Margaret and Barry have refused to give into hate and have worked tirelessly since Jimmy’s death to promote peace and reconciliation, particularly among young people. http://mizenfoundation.org/

The day will provide the opportunity for conversation and reflection on the two presentations. The day will finish with a Service of Reconciliation and the opportunity for individual confession with Bishop Bosco and priests from around the Diocese. Refreshments from 9.30am, welcome and opening prayer will be at 10am. Our day will end by 3.30pm.

For parishioners to register for the day, they can click on to this Eventbrite link: https://embracingthemercyofgod.eventbrite.co.uk All are welcome!

https://cliftondiocese.com/news/embracing-the-loving-mercy-of-god/

Thank you for preaching at our Masses last weekend, Deacon Vincent, and for your weekly reflections.

Second Sunday of Lent Year C

1st Reading from the Book of Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18.

Abram has just rescued his brother Lot from the King of Sodom. The King of Sodom offers Abram token gifts, but Abram has refused anything from him. God has just informed Abram for him not to be afraid as God has shielded him, but Abram now old has no offspring and is very unhappy. Now we begin our passage for today, whereby God promises Abram offspring from his own body and descendants, as many as the stars in the heavens. Abram believes God’s promise and then God makes a Covenant with Abram, giving this land to his offspring. St. Paul makes a lot of the fact that God makes a Covenant with Abram before he was circumcised, so in fact whilst he was a Gentile. God, in fact, makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Righteousness is determined by one’s faith in the one true God. As a result of Faith, we become children of the Father, and members of his Covenant.

Psalm 27 (26): 1, 7-8b, 8c-9c, 13-14.

This song is encouraging us to trust confidently in God, it has a wonderful summing up, “Be stout-hearted, and wait for the Lord.” It reflects the confidence of Abram in our God.

2nd Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 3: 17- 4:1.

Paul is never shy about using himself as an example. Since his experience on the road to Damascus, his life has been completely transformed and made a huge difference. He is confident about the kind of behaviour that is appropriate for Christians and that which is not. We do not belong to this world, our world is in heaven, waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to transform our humble bodies into his glorious body. Paul is confidently enthusiastic about following the Lord as closely as possible. We are encouraged to be as enthusiastic as himself in concentrating solely on the Lord, and the Lord’s wishes for us.

The Holy Gospel according to Luke 9: 28b – 36.

Here, Luke presents us with Jesus at prayer, accompanied by Peter, James and John. Jesus’ facial appearance is altered and his clothes become dazzlingly white. Jesus is seen talking with two men, who we are told are Moses and Elijah, symbolising the Law and the Prophets. They are surrounded in light and talking about Jesus’ departure. This departure or exodus could be his death, but we are not told, it will, however, happen at Jerusalem (This Gospel is always looking forward to Jerusalem). Peter wants this spectacle to carry on, so suggests tents for those in conversation, that this wonderful experience would continue. The cloud envelopes them, and the disciples are afraid; a voice is heard “This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him!”. Jesus is now found alone. The disciples are stunned but tell no one about what they had witnessed. They have just experienced the wonder of heavenly experience, something we might contemplate as we journey through Lent. We, also, are destined for heaven to experience such wonderful spectacles. God is very close as we can see from these readings, God is within touching distance of us all if we but have faith and really believe.

Lord, stay very close to us throughout this Lent and always.

Deacon Vincent.