Parish Commitment Form

Your Parish needs you!  Please can you give a couple of hours a month to some voluntary work in the Parish?  Have a look at the Parish Commitment Form and see how you would like to help our Parish.  Please submit the completed forms to the Parish Office at ololbristol@gmail.com or put the completed forms in the box on the table in the Church Porch.

Retreat - Who is the Holy Spirit

This weekend I led a retreat for the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Bernadette, Kingswood. We based the retreat around the Holy Spirit. The day was divided into three sections, firstly Who is the Holy Spirit, then what does the Holy Spirit do? and then lastly encountering the Holy Spirit.

In the first talk we stepped through the bible looking at points where the Holy Spirit appeared.

• Genesis 1:2 – Right at the start of everything the Holy Spirit is present at creation.
• Exodus 32:12 – The Holy Spirit give the gift of craftsmanship.
• Judges 16:2 – Samson is given strength to break the bonds he is tied with.
• Ezekiel 36:24 – The Holy Spirit works through Ezekiel allow him to prophesise, but the prophesy in this verse is about the time when everyone will have access to the Holy Spirit not just the chosen, judges and prophets.
• Joel 2:28 –Joel continues this prophesy saying the spirit will be poured out on everyone. Every race, women and men, old and young.
• Luke 1:15, Luke 1:35, Luke 1:42, Luke 1:67, Luke 3:21, 4:1, 4:14 – As we move into the new testament we see the Holy Spirit getting very busy. Working through Zachariah, Mary, Elizabeth, John, and Jesus.
• Act 2 – Then we jump to the time that all these passages in scripture had been leading to the giving of the Holy Spirit to us all. The Pentecost moment.

We finished by looking at a little more in depth at some of Ezekiel Prophesy and how it was fulfilled in Christ. We compared ourselves to the Bones in Ezekiel 37 and how the Holy Spirit breathes life in our bones when we ask to be filled with the Spirit. We compared Ezekiel 47 to John 7:37, Ezekiel describes a river flowing from the temple bringing life wherever it flows, Jesus after attending the festive celebrating this prophesy then announce that those waters flow from him. We compared ourselves when Spirit filled to those waters. It was a powerful and joyful session.
During the second session we looked at Baptism and Confirmation and spent some time discussing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We finished the day with prayer, praying over people who wanted to receive the Holy Spirit into their live.

It was a joyful and God filled day.

by Deacon John Scanlon

Day Retreat "Holy Spirit"

First Holy Communion 2016

Applications forms for First Holy Communion 2016 are now available for children who have been baptised in the Catholic Church and who are in Year 3 or above.  If you wish your child to receive First Holy Communion in 2016 please complete the application form and return it to the Parish Office by Friday 23rd October 2015.  

PROCLAIM '15 Holy Hour

A Holy Hour will take place on Saturday 11^th July 7.30pm at St Augustine of Canterbury, Downend to pray for evangelisation and the success of Proclaim’15. Refreshments in the Parish Hall after evening Mass has ended before going into the Church for a reflective and prayerful Hour. 

Everyone is welcome for Mass, refreshments and/or the Holy Hour.

Holy Communion

A prayer written by one of the children who is preparing to receive Holy Communion for the first time next Sunday.

Dear Lord Jesus,
Help me in Holy Communion.
Please help me not to be nervous and help me to be confident.
Amen

Please remember in your prayers all our children who have completed their preparation, ready to receive Holy Communion next week: Mathew, Ross, Christopher, Sergio, Grace, Elsie-Mae, Gracie. Poppy, Cristiano, Faith, Isabella, Ciaran, Kendrix, Rozalia, Keith, Mikha, Owen, Joshua, Ellis, Hayden, William, Shanae,  Rosie, Danny, Jeremiah and Joe.

We wish them and their families a very happy and holy celebration as they receive the Sacrament.

Fr Matt arrives at our Church on Ride for Vocations tour.

Since 21st April, Fr Matt Anscombe has been cycling around the diocese visiting every Church to promote the need to pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life.

Day 16 on his itinerary: He arrived at our Church to a warm welcome at 6.00pm on Friday, 8th May and led a Prayer Service for vocations.Copies of the service are available in the Church Porch. 
Fr Matt says, “Ride for Vocations is a novel way to alert parishioners of the need to pray for and encourage vocations. It’s also a great opportunity to rouse the interest of our younger members and get them asking serious questions about their calling”

To find out more about 'Ride for Vocations' please follow this link to the Clifton Diocese website 

 A prayer for priestly vocations

   Loving Father, in baptism you call us to be a people of hope.

 Raise up, we pray, especially for our diocese of Clifton, many good and holy priest.

 Grant men throughout our diocese the courage and vision needed to shepherd and serve your people as priests.

 Open up, in your love, the hearts of all your children
that they may discern your holy will and know your call in their lives.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.