THIS SUNDAY: Advent opens with a great cry, and a great promise: “Oh that you would tear the heavens open and come down!” is the cry of a people who need God. “…the master is coming” is the promise, not to breed fear, but to answer our cry. Advent begins, not with thoughts of the past, with the coming of the Lord we celebrate at Christmas, but with the future, and the promise that He is coming back. We are encouraged to treat every day as the day the Lord will come; we do not do this out of fear for a Master who beats his servants, but out of love of a Master who always treats us with love and mercy. Nevertheless we must always be watchful, because we can grow sleepy and complacent, saying that we can leave this prayer or that confession or the other change in the way we live to tomorrow. Even as we look forward to the tomorrow of the Lord’s coming, we must remember that it might be today!

RECEPTION AND BLESSING OF THE NEW MISSAL: At Mass this Saturday evening, as we begin mass and bless our Advent wreath, we will also receive on the sanctuary the new missal. We pray that as we embrace the new translation, our prayer and our liturgy may draw us ever closer to God and his love. Sunday Missals have also arrived and will be available from this weekend. Those of you who have ordered one from FrC will find your name on the missal. There may be one or two extras that have been ordered if you would like one.

200 CLUB MEMBERSHIP: Subscriptions for 2012 are due soon. Look out for your membership letter.

FIRST COMMUNION 2012: The complete list of preparation sessions, celebration Masses, and parents’ sessions can now be found on the notice board as well as on the parish website. If you missed the details and the meeting for whatever reason you will need to contact FrC, please. The children begin their preparation for First Confession on Wednesday 30 November in school. We look forward to welcoming them for their Mass on Enrolment in January.

ROTAS: You’ll find the December rotas online and paper copies as well as notes for Readers in the narthex.

FIRST FRIDAY SOUP LUNCH: The next First Friday soup lunch takes place this coming Friday 2 December, following Exposition, at 12.15pm. All are most welcome.

VESPERS: Beginning this Sunday, there will be the celebration of Evening Prayer at 4.00pm on Advent Sunday I, II, and III. This is a beautiful way of praying the psalms drawing the day to a close. Do come along and make this a real part of your Advent journey of preparation.

FAMILY CRIB SERVICE: On the Fourth Sunday of Advent we gather with the children of our parish to begin to re-trace that journey to Bethlehem and reflect upon the beauty of the Christmas story. The children are invited to come dressed as one of the characters of the nativity to help focus our reflection upon the people who responded to the invitation to welcome Christ into our world. All are most welcome and we begin at 3.30pm on Sunday 18^th December here in the church. There will be refreshments afterwards in the hall.

WALK WITH ME: These simple books of reflection for each day of Advent are available, priced £1, from the narthex.

A CHRISTMAS WELCOME AND OUT-REACH: There are some beautiful cards available from this weekend that give clear details of the week’s build up to Christmas so that you can ‘invite’ folk to join us for Christmas this year. The cards give times of the celebrations at St Bernadette’s, opportunities for confession, and allow you to encourage those who may not normally be with us at the weekend to come back and join us at this special time of year. This is a most important part of reaching out to folk and an important aspect of evangelisation. There may be friends, family, neighbours who just need that encouragement from you to put them back in touch with Church and with that living encounter with Christ. You are encouraged to take the cards and hand them on!

CHRISTMAS MASSES: You’ll see from the little Christmas postcards that there are four masses over Christmas Day: 6.00pm Christmas Eve as well as Midnight (beginning 11.30pm with Carols) and then 8.30am and 10.30am on Christmas Day. It’ll be great to see you sometime over that Christmas weekend.

AMPLIUS CHRISTMAS CONCERT takes place on Saturday 3 December at Counterslip Baptist Church beginning at 7.30pm. We are warmly invited to go along. Full details on the notice board.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE HOMELESS: Once again, we’ll be collecting your gifts for the guests of Julian House this Christmas. You’ve been great in previous years wrapping socks, jumpers, toiletries and chocolates for the homeless. The box will be in the Lady Chapel in time for the Crib Service, mid December.

DIOCESAN YEARBOOKS AND DIRECTORIES: Get them while you can! There were only 20 directories (£5) and 8 liturgical yearbooks (£5.99) this year. There were too many left last year, so get these whilst they are available from the Narthex. You can pop the money into the newspaper money box.

FIFTY YEARS ON – VATICAN II: The next date for your diary is Tuesday 6 December, 7.30pm in our cathedral when Fr James Hanvey SJ will explore Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes, inviting us to think about being the Church in the contemporary world. This is a fantastic series of talks (the complete list is in the narthex) where we can simple re-introduce ourselves to the fruits of the Second Vatican Council. Do go along if you can.

THIS SUNDAY: Today we focus on the vineyard: frequently we see the vineyard as an image or parable of the Kingdom of God. A vineyard takes a great deal of work, throughout the year; it must be tended, watered, pruned, cared for if there is to be any fruit – there are no quick results with vines. So the financial and labour investments made would create high expectations for a good crop. How heartbreaking when the fruit is as sour as vinegar! So it was with God and his people: he invested immense care and love on them, tending then and giving them what they needed – but the fruit was rotten and sour. What can God do? Hand the vineyard over to some tenants who will bring in a harvest. That is us, the new people of Israel: but what sort of harvest will we produce?

WELCOME to Canon Mattie Hayes who celebrates Mass for us this weekend whilst Fr Christopher is away with the students for the Permanent Diaconate on their retreat weekend. Do make Canon Mattie feel at home.

NEW TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL: Keep using the Mass cards that are available. It is good to hear our community growing in its familiarity with the new texts. We persevere… together.
FRIDAY PENANCE AND THE FIRST FRIDAYS OF THE MONTH: Tied in with our Friday witness and penance, each first Friday the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed after the morning Mass until midday giving those who want to the chance to spend a little time in Church, and also allowing us to keep our Church open a little longer than usual. Do make use of this valuable opportunity to deepen prayer before the Lord. This will be followed (each first Friday at 12.15pm) with a very simple soup lunch (homemade soups with bread and cheese) to allow us to tap into that spirit of penance as well as in solidarity with the hungry of our world. Your donations will go to support projects that look after the hungry, the thirsty, and homeless in our own city. So, this coming Friday, there will be exposition after the morning Mass until 12noon and lunch in the hall at 12.15pm. All are welcome for this CAFOD harvest fast day – Friday 7 October.

READERS PREPARATION EVENING: Our readers are invited along to their annual get-together on Tuesday 4 October at 7.00pm here in the Church and the hall. The new translation to the Missal gives us an opportunity to reflect, once again, upon the ministry of reading in Church. All are readers are asked to come along for this hour together.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: Our ministers of Holy Communion come together for their annual formation session On Wednesday 12 October at 7.30pm – after the evening Mass. We only come together once in the year so please do make a note in your diaries.

FIFTY YEARS ON – VATICAN II: Beginning this October our diocese is hosting a series of seven talks/lectures inviting us to re-engage with the teachings and the documents of the Second Vatican Council which began October 1962. Starting on Tuesday 18 October, Bishop Declan opens the series. The talks take place at the Cathedral and start at 7.30pm. Have a look at the Adult Education and Evangelisation newsletter on the narthex notice board. There is also a poster on the board giving full details. Ahead of the Bishop’s talk there will be chance to explore the first of the documents, Dei Verbum, on Thursday 6 October, at 7.00pm in the Church. Just come along. The two texts are available from cliftondiocese.com.

A CONCERT FOR CAFOD on Saturday 8th October at 7.30pm in the church there will be a musical evening and refreshments for the refugee camp in Kenya.  Please try and support this social event which is for a good cause.

SECONDARY SCHOOL OPEN EVENINGS: Our Secondary School is holding its annual Open Days on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th October for parents of children in year 5 and year 6, who will transfer to secondary school in 2012.  Full details of timings available from the school.

ST BRENDAN’S SIXTH FORM COLLEGE: Do have a look at the information poster in the narthex -15 October, 19 October and 20 October. Contact details for the college are on the poster.

RELICS AND ROSES: Its two years since the relics of St Therese came to Bristol. There is a beautiful and moving documentary of the visit being screened at St Theresa’s, Filton, on Wednesday, 5 October. The producer, Michael Whyte, will be there to set the film in its proper context. It’s free. Mass in the Church at 7.00pm and film afterwards in the parish hall. Poster in the narthex.

CAFOD HARVEST FAST DAY: Envelopes are attached to this week’s newsletter in readiness for the annual Harvest Fast Day – Friday 7 October. Each year as we celebrate the abundance of God’s gift of creation, we enter into solidarity with those who ‘fast’ each and every day through hunger. Our gift to them is our way of sharing from the many good things we have.  the second collection will be taken next weekend for CAFOD.

ETHEL LAMOON RIP: Our prayer and sympathy are extended to the family of Ethel Lamoon who died recently at the age of 102. Her funeral service takes place here at St Bernadette’s on Monday at 11.00am. Ethel’s body will be received into Church this Sunday afternoon at 4.30pm. May she rest in peace.

THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY: Do make something of this month dedicated to the Holy Rosary. It may be that you take up the challenge of a decade a day during this month, maybe praying for vocations. Each weekday Mass will end with a decade, bringing our parish to the intercession of our Blessed Lady.

DIOCESAN PASTORAL COUNCIL: The members of pastoral councils from parishes across the diocese gather with Bishop Declan this coming Saturday at St Bede’s College, Lawrence Weston from 10.00am, hence the earlier Mass to allow members of our parish forum to go along to represent us.

THIS SUNDAY: “Once a sinner, always a sinner.” That seems to be the attitude of the self-righteous in the first reading and the Gospel; they object that God is unjust, because he gives sinners another chance. But God tells them quite clearly that such attitudes are the real injustice – to allow prejudice and hardness of heart to come between repentance and forgiveness. The words of Christ in the Gospel must have struck a chill into the hard hearts of the so-called righteous chief priests – even today they can make us stop and think: “Prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.” All our outward show matters little, if it does not correspond with what is deep in our hearts; all our words are meaningless, if they do not correspond with the way we live our lives.

NEW TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL: Keep using the Mass cards that are available. It is good to hear our community growing in its familiarity with the new texts. We persevere… together.

ONE YEAR ON EXHIBITION: The stunning images of the papal visit from the papal photographer, Marcin Mazur, are still on display at the Grant Bradley Gallery, Bedminster Parade – Monday to Saturday 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. It’s a wonderful setting to pop into and you can get free parking at Asda behind the gallery. Entrance to the gallery is free and there’s a wonderful café there, too. Exhibition runs until this coming Saturday.

FRIDAY PENANCE AND THE FIRST FRIDAYS OF THE MONTH: Tied in with our Friday witness and penance, each first Friday the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed after the morning Mass until midday giving those who want to the chance to spend a little time in Church, and also allowing us to keep our Church open a little longer than usual. Do make use of this valuable opportunity to deepen prayer before the Lord. This will be followed (each first Friday at 12.15pm) with a very simple soup lunch (homemade soups with bread and cheese) to allow us to tap into that spirit of penance as well as in solidarity with the hungry of our world. Your donations will go to support projects that look after the hungry, the thirsty, and homeless in our own city. We begin on Friday 7 October – CAFOD harvest fast day.

THE DIARY OF GOD: This simple and uncomplicated series delving into the Scriptures is being hosted by Sacred Heart, Westbury-on-Trym, and St Paul’s, Yate. Both courses begin in November and run over eight sessions. There is a poster in the narthex giving you full details. If you want a booking form, do ask FrC.

READERS PREPARATION EVENING: Our readers are invited along to their annual get-together on Tuesday 4 October at 7.00pm here in the Church and the hall. The new translation to the Missal gives us an opportunity to reflect, once again, upon the ministry of reading in Church. All are readers are asked to come along for this hour together.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: Our ministers of Holy Communion come together for their annual formation session On Wednesday 12 October at 7.30pm – after the evening Mass. We only come together once in the year so please do make a note in your diaries.

FIFTY YEARS ON – VATICAN II: Beginning this October our diocese is hosting a series of seven talks/lectures inviting us to re-engage with the teachings and the documents of the Second Vatican Council which began October 1962. Starting on Tuesday 18 October, Bishop Declan opens the series. The talks take place at the Cathedral and start at 7.30pm. Have a look at the Adult Education and Evangelisation newsletter on the narthex notice board. There is also be a poster on the board giving full details. Ahead of the Bishop’s talk there will be chance to explore the first of the documents, Dei Verbum, on Thursday 6 October, at 7.00pm in the Church. Just come along. The document and study sheet are available from cliftondiocese.com.

A CONCERT FOR CAFOD on Saturday 8th October at 7.30pm in the church there will be a musical evening and refreshments for the refugee camp in Kenya.  Please try and support this social event which is for a good cause.

SECONDARY SCHOOL OPEN EVENINGS: Our Secondary School is holding its annual Open Days on Thursday 29th September and Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th October for parents of children in year 5 and year 6, who will transfer to secondary school in 2012.  Full details of timings available from the school.

ST BRENDAN’S SIXTH FORM COLLEGE: Do have a look at the information poster in the narthex -15 October, 19 October and 20 October. Contact details for the college are on the poster.

RELICS AND ROSES: Its two years since the relics of St Therese came to Bristol. There is a beautiful and moving documentary of the visit being screened at St Theresa’s, Filton, on Wednesday, 5 October. The producer, Michael Whyte, will be there to set the film in its proper context. It’s free. Mass in the Church at 7.00pm and film afterwards in the parish hall. Poster in the narthex.

CAFOD HARVEST FAST DAY: Envelopes will be handed out next weekend in readiness for the annual Harvest Fast Day – Friday 7 October. Each year as we celebrate the abundance of God’s gift of creation, we enter into solidarity with those who ‘fast’ each and every day through hunger. Our gift to them is our way of sharing from the many good things we have.

TRAIDCRAFT STALL: If you can help ‘man’ the stall, most especially after Mass on Saturday evening, please have a word with Ann Kerrigan this weekend.

THIS SUNDAY: By now we are some distance away from Easter, but the season is still permeated with the Easter message: Christ is risen, we are baptised in him. But today a new dimension of the story comes out: Easter is not complete until the risen Lord has returned to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit. So in the Gospel today we begin two weeks of looking forward to the coming of that ‘Spirit of truth’ which sets us apart from the world. This is a Spirit of power, which flows through the life of the Church, enabling its members to ‘proclaim the Christ’ and, dwelling in our hearts, to live in the midst of the world’s slander and accusations.

FIRST COMMUNION PREPARATION: The children begin to countdown the weeks until their First Communion celebrated on the weekend of Corpus Christi. They celebrate First Communion as a group on Saturday 25 June at 12noon and then the St Bernadette’s children come to Mass again on the Sunday to celebrate with our parish community at 10.30am (26 June). Their preparation for First Confession continues on Wednesday 8 June at 3.45pm in the school with First Confession celebrated shortly after that. Do keep the children and their families in your prayers at this important time of their formation and their continuing journey of faith.

NEW TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL: We will continue our reflection and preparation for the new translation of the missal ~ Thursday 2 June and then 16 June. These sessions (an hour each) beginning at 7.00pm will give us an opportunity to reflect upon the Eucharist and the words we pray when we come together for Mass. Please do come along and take part in this catechesis. The final session on the 16 June will give us opportunity to celebrate Mass using the new translation so that we can see how the language of the new translation shapes the whole of the Liturgy. There will be no morning Mass that Thursday (16 June). Of course, some of the music we use at Mass for the Gloria, the Holy, holy, the Memorial Acclamation will be changing. There will be an opportunity to explore some of the new musical settings over the summer. This translation will touch each one of us and this is an important opportunity for us to grasp with generosity and openness. Do come along to whatever you are able to.

ROOTED IN CHRIST: This fantastic series begins to draw to a close as we move to the final three sessions. Bishop Declan will lead us in reflection and study on the Church as one, holy, catholic and apostolic on Tuesday 14 June. This should be a most interesting session in the light of where we are on our diocesan journey and also in the light of the new translation of the Roman Missal. If you would like to go and might need a life, just ask FrC. Holy Family, Patchway, Tuesday 17 May beginning at 7.30pm.

CONGRATULATIONS to Grace Young who was baptised here last weekend. We congratulate Grace’s family, too.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Corpus Christi is celebrated on 26 June. That will launch us into a week of adoration each day before the Blessed Sacrament as we journey towards the Feast of the Sacred Heart on Friday 1 July. FrC will be looking for folk to take up the challenge of giving a little time during those five days to watch before the Blessed Sacrament so that we can ensure the Church is left open for those days of prayer. Watch this space for further details. The 29 June is the sixtieth anniversary of Pope Benedict’s ordination as a priest and so, in union with the whole Catholic community, we keep him in our prayers during that period of prayer and adoration.

CATECHISTS’ SYMPOSIUM: This gathering of catechists from around our diocese as well as drawing in folk who are interested/involved in handing on faith to others takes place on Saturday 2 July at St Bede’s College, Lawrence Weston. This year’s Symposium will reflect upon how we engage and involve parents in the formation and preparation programmes that their children are taking part in for First Communion and Confirmation. There’s also a chance to look at the RCIA and its celebration in our parishes. It is well worth going along to and taking part in. Full details and application forms are available from the narthex notice board.

QUIZ NIGHT: An opportunity to get together to work those little grey cells as well as enjoy a Ploughman’s supper ~ Saturday June 4th at 7.30pm in the hall. Tickets cost £5.00 per person. You can bring your own drink. Please write names and numbers on the notice in the narthex so as to help with catering. Make up a team and come along. Look forward to seeing you there! Money raised goes in support of our outreach projects so by coming along and taking part we are also reaching out to those so less fortunate than ourselves. Gordon and Linda have details if you need more info. The big prize 200 Club draw will also take place at the Quiz Night so you could go home with a nice cheque, too!

THE ASCENSION: We celebrate the transferred feast of the Ascension next Sunday. It is also World Communications Sunday and the retiring collection goes to support the tremendous work of the Catholic Communications Network of the Bishops’ Conference. This is a fantastic arm of the Bishops’ work in promoting the media and using the media to reflect the Gospel, the teaching of the Church, and the valuable work of the Church in our country. They allow our voice to be heard, and our gospel message to be encountered in so many forms of the media. They also actively engage with the media on a day to day basis, representing the Church in so vital and visible a way. Please do give as generously as you can. This coming Thursday (the fortieth day after Easter) we will begin our novena of prayer to the Holy Spirit looking forward towards Pentecost.

PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY: There is an ecumenical service of prayer leading up to the Feast of Pentecost this coming Friday and will take place at Christ Church, Petherton Road, starting at 7.30 pm.   The speaker will be the Rev Laurie Burn.  It is always good to be able to join our Christian brothers and sisters in prayer. If you can go a represent St B’s, please do go along.

A VISITOR TO ST BERNADETTES: Our parish may be graced with a three-day visit from Cardinal Velasio de Paolis, the Prefect of Economic Affaires of the Holy See. He looks after the finance and budgets of the workings of the Holy See and is visiting the UK towards the end of June. He has graciously accepted an invitation to come to visit us and will be here for part of our week of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament after Corpus Christi. There will be more details of his visit nearer the time, but this is a great honour for our parish.

GLASTONBURY PILGRIMAGE: Please put a note in your diaries: Sunday 10 July. Full programme and details on the notice board in the narthex. It’s always a great diocesan gathering at the beautiful shrine. Do go along if you can. FrC will find out whether there is a coach from this part of Bristol that we might be able to make good use of. Watch this space.

200 CLUB NEWS: May £25 Draw ~ Roy Meacham No. 34 Congratulations.

THIS SUNDAY: Advent opens with a great promise: “In the days to come…” the hope of a people who need God. “…The master is coming” is also a promise, not a threat to breed fear, but to answer our cry. So Advent begins, not with thoughts of the past, with the coming of the Lord we celebrate at Christmas, but with the future, and the promise that He is coming back. We are encouraged to stay awake, and treat every day as the day the Lord will come; we do not do this out of fear for a Master who beats his servants, but out of love of a Master who always treats us with mercy. Nevertheless we must always be watchful, because we can grow sleepy and complacent, saying that we can leave this prayer or that confession or the other change in the way we live to tomorrow. Even as we look forward to the tomorrow of the Lord’s coming, we must remember that it might be today!

ADVENT WREATH: Once again, the Advent wreath graces the sanctuary and provides us with a simple focus to mark our passage through this season of waiting. The wreath will be blessed and the first candle lit at the start of Mass this Sunday. If you bring your wreath along for a blessing, pop it near to our church wreath.

COMMUNION UNDER BOTH KINDS will be distributed at the Saturday evening Mass beginning this Saturday. To enable this to happen in as respectful and orderly a way possible, we will need to approach the altar from the central part of the church and not from the sides. This will enable the two ministers holding the chalices to stand at the end of the rails and those who want to receive communion from the chalice to present themselves from those side aisles. It should enable a steady flow to and from communion and facilitate an easy reception of communion from the chalice. Please just be aware of these slight adjustments over the next couple of weeks.

DIOCESAN DIRECTORIES & YEAR BOOKS: The new editions of the Liturgical year book (£5.99) and the diocesan directory (£5) are available from the narthex table. Do pick up your copy.

VESPERS FOR ADVENT: We mark this first Sunday of Advent with a celebration of sung Evening Prayer. We are joined this Sunday by members of the local Christian churches who have been invited to join us this weekend. There is a cup of tea after Vespers in the Hall.

APPEAR IN THE LIGHT: A special event for young people to meet and explore their faith and the season of Advent.
In each week of Advent there will be a series of short reflection evenings for young people in each county within our diocese. The evenings will be a chance to reflect on Advent as a season of preparation and our own faith journeys. The Advent reflections begin here at St Bernadette’s on Monday 29 November from 6.00pm until 9.00pm and all our young people, secondary school age and upwards, are warmly encouraged to come along.

CONFIRMATION PREPARATION: The fourth session of preparation takes place on Wednesday December 8 at 6.00pm in the Hall, and January 12. The Bishop will be with us on Thursday 27 January. Our young people have been sent away from this last session to think about choosing a sponsor and a name under which they choose to live as disciples of Christ. Let us keep them in our prayers as they journey towards the Sacrament of Confirmation.

ROOTED IN CHRIST: This fantastic opportunity to deepen our understanding of faith starts up again on Tuesday, 30 November, at Holy Family, Patchway. Canon Bosco MacDonald will lead us into a reflection and deeper understanding of the Fatherhood of God. It’s free and it’s open to everyone. Do go along. Starts at 7.30pm

AMPLIUS CHRISTMAS CONCERT: The concert this year takes place on Friday 3rd December in the hall of St Bernadette Secondary School starting at 7.30pm.  Do come along and enjoy carols, Christmas music, readings and poems, followed by drinks and mince pies.  Details on notice board.

200 CLUB SUBSCRIPTIONS: The new Club year begins in December. Colette has sent out renewal reminders to existing members. Please hand in your subs asap, please. There are a number of vacant numbers should anyone want to join up. There is the chance to win one of the ten monthly £25 cheques and also pick up those bigger prizes in May and November. Your subs do support the parish, also, in a very real way.

FAMILY CRIB SERVICE: This beautiful, simple service will take place on Sunday 19 December at 3.30pm in the Church. Once again, as we gather as a parish family, the children are invited to come dressed as one of the nativity figures. We will journey through the Christmas story in prayer, reading and song. Refreshments afterwards in the hall. Do come along if you can. Also, the homeless shelter in town benefits from the gifts we bring along to the crib service. They are in need of underclothes for their guests. If you can help out, the box will be in the Lady Chapel.

ADVENT CONFESSIONS: Fr Michael, Fr Christopher, and Fr Michael Derrick will be in the Church on Monday 20 December to hear confessions. They will be there from 7.00pm until 8.30pm. Do pop in and make use of this wonderful sacrament of healing and forgiveness as part of your preparation for Christmas.

CLOW: The Children’s Liturgy leaders come together next Saturday from10.30am until 12.00pm.

SCHOOL CLASSES AT MASS: Year 3 join us for Mass this coming Friday at 9.30am.

PURPLE MASS SHEETS giving the common prayers of the Mass are available from the narthex. These don’t need to be distributed along with the hymnbooks but are available for those who might need a little prompt with the prayers at Mass and especially those for whom English is not their first language. Help yourself.

AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED: Edwina and Nicholas Fogg join us for Mass this weekend. They come to tell us something of the work of ACN. They are not appealing for funds, just bringing to our minds this important branch of the Church’s mission and work. They will speak at all Masses this weekend. We give them a warm Whitchurch welcome.

CHRISTMAS MASSES: Christmas is less than thirty days away. There will be Mass at midnight beginning with the traditional half hour of carols at 11.30pm on Friday 24 December. On Christmas day, Mass will be celebrated at 8.00am and 10.30am. There will be no evening Mass on that Saturday. Christmas is also an opportunity to welcome people ‘home’ to our parish. You may know someone who has been away from Church and someone who has simply lost touch. This is a reach chance for us to reach out to them and invite them to StB’s for that celebration of Christ’s birth. Offer them the support they may need and bring them home to the Lord this year.

SCHOOL TRANSPORT CONSULTATION: Please have a look at the secondary school website and support them by taking part in the Council’s consultation. Cuts might mean that transport is removed… unless we voice our concern. You can find the link to the secondary school website through our own parish website. Have a look in the LINKS section.

ADVENT REFLECTIONS: Don’t forget to have a look at our diocesan website cliftondiocese.com where you will find some beautiful reflections each week of Advent to accompany us on our jounrey of hope and preparation. Click onto the website and you’ll find the Advent Art link.

THIS SUNDAY: The year of Saint Luke ends with a characteristic take on the feast of Christ the King: in Luke’s gospel we are so familiar with seeing and hearing the voiceless, the rejected, those whom society puts in second place: how suitable, then, that on the feast of the King of all Creation we see him at his most vulnerable – on the cross, with only an abrupt inscription to announce that he is the King. He is King because of the work he has done, which is described by Saint Paul in the Second Reading: “all things [are] reconciled through him and for him … when he made peace by his death on the cross.” Next week, when we re-enter Advent and a new Liturgical Year, we will be thinking of the King who will come again: though he will come as his disciples saw him go at the Ascension, the marks of the cross will still be visible for all time, to remind us of the one who came to reunite all Creation, especially frail human creatures.

COMMUNION UNDER BOTH KINDS: Our Saturday evening Mass is the only one where communion is not offered from the chalice. From the First Sunday of Advent (27 November) – next Sunday – there will be the opportunity to receive communion from the chalice. To enable this to happen in as respectful and orderly a way possible, we will need to approach the altar from the central part of the church and not from the sides. This will enable the two ministers holding the chalices to stand at the end of the rails and those who want to receive communion from the chalice to present themselves from those side aisles. It should enable a steady flow to and from communion and facilitate an easy reception of communion from the chalice. Please just be aware of these slight adjustments over the next couple of weeks.

SOUNDS OF THE 70’s – PARISH SOCIAL – 27 NOVEMBER: Come and dance the night away to the music of “Erebus“, in a fun night with a fish and chip supper. Search your wardrobes, dig out and dust off those clothes and spend the evening reminiscing to the authentic sounds of the 70′s! Tickets will cost £10 and this will include entertainment through the night by a fantastic live band, as well as your fish and chip supper. Caroline Lovell has more details. You’ll need to pick up a ticket whilst you are at Mass this weekend.

FIRST COMMUNION PREPARATION: The preparation programme for First Communion 2011 will begin late January. If you have a child in year 3 and feel that they are ready to take this next step in their pilgrimage of faith, and you missed the parent’s meeting last Thursday, you will need to get in touch with FrC asap to pick up the details and the important registration form.

SCHOOL YEAR GROUPS AT MASS: Friday morning Mass will see us joined from time to time by one of the class groups from our primary school. This is not just a prayerful opportunity for them but also a catechetical one, too. It gives them chance to experience the celebration of Mass and to grow in their appreciation and understanding of this treasure in our lives of faith. It would be great if there were folk ready to support them on these Fridays. All are welcome. This coming Friday, we welcome year 4 to Mass.

BISHOP DECLAN VISIT ST BERNADETTES: Bishop Declan is coming to celebrate Mass on Wednesday 24 November at 11.00am and he has invited the retired priests of our diocese to come and join him. It would be good if there were folk from the parish to come and join with our bishop making the retired priests welcome.

VESPERS FOR CHRIST THE KING: To bring the liturgical year to a close, we will celebrate sung evening prayer and benediction this Sunday, 21 November, at 4.00pm. This is a wonderful celebration of the church and it would be good if folk could come along.

YOUTH SUNDAY: This final Sunday of the Church’s year is our day of prayer for the young people of the Church. There is an appeal this Sunday being made on behalf of the diocesan youth service. Your gift goes to support the work with our young people across the diocese. It is our young people who benefit from your kindness.

APPEAR IN THE LIGHT: A special event for young people to meet and explore their faith and the season of Advent.
In each week of Advent there will be a series of short reflection evenings for young people in each county within our diocese. The evenings will be a chance to reflect on Advent as a season of preparation and our own faith journeys. The Advent reflections begin here at St Bernadette’s on Monday 29 November from 6.00pm until 9.00pm and all our young people, secondary school age and upwards, are warmly encouraged to come along.

CONFIRMATION PREPARATION: The fourth session of preparation takes place on Wednesday December 8 at 6.00pm in the Hall, and January 12. The Bishop will be with us on Thursday 27 January. Our young people have been sent away from this last session to think about choosing a sponsor and a name under which they choose to live as disciples of Christ. Let us keep them in our prayers as they journey towards the Sacrament of Confirmation.

ROOTED IN CHRIST: This fantastic opportunity to deepen our understanding of faith starts up again on Tuesday, 23 November, at Holy Family, Patchway. Gavin D’Costa will gently lead us into a reflection and deeper understanding of the Trinity. It’s free and it’s open to everyone. Do go along. Starts at 7.30pm

DIOCESAN DIRECTORIES & YEAR BOOKS: The new editions of the Liturgical year book (£5.99) and the diocesan directory (£5) are available from the narthex table. Do pick up your copy.

AMPLIUS CHRISTMAS CONCERT: The concert this year takes place on Friday 3rd December in the hall of St Bernadette Secondary School starting at 7.30 pm.  Do come along and enjoy carols, Christmas music, readings and poems, followed by drinks and mince pies.  Details on notice board.

TRAIDCRAFT STALL: Help is still needed to ‘man’ the stall at either the Saturday evening Mass or after mass on Sunday morning.  Please see Ann or Maria if you are able to help out once a month. Also, do have a look at the Traidcraft Christmas Catalogues offering ideas for gifts which are a pleasure to  give and receive, and which also help our brothers and sisters in developing countries to be self-sufficient.

SEASON OF ADVENT: The season of preparation for Christmas begins next Sunday. The Advent wreath will be in place and will be blessed at the beginning of Mass. If you want to bring your advent wreath from home in to be blessed, please place it around the church wreath and take that blessing home with you. There are Advent Calendars in the narthex for sale, also.

BLUE MASS SHEETS giving the common prayers of the Mass are available from the narthex.

ADVENT VESPERS: To mark the Sundays of Advent, there will be a celebration of sung evening prayer here in the Church, easch Sunday afternoon at 4.00pm. Do come along if you can. Next Sunday’s vespers sees our parish community joined by our friends from the local Christian Churches in theis Advent celebration. Do come along if you can.

The many outreach activities in our parish include our involvement through Amplius the ecumenical group of local churches, support for the Julian Trust and the Ministry of the Door at St. Nicholas of Tolentino, our links with Cafod, Missio (formerly the APF), the HCPT, Traidcraft, Samaritans Purse shoebox presents from our youth club, our support for projects in Zambia and our prayer links.

Awareness of the needs of others has prompted action by many parishioners. We enjoy many social events, themed evenings and meals prepared by our Italian, Malaysian and Indian parishioners. Money raised from these events supports local and overseas projects.

Together with other local churches we hold weekly lunches during Lent, a Good Friday walk of witness and a Christmas concert.

Our links with Cafod are strengthened through our Family Fast days and our pyramid box donations during Lent. The Cafod national and diocesan organisers keep in regular contact informing us of events in the diocese and overseas.

Support for building and aid projects in Zambia is co-ordinated through the Papal Nuncio to Zambia, Monsignor Girasoli and local priests and religious.

Through the weekly prayer list of intercessions posted at St. Joseph’s statue in the church we remember the needs of those in our parish and the wider world. Parishioners are invited to add their special intentions to the list so that all the parish can support them in our prayers.

The work of the different groups in the parish is supported by representatives meeting together regularly. Our parish contacts are :

Zambia projects – Fr. Christopher and Maria Amesbury

Cafod – Linda and Gordon Hodgson

Missio – Judith Lavelle

HCPT – Maureen Case

Traidcraft – Marie Forester

Amplius – Gerry Panter and Mike Forde

Samaritans Purse – Youth Club

At present we are collecting groceries for the Julian Trust and gifts and donations for the Samaritans Purse appeal as well as meeting together with other local churches in a community choir to prepare for our Amplius Christmas concert.

Events during Advent include the Amplius Christmas concert in St. Bernadettes school hall on Friday December 4th and a quiz night with fish and chip supper in the parish hall on Saturday December 5th.

We are always looking for new ideas and our Outreach group would welcome suggestions from parish members in addition to the generosity, prayers and support we already receive.