Join us to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost this weekend.
Wear something red to Mass to mark the special occasion and after Mass on Saturday (starting at 6pm) we invite you all into the hall for drinks and nibbles to celebrate this Feast together.
Confirmation
On Sunday 10th May we met many of the 34 young people from our Parishes in Communion who were enrolled into their confirmation programme at St Augustine’s.
It was wonderful to see so many young people together.
Please pray for all of them as they continue their journey in Faith together, ready for the Sacramental Mass with with Bishop Bosco in July at St Paul’s, Yate.
From Clifton Diocese.
We are delighted to announce that Dr Scott Hahn, Catholic writer, author, broadcaster and teacher is coming to this country in May and will be speaking at St John the Evangelist, Bath, on Tuesday, 26 May at 7.00pm. It will be a ticketed event only. In addition, Dr. Scott will be signing his books which CTS will bring with them. This is a truly great opportunity for our diocese to welcome Dr Hahn; you will not want to miss this great speaker.There will be 350 tickets at £20 per person.https://cliftondiocese.com/news/an-evening-with-dr-scott-hahn/
Laudato Si Week - 17th to 24th May🌱 1 week, 1 actionA concrete gesture every day to care for our common home—a real step toward ecological conversion.Explore the resources on their website and see what you can do...
A lovely message from Vera and the BristolAid4Ukraine team:
"A heartfelt thank you to you all for supporting yet another successful cake sale in aid of Ukraine. Your kindness, generosity, and continued encouragement mean so much to all of us at BristolAid4Ukraine.
Thanks to your support, the funds raised will go towards purchasing a pickup vehicle that we are hoping to buy very soon. This vehicle will be sent to Ukraine to help soldiers on the front line with vital logistics and evacuation work, where reliable transport can truly save lives.
Every cake bought, every donation given, and every kind word helps make a real difference.
With sincere thanks and appreciation,
BristolAid4Ukraine" 💙💛
The total from the cake sale came to a brilliant £285! Thank you all!
'Circle Dancing'
Come and join a new event happening on Saturday 20th June in aid of our two Parish Projects.
'Circle Dancing' is a traditional way of moving gently and meditatively, strengthening and encouraging togetherness.
Come and give it a go, regardless of your age, mobility or coordination, it will be a fun and thoughtful activity.
Tickets on sale from this weekend at £10 pp with refreshments.
Contact them directly for details and to book a ticket.
Email: bristol.stpatrick@cliftondiocese.com
Take a moment, pray with the Pope.
Pray with the Pope is a global initiative of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network where the Holy Father shares his monthly prayer intention, an invitation to pray and mobilize for the challenges facing humanity and the mission of the Church.This month's prayer intention is that everyone might have food.Click below to go to the Vatican website's prayer video."Good Father, make us capable of transforming the logic of selfish consumption into a culture of solidarity. May our communities promote concrete gestures: awareness campaigns, food banks,and a sober and responsible lifestyle. May no one be excluded from the common table."https://www.popesprayer.va/praywiththepope/
Rosary for Peace
Inspired by Pope Leo’s invitation to pray “for all of the Church, and for peace in the world”, we’ll reflect on the Sorrowful Mysteries as we unite in prayer for peace and share a reflection from Bishop Bosco MacDonald of
Clifton Diocese.
On Sunday St. Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church, Bristol are hosting their monthly celebration of Mass for LGBTQ+ Catholics, friends & family.
Thanks to Deacon Vincent for his Reflections for Pentecost Sunday Year A.
1st Reading from the Acts of the Apostles 2: 1-11.
We see the Spirit in action, with sound and sights (mighty wind, tongues of fire); we are supposed to call to mind Jesus’s baptism at Luke 3: 22 with its own sound and sights (Holy Spirit in bodily form, and the voice from heaven). The fire and mighty wind are symbols of what we shall see in the rest of Acts, as the story of the Holy Spirit unfolds. The violent wind drives the story on throughout the Acts powerfully changing people’s lives and driving the story on. It drives Saul and Peter and the rest of them on the journey to the ends of the earth. Signs and wonders, overcoming opposition and the healings that accompany the gospel. Tongues of fire symbols of the speeches that cover one third of the Acts. Acts is the dramatic illustration of how the fire of the Holy Gospel spread around the Mediterranean world and the wind blew them from Jerusalem to Rome and down to today where we are inspired to hear the Good News. The names of the people listening to the Apostles and disciples preaching make a great circle around the Ancient Near East. The energy of the Spirit arouses opposition hence, “they must be drunk”, but it is too strong to be stopped and drives the story of the Gospel forcibly onward.
Psalm 104(103): 1, 24, 29-31, 34.
A song in praise of God’s creation and is one of the lovliest. That memorable phrase that we so often use. “Send forth your spirit, and they are created, and you renew the face of the earth”. It bubbles over with “Joy” of the Holy Spirit of the Father creator.
2nd Reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 12: 3-7, 12-13.
One of the many sources of division in the Corinthian Community was evidently the distribution of “spiritual gifts”. The assumption one was a better Christian because one could speak in tongues or prophesy, or work miracles or whatever and the others who don’t are lesser. Paul spends a lot of time of how to resolve this fundamental error. As always Paul takes it back to Jesus. Each gift is from the Holy Spirit not for the benefit of the receiver but for the benefit of the whole Community for whom the gift is to be used. We are all members of the one body in Jesus Christ through the one Spirit given to each of us so there is no national differences or racial differences we are all one in Christ Jesus.
The Holy Gospel according to John 20: 19-23.
The disciples are frightened and shut themselves for fear of the Judeans. There is still a doubt in the Resurrection, and there is no sign of a mission. Jesus appears in the midst of them; he shows them his bodily wounds to convince them this no ghost. John describes the Holy Spirit as the breath of Jesus. It reminds of Genesis where God breaths life into Adam. Our spiritual life is the very breath of God, and this breath gives us the life and strength to undertake the mission that Jesus lays upon us with this Spirit. Sins are forgiven or withheld by the Community, and this is ratified in heaven through the power of this Holy Spirit, which is the very breath of God. This is something to contemplate over this great feast of the birth of Holy Mother Church.
God grace us with the gifts of your Holy Spirit. Deacon Vincent.
