Directory

Church Name:

St John Fisher

Priest(s):

Rev Frank Bermingham

Address:

56 Begbrook Park, Frenchay, Bristol, BS16 1NF

County:

Bristol

Parish Date:

(1951)

Deanery of Parish:

Bristol East

History of Parish:

Until 1940 Catholics living in the Frenchay and Winterbourne areas of Bristol were part of the parish of St Joseph, Fishponds. In 1940, the parish priest at St Joseph, Dr (later Archbishop) Grimshaw established a Mass centre at Frenchay for the greater convenience of local Catholics. This was in a large room above the riding stables near the village. In spite of the unsuitable nature of the premises, reached by a steep staircase from the ground floor, some fifty to sixty persons attended Mass each Sunday. The Mass centre was still in use in 1949 when the then parish priest at St Joseph, Fr Donal O’Connell, wrote to the bishop expressing his anxiety about the number of Catholics who lived in the area and who found it difficult to attend Mass because of the shortage of room. Although a plot of ground to build a church was purchased in 1950 for £500, lack of funds prevented a start being made on the building. However, the situation was less serious after the hospital authorities gave permission for Mass to be said there each Sunday. By 1957 200 Catholics were attending Mass at the hospital, many of them members of staff. In 1957 a presbytery was built at 56 Begbrook Park at a cost of £4,800, and, the following year, on land provided on generous terms by the Burden Neurological Institute at Frenchay, a church and hall were erected.

Extract from 'The Diocese of Clifton 1850 – 2000' by Rev Dr J A Harding the Diocesan Archivist.

Mass:

See parish website

0117 983 3939

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