Scroll down to see all our latest news posts (& click 'older posts' at the bottom of the page to look back over the previous news.) CHURCH OPENING TIMES:
We are open for private prayer during the week
(from about 8.30-4pm on days where there is no evening Mass)
and open for public Masses on;
Saturday at 6pm
Sunday at 9.30am
Tuesday at 7.30pm
Thursday at 10am
Friday at 7.30pm - but please check the week's Newsletter (Newsletter with Mass Times tab above) in case of changes.
PARISH OFFICE:Please note that the Parish Office is open a few days per week so emails will be checked periodically. In the event of an urgent query, please call the presbytery on 0117 9833939 and leave a message.
Fr Barnabas Page - Resident Assistant Priest at St Augustine's Church
Fr Jim Williams - Priest in Charge
Our Parishes in Communion for Mission covers us here in Downend,
St John Fisher in Frenchay,
St Lawrence in Chipping Sodbury with St Paul's in Yate,
NEW FOOD BANK INITIATIVE, together with school & pre-school, our ‘Community Kitchen Cupboard’ is now up & running! (The 'C.K.C.')
(Started July 2024)
This informal, free service is for anyone in our community who might be struggling or just needs a bit of extra help ~ please, just come & help yourselves to a few items from the shelves. As you can see from the video, come on into the entrance of the church which is open each day (even if the door is shut, please try it, as it is usually unlocked from approx. 8.45am-4pm, or later, on days where there is evening Mass) including during the school holidays. The Community Kitchen Cupboard is at the end of the entrance area - take a few things for you / your family.
Also, if anyone is in a position to donate tinned & packet items for the CKC please leave items in the box at the bottom of the cupboard for our team to sort out and label.
We would always love some more toilet rolls, tea, coffee, lunchbox snacks such as individual biscuits or dried fruit boxes etc, jars of pasta sauce, tinned or packet desserts (rice pudding / custard etc), tinned meat or fish and sanitary items.
*Keep an eye out for updates on this in the weekly Newsletter*
We hope this will be a useful initiative for our community and we would welcome any helpful feedback and offers to join the team of people checking and re-stocking on a rota basis each day.
“And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Congratulations to Milly from Willow class for designing the winning logo for The CKC - the new Community Kitchen Cupboard! ... I think it says everything about what the initiative stands for - to surround people with love ❤️ Well done Milly.
A few moments from a wonderful Holy Week and Easter Sunday at St Augustine's...
Concert
Join us on *Saturday 18th April* to hear the talented Bristol Male Voice Choir perform a concert in the amazing acoustics of our church. Tickets are on sale for this event at just £10pp and the profits from the night will help towards the Church building fund. There will be refreshments on sale during the interval and after the concert too. So get your tickets and come along for what promises to be a wonderful evening. Contact the parish office, buy your tickets after Mass this weekend or contact Bristol Male Voice Choir direct for your tickets. See you there!
St Augustine's Summer Community Catch-Up!
Saturday 27th June.... 11am-3pm
Get that date in your diary!
We are PROMISED fabulous weather this year so we'll see you there, on the field with your sun screen on, ready to enjoy a wonderful day together celebrating our Community.
All in aid of the School's PTFA, the Guides, Brownies & Rainbows, our Pre-school and the church.
"May the joy of the resurrection fill your hearts and homes. May the risen Lord grant peace to our troubled world, consolation to those who mourn, strength to the weary, and fresh courage to all who seek to follow him. Mary, Mother of the Risen Lord, pray for us and accompany us."
A reminder of the Holy Week and Easter Services in the local area
Maundy Thursday 2nd April 6.30pm Our Lady of Lourdes, Kingswood 7.30pm St Paul’s, Yate 7.30pm St Joseph's, Fishponds 8pm St Augustine’s, Downend
Good Friday 3rd April Children‘s Stations of the Cross & refreshments at 11am in St Augustine’s Passion Services all at 3pm at St Augustine’s, St Paul’s, Our Lady of Lourdes & St Joseph’s
Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday 4th April 7.30pm at St Joseph’s, Fishponds 9pm at Our Lady of Lourdes, Kingswood
Masses of Easter Sunday 5th April 9am at Our Lady of Lourdes 9.30am at St Augustine’s 10am at St Joseph’s 11am at St Paul’s 6pm at St Joseph’s
This Friday at 11am we have our annual Good Friday reflection, prepared for the children to understand, but offered for us all to take something from. Please join us, whatever your age, and see what Holy Week means to your life. Then we can enjoy a cuppa and hot cross buns in the hall together after.
Concert Evening
We are delighted to be hosting a fundraising Concert (using the beautiful acoustics of our church!) on Saturday 18th April at 7.30pm.
We warmly welcome the brilliant Bristol Male Voice Choir, with guest soloist Jennifer Peck, for what promises to be a fantastic night of music as well as time to socialise with refreshments in the interval & after the event.
This evening is in aid of our Church Building Fund, and our portion of the money raised will be put towards necessary upkeep and completion of projects.
Click the link below to order your ticket online or purchase from the parish office/after weekend Masses at just £10 per person.
If you aren't able to attend the concert but wish to help, please feel free to make a donation towards the 'Church Building Fund' when next at Mass, using the DONA/contactless machine at the back of church. You'll find an option on the machine to pay for your concert ticket or to make a donation instead. Many thanks and see you there!
OUR COMMON HOME: ENGAGING POLITICIANS - 6:30pm, April 13th ONLINE with Bishop John Arnold, The Diocesan Environmental Leads Network & Friends. With the May local elections fast approaching, now is an important time to let politicians know your views on climate and justice. Following a meeting with the Catholic Diocesan Environment Leads of England and Wales, an alliance of organisations has come together to offer parishioners guidance on key environmental issues and to help them engage local politicians in dialogue about defending our common home and safeguarding the dignity of all our brothers and sisters. Register here: https://journeyto2030.org/our-common-home-engaging-mps/
‘Now is the Time’ is a Symposium to explore the teachings of Pope Leo in his Apostolic Exhortation ‘Dilexi Te' (Love for the Poor) at St Brendan’s College, Brislington, on Saturday 30 May.
Our keynote speakers will be Bishop Bosco MacDonald, Sir John Battle KC*SG and Raymond Friel (CSAN).
We will start the day at 10am (refreshments from 9.30am) and finish at 4pm. Please bring a packed lunch. To register for the day please use the Eventbrite link: https://dilexite.eventbrite.co.uk We look forward to welcoming you on the day.
A message from BristolAid4Ukraine following Sunday's lovely afternoon, learning this exquisite skill!
"Thank you to everyone who came along yesterday to our annual Pysanka workshop held by BristolAid4Ukrained4Ukraine at St Augustine's Church, Downend as part of the parish project event. It was so special to come together and share the beautiful Ukrainian Easter tradition of wax egg decoration – Pysanky. We hope you all enjoyed this calm, meditative process and had the chance to learn a little more about Ukrainian culture and heritage. Together, we also raised an amazing £132 towards our new minibus 🚐 — thank you for your continued support!"
A reminder of the Holy Week and Easter Services in the local area
Maundy Thursday 2nd April 6.30pm Our Lady of Lourdes, Kingswood 7.30pm St Paul’s, Yate 7.30pm St Joseph's, Fishponds 8pm St Augustine’s, Downend
Good Friday 3rd April Children‘s Stations of the Cross & refreshments at 11am in St Augustine’s Passion Services all at 3pm at St Augustine’s, St Paul’s, Our Lady of Lourdes & St Joseph’s
Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday 4th April 7.30pm at St Joseph’s, Fishponds 9pm at Our Lady of Lourdes, Kingswood
Masses of Easter Sunday 5th April 9am at Our Lady of Lourdes 9.30am at St Augustine’s 10am at St Joseph’s 11am at St Paul’s 6pm at St Joseph’s
QUICK EASTER APPEAL ~ A few days to help if you are able to ~
Ashfield Prison staff are collecting money for Easter eggs (or donated Eggs) to hand out to children in our local hospitals.
If you'd like to help, please give any donations to Fr Barnabas/hand into the office marked specifically for this appeal, or hand any Easter Eggs into the office by Monday evening, 23rd March, as they will be taken over to Ashfield Prison on Tuesday morning (24th).
Thank you.
*** We have a new date for the beautiful Pysanka Egg Decorating workshop, run by Vera from our Parish Project - BristolAid4Ukraine.
Join us on Sunday 29th March from 2-4pm in the parish hall where you can make a donation to the project on arrival and all materials will be provided for you to create your own beautiful decoration.
Please sign up at the back of church which will be helpful for working out number for materials etc.
Here is the updated Social Events Calendar for the year so far...
We are so lucky to have such a warm and community minded parish... see you at some, or all, of this year's events!
Concert Evening
We are delighted to be hosting a fundraising Concert (using the beautiful acoustics of our church!) on Saturday 18th April at 7.30pm.
We warmly welcome the brilliant Bristol Male Voice Choir, with guest soloist Jennifer Peck, for what promises to be a fantastic night of music as well as time to socialise with refreshments in the interval & after the event.
This evening is in aid of our Church Building Fund, and our portion of the money raised will be put towards necessary upkeep and completion of projects.
Click the link below to order your ticket online or purchase from the parish office/after weekend Masses at just £10 per person.
If you aren't able to attend the concert but wish to help, please feel free to make a donation towards the 'Church Building Fund' when next at Mass, using the DONA/contactless machine at the back of church. You'll find an option on the machine to pay for your concert ticket or to make a donation instead. Many thanks and see you there!
Rosary Borrow Basket'
A very kind parishioner has created a 'Rosary Borrow Basket' for our church, which will sit on the cupboard unit as you enter the Church. Should you wish to say the Rosary but don't have one with you, please feel free to use one of the Rosaries and the little rosary book, supplied, and pop them back afterwards. Thank you to all our parishioners who do so many things for our community.
How lucky are we to have such an artistic and talented Parish Community!
Our Church looks so colourful at the moment with some beautifully decorated Lent plate pictures, made by the kids in our wonderful Pre-school. Plus, the children who are making their First Holy Communion this year met last night for their First Confessions and decorated a 'Sorry Tree' which is now bringing some Spring joy to our Church entrance.
We thank God for our beautiful children and for those who educate, lead, nurture and care for them.❤️
What a wonderful Community we have here at St Augustine's.
I'm sharing (with permission) this delightful message & photo received last week from Chloe, who is one of our school pupils & a member of the Brownies. Chloe collected food cupboard staples together with donations from the Brownies and brought it into Fr Barnabas for the Community Kitchen Cupboard with this lovely note. (Have a read )
Isn't that wonderful!
We feel that Chloe and the Brownies have demonstrated true Christianity in action and we can see that they are a kind and caring bunch! How lovely of them to have thought of others in this way and taken practical steps to help.
Well done to the girls and well done especially to Chloe and her family.
Should you (or someone you know) be in food crisis and need a couple of items, please visit our Community Kitchen Cupboard in the entrance area of the church. No referral needed. Please just take what is needed to get you through.
The Clifton Evangelist
The latest edition of the The Clifton Evangelist newsletter has been published. You can read it on the Diocesan website using this link. You can also see previous newsletters on the site.
Can you help by making some home-made soup for us to offer to the people we meet on the soup run?
We freeze donated soup & use about 8 litres worth each fortnight, and our supplies are getting low....
If you can help, please note these tips: *Not too thick or 'hearty' as it can be difficult to pour out on the run. *Use a plastic milk carton to store it & leave a gap at the top to allow for expansion when freezing. *Label & date the carton.
Contact the office to arrange drop off to Maeve who kindly stores & organises it for us. Thank you so much!
CHARITY CROCHET WORKSHOP
** There are 4 places left on Vera's CROCHET WORKSHOP this Saturday afternoon (7th), in the Parish Hall, all in aid of the Ukraine Parish Project. Contact Vera for all the details and timings, if interested in booking a place.
Beginner Crochet Workshop
Ever dreamed of making your own cozy blankets, stylish accessories, or handmade gifts?
Now’s the perfect time to learn crochet!
Join us for a relaxed 3-hour beginner-friendly workshop, where you’ll learn all the essentials, including:
* How to hold your hook and yarn
* Making a slip knot and foundation chain
* Basic stitches:
– Single & Double Crochet (US)
– Double & Treble Crochet (UK)
* How to read simple patterns and charts
You’ll start your first project – a crochet headband – during the class.
What’s included:
A full craft kit will be provided on the day, with plenty of yarn to take home, so you can continue practising and finish your project with confidence.
No experience needed – just come along, relax, and enjoy learning a beautiful new skill!
*To book contact Vera on: 07886894614*
Cost: £48
St. Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church, Bristol are holding their monthly Mass for member of the LGBTQI+ community on 15th March.
This facility is now used many times each day & needs constant restocking. We are so pleased to be able to help those who need it (and use is certainly growing at a very fast rate) & we want to continue to help when we have items to offer and as and when we can get it in to restock.
**We are currently out of tea bags, instant coffee, tinned fish (tuna/sardines), tinned meat (meatballs, beans n sausages, fray bentos pies, tinned veg (sweetcorn, carrots, peas) & very low on pasta, cereals, tinned fruits, custards, rice/suet puddings.
If you are able to buy 1 thing & leave in the box at the base of the Cupboard for sorting we’d be so grateful.
(If you are able to help join the sorting & restocking team, during the week, please contact the parish office as we'd love to have you as part of the team!) Thank you all so much.
Wishing all members of our lovely Hong Kong Community, and all who celebrate, a Happy Lunar New Year 2026 恭喜發財 May the Year of the Horse bring you good health, great success, and overflowing happiness
Ash Wednesday Mass was a beautiful, reflective service this morning with nearly 130 attending. Fr Barnabas spoke to us about the season we are now starting. "At the beginning of Lent we are facing towards the cross, so we start Lent with a cross on our forehead as a sign of that journey." Mass will take place at 7.30pm this evening at St Augustine's, Our Lady of Lourdes and St Paul's. Everyone is welcome to attend to begin the season in prayer.
CAFOD Lent Appeal. Family Fast Day collection (Sat 28th Feb/Sun 1st March) This Lent, live out the Gospel call to love your neighbour. By fasting and giving what you save, you join in Christ’s compassion and help another family put food on the table. Your donation can help families around the world grow food in difficult conditions – such as on flood-resistant floating gardens or using solar-powered water pumps in times of drought. Collect a CAFOD envelope from the back of church from this weekend if you wish CAFOD to claim Gift Aid on your donation, or donate as you leave church in the basket or at the Contactless Donation Station - or to bless others with your support if not at Mass, donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call 0303 303 3030. Text CAFODLENT to 70085 to donate £10.
ROME PILGRIMAGE ~A message from St Joseph's Catholic Church Bristol. "We are exploring the idea of a 7-day pilgrimage to Rome in September 2026 (flying from Bristol – morning flight - on Tuesday 22nd September and returning on Monday 28th September). At this stage, we’re simply gathering the names of those who might be interested to see if it’s viable to progress our plans further. Below is an estimated sliding scale of prices per person, sharing accommodation at a 4* hotel within 30 minutes driving distance from the Vatican including Breakfast and Dinner (prices do not include airfare. We cannot guarantee a price for this element until we confirm the booking as this will be dependent on group size.). Final prices will depend on the number of participants:
Minimum 45 People - £898 + airfare Minimum 40 People - £958 + airfare Minimum 35 People - £988 + airfare Minimum 30 People - £1018 + airfare If you would like to be kept informed as details develop, please register your interest in joining us as soon as possible by emailing Bristol.stjoseph@cliftondiocese.com. "
VACANCY: St Augustine of Canterbury preschool is looking to a point a Deputy manger and SENCo to join our wonderful preschool. Candidates need to have level 3 in early years education and level 3 SENCo qualifications. We are also looking for an early years practitioner to join our team. Any enquiries can be made to Kelly on 0117 956 1166 or email: staugustinesstaff@gmail.com
