Mass Times: Saturday Vigil Mass 6:30 pm, Sunday Mass 10:00 am | Confessions: 30 minutes before each Mass
​For baptisms, weddings, funerals and all other enquiries please email us.

About Us

The parish of the Holy Cross Catholic Church serves the areas of Bedminster, Southville and Long Ashton in the south of Bristol. It is part of the Catholic diocese of Clifton.

We are a fellowship of believers, a growing and enthusiastic parish. We are made in God's image and called as Christians to share the Good News with everyone. We do this by learning, listening, praying and working together actively to reach out to our communities.

​We are centred around the worship of God in the Holy Mass, which is the source and summit of our Christian life. It is from the Mass that we derive our strength and joy to seek to grow in holiness and in service to all God’s people each and every day.

We are a place to believe, belong, and become - as we know God, and love God and serve God; with all our mind, and our heart, and our soul!

Groups & Activities

If you wish to learn more about our Groups & Activities, please click the button below.

Our Parish School

We are immensely proud of our parish school, Holy Cross Primary School, and are deeply thankful for the school’s hospitality in hosting us for Mass each weekend. You can visit the school website here.
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Parish History

Forthcoming

our parish priest

Fr. Rupert Allen
Priest-in-charge
Father Rupert is a native of Bristol and a priest of the diocese of Clifton. He studied theology at the University of Oxford (St. Benet's Hall) before beginning training for the priesthood. As part of his training he then studied theology, philosophy and canon law at Oxford, London and Louvain (Leuven) and was ordained priest on September 7th 2012. After ordination Fr. Rupert worked in Belgium where he lived in the abbey of Leffe and then Brussels where he worked as a hospital chaplain and parochial vicar. Fr. Rupert returned to England and to Bristol in 2015 and has been priest-in-charge since 2017. Fr. Rupert is also chaplain to the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England, Bristol and has recently completed an MPhil at the University of Bristol in French ecclesiastical history. Within the diocese of Clifton he teaches on the diaconate formation programme and works with the diocesan tribunal. He is now continuing with further studies in canon law. You can contact Fr. Rupert here.

Symbol

The symbol is that of the Cross upon which Jesus was crucified, which the parish church is dedicated to.

The design is inspired by the painted cross which hangs above the sanctuary of the parish church. It reflects the parish church as the embodiment of the parish community, as well as a physical reminder of the place of God as the centre of one's life.

The red is that of the bricks of the parish church, the blue from the painted cross, and gold from the gilded ornaments around the church. The circle at the intersection of the cross, though part of the design of the cross, also represents the prominent circular window of the facade of the church.

Around the cross is a Christogram 'IC XC NIKA' which means ' 'Jesus Christ Conquers'. This is one of the various ways Christians have represented Jesus throughout the ages.

The red and blue symbolise the Blood and Water that ran forth from the pierced side of Jesus, which itself symbolises the Blood of the Eucharist and the Water of Baptism.

The red and blue are surrounded by an outline of gold, symbolising the human nature of Jesus being united with His divine nature in one Person.

The five square sections on the cross symbolise the five wounds of Jesus upon the cross. The central square at the intersection of the beams of the cross represent the Sacred Heart pierced from the side.

This central square is surmounted by a gold circle, symbolising Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. It also represents Jesus as the Sun of Justice, shining upon our hearts, sat as the Judge and King upon the Cross, His Judgement Seat and Throne.