Coming to Bristol CathSoc in my first year and getting to chat with Fr Rupert (Who was chaplain at the time) and the older students was the first time I realised how little thought I had given to my faith, and how much there was to know and experience! It started at the Fresher’s Mass, before I had even chatted to anyone: sung latin Mass parts and Marian Antiphons, incense and the Mass being said Ad Orientem were all features that were unfamiliar or new to me, and really helped to bring the experience of my faith alive.
Very soon I began to get to know people at the chaplaincy, and was able to learn a great deal from spectating on conversations about saints and church history, the liturgy, and even Canon Law. The regularity of Masses, groups and events helped add structure to my life when at university things can so easily get out of hand. But most importantly I was able to make friends and find a real sense of community with CathSoc which has been a most precious part of my University experience, especially during the time of Covid when so many people were left isolated. I was able to become flatmates with a pair of older students from the chaplaincy, for my second year, and then in my third year we became four; that year the chaplaincy itself was closed for renovations, so our flat became the unofficial “party flat” where people would come to keep the night going after cathsoc formals, parties and pub nights!
This year, I moved into the newly renovated chaplaincy along with a bunch of CathSoc friends and our new chaplain, Fr Thomas! There is just one kitchen between the lot of us, so usually one person cooks for the rest of us and we eat together, which is wonderful for building community.
I have been the President of the society since march last year, which has been challenging, and yet so enjoyable and rewarding. Reinstituting meals and drinks at the chaplaincy after Sunday Mass once the renovations and pandemics were done was my main challenge for this year, which I think has gone very well, and has hopefully helped to reignite that sense of community within the wider CathSoc which I found when I first came to Bristol.
Some of the most influential people on my faith life during my time at bristol have been Fr Rupert, from the catechesis sessions and homilies at the chaplaincy to conversations on canon law, theology and Princess Grace at the pub, he knew how to guide and instruct the people of CathSoc with style! Then there is Fr Thomas, who so smoothly leapt in to take the reins of the chaplaincy and guide us all to holiness, using his slightly less quirky, but still just as pub friendly approach. Among the students, Perry, the president when I joined, despite being in his final year made me feel so welcome in my first year and knew how to chat with me about faith wherever in my faith journey I was. Australian Peter ran the men’s group, which helped me grow in a practical understanding of my faith, while Joe introduced me to his Lectio Divina group which has become a mainstay of my week ever since. Kiwan, Ignatius, Conor, Aidan and Connor have all helped me in my faith through various conversations over various pints. And Finally I must give a shoutout to CSN’s own Iona, whose own stalwart faith and concise insights into living a life of prayer have many times inspired me to reflect on and improve my own prayer life.
Sam Wilson (former CathSoc President at the University of Bristol)
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